Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The checklist ran through my head for a third time. Team warmed up? Check. Full costumes? Check. Shoes covered in rosin? Quintuple check. I'd already asked the production crew to test our music and lighting before the show started, so that was out of my hands now. All that was left to do was wait for the most excruciating minutes of our lives until the dancers before us finished their number.

My phone stirred with a soft light across my dance bag on the floor beside me. Bent over with a squint, I caught the headline: "Rising hometown heroes 'Mythic Essence' to face off against serial champions 'The Baddest' LIVE in five!" I smiled to myself. As if I'd miss my own performance.

Cheers echoed and followed the last group off the stage, and that was our cue to line up in the curtains.

"It's now or never, ladies!" I called behind me.

The speakers crackled and boomed our intro music. It was a fun song, one that I’d picked because I heard it was from a popular girl band and hoped it might get us brownie points with the audience’s demographic—but at that moment I was more focused on the show host and the slew of cameras that I could just barely see around the stage curtains. Popularity was important, but winning would really come down to what we did with it.

“I still can't believe you picked a K-pop song for our intro,” Becca grimaced behind me with a faint gagging sound. She was my snarky confidante and helped me with choreography when I got the rare bout of creative burnout, but sometimes she didn’t take her job as seriously as I would hope. She was always good for a well-timed laugh, though.

“I have to play to the audience, and unlike you, they don't want to hear your death-metal playlist all the time," I teased. "Just focus on killing it out there and leave the rest to me.”

We took our cue and strutted onto the stage, hitting the sharply timed poses that I made my team run through tirelessly to make sure we made a good first impression. The nerves coursed through me, but I’d fallen in love with the thrill of it. Once you hit the stage, it was your time to show off everything you'd worked so hard on for months or even years, and that made for some of my best memories. It didn’t hurt my ego having all the eyes on me, either.

I felt the warm stage lights pouring over us through our sleek leather costumes, which I’d picked out for our debut to make sure everyone knew we meant business. Gone were the days of our frilly homemade costumes we wore to the small-town competitions back home—and in a way, splurging on the costumes felt like proof that we’d made it to the big leagues. But our work was far from over if we wanted to take home the trophy and the one million dollar prize.

The music faded and the announcer’s voice came through the cheers, introducing us with a cute montage we put together explaining our stories and why we wanted to be here. Some of it was just fluff and clips of our old performances, but the part about us wanting to use the earnings to renovate our studio and give back to our community was coming straight from our hearts. Competing was fun, but quitting our jobs to devote our lives to dance was serious business. If we fucked this up, we’d be in enough trouble to have to go scrambling for part-time jobs just to keep our studio open.

“Look at these hard-working queens go! I can see how they’ve earned the name Mythic Essence with those magical moves.” The host flashed a dazzling smile to accompany his corny line, then glided over with a hand on my shoulder and a mic in my face to ask his checklist of questions, like my name, why I started dancing, and where we came from. I explained how our studio was being run by just the five of us, and how we used every spare minute between teaching classes and running the business to rehearse and travel across the world for competitions. We'd dreamed of becoming famous dancers since we were little girls, but now we were competing to show the world that all it takes is a small group of hard-working people to make it big, regardless of where you came from. A swell of relief came over me when the audience cheered us on, and I was feeling pretty confident while the host stepped away to move on with the show.

“It’s going to be hard for our next competitors to top that, but let’s see what they’ve got up their sleeves and welcome this round's second team: The Baddest!”

The theater went dead silent in response to the dimming lights. I squinted at the figure emerging from the curtains across the stage from us, wondering for a moment if the lighting techs had messed something up—at least, until I saw neon paint glowing under what I realized were blacklights.

The first girl slunk out of the shadows. She paused to let the lights pick up her colorful form, while her dangerous yellow eyes sized me up from across the stage. Just below them was a mask covering the lower half of her face, with demonic markings that made her look like a living graffiti tag, and her thick, illuminated ponytail matched the paint suggestively drawn over the parts of her exposed torso that weren’t tucked into her bra and jacket. I’d done my research on our competition, and I knew this must have been The Baddest’s leader, Akali. She was an ex-rapper and rising star in the dance world known for flashy entrances and incorporating unusual props into her choreography, but even I didn’t see something like this coming.

Now that she’d given everyone enough time to soak in her arrival, I figured she’d wasted enough time and the rest of her group would come out and strut into their places. But to my surprise, there was still no sign of movement—until she headed straight for me.

I tried not to flinch when her nose came within an inch of mine. I could hear the breath behind her warm mask, and her eyes were locked down onto mine, like the crowd was an afterthought to her. My heels wobbled slightly while I tried to focus on her dizzying colors, with half a mind to—

Fump.

A finger against my forehead pressed me away as she spun back around to face the audience—her audience, now—and called out "Hit it!" with all of the command in her voice you'd expect from a famous rapper.

Their music dropped with a hard beat to match the energy of their entrance, and hit it they did. The rest of The Baddest’s group made their appearance behind Akali, each girl painted with more glowing designs to highlight their distinct features. They were clearly trying to fill every trope they could, with Akali being the confident face of the group, and the rest ranging from sultry to sweet and sharp to soft. Her whole team was an obnoxious, neon catastrophe—and the world was going to eat it up like candy.

“Shit— Are they serious? How did they convince the producers to let them do this on week one?!” Becca hissed beside me, a little louder than I think she meant to—but I shared her sentiment. We’d been told by the production team to hold back for the first couple of weeks so we didn’t run out of ideas and oversaturate the audience with our best work too quickly, but clearly The Baddest didn’t get the memo. Or maybe they just didn’t give a damn.

They finished their entrance and squadded up on the other half of the stage, looking at the host expectantly for their turn to talk. He obliged, but before he could finish asking his first question, Akali plucked the mic from his hand and left the poor guy at a loss while he blinked over at production for direction.

"I doubt I need to introduce myself, so why don't we skip that and get to the good part?" Akali asked, but she clearly had no intention of waiting for anyone to answer. "Why am I here? Simple: to prove we're the best."

Our host recovered and graciously accepted the mic back from her, complimenting her bravado and riling the crowd with the promise of a good showdown—but I wasn't so easily swayed. In fact, my blood was boiling, and it took effort to stop myself from taking the mic and shaming her for gunning after money she clearly didn't need. This competition may have just been another throwaway publicity stunt for her, but countless dancers just like us were here for far more than that—and with far greater consequences if we failed.

I was relieved by the announcement that we'd be moving past the shallow introductions and onto our performances, but as was tradition for this competition, we would have to wait patiently while the audience decided which group they wanted to perform first. They liked to make it seem like it was decided at random, but after they let that extravagant intro from our competitor's slide, I was starting to lose faith that this show would play fair.

I crossed my arms and sunk into my hip as one of the cameras zoomed in on us, doing my best to come across as a worthy adversary, but I couldn't help sneaking a glance over at Akali in the process. She was preoccupied with the camera on them, going so far as to walk up to it and mouth goodness-knows-what to her loyal fans, even though I was pretty sure they told us not to get that close to the camera crew. Who did she think she was?

Finally, the poll was closed, and The Baddest was chosen to perform first by a landslide. Of course. But going second had its advantages too, so we would just have to work with what we got.

We cleared the stage for them, watching eagerly to see what would follow Akali's bold claims. My girls whispered amongst each other—no doubt shitting themselves after our first encounter with our rivals—but I wasn't worried yet. The Baddest may have had a strong start, but you know what they say about those who burn the brightest.

The blacklights turned on again, and I half expected them to roll out a cannon and fire Akali out of it into the audience or something, but it seemed that they were done with the surprises for now. It wasn't lost on me that it's easier to look like you're hitting the right pose when parts of your body are obscured by the darkness, though.

Akali was shorter than the rest of her group, but still slightly taller than me—not that she seemed to be lacking any confidence because of it as she threw gang signs and squatted like a thug at the front of the stage. As grungy as I thought that style of dance was, I had to admit it: the timing was clean, even in the dark. I thought their popularity had come from their zany stunts and tendency to end up in headlines for pushing boundaries, but it seemed they had some level of dedication and talent to back it up.

Their song ended with a strong group pose, one that was going to look nice as a thumbnail and in articles that would go up after the show. But, luckily, I'd thought to incorporate some eye-catching moves that would be great for clips and still shots in our routine, as well. Becca said I was overthinking, but I wasn't taking any chances. 

I edged up to the curtain and prepared to get out there when The Baddest turned on their heels in unison and exited the wrong side of the stage, and I knew it was intentional as soon as those yellow eyes flashed at me again. Her gaze followed me over her shoulder as she and the rest of the group squeezed by, and one of the tall ones snickered when Becca told them to watch it.

Our music came on, and as soon as I hit the stage and breathed in the thick, sweaty air, it was like the introductions never happened. We came to life out there, and what we lacked in special effects was outshined by my expert choreography. We hit our ending, and the quiet audience didn't seem ready to accept it was over until screams filled the theater.

I hugged my girls tight, so overwhelmed by the thought of how far we'd come that I hadn't realized our competition followed us back onto the stage. They were back because it was time for a vote—one that would determine which team went home, and which would go on to be one step closer to winning the whole competition.

My group huddled together with bated breaths, still uneven and shaky from performing. I was cautiously optimistic. The Baddest had plenty of shock factor going for them, but my choreography was timeless, not the kind that would blow up and be forgotten in a week. Plus, going last meant our routine would be fresh in their minds—I just hoped it would be enough.

Doubt crept in as spotlights swept the stage and landed on each of our groups. I caught Akali's gaze again, but it was different this time. Is she smiling under her mask?

The votes were in. Fancy graphics on the big screen over the audience showed our teams as everything was tallied, but they were too close to call. 

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, come on…" Becca whispered under her breath, blissfully unaware of the fact she was squeezing my arm like a stress ball. 

I heard some of the girls muttering about a tie, but that had never happened in this competition before. My mind ran through the possibilities of what would happen if it did— A sudden death round? Double elimination? Rock paper scissors?

After consulting with the producers through his ear piece for a criminally long time, the host broke his silence. "With careful inspection, it seems we have the first draw in our show's history," he paused, stretching out the tension like his career depended on it. "The audience has spoken, and they couldn't get enough of this rivalry. So the team going home is: No one! "

My chest fell. Was I relieved? Annoyed? The host wrapped up his closing speech, and we were quickly guided backstage to pack up for the night. I sent my girls ahead to get started without me so I could gather the spare costume pieces I'd left next to the stage in case of an emergency, but as I rounded the corner to bring them back to our dressing room, I found none other than Akali.

"Hey. You're the head of Mythic, right?" she asked from her lean against the wall.

I held back a sigh. It must have been a rhetorical question. "Yes, and you're in my way."

"Yikes— Are you always this feisty?" she laughed. "Awkward introduction aside, I'm Akali, and I wanted to give you kudos for that performance. Had me worried we would be hopping on the next flight home for a sec there."

My back scraped the other side of the hallway as I shimmied past and mumbled under my breath. "You would've been just fine either way."

"What was that?" she asked, and I thought I'd cleared her range, but I was proven wrong when I felt a strong grip around my forearm that sent the pile of leather slipping out of my grasp. "Shit, my bad, let me help you—"

"I think you've done enough," I snapped. "You live up to your group's name, but I think calling yourselves The Worst would be more fitting."

I scooped up my things and turned to go, shortly caught off guard by a haughty laugh from a figure standing in the door of their dressing room. It seemed that she was going for the temptress of the group both on and off the stage, wearing nothing but a thin robe and a tall glass of red wine perched in her hand.

"Ooh, you really did it this time, Kali." the woman purred. "Should I record this and accidentally leak it on the forums again?"

The two of them got into a heated trade of whispers, but it looked like this Eve person was too tipsy to take it seriously, and I took it as my opening to turn for my own dressing room.

"Hey, wait a sec. Please?" Akali called after me. Her voice was so soft now, it almost didn't sound like the same person who was commanding the entire audience ten minutes ago. "You know all that stuff on stage is just part of the performance, right? It's nothing personal, Starlight."

I would've been insulted if she hadn't sounded so genuine. Part of me was hoping she'd be the greedy jerk I heard on stage so I could just hate her and call it a day, and yet…

"Starlight, huh? I guess that's one way to try to make it up to me," I answered carefully.

Akali smirked. She looked really different without the mask and the bright yellow contacts—almost sweet, if it weren't for all the sharp makeup and edgy costume pieces still clinging to her. "What can I say? You were a star out there."

Eve cleared her throat and threw back the last of her wine. "This sure got boring in a hurry. What happened to all the hair-pulling cat fights these competitions used to have?" she sighed before slipping out of sight.

"I'd better get in there and make sure she doesn't actually start one of those." Akali pushed the door and paused to give me a small wink. "See you around then, Starlight."

Chapter Text

“Hey, Starlight.” Becca was already teasing me before I had one foot in the dressing room.

"Really, Bec? Eavesdropping?" I scolded, but I still felt a flush of embarrassment knowing she overheard such a strange conversation. "Maybe I would be surprised if you weren't always so nosy."

She snorted from her seat at the vanity, stripping off her false eyelashes with all the grace of a wild buffalo. "Fair—but it was for a good cause. If I'm gonna be your wing-woman, then I need to know what I'm dealing with."

My eyes rolled as I slipped behind a curtain to change. "We've been over this—exploring my sexuality is effectively on hold until I can afford to settle down," I said. “And that's rich coming from the girl who went solo drunk and got kicked out of a club last month for kissing a waitress.”

She went quiet at that, raising her hands in surrender with a wild smirk on her face. "Yeah, yeah, selfless leader archetype, I got it. I'm just saying, I think you deserve to have a little fun once in a while."

Becca told me the rest of the girls had gone back to our hotel for the night, understandably tired after the brutal rehearsal I led followed by the show, but I was still buzzing from the thrill of a captivated audience. It was a bit of a let-down not to have advanced in the competition, but as long as the victory was still up for grabs, I would put everything I had into making sure our numbers were unforgettable from now on.

After a few pointless attempts to convince my second-in-command to get an early night after such a crazy day, she suggested we go out for drinks to unwind—which meant Shirley Temples for us, since a hangover wouldn't do us any favors trying to choreograph in the morning. We meandered our way down the busy streets of the famous city and into the nearest building with a neon sign, finally letting ourselves go as we sunk into the cushy booths.

Becca melted into the seat across from mine. "Ahh, that's more like it. Are you sure it's not too late to change your mind about the booze, though?" she nudged me.

I nodded. "I'm afraid so, even though it wouldn't be the worst thing to distract myself from this rematch."

Becca ordered the drinks after she insisted on treating me, and a minute later she handed one over and held hers out to match. "Here's to how far we've come, and the endless possibilities ahead." she winked.

Once our glasses clinked, I sipped the fruity liquid and gazed out the window at the bustling nightlife, gently nodding my head to the music from the bar. Becca scrolled mindlessly on her phone for a while, giving me enough time to get lost in thoughts of what Akali's crew would do next until she nearly spat out her drink.

"Holy shit—you're trending?!" 

"What?" I asked, but she was frozen in concentration. "Becca, let me see!"

She blinked out of her surprise and slid her phone over to me. It was difficult to read anything through her cracked screen at first, but the up-close shot of my stare-down with Akali was crystal clear—and then I saw the millions of likes attached to it.

My hands rolled against my face. "You've got to be kidding me," I groaned.

Becca reached over and scrolled through the flood of comments that I was avoiding, and she started reading them one-by-one with an unnecessarily sly tone in her voice. "Why is there so much sexual tension, is it bad that I ship this, I don't follow dance but I'm going to watch the show for more of these two…" She stopped herself from going on, but she was still doing a piss-poor job of hiding her grin at the response. "Well. Looks like I wasn't the only one who noticed those neon sparks flying."

I glared at her through my hands. "If you're waiting for me to say you were right, then you're going to be here all night."

"Fine, fine," she laughed and put away her phone, but the lingering silence was clearly killing her, so she poked my arm with a devious look. "You did say you had to play to the audience, though—so what's our next move, Captain?" she asked.

My cheek was starting to hurt from chewing at it. "Well, from a purely success-driven perspective, I'd be an idiot not to capitalize on this," I admitted, sucking down the rest of my drink until the straw bubbled. "...That doesn't mean I like it."

Chapter Text

I launched myself out of my hotel bed following the early wake-up call I'd requested from the front desk. It was an entire hour earlier than I told my girls to get up so my absence wouldn't interfere with rehearsal, and even though Becca and I were sharing a room, she was still zonked out on the pull-out sofa thanks to her enviable ability to sleep through an apocalypse.

The humid summer air of a dense city greeted me at the door. I fished through my pocket for the granola bar I swiped from the breakfast bar and devoured it on my way to the competing hotel across the street, where I hoped to find The Baddest. I'd asked my agent to find out where Akali and her group was staying for the competition, and after explaining my plan to work with the publicity our rivalry had spawned, she was more than happy to pull some strings to make it happen. Now I just had to pull it off.

I showed the receptionist my ID and competition badge and asked him where I could find our rivals. He pointed me down a hall and said they were probably practicing in the conference room they had rented out for the month, so I decided to wait outside until they left. 

My fingers drummed against my arm as I stood beside their door, eyeing the over-the-top poster taped to it featuring all five of them with Akali's cocky smirk front and center, and the quote "Busy being Bad, please don't disturb!" beside her. Assuming she wasn't just pretending to be nice off the stage last night, she had certainly succeeded in hiding that part of herself from the world with her persona of a cutthroat competitor.

Laughter suddenly poured through the door, and I couldn't help myself from peeking between the blinds in the window for a look. Akali perched atop a stool beside a row of portable mirrors that were set up along one wall of the room, gesturing around in the midst of telling some story that her girls were enraptured in. Another round of laughs seemed to wrap up her tale, and she cracked an infectious grin at the reaction. I felt my lips tugging into a smile of my own just watching, and I wondered if this was how the audience felt when she commanded them so effortlessly.

The thought evacuated my mind when a shadow pulled over my face from the other side of the blinds, and I jumped aside to avoid looking like some crazy stalker fan before Akali led the group's exit.

I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling a knot in my stomach that I hadn't felt in years. My nerves used to get the better of me all the time when I met accomplished dancers, but since earning success of our own, that feeling had just been a memory until today.

"Kali~" Eve lulled, tapping her leader's shoulder and pointing at me with her long, sharp manicure. I thought I caught a glimpse of something in Akali's face as she turned, but before I had the chance to confirm anything, the girl closest to me lit up and pulled me into a hug that I had no choice but to receive.

"Oh, wow! You're the girl who formed Mythic Essence, right?" she beamed. Her long green ponytail tickled my nose as she squeezed me, and she pulled back to take in every corner of my face just as quickly. "I'm Seraphine, but you can call me Sera. I'm a huge fan of your choreography—no offense, Kali!"

"None taken," Akali laughed behind her.

Sera glanced at her group and checked her phone for the time. "You just missed our practice, but you should totally come to lunch with us! I'd love to hear about your creative process, as long as you aren't sworn to secrecy or anything." she urged.

I smiled politely under the expectant faces watching me. "That's a very kind offer, but I, um—"

"I'm sure she's busy with her own rehearsals today, but maybe we can set something up later, Sera," Akali finished for me. "You girls go on without me. I'll catch up once I'm done here."

The four of them left with a kind wave to me from everyone except Eve, who instead offered a knowing glance at her leader, and Akali escorted me into their practice space for some privacy.

"I wasn't expecting visitors today—I would've cleaned myself up a bit if I'd known," Akali told me this as she pulled up her shirt to dab at the sweat on her face, and exposed her tight abs again in the process. "So then, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

The short breath I took was to distract me from looking, but also to brace myself before I answered. How am I supposed to say this without sounding desperate? "I'm here because I want to work with you for our rematch." I declared.

"Ahh, so that's what this is about," she smirked. "Here I thought Miss Goody-Two-Shoes had a change of heart and decided to spy on us through the window."

My face burned. "You saw that?"

She burst out laughing, and it gave me an overwhelming urge to let my hair down so she couldn't see my reaction. "It's hard not to notice a pretty face like yours. Besides, now I get to see how cute you look when you're embarrassed."

I turned with my arms tightly folded at my chest. "It's not too late to change my mind, you know. I just thought it would be mutually beneficial to lean into the feedback we got after the show. But I'll be fine on my own if you're going to be like this the whole time."

"Like what? Flirty? " she asked, leaning over my shoulder into view. "Don't tell me you can't handle a little teasing, Starlight. I'm sure you've had your fair share of it, being in the public eye and all."

I gave her a silent answer, letting my heavy, if not nervous sigh get the point across.

"Okay, okay," she laughed. "I think a collab between us is a great idea after that explosive response, so I accept your offer. I just have one condition."

We caught each other as I looked up, intrigued by her quick acceptance since I hadn't laid out the terms of my proposal yet. "And that is?" I asked.

Akali plopped down onto her stool, using her grip on the front of the seat to lean back with a restless look in her eyes. "If I'm offering to be at the mercy of your choreography, then you have to do the same and be a part of our number, under my direction."

It sounded like a perfectly balanced agreement, and yet everything about her told me I was getting into more than I bargained for. She offered her hand and nodded at it, like she knew she was luring a bear to honey—and unfortunately, it was working.

"Promise you won't give me a skimpy costume, and you have a deal," I said.

She grabbed my hand for me and shook it. "You have my word."

We picked a time to meet that evening so we could start planning our parts in each other's performances as soon as possible, and knowing I had my work cut out for me, I got out the door the first chance I had.

"Not so fast, Girlie. I've got something for you," Akali called after me while she locked up. I looked around to make sure no one else heard her call me that, and waited patiently as she propped her stuffed backpack onto her hip and rifled through it for something. She pulled out a piece of glossy paper and held it against the wall to scribble on it, then folded it neatly and slipped it into a matching sleeve.

"Good thing I still have to keep autographs on me for my rap fans, huh?" She handed me a small envelope with my name scrawled across it in sharp, stylized letters. "Here. Next time you want to get a hold of me without looking like a stalker, you can use this."

I blinked between her and the envelope, but she wandered off without further explanation. And after tucking it into my bag and briefly catching the triumphant smile pulling up one side of her lips, I left with a feeling this would be a collaboration I wouldn't forget.

Chapter Text

A warm whiff of maple syrup greeted me upon entering the hotel cafeteria. It was shortly followed by a rumble in my center, which reminded me why I don't like skipping the most important meal of the day in favor of a snack bar. The girls waved as I passed by the table they’d settled into, but Becca wasn’t satisfied with my entrance, and she snuck away to follow me around the corner of the breakfast bar.

“Wanna tell me where you snuck off to this morning?” she whispered.

A glob of batter sizzled against the waffle-maker’s griddle as I pressed it down. “I had some business to attend to,” I answered plainly.

“Riiight,” she teased, using her fingers to form a set of air-quotes, “business.”

“Yes, Bec, business. I have a studio and a team to look out for, and I can’t afford to lose sight of why we’re here.” I finished.

Ignoring her persistent expression, I led us back to the rest of the group and took my seat at the head of the table. We chatted amongst ourselves for a while, sharing our thoughts of last night’s performance and its reception, inevitably leading to the topic of our rivals and our plan going forward.

They looked over expectantly once I cleared my throat for their attention—especially Becca. “I know we didn’t come into this competition expecting such a strong rivalry right off the bat, but I don’t want it to sway any of you. We are still here to do our jobs, and part of being a professional is working with what you’re given,” I assured them. “I met with The Baddest’s leader this morning to set up a collaboration for our rematch. This week we will be working with her so she can have a short appearance during our routine, and I will be doing the same in theirs. For the times I’ll be practicing with their group, I’m leaving Becca in charge of running rehearsals. Are there any questions?”

By the time I finished, I was met with a wide-eyed stare from every one of them. Most of their hands were already raised in response, wondering if Akali would fit into our style of dance—which was a great question that I was curious to figure out for myself. Once the Q&A finished, I directed them down the hall to start warming up, but Becca fell behind them to offer one last poke and a proud smile.

“I knew you had it in you, Captain.”

After setting up our practice room, I instructed Becca to lead a group stretch while I curled up with my notebook to plan. There were a few good ideas in there that I’d written before we left home, but none that even remotely screamed “With special guest: Akali!”

As if on cue, the woman herself walked in and hijacked the session. She seemed comfortable introducing herself to the rest of my team, so I kept my focus on the page and let her charm seep into the background. What was I supposed to do with her? I couldn’t have her dancing much, if at all—per order of my agent, who barely got my idea approved by the show directors in the first place—and my audience wasn't expecting me to use simple props in my work, let alone a brash, show-stopping figure like Akali.

“What, no warm welcome from my sworn nemesis?” Her voice cut through my thoughts as she stood over me. “You must be having a hell of a time down there.”

I rolled my eyes, but it didn't stop me from smirking at her dumb joke. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m just planning our choreo.”

Akali slipped off her backpack and sat on the floor beside me, softly laughing as I jerked my notes out of her sight. “Relax, I’m not gonna steal your brilliant ideas. I wouldn’t spoil the surprise of seeing you rock it out there for anything.”

The sigh in my chest came out heavier than I meant it to. I scribbled down another idea, but it just wasn’t going anywhere. For a woman who prided herself and her career on arranging movement, I sure was flunking this—and running out of time to fix it.

“It sounds to me like you could use a sounding board,” Akali said, running a hand through her hair as she leaned against the mirror at our backs. “Lay it on me. What’ve you got so far?”

A few days ago I would’ve refused her offer out of sheer principle, but this competition was already going so far out of my norm that I figured it wouldn’t do me any good to fight it. “Well, that’s the problem—I made it all the way to the world’s biggest dance competition on the merit of my choreography, and I can’t think of a damn thing. Pretty lame, huh?” I asked.

She seemed surprised at first, but she shook her head after thinking about it for a moment. "Not at all. I mean, you've choreographed however-many numbers in the past year alone without much if any help, so you were bound to hit a wall eventually," she said, and my heart sank at the thought of it until she finished her point. "The way I see it, there's possibilities and options all around us that we can't see when we get too focused on the obvious ones. Sometimes all it takes is a little shift in perspective to see all the paths there are to take."

The thoughtful response almost stunned me. Not that I thought she was stupid, I just didn't expect anything helpful from the woman who claimed she was only here to prove her team was the best.

Akali broke the silence with a hum in her throat. “How about I coast in on my Ducati?” she offered. “That's sure to get the audience's attention, and it requires no dancing on my part.”

I kept waiting for the punchline. “You're joking, right?”

“Nope. But if you don't trust me, then I guess I'll just have to take you for a spin around the city first,” she said.

She let me blink at her a few times before I realized she was serious, and I didn't know whether to be impressed or petrified by how reckless she was. "You're a professional dancer, what are you doing riding a bike like that?" I scolded. "Part of your job is avoiding injuries and dangerous activities. That's like, professional dance rule one-oh-one."

“There’s your problem,” she said, looking over with a soft smile. "Rules just hold you back, Starlight. Leave 'em for someone who needs 'em."

My phone buzzed along the floor at that, and I excused myself when I saw it was my agent calling. I parked myself outside the door and flinched when her excitable voice came shrieking through. Apparently, she’d been trying to get me into the premiere of an event in the city for months, but I’d been waitlisted until some other attendee called in sick and left a couple of seats open—and if I wanted to fill them, I’d need to be there and in full hair, makeup and formalwear in one hour.

The door had barely swung back open when a chorus of giggles paused at my entrance. It looked like Akali was entertaining the girls with another one of her stories, and it had me wondering if she was just waiting for me to leave that whole time so she could goof around.

“Change of plans,” I asserted as I began packing up my bag to leave. “I’ve been invited to attend a premiere at the last minute, and since I’ll need Becca as my plus-one, we’ll have to continue this another time.”

Becca assessed the room and cleared her throat with a glint in her eye. “As much fun as getting shoved into some itchy dress and answering shallow questions all night sounds, I would feel just awful leaving our girls behind,” she said, pulling Akali in with an arm around her shoulder. “So I think you should take our special guest here and let me run the rest of our practice.”

The way I glared at Becca let her know I would get her back for this—but she knew just as well as I did that there was no time for a stubborn argument between us. She shoved our bags into our arms and spun us out the door, and barely paused to answer when Akali asked the sensible question of if it was okay for her to take the place of my oldest friend and dance partner.

“I’m sure the press will eat it up and get people excited for the rematch. Now step on it, you don’t want to lose your window of being fashionably late.” Becca insisted, followed by an intentional snap of the door lock between us.

“Well...if your dance gig doesn’t work out, at least she’d make a great car saleswoman,” Akali said.

We shared a laugh, and I didn’t realize her hand was wrapped into mine until she yanked me down the hall after her.

“C’mon, we’ve got a premiere to crash!”

Chapter Text

Akali dragged me to a reserved section of the parking garage down the street, where the sharp silver Ducati she’d mentioned sat idle in the muggy afternoon air. It must have cost a fortune, I thought, and the bragging rights of owning a toy like that were certainly on-brand for her.

“Tell me you’re not thinking what I think you are...” I winced.

Akali shrugged as she threw the freshly picked padlocks aside. “If you want to get there on time then this is our fastest option. Second best would be running there, since there’s no way you’re flagging down a taxi in this traffic,” she told me, quickly strapping on a pair of worn fingerless gloves from her backpack before straddling the bike in one easy motion. She took her helmet off the handle to place on my head, then offered a hand to help me up.

