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( note! this is a special bonus chapter for a brief backstory and glimpse into the lives of freya and maya! )
Freya entered the small cafe, the scent of brewing coffee washing over her in a wave. She had just been up all night, overseeing a drug run. She was hired to keep watch if anything went down. To Freya's disappointment, it was a quiet night, the job going off without a hitch.
Pulling off her aviators and repositioning them on top of her head, Freya's eyes scanned over the menu. Several pairs of eyes landed in her, her heavy combat boots thudding against the ground with each step she took. When it was her turn to order, Freya stepped up to the counter, the cashier shooting her a brilliant smile. The mercenary noticed how it reached her eyes, the green lighting up.
"What can I get for you today, darling?" The cashier asked, her voice light and melodic. It soothed Freya.
"Salted caramel coffee, with regular cream and sugar, please." Freya said after a moment of thought.
"Oh, I love salted caramel! Something about it just makes me feel all warm inside. Good choice!" As the cashier continued to ring up her order, she looked up at her, eyes resting directly in contact with Freya's. "Can I get a name for that?"
"Freya." She said, sliding a five dollar bill onto the counter. Freya looked at the name tag on the cashiers shirt. Maya, she read in her head.
"Here you go, sunshine!" Maya chirped, sliding the warm cup of coffee into her hand, their fingers brushing against each other. "Have a nice day!" A small smile made its way into Freya's lips, something bubbling up in her chest.
"You, too."
–•–•–
Freya had to go back. The next day, when she woke up, she decided that she had to see the cute girl who worked at the cafe again. Slipping on her jacket and shoving her hands into her pockets, Freya began the short walk to the cafe just down the street. The bells above the door jingled as she shoved it open, standing in line behind a man, who was talking to Maya. Barely paying the man any attention, Freya's eyes scanned around the seating area, watching the various people sipping their drinks or eating their muffins. Suddenly, a startled cry snapped Freya out of her daze, making her harsh glare snap back to the man in front of her, who had thrown his, thankfully, iced, coffee back at Maya. With a startled look, Maya's eyes widened, coffee dripping from her clothes.
"Are you fucking stupid! That's not what I asked for! You bitch!" When the man made a grab for Maya's wrist, Freya immediately grabbed his forearm, squeezing tightly, painfully. "Ow, what the fuck is wrong with you!" Smiling coldly, Freya twisted the man's arm behind his back, slamming him down against the counter.
"I strongly suggest you apologize to this nice girl right here before I snap your arm like a toothpick, yeah?" The man laughed bitterly, but his laughter turned into pained cries when Freya applied more pressure to his arm, moments away from easily breaking.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" He cried out. Satisfied, Freya pulled him up, and shoved him harshly towards the door.
"Get the hell out. Now." She seethed, and the man scrambled out the door, holding his arm. Maya stared at Freya, green eyes wide with wonder.
"Thank you. Freya, right?" Freya nodded, taking in the girls appeared. Her cream colored shirt was covered in dark coffee, her pants soaked through at the thighs.
"Look, not to be too forward here, but my apartment isn't that far away. I can lend you some clean clothes, if you want?" Freya offered, the words slipping out before she could even think about it. Maya immediately smiled, her eyes lighting up again.
"I would love that."
–•–•–
Freya didn't know how it happened. Somehow, what started as a cliche café meeting, turned into the best thing that had ever happened to her. Closing the door to their shared house, locking it behind her for the night, Freya dropped her keys into the table right inside the front hallway.
"Maya, I'm home!" She called, and waited, but got no answer. Confused, Freya made her way up to their shared bedroom, searching for her fiancée. "Maya?" Opening the slightly ajar bedroom door, Freya's eyes widened in horror as she watched a sword run Maya through, blood beginning to seep from her stomach the second the blade was removed. "Maya!" She screamed, less focused on the person escaping through their bedroom window and more focused on her bleeding wife-to-be.
Taking the girl into her arms, pulling her onto her lap, Freya held her tightly, one arm wrapped around her shoulders to keep her tight against Freya, the other applying pressure to the wound. Blood bubbled up and seeped through her fingers and tears sprung to Freya's eyes. Coughing, blood splattered onto Maya's lips.
"Hang in there, Maya, okay? You're gonna be alright." Freya pleaded with Maya, who lifted a shaky hand, caressing Freya's cheek with it.
"You're so beautiful, Freya. My Freya." A pained, wheezing breath. "I love you. To the moon and back?" Freya sobbed, nodding.
"And on 'til Mars, I love you too." After struggling to breath for another moment, Maya's hand slipped from Freya's cheek, hitting the hardwood floor. "No!" Freya cried, the scream heart wrenching and tear jerking. "No." Another sob, a desperate plea.
"Please come back to me. Please don't leave me. Maya, please."
–•–•–
Wiping a tear from her eye, Freya sighed, her heart aching as she remembered what she almost had — what had just slipped through her fingers so painfully.
