Two shades of the same color

Grey

After a couple wrong turns down very elaborate hallways Black finds the waiting room she first arrived in. She shoves her bloody hands in her pockets as she walks up to a woman.

"Officer James is in an important call with the general right now, he wanted you to cancel any meetings for today and he requests alone time." she says to james' receptionist with a fake smile before leaving the building.

She walks for a while and begins to wonder where she's going next, she decides to head to the housing units and grab her things, then she can make a run for it.

It takes her a whole ten minutes to get there, partly because she was relatively new there and wasn't sure where to go but also because the cut in her side meant she had to advance at an agonizingly leisurely pace.

She breathed a sigh of relief, when she got to the houses. But winced, deciding to not be relieved until her 'minor' cut was healed
"The barracks aren't much to look at and they're pretty small but its the most comforting place I've had in a while." Black thought to herself as she entered the building.

"Sergeant Jones," a voice called out from one of the bunks. "What are you doing?" The owner of the voice asked walking towards her.

"Hey Corporal Greyson, I was just coming back and..." there was a brief pause as Black tried to explain, "and Inspecting my bunk. Yea, I heard there was going to be an inspection at 1800 hours." Black replied hoping Greyson believed her.

Greyson was the only corporal Black was comfortable with, only person she was comfortable with really. Greyson was 19 and already a "favorite" among the drill sergeants, and despite her rank, so was Black, which means they spent a lot of time together doing extra work. She always knew what was going through Blacks head.

"Hmm." Greyson looked at Black skeptically, as if she was reading her mind. But suddenly she said "What happened with officer James?"

"Oh nothing he was just asking if I knew anything about a missing gun or something. I guess someone from our platoon stole it." Black replies and starts to sit down on her bunk, she lets out an injured gasp and remembers she's bleeding. She mutters a couple swears to herself and try's to play it cool.

"what was that? Are you hurt? Did he touch you? Did he? If he hit you I'm gonna beat him. I swear to god" Greyson says fast and all at once, not letting Black respond.

"I'm fine Greyson, he didn't touch me. I...uh, just clipping my side on the.. Uh ...the door! On my way in." Black said not exactly making eye contact with her friend.

"Jones. What happened. Tell me."  Greyson pushed.

"Nothing happened. I swear." She answers still gripping her side.

Without any warning Greyson sets her hand on Blacks, the one that's propping her up, and she leans close her eyes scanning Blacks face. Black feels nervous 'her hands so warm. Her lips look so nice and soft' Black thinks to herself and feels a blush coming on.  Greyson slowly moves her other hand to Blacks other one, the one that's holding her wound, and pushes.

"ow! Greyson what the heck is wrong with you?" Black says and pulls her hand back reluctantly to put more pressure on her side.

"Let me see." is the only thing Greyson says and Black takes her jacket off, it started soaking the blood and it tore some skin when she removed it. Her shirt was even more soaked with blood than her jacket and the gash was bigger than she thought.

"He did this didn't he?" Greyson asked. Black didn't respond.

"He hurt you didn't he? Where is he?" Greyson demanded this time. Black didn't answer again.
Greyson got up and headed for the door.

"Don't Greyson, you won't like what you see." Black said unable to get up from the bed. Greyson stops halfway to the door but doesn't go back to the bed. After a while Black stood up, bracing herself against the wall, she was visibly pale and when she spoke  again her voice was trembling "please Greyson. I need you, with me." Greyson can't stop the tears and runs back to Black wrapping her arms around the wounded girl.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you" she choked out between sobs.

"It's not your fault. I brought this on myself" Black says silently against Greyson's head.
Soon the sobs stop and the girls wipe their eyes.

"All right," Greyson says rubbing her blotchy face "we need to get you patched up. And while I do that you can explain, so first get out of those bloody clothes." Greyson said and stood up, turning around to give Black some privacy.

Black tried to slip off her shirt but she couldn't move her right arm above her shoulder because of the gash.

"Let me help." Greyson said moving to grab blacks shirt, Black flinches at her fingertips but relaxes soon.  She helps slip it off and hides it under a bed. And that's how the next hour goes. Greyson's cleaning and bandaging Blacks many wounds. and Blacks explaining her meeting with the officer, and everything in between.

"Black? That's slightly unnerving." Greyson says after the story, and her stiching, is done.

"Yea well I tried to sound scary And mysterious. I mean i was scary. I needed a name that matched" Black answers laughing to herself.

"What exactly did you do?" Greyson asked hesitantly, getting up and gathering her materials. Black stopped laughing and sat up straight.

"I'm not proud of what I did, and I did the most horrible things. I'm, a bad person. I've done unimaginable things. But, I've changed." Black said quietly she hung her head. There was an awkward silence as Greyson put her medical kit away.

"Hey you're pretty good at this doctor stuff. " Black said after a while and stood up, Greyson's still hunched over her kit so Black goes to change.

"Yea it's the best stitches I've done, the only stitches I've done, so. " Greyson laughs. And turns around to see Black hunting for a shirt. She can't help but notice the tan girls scars that run up and down her muscular back, and how they move across her shoulders when she moves and Greyson realizes shes never seen black wear a short sleeve shirt, now she knows why. They look like whip marks mixed with knife scars.

Greyson inches closer, extending her hand out to just touch her, to feel her scars, to feel her. She pulls her hand back and turns around again just as black faces her.

"Can you help me with this one too?" Black asked sheepishly holding out a long sleeve tshirt.

"Absolutely " Greyson answered. 'Hold back the gay, Greyson come on keep it together' Glad to have an excuse to not be looked at and hoping her blushing cheeks calmed down.

"So. What happens next?" Greyson asked as she watches Black pack up.

"I dunno. The main thing I know is that I'm leaving. I can't stay here they'd know I killed him. I'm on the run again" Black answers shoving a pair of pants into a duffel bag. She hesitated before asking "What happens next with you?"

Greyson isn't sure how to answer. "I guess I'll stay here. Throw them off your trail." She says after a while.

"Yea I guess. Thanks...For everything" Black seemed hurt. She didn't know why but she didn't want to leave Greyson. "Unless," she added hesitantly "you want to come with me."

Greyson jumped up "Really!" Greyson answered quickly and enthusiastically, "I mean yeah sure okay. I think I'd be okay with that." She headed to her own bunk to pack her bag.

They pack in silence.

Still smiling and hiding the crimson red on their cheeks.