"Okay, just this once. But only because this is an important milestone for my career," I pointed out, and I was surprised by how my legs were already wobbling as I let her guide me over the back of the tall seat. “But, wait—don't you need a helmet, too?” I asked.

She smiled before snapping her signature mask around her ear. “Precious cargo takes priority. You’re the hot name who was invited to this thing—so just think of me as a chauffeur.”

The putter of the engine stirred and echoed around the lofty space. Akali flicked her grip of the handle, revving the bike and its lights to life as they cast a colorful pattern over the concrete below. We rolled to a gentle stop at the top of the exit ramp, and she looked back one last time, drinking in my expression before we took the plunge.

“Hold on tight!”

The burning rays of a coastal sunset dipped in the cracks between the tall buildings lining the famous street. There was a clean chill to the air as we accelerated, leaving the desolate garage in our tailwind. City lights were starting to shine in the haze of dusk and busy nightlife, enticing me to forget about my responsibilities and to just bask in the magic of the picture-perfect atmosphere. The area looked nice enough during daylight hours, but we’d been so busy since the moment our plane landed in the city that I had no idea it could look so beautiful.

“Pretty sick, huh?” Akali called out. Her voice brought me back to the warm skin between us and the sun shimmering through her ponytail as it danced in the wind.

“...Breathtaking.” I answered.

She paused, and I wondered if she didn't hear me or if she just didn't feel like teasing me this time. "You know, I'm surprised you haven't told me where we're going yet."

I was glad she couldn't see me panicking behind her at my own oversight, but I still swatted her shoulder on instinct. "Why didn't you say something sooner? We could've fallen even more behind if you hadn't turned the right way!" I demanded, but her only answer was a laugh that she was making difficult to stay mad at. "How did you know which way to go, anyway?"

"Call it a hunch. But it didn't hurt that going this way meant I could show you what you've been missing out on while you're stuck inside with your notebook."

Her bike turned sharply and dipped into the pull of gravity before I could respond, slipping down a moody side alley as the beauty of main street faded at our backs. My body tensed at the reminder of how risky this was. What if we crash? Can I fall off this thing while I’m holding onto her? What if the reporters see us?

“You okay back there?” Akali asked. “You’re squeezing pretty hard—not that I’m complaining.”

My fingers untangled from her abs and settled at her hips, which wasn’t helping with the heat building up inside my helmet. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She chuckled. “You probably couldn’t hurt me if you tried, Gorgeous. Just checking on you before we reach our destination.”

Akali nodded ahead to the famous theater’s extravagant sign and the few straggling limousines out front with a hoard of press circling them. She swerved into a quiet lot nearby to chain the bike to a fencepost, but still took the time to dramatically usher me off of it.

"I expect a five-star review for my services. And I don't take monetary payment, so you'll have to find some other way to make it up to me," she winked. “Anyway, there’s usually a rear entrance for VIPs that we can use to avoid all that noise out front. Follow me.”

We were only offered a brief moment to take in the gorgeous lobby of the theater from afar before we were sucked into the hair and makeup room. Akali and I were each taken on by an assigned stylist, both of whom were accompanied by a smell of coffee and breath mints as they mumbled to each other between quick, stressed glances at us. The one in charge of the wardrobe plucked a red sequined dress off a rack and threw me behind a curtain to change, while Akali hung back and seemed to be giving her a difficult time about not wanting anything too "fussy."

That's coming from the girl with a custom Ducati parked out back, I thought to myself as I shimmied into the long, heavy gown. Just as Becca had predicted, it was itchy as hell—but I had to admit the stylist knew what she was doing when I glanced up at a mirror and saw how it hugged my figure better than I could dream of anything in my closet back home pulling off.

I pulled the curtain back to find Akali already changed on the other side of the room as the stylist held up various accessories that she politely waved away. The other woman asked something about the makeup as my plus-one turned around to face me, but once we caught each other staring, it was clear neither of us were paying attention to the staff.

A rich blazer and matching suit pant covered most of her in a sleek dark fabric, except for the skin sparingly exposed around her bra and the space above her shiny platform boots. The blazer's deep neckline pointed down her torso, hung with the simple pair of aviators I noticed her wearing around between rehearsals. The stylist held up long, sparkly earrings to test out the look against her client's wishes, but I had to agree with Akali's decision on this—she was already stunning without them.

Her lips formed a whisper under her breath, but what it was, I couldn't hear.

"Miss?" the woman repeated. "I asked which shade of blush you normally wear."

Akali snapped her head back to the palette held in front of her. "Yeah, right, I uh—anything works, really. Just keep it natural if you can." she finished.

We were instructed to sit as the makeup artist got to work on Akali, and after a long silence, she cleared her throat.

"How's that creative block? Any new ideas for my part?" she asked.

I eyed the notebook in my bag. "No, but I figured out how I'm going to repay you for the ride." 

"Wait—really?" she asked. "You know I wasn't serious about that, right?"

The look on her face was priceless, and I couldn't help but answer with a laugh. "You don't have to look so nervous. I've just decided to let you use your bike during our number. Carefully."

She let out a visible breath at that, and I had to wonder what else she was thinking. I remembered that we had yet to discuss my end of the agreement, but despite my track record of lackluster ideas for the day, I felt obligated to at least try to return the favor.

"Now that we've settled your guest appearance, we can discuss mine, if you'd like." I offered.

Her devious smirk returned. “No need,” she said. “I already know what I’m doing with you.”

On that mysterious note, the artist finished Akali's makeup, which consisted of her signature sharp eyeliner and a pop of cherry red lipstick that would probably never be seen beneath the mask she always wore in public as part of her persona. I left what to do with my look up to the professional, since the only makeup I'd ever learned how to do was for performing on bright stages, which was very different than what you're expected to wear on-camera.

While she gathered her supplies, I glanced over at Akali. She was laid back in the styling chair, checking out the slicked sides of her hair and spiky ponytail in the mirror that the woman had put together with her limited time, and seeing her so relaxed and without a care in the world left me wondering how she ended up here. She already had a successful career in rap until she left it abruptly. She had enough money to coast through the rest of her life. She could've done anything, chose any career, gone anywhere—and yet here she was, the plus-one of some random girl she just met for an event she didn't know anything about. The question that had been nipping at the back of my mind ever since our first encounter popped up again, and this time curiosity got the better of me.

"Why did you get into dance?" I asked.

"Huh?" Neither of us realized I was staring until she paused her self-inspection to look over at me. "Oh—it's kind of complicated. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that you seemed to enjoy rap, and your success can attest to your talent for it, so I'm just curious why you left that behind for dance," I explained. "I don't think you're really in it for the money or the fame, but I can't figure you out."

Akali was quiet as the woman instructed me to close my eyes so she could run some mascara through my lashes. "You're right... I'm not. But let's not make your big day about me! This must be exciting for you, right? Small-town girl's first red-carpet event."

The break in her voice only made me more curious, but she had a point. My nerves were already shot trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do at an event like this. "More like terrifying," I said.

"Don't worry, these events are actually super boring." she told me, then reached out and placed a hand over my own. "But hey, you'll have me with you the whole time. There's a limited area the reporters have to swarm us with, so if they get too personal, we'll just get outta there and let them move onto their next victims."

Once it was decided that the finishing touches of my look were complete, Akali and I were promptly ushered out the door to make room for their next set of clients. A room full of cameras and prominent faces awaited—and it was time to make my debut.

Chapter Text

Flashes and whirring cameras called out to us from every direction of the extravagant room. The elegant carpet was rolled across the middle of the lobby, with a backdrop covered in logos of the premiere's title splashed across it. I recognized a few noteworthy faces stopping to pose along the path, but my focus was on the array of reporters packed into the small area they were allotted as they fought for the chance to get their questions answered.

"Okay, here's the plan," I started. "I'll handle the competition-related questions and let you work your magic to stir up some headlines. But we have to keep it short and sweet, otherwise we'll give too much away before the rematch."

She chuckled at me. "That's a nice idea, but having a plan won't do you much good against unpredictable questions designed to get a reaction out of you. And no offense, but you're pretty easy to get a reaction out of," she said.

My cheeks grew warm as if to prove her point. "Well then, what do you suggest?"

"My advice? Stop trying to play God," she said with a playful nudge. "Just go with the flow and have fun with it."

The person in charge of traffic control waved us onto the scarlet path, and I was surprised by the tremble in my step as my nerves set in. It was funny how I could dance for millions of people on stage like it was nothing and still be so uneasy around a few cameras. The snaps of their shutters got louder as we approached the designated picture section, but I lost focus when a soft grip snuck around my waist.

"Akali," I whispered through a gritted smile. "What are you doing?"

She tilted her head innocently, as if I couldn't hear the smirk in her voice through the mask. "Stirring up headlines," she answered.

We posed and swept our focus across the area until they'd had their fill of our appearance, then we followed as they waved us along to the most intimidating area: the Q&A section. A dozen microphones reached over the velvet rope barrier between us, and even more questions filled the air. They started pretty easy, asking what it was like to be at my first publicized event like this and how my experience in the competition had been so far, but once the topic of our rivalry was brought up, they started talking over each other for the chance to get their scoop.

"Is it true that you and Akali are seeing each other outside of the competition?" I heard.

I cleared my throat to give myself time to think over my words. "We have each been working on something behind the scenes that we can't wait to share with our viewers," I said. I was proud of the answer, but that only seemed to make them more determined to pry, and this time they weren't satisfied just asking me.

"What is your relationship with Mythic Essence's leader?" someone asked Akali.

An amused huff escaped her mask, and the look she sent my way was enough to have me anticipating her answer as eagerly as the reporters. "I'm curious myself," she said.

My sensibilities went into a panic. I couldn't tell if she was just teasing them or if she was expecting me to answer, but they were growing hungrier by the second. Think! my thoughts screamed. If you don't say something soon, they'll—

Akali leaned in to disrupt the thought, causing the neon image of her on stage to flash in my vision. Was she recreating her intro? And where was her hand going?

She pulled her mask off one ear to loop it around my own like a small partition between us and the prying crowd. Her sharp eyes dipped down to my lips then back up to meet mine. I froze. One hand was sneaking up my shoulder to gently cup the side of my face, pausing to let me shut my eyes before her warmth closed in on me. It was three long seconds I counted before the stirring of fabric on my ear shot my eyes open, and I just barely caught her bright red smirk before the mask sealed over it.

Their frenzy of demands poured back in as I composed myself. Akali casually wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me away from the scene without a word, and a few shouts later, they gave up to target the next group following us, just as she said they would.

The moment we were out of range from the cameras and microphones, I yanked myself out from her arm. "Where did that come from?!"

"I know, I'm sorry I put you on the spot—but I know a golden opportunity when I see one," she consoled me. "At least I bailed you out of having to answer that last question."

My arms folded tightly across my chest. "Well you certainly gave them a show, but a little warning would've been nice." I pouted.

"You're right," she admitted, with a thoughtful pause. "I won't do that stuff again without warning you first. I'd be lying if I said I couldn't tell you enjoyed it a little bit, though."

An announcement that the show was about to begin interrupted our conversation, and we quickly entered the theater to find our seats. The guest who called in sick must have been a big name, I thought, because the seats we'd been given from them were in the front row with a lovely view.

The lights shined against the posh curtains, and a kindly, older man walked on stage to introduce himself as the director of the performance we were about to watch. He explained that it was a tribute to someone he knew long ago, but he didn't get into detail and focused on the experience ahead. I recognized his name, as he was responsible for putting together many famous numbers over the course of his long career, and I didn't realize how much I was drinking in his every word until Akali tapped my shoulder.

"What's this premiere for?" she whispered.

My eyes stayed on the stage. "It's for his final ballet production before he retires. I think it's called Her Shadow, or something like that."

The director finished his speech, and the curtains drew to reveal a beautiful set and ravishing costumes, fitting for the last of his spectacular work. The symphony stirred, and my heart fluttered at the scene. A tall, svelte woman pranced onto the stage, her fair skin glowing in the lights while her inky hair and matching dress laid against her, and she began a dizzying set of turns as the music picked up in tow. Her partner had just entered the stage to begin telling the story when I saw Akali move in the corner of my eye, and by the time I turned, she was too far away to ask where she was going.

The rest of the production told the story of what I gathered was a young, free-spirited woman taken too soon, and the struggle of those around her to find their way in the world after her passing. Despite the somber themes, the ending was a happy one, showing those she left behind finding new joys in life thanks to the lessons she'd imparted onto them—but then again, I could've just been reading too far into it, as Becca often told me I did. The performers took their bows, and I glanced over again to find Akali's seat still empty. She didn't exactly strike me as the type to regularly attend traditional ballets, but it didn't seem like her to ditch the performance on a whim, either.

I slipped into the crowd to leave and surveyed the lobby, eventually spotting her dark suit as she came out of a bathroom.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

She jumped at my voice as I came up to her, then straightened her blazer before she turned to face me. "Yeah, sorry about that. Just needed some air." Her eyes dodged me as she spoke, and I noticed her makeup was smudged above her mask, but I wasn't going to ask with so many people around. "We should probably get changed so I can get you back to your hotel before your bestie tracks me down for an interrogation."

We returned our threads and left to track down her bike in the dim city atmosphere, which was now shrouded in a cool, misty rain. My dance gear was no match for the cold as I shivered against her back, and once she pulled over in front of a line of warmly-lit shops, I had a feeling hers wasn't cutting it, either.

"The h-hotel isn't too far from here, so I can tough it out if you're in-in a hurry," I said, hoping she couldn't hear the shudder in my voice over the soft patter of rain across the sidewalks.

"Dropping you off sick wouldn't be a very good look, would it?" she asked, offering a tight side-hug as she guided me toward one of the many restaurants main street had to offer. "Now let's get you inside...it's the least I can do."

Chapter Text

A blast of warm air enveloped us like a blanket and welcomed us off the street as soon as Akali opened the door. I hadn't looked up at the sign before we entered, but the scent of rich broth and meats that filled the air—as well as the banners with Japanese kanji all over them—led me to surmise it was a ramen shop.

Akali headed straight for a seat at the bar and patted for me to join her. She already seemed at home, yanking off her mask and stretching out against the counter, which only made it easier to melt into the shop's cozy atmosphere.

An older woman's voice poured over the tall counter in front of us as she emerged from the busy kitchen. "Hello, what can I get y—?" She froze at the sight of Akali, then wasted no time hobbling around the corner to smush her into a hug. "Well I'll be damned, if it ain't Little Kali! You grew like a weed! How are you?"

"Nice to see you too, Musu," Akali laughed as the woman smothered her. "I'm good, just here for a dance competition. Looks like the shop's held up well—how's it treating you?" she asked.

The woman smiled. "Dance, eh? Guess I should've seen that one coming. And yeah, this old joint has done me right over the years, I certainly can't complain." She glanced between us, like she was just noticing me for the first time. "Now who's this cute little dumplin' you got here?" she asked.

"Starlight, this is an old family friend, and Musu, this is a new face I met at the competition," Akali explained, roping me in with an arm around me as if the woman wouldn't figure out who she meant. I almost didn't notice when she used the nickname this time, and I didn't know how to feel about the fact I was getting used to it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, offering a polite handshake, but Musu just threw her arms around me all the same.

"Oh, please, none of that stuffy pleasantry garbo. Any friend of Kali's is a friend of mine, c'mere!" she said.

After the two of them chatted for a while, Musu seemed to remember that she was supposed to be running the bar and asked what she could get us. I rifled through my bag to make sure I had enough to pay for it, but she insisted it was on the house on account of being "family," despite my interjections. She proudly served each of us a steaming bowl of her signature dish, and Akali snapped her chopsticks on instinct before diving into hers.

"Mmmm...you've shtill got it, Musu," Akali mumbled through her mouthful. "They 'on't make it like thish anywhere else."

I stopped to watch her, and let a laugh bubble out of me when she sucked up more noodles than I thought she could reasonably fit in her mouth with a loud slurp. Once she managed to swallow it down, she noticed I hadn't touched mine yet, and looked over with a sheepish smile.

"I control-one'd again, didn't I?" she asked. The woman chuckled behind the counter, but all I could offer was an inquisitive look. "Oh, don't worry about it, Starlight. It's just an old inside joke." she told me.

Akali was nearly finished by the time I got into my own bowl, and I couldn't argue with her high praise of the shop's cuisine. She leaned over the back of her seat with a sigh once she was done, content to close her eyes and listen to the chatter of the quaint restaurant. I feared she might fall asleep, so I thought of something to occupy her with, and the most recent question I had came to mind.

"Hey, Akali?" I asked, waiting until she opened one eye and looked over. "Did something upset you at the theater? I don't mean to pry, but it doesn't seem like you to ditch an entire performance without a good reason for it."

She closed her eyes again before she answered. "I told you, I just needed some air. But I'm alright now." Her voice was soft, and not in a comfortable way.

"I don't buy it," I remarked, before indulging in the last of my broth.

She smiled at that, but it was weak. "One of us is probably going home after our rematch, so I don't want to waste our time together talking about the past." She reached over to tuck a loose piece of hair behind my ear. "You have a bright future ahead of you, Starlight. Don't let me get in the way."

Akali ignored my lips as they parted to answer her, instead hopping off her seat with a wave at Musu before slipping outside. I gathered my things and flagged down the owner to thank her graciously, then dashed for the exit to see where my rival had gone—and she hadn't gone far.

A string of lanterns hung above Akali from the shop's awning. Her profile looked past them to the bright, clear moon, allowing their warm glow to twinkle like stars in her eyes. Is this why she called me—?

My thoughts were shaken when I had to excuse myself as someone asked to get through the door, and Akali greeted me by pulling me over to her.

I followed her gaze up her arm to my own look of surprise on her phone's screen, sharply contrasted by the wink and peace sign she flashed next to me for the several pictures she snuck in. "Akali, wait! I wasn't ready!" I protested.

"These are just for me, I won't post them." she laughed. "After all those posed shots earlier, I thought it would be nice to take some fun ones. They don't capture a subject's beauty like a candid can, anyway—and it would be a shame to let yours go to waste like that."

She was still holding me close from the reverse-photobomb, partly shielding me from the breeze that had at least dried out since earlier. Her hand with the phone in it disappeared into a front pocket, which is when I realized she was suddenly wearing a windbreaker, and the pieces started to click together.

"You had a jacket this whole time and refused to wear it just so you had an excuse to stop for food, didn't you?" I asked.

An innocuous whistle formed through her lips. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I just forgot I had it in my backpack, that's all." She covered her smirk about as well as Becca hid her own. "It wasn't just about the food, though—the company was too good to pass up."

Akali's bike purred as we left the spot, and the short drive to my hotel felt like nothing compared to the rest of our long day. I dismounted her bike by myself this time, which I took modest pride in, but she still insisted on walking me to the door.

"Well, this is my stop. I appreciate the lift, so let me know if I can do anything in return," I offered.

"Hey, um—wait a sec." Akali asked. The door was still pressed against my hand when she pulled me into her arms, and a raspy whisper carried over my shoulder. "Thank you...for everything."

I blinked, growing warm at the thought of the receptionist watching us hover in the door. "What are you thanking me for? In fact, remind me to pay you for the gas money—"

"Not a chance. Think of it as an attempt to make up for ditching you," she said. She unwrapped from the gesture and slipped away, leaving her spot quickly replaced by a chill in the air.

We could've gone our separate ways for the night, but we both decided to look back. She turned at the edge of the street, her mask lifted just enough to hide her knowing smile from the rest of the world before it was gone. I stood there for a while, still watching even after the silky trails of her tail lights disappeared into the city...until a pair of cold hands grabbed my shoulders and shook me out of the fantasy I'd just discovered.

Chapter Text

I barely stopped the yelp in my throat from escaping when I whirled around into a face-full of best-friend—and the rest of my team crammed in around her like a pack of lost puppies.

"You could've given me a heart attack, Bec! A little space next time, please?" I panted.

Becca looked like a child who'd just finished a large soda and a bag of candies, and I wasn't surprised when she ignored my request and pulled me through the door before slamming it behind me. "I fucking knew it! 'Just part of the performance' my ass!" She high-fived one of the girls over her shoulder with a gremlin-like giggle, which earned an equally confused and concerned look from the receptionist.

I laughed and parted the small crowd of them to head for the elevator, because I was not about to walk up four flights of stairs after my day. "It shouldn't be a surprise that she dropped me off after you forced her to take your place at the premiere. And don't think I'll forget about that little maneuver you pulled earlier, either." The smile on my lips betrayed the sentiment, but luckily they were all behind me now as they hovered over my every word.

"It's fine. You can thank me later," Becca grinned. "But if you think you're going to sleep before you spill your guts, you've got another thing coming."

The girls followed us to our room, demanding a retelling of my evening that I was too exhausted to argue with. After going over everything that was relevant to them, which certainly didn't include most of what happened with Akali, they were promptly shooed to their rooms to rest before our rehearsal schedule picked up. My roomie finally shut up long enough to fall into her impenetrable slumber, and all that was left was the swirling thoughts of my day. Despite the tug of fatigue, sleep was difficult to find, and visions of the one to blame played through my mind like a photo reel. But they weren't content with stopping at her teasing this time.

Something fluttered inside me. What was I doing letting a competitor get in my head like this? Maybe Becca had a point, I thought, replaying what she said after my silly argument with Akali our first night here. Maybe it was okay for me to have a little fun...even in a career-defining competition like this.

I smiled into my pillow. Maybe.

Chapter Text

I checked my phone with a brisk pace down the hall. Exactly ten minutes early, as planned. My dance bag was pulling at the seams and heavier than usual after I'd packed a first-aid kit, for fear of whatever Akali would have in store for my part in her routine, but I ignored the added inconvenience and hoisted it along.

Faintly humming through the wall from our rival team's practice room was the song I picked for Mythic's next routine. What could she have been doing playing our track? This time I wasn't so careful, skipping the step of looking through their window and going straight for the handle. The music blasted out into the hallway as soon as the door cracked open, but I barely noticed the noise for the view.

Akali was alone in the center of the room, watching the mirror as she flowed through one sharp movement after another like an endless stream. Did she already have their entire routine choreographed? The only other explanation was that she was coming up with it on the spot, but if that was the case, then she was even more talented than I'd given her credit for. I only ever freestyled in the middle of the night when I was sure no one else was around—but I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that someone like Akali had no problem pulling it off whenever she wanted.

She hit a strong pose as the music ended, then let herself relax and saunter over to me. "Enjoying the show?" she teased.

"Your excellent taste in music doesn't hurt. Where'd you get it from?" I asked, leaving my answer coy to cover the fluttering feeling that arose at her question.

"Alright, Smarty—you caught me." She pulled her arms behind her to stretch out with a soft sigh. "I'm getting a feel for your music so I can freestyle my part in your routine."

I blinked at her, but honestly, I would've been more surprised if she didn't have plans to shake things up for me. "Are you sure? I was going to choreograph everything, so there's no need to force yourself." I assured her.

"You'll probably think this is some cardinal sin as the famous choreographer here, but practicing over and over and knowing exactly what I'm doing before I even get on stage is actually more of a struggle for me," Akali explained. "I get that it's important to practice when you're working with a group and you need to hit the right counts, so that's why I take every opportunity to wing it when I'm going solo—like I did with my intro."

The intoxicating scene took over my thoughts again. Something about her pulling off such an intimidating presence without even practicing was more than impressive, but I wasn't ready to explore what else it implied. "So you didn't plan the...y'know, rivalry stuff?" I asked.

"You mean when you turned so red I could see it under the blacklights?" she asked with a cocky laugh. "To be honest, I didn't even know who we were competing with until I saw you out there, so it would've been tough to plan something like that ahead of time. It's kind of hard to describe, but I get this feeling when I'm on stage—it's like I'm free from all the expectations for a little while, and I can just let myself go and trust the music to guide me. I think it's the closest thing to magic there is."

Akali was right that her views went against everything I'd been taught about dance, but the way she spoke about it even had my belief suspended for a moment. "That's beautiful," I thought—until she grabbed her neck with a soft smile, and I realized I said it out loud.

"Anyway, tangents aside—why don't I fill my guest star in on her role before the rest of my squad shows up?" Akali offered, waving me over to a pile of props and costumes that were still in their packaging against the far wall of the conference room. She shuffled through the plasticky heap and tossed me a costume bag—which was themed after a female police officer, going by the picture on the front of it—as well as a long black stick that was a lot heavier than I'd expected for a dance prop.

I eyed over the collection in my arms. "You want me to be a cop?" I asked.

"Oho, but you're not just any authority figure," she remarked, before proudly holding up an orange set with a tie-up crop top and joggers meant to look like the world's most lax excuse for a prisoner uniform. "You get to be the cutest warden ever—and all while keeping your baddest prisoners in line."

My eyes rolled playfully. "Fine, I'll bite. What's your gimmick going to be this time?"

Akali pulled out a pair of black handcuffs that she was hiding behind her back and nodded at them for me to take. They were cold in my hands, like real, sturdy metal, and I watched her with a suspicious glance as she presented both fists out to me.

"Go on," she instructed.

With a silent question to myself about how I ended up in this situation, I indulged her request and carefully cranked them around her wrists. She took the heavy stick from me, which I put together was probably a police baton, then held it tightly to her chest as she backed up against the wall.

"Pretend you cornered me into the side of a cell— Now try to keep me here."

I grasped the baton with both hands and pushed into her with a light effort. My concentration flickered between her and the door, conflicted by which was more dangerous to be caught off guard by if someone were to find us.

She watched me expectantly. "C'mon, Starlight. I know you have more in you than that," she egged on.

The growing pressure against her started to disrupt her lazy posture, and I barely registered the quick smirk she flashed before she pushed back and steered me into the surface beside her with a soft grunt.

"Nice try, but you're gonna have to do a lot better than that if you want the audience to buy our rivalry." She lingered in her victory for a moment before releasing me. "Again."

It was strange to be on the receiving end of the orders after serving as the captain of Mythic Essence for years. Part of me enjoyed the nostalgia of it, being reminded of my days as a student—but it was surfacing some competitive feelings I'd decided were best left dormant. After several tries with little success, it was clear I would have to get serious if I wanted to pull this off, but going against Akali of all people was making it difficult to concentrate.

The amusement in her voice sounded intrigued, almost proud, like she could see the decision through my eyes. "Attagirl."

Something inside me bristled at her tone. "You're in no position to be teasing me right now," I said. The words melted together with a breath as my glare found her. I just wasn't expecting hers to match it.

"There's that fire I saw after our performance," she hummed, letting her voice turn into a low growl as she braced herself. "Now don't waste it—channel it."

My arms shook as I countered her. The frustration took over when I started slipping, grinding one foot into the floor between us to stabilize—but I didn't realize how close it was to her center until she intentionally dropped the baton and let me slam into her.

"Oh, so we're playing dirty now, huh?" Her face tilted down at me with that hungry stare. She took full advantage of how close I fell into her, drawing me in with one of her cuffed hands at my back until her breath brushed against my ear. "Careful, Girlie...two can play at that—"

"Ahem."

The sharp sound took over the room, giving me a half-second to scramble away from Akali before I turned to face the remaining members of The Baddest standing at the door.

Eve led their entrance and examined her nails against a folded arm. "We're not interrupting anything, are we?" she asked, but the smug look she shot her leader told me she already had her answer.

"Oh, hey girls! Come on in." Akali's breath had a shake to it that I was glad her voice didn't pick up as she slipped out of the cuffs. "I was just telling our guest about the concept for our next routine, so let's get some introductions going and we can get to work."

There was no hiding my blazing cheeks as Akali presented me and gave a brief overview of her team. I already knew Eve and Sera, so the two that remained were Ahri, whose soft, charming aura offered the closest their group had to a calm personality, and Kai'Sa, who preferred to go by Kai and had apparently been friends with Akali since they were young girls.

"It's lovely to meet you all, and I look forward to our teams working with each other." I said.

Kai pulled Akali into a headlock with a graze of knuckles across her head. Her accent was interesting, but I couldn't quite place where it was from. "It's nice to meet you too, but I've gotta say, I'm surprised you volunteered to work with this loudmouth. It's not too late to back out, though—blink twice if she's keeping you here against your will," she laughed.

"Very funny, Kai." Akali groaned as she wiggled out of her friend's grasp.

Ahri giggled at the pair before shifting her focus to me. "I, for one, think this is good for her. Akali could use someone to keep her wildness in check." 

Their leader subtly hid behind her hand at that. She must not have expected her teammate's comment if the way her eyes darted away from us was anything to go by—but I wasn't the only one to notice. Eve looked between us before settling on me with a calculating smile, the kind that felt like your soul was being watched.

"—And I think our group chat could use another member!" Sera interjected with her cheerful smile as she grabbed my hand. "Can I have your number so I can add you? Pretty pleeease?"

The smile I offered her was genuine this time. Even though she put me on the spot again, I couldn't fault her for being enthusiastic—and honestly, the warm welcome was a nice departure from the usual cutthroat mentality of the dance world. "It would be my pleasure, Sera." I said.

After swapping numbers with The Baddest's most bubbly member and being convinced to stay for lunch with their group afterward, their rehearsal began. Akali and I formed a silent agreement to leave practicing our part for times with less eyes on us—until the rematch, at least—which left me sitting on the side to consult with my notebook for most of their practice. I tried not to stare, mostly because I didn't want to accidentally steal their choreography, but the more I saw of my rival the more my thoughts were getting the better of me.

