Light of Heart (LGBT+) ✔

Locked up

"I'm sorry, love." Kikisa locks the door that Meli is pounding on. She's strong, but Kikisa is stronger. "It's for your safety."

"Safety, my ass. It's for your hero complex!"

Kikisa sighs. "Listen, be reasonable. I don't want you to die and we all know you're reckless."

"And you think I want you to die?! If anyone's reckless here, it's you!" Meli's voice has become shrill and hoarse. "If you leave without me, I'll never forgive you. Don't think you'll have anyone to come back to! I won't be here, I swear you. I'll escape and go fight on my own and you won't even have the chance to protect me!"

Kikisa's heart clenches. Would she? Could she? Meli is a force, that's sure. "Meli, please ... How can I fight to my full strength if I'm thinking about protecting you?"

"You will fight all the better for it! You've never disappointed me. You know we're better together." And she's right. Kikisa knows. Admittedly, it's never been a battle like this, but they have their fair share of experience. They complement one another's weaknesses. But now that she's locked up Meli, she can't go back on her decision.

She picks out a flat rock along the wall to sit upon and flips her spear. Left, right. Throwing it in the air and catching it, almost falling over because she's sitting down. Meli calls out: "Kikisa? Are you still there? I swear!" She doesn't answer her.

"Kikisa? Kikisa! I'm gonna kill you." Meli growls, and Kikisa shivers as she remembers that growl from many heated nights in each other's arms. Meli pounds on the door, but it doesn't give. It's a sturdy door, and a sturdy lock. Kikisa helped the blacksmith make it to lower the price.

It becomes silent, save for the sound of the other soldiers in the town getting ready for battle. It's still early – the shadows are long, and the sky is more orange and purple than blue – but people are shouting and crying and children are running around.

The lock clicks and the door swings open. Meli's hair hangs in loose locks around her face and she has her hairpin between her fingers. She doesn't notice Kikisa at first, but when she has pinned up her hair once again, she looks down and steps back in surprise.

"What are you doing here?"

Kikisa scrambles up. "Waiting for you."

"Waiting? Didn't you intend to go without me?!" Meli's voice rises again.

"Don't shout. I changed my mind."

Meli nods, frowning. "Changed your mind, eh? And you couldn't just free me?"

Kikisa pulls up an eyebrow. "Did you really expect differently from me?"

For a moment, Meli doesn't move, but then her shoulders slack and she guffaws: "I guess not. You hag. I don't know why I put up with your pride complex."

"I think it rubbed off on you." Kikisa's eyes twinkle. "Ready for this? I promise I'll only ever lock you up in my arms." She swings an arm around Meli's shoulder.

Meli ducks and laughs. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go fight and then you can lock me up in your arms all you want. If I don't catch you first."

***

Author's Note: Another flashfic for one of Cee's prompts! I intended to write about 'key', but it ended up being more about 'lock' (which was an older prompt). I had zero ideas when I started this, so I'm happy to have ended up with badass lesbians. How did you like them? (Also excuse the random names I invented under duress.)