Akali's clear voice led me out of my daydreams and over to join the rest of the team standing around her. She went around giving each of them a turn to share what they thought of her choreography so far, which I learned was a tradition for them to end their practices with, and we were just about to pack up and leave when Eve appeared behind me with a carefully-placed hand on each shoulder, letting her nails dig into me.

"Now Kali, isn't it rude not to ask our guest how she feels about her part in this?" she lilted. "We haven't even seen your little duet yet, so how can we give you proper feedback?"

My laugh came out more nervous than I'd hoped. "Nono! That's alright! We've barely even started our part yet, anyway." I assured her.

"Mhm. Well I'd love to see what you have so far, and I'm sure everyone else will agree. How about it, ladies?" Eve asked.

I could only assume the look Akali sent over my shoulder was for her tall, prying teammate. The others nodded eagerly at the question, but I got the feeling Eve was hoping to get more out of it than an opportunity for feedback.

"Eve," Akali intervened. "We've talked about this."

"About what, how your entire dance career is built on a—?"

Akali slid off her stool and guided the rest of us to grab our things on the way out so she could have a moment alone with Eve. I felt tense just being near the two of them, but the others didn't seem phased.

"Don't mind Eve—she just loves drama too much for her own good," Ahri explained. "She's not a bad person, but she can be a little intense sometimes."

Kai nodded. "They have squabbles here and there, but they never let it get in the way of our performances, at least." she added, which would explain Eve's behavior from after our first show.

Sera snuck a pink, sticker-covered Polaroid camera out of her bag at some point, then lifted it up in front of her and waved for us to join. "Everyone get in! This is going on the group chat to celebrate our new temporary member, so smile big!" she urged.

We followed her lead and took some pictures that even I had to admit were cute. Their personalities shined through the screen, and it was starting to feel like I'd made some great new friends, which hadn't happened in a while due to the demands of a professional dancer's schedule. Sera encouraged us to do silly faces next, and we barely noticed when the door behind us opened until Akali came running over shouting "Revenge!" and jumped on Kai's back for a photo bomb.

The two ended up on the ground in a fit of laughter that spread to the rest of us. I glanced up at Eve, who was still hovering in the door, and watched as she uncrossed her arms to give me a mysterious wave. Something was off about her, I just didn't know what yet.

We got ready to leave for lunch at a place down the street that Sera was already raving about, and I found myself smiling at the group. To say they did things differently than my own would be an understatement—but they had a lot of heart, and I had a feeling Akali was to thank for cultivating such a warm and open environment. I looked around to find where their leader had gone, and I was soon informed when she wrapped a hand around my waist and pressed against me from behind.

"You got away with it this time, Starlight," she whispered, no doubt relishing in the shiver that coursed through me. "But you should know...my payback hits hard."

Chapter Text

My alarm stirred, and I turned over into the crack of blinding sunlight that slipped between the heavy hotel curtains. Sore joints protested me as I pulled myself upright, and Becca groaned on the sofa as I yanked the curtains apart to greet the clear morning sky over our city. Today was the day we would finally settle our rematch.

"Five more minutes," Becca whined through the pillow shoved over her face.

I wrestled it out of her grasp and whacked her arm with it. "You'll have to take that up with the producers, Snorelord."

She squinted up at me and tried not to laugh. "You're lucky you're a good captain, 'cause you know I wouldn't conform to this bullshit schedule for anyone else," she finished.

Becca trudged off for the bathroom, leaving me with a few minutes to myself before our marathon began. My phone buzzed and drew me in with a smile at the banter that greeted me from the group chat Sera had added me to, but a notification from Akali's main social media page stole my attention. I switched apps eagerly to see what kind of shenanigans she must have been getting up to with her girls—but the picture that awaited me wasn't about her team at all.

Pack your bags, Mythic, the post was titled.

Already climbed to the top of the rap world and started fresh in a career you devoted your life to...only took a minute for me to get what you had. ;)

I stiffened down at the screen. At the picture she took, the one outside the ramen shop that she said she wouldn't post. At us. Was this her plan all along? To play nice so she could humiliate me and get in my head before our performance?

"Hey, do you know where my—?" Becca stepped out of the bathroom and asked the half of her question before she noticed my dark stare. "Woah, you good?"

The last thing I saw was the sun sinking behind a heavy cloud before the view of the city disappeared at my back. "We're winning this round, Becca."

The stage was quiet as I warmed up alone—except for Becca, who was half-assing a butterfly stretch and much more interested in her phone—and enjoyed the peaceful calm before the storm that being the first to show up rewarded. I watched as some of the staff trickled and then poured into the theater, catching a few looks of surprise to see me already in full hair and makeup. Luckily, I had always excelled at performing under pressure, so the insulting post just made it that much easier to throw myself into preparations.

I breathed in the powdery scent of the wood and basked in the buzzing warmth of the overhead lights turning on—but as the old saying goes, nothing good lasts forever, and my rival's clear voice rang out to me from somewhere behind us.

"Well if it isn't two of the most mythic ladies I know," she said, like there wasn't a care in the world. And maybe there wasn't for her. "How does a joint group-stretch sound, in honor of our rematch?"

However stupid she must have thought I was, I was still smart enough not to start an altercation before a performance. "The stage is all yours, we were just leaving." I said. 

Becca blinked up from her phone as if to question me, but a deafening look from above told her not to ask.

"Oh... We'll catch you later, then." Akali's voice trailed as she watched me pull Becca off to our dressing room. She called after us to ask that we tell the girls hi for her, but all that earned was a royal eye roll that I would keep to myself.

As soon as we were inside, I rammed the door shut behind us, barely noticing the makeup rattling on the vanity beside it as I plopped myself into a chair.

Becca pursed her lips while she looked back and forth between me and the victimized entry point. "Sooo, how are those neon sparks fairing?"

The thought of Akali's intro slipped into focus as easily as ever—for all the wrong reasons.

"They were just a trick of the light, but I won't let it fool me again." I said plainly, picking at whatever fly-aways I could find in my already meticulously-crafted updo.

"You expect me to buy that crap after being besties for over a decade? Don't make me laugh," she said, scooting over in her seat. "C'mon. What's up?"

My attempts to resist her and distract myself in the mirror were futile, inevitably leading to me pulling out my phone to show her the abomination from that morning. I couldn't bring myself to look, so I let Becca's response speak for itself.

"Oh—oh. Ouch," she grimaced. "I mean, that was kind of shitty, but isn't this all part of her tough girl brand? I'm sure if you ask her about it she'd be willing to tone it down or something."

I shook my head. "The damage has already been done. After she took that picture, she said she wouldn't post it, so she went back on her word just to humiliate all of us." I explained.

Becca nodded along, but something else had her attention. "And speaking of this picture," she hummed, leaning over my phone until her nose was almost touching the screen. "This doesn't look like a red carpet premiere to me, so that means I was right to suspect you weren't telling us the whole story when you got back that night."

It was just like her to focus on that. "Ignoring that comment— Did you miss the part where she made fun of our entire careers?" I asked.

"Look, I'm not saying you should forgive and forget, but I've seen the way she looks at you. And even though you've been dodgy, I can tell something was going on with you two until today," she told me. "I won't twist your arm for answers, but just know: if she breaks your heart, she's gonna learn who the 'baddest' team around here really is. And I don't just mean on stage."

Becca seemed content to get a small laugh out of me as the rest of our group rolled in, marking that it was almost time for our rematch. After making sure everyone was hydrated, warmed up, and in high ponytails, we made our presence known—if not by the matching team uniforms I picked out for us, then by the clicks of our heels approaching the stage. Now it was time to show the world what it meant to be in a rivalry with Mythic Essence.

Chapter Text

Anxious onlookers lit up with collective excitement as we slid out of the curtains and into the brilliant, if not blinding, spotlights that hungrily awaited us. Our detailed ensembles peppered the floor with flecks of light as we glided across it following our host's brief reintroduction. Shortly after was our rivals making their appearance, whose all-black outfits served as the perfect canvases to be painted over by our shimmers, and I found some small satisfaction in the way we quite literally outshined them. We could not have looked more different, though it certainly set the stage for our situation.

The poll for who would perform first this week opened, which forced me to witness a close-up of my opponent in the cameras as we hit our waiting poses. Akali smugly picked up a dog tag necklace hanging around her neck with one finger, and I watched as she gave me a once-over behind her new mask, which matched the rest of her dark outfit except for the simple golden tigress design on it. By the time she'd decided to give the camera in front of them the attention it craved, the viewers had already decided, and I wasn't surprised they were chosen to go first again. In fact, I was actually kind of relieved—this meant I could get her choreography over with.

As soon as we were excused from the stage to prepare, I slipped into the quick-change closet and let Becca inside to help me as planned. Akali may have honored her word and abstained from giving me a skimpy costume, but I doubted it was a coincidence that she chose one of the most skin-tight pieces I'd ever squeezed into instead. The blue police blouse tucked neatly into the dark leather pants, matching the plethora of accessories strewn throughout the set, like belts, fingerless gloves, and even a choker, which I highly doubted was part of any official police uniforms.

A breath full of nerves escaped as I turned to leave, but Becca raised a hand.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Her question was followed by a sudden pressure around my head that made me squint, until I saw the peaked cap topping my look in the mirror. "There—now you look like you're ready to kick some ass." she grinned.

I thanked her and returned the fist-bump she offered me as we parted ways, but the feeling of her company faded all-too-quickly once my rival's voice took over.

"There's our warden." Akali loosely wrapped her wrists around the baton as it laid across her shoulders, forming a dark silhouette in the shadows from the curtains behind her. "How are you feeling about the number? Any last-minute questions I can answer?"

My jaw clenched at her innocent tone. "I'm a professional. I'll do what needs to be done." I finished.

"Glad to hear it," she announced, confidently twirling the prop before handing it over. "'Cause I'm counting on you."

The Baddest hovered in the dark around a bench as they waited for their leader and posed with an impressive range of shapes considering their latest gimmick was wearing cuffs for their entire routine. Once the lights popped on, they came to life with the opening of BLACKPINK's "Shut Down" and cast a dramatic shade of orange out into the audience thanks to each of their personalized iterations of the prisoner uniforms. I held back a laugh at the sight of Sera, whose thin frame was swallowed up by her oversized t-shirt, and the hyper-sexualized leotard and thigh-high boots Eve was sporting weren't any less amusing. Akali, by contrast, looked right at home in the baggy joggers and temporary tattoo sleeve crawling up one arm, matching the rich accents of her chunky boots and the bra peeking out from underneath her crop top. But I wasn't going to spend any more time studying them than was necessary—I had a job to finish.

The song shifted into the rap portion, serving as my cue to make my appearance. A few backstage crew members jostled me around as they pushed the platform with me—and the faux cage Akali had custom-made for the routine—out for the world to see. The cold bars pressed into my back, with one foot pulled up against them to support the domineering warden role I was assigned, and I audibly smacked the baton against my palm in sync with a metal clang in the song. If it weren't for my mood and the audience's addictive reaction, I would've felt uneasy acting like such an arrogant performer. Like her.

My focus sharpened as Akali's gaze fixed into mine. With one hand pressed against her chest, I shoved her back against the bars of her prop without holding back, not letting myself be phased when her eyes flashed in surprise above her mask. She recovered and quickly grabbed the baton as planned, but I wasn't in the same careful mood as the first time we'd practiced. This time the struggle for power was short-lived, only holding her in place long enough to look at her, with all the frustration I'd held inside for the entire day, before I let her go. My payback hits hard, too, I wanted to say.

I watched her as I strutted off, expecting her to give me one of her punky gestures—but she hesitated. In fact, I was pretty sure she missed one of her counts because of it. It could have been an act for the rivalry, or maybe she was actually distracted by my surge of aggression, not that it mattered to me. Now that I'd done my part, all that was left was to get through the rest of the number so we could move on to ours.

The lights cut off abruptly to match the sharp end of the song. I would have a maximum of five minutes to get out of the snug uniform and into my next costume, I reminded myself, so there was no time to waste. My shaky grip tugged closed the changing room door's handle until it hit something firm, but it left a slight opening that wouldn't budge.

"Got room for one more?" a hopeful voice asked.

I leaned in for a look at the figure hovering outside, and followed their leg down to the boot holding the gap open. Even in the shadows, I could still make out her mischievous smile, and the pile of costume pieces in her arms begging to be changed into. Of fucking course.

My polite side got the better of me, and I released the handle to let Akali slip in behind me. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to exit on the other side with your team." I scolded.

She tried to laugh, but it was lost in her short breath. "True, but I changed my mind after that god-tier acting you pulled off out there," Akali explained as the door clicked and sealed out the hum of activity backstage. "Now c'mon, let's get into these amazing costumes you picked out."

I wasn't too proud to admit she was right about the costumes. I'd picked out racing gear for her and sporty uniforms for the rest of us that complemented the design of her bike so it wouldn't look out of place when she drove it on stage, but even without matching the aesthetic of her Ducati, they would've stood out from anything I'd seen in the competition so far.

After positioning myself in a corner for some modicum of privacy, I got to work switching out the pieces and did my best to ignore my uninvited guest—which was difficult to do when she kept trying to make small talk.

"Gotta admit, I'm proud of you. If the audience had any doubts before, then they'll have no choice but to buy our rivalry now thanks to your performance," Akali said.

I was glad she couldn't see my sour reaction from behind me. "I must have learned from the best." I mumbled.

The room fell into a quiet tension except for the stirring of fabric and the occasional grunt of effort to pull on the pieces. Akali was the first to slide over to the mirror, taking what little time we had left to check herself out, then casually switched targets when she noticed me approaching.

"You nailed the sizing without even measuring me. Fits like a glove," she said.

"Of course it does," I snapped, squeezing in beside her and locking onto my own reflection for a quick scan. "That's the kind of learned skill that devoting your life to one passion gets you. Not that you'd know anything about that."

Akali's laugh was more relaxed than the incredulous tone I was dreading. "I'd expect nothing less from someone as dedicated as you. I guess life just had...other plans for me." she trailed off.

My visage slipped away from hers as I turned to leave, but I was stopped short when a hand flew by and blocked my path.

“Now then, since I don’t like going back on my word…” she purred, flicking a playful finger against my chin. “Do I have permission to freestyle on you once we get out there, Starlight?”

I scowled at the arm planted in front of me. "Stop calling me that. Just do what you have to, the rivalry won't matter after this anyway." I answered.

The silence that followed was too much to bear, even for me. My eyes squeezed to shut her out, but I could still feel her next to me—how her breath was labored and her heart pounded from performing—and how her body tensed at my response.

"Hey... Look at me." she insisted, waiting a bit too patiently as I worked up the nerve to indulge her. "You're obviously upset about something, but I don't know if it's 'cause of me or not. Is it that one of us is going home? 'Cause we can figure this out. If that's something you want, I mean."

It seemed that Akali wasn't concerned about the stage call coming from the speakers overhead as she watched me intently. Her genuine concern was too close to ignore, and the mix of emotions I was doing everything to suppress were surfacing faster than I could keep up with. My hands shook into fists to distract myself from the pull in my throat. I'd made it this far without letting any trivial feelings get in the way of the people who put their trust in me, and I wasn't about to start now.

"We don't have time for this, so please let me through." I urged, hating the way my voice quivered.

I didn't need to look at her to feel the confusion filling the space between us, and a flicker of doubt divided me. All the questions I wanted to ask ran wild, but it was too late now, and her voice was so dim I could barely hear it over the impatient buzz of the audience in the distance.

"If that's what you want." she said, waiting just a little longer than was good for either of us. "Good luck."

Akali conceded and let me go before we could change our minds. With a passing apology to the directors, we parted ways, and I didn't have the heart or the time to watch her as she ran around the back of the stage and slipped out of sight to get her bike ready.

I joined my girls and let the music pull me out of my thoughts, grateful to escape into the familiarity of muscle memory, which kept me distracted for most of the routine. That changed when the Ducati roared, making the surface beneath us tremble as she coasted out from the curtains. She flashed the bright headlights against us to form fluid shadows across the stage, reclining with a soft pose in her seat until the count I'd coached her to stop at during practice, and the feverish cheers poured in to rally her as the engine settled. 

She pulled off her helmet and let it rest against her hip so she could run a smooth hand through her hair. The view of the city over her shoulder flashed through me, but that was long gone now, whether I wanted it to be or not. Her eyes trailed the stage and flicked up to me with a hesitant shift. So much for the rivalry. I took over as best I could to save the routine, surging ahead to shield her from the prying eyes, which meant this was up to me now that I had probably ruined her improvisational flow. It wasn't my cleanest work, but I managed, using the backup moves that I had come up with for this very sort of emergency—and I was counting out the last section of her allotted time when I saw something reaching beside me.

Akali stood firm, patiently offering her hand. This wasn't in line with her persona. Any trace of that morning slipped away when I accepted, letting her lead as she held up our joined grasp and rested a hand at my side. She spun us around with a few gentle steps, and I barely heard her as she spoke through the music, which certainly didn't match the formal gesture.

"You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?" Akali hummed into her mask.

I blinked up at her, and the pressure of the audience watching us from every angle set in as we turned. Half-formed responses came to mind, but none that felt right, not that Akali seemed to be waiting for one. It wasn't until she twirled me that I wondered how she knew to dance with a partner like this, but she left little time for the quandary when she tipped me back over her arm and leaned into the movement—and into me.

"I don't know what's going through that brilliant brain," she said, knowing fully well that I had no choice but to hear her out as she hovered over me for the few counts she had left. "But I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to. So we can part ways after this and never see each other again, or we can talk and figure out what comes next. Choice is yours...I just need you to tell me."

Without another word between us, she pulled me up and kissed the hand she held through the soft cover on her lips, then sauntered off to her bike to wait out the rest of our number. I barely registered the distant shouts calling out for more. The last minute went by like a daze, and I was just grateful I had enough muscle memory to pull me through my own rapid of conflicting thoughts, not the least of which was a nagging feeling that I was missing something and the fear of what would happen if I didn't figure out what it was before this rivalry turned into an ugly, career-ending fight to the death.

Our teams gathered beside each other, and the tension of the voting process set in anew, now with another week's worth of practice—and stakes—to show for it. I stared blankly at the monitors above. Quite the shift from the determined girl who was standing here a week ago, I thought. It hadn't even occurred to me that we could tie again, but as the votes leveled out, something fluttered inside me at the thought. Was I insane enough to be hoping for another rematch? If I confronted her and things blew up between us, having to go through another week of this hell certainly wasn't something to be excited for.

The host waited out the theater's unrest, dragging us through the anticipation along with them. "We hear you loud and clear, America," he drawled. "In another record-breaking series of events from these rivals, we have our first...consecutive...double-tie!"

Mania spread through the audience, but those of us on stage were frozen in suspense. I wondered what Akali's reaction would be, but I couldn't bring myself to look. Not now.

"I know what you're all thinking, but I'm afraid I have some news from behind-the-scenes." A hush fell over the space as the host raised a hand to the crowd. "In the spirit of keeping the number-one dance competition fresh for everyone, Mythic Essence and The Baddest will not be going against each other next week. They'll be assigned to different competitors so we can keep the lineup running smoothly, but be sure to stay tuned, because something tells me neither of these teams will be leaving without a good fight!"

Becca and the rest of the girls threw their arms around me in a huddle of relief and giggles, and the welcome embrace was so lovely that I didn't notice the host disappear from his spot at the front of the stage until I heard his rich voice beside me. He asked if I had anything to say to our rivals, which was a shamelessly obvious order from the producers to keep the audiences at home interested despite their decision to switch our matchups around, and I normally would've jumped on the opportunity if it weren't for the unfortunate timing.

My lips hung at the mic he extended, but the words wouldn't come. I didn't know what we were. I didn't know if we could be what I wanted. Every part of me ached to believe Akali was the unapologetically beautiful woman I was just starting to learn about before her scathing message scared me into pretending I wasn't. It was all I could do just to grab my arm and try to come up with something, anything, listening helplessly as the quiet stadium erupted into a swarm of suspicious murmurs.

Akali found my gaze from behind the host, and it wasn't long after studying my expression that she ran up and yanked his mic away, leaving him just as dumbfounded and a little more irritated than the first time.

"You don't need to say anything, but I expect you to give it your all next week." There was a subtle pause as she looked over, like she wanted to say more and decided against it. "'Cause we're not stopping 'til we get to the finale, and I want you there to share it with us...I mean it."

The host interrupted the heavy look between us to wrestle his tech away from her and transitioned to commercial break, shutting down the curious atmosphere. Each team was promptly shooed through our respective sides before we could spring any more surprises on the producers—and after our day, I wasn't going to argue with the notion.

I waved my girls off as they left one by one, which left me and Becca to pack up the extras I always brought until she got one good look at me and decided I'd been through enough. She offered to handle the rest, which I normally would have refused on sense of duty, but between my raw muscles and the fact I was dealing with the most stubborn person I knew, I agreed.

After slipping into a pair of leggings and a soft hoodie, I wandered out into the hallway, drawn to the chatter coming from inside The Baddest's dressing room. The knot in my stomach wasn't getting any easier to ignore. I wondered—did she really mean what she said out there? And more importantly, why was she going back on her post now after going out of her way to make it? She could have been trying to rile me up for the performance, I thought, but if she was as concerned as she seemed then I figured she would have fessed up by now. If I could just work up the courage to ask her one simple question, then I would already have my answer and I could make an informed decision about what to do next, but...I didn't know if my heart would be able to take the truth.

My fingers hovered at the handle. I'm not sure what my plan to walk in on them was, but whatever I had in mind was left behind when a line of fresh tears threatened to burst down my cheeks. I must have looked pathetic, holding back a sob at her door. How could she be so nice to me after putting such an awful message out into the world? It was like she was trying to make me want her and hate her all at once. She was so confusing, so impossible, so—

Her laugh seeped through the door as I backed away, filling the hall like a sweet poison. I pulled my hood taught to my head before anyone could see me and ran. Ran like a naive fangirl who got her heart broken by the shiny facade of her favorite celebrity on her bedroom posters. My feet weren't sure where they were carrying me at first, but I knew I couldn't stay there anymore, not if this was how things were going to be. I thought I'd finally gotten a taste of what Becca meant when she said she wanted me to have a little fun—but if this was the price you paid, then I wasn't sure I was meant to have it after all.

Chapter Text

After a quick thank-you to the taxi driver, who I'd asked to stop and let me out on a dime at the biggest beach I could find, I stumbled my way down a sandy hill into the salty breeze below. There wasn't a person in sight at this hour since the sun was beginning to wane and let a chill grab at my skin—certainly not the conditions for anyone to be jumping in the water for a joyful splash, which was fine with me. The warmth streaking down my cheeks as I faced the gray horizon was more than enough.

My bag slunk off my shoulder and fell into the sand with a powdery thud. I stretched out my arms, reaching for whatever they could find and hoping for my body to take over and let my mind slip away from everything as it had so many times on the beaches back home. But nothing. I reached again, and again, until my arms ached from the movement, and then I realized my knees were pressed into the sand and gravity had already won this battle. Sullen dots sprinkled the surface below between sand-filled fists, and my own ragged breath drowned out what would have been the gentle lapping of the shoreline ahead.

A strangled laugh mixed into the noise. It was ridiculous. All of it. After everything Mythic had been through to get to this competition—the countless hours of practice and bleeding and setbacks and victories—here I was breaking down on a beach thinking about this girl's smile like it was tattooed into my eyes. I thought I would be happy regardless of whatever was going on in my personal life. This was all I'd ever wanted...right?

I pulled back the zipper on my bag with a shaky grasp and rifled through it until I found the crinkly envelope settled at the bottom. After fishing it out carefully and brushing off the sequins and who-knows-what-else it was covered with from an intense week of rehearsals, I stared at the thick strokes of ink forming my name across it. She seemed so happy that day, I recalled. But I guess it wasn't just her.

Curiosity got the best of me as I split the folds of paper. A glossy, brooding headshot of her peeked out, not to be outdone by the holographic text with the name of her final album etched into it, and I ran a finger across the texture with a weak smile. I flipped it over, wondering what she'd insisted on giving it to me for, and I went still as my attention grazed across the string of numbers and little stars scribbled around it. It made me feel warm—like a hot knife in my chest.

The low sun peeked through a crack in the thick gray cover suffocating it, painting me and the paper dangling from my hand with a soft golden tint. I squinted out over the water, trying to blink away the sting of dried tears, but I couldn't see past the ten digits taunting me from the corner of my eye. If only it was as simple as texting her and making everything go back to how it was. But she couldn't take back the things she said, just like I couldn't pretend I wasn't terrified of admitting how much I cared.

Eventually the clouds dispersed, letting through an array of colors that I normally would've gotten my camera out for, but they just didn't look the same as before. Not without...

"Mythic? Is that you down there?"

I jumped at the sudden call from the top of the hill and shoved the autograph back into my bag. My body ached in protest as I wrenched around to see where it came from—and then it ached in a different way when I made out the figure, who was squinting under a hand to block the light before answering her own question and slipping off her bike to skid down onto the beach toward me. Why did she have to make everything so beautifully difficult?

Akali didn't say anything for once. She just sat beside me, inviting herself to join in watching the restless waves perform their own kind of dance before us. Her silence was a lot more patient than I expected, and as strange as it was, now I was the one who couldn't stand it.

"You scared me, you know." I sulked.

"Sorry about that," she said, and even though my eyes were straight ahead at the view, I could still sense her smile. "Figured you would've heard my bike from a mile away, though—you must have been pretty zoned out."

I thought about jabbing at her, but I knew it would lead us into the topic of no return. "How did you find me, anyway?" I asked.

Akali grabbed her neck with a certain humility. "Well, turns out your bestie has good taste, 'cause she ended up at the same bar my team went to for drinks. I figured you'd be together, so when I didn't see you I went over and asked, and she said you were probably at a beach somewhere. Sounds like you do this a lot back home, too," she explained. "She advised me to give you some space, but, I can't help feeling like this was all my fault somehow and I don't want you suffering on my account if I can help it. So I've been skirting the coast on my bike for the past hour stopping at every beach until I found you here. Feel free to make fun of me now."

It felt like I was going to erupt, but whether it was into a smile, or tears, or anger, I couldn't tell. This wasn't right. I'd intended to at least sleep on it first and avoid the embarrassment of doing this when I felt so close to unraveling, but I wasn't sure I could take another minute of my silent questions, let alone another sleepless night of them.

"Why did you say those things this morning?" I blurted.

Her brows furrowed, gaze flicking around the sand as she searched for an answer. "You mean when I called you mythic ladies? Did I screw up one of your pronouns or something? I thought I overheard both of you going by she and her, but I guess I should've asked and—"

"No, that's not it," I sighed, doing my best to hide the shake in my voice, but I knew she heard it. "I'm talking about the picture and the message in your post. Why did you write that about us? Were you just trying to use me for photo-ops and clout?"

Her eyes widened for a moment. She scrambled to grab her phone out of her pocket, and as soon as the app opened, the picture from her latest post filled the screen and lit the frustration on her face. "...Eve."

I blinked at her. "What?" I asked.

Her palm hit her forehead with a groan. "Sometimes I let her run my account for me since I'm not exactly an expert with social media, and she must have gone through my pictures and thought it was a good idea to use that one." She deleted the post with a few rushed taps and offered a hand on my shoulder. "I'm really sorry, I should've put it in a locked folder or something—but I guess it's too late for an apology to make up for it.”

A muffled sound escaped through the hand clasped over my quivering lips, and the next thing I knew I was pressed against her chest with her arms wove around me. Whoever initiated it was lost in the moment, but as soon as I felt the relief swelling through me, all the fight fell away and left me with a hopeful exhaustion. And a reserve of happy tears I wasn't aware of.

"Shit, that really messed with you, didn't it?" Akali whispered, softly running a hand up and down my back. "I don't blame you. That crossed the line, and I'm gonna have a serious talk with Eve about this. But I want you to know that I never intended for that picture to be seen by anyone other than me, and I'm proud of you for killing it as usual despite all that."

I watched as one last bead dribbled down onto her crisp jacket and breathed out my tired voice. "I didn't have much of a choice. Being the captain of a start-up team means I'm responsible for their livelihoods, not just rehearsals and scheduling." I remarked.

She squeezed me in, and it felt so nice to just let it happen. To let her be there without my insecurities haunting her every move. "Trust me—I know a thing or two about being under pressure all the time. But I can tell you'd do anything for your team, and I admire that about you," she said. "And I hope you realize how impressive that is, too, 'cause I think I speak for everyone when I say you are a force to be reckoned with both on and off the stage."

That got a smile out of me, and I was almost disappointed she didn't tease me for it. "Speaking of forces to be reckoned with," I thought aloud, "I can't believe you handed over your public account to Eve of all people. In the short time I've known her, it seems like she's tried to start trouble wherever she could find it." I explained.

Akali paused, and I wondered if I'd said something that upset her until she agreed with a low voice. "You could say that. But she's really good at managing publicity stuff, which is something I happen to be terrible at."

"You? The Akali, the girl who topped the charts and convinced a bunch of diehard rap fans to start following dance when you switched over? And the same person who's in the headlines every other day, and has one of the most devoted fan bases I've ever seen?" I ribbed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know—but it wasn't always like that." Her words were soft, yet her wistful smile hid something. "I met Eve at one of my gigs when I was just starting out, doing side jobs here and there just trying to get some recognition. I'll never forget what she said that day. She told me I walked into the studio like a scared little mouse, but when I got behind the mic it was like I turned into a tiger. According to her, I was 'wasting my talent by not putting myself out there enough,' so she offered to help me with my public image. And she was right. I probably wouldn't have made it half as far as I have without her."

I nodded. It was strange to imagine Akali wasn't always the fierce personality the world knew her as, but that certainly sounded like Eve. "Well, you seem to have the hang of it after all these years, and I don't see your fans going anywhere after they already followed you into a new part of your career. Maybe you could use what you've learned and take over your brand?" I offered.

“I mean, I don’t mind performing and showing off my tough side, but it gets tiring being expected to act like that all the time. Even when I’m with my girls, I still have to hide parts of myself since I’m the glue holding everyone together and they need me to be strong for the sake of our work." Akali trailed off, following her gaze into the deep tones settling across the sky—until she looked over at me. "But, when I’m with you…I don’t have to pretend. I can just be me. And unlike most of the people in my life, you care about who I am behind my persona, too.”

My heart skipped a beat. There was something about the glint in her eyes—or maybe it was the rare sight of her without either of her masks, both physical and figurative—but something was drawing me in. And that was somehow making it even harder to breathe than the anxiety that had been creeping up ever since she gave me that look.

"Akali," I began, then cleared my throat, more so to compose myself than to sway her attention. "Can I ask you something?"

She seemed surprised by my abrupt request, but she gave me a soft smirk anyway. "Fire away," she coaxed.

My chest was tight from holding my breath. It seemed my body wasn't any more eager to ruin the moment with a dose of reality than my heart was. “Why were you so worried about me?” I asked. “Our lives couldn't be more different outside of this competition. We may never even see each other again once it's over, so why go to all this trouble just to make amends?”

“'Cause,” she started, and I didn't realize she moved closer until I felt her warmth intertwining with my fingers in the sand. “You're more than a rival to me. And I care about you...a lot.”

It felt like the world stopped once our eyes met. Visions of taking the plunge filled my mind so clearly, taking in everything about her—the sharp eyes guarding her warm gaze, those full lips always tugged up into a smirk about something, the way her wild hair seemed to defy gravity just as she defied anything in the way of what mattered to her—and I couldn't get enough. It wasn't until she shook herself from our shared daze that I remembered where we were, and her words found me as we watched the last of the sunset flicker against the shore.

“But that's enough about me and my feelings. Is there anything I can do to make up for upsetting you?" she asked.

“Well…” I lulled, questioning if the words about to form on my own tongue were really coming from the same girl who was rolling her eyes at the notion of this a week earlier. “You could start by calling me that cheesy nickname again.”

I didn’t realize how much I missed her laugh until she broke out into the hardest one I’d seen all day. “That’s it? Seriously? I didn’t think you even liked me calling you that.” she assumed.

The smile spreading across my face would've been embarrassing if it didn't feel so good. I let my expression answer for me, and followed the silent invitation into her eyes.

“Well you’ve got it then, Starlight,” she whispered. “But I think I can do one better.”

Akali’s thumb brushed against my cheek to swipe away a faint tear, holding back with a careful pause before she cupped the side of my face and slid closer. She could barely pull her eyes away from my lips long enough to get out the words under her breath. “Can I kiss you?”

My answer melted against her lips, sighing at the softness and the tender grasp guiding me into her. The scent of her fruity hairspray hung in the air, and I lost myself in the glimpses of hot breath between her grazes, letting the sound of lapping waves slip out of focus as she drew me deeper. She pulled back just enough to make my eyes flutter open, and smiled at the wanting look it rewarded her.

“How's that?"

We were so close that she barely had to use her voice for it to grab my attention and hold it hostage. "Better than I imagined," I breathed.

"So you've been imagining this, huh?" Akali gently laughed before giving my cheek one last peck, and I wondered if she could see the flush I felt in the afterglow. "I really shouldn't tease you, though, 'cause I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about us doing that on multiple occasions. And let's just say those daydreams dulled in comparison to the real deal."

I tried to hide my reaction when I realized what just happened, but it was difficult when I didn't want to pull away any more than she did. "Is it selfish of me to wish things could stay like this? Having a hectic schedule is a small price to pay for following your dreams, but..." I trailed off, letting a silent understanding form between us.

She ran a hand through my hair, watching her fingers slip through until she reached the ends and softly played with them. "Not at all, Starlight. That means you're enjoying yourself for once, instead of worrying about everyone else."

Realizing she was right only made me want her—this, us, whatever it was—even more. Rigid schedules be damned, I thought. Whatever tomorrow had in store for me would be waiting regardless. But, unfortunately for me, the damp chill of another night on the coast was settling in, and I hadn't gotten any better at controlling my shivers since the last time I found myself out late with her.

Akali didn't miss a beat, already tugging off the thick inky jacket from her intro earlier to place over my shoulders. “Now, as much as I’d love to keep you here all night, we’d better get you back to your hotel. You’re gonna need your rest for another week of expert choreographing if you want to make sure you’re in the finale.” she said.

"Thanks, but won't you be cold now?" I asked, huddling into the warm fabric as I did my best not to let the nerves of whoever each of us would be facing next week fill my mind just yet.

"It's cute that you're worried about me, but I'll be just fine, Gorgeous." She coiled an arm around my side, brushing her lip against my ear as she passed by, and suddenly the competition felt far away. "I run warm."

After climbing up the hill to her bike—which was sloppily parked off the side of the road, and one misstep away from tumbling down the slope she found me on—she bestowed her lone helmet over my head like she was already used to it, and we took off for the city. It was difficult to hear each other over the engine, so I settled for studying what I could see of her face above the tiger mask from the seat behind her. The image of her that Eve crafted was undeniably successful and plenty of people knew and loved her for it, but I felt bad for them in a way. Her fans had no idea what they were missing. They never got to see the real Akali; the one who was stuck in her own shadow, and so much more caring than the headlines she prompted would have you believe. The real woman I was beginning to feel something for.

Akali pulled up to the hotel to drop me off, and I couldn't help but scan the windows of the lobby for any sign of my girls this time. I hopped off for a closer look, and once I was pretty sure they had actually listened to my request to give me some privacy, I turned back to say goodbye and instead found my chauffeur right behind me.

"Are you...coming inside?" I asked, quelling the flutter inside me from the ideas sprouting at the thought.

She pulled one hand out of her pocket and brought it up to my back to guide me through the door. Her voice was as thick as honey, and the smirk on her face told me it was no accident. "Is that a problem?" she lilted.

"Well, no, it's just—" I fumbled, but the way she gripped my side was impossible to ignore, and my face was hot and red before I knew it. "I kind of got ambushed by my girls last time, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're all waiting at my door right now, so if you're with me then they might start interrogating you. And believe me, Becca does not hold back."

Akali laughed, watching the whole thing from above. "It's not like we've got anything to hide, right? I'm just making sure you get in okay." she winked. "And this way I can personally thank your bestie for the directions she gave me earlier, 'cause for all I knew, she could've been sending me on a wild goose chase. It sounds like trying to hide anything from her backfires on you, anyway."

I dug the keycard from my bag as we approached our room and held it an inch away from the door's sensor. What if everyone's inside? I thought. They would probably yank us in and question us for the next two hours, and I already know how I'll react. I would never live it down. Even if it was just Becca, that might be even worse, because then she'd have free reign over the conversation without a shred of the professionalism she maintains around the girls. What am I going to—?

Akali pushed the card in, giving me a look that said "I got this" as the lock let off an agreeable chime. The door swung open to a dark, quiet room, and for a moment I half-expected my team to jump out for the world's most unwarranted surprise party, but the faint sound of Becca's snoring coming into focus set me at ease.

"Looks like we lucked out," Akali whispered beside me. "You don't have to dodge any questions, and I get you to myself a little longer."

The look I gave was meant to be serious, but I couldn't hold a straight face around her. "Who said I was going to indulge you by staying out here?" I asked.

She didn't have to say anything. One smile led to another, and I was actually grateful for Becca's heavy sleeping for once as our poorly muffled giggles filled the hallway.

"Hey, um—jokes aside, I appreciate you bailing me out of that question earlier. You could've easily stayed out of it after it seemed like I was pushing you away for no reason all day, so your stubbornness was welcome this time." I said.

"Don't mention it," she assured me. "As far as I'm concerned, you're one of us now. And I take care of my own."

I wondered if she could sense the warm sensation spreading through me at her words, and not just in my face for a change. Our eyes met for a moment, then again, daring glances that were charged with something I couldn't quite place.

Before I could get in a word of the question on my parted lips, Akali pushed me up against the wall beside our door. The side of a fist pressed into the surface above me while she drank in the view. Her leg shifted closer, so dangerously close to my center that I wondered what she thought she was doing in the middle of a public hallway, until a finger pulled my chin up to meet the face tipping in toward me and any privacy concerns dropped out of mind. My breath caught hers through open lips. I was hungry for another taste of the softness I'd gotten earlier and maybe more, but a mischievous look just stared back at me. She traced a hand up my cheek before gently pulling back my hair—a motion that did not suit the rest of her as she practically begged me to give her a reason to go further—until her expression disappeared beside me and moved into the space below my jaw with a kiss so tenuous I wondered if I'd imagined it.

"There...now we're even." she hummed against my ear, then slipped away with that devilish grin and a nonchalant two-finger wave over her shoulder.

I watched her saunter off, leaving me with nothing but a whirlwind of unfinished business and the fading sensation of heat on my neck. And then I remembered to breathe.

Chapter Text

The last count of choreography I'd taught my girls so far hung in our poses for the hundred-and-something time, marking the end of our first rehearsal for this week of the competition. We could all agree my latest song choice was a certified bop, the concepts were flowing out of me like a rapid, and even the choreography felt like there was a breath of fresh air to it. I could already tell that this week was going to be a lot of fun...and I couldn't deny that it had everything to do with the smile plastered on my face ever since I shot awake that morning and realized the night before wasn't just a dream.

Becca slumped against the mirrors as the rest of the girls left for a lunch with The Baddest we'd been invited to that morning, and gurgled down her water like she'd just emerged from the Sahara. "This good mood is quite the turnaround from how you left last night. Is it safe to assume you and Princess Charming made up?" she teased.

"You could say that." I did a poor job of hiding my reaction, but for some reason, this time I didn't mind. "Turns out it was a big misunderstanding. Long story short, it was Eve's fault, but Akali's going to talk to her about it."

She nodded along, and I could see the physical effort it was requiring in order to not pry for the juicy details. “Whew, glad to hear it. Now I don’t have to embarrass her with the detailed diss tweet I typed out highlighting all the lyrical clichés in her songs.”

"Really? That was your big plan to get back at her if things went south?" I asked, and after a giggle at the thought of her staying up late just to study something so silly on my behalf, I realized what else it implied. “Wait, you listen to her music? Since when?” I asked.

She snickered with an elbow at my side. “Since the day after your little showdown during the intros, actually. It’s no death metal, but I’ve gotta admit—it’s pretty good.”

Our light chatter trailed as we packed up to leave. I tactically evaded a few obvious attempts from her to get me to spill my guts about my time with Akali, but after a moment in her own head, Becca's expression tightened.

"So all of that was Eve's fault, huh?" she thought aloud. "I know you said Akali's gonna have a talk with her, but I might just have to pay her manager a special visit to make sure she gets the message loud and clear. I can handle the trash talk, but I draw the line at her nearly ruining whatever's making you so happy."

I smiled. "I appreciate it, but I don't need a guard dog, Bec. You tend to say things you don't mean when you're hungry, so why don't we revisit this after we catch up with everyone at lunch?" I offered.

We shared a laugh as I pushed the door into the hallway, but it was cut short when we felt a sharp gaze on us. I'm not sure which I noticed first—the strong scent of perfume or the vogue outline of her shadow creeping in our direction—but there was no mistaking that we were in the presence of the woman whose name couldn't seem to stay off our lips.

Eve hovered just outside our temporary rehearsal space with one leg crossed over the other, showing off the tight leather miniskirt gripping her thighs. She looked off into the distance over the small, round designer glasses perched on her nose, all above that cold, forced smile she was always toting with her dark lipstick. One arm pressed under her chest like her bust needed the attention, and the other hand hovered in front of her as she rolled her fingers in a subtle wave, as if to put her nails on further display than they always were. This should be good, I thought.

“Can I help you?” I asked plainly.

Eve pursed her lips with a short, disapproving hum. “Hello to you too, Darling,” she lulled, flicking another look over at Becca as if to question why she was still there. “It’s not your help I’m seeking. I heard about the fuss my post on Kali’s account made, and since it seems we’ll be working together for a while, I thought it would be in our best interest to clear the air.”

I got the feeling this was as close to an apology as I’d get from Eve, not that it came close to giving me the warm and fuzzies. “We can agree on that much, but I was still offended by what you wrote. I’d like to think you were just saying things to make it look like a real attack on us, but if you're planning to drag my name through the mud, you should probably come clean sooner rather than later.” I finished.

“I prefer to cut straight to the bite rather than waste my time barking, Sweetie," she said, with a tint of pride in her voice. "If I was trying to ruin your career, it would already be over.”

It was almost impressive how Eve managed to make everything sound like a threat. I glanced over at Becca, waiting for her to go off on our visitor at any moment with the well-intentioned confrontation she hinted at earlier, but I was surprised to find her staring up at our guest with a look that was anything but hostile. The squint looking back at her, however, made it seem like Eve was sizing her up for target practice.

I cleared my throat, watching Eve blink back to me like she was coming out of a daydream. "We all have a lunch to get to, so if that was all you wanted, then we—"

"Of course, I won't hold us for long. But there is something else I wanted to ask." Eve slid her phone out of a back pocket of her skirt and typed a quick message, followed by a short buzz that I could feel through my bag. "We're throwing a little party for Kali's birthday this week, and I think it would make her happy if you were there. Our teams seem to get along, so feel free to invite the rest of Mythic, if you want. I sent you the time and the address. Don't be late."

With one last once-over at Becca, Eve turned and led the way, allowing a full view of her swaying hips that did not go unnoticed by my silent assistant. 

“What happened to all that big talk earlier about letting Eve have it?” I whispered, returning the favor with an elbow at Becca's ribs.

Becca was many things, but a good actress wasn’t one of them—so either she’d taken some acting lessons during her off time, or she was every bit as clueless as she looked. "Huh? Oh, it sounded like you had it. We've been friends long enough to know you can handle yourself, Captain."

"Whatever you say, Bec," I laughed to myself. Eve certainly wouldn't have been my first choice to hook up my best-friend-forever with, but given what I thought about Akali when we first met compared to now...maybe it was my turn to help Becca have a little fun.

After a short walk down the city's sidewalks trailing a distant Eve, we arrived at the quaint café Sera had reserved a table at for us with the help of Ahri, whose sweet tooths drew them in to try the business's renowned milkshakes. I didn't plan on having one myself given the ungodly amount they charged for them, but I didn't mind indulging in the reasonably-priced lunch menu, especially with such good company.

A kitschy cowbell clanged above the door to announce our arrival, soon followed by the heavy scent of vanilla and coffee filling my nose. The small space was surprisingly empty given the gorgeous, sunny afternoon outside bringing out folks from all over, evidenced by the soft light streaming in through the old-fashioned lace curtains. Checkered picnic blankets covered the arrangement of tables, each surrounded by their own set of mismatched chairs, and it seemed that even the largest of them was struggling to host the rest of our group awaiting us in the center of the dining space.

"Oh my gosh, you made it!" Sera's squeal overpowered the room's low hum of chatter as she jumped from her seat, oblivious to any attention it garnered as she pulled me in for one of her warm hugs. "I'm super happy you're here. I was worried you would be pulled away for important leader stuff and miss out on this place. Isn't it just so cute?"

She let go and pointed to a long shelf of eclectic teatime sets and various knick-knacks lining one wall, reminding me of the sort of things my elderly neighbors would collect back home. "It has a certain charm to it. I can see how a busy, modern city would benefit from a slice of country life like this." I nodded.

Satisfied with my answer, Sera offered Becca a warm welcome of her own and then ushered us to our seats, where she and Ahri must have placed the beautifully hand-written name cards out for everyone and apparently decided to put me between Akali and Becca. It was a sensible arrangement—I just hoped my second-in-command wouldn't try to pry into last night's events and leave me stuck in the middle.

"'Bout time you guys showed up. I hope you didn't give them any trouble, Eve." Akali pressed with an expectant look up at the woman in question.

Eve rolled her eyes above a reluctant smile. "Oh please, have a little faith in your manager, would you? I think my slip-up already caused plenty of trouble for one week." she explained, conveniently leaving out the part where she tried and failed spectacularly to apologize. "If you must know, I was inviting our rivals here to your very classy and refined laser tag birthday party. You're welcome."

Akali laughed, then looked over at me like she thought of something, but she settled on a blatant and knowing smirk without sharing. "Sounds good to me," she admitted.

"How friggin' insane are all these ties we keep having?" Kai's voice called out and drew my attention. "I mean, I'm not complaining, 'cause it's been a blast competing with you. But seriously? Twice in a row!"

Becca gave her a devilish laugh and threw an arm around my shoulders as if to present me. "Seems like you guys really met your match with us. Better not slip up, Akali—one wrong move and our leader here will swipe that victory before you know what hit you."

"Is that right?" Akali humored her, leaning into an arm propped against the table for a good, smug look at the both of us.

Not now, I told myself as my cheeks started to burn. It wasn't a good look to be acting like a school girl around her first crush in front of everyone, especially with Becca still tugging me in—not to mention I had a rehearsal to run as soon as we were done here, and I didn't need them to be distracted with teasing me all day.

"Don't tempt her, Kali!" Sera whined from across the table before she turned to me. "The first time I saw you performing in that video that went viral last year, I was suuuper intimidated. I'm okay now that I know you're actually nice, but you can look scary when you're really into your routines. I was still a little nervous during your warden part last night, though..." she trailed off.

Eve hummed, and I had already tensed up before she opened her mouth. "I don't think scary is the right word— How would you describe it, Kali?"

"Oh, there's plenty of ways to describe it." Akali's voice was calm and even as her hand brushed against my thigh under the table, sending a wave of prickles up my neck that almost made me jump. I questioned why it was driving me wild, considering she wasn't touching even remotely close to my center. Was I really that pent up? How long had I been like this without realizing it?

"There's the obvious ones. Talented, professional, stuff like that," she continued, this time looking into my eyes as the warmth of her hand slipped off my leg and settled into mine. "But what stood out to me was the progress she made over the week. I don't think channeling emotions into her performances is something she's had much experience with, so I feel honored that I was able to teach someone as dedicated and skilled as her."

My head was spinning. I couldn't believe the scenarios running through my own mind—each one less realistic or publicly acceptable than the last—but the outline of her in the corner of my eye was all my imagination needed to run wild, apparently. A stiff gulp pulled down my throat at the thought of her lingering warmth against my neck the night before. At how the threat of it hovered. Not that I was worried she'd do it here—but I wasn't sure I could handle anything like that again, even if we were alone. It felt like every gaze in the restaurant was on me, and I was grateful when a waitress came over to interrupt our table's collective teasing of Akali's mushy reply that had faded into the background.

The young girl took our orders and rushed back to the small kitchen, which I could only imagine was bustling to keep up with our groups, and the chatter picked up again. Becca left her seat to go watch something on Kai's phone with the others, so I pulled out my notebook to find a distraction when I felt a soft touch on my forearm.

"Hey. You okay?" Akali whispered.

By the time I turned, she had already leaned in, watching me intently again. Fuck. Before I could stop myself, my eyes had dipped down to her lips. "Uh—yeah, why do you ask?"

"'Cause you got pretty quiet there," she said, but the more she watched me the more she seemed to understand, going by the smile forming against her low voice. "Don't tell me last night was too much for you already. I haven't even started yet, Starlight."

My breath caught at that. We were reminded of the girls' presence from the sound of them snickering at the video they were watching, so she gave my cheek a quick peck before dodging back to her seat. I composed myself and smiled as the girls dispersed, watching Akali as she innocently glanced back at me before asking Kai to show her what was so funny. But what she didn't know was that I hadn't started yet, either.

The table drifted through a few pleasant, stable topics, but naturally the one of next week's performance came up and brought along with it the nerves of the unknown. I tried not to let my concerns show to set an example for my girls, and Akali was doing the same, although she and her team seemed genuinely relaxed all on their own. Well, except for Sera, who was chewing her lip and staring down at the table with a wide-eyed stare. She was probably imagining the worst case scenarios, I thought. Or at least, that's what I was trying not to do.

Their conversation came back into focus when Ahri expressed concern that one of our teams may not make it past this week, but Eve waved her off.

"Mythic will be fine, Darling. They're much more likable than—" she stopped herself when she caught my gaze, then pursed her lips like she said something she wasn't supposed to.

Kai raised an eyebrow at her. "Wait, you know who they're going against next week? How'd you find that out?"

"I happen to follow their leader on social media to keep an eye on things. And unfortunately—or fortunately, for you—she can't keep anything to herself." Eve drummed her nails against the table with an audible set of clacks before turning back to me. "But don't worry, Darling. Qiyana's quite a...brash woman. And not in a good way. The audience already loves you and your relatable backstories, so just keep doing what you've done so far and you'll easily win them over against someone like her."

Akali shifted at the mention of our next rival group's leader. A noticeable quiet hung over us after the steady chatter we'd filled the space with, and the rest of The Baddest snuck glances at their leader like they knew something we didn't.

"Okay, you guys are killing me. What's the deal with this chick? You must have history with her or something." Becca urged.

Ahri rubbed the back of her neck with a grimace. "She...kinda blew up at Kali a few years ago. There's been radio silence ever since, but I guess she's still mad if she made it all the way to the semi-finals."

Everyone's attention fell on Akali, and mine was no different. Her brows pulled together as she picked at her chipping nail polish, like she was deep in thought about something either in the distant past or the near future—or both. I couldn't imagine her in a fight like that with anyone, especially not after seeing her calmly handle Eve with as difficult as she can be, and the mixture of concern and curiosity got the better of me.

"Is there something we should know before we face them next week?" I asked her.

Akali roused at my voice and nodded. "I'll tell you what happened, but just so you're not caught off guard by anything." she started, looking around for any eavesdroppers before she continued with a hushed tone. "I met Qiyana when I was holding auditions for The Baddest. I already had Eve and Kai to help me, so we were looking for two more members to qualify for various competitions. Obviously, I ended up picking Ahri and Sera, but Qiyana was actually one of my top picks at the end. She was talented, but something about her just didn't sit right with us. And getting along with the rest of the team is even more important to me than skills or raw talent. When I announced my decision, she came up and yelled at me in front of the rest of the auditioners...then swore she'd make me regret it someday before storming out."

The knot that was in my stomach grew tighter with each new word of the story. I was already nervous about facing brand new opponents, but this was even worse than my worst-case-scenarios.

"So you're telling me the only thing standing in the way of this psycho Qiyana girl making good on her plot for revenge is us?! Sheesh, talk about pressure." Becca sighed.

Kai offered a tight-lipped smile. "I'm afraid so. Do us all a favor and dance them off the stage though, will you? I'll take a battle with Mythic over her team any day."

With that high expectation set, the topic was swiftly changed to one more suitable for a casual lunch with friends. A few conversations went by before our orders arrived, which finally took my mind off of the competition thanks to the appetite I'd garnered—but the information and what I could possibly do with it before next week ticked away in the back of my mind. We'd just started to dig in when someone mentioned the time, and with the looming demands of rehearsals to get back to, the table fell to a hush and hurried through the rest of our meals. At some point Sera had apparently insisted on swapping seats with Becca to make sure I tried the shake she ordered, and it was then that I realized the full power of her persuasion when she really wanted something. The treat lived up to the hype though, I decided.

After leaving a generous tip for catering to a group of our size, we left the café and parted ways at the door, each group headed back to our own hotels for practice. Akali gave me a warm hug before she led them off, not wanting to draw too much attention to either of us on the crowded sidewalk, I assumed, and then we sprinted off with a trail of goodbyes over our shoulders.

We neared the last intersection before our hotel and were getting ready to cross when I heard the faint call of my name coming from the other side of the corner store. I peered around it to see who could possibly be running up to me looking for my attention, and I was surprised to find the very sweaty Kai and Ahri pumping their legs to reach us with frantic waves overhead.

"Thank goodness we—caught you—" Kai panted, bent over with her hands pressed into her thighs to hold herself up.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, looking over her for any injuries. "Are you alright? Did something happen?!" I asked.

She and Ahri shared a laugh through their heavy breath, and I'm pretty sure they almost passed out from it. "I told you we were gonna look crazy, Kai!" Ahri giggled.

"Yeah, well, how else were we gonna fool Kali?" Kai nudged her, then straightened up to face me. "Sorry, yes. We're fine—just shockingly out of breath for professional dancers," she explained.

Becca and the rest of the girls blinked at them over my shoulder, but I was just relieved nothing horrible had happened. "Well that's good to hear, but did you need something?" I asked.

“Eve already invited you to Kali’s birthday, right?" Ahri asked. "We figured you wouldn’t have a gift ready on such short notice, sooo we wanted to help out and make sure you find the perfect one. Call it a girl's day out, on us.”

My expression went from surprise to excitement to the crushing weight of responsibility all in one go. "As lovely of an offer as that is, I have to get back to running rehearsal. Actually, don't you have practice starting soon as well?" I asked.

"Yep. Well, we did, anyway, until Ahri and I came up with the brilliant idea that I have a last-minute, very-real and totally-not-made-up dentist appointment to have a killer cavity taken care of. And the anesthetic totally makes me woozy, so I needed Ahri here to drive me. Isn't that right?" Kai asked.

Ahri nodded. "I was the obvious choice, as the officially-appointed safest driver of The Baddest. Which is akin to calling me the shortest giant—but you catch my drift."

"Well that's certainly very creative," I said, looking between them as I followed along. "But how does this intricate story of yours get me out of my own commitments, exactly?"

The pair shared a nervous laugh. "We were kind of hoping you would play hooky and put Becca in charge...just for today? Pleeease?" Ahri urged.

This was reminding me of my attempt to resist Sera and her milkshake. I was caving, and my head was about to dip into a nod when I felt Becca's arm slump around my shoulders and cock her head down at Ahri.

"Woah woah woah, don't I get a say in this? I'm not gonna take over such an important rehearsal for just any old reason." Becca said.

Kai and Ahri turned and discussed amongst themselves with a few harsh whispers. It seemed that they came to a conclusion, then turned back before Ahri cleared her throat with a raised chin. "After careful consideration, we are willing to buy you all the food and drinks you want for Kali's party in exchange for your cooperation today." she proclaimed.

"That's more like it," Becca grinned, offering them both a firm handshake before she left to take over my duties. "She's all yours. Have fun, but don't get yourselves into too much trouble without me!" she called back from the middle of the crosswalk.

I barely got in a wave and a thank-you to my team before the duo each took one of my hands and pulled me down the crowded sidewalk, carving a path through the poor bystanders. Their infectious laughs trailed behind them, leaving me to wonder where they were taking me. Thundering down the famous street in the company of two girls I barely knew, in hopes of finding a gift for a woman who had everything, it begged a silent question: What was I getting myself into?

Chapter Text

"WOOO!" 

Kai's howl carried up into the clear sky above her open convertible, only contested by the roaring engine as she laid on the gas. That was when I noticed how plush the seats were—considering we were going so fast I felt like I was melting into mine. Ahri joined in the merrymaking a moment later, leaning forward against the wind from the backseat without a seatbelt, and despite the reckless behavior, I had to admit that their energy was easy to settle into.

"Isn't Kai's convertible awesome? She's a total car geek, so she insisted on getting all the top-of-the-line stuff." Ahri yelled up.

Kai laughed and smiled sheepishly at her custom steering wheel cover. "I was hoping to make a good impression before you found out my horrible secret, but she's right...I'm a gearhead."

I laughed to myself. Not that Akali was much different with her Ducati, I thought.

"So like, I know I said this trip was to help you with your gift shopping, but I'll confess that we actually just wanted an excuse to get to know you better," Ahri piped up. "You and Kali are always so busy with leader duties, so we knew we'd have to make it worth your while if we were going to get in any quality time."

Kai nodded with a soft glance over at me. "As Akali's oldest friend, it's kind of my job to get to know her potential girlfriend and help you two along—so I don't mind telling a few white lies to make that happen. You and Becca seem pretty tight, I bet she'd do something similar for you."

"Oh trust me, she has," I blurted, at least until I realized what she said about me and Akali and then retreated into my thoughts. Has she been talking about me? About us? How much did she—?

Ahri oohed behind me, gripping the side of my seat to pull herself over. "That sounds like a story. I'm all ears if you'd like to share~" she urged.

My heart skipped a beat as I tried to straighten out my voice. "Oh, um, yeah sure! I can tell you the abridged version."

Kai and Ahri listened intently as I explained how Becca insisted Akali take her place as my plus-one on the night of Her Shadow's premiere—conveniently reminding me of the revenge I had yet to get on her for that—but I decided to leave out how Akali had left the performance early after seeing her upset afterwards. The last thing I wanted was to accidentally start any rumors, especially with such high stakes surrounding the competition.

"She really gave away her spot at the premiere just like that?" Ahri wondered aloud. "I give her a lot of credit. She must be pretty selfless to do that after all those years of you working together to make it this far."

I laughed. "You're right about her looking out for me, but don't give her too much credit. She would've been bored out of her mind at an event like that, anyway, so according to her we were doing her a favor." I explained.

"I still remember our first premiere as The Baddest. It was a good time, but a bit stuffy for my taste, so I get it." Kai explained. "Akali was trying to tell one of her animated stories to a group of well-known producers and ended up knocking over a chocolate fountain. It got all over, and we spent a good hour trying to clean everything after the party. I think the stain still lives in the shirt she was wearing to this day." she chuckled.

My cheeks ached as I easily imagined the scene and joined the girls for a laugh. That sounded so wonderful... So like her.

Kai's voice turned wistful as she looked out over the palm tree-lined highway and drew me from my thoughts. "Believe it or not, Akali was a klutz growing up. Still is, too—she's just gotten better at hiding it over the years."

"Really? What made her start a career in dance, then?" I asked.

She smiled. But it was soft, like sorrow hung over her thoughts. "It was our escape," Kai started, pausing to immerse herself in the memory. "We met at an afterschool dance club when I had just immigrated here with my dad. It was only a few months after she'd lost her mother, actually, so we were both grieving in our own ways at the time."

My heart sank. I had no idea Akali had lost a parent, and I couldn't decide if it was better to nod along and pretend I already knew or ask Kai to explain so I didn't have to upset her best friend with the same question—but if the tender hand on my shoulder was anything to go by, then I'd already given myself away.

"She didn't tell you about that...did she?" Ahri asked.

The short head shake I gave formed an answer, and Kai grimaced before cursing under her breath. "Shit. With all the time you've spent together I just assumed she'd mentioned it by now. It wasn't my place to say, so if you want to know anything more about it, you'll have to ask her yourself."

I couldn't argue with that, but I wondered what else there was to explain that was causing the serious mood. She already revealed her mother's passing, and I didn't plan on prying anyone for the details, but Kai seemed eager to move the conversation along and piped up before I had the chance to figure anything out.

"But anyway, we met through dance and grew up learning it together. In high school she got too busy with homework and starting her rap career to take any formal dance training, but we would still get together every weekend throughout school and college to dance for fun, whether we were dressed up on a dance floor somewhere or in our PJs at home. Dance was always a part of our lives, so I was thrilled when she told me she wanted to go pro with it and asked if I would join her. It felt like everything was coming together," she said. "She brought Eve over from her rap life, and then we held our auditions and recruited Ahri and Sera, and then the rest is history. Well, until now, anyway." Kai finished with a friendly wink over at me.

Ahri giggled and threw her arms around the back of our seats in an attempt to hug both of us at once. "That's right! Now we get to shape the rest of our destinies, and the next step is figuring out what to do for this gift. Do you have anything in mind, yet?" she interrogated.

I searched myself for any obvious ideas, ultimately coming up empty. Vague possibilities drifted in and out, but nothing that sparked a feeling of confidence, which was going to be tough to find considering my shoestring budget was a joke compared to what she must have had after her two successful careers.

"What about a pair of sneakers? I've noticed she wears those a lot." I suggested, feeling pretty sure I'd only seen her wearing something other than sneakers twice in the entirety of this trip.

Kai sucked the air through her teeth with a hissing noise. "Yeah—no. Trust me, that is the last thing in the world that girl needs."

"I admire your attention to detail, but I'm afraid I have to agree with Kai on this one," Ahri joined in. "She had to take an extra bag on the flight just to fit all the sneakers she brought. A new pair mysteriously appears in her bag every time we visit a major city, too, so I think she'll be getting new ones before we go home either way."

Kai nodded. "In her defense, she claims it's to 'have something to remember each of our adventures by,' but I still think they're the strangest and most expensive excuse of a souvenir I can imagine," she added.

After a quiet laugh at the idea of her hauling an entire bag of shoes goodness-knows how far across the world, I was left with no leads again, and I found myself staring out over the sparkling ocean we were driving along. They couldn't have picked a better day for this, I thought. The sun was still in its prime, beaming down across the sunny coast, and a chilly breeze picked up every now and then over the windshield to remind me of the salty waves beside us. The smell brought me back there for a moment. To the chills, the ones caused by more than the cold, and the salt stinging my eyes. Her messed-up ponytail, that stare pulling me in with a glance, the warmth against my—

My eyes flashed open, checking to make sure they didn't see me do anything embarrassing. Breathe, I reminded myself. It can wait. I sank into my seat and let myself retreat back into my thoughts, searching my memories for anything she could have wanted until I remembered the breeze pouring over us from the back of her bike. Not that I could feel it above my neck, thanks to the chunky helmet she always put on me instead of wearing it herself as the driver of her own bike, but I certainly didn't mind the unobstructed view of her. No...I didn't mind it at all. It felt silly, how cute I noticed the way she took it off on stage was after she drove on for our number. How was it possible to find such a normal thing so endearing?

Kai hummed triumphantly, and I looked up to find the highway exit sign for the city that she'd mentioned earlier. "Alright, Ahri. We've had our fun, but I'm gonna need you to buckle up now. Safety first and all that," she urged.

Ahri followed her request just in time as we leaned into the exit and coasted into the famous, scenic city. I hadn't dreamed of finding an excuse to come here during our trip for anything more than a distant appreciation while just passing through, but after the whirlwind this competition had been so far, this felt like one of the more approachable things I'd done.

"Whew! The breeze was refreshing after that sweaty marathon we ran earlier—I miss it already." Ahri said, looking out over the town we were leisurely rolling into.

Kai waved her off with a click of her tongue. "You're just lucky I let you commit a crime in my vehicle so you could enjoy it." she smirked.

There it was again, I thought, as my mind drifted back to Akali's Ducati—or more specifically, her poor, if not well-intentioned safety standards whenever she was taking me for a ride on it. An idea began to form, which was interrupted by Kai gesturing around at the row of luxurious-looking shops lining the trafficky street.

"Well, anything catching your eye?" she asked.

A soft hum turned into a smile as I humored my own scheme. "Where's the nearest bike shop and craft store?" I responded, earning a confused and slightly intrigued look from each of them. "I think I know just the thing."

Chapter Text

My companions for the day filled the parking lot with a pair of recognizable laughs as I re-emerged out of the craft store. Ahri had snuck up into my spot in the passenger's seat while I was gone, but I didn't mind too much if it meant she was more likely to keep her seatbelt on. The two of them had tried to insist on coming inside with me, but something told me they would want to spend the rest of the evening exploring the seasonal displays, and it would have been just as bad of a look on me as it was on them if we weren't careful with our time.

Kai ooped when I tugged on the locked handle of the door in the middle of their conversation, then flicked the lock to let me climb into the back. "You were in and out of there in no time," she remarked. "Find what you were looking for?"

I glanced down at the plastic bag full of paints in colors that reminded me of Akali's album cover, as well as a variety of stencils and brushes that I wasn't quite sure what to do with yet. "I still don't know exactly what I'm going to do with this stuff, but it'll be enough to work with once I get the most important piece." I replied.

"Sounds to me like you have good time management and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to come up with ideas on the fly," Ahri explained with an insinuating smile at me over her shoulder. "I can see why you're Mythic's leader and a respected figure in the dance world. We could all learn a thing or two from you."

My cheeks felt warm from the sudden compliment. It wasn't often that I stopped to reflect on my personal accomplishments or attributes beyond what Mythic achieved as a group, but when she put it like that, I couldn't deny the way she saw things for a moment. Maybe I didn't have to be so worried about falling behind and failing my team if I didn't work myself to the brink of exhaustion, I thought. And it probably wouldn't hurt to remind myself I'm more than just a leader.

"Right, so we're off to the bike store next, then?" Kai asked, not waiting for an answer to swipe at her phone that was neatly squeezed into a GPS stand on the windshield. "It's across town and there's rush-hour traffic, so it might take a while to get there—but that won't stop us from helping you achieve your brilliant vision for a gift! Um...whatever it is!"

After assuring her that I didn't mind the wait, especially since I wasn't sure if or when I'd have another opportunity to go browsing at a real store before the date Eve had sent me for the party, we settled into the slow pace of the commuters. I took the dead time to check in on my team, quickly finding a video Becca had sent of the girls doing their best to remember the choreography from earlier. They all blanked on one part and laughed amongst each other, but the rest of the routine held up better than I'd expected, and a content smile crept over me as it ended. What Ahri said about me rang in my ears. I guess if anything could speak to someone's skills as a leader, it was their team—and mine was doing a pretty damn good job.

The pit in my stomach suddenly knotted up again from a faint reminder of the conversation about our next competitors. This Qiyana woman was the last person I wanted to spend my rare free time thinking about, but such was the struggle of a responsible leader, I supposed. Then a strange feeling—something unfamiliar and inspiring, maybe to do with a certain someone's recent influence—reminded me to focus on the good parts. The whole reason we were here trying to get a gift was to celebrate someone I cared for, and yet there was still so much to learn about her.

I cleared my throat and leaned forward to try to talk over the radio and the hum of traffic, which made me start to understand why Ahri had felt compelled to unbuckle earlier. "I heard Eve mention something about laser tag earlier. Is there any reason in particular Akali chose that for her party?" I asked.

"There sure is, and it's a very simple one," Kai sighed, barely getting in the words before she and her passenger playfully rolled their eyes in unison. "She's good at it."

My softly raised eyebrow tried to match their energy. What was the big deal?

As if Ahri had sensed my confusion from behind her, she adjusted the mirror so she could see me and started to explain. "She's good at it because she takes it very seriously. A little too seriously, by most people's standards. We haven't lost a single game out of the dozens she must have dragged us to over the years." she said.

She watched my reflection nod along over the wispy blonde hair on her shoulder. I guess now even the good stuff would have something to at least slightly worry over—but I'd take that over the nightmare next week was shaping up to be.

"Maybe I shouldn't complain...I guess it's kind of fun having someone to carry your team. I certainly wouldn't want to be the poor sap on the receiving end of her wrath," Kai started to laugh, but she was cut short by a sharp look and a whack on her arm from beside her. "Oh—um, but don't worry, though! I'm sure she'll let you have a little fun."

The girls certainly made it sound like we had a challenge in store for us, I thought to myself as I remembered that smirk Akali lit up with at the mention of us being invited. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

It was half an hour later and the sharp scent of motor oil and leather hit us as we passed through a pair of slick automatic doors into the shop. To our right, there was a wall of windows looking out into the street to display the polished motorcycles lined up with fancy platforms and spotlights, and to our left was the rest of the shop, where I was headed. Rows of merchandise beckoned me closer as if I had any idea where to start looking, but I strode forward like I knew what I was doing once I'd caught the tinged glances from variously-aged men sprinkled around. After scanning each shelf in passing, I finally found the helmets, which were naturally in the back of the store near the cashier station to make sure you had to pass by all the tempting goods before you could pay and leave. Now the hard part began—choosing the right one.

I glanced over the options. Most of them were either drab and boring or extravagantly flamboyant, neither of which quite captured the qualities of its future owner. I'd bought the paints for a reason, I reminded myself, but it still felt like something was missing.

Ahri's melodic giggle pulled my attention back to the displays, where it seemed like a young guy had recognized her and was a little starstruck by her presence—which, by the looks of it, she was happy to entertain. After glancing around in search of her teammate, I landed on Kai, who was hanging over a magazine rack and entranced by the pictures of shiny sports cars clutched in her hands. Guess the self-proclaimed gearhead wasn't kidding...and I'm on my own. I thought.

With a sigh, I turned my attention back to the helmets. I wouldn't be getting feedback from the duo any time soon, so it was up to me to figure out which to get. There were so many things to consider—safety, appearance, fit, materials—enough for me to turn to Google for some quick tips that could point me in the right direction before my head spun. The sound of the automatic doors sliding back at the entrance vaguely registered, but I kept scrolling down the rabbit hole until I found a decent beginner buyer's guide and glossary. I'd just started to compare the product tags on the helmets to the terms on my screen when a nice voice carried over from the check-out counter behind me, and the familiarity of it didn't click until well after I'd overheard her asking about an oil change kit.

The helmet I happened to be holding was now pinned to my chest as I jumped behind the tall shelf and out of Akali's sight. How did she always manage to find me? How did she even get here this fast after our head start before they started practice?

My questions would have to wait, I told myself, then crouched so I could watch her through a metal grid display on the end of the aisle as the attendant left to check the back for her request. I felt ridiculous and a little stalkery at first as I saw her checking her phone and doing some mindless stretches, but I quickly forgot about the way I must have looked when I realized how cute it was. She was barely doing anything. She didn't have to, and my tummy was still filled with butterflies. Something flashed in my mind, like a premonition—or more likely, just a silly fantasy—but I couldn't deny the thought of us going grocery shopping on a Tuesday morning back home, right before the classes I teach start. She would ride the grocery cart like a glorified skateboard with that precious laugh of hers, and probably treat the free sample stands like an all-you-can-eat buffet until they cut her off, and insist on having me pick out a dessert from the premade section to look forward to at the end of the day, and—

"Why are we hiding?" Kai laughed over me with a teasing whisper.

My stomach dropped, and I almost dropped the helmet along with it. I put a finger to my lips, then pointed around the corner at Akali, who was luckily too busy blaring rap music through her earbuds to notice us.

"Oh my—" Kai stopped herself short with a hand over her mouth and either tried not to laugh, gasp, or both. "No friggin' way! You realize this is the universe pushing you two together, right?" she asked, as if she had read the thoughts she interrupted.

I chose not to offer my agreement just yet, sufficing with an expression that was equal parts coy and skeptic. "If that's the case, then the universe isn't quite doing it right," I remarked.

"True," she said, tossing me her sleek keyring before she gave me one last wink. "And that's where besties come in."

Before I could stop her, Kai strode out into the open and threw an arm around Akali with a loud greeting. She fudged her way through her leader's questions about why she was there and where Ahri was, then quickly steered her over to the magazines, where she assured her there was a picture she wanted to show her somewhere and she just couldn't remember where it was. The attendant Akali had sent off to check their inventory was nowhere to be seen, so I crept out once Kai had pulled her and Akali out of sight and paced over to the remaining cashier.

The angular black helmet I was in the middle of examining when I got distracted by her arrival seemed like a well-rounded option, so I pushed down my instinct to thoroughly research every helmet they had in stock and handed it over to be scanned. I could afford to be a little reckless for a good cause, I thought. My fingers drummed impatiently against my arm as I waited, looking over the row of impulse-buys idly staring at me from below. One bin caught my eye, full of light-up cat ears—that, according to the label, could be magnetically attached to a helmet—and I was too busy grinning at the thought of them on the future birthday girl to notice the cashier was speaking to me until she repeated herself.

"Ma'am? Will that be all for you, today?" she pressed.

I excused the delay and threw a pair onto the counter before I could change my mind. When in Rome, I giggled to myself.

With my shopping bag in hand, I proudly marched to the door, picking out a thumbs up from Kai as she had Akali flipping through the magazines beside her in search of something she probably made up. Poor girl, I thought—but I was sure Kai would fess up after the party and make amends. After a quick scan around for Ahri, I realized I hadn't heard her bubbly voice for a while, and I turned to leave before finding her on a bench outside with the guy from earlier.

She made a joke and shared a laugh with him before she noticed me. "Looks like my duty calls, but it was lovely meeting you. Good luck with your campaign! I'll be rooting for you." she excused herself.

Once he was a safe distance away, I tucked myself behind one of the trees lining the sidewalk and gestured for her to follow.

"Where's Kai?" she asked, brushing away the stray hair blowing across her face from the coastal breeze.

I gave her a look. "Were you too busy flirting to see Akali come in and Kai come over to bail me out? She's still stalling her inside."

"You're kidding," Ahri declared with a straight face, then cracked a smile when she remembered I wasn't exactly the type to kid about something like this. "That's, like, next-level meant-to-be destiny stuff. It's almost scary." she laughed.

So I've heard, I thought.

We both turned when the girls in question came out of the shop. Akali was headed straight for us, luckily distracted with the heavy bag tucked in her arm, at least—which was when I realized I'd accidentally chosen the tree nearest to her Ducati's parking space to hide behind—and Kai looked around feverishly until she spotted us over her leader's shoulder and ran up to pull her the other way before it was too late.

"Actually, there's this famous ice cream shop down the street I've been wanting to try, so why not come with while I wait for Ahri? I'll buy. Call it an early birthday treat." Kai scrambled for her words, but I gave her credit for coming up with it on the spot. If the way she struggled with her GPS earlier was anything to go by, then she knew damn well she had no idea if there was actually an ice cream shop nearby, let alone a famous one.

"Since when do you have such a sweet tooth?" Akali teased. "I mean, seriously, you just had a milkshake like a couple hours ago. You know I'm all for living in the moment, but I think you've been spending too much time with Sera and Ahri for your own blood sugar's good."

Kai laughed along nervously. "Well if you won't do it for yourself, then do it for me. It'll help with the pain from my filling earlier." she requested.

"Alright, alright—I already cancelled rehearsal for the day since we can't do much without you two, so it'll be nice. Feels like it's been forever since we got to hang just the two of us." Akali answered as their voices faded into the distance.

After handing Ahri the keys, since we agreed that she was more familiar with the convertible, we took a snail's pace down main street in search of somewhere to hang out while we waited to hear from Kai. Ahri's neck twisted in an effort to study something just outside my view that caught her attention, and as soon as she spotted someone pulling out of a parking space ahead, she zoomed in to replace them without hesitation.

"What were you looking at?" I asked, but she was already halfway out of the car by the time I finished asking the question.

"Couldn't tell you!" she said, clutching her purse to her chest with a whimsical smile before she pranced off for the shady walkway leading to the mystery area. "It looked pretty, from what I could see—but the surprise is the best part, don't you think?"

We emerged from the tree shadows dancing overhead and back into the warm sun pouring over the rest of the grand brick path. Cherry Lane Park, a sign read. It was complete with ornate benches, lampposts, and even a big, raised planter farther down that boasted what I assumed the park was named after: a full, pink cherry blossom tree raining with blush petals that were scattered over the area like a scene out of a movie.

My gaze was drawn away from the view of the gorgeous tree when Ahri squealed and ran off to a boba stand. It had a sign out front with a chalk drawing of bubble tea in shades of pastel pink and green, and it even had little sakura flowers and hearts coming out of it, which I had to admit was pretty cute. I pulled out my phone to take some pictures of the sights while I waited, and before I knew it Ahri had returned with a tall, decorative cup of milky pink bubble tea in each hand, with one stretched out to me.

I took her offer and couldn't stop myself from rambling. "Oh, thank you, but you really didn't have to or anything. Sera already shared her milkshake with me earlier, and I really shouldn't be having too much sugar during the competition, and, um—well, that doesn't matter right now. Thank you."

"Huh. Kali wasn't kidding when she said you weren't used to surprises." Ahri tilted her head at me with a caring smile. "But seriously, it's my pleasure. No way would I bring you to a place like this and hog all the treats to myself when we can share them and make memories instead."

A shy smile crept over my lips in return. We turned to enjoy the shimmering haze of sunlight slipping between the focal tree's flowers, and the airy petals that fluttered around in the breeze. One landed on my lap, and I rolled it between my fingers like a little piece of velvet, admiring how something so delicate could still be so striking.

"So does Akali talk about me a lot?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed once I said it, but Ahri didn't seem to mind.

"Hmm—only like, constantly," she joked, offering a friendly hand on my knee as if to emphasize her point. "She mentions you at least once an hour. It's like everything reminds her of you. Eve teases her for it, but I think it's really sweet."

My lips quivered in effort to not burst with a grin and the wave of butterflies I was holding back, so I quickly took a sip of my drink to mask it. Ahri followed my lead, and the moment of silence concluded with our official addiction to the mildly sweet liquid and fresh, fruity pearls.

"Wow. I know this isn't surprising coming from one of the sugar fiends on my team, but this is like, really good." she said.

I nodded, savoring my sip before I stopped to respond. "I usually get matcha flavor when I go to boba shops with Bec, since I heard it's one of the cleanest energy-boosting alternatives to coffee you can get. But this is making me want to try everything they have."

Ahri softly laughed to herself with another smile, a big one this time, but she didn't say anything. She just looked up at the crystal blue sky and let her bright eyes pick up the fluffy white clouds floating by. They were twinkling in thought, I just couldn't imagine what I said to inspire it.

"...What is it? Did I say something strange?" I pressed.

She shook her head and kept her eyes on the skyline. "You didn't say anything wrong, it just reminded me of Kali, is all." she explained. "Believe it or not, she loves matcha as well. And dancing, and road trips, and anything that makes her feel alive. And even though you've had to make personal sacrifices to get your team this far, I bet you value all those things, too."

My gaze followed hers to the hazy tops of the distant skyscrapers, hoping it could help me understand what she was getting at. It didn't, but after a few thoughtful seconds, Ahri picked up where she left off.

"What I'm trying to say is, I know it's only been a couple of weeks, and you'll have a lot to figure out together—but you really seem perfect for each other. I can't say I've ever seen Akali this happy. That's why I genuinely wanted to get to know you and help with your gift today, but I also wanted to show you a nice time as a way of thanking you. Whether you realize it or not, you've done a lot for her, and it's nice to see after everything she's done for us."

The pretty view turned blurry for a moment. I blinked and realized that I was tearing up, which surprised me since I was feeling so warm and fuzzy inside. A drop rippled down my cheek toward my soft smile, but I let it be, remembering what their leader said before we left. She certainly was good at living in the moment...and I think it was about time I remembered to do the same before this once-in-a-lifetime trip was over.

A soft noise beside me pulled me from my daydream. I was sure she must have noticed me quickly swiping away my tears with as attentive as she was, and if she had, she decided not to pry. But by the time I looked over, I saw that it wasn't just me welling up anymore.

"Sorry to ruin the nice moment, I was just thinking—about—" Her voice cracked out of its usual smooth tone, and my instincts kicked in so fast that I didn't have a moment to think before one hand was rubbing her back and the other was digging through my bag for a tissue. I fished one out and offered it, letting her take it with a sniffle. "Thank you, but I feel silly for getting so upset. I'm actually happy, because I was thinking about how far I've come since those auditions, and all of the experiences and wonderful people I've met along the way, including you. I guess it just hit me that we'll be moving on and finding new teams to join after the competition, and it's just...it's going to be hard to leave all of this behind. It's like being forced to start reading a new book when you were just getting to the good part of the last one." she explained.

My eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean you're moving on? Won't you be practicing to come back and compete next year?" I asked.

"I wish we were, but Eve thinks Kali should get back into rap before it's too late to capitalize on her popularity with both fan bases or something. Dance is a lot of work and fun, but it's not exactly lucrative outside of the prize money, as I'm sure you know. And that's only if you win."

It made sense now, I thought, why Akali hadn't taken control of her social media back from Eve yet. If she was planning to get back into rap after the competition, then this was a critical time for her publicity. But that didn't sit right with me. I didn't know the first thing about music production, or how much time and effort it must have taken, but surely there was a way for a passionate and hard-working woman like her to do both of the things she loved. And if not, I was going to make sure she didn't let Eve or anyone else make that decision for her.

I stirred at the feeling of Ahri's soft hair falling against my arm as she hugged me. "I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to say anything. I just couldn't pretend it wasn't bothering me anymore." she said.

"It's alright, really. I'm actually glad you told me," I assured her with a squeeze.

She slipped away after enjoying the embrace for a moment, searching me with a hopeful glint. "Between you and me, I think Kali's making a mistake," she explained. "She's a talented rapper, and I think music will always be a part of her life in one way or another, but I think she likes dance just as much if not more. She's just afraid to admit it to herself and disappoint her fans. And Eve."

The thought made me bristle. It was one thing if Akali wanted to go back of her own volition, but I couldn't stand the thought of her throwing away any of her passions out of guilt or obligation. The Akali I knew was a free spirit, one who did whatever the hell she wanted as long as it was true to who she was—and I intended to see her do that no matter what path her career took.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to her. But I'll leave out the part where you told me all of this, of course." I winked.

Ahri breathed a sigh of relief, like she realized the weight wasn't just on her shoulders anymore, and it kind of felt like she was an addition to Mythic now. Being a leader meant carrying many burdens, but the most important ones were those you shared with the people trusting you, so they would always know they weren't alone. I shared my fair share with each of my girls as their go-to confidante, but I didn't mind sharing one more.

A buzz from Ahri's purse stirred our attention, and she wiped away her tears so she could read the notification on her phone. "Sounds like Kai's having a good time with Kali, so if it's alright with you, she wants to tag a ride home with her. And you don't strike me as the possessive type, so I guess that means we have the convertible to ourselves," she said with a mischievous look.

"Let me guess—you want me to drive so you can blare the music and catch the breeze again?" I asked, catching the keys she tossed back to me.

"You already know me so well," she joked, then held out her last sip's worth of bubble tea for a cheers. "Here's to a successful girls' day out. I hope Kali is willing to share you once in a while, because I think we're going to be good friends."

Chapter Text

A faint hum from the air conditioner greeted me as I shut the door to our room at my back. As much fun as I'd had with Ahri and Kai, I had to admit I was relieved to be back in a peaceful space—at least for now, until Becca returned and inevitably filled it with snoring. My thumb pressed against the power button on my phone with a click as I glanced down at the time. Practice should have been finished thirty minutes ago, but knowing her, she was probably either goofing off with the girls or at a bar somewhere—or both. But either way, that left me plenty of time to myself, and I wasn't opposed to it after my busy day of socializing.

I dropped the bags of supplies I'd accumulated over the day on the hotel dresser and thought over the rest of the week's schedule. Mythic had another rehearsal for me to run bright and early in the morning, and things weren't going to slow down for us any time soon, especially not before Akali's party. I would need a shower before bed, so that left me a grand total of whatever time I could squeeze in between that and sleeping to finish her gift. Great, I thought. Even though I'd come up with some of my best work while under pressure, this was something I didn't want to throw together last-minute if I could help it. I wanted it to mean something.

With no time to waste, I put out one of the hotel's thick, plush towels and hopped in the roomy shower. I turned the handle to lukewarm by default, as I tried to avoid getting the water too warm and risk wanting to indulge any longer than my usual ten-minute rinse-off, but something about the idea of a steamy shower was calling to me tonight. Once the handle was thrown into the red,  the water hit my head and melted down onto my shoulders, and the rest soon followed. I couldn't remember the last time I did this. The last few months had been planned down to the minute, and it took a toll.

I let the warmth pour over me while the steam filled my lungs and the impressive water pressure massaged my back, and then my thoughts naturally drifted. The last person I was going to let take over my rare down time was our new rival, but that didn't stop me from remembering Akali's tense expression when she was talking about her. It seemed like she'd thought about the way they'd parted a lot over the years, and I couldn't blame her. I probably would've struggled to forget something like that, too. For both of our team's sakes, I just hoped she was wrong and that we would have a clean, fair fight...even if it was our last.

My eyes shot open at the thought of that. Of Akali quitting dance, like Eve wanted, after all of this. It was clear how much fun she had out there on stage, and she seemed to have no shortage of ideas or passion for it. What was she thinking? It's not like her rap career was dead in the water and she was forced to make a big move in order to revive it. If she didn't do it because of her passion, then why did she bother to cross into the dance world in the first place?

My forehead pressed against the smooth shower wall. I couldn't stand the thought of it. The way she made me feel out there, under the spotlights for the world to see...it was something I didn't know I wanted until it happened. And now I never wanted it to end. Maybe that made me selfish, but I didn't care. All I could see was the gentle shift of her mask as she breathed down at me. The way her golden gaze took me in and made me forget all about the audience and the cameras, consuming me with her neon glow. I knew damn well things would've turned out differently if she hadn't caught me off guard that night—and she knew it, too. She must have.

How it must feel, I wondered, to return the favor when she least expects it and show her what all that teasing does to a girl... I could almost hear the change in her voice already, as I wiped that smirk off her face and replaced it with something a little more humble. No more personas. I wanted her, the real her all to myself, and I'd be seeing just how real Akali could get when I push her to the—

My teeth released my bottom lip with a heavy breath I could barely hear over the water splashing under me. I blinked down at my center, where I realized my fingers had found their way between my folds and were doing an excellent job of distracting me from the quick shower I was supposed to be taking. This is what I get for using the hot water, I scolded myself.

With a sigh, I turned around to grab the shampoo, but the throbbing below had other ideas. As much as my sleep schedule wanted me done with my tasks and back in bed as soon as possible, it would've been downright irresponsible to show up to the rest of our rehearsals like this. Not to mention I had no idea when I would see Akali next, and I didn't like the idea of this being used against me. Not yet, at least.

I settled against the wall, closing my eyes and slipping back into the vision. But this time it was her turn. As much as I loved her soft side, I did wonder how far she would be willing to go with all those little threats of hers. How much had she held back all those times we practiced with the baton? And what was she planning that made her say she hadn't even started with me yet? Answers filled my mind, not that I had any way of knowing if they were accurate or not yet, but it didn't matter. Not when I was enjoying my theories enough to get myself on the edge. My vision softened as I surrendered to the warmth and tingling rippling through me, and that was when one last thought came to me. The water on my neck was no replacement for her company, but it helped me to imagine her hovering there again, purring something smooth and cocky in my ear to match the tigress mask she was wearing earlier. She played the part well...but I wondered how long she would last once I was in the mood to get my revenge.

My body nagged me for something more substantial once my vision cleared and I returned to the task at hand. It would suffice for now, but it wouldn’t be enough to quell the burning curiosity that wormed its way into every moment spent with or thinking about my rival. Now I just had to get through this birthday party before it got out of hand.

Once I was done, I hopped out and wrapped up in the soft towel to dry off, strutting back into my room with a glance over at the supplies. I may have been a little overscheduled, but I knew what I had to do—and now, I had a plan.

Chapter Text

"Hurry up, sleep-walker! Don't make me show up late to our favorite rival's birthday," I called at the bathroom door, giving my phone a third nervous glance at the time over the neatly-wrapped helmet pressed against my hip.

After some quiet curses, the door opened to show the look Becca was working on. She wore an old band T-shirt and ripped jeans with her favorite flannel tied at her waist, a dark ring on nearly every finger to match her piercings, freshly-straightened hair with a thin braid hanging down each cheek, and a full face of her usual grungy makeup, but with a little more effort put into it today.

She didn't notice my smirk while she scrounged through a bag for something. "Damn, Bec—who are you trying to impress?" I teased.

"What? I'm not doing anything," she questioned, then finally grabbed a bottle of perfume I'd never seen her use and spritzed it around before promptly choking on it. "Ah, shit—did I use too much? I don't know how this stuff works."

I held back a laugh with an insinuating look, which she finally noticed before rolling her eyes and shoving me out the door.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go before your 'favorite rival' starts worrying."

Becca and I left the hotel and were quickly greeted by a sleek black limousine tucked in along the sidewalk. A dapper chauffeur held the rear door open and waited to welcome us as the faint pulse of a pop song on the speakers drifted out. Eve had mentioned she was taking care of the transportation in the message she sent me, but I had no idea she planned something this extravagant. The rest of our team had already made themselves comfortable going by the squeals and chatter I could hear coming from inside it, so I waved Becca along and ducked inside with a polite nod at the driver.

"Well if isn't our second most important guest. And without a minute to spare." Eve smiled at me with a slightly-less-biting tone than usual as I quickly slid Akali's gift into a cubby.

Becca snorted. "I'm flattered," she said with her sarcastic lull. "But, real talk though, it's on me. I was running a little behind."

Eve's eyes went up and down my teammate as she passed, then once Becca plopped into a seat, Eve turned to grab us each a pair of cheap plastic glasses from the limo's built-in party station. Akali shoved a packed duffel bag out of the way and patted at the last empty spot beside her. It was conveniently in the corner and gave us about as much privacy as you could ask for in a slim space like this, and once I'd squeezed in, Eve reached around her to hand me a pair of star-shaped glasses.

"I would have given you the heart ones, but I think these are more fitting, since...well, you know." Eve winked.

Akali rolled her lips and tried not to laugh as she glanced between us. Since she wasn't going to say anything, I cleared my throat and put on a sharp smile. "Are you sure you didn't just want an excuse to give Becca the heart-shaped ones?" I asked.

They went quiet for a moment. Becca gave me a look that very clearly meant shut the fuck up, but Eve was as collected as ever—on the outside, at least.

"You're certainly creative. I would expect nothing less from a famed choreographer." Eve finished.

Sera, Kai and Ahri paused their steady banter with my team to wave at me from the other side of the seat, and a moment later the limo shifted as we started toward our destination. I glanced around and noticed the faint glow of colored lights lining the ceiling and under the posh seats, casting sparkly beams across the collection of champagne- and shot-glasses hanging over the mini-fridge. I knew the ride wouldn't be long from my quick look into the laser-tag arena Eve booked, and I had to wonder why she sprung for something this luxurious when we'd barely have a chance to enjoy it.

"Pretty overkill, huh?" Akali whispered when she noticed my wandering gaze. "I told Eve it was too much, but she insisted."

Eve laughed softly beside her, and didn't bother to look over as she interjected. "It's not every day you have a birthday, Kali—especially not one in a famous city with some of the best entertainment you can find. I'm just trying to make sure you don't look back on this time of your life and regret your decisions."

What Ahri told me about Eve's plans the other day hit me like a punch to my gut, and if the way Akali's eyes cast over the floor above her forced laugh was anything to go by, then it bothered her, too. I tried not to let it show, though, and I was grateful when Akali quickly changed the subject.

"Alright, so how many of you Mythic peeps have played laser tag before?" Akali called out.

"Here she goes..." Kai audibly rolled her eyes with a groan. "You don't have to answer that. Whatever you say can and will be used against you."

Sera giggled. "Officer Kai, reporting for duty! Here I thought we only had one officer in our midst," she teased me.

"That's fine. I don't need to know how experienced you are." Akali eyed the duffle bag with a big smirk. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna go easy on you, though."

Becca cracked her knuckles, squinting at her from the seats across from us. "Bring it, Popstar."

Eve tittered at that, but whether she thought it was actually funny or was just laughing at Becca's potentially misguided confidence, I couldn't tell.

A few minutes of sharing jokes and friendly jabs went by before the driver broke in over the intercoms to let us know we had arrived. Akali slung her bag over her shoulder and dashed past me to get out first, and she reminded me of an excited kid visiting Disneyland for the first time.

She turned back to offer a hand to me, and the rest of us rolled out and made our way into the large entertainment center except for Eve, who told us to go on without her and that she'd catch up inside. If the sign we passed was anything to go by, it also offered bowling, an arcade, and casual dining on top of the main event we were here for.

"Casual dining..." Ahri trailed off to look over at Becca. "Sounds like the all-you-can-eat buffet we promised you isn't going to cost a fortune, at least."

I laughed to myself. "That would be a reasonable assumption if we were talking about someone other than Becca, but you haven't seen her around pizza yet." I warned.

Becca smiled sheepishly, which wouldn't last long, as she was saved by a clear voice booming through the lobby.

"Welcome, welcome, travelers! I trust you've had a safe journey to make it this far, but I'm afraid much peril will find you ahead!" A stocky man in a shiny spacesuit costume and a springy alien antenna headband bowed, beckoning us forward. "Let me tell you a bit about myself. If you couldn't tell by looking at me, I belong to an alien race from a secluded galaxy, and for thousands of years our colonies lived in peace. But, you see...that all changed when the Reds attacked."

He stopped to point at a cheesy poster on the wall behind him depicting a planet being invaded by a group of humanoids in red suits. I glanced at the others and found Akali, Becca and Kai already immersed in his explanation, but I couldn't say the same for the rest. Eve had just walked in and was more interested in her nails than the story, but still offered the occasional upward glance, and Ahri, Sera and most of my girls had their phones out to take pictures of the freshly-renovated lobby's decor. I didn't blame them, though. The light streaming in gave the bright room a magical feeling, which I thought was a perfect setting for the day.

"...brings us to the pacifist Blues, who have bravely fought to fend off the resource-hungry Reds in pursuit of world peace. That, my dear travelers, is where you come in," he continued, blinking at the inattentive half of our group until Eve sharply cleared her throat at them. "I need all of you to split into two groups of five and each pledge your team to either the Reds or the Blues. I will allow you some time to talk it over, and I will begin handing out each team's gear."

Our groups naturally separated by dance team, with The Baddest going Red and Mythic going Blue, and our guide handed out vests and guns decorated with bright markings denoting our teams. He began reciting the rules, explaining that each team is encouraged to break off into two pairs and one "assassin" each, with the pairs watching each others' backs and venturing into the more open and vulnerable spaces, and the solo-players slinking around the outskirts or more hidden areas to pick off enemies one-by-one. He added that each vest is loaded with three hit points, and once you lose all three, you "die" and must retreat back to your team's HQ, where your only hope of rejoining the fight is if a teammate manages to triple-hit an enemy and returns to base to revive you. And, finally: the first team to take out all of their opponents wins.

The stiff vest had just settled onto my shoulders when Akali walked over, presenting me with the extra red gun in her hand and nodding over her shoulder. "Kai offered to switch with you if you're interested. And before you tease me, it wasn't my idea—but I'm not gonna complain if you wanna be my duo."

I looked between them, my team, and back again. Kai was giving me a thumbs up and conspicuous wink—which surprised me after all the talk of her best friend's competitive streak—but much like with the competition and even running the studio back home, my girls would've been scattered without someone there to guide them. The glint in Akali's eyes tempted me to treat this like the inconsequential game it was and forget my sense of duty, but Becca must have picked up on the situation and reached over to push away the gun hovering in Akali's hand.

"Sorry, Birthday Girl—bestie privileges state that I get dibs on this one."

Akali rested the gun on her shoulder and raised an eyebrow at Becca. "What about birthday wishes? Or I could always play the team leader card. Oh, or food bribery—it sounds like that goes a long way with you."

That got a laugh from us, but Becca held firm. And frankly, I was too intrigued by where it was going to intervene.

"Very well, then." Akali studied her with an amused smirk before calling out over her shoulder. "Kai, you're with me." she ordered.

Kai gave her a look, but couldn't get out much more than a ramble before she was waved off. "What? But I thought you—?"

"Change of plans," Akali said, using her gun to poke at mine with a wink. "May the better leader win."

Before I could retort, each half of our group was ushered to split off and walk down two color-coded hallways. I led us into the Blue team HQ, which was a prep space filled with appropriately-colored furnishings and lights, a small TV screen mounted on the wall to keep track of each team's score, and of course, the most important part—a map of the arena's layout stretched across one wall, with certain landmarks and areas marked with helpful labels like "mirror maze" and "sniper's hollow."

The TV lit up with a cheesy graphic and an even cheesier sound effect to let us know the game would start in one minute. With our time to form a plan slipping away, I parked myself in front of the map to get a feel for the traffic patterns, which was followed by the rest of my team huddling behind me. I paired up two of my girls and instructed them to roam the second floor, and assigned the assassin role to the only member of my team who had perked up at the mention of it earlier, encouraging her to stay hidden and go for those solo-kills our guide talked about.

"Lastly, Bec and I will roam around the center and keep them in check so they don't get free reign of the map. We'll focus on keeping them in place more than going for kills, but we'll take any free shots we can if they leave themselves open. Any questions?" I finished.

No one raised a hand, but Becca spoke up with a sly grin as the last fifteen seconds rolled by. "Solid plan, Captain. But aren't you forgetting something?" she nudged.

I rolled my eyes playfully, but it was impossible to resist her. "...And most importantly, have fun out there."

The pretend-airlock door opened to let us into the dark, lofty space, accompanied by a tinny sound effect as a light steam poured over the area. Every surface from floor to ceiling was dark, and it would've been nearly impossible to navigate if it weren't for the bright graffiti covering the walls and the light strips wrapped around various corners and obstacles.

We split up to get into position, and after weaving through the tricky mirror maze, Becca and I arrived at the center of the arena. There wasn't much to be found except for a large structural pillar with a projector at the top, which was responsible for the twinkly flecks spinning over the whole room, and I took that as an invitation to move in.

Becca followed close behind as we ventured into Red territory, where the lights turned a warm purple as they shifted between the two sides' colors. It was quiet—too quiet. My instincts had just kicked in to signal for a retreat when Becca shot at someone running past up ahead, and once I caught the long, dark ponytail trailing her, I knew it was Kai. Neither of the shots hit, but I was more worried about her missing duo. If they were playing the game as intended, that meant Akali would be close by, and now that they knew we were overextended they could—

Bew-bew-bew.

Three precise chirps sounded out from somewhere behind us. Two had already registered on my vest before I could react, and I jumped behind one of the tall rubber bumpers to make sure that was all my attacker would get.

"Wh— the fuck? Did that come from our side?!" Becca hissed.

I peeked out with just my head while Becca watched around us. Nothing. It was hard to imagine how someone could've circled all the way around and snuck up from behind that quickly, but it was certainly possible. That just left their identity unaccounted for. Since Kai and presumably Akali were still dodging around in their base to distract us, that meant it had to be one of their other girls. I highly doubted Sera or Ahri would try that hard at something like this, which left Eve as the most likely candidate—even if it was hard to imagine her moving that fast in heels. I wouldn't completely put it past her to have a competitive streak of her own that rivaled Akali's, and she could have even been trying to throw us off by acting disinterested earlier for all I knew.

"Well...you're pretty much dead meat if you stay out in the open like this," Becca whispered. "I would say let's send it and run in guns blazing, but I know you like your plans, so we should probably get you back to a safe area on our side so you can hide and think up some brilliant strategies. I can go group up with the others or something in the meantime."

I glanced between her and the one hit point left on my vest. Shrieks and laser-fire from a few walls over drew me in, but I wanted to avoid being the first one sent back to base if I could help it. Akali declared this a matter of proving our leadership skills, after all.

"I hate it when you're right."

The two of us retreated back to our side, avoiding the mirror maze where the shots had come from by taking the long way around it. Once I sent Becca off to join our team's assassin, I settled into a cove with my back to the corner, where our opponents' only hope of taking me down was to walk all the way into Blue territory and round the corner without me striking them down first. Or at least, that was the case, until I realized I was taking this way too seriously and depriving myself of actually playing the game. Becca's urging before we started came to mind. And she was right—who says you can't take a competition seriously and still have fun?

I strode out of the hiding spot, ducking at the nearest corner like a spy and having a quiet laugh at myself for how silly I must have looked. With the entrance to the mirror maze standing before me, I caught my own reflection, watching as the lights from the projector glided across my face. What a silly thing to be afraid of. I steadied my breath and took a step inside, glancing at each of the paths I could take, but I was interrupted by a sound from somewhere behind me that barely cut through the noises pinging around the room.

"I was wondering when you were gonna come out of hiding."

My head and the gun swiveled around in search of the source, but there was nothing but a long stretch of dizzying neon graffiti behind me. I turned back to the mirrors, wondering if the ambience of the room had made the voice sound like it was coming from somewhere else, but she spoke up again just to prove me wrong.

"Right here," she taunted, and by then it was too late. The reflection of her form stirred through the smoke behind me as she peeled herself off the wall, and once I understood what she was doing, my hand with the gun in it was already pulled up beside me and well out of range to make any shots.

"How long were you standing there?" I demanded.

Akali shrugged. "However long it's been since I nearly got a solo-takedown on you." She smirked, and that was when I noticed the demon mask strung across her face as she stretched it under her chin. But it wasn't only the mask. It was her entire costume from the intros, except now they were painted with even more bright patterns that blended in with the graffiti perfectly. A little too perfectly. I guess now I know what all those proud glances at that packed duffel were about.

"I can't believe you. Your girls warned me you were competitive, but this is just...wow." I laughed. "What are you wearing all that for, anyway? You could've just as easily painted over a T-shirt and sweatpants."

The hum in her throat purred against the back of my head. "Sure, I could've—but it would be a waste to let such a cool costume collect dust in my room. And you can just say you're impressed without all those extra words, by the way." she said, making no effort to hide the victory in her voice.

"Impressed isn't the word I'd use."

She feigned offense with a laugh. "Not impressed, huh?" Her other arm coiled my waist and squeezed me into her, leaving me no choice but to watch our reflections as she turned for my ear. "So tell me then...what are you, Starlight?"

I held the shudder pulling at my spine. A few words came to mind, but none that I was in the mood to admit, and the opportunity to call her out was too good to pass up. "I'm not indulging you when someone could spot us any second. And besides, don't you have a job to finish, Miss Assassin?" I teased.

"You catch on quick. Can't say I'm surprised." Akali loosened her grip, including the one she had of my arm with the gun. "Now that you've figured out my role, I really should take you out before my team gets suspicious. But, since we're well hidden back here and no one will know the difference, I'm willing to give you a chance to get away. I'm a pretty good shot, though—so I'd start running if I were you."

I snorted. "C'mon, Kali. You're the one who stood there and watched me hide when you could've easily taken me out that whole time. I think you just have a soft spot for me and don't want to admit it."

She went quiet at that. Her face was getting closer as she gently searched me for something, like she was afraid she would scare me off if she showed too much. "Maybe I do."

Whatever childish plan I had been cooking up to solo-kill her while I had her distracted was starting to sound about as appealing as Becca's offer to join her for chin-ups at the gym back home. The game didn't matter anymore. But this did.

My free hand grabbed a fistful of Akali's jacket and pulled her into me. My lips pressed hard against hers, and I was a little embarrassed by the urgency of it, but she didn't seem to mind. She softly drew me in, but it wasn't hungry or competitive this time. She was letting me in.

Her lips broke away with a weighted breath, and I barely noticed that she was taking me with her until we bumped into the wall her back was now pressed against. At some point her hand found its way up the back of my shirt, and I took the pull against my skin as an invitation, feeling up the back of her neck and into the taught hair at the base of her ponytail to take the kiss as deep as I could without going further than had been agreed upon.

Akali tilted her head up to pull away as much as she could against the wall and breathed into a smile. I only caught a glimpse of the half-lidded revenge on her face before she pushed me back with a kiss of her own, and this time it was short-lived, searing into me with a passionate grumble until I felt something poke my chest.

The staticky chirp of her gun from earlier rose up into the inch of space between us, followed by the whine of my last hit-point fading from the vest.

Akali giggled through her mask as she slid it back on. “Sorry, Starlight… Should’ve run. You looked really cute when you thought you were getting away with it, though.”

I just stood there, my gun loosely hanging at my side and still spinning from the high. Her shimmering silhouette slipped away down the dark walkway, but she stopped short of turning the corner to look over her shoulder.

"Oh, and feel free to experiment a little next time. I'll let you know if it's too much."

My crossed arms dug into my chest as I paced the floor of the prep room I was forced to retreat to. I couldn't decide who was more to blame—Akali for pulling a dirty trick like that, or me for falling for it. The TV screen showed that Mythic was winning even in my absence, which made me feel slightly more competent as a strategist, at least, but it didn't make the nagging tease or the agonizing boredom any more bearable.

As if the universe heard my silent plea, Becca burst in through the airlock door in search of me. She had worked up a full sweat since I last saw her, and to my surprise, she wasn't alone, closely followed by the rest of our panting team.

I glanced up at the TV to check if the game was over, but it still showed us winning by a landslide. It was just Akali left on their team now. "Why are you back here? Don't tell me you're forfeiting because of her." I asked.

"Pfft! She wishes." Becca laughed and pulled the trigger of her gun into my vest to bring it back to life. "I'm sure we could've taken her down no problem with one-against-four, but we agreed it just didn't feel right without you. You had a pretty unfair start, so now that you know her tricks, I think you deserve another shot. Or three."

With my gun in hand and a sense of mischief in the air, I nodded. Now it was my turn—and this time I didn't plan on going down without a fair fight.

The scent of rubber and a hint of sweat hit me as I tucked myself out of sight behind one of the obstacles. I checked the blue balcony. All four of them were dispatched across the upper floor, as planned. After sweeping the area one last time for any sign of her, I gave them the thumbs-up, signaling it was go time.

A barrage of the funny sound effects played like an ear-grating symphony from above. They targeted an area to my right that gave away her general direction, now all I needed to do was be ready to strike. I held in a giggle when I heard a quiet, yet distinct "Fuck!". She was close. With my stance low and a light touch on the trigger, I waited—and at the first sign of red, I fired.

Three quick shots, and it was over before she knew what hit her. The entire map flashed blue as the TV screens displayed our victory, and a moment later, the overhead lights of the arena came on in unison with the cheers of my team from the balcony, which seemed to fall on deaf ears as Akali just stared at me.

I flashed a smirk at her. "Good game, Birthday Girl." I called over, letting myself taunt her a bit.

"Well I'll be damned." She yanked off her mask to reveal a defeated—if not a little awestruck—smile. She surged toward me, freezing me with thoughts of what she was about to do, but she just pulled me in for a hug. No teasing, no thinly-veiled threats. Just one beating chest against another. "That was really smart—no, you're really smart. I mean, wow, I can't remember the last time I got outplayed that hard. Good game, Starlight."

The warm embrace was a welcome surprise, and one that I was happy to return. "Don't mention it. It was actually pretty fun for me, too. I mean, it would've been more fun if you hadn't sent me back to base right before I made my epic comeback...but it worked out for us in the end." I joked.

"Yeah, I got a little, uh— Sorry about that. I hope I didn't ruin the game for you." She winced and pulled back, giving me that look that always melted me at the worst times. I tried to say something, but she was all I could focus on until someone approaching nearly knocked me sideways.

"Holy SHIT that was clutch!" Becca boomed, blissfully unaware of how loud she sounded directly next to my ear. "I wouldn't blame you if you dropped out of the competition and never wanted to show your face again after this, Baddest. I think one of us might miss you too much if you did, though."

I gave Becca a look that said very funny, and Akali just cracked a smile. "Hey, fair is fair. If I had to lose my laser-tag cred, I'm happy I lost it to a worthy adversary like your captain here, at least."

"Get a room already," Kai groaned playfully from the other side. "You have got to be the only person in the world Akali wouldn't accuse of cheating after beating her. It’s so sickeningly sweet—ugh, I think it’s bringing back my cavity."

The rest of the red team strolled up behind Akali with a set of curious expressions, and Ahri and Sera were quick to start asking questions, none of which were followed with enough time to answer.

Eve cleared her throat and gestured for attention as she checked her watch. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss over dinner. Everyone come along before we get off-schedule." she called. We paused to trudge out of the arena as she requested, but Becca still managed to fit in an "Okay, Mom" joke when she wasn't looking, which got a few stifled laughs.

Our reunited groups settled into the spacious cafeteria, which would have been filled with natural light coming in through the ergonomic glass pane designs on the walls and ceiling if it hadn't turned to dusk during our long match. But I didn't mind. Not when the dark gave us a view of the sparkling city across the river from the entertainment complex. It almost gave me whiplash how sleek and modern the rest of the building was in comparison to the retro laser-tag aesthetic, but I supposed the rest of the city was already plenty modern as it was, and many people probably enjoyed escaping into the nostalgic hometown vibes it gave off.

It seemed that the cafeteria hadn't accounted for a group of our size despite the large space, much to Eve's vibrant disappointment, but we quickly made due by pushing together a bunch of small tables into one big one and shoved it against a long booth lining the wall. All but one of us had settled in when Eve sauntered off for the food counter, and I tried to listen in to the juicy details of the fights that had gone on while I was in hiding, but I found myself more intrigued by the one who seemed to have put together this whole day for not just Akali, but the rest of us as well. It was quite generous—and suspicious, at that. Was Eve just trying to butter us all up before she planned to inevitably pull Akali away from the dance world for good?

I watched her concentrate as she tried to balance four pizza boxes in her arms at once, not to mention the pitchers of soda and party cups. It wasn't glamorous work, nor was it going noticed by anyone other than me, and she didn't seem the least bit concerned about whose eyes were on her for once. No, this would've been too much effort if all she wanted to do was impress us. She cared about her. In her own twisted and confusing way that I didn't understand, and maybe never would—I could tell she really cared about Akali. I just hoped that wouldn't make talking her out of pressuring their team leader any more difficult than it was already going to be.

After excusing myself to go help, Eve turned with the precarious stack and nearly ran into me.

"Oh—it's you. Don't sneak up on me like that, Darling. I could've wiped out with all our food." she said.

"And you're still going to if you don't ask for some help when you need it," I insisted. "Here, I'll take these."

She froze and watched me as I took the pitchers from her. It was almost uncomfortable how taken aback she was, but she shook herself from whatever it was and straightened up. "I wasn't expecting any help. Thank you."

I let Eve lead us back to the table, where Kai and Akali were trying to explain something and laughing so hard at it that they couldn't get the words out, and the energy spread to the rest of the girls like wildfire. Even Eve cracked a gentle smirk at it as she slid the pizzas onto the table, but apparently I was too busy noticing how cute Akali looked to set down the pitchers properly, and Becca ended up with about a cup and a half of soda in her lap before I could stop it.

"Shit, sorry Bec, I'll go get—"

"I've got it," Eve cut in, tossing a fistful of napkins at Becca and already beginning to soak up some of the spill around her thighs.

Becca's eyes widened, but she quickly caught herself, fumbling through words that were probably passable to the rest of the group. But I knew better. "Oh, uh—I appreciate the assist, ladies, but a little soda's not gonna kill me. Trust, these jeans have seen worse." she laughed it off.

"I'm sure they have," Eve started, with a glance down at them like she was trying not to imagine what Becca had put them through. "But I'd still rather not be seen with someone looking like she jumped pelvis-first into a soda fountain. That's just bad PR, Darling."

Seeing as Eve had promptly and even more strangely taken over the situation, I took on pizza duty and started handing out plates for everyone to dig in with. And dig in they did, after the appetite we all worked up during our alien space war. Becca woofed down her usual four slices in the blink of an eye, sharply contrasted by Eve next to her, who cut her single slice with a plastic fork and knife and memorialized herself as the first person anyone on my team had ever seen do such a thing.

Once Akali sat back with a gentle sigh, Eve gingerly dabbed at her lips to not mess up her lipstick and excused herself for a moment. She returned pushing a rolling cart, and as she got closer I realized it was holding the gifts we'd brought, which she must have stayed behind to load up and bring inside before the game.

"Alright, ladies. I think it's time we spoiled her," Eve announced, parking the cart beside Akali and handing me the fairly-obvious shape of the helmet to keep hidden on my lap.

She went first, presenting Akali an expensive bottle of wine wrapped in an extravagantly coiled gold ribbon. Akali was surprised by the value of it, but Eve insisted she deserved it—as long as they won, she jokingly added. Next up was a gourmet cupcake Sera had ordered that was made to look like a traditional ramen bowl with frosting noodles on top and "Happy Birthday, Kali!" written over it, and the last gift before mine was unwrapped to reveal a photo album that Kai and Ahri had worked on together, highlighting some of their best moments from both before and after The Baddest was formed. Akali flipped through it and shared some of the funny ones with us. She got choked up at one point, but she stopped herself before things got "all mushy", and was happy to let Kai step in.

"Didn't you have something to share as well? I'd imagine the best was saved for last." Kai winked at me.

I swallowed at the eyes shifting in my direction, and looked away to glance over the rest of the gifts strewn around Akali. How was my measly little helmet supposed to compare to Eve's high budget, or how delicious that cupcake looked, or all the shared memories and experiences they'd had together in the thick album before they knew me? Now that I thought about it, she may not have even wanted another helmet. Was I being presumptuous to think she'd want to drive me around again? Would she even like the design I did?

I stared down at it, suddenly feeling foolish for making all those assumptions. Of course I wanted to believe I knew her well enough to get a simple gift right. But what if I didn't?

Ahri drew my attention when she snuck out of her seat to offer a friendly touch of support, and I glanced up to find her, Kai, Sera, and Eve all watching expectantly with reassuring winks and nods. They didn't know what I made, so what were they encouraging me for? Did they have that much blind faith in me?

I shoved the helmet in front of Akali before I could talk myself out of it. She seemed pretty intrigued going by the few glances I took of her opening it, but I couldn't bring myself to watch the reveal.

"No way—this is sick!" she exclaimed, shaking my arm to make sure I was paying attention as she held it up to show it off to everyone. The striking orange and blue paint glinted in the light, forming the sharp tigress design I'd stayed up well into the morning hours sketching out and then carefully painting onto it in our room earlier that week—not to mention the matching kitty ears I attached on top, which Sera couldn't stop herself from awwing at. "How did you know I like tigers? And where'd you find a place that sells designs like this? I've gone to all sorts of shops looking for a new one, but I couldn't find any that— Wait. Did you...make this?"

I nodded, and Ahri and Kai shared a happy glance, which garnered a curious blink from Sera and another suspicious squint from Eve.

"Wow, I... Thank you, Starlight. This is so cool, and thoughtful, and I still can't believe you pulled this off on such short notice. You realize this is amazing, right?" Akali asked.

There my cheeks went, burning for all to see again. "I'm glad you like it. Couldn't have my first part-time chauffeur lacking safety features on my account," I winked.

Akali shoved the helmet over her head and yanked me in for a photo-op that Sera was happy to capture with her Polaroid, and once Becca stopped snickering at the sight of Akali confidently rocking the cat-ears, it wasn't long before she and Kai wormed their way in to give us an extra set of bunny ears and who-knows what else from behind us. We waved the rest of the group over for some full-group photos that Eve offered to take so Sera could be in some, and as soon as we were done, Akali took the piece off to study it again.

"I guess I wasn't the only one busy painting this week, huh?" she said, running a finger over the designs. "Where'd you find the time to get all the supplies to make this? I know you've been just as busy as we have with rehearsals this week."

I smiled with a look over at my shopping buddies. "It's a bit of a story. I'll have to tell you about it sometime."

Eve glanced at the shreds of wrapping paper we were collecting and offered Becca a squint, who was reclined in her chair with one foot pulled over her leg and resting her hands on the back of her head. "So first you convince my teammates to buy you food for some reason, and then you don't even bring a gift? You're a bold one, Becca, I'll give you that." Eve huffed.

"What, you mean my charming company isn't the best gift you could ask for?" Becca snorted, getting a few laughs from the others that Eve seemed to find somewhat amusing, despite how she bristled at the comment. "Honestly though, I just wouldn't know what to get. I'm not a telepath like the Captain here. Besides, Akali doesn't strike me as the type to get butthurt if I skip on the whole 'I didn't know what to get you so here's a Starbucks gift-card' bullshit."

Akali strolled over to give Becca's arm a friendly punch, and I had to admit it was nice to see her get a taste of her own medicine. "You know what? I respect the honesty. You get a pass, and this time it's not just because you're Captain Mythic's bestie." Akali offered.

Eve raised a perfectly-shaped eyebrow at that, but kept any thoughts to herself as she looped her designer purse over her shoulder and gestured toward the exit. "Well, I hope you ladies filled up, because you won't want to be on an empty stomach for our next stop."

I glanced around, wondering if I was the only person who thought we were headed back to our hotels for the night, but everyone else looked just as surprised as I did.

"Next stop? You didn't say anything about that!" Sera whined. "I wouldn't have used so much film on these pictures if I'd known..."

Ahri nodded. "Yeah, what's with all the secrecy? I get not telling Kali, but why not tell the rest of us?" she asked.

Eve pursed her lips like she was trying to hold back a grin. I didn't know whether to be excited, nervous, or both, which was starting to feel like a theme with her.

"Eve. What did you do?" Akali scolded.

Our tall guide strutted along the cafeteria tile with a steady rhythm of clicks under her heels. "You'll just have to come along and find out, Darling."

Chapter Text

The hum of tires against smooth highway asphalt below filled the space of awkward silence and glances going around the limo. Everything looked soft blue like a filter over a photo thanks to the custom lighting along the ceiling, and it was more visible now with the dark of night seeping in through the windows and skylight.

"C'mon, Eve. Can't you at least give us a tiny hint?" Kai asked, pinching her fingers together to further her point.

Our event planner crossed her legs and placed her laced fingers on top of them with a proud smile. "I could, but then what's the point of calling it a surprise?"

Ahri rolled her eyes. "Common courtesy," she grumbled.

Sera, who had been daydreaming out the window at the passing traffic, perked up at something. Whatever it was, it was bright enough to reflect in her already sparkly blue eyes, so I pulled myself up to get a look.

The limo slowed as we approached a sleek building with a neon sign out front. I squinted at the light, which explained what Sera must have been looking at, and took in the two bright pink symbols linked to each other over a name that left no room for misunderstanding—Club Venus. Something about it made my stomach flip. In a good way, maybe?

I plopped back into my seat and tried to play it cool. By now, everyone had caught on and snuck over for a peek at what awaited us, and the reactions poured in faster than Eve could tease.

"What is... Wait, is that what I think it is? Oh jeez. I told you I'm not looking for anyone right now, Eve! I'm not even dressed for this!" Kai protested.

Sera's face had gone pale since I last looked over, like the mere thought of going inside was too much to think about. "Yeah, and I'm not really a drinker...or a clubber. I'm barely even a leave-the-houser."

"I'm well aware of your relationship statuses and views on drinking, and I've made considerations for all of you. I'm not a monster," Eve started. “I had no choice but to pick this brand-new lesbian bar since Akali’s, well, the opposite of straight. But don’t worry—I don’t plan on letting loose with anyone this evening, so if you’re not looking for that kind of attention, then just stick with me in the private lounge I reserved and I’ll shoo off any unwanted takers.”

Becca was still between me and Akali after worming in for a look outside, and she used the opportunity to send an elbow into my shoulder. "Hear that, Captain? Maybe you have a chance after all." she announced with a cheesy grin.

I swatted her away as she cracked up at her own joke, but Akali was unusually quiet. She pressed a fist against her lips where the mask in her pocket normally would've been, giving me a chance to watch as the lights shifted across her features. I blinked and wondered if the tint I saw was just a shadow. Was she blushing?

Eve's explanation seemed to settle the girls down for the time being, but the air was still abuzz with a palpable mix of anxiety and curiosity when the driver politely waved us out.

My eyes adjusted as we stepped into the moody space. It smelled like what I would expect from a busy club in a city renowned for its nightlife—booze and sweat, with the occasional whiff of intoxicating perfume. Hayley Kiyoko pulsed through the speakers, and women of all kinds clustered around between the bar, lounge, and dance sections, including the staff and dancers peppered around and already eyeing us. Sherbet-tinted lights cast off of the disco ball spinning over the dance floor, which I assumed was to mimic the colors of the lesbian flag, and for some reason it made me nervous. It was like these strangers were learning something about me I'd barely acknowledged in myself yet.

I glanced at Akali beside me, who was taking in the scene about as well as I was with a hand cupped at her neck. "Not really your natural habitat, is it?" She leaned in and said it as quietly as she could over the music, and didn’t wait for an answer beyond my short nod. “That makes two of us. Never was big on the clubbing scene aside from chilling at the bar with friends.”

A tall, curvy woman with a tray of shots in her hand walked by with a hungry once-over. I didn't want to be rude, so I gave her a polite nod, and she stopped to sway her hips in a circle around me before strutting off in her stilettos to wherever she was headed. The breath I was holding let loose with a wave of relief, but something also tightened in my grasp. I glanced down. Akali's hand was firmly intertwined with mine as she scoped out the area Eve was walking over to, and I wondered if she even realized what she was doing.

Eve ushered us along to the bar, confidently speaking over the music and waving her arms around like she owned the place. "The first round is on me, Darlings. Order whatever you'd like."

Becca eagerly hopped up to the counter to see what menu item she could abuse the offer with and then started grabbing orders from the rest of the girls to pass along to the bartender, but I held my place a few steps behind them.

"Let me guess—already thinking ahead to tomorrow?" Akali asked.

I offered a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a buzzkill. I'm trying not to worry about it tonight, but I don't think a hangover will be helping anyone's chances."

"Well, it's totally up to you. And it looks like you'll have plenty to choose from even if you keep things zero-proof for the evening," she started, amused by the mocktail menu Sera was holding up to her face to study in the dark. "But, as the proudly-certified risk taker of the group, I feel obligated to remind you it's not your job to do everything perfectly all the time. One drink isn't going to kill you or give you some crazy hangover. And even if it did, I know you'd figure it out and pull through. I trust you, Starlight, and I know your girls do, too."

Akali ran a hand down my arm with a warm smile over her scrunched mask before she turned to order herself a drink, giving me a chance to look around. The packed bar was filled with interesting people. Some were engaging in friendly banter over casual drinks, some looked to be on a polite first date, and some were already smashed and either giggling to the rafters or making out with each other. But the clubbers all had one thing in common: they were having fun. They weren't worried about competitions or the livelihoods of their friends, and they certainly weren't trying to live up to a standard of perfectionism they'd held onto since middle school. Clearly not that part.

I squeezed in between Akali and Becca, who were leaning on their elbows over the bar top to make sure the staff could hear their orders. "Make that two, please." I asked, trying not to laugh at the looks of surprise I could see in both corners of my eyes.

"Excuse me, do I know you? Yeah, hi, I'm looking for my professional dance captain. 'Bout yea high, hair cut to here, and—oh, yeah, she would never drink on the night before a competition," Becca joked, leaning forward to flick Akali on the shoulder. "I don't know what you're up to, Baddest, but keep it up. I like this side of you two." she admitted, raising her glass with a wink.

Our next stop was the reserved lounge Eve had mentioned, which turned out to be an entirely separate room down a fancy, spacious hallway. It was decorated with an elevated planter lit by colorful spotlights and surrounded with a curved sectional seat, and I took a moment to locate the bathroom signs that were at the end of the hall before we slipped into our room. It wouldn't hurt to know in case someone accidentally had a few too many drinks later on.

Eve wasn't kidding about this club being brand new, I thought, as I looked around the clean, decently-sized room. Dark wallpaper with a glittery silver pattern served as a classy backdrop for the mini stage and mounted flat-screen TV at the far end of the room, mirrored by a u-shaped couch with a sleek karaoke tablet stand waiting for us on the coffee table. Becca ran past and jumped over the back of the couch to bounce onto the cushions, nearly spilling her drink in the process, but she managed to stick the landing without costing us any immediate dry-cleaning bills.

"Let's keep the room-trashing to a minimum, yes, ladies?" Eve asked with a pointed look at Becca, and she had barely finished scolding her when Kai and Ahri started wrestling for control of the karaoke tablet.

"You had control last time, Kai!" Ahri teased. "We all know you just play songs that have people you think are hot singing in them. At least let the rest of us have a turn to do the same."

Kai laughed and held it over her head where no one other than Eve would've had a chance of reaching it. "That's not even true! Sera had it last time, isn't that right?" She winked over at Sera, giving her an opportunity to join the playful drama, but Eve held her hand out to Kai with a sharp sound in her throat.

"If anyone should have control of this, it's me—I paid for the room, after all," Eve hummed as Kai hesitantly placed it in her grasp. "However, unlike Kai, I'm not going to gatekeep the playlist. Everyone will get a turn to request a song."

With no room to argue against Eve's reasonable plan, karaoke night began. Kai and Ahri started us off with a lighthearted duet of Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, and once Becca was done complaining that the songs database didn't have any death metal, she caved and agreed to sing Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon with me. We used to sing it together when it came on the radio as kids, so we knew all the lyrics by heart anyway. After some convincing, Sera surprised us with her solo pick of What About Us by Pink that showed off a side of her I'd never noticed before—or rather, a side she seemed to keep to herself. Not only was she a fantastic singer, but I could tell there was more to her under the surface than she preferred to let on, and I was just happy she worked up the courage to share with us.

Next up was Eve, who according to her, picked her favorite song and needed a backup singer with a preferably higher vocal range than hers. There weren't any takers, due to a combination of incompatibility and disinterest, and I almost felt bad enough to go up with her and fumble through the lyrics myself—until Becca glanced up from her phone at the predicament and blurted out that she would do it.

I couldn't be sure who looked more confused between me and Eve. "Um, Bec? Did you hear the part about the higher vocal range?" I questioned.

"Not to mention you'd be sharing the stage with me, Darling—and, no offense, but I'm not sure you're up to the task." Eve added.

"Maybe, but it doesn't look like you have a whole lot of options," Becca gestured at the quiet row of us on the couch, then back to our host with a smooth grin. "And besides, I'm a lot of fun once you give me a chance. You just might be surprised."

Eve blinked down at her like she couldn't believe she was even considering it. And honestly, after she watched us goof off for our whole song, I couldn't believe it either—even if I did catch her cracking a smile at us a couple times during it.

"Fine. Get up here before I change my mind. Just don't start whining if it's not enough fun for you."

Becca ignored her warning and jumped onto the stage as requested. Seeing them side-by-side, it hit me just how polar opposite they were—my best friend's punk wardrobe and lazy silhouette clashed against the soft blouse and crisp blazer hanging over Eve's shoulders like a shall. And that was without considering the tight, professional pencil skirt and sharp heels that made her look like a model who exclusively found herself strolling the catwalk in the middle of an office cubicle. But in some strange, unlikely, yin-and-yang way—they almost complemented each other.

Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande started playing, and Eve took over the main vocals as planned. She made the mistake of leaving her backup unattended beside her in the process, who waited just long enough to let her get immersed into the role before pulling up the microphone and intentionally sang off-note. Becca circled her with a range of goofy antics, sliding in front of her to steal the spotlight and throwing in the occasional hip-bump. The rest of us giggled along, and even her lead's best attempt at a serious performance fell victim to her when the corners of her lips tugged up over the notes she was hitting. Toward the end, Becca decided to switch it up and started taking it about as seriously as you could expect her to, and she managed to harmonize better than I think any of us expected.

The final lyric of the song rolled over Eve's tongue, and Becca's eyes widened up at the woman towering over her. Eve had to lean down slightly just to meet her gaze, and she extended one of her elegantly-manicured fingers under her chin, drawing the pad of it against her frozen duo. For a moment, all that could be heard was their breath being picked up by the mic—but like hell did I believe it only sounded like that from the singing. And after a quick glance around, I clearly wasn't the only one thinking it. Sera and the rest of my girls looked to be in as much disbelief as Becca, Akali gave me a knowing look, over her shoulder was Kai with her mouth comically agape, and at the end of the couch was Ahri, who was clasping a hand over her mouth to stifle some combination of a gasp and a giggle that finally caught our guide's attention.

Eve glanced at the rest of us like she'd just remembered they were still on stage and straightened up with her usual cold expression. Her heels clicked down the short set of stairs and left Becca at a loss behind her, who quickly ran a hand through her own hair like she was trying to forget everything before ignoring the stairs and jumping off the stage beside them.

No one knew what to say, but Eve was happy to pretend like nothing happened and started swiping through the karaoke catalog from her seat. "Ready to show the rest of us how it's done, Kali?" she offered.

Akali shifted beside me. "Well now that you mention it, it's probably getting late by now, so I can wait. And after all the rehearsal time it took to get to the competition and everything, I'm sure I'm pretty rusty—"

"Nonsense, Darling," Eve interrupted. "It's your birthday after all, so if we should make time for anyone's turn, it's yours."

Ahri pushed herself to the edge of her seat with a harsh look over at Eve. "If she doesn't want to sing then you have no right to force her to." she snapped. I'd seen Ahri's feisty streak a few times before, but this was different, and I didn't consider myself to be in an enviable position to know exactly why. 

"I get the feeling this little outburst isn't just about Kali's turn, so I'd prefer that we don't start any drama in the middle of our outing for all to see." Eve retorted. "Now let's try to keep things civil for the rest of the evening, hm?"

If Ahri was trying to conceal the growl in her throat, she wasn't doing a very good job. She threw back the rest of her drink without another word and stormed out, leaving the rest of us in another awkward stretch of silence that this time Akali had to break.

"I think we should probably give her some space, so I might as well run one while we're here. But I do have one special request..." She hopped out of her seat and turned back to grab my hand. "All those duets looked pretty fun, and it got me thinking...whaddya say, Starlight?"

My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't say why, considering her smile, the tug of her hand against mine, and the overwhelming pressure of an amateur singer like myself trying to keep up with a world-famous rapper's talent would have all been valid causes for very different reasons. "Are you sure? I probably shouldn't, I mean—I'm not a singer, Kali, I only went up with Becca because I knew that song really well, and we—"

"Life is easier when you're not making decisions based on worrying all the time," Akali interjected, and her warm smile assured me as she gently yanked my arm up for the rest of me to follow. "This is just for fun, remember? It's no different than you and Becca singing. Just get lost in the music with me."

The wistful sway in her voice was hard to resist, and I had no choice but to follow her up the stairs when I failed to come up with any more excuses. After telling Eve to run her plat, Akali cranked one of the microphones out of its clasp and set the stand aside to clear room for herself on the stage, which left me as the only one hovering stiffly behind the remaining stand. The short beat of the intro started, followed by her mumbling out the first set of lyrics until she got used to it—and then she came alive for the chorus.

I understood why Eve had called her a tiger behind the mic now. It was a sight to behold, and even though I was on stage with her I found myself watching just as intently as the others. She carved the air with her lyrics and matching gestures, effortlessly switching from English to Korean and back again, and I was almost too impressed to notice when she finished her section and pointed over at me with a wink. I blinked away to study the lyrics on the screen as the song shifted into the slower, fully English part, and between those and the parts I'd picked up on from when her song was playing every thirty minutes on the radio a couple summers ago, I was able to get through it with what I considered to be an acceptable performance.

She graciously picked up her turn, and started to bounce around the stage as she showed off her bilingual talents. As strange as it was, I couldn't deny I found it attractive—which I imagined was the result of me never having taken the time to learn a second language as fluently as she had—and I had to stumble into my turn again from the distraction.

We switched one last time before the song's end, and it was obvious she was feeling her way through the music when she strutted over to dance around me without missing a beat. I think she must have been inspired by Becca's antics going by the way she was goofing off, and it was nice to see her in her element, combining the two careers she held so dearly. Even though this was her day, her song, and even her stage for the time being, she still found the time to make me laugh. In fact, she had a way of making every moment together feel special. I just hoped I could return the favor.

Akali's finish received a cluster of cheers, and seeing her shy away at the response was almost laughable. Here she was, this famous celebrity who had performed on some of the world's biggest stages not only to sing but also for dance, and she was struggling not to hide her face from a small, private room full of friends applauding her after singing her own chart-topping song.

A smile burst through as I threw my arms around her. This woman...she was really something.

Chapter Text

Eve got up to compliment us the second we were off the stage from our karaoke performance, but Akali brushed her off with a short thank-you and said she was going to check on Ahri. I kept myself from commenting aloud, but I knew Ahri probably didn't want to talk to her leader much more than she did Eve, so I asked to come along. Not that Akali was about to argue. Kai looked over like she wanted to join as well, but I think she saw that leaving Eve alone with Sera and the rest of my team probably wasn't the best idea, so she silently volunteered to stay behind.

As soon as the door opened, the swell of speaker static and partying from down the hall filled our senses. I followed Akali into the main area, which somehow sounded louder now than it did the first time, and helped her search the area until I spotted the bottom half of Ahri's pink dip-dyed hair at the bar.

We approached carefully not to startle her. She was absent-mindedly swirling the drink in her hand and leaning on the other over the bar top, and I caught the tail-end of a sigh right before Akali spoke up.

"Hey, we came to check on you. Doin' alright?"

Ahri's sideways glance only further proved that she wasn't. "Thanks for the concern, but I'll manage. You should go enjoy your time with everyone before we have to go." she mumbled.

Akali opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't form. She grabbed the back of her neck and suddenly found the floor interesting to look at, and I knew exactly what she was feeling. It was something I used to struggle with a lot as a fresh leader, and still did sometimes.

"Would you mind giving us a minute?" I asked, squeezing Akali's shoulder with a convincing nod.

She looked more relieved than I expected, and she even gave me a peck on the cheek as thanks for bailing her out. "All yours. I'll be around, so just shout if either of you need me."

The couple occupying the stools beside Ahri left their seats, and I happily took their place beside her. I used a deep breath to compose what I wanted to say, but without so much as glancing up, Ahri beat me to it.

"It's like she didn't even hear us in there," she started. "Kali and I both pushed back on her and she still got her way. How are we supposed to work through anything like this?"

I chewed my lip and thought it over. There wasn't much we could do other than share our concerns with Akali and maybe Eve when the time was right, but I'm sure we could both agree this wasn't that time or place.

"I think you need to talk to her tonight. I don't know when or how you'd do it, but if something doesn't change soon, then..." Her voice cut off before it could break, and it was all she could do to stay quiet as her eyes welled.

It was hard to tell if my throat was burning from the greasy pizza gurgling in my stomach or the overwhelming urge to go talk some sense into Akali's manager right then and there. I wasn't sure what Ahri meant, but I could gather that things were falling apart for them in a way that Akali may not have realized—and if left unchecked, it could affect the competition before they even had a fair shot at winning it.

My instincts took over and I did the only thing I could think to do, wrapping my arms around her and letting her feel what she needed to before we'd have to compose ourselves and get through the rest of the night. "I'll do my best. You have my word on it," I whispered.

She nodded against me, and after a moment to think, she perked up with a weak smile. "You're really cool, you know that?" she asked.

"Huh? Me?" I laughed. "Where did that come from?"

"I don't know, it's just...you remind me of a superhero or something. You go around helping people even though they don't owe you anything, and you always know just what to say, and you give really good hugs. It's kind of amazing." she explained.

Now it was my turn to try not to shy away from the praise. I had a feeling the hint of tipsiness in her voice had something to do with the sudden compliments, but I appreciated it regardless and joined her soft giggle.

The steady hum of the bar I'd adjusted to was pierced by an obnoxious shriek from somewhere behind me. I turned back to find Akali surrounded by a small, growing group of women, and I assumed the racket must have been coming from the one yanking Akali's hand up and down through the air.

"No fucking way I'm standing in front of you right now! That is you, right? The girl who sang all those big songs from a few years ago?" she asked, examining Akali up close as if she was going to be able to tell any better by getting up in her masked face.

Akali laughed her off, gently pushing her back in the most polite way she could manage. "Uh, yep, that's me. I'm actually here for a dance competition right now, but I've got a group to get back to, so—"

"I KNEW it! Baby, get over here, there's someone you gotta meet! " she shouted into the crowd. "My partner was OBSESSED with that one song, y'know, the last one you released before you stopped doing music? You've gotta see this, they're gonna freak!"

The person in question stumbled out from the crowd and gave Akali an equally one-sided and even more frantic handshake as the drink in their other hand sloshed around. Their half of the conversation faded from earshot, but the figures hovering around Akali like vultures were making me just as uncomfortable as she looked. I wasn't expecting her to be found out when she was always wearing a mask and even laying-low in a private room for most of our time here, but I guess she wasn't doing herself any favors by still wearing her glow in the dark-painted costume in a dim bar like this.

Ahri leaned over as she watched the scene play out from beside me. "This happens all the time. I'm surprised it took this long for someone to recognize her tonight, honestly." she sighed.

A couple of people started shoving pens at Akali, asking her to sign whatever they could find ranging from a napkin to the back of their shirts. It made sense—I knew she was popular, after all—but it was weird to see it actually happening in front of me. She felt so far removed from that world whenever we were together, like she was too real and hard-working of a person to fill the ethereal role you'd expect someone signing autographs at a nightclub to be like.

My thoughts were rudely snapped from me when I noticed one of the women taking off her shirt and gesturing for Akali to sign the cleavage popping out of her bra. My nails dug into my palms. I didn't care how famous she was, no one had the right to walk up and force her to put up with that.

"Um, should we do something about—?"

Ahri's voice evaporated into the bustling chatter as I pushed over to Akali. I yanked the red Sharpie away and grabbed this brazen woman's hand, then placed it in her palm and closed her fingers over it for good measure. She blinked at me like she was confused, but I held my tongue and chose to blame the alcohol on her breath.

Akali put up no resistance as I dragged her away. She offered a few friendly thank-yous over her shoulder, but as soon as we entered the long hallway, she let out the breath she'd probably been stifling for the past five minutes.

"Yok!  I thought it would never end." she groaned quietly, then ran her thumb over my hand with a grateful smile. "Thanks for the save, Starlight."

Ahri tip-toed around the crowd to meet us with a fresh drink in hand. She was still hesitant in Akali's presence, holding her own elbow and looking basically anywhere that wasn't at her leader, but I could tell she was making an effort to be present.

"You seem like you're doing a little better." Akali remarked, sounding hopeful as she pulled her teammate in for a short side-hug. "So I'm probably going to find a hiding spot to hang out in while the girls get the party out of their system in there, but you're both welcome to join me."

Ahri shook her head softly. "I should go check on them and make sure no one's being pressured into anything. Thanks, though." she finished, and with a low nod, she slipped back into our room and let through a trail of lighthearted shouts before the door sealed behind her.

Akali rubbed her face and cursed into her hands. "Shit. I screwed that up, didn't I?" she mumbled to herself.

"I don't think there's much you could've done. Like you said, she needed some space, so it's probably for the best that you weren't pushing the issue right now." I ran my hand across her back for support, since it felt like the most I could do without divulging too much of what happened with Ahri.

"I guess so. Just feels like no matter what I do lately someone ends up getting upset with me." She trailed off into her thoughts for a moment, but she shook herself out of it and started scoping out our area like she'd suddenly remembered the offer she made. "You're right, though—there's no sense worrying about it right now. So, what do you say we find somewhere to wait out Hurricane Eve? Just the two of us." she smiled.

Akali collapsed into the cushy sofa-bench surrounding the display of fake plants in the middle of the hallway. I politely sat beside her on the part of it facing the bathrooms at the end of the hall—and more importantly, out of sight from the crowded bar and dance floor—and I didn't contest when she threw an arm around me to pull me closer.

"No need to be so formal, Starlight. We're not here for an interview," she joked.

"Laugh all you want—but you'd all be lost without people like me to reign you in," I smiled up at her, and she had no choice but to agree. "So, are you having a good birthday? Other than the minor disruptions we've had, that is."

Akali tried not to burst into a grin at the question. "Honestly? This has been one of the best yet. And that's saying a lot, 'cause Kai and I used to get up to some crazy mischief every chance we got when we were younger, and our birthdays were the prime time for it."

"What about a couple years ago when your music was really taking off? Did any wild Hollywood parties make the ranks?" I asked.

She rubbed her neck and thought back on it. "You'd think that, but the past few birthdays have either been spent pulling all-nighters just to cram in last-minute touches before my albums released, or running rehearsals for the smaller competitions we entered in order to get here. That's why this has been so nice, 'cause I've been able to actually enjoy it, not just work through it like any other day. And it doesn't hurt that I got to spend it with some of my favorite people, either." she winked.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket between us at that, and she pulled it out to find a message lit up across the screen. "Speaking of favorite people, I just got a text from one of the only ones we're missing," she said, glancing between me and the phone when she realized my curiosity was piqued. "Don't get all jealous on me, it's just my mom. She was checking in on me and asked how my day was."

“Your—?” I stopped myself before I could finish. My expression tightened at the mention of her mom after what Kai told me bounced in my head, but luckily she was too distracted with typing a response to notice.

"Yeah, my mom," she went on with an absent-minded whisper. "Not my biological one, but I was really lucky to be raised by two of the strongest women I've ever known." she finished.

It took all of my strength not to physically throw my forehead into my palm. How had I not considered that she may have been adopted and had two mothers? And in a lesbian bar of all places?

Akali picked up on my silence and kept going, probably assuming that I was waiting to hear more about her family—which I was, but it also served as a nice cover for my oversight. "My one mom was spending a semester studying abroad in South Korea when she met my other mom. She saw her performing in this big production, and according to their stories, it was love at first sight. I never really believed in that stuff, but I think I'm starting to understand what they meant." she smiled to herself, like she wasn't ready to face me with the thought yet. "Anyway, long story short, they spent the summer together and decided to move to the U.S. to launch their careers. I would say they were settling down when they adopted and started raising me years later, but settling wasn't really their style. They never stopped doing what they loved, not even with a handful like me running around to take care of." she mused.

The warm smile she had as she spoke of them was contagious. I may not have had the details of what happened later on in her story, but I wished things could have stayed the way she described them. "They must have been amazing if they were responsible for such a wonderful daughter. It's pretty rare for someone to get as famous as you have and not let it change who they are, you know." I said.

"Yeah, they really were. Sometimes, it's like I can still..." she trailed off and covered whatever she was going to say with a slightly-forced laugh.

I wanted to ask, and even though I remained silent, my intent must have been written all over my face going by the way her eyes darted around under my gaze.

"Don't mind me, Starlight, I was just getting lost in the past again. Now, where was I?" Her voice smoothed out as she leaned in, glancing around to check for any unwanted guests. "Oh, right. Someone owes me big time for tarnishing my spotless laser-tag record on my own birthday."

My lips tugged into a proud smile at the mention of it, but the eyes staring back at me didn't match the joking tone of her voice. Akali's hand slipped down my side and squeezed at my waist, pulling a breath out of me that I hadn't planned to let go of, and I even closed my eyes just to make sure I didn't lose myself to her. Not this time. The pull between my thighs demanded attention, and that one drink I had must have been running its course when my thoughts of revenge came pouring in—and so did her last words to me before she left me to retreat during the game.

I swung one leg over her lap before I could think myself out of it and gently settled on top of her. She felt so warm against me, and I wondered if she could feel my pulse there, which felt like nothing compared her racing chest. My gaze wandered, bouncing from her low belt and exposed abs to the mask above her stretched neck as she looked up at me—but I forgot about everything else once I met her wide eyes. The way she watched me with such soft curiosity was betrayed by the demonic smile painted underneath. I pulled the fabric down with my thumb until it rippled over her bottom lip, taking her in before lowering my voice to something worthy of her attention.

"You want me to make up for earlier, huh?" I asked, running the back of my hand down her cheek until I was ready to slip in beside her ear as she so loved doing to me. "I can think of something that might help."

I could feel Akali's surprise at first as I dipped into her for a slow, sloppy kiss, nipping at her full lips the way I'd thought of doing so many times before. She relaxed under my weight and pulled a hand through my hair, making no effort to interrupt the pace I set, but the small sound she hummed into me made me want to change that. Her head sunk into the cushion and her hands found their way to my sides as I pushed deeper, letting her hold me as I gently rolled my hips against her. Fuck. I almost joined her this time when another soft moan was muffled by our kiss, but I stopped myself before I let on.

My lips broke from hers with a full breath, and it took a moment for either of us to fully open our eyes again. The way my face was searing told me I must have been bright red, but luckily, the colored spotlights painted over me enough to hide it. I doubted it looked even half as amazing on me as it did on her, though.

"Well? Are we even now?" I asked.

She looked me down and up again with a sleepy gaze, but she still somehow made it look cocky with that crooked smirk of hers. "If I say no will you keep going?"

I went in for a second kiss, but this time wasn't gentle, pinning her between my lips and the back of the seat. Her husky laugh seeped out between nips to taunt me, and she knew damn well I was in too deep to leave her unchallenged. One of my hands pressed into her chest as the other slid up her neck to meet her jaw. I wasn't sure whose tongue left their mouth first, going by the mischievous smile she maintained throughout it, but it only lasted so long before she had to slip away and come up for air.

"There," I smiled, pecking her nose as her chest pulsed wildly beneath me. And this time, I could see the warm flush across her perfect face even through the hazy lighting. "Now we're even."

She cracked a breathless grin and looked like she was winding up for another comeback, but her brows furrowed and she'd already yanked her mask back over her nose before she got the chance. I wondered if I did something wrong until I realized she was looking over my shoulder, and my neck swiveled around to follow her gaze.

The short figure standing behind us in the shadows flinched and ran for the exit as soon as they'd been spotted. I couldn't make out anything in detail thanks to the chunky hoodie pulled up around their head, and I wasn't even off of Akali yet when the nightmarish scenarios started running through my head.

What was I thinking? I demanded myself, pacing the section of the hallway that I thought was empty the whole time. "Was that one of those crazy fans from earlier? I didn't see anyone go into the bathroom, so how did that person even get over here?!" I spat.

"Hey, woah, Starlight," Akali urged me through a shaky voice that matched my unsteady hands, and she grabbed onto my shoulders to reign in my attention. "It's okay, they're long gone now. They could've been hanging out in the bathroom since before we sat here, and when they came out and saw us, they probably just froze up and got spooked when they were caught."

I nodded along, still trying to catch my breath from before we were interrupted. Her logic was sound, and I had nothing to argue against her point with, but the whole thing left me with a feeling of dread I couldn't shake. I'd never been fond of having an audience for anything outside of dance or karaoke, though, so I chalked it up to a normal feeling of violation that I'd just have to wait out and followed her back to our room.

The door cracked to reveal a quiet space other than the occasional murmur between the girls. Ahri had her knees pulled into her chest and was laying on Sera's shoulder to watch the game she was playing on her phone, and Kai had perched herself on top of the couch as if she needed to prove she was taller than them even while sitting. Akali awed at the scene loudly enough to get a few disgruntled looks, and it would've been an adorable thing to pull out my camera for if I wasn't occupied by the mystery of our missing second-in-commands.

"Where'd Eve and Bec run off to?" Akali asked, pulling the question right out of my mind.

Ahri rubbed her eyes and either forgot or just didn't care about the makeup she was smearing. "Bathroom," she grumbled.

Kai laughed over at her. "I think what the drunk raccoon here's trying to say is that they left for a 'bathroom break' six minutes ago and counting. But something tells me neither of them take that long, so unless they're both taking massive shits, do with that information what you will."

"Eww, you didn't have to point that out, Kai!" Sera grimaced. "I'm sure they'll be back any minute, so we should probably start packing up and try not to gossip so loud."

Akali and I shared a look wondering the same thing. If Becca and Eve got past us and into the bathroom without either of us noticing, then what else could we have missed?

We left to investigate when the pair in question nearly stumbled into us, and it was almost comedic how surprised all four of us were for completely different reasons.

"Oh, there she is! We were just coming to find you," Becca said, but I couldn't take her seriously with the smudges of dark lipstick on display around her mouth and neck, or the messy—messier than usual, anyway—hair hanging unevenly around her face.

Eve glanced between me and Becca. I could sense an invisible panic sprouting as she pushed Becca past us into the lounge before I could say anything. "Alright ladies, it's getting late. Everyone grab your things and we'll head back to the limo in five." she instructed.

I turned to grab my bag with the others when I felt a hand on my shoulder and Akali pulled me aside.

“Hey, um—can I ask you something?” she started.

The uncertainty in her voice was new, but I nodded along.

"I hope this doesn't come across as weird or overstepping, but...would you feel comfortable staying over in my suite tonight?" she asked. "Not that I think there's a reason to worry, but after that run-in earlier, I would just feel better knowing you were safe with me. I know you're already sharing with Becca though, so I'd understand if you felt more comfortable sticking with her and your team."

Her offer was tempting, especially when I considered Ahri's request to talk to her about Eve and the direction of her career tonight. But I couldn't agree without addressing the glaring problem staring at me from our room. "Shouldn't you ask whoever you're sharing your room with first? I wouldn't want to intrude, especially not on a competition night."

"You don't have to worry about that. I've sorta got the whole room to myself, and it gets pretty boring once the girls go to bed anyway, so I thought maybe we could keep each other company," she explained. "But not in a weird way—and only if you want to. Seriously. It’s totally cool if you’re not comfortable with it.”

I was surprised to hear she wasn't staying with anyone, but I was more distracted by how cute she looked as she twisted her two-tone bangs into a little tornado of swirled black and blonde. A giggle escaped me at the view, and her attention snapped back to me like she was trying to figure out what caused it. "I'll have to ask Bec and run it by the girls first—but I'd like that, Birthday Girl." I smiled.

"Wait, really?" She let out a breath like she couldn't believe it before a grin crept over her face. "Yeah of course, ask away! I promise I'll try not to snore too loud." she winked.

"C'mon, ladies! Let's grab our shit so we can blow this lesbian-popsicle stand!" Becca's voice carried out of the room before I could respond, and I couldn't tell if she'd had too many drinks or if she was just running on the fumes of sleep-deprivation again. Or both. Eve's harsh whispers calling for them to quiet down cut through the air like a knife, but when a handful of them started booing in protest, I knew we were past the point of no return.

Akali cracked up and waved me along to help, and she didn't have to say a word for me to know what it meant. This was going to be a long ride back.

Chapter Text

The front door of Club Venus settled into place behind me. I took a moment to breathe, relishing the cool air and relative quiet compared to the stuffy, crowded space inside. A break wasn't the first thing I expected when I volunteered to go back and make sure no one left anything behind, but I certainly wasn't complaining, either.

My eyes opened to conclude the brief intermission, and I found Eve hovering by the limo. She was leaning against the side of it scrolling through something on her phone, at least until we noticed each other.

"Did you need something?" I asked her as I approached, not that I had much of a choice.

Eve looked back down at her bright screen. "Not really. I just wanted to make sure you got in safe, and ask if you're staying with Kali tonight."

I hoped the way I froze wasn't too obvious, but the questions flying around in my head left me at a loss. Did she somehow overhear us earlier? Was she trying to even the playing field after I noticed her obvious fling with Becca? 

"Relax, Darling—I'm not asking for the details. I just assumed you'd want some alone time after the hectic day, especially with the competition in the morning," she explained. "One of the few things we seem to have in common is taking our responsibilities seriously, so I wanted to lighten the load and offer to get your girls safely back to their rooms. With your blessing, of course."

My eyes drifted past her into the limo, where I could see the bouncing shadows of our group that would need to be reigned in for the night. The offer was tempting—especially after however-many years I'd spent being the designated sober—I just wasn't sure I could trust her.

"If you're worried about me taking advantage of the situation, I can assure you I'm not that type of woman," she interjected, reading my face like she could see all the gears that were turning inside. "This may surprise you, but I actually consider myself a bit of a mother hen to those I hold stake in. And since you and Kali have grown close, that includes you and the rest of Mythic by association. But, if that doesn't convince you, there's always the impending risk of ruining my career as a PR manager. If someone were to get hurt on my watch, it would leave a permanent stain on my reputation. And I simply can't afford any more stains," she sighed under her breath.

There were many things I could call Eve. Oblivious wasn't one of them. I caught no trace of the subtle chill that usually hung in her every word, and my team wasn't stupid drunk, so if she tried something then I was sure to hear about it. Besides—not having to worry about her somehow overhearing this talk I needed to have with Akali wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"Alright...deal. But if I hear one word about you stepping out of line, you'll be answering to me—and for everyone's sake, I don't recommend letting that happen." I finished.

Eve hummed out a laugh, and I couldn't quite place her expression when she extended her hand in agreement. "The face of Mythic has a backbone after all. It looks good on you, Darling."

We stepped into the limo to face the music, which in this case was Ahri passed out on Sera's lap while Kai and Becca stretched out a feather boa from goodness-knows-where like a limbo bar for Akali. She was inching under it in a compromising position when she stopped dead and collapsed laughing at the sight of me, and our besties were soon to join her.

Eve swiped the boa with a regretful smile and wrapped it around her own shoulders before carefully stepping over Akali to get to her seat. Becca shouted "Godspeed, Driver Man!" up to the front—although I was pretty sure he couldn't hear us from back there—and managed to stir Ahri from her shallow sleep in the process, who grumbled at them to shut up with a squint through her smeary eyeliner.

The Baddest's hotel came into view at the end of our gradual stop. I glanced over at my team as those of the group who were headed inside got up to leave, and I wasn't sure how to explain this without it sounding flighty or implying more than necessary.

"Hey, girls?" I started, waiting for their attention to trickle over. "There's been an unexpected development, so I'll be leaving here for the night. Eve has kindly offered to make sure you all get back to your rooms safely, but if you need anything, I'm just a call away." I reminded them.

They all-but shrugged me off. I thought they would be at least a little surprised after all the years I'd taken care of things, but I guess they either expected this or didn't mind changing things up.

Becca tilted her head at me, and I could practically hear the "c'mon" in her voice. "You don't have to make excuses. Just go enjoy yourself, Captain." she winked.

I nodded, but before I stepped off at the door, I turned back one last time to settle my worries. Eve was on her phone doing her best to ignore the finger repeatedly poking into her shoulder, and I wasn't sure what to expect when she finally looked over at her harasser. She watched over the sharp sunglasses hanging on her nose as Bec lit up with a laugh against her arm, and when Eve's face melted into a soft smile that I swore I'd never seen before, I knew they'd be okay.

Our half of the group said their goodbyes as Kai and Sera helped Ahri out of the elevator and along to their room. Akali nudged me back when I tried to follow them, promptly pressing a button for one of the higher floors.

"Aren't you staying on the same floor?"

She shook her head with a tight-lipped smile. "Eve booked me the best suite they had without asking first, which is all the way on the top floor. I wasn't happy about it, but Eve doesn't like sharing a room and the rest of the girls were excited to be together, so she insisted I take it instead of letting it go to waste. I've spent most of my time here sneaking down to their rooms, anyway."

At the very end of a long hallway with extra spaced-out doors, Akali pulled out her keycard and unlocked the entrance. A scent of fresh linen greeted our first steps inside the modern space, complete with pristine white sofas, a freestanding gas fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows forming an entire corner of the room. I found myself drawn past the undoubtedly-expensive décor and furnishings to look out the seamless windows, and the breathtaking views of a sparkling city skyline in the distance had me accidentally pressing my nose against the glass like a child outside a toy shop.

"Wow, Kali. This is...stunning." I admitted, quickly swiping away the fog my breath left on the clean glass.

Her reflection portrayed the painted markings across her silhouette as her arms wrapped around me. “Yeah, I guess it’s pretty nice,” she shrugged, lowering her head to rest on my shoulder. “It’s got nothing on the view right here, though.”

“And what exactly were you hoping to get out of that corny line?” I laughed.

Akali smiled against my neck, and the soft voice there had me wishing we didn't have that strange person from earlier and an uncomfortable talk hanging over our heads. “I already got it—I just wanted to hear your adorable laugh.”

I soaked in the quiet moment until she slipped away to fiddle with something behind me. A chill ran through the air and pulled my attention back to the room, where I found her propping open a sleek glass door that I hadn't even noticed before, and she nodded over her shoulder at whatever awaited.

"If you liked the view in here, then you should see it from outside," she offered.

The sleek balcony wrapped around her corner of the building provided a spectacular and unobstructed view of the city. I grabbed the railing and looked out over the edge, taking in the hum of traffic from the swimming streets below and the occasional siren whirring off in the distance. A fresh breeze passed by as Akali took the spot beside me—or at least the closest you could get to one in the middle of a dense city—and I could see it rustling through her blonde, feathery bangs in the corner of my eye.

The words I thought to myself came out softly under my breath. "I had no idea it could look this beautiful."

"Yeah, I get that a lot. People don't tend to associate rap with beauty," she teased, then scrunched up with a grin when my swat met her arm.

"As beautiful as you are, I meant the city," I corrected. "Our room's view of the parking lot didn't do it justice. Bec said it made for some good people-watching, though."

Akali laughed, then looked over like she was mulling on something. "You guys must be like heroes back home, being so talented and well-known in a small-town and all. What's it like there?" she asked.

"We're not treated any differently than we always have been. Not that I think fame would change me, but if it did, I can always count on our community to keep me humble." I felt a tug of homesickness at the thought of them, even though they drove me crazy most of the time. "And other than that, it's just like any other place you live in. Get up early, go to work, and do your best to make meaningful connections and experiences along the way. As much as I love dance, it's the community that keeps it fresh, even after so many years. I couldn't have made it this far without all the people we've met and taught through the years."

I didn't realize she was still watching me until I finished my answer. Her eyes jumped away to the hair she was rolling between her fingers, and her voice came through again, with a different tone this time. "You make it sound really cool there, and well, I've been thinking... If it's not too weird for you guys, I'd like to visit sometime. Check out your studio, maybe stop in for a class or two—I wanna see for myself what led you here."

"You want to visit our town? The home of nothing, Nowhereville, U.S.A?" I laughed. The thought of it was so clear: I could see her strolling into the studio in her flashy streetwear for a class, and probably taking over it by accident with one of her wild stories. The students would gladly eat it up if it meant getting out of a few extra splits stretches, but by the end, they would probably be so awed by her that they would stay for an extra hour just to pick her brain about the superstar lifestyle. And maybe I wouldn't mind.

"I know it probably sounds weird to someone who grew up in it like you, but I've never really experienced the whole close-knit community thing. I've seen it portrayed in the media and stuff, but until I heard your story, I wasn't sure places like that were real." Akali explained. "I always had my parents and then Kai to ground me at least, but most of my childhood was spent traveling and hopping around the country with my moms for their work. When I got a little older I started doing the same thing on a smaller scale for the gigs I booked, and then things got busier once I met Eve and my career took off. It's kinda funny, how I went from some scruffy rascal barely scraping by in school to someone everyone wanted to know about overnight. Suddenly I was performing for thousands of people every other day and spending the moments between either traveling or practicing. I guess it's not much different now with dance, but at least I'm not doing it alone anymore."

Apparently, it was my turn to stare. I didn't realize I was doing it until a chill shook through me, and Akali didn't think twice before pulling off her thick purple jacket to lay over my shoulders, leaving her top half bare except for the short white top that was beneath it. I opened my mouth to ask if she would be cold, but I was quickly given a look.

“Right—you run warm.” I smiled.

The cold reminded me of last winter, and I shared a story of how the heating unit at the studio broke and we all had to dance in chunky sweaters and set up a make-shift hot chocolate bar for the kids until we could get it fixed. We'd nearly closed our doors four times already since opening, due to things like a pipe bursting, the floors needing repairs, and mirrors being broken on accident when some younger students were playing around. But, as I explained, we always came together and scraped up what we could to keep ourselves afloat.

"Shit, really?" Akali thought out loud. "I…had no idea it was that bad. I mean, I knew you were from a small town and starting your business from scratch, but I didn't realize you had so many close-calls."

I shrugged, and I even managed to smile when I thought of how much we overcame just to be here. "I think it's a small price to pay to do what I love." I whispered.

Akali went quiet. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, but her thoughts were pouring into an intense stare until she grabbed her neck. "Can I, like, I don't know—give you a loan, or something? Or just write you a check to make sure things even out for a while? I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I hate to see you carrying so much responsibility and worry if I can make doing what you love a little easier."

My heart fluttered as her words sank in. Not because of the offer, but because of the intent behind it.

"As sweet of an offer as that is, I can't take it. It just wouldn't feel right," I told her. "I mean, we've made it this far, haven't we? And there's always the prize money if we win. But, no matter what happens, I'll always be grateful that our teams met and got to make such wonderful memories together."

I looked over expecting a warm glance in return, but she wasn't looking at me, and she certainly wasn't smiling. She stacked her arms and leaned over the railing, letting the heavy gaze in her eyes settle in the distance. Wherever her mind was, it wasn’t here.

My attention drifted when I noticed some fine marks on her arm that weren't glowing like the painted ones. I followed the pattern up her shoulder and around her torso until I found the end of it in the middle of her back, and I looked over it carefully in the moody lighting. It was a dragon—a beautiful one like you'd find in a fantasy movie, surrounded by swirling clouds and blowing thick smoke down her spine, and it was all inked with a gorgeous technique I'd never seen before. This couldn't have been new, I thought. It would have taken days to get something this intricate done, not to mention it looked fully healed, and none of us had that kind of time during the competition. So that meant either my attention to detail had failed to notice it until now, or she was going out of her way to hide it.

Akali stirred when I gently ran my fingers along her arm to trace the shapes there. "What is this supposed to symbolize?"

"Oh, right—that. It probably looks dumb now." she dodged.

"Not at all," I assured her. "It's incredible, I just can't believe this is the first time I'm seeing it."

She perked up enough to meet me, and for just a moment, I saw the twinkle of city lights in her eyes. “One of my best memories of one of my moms was how she used to call me her little dragon. Apparently she started calling me that ‘cause I sounded like I was roaring when I snored as a baby.” The thought of it brought a quiet smile to her face, and one that fell almost as soon as it showed up. “But even baby dragons can't stay cute and innocent forever, I guess. Eventually they grow up to be monsters like this one.”

"Kali?" I asked, but no response. "What are you talking about?"

Her hair flitting in the wind was the only part of her that wasn't perfectly still. Even without a word to go on, my stomach was winding like it knew something I didn't. Akali finally spoke with a low voice, as if she was trying to hide it from the crowds passing by twenty stories below us, and each word hung in the air like a bad omen.

"...I think I'm gonna withdraw The Baddest from the competition."

Chapter Text

I blinked once, then twice, before realizing I heard her correctly. My conversation with Ahri in the park didn't include her saying anything about them dropping out of the competition altogether—which meant Akali hadn't told them yet. But why?

Akali softly cleared her throat. "Starlight, there's something I should've told you since the start. And I tried to, but I would either chicken out, or it wasn't the right time, and then it just didn't happen. But I need to tell you before I let you keep thinking of me this way."

My hand met her shoulder while I waited for the rest of whatever she was talking about. That felt like all I could do.

"You remember the premiere, right? How I left at the start of the ballet?" she asked, and I nodded even though she couldn't bring herself to face me yet. "I didn't leave 'cause I just needed air—but you're smart, so I'm sure you already knew that. I really left 'cause it reminded me of my mom. She was a professional ballerina, and she was actually who the show was in tribute to. She was kind of a big deal, before—well, before she died. We lost her when I was seven, but I still remember how she looked on stage. I would always get a front-row seat whenever we had to travel with her for her performances, and I never got tired of seeing her up there, or hearing the applause at the end, or smelling the roses people would toss at her. Sometimes it feels like it was all a dream." she trailed.

I paused to let it sink in. Her mother must have been hard-working and likable to be held in such high regard by a big ballet company like that, and even though she was no longer here, the performance they put together in her memory almost made me feel like I knew her. "That's beautiful, Kali. But why were you worried about telling me?" I asked.

"That part's not the problem. It's what I did about it," she continued. "When my career peaked a couple years ago, everyone kept congratulating me and acting like I should've been feeling amazing. And don't get me wrong, I was happy people liked my music, but all the work I had to put into it came at a cost. There I was earning my first platinum single and I barely had anyone to celebrate it with."

She turned to face the moon above at that, letting the shadow of a cloud hover across her features. It sounded lonely. And being alone didn't suit her.

"All I could think about was my mom. How much I missed her and wished she could have been there to see it. So, I did something about it. I thought about what made me feel connected to her, and that brought me back to the stage, but this time I wanted to dance instead of sing." Akali explained. "I pitched the idea to Eve, and it took a lot of convincing, but she agreed on the terms that it could be a way to branch out and gain more online traction or something. She's the only person who knows the actual reason why I did all of this. I just told Kai it was to take a break from music, which was still true, but I said that to avoid a lecture from her about how I should sit and journal out my feelings or something. I love her to death, but she just doesn't get how I work sometimes. And I didn't have to tell Ahri or Sera since they just assumed I wanted a career change and never asked why."

I listened closely and felt like I must have been missing something. "I'm still not getting what the problem is. It sounds like you missed your mom, so you did what you could to hold onto her memory. There's nothing wrong with that," I assured her.

"There is something wrong with it when it's at everyone else's expense. I mean, just look at your team. You guys have been working your asses off basically your whole life to get here for a chance at living your dreams. I don't need the money, or the fame, or any of it. I'm just being selfish. My mom never would've wanted me to take away opportunities from people like you who deserve it, especially not in her name." she rubbed her face with her palms, then spoke as if she only wanted herself to hear the rest. "Eve was right. I am living a lie, and I pulled you all into it. You've been so amazing and open about why you're here, and I couldn't even return the favor. I'm so sorry."

It took a lot not to hug her. But I figured that would only confuse her given the way she was viewing the situation, and decided it would be best to let her come around to the idea on her own.

"I may not have known your mom personally, but from everything I've heard about her so far, I think she would've wanted you to be happy." I said. "If there's one thing I took away from that tribute about her, it was that life is short. But that doesn't have to stop you from living it to the fullest and making an impact on the people around you. So if dancing on stage for the whole world to see makes you happy, then no one has the right to stop you."

Akali's voice shook to match the rest of her. I couldn't imagine why, though, since she was looking over the serene, twilight-covered river in the distance. "...I don't get you at all." she said.

"You don't? I think we get along pretty well, actually—"

"Not like that. I just don't get how you're being so understanding." she demanded. "I'm telling you that I've willingly stayed in a competition and actively hindered you and who-knows how many other teams from achieving their dreams, all 'cause I miss someone I can't get back. How are you not furious with me?"

I almost laughed at how cute it was that she couldn't see things for what they were, but I settled on a smile. "Because we're all here for the same reason, Kali—to make our dreams come true. How can I be mad at you for coming here to do the same thing we are?"

Akali turned to me in a moment of confusion before it melted into understanding, like she was seeing her own story with fresh eyes for the first time. The tears she'd been trying to hold back came loose as she tipped forward, and in a wet blink she was tangled in my arms against me. I doubted anyone—much less the world—had seen her like this for many years, and I felt lucky I could be the one to help her through it.

"You're fucking amazing." she mumbled against me.

I laughed and stroked a hand through her hair. "And what in the world makes you say that?" I asked.

"'Cause I thought you'd think you were right about me when we first met," she said, pulling her red face back up to gulp in the cool air. "I thought you were going to be disappointed and hurt and want nothing to do with me anymore, and I couldn't blame you, either. Figured you'd think I never should've left rap when it made so many people happy, and I was only thinking of myself by gathering a group and making them train so hard just to fail them right before it has a chance to pay off." her ramble trailed.

"You deserve to be happy too, you know. And don't forget that plenty of people enjoy seeing you dance just as much as they loved hearing your music." I reminded her.

Akali slumped against me. "Maybe, but...all this time, I felt like a sorry excuse of a leader. Like I had no right to enforce rules or push them to strive for greatness when I wasn't even being honest with them. When I met you and saw how hard you work not only on dance, but also on your relationships with your team, it just felt like proof that I messed up."

"That's not true at all," I contended.

Her head popped up to raise an affronted brow at me. "You don't think you work hard?"

"No—you were right about that part. I 'work my ass off', as you put it," I said, smiling at the gentle bob of her laugh I could feel against me. "But you're wrong to say you're not a good leader. You're good with people, Akali. I always hear you telling stories and getting laughs from your group, and you can keep things light and under control even with all those strong personalities you recruited. I mean, hell—I left the room to take a call for less than a minute when you came to visit our practice before the premiere, and you had already won them all over by the time I came back. Your girls love you and believe in your leadership, otherwise they wouldn't have made it this far. Trust me."

She scrunched her lips and thought about it. "I guess you're right. Doesn't it bother you that I'm about to betray their trust after winning them over, though?" she asked.

"Nope. Because you're not going to betray them."

Akali pulled away and swiped at her eyes so she could get one last clear look of the city, this time bathed in pure moonlight now that the clouds had passed. I waited for her to ask what I meant, but I could tell by her expression that she understood.

"Do you really want me to stay in the competition after everything I've done?" she asked quietly.

I made no effort to stop the grin growing in my cheeks as my fingers weaved into hers between us. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

After remembering tomorrow's schedule in a panic and glancing in through the window at an abstract clock on the wall of Akali's room, I all-but shoved her inside and instructed her to get ready for bed now that she was officially back on dance captain duties.

She rummaged through one of her messy bags for something while I locked up the balcony for the night, and I turned back to find her holding out a wad of fabric to me.

"What is this?" I asked, hesitantly taking the mystery garment from her.

"Unless you're planning on sleeping in your sweaty laser-tag and clubbing clothes, you're gonna need something to change into," she explained on her way to the bathroom. "And I may not be as neat and put-together as you are, but in case you're wondering, I did wash it."

She disappeared behind a door, leaving me with the quiet suite and my own curiosity. After shaking out what she gave me, I discovered it was a faded, oversized T-shirt with a cracking design of a giant ramen bowl and the name of an eating competition spelled out around it. Of course, I smiled to myself. And even though I had no way of knowing who won, I had a feeling she did quite well after seeing her gobble down Musu's specialty dish.

Akali emerged from the bathroom after a few minutes wearing an Adidas hoodie, a pair of sweats, and trying to yank the three hair ties out of her thick hair that were responsible for holding up the spiky ponytail she was known for. She gestured after herself that the bathroom was all mine, and with a flinch, she gave the bands one last firm tug and let her hair fall around her shoulders in a messy clump of black and blonde.

"Don't be alarmed, it's still me," she joked, bending over to rub her scalp and shake out the kinks in her hair. "Sorry to break the illusion. It's kind of impossible to sleep with a big bundle of hair on top of my head like that, though."

I shook my head once she flipped back up. "Don't be. I love seeing these different sides of you." I admitted.

She paused to glance over at me, then laughed to herself with a shy smile. "Weren't you the one who rushed us in here saying we needed sleep? 'Cause you're not getting any rest if you keep staring like that."

A familiar warmth rushed to my face. She was right about me staring, and I wasn't even sure why, considering she was just in some baggy PJs and her hair looked like she just walked out of a tornado. But seeing her so real just made the sight feel that much more special.

Without room to argue, I headed off to change out of my nice outfit and slipped into her shirt. It was so comfy, like the fabric was melting into my skin from the moment I put it on, and I could tell she wasn't lying about washing it when I caught a waft of lavender.

I returned to find Akali sprawled out like a starfish on the ginormous bed. The size of it made her look tiny by comparison, and her sleepy face only made her that much cuter. Not wanting to disrupt her from sleep before the big day ahead of both of us, I made my way over to one of the couches to look for a way to pull it out and make a bed for the night, but she stirred and scolded me before I could complete the task.

"What do you think you're doing? If anyone's sleeping on this big, comfy bed tonight, it's you, Starlight. Whether or not I stay in it with you is your choice, but I'll be just fine on the couch." Akali declared.

I tilted my head at her with a look. "Kali, don't be ridiculous. I'm not making you sleep on the couch in your own suite after you invited me to stay as a guest."

"So you want to share it with me, then?" she smirked.

My head jerked away before she could see me biting my lip to contain the smile growing there. "I said no such thing. I'm almost done here as it is, so just stay put before you make things difficult."

She hummed, then went strangely quiet while I fluffed a pillow. By the time I set it back down, a set of arms were wrapped around my torso, followed by an eruption of giggles in my ear as she dragged us backward onto the bed. I landed on her chest with a poof, and despite my best efforts, it seemed that was where I would be staying.

"Akali!" I tried to bark at her, but it came out like a middle-schooler squealing at her first pillow fight. "I thought I told you not to make this difficult!"

"And I thought you knew me better than to think I'd listen. But you've gotta admit—this is pretty nice," she said, settling into the mattress beneath us to further her point.

I rolled my eyes playfully as the rise and fall of her breathing pressed against my back. It did feel nice, I suppose...not that I had much choice in noticing it with her still holding me there. "It's comfy for the moment, but I don't think either of us need to wake up sore from sleeping like this."

"Yeah. You're probably right." she sighed, and if she was trying to hide the disappointment in her voice as she released me, she wasn't doing it very well. "I wasn't trying to mess you up for tomorrow, it's just... This is kind of embarrassing, but I have trouble sleeping alone."

All the protesting energy in me faded as I sat up and give her a soft smile. "Don't tell me the big, bad Akali is secretly a cuddly teddy bear," I teased.

"You caught me." She brushed a hand down my cheek, letting it hover so she could look at me. "But I don't expect you to do that. I thought maybe you could sit and talk with me for a bit, though—just until I fall asleep, if that's okay."

I nodded and let her get comfortable, finding myself a spot to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. After looking around for a topic, I quickly landed on the helmet I gave her that was proudly settled on the coffee table in the middle of the room, and then I thought back to her comment about it at the cafeteria.

"So you like tigers, huh?" I asked.

She huffed over a smile. "Yeah, you really nailed that helmet design. And I know this is gonna sound cheesy, so don't laugh, but they're kind of my spirit animal."

"After that game earlier? I can see why." I poked at her cheek and watched as she lit up with a laugh. "I'd love to hear you explain it in your own words, though."

Akali hummed, almost harmonizing with the soft rumble of the air conditioner. "'Cause you never know what you're gonna get with a tiger. They keep you guessing," she started. "One minute they're all cute and cuddly, and the next they could be ripping you to shreds. No matter how hard you try, you can't ever truly tame one—'cause at the end of the day, they'll always be wild."

My eyes flicked to the hair hanging over the side of her pillow and the messy bangs casting a soft shadow across her forehead. She had the wild part down, and maybe she would've looked ferocious like a tiger as well if it wasn't for how precious she looked while tucked in and half-asleep.

Akali perked up, like she noticed the quiet and wanted to make sure I was still there before she used her tired voice again. "You remember at the premiere when you came out in that red dress for the first time?" she asked.

I smiled. "You mean when you couldn't take your eyes off of me and you started tripping over your words? I wouldn't forget a reaction that priceless."

"Hey, don't forget that you turned redder than your dress," she laughed, then closed her eyes, like she was trying to recall every detail—or falling asleep. "Anyway, I was too nervous to say it loud enough for you to hear, but what I said was that you looked perfect. And that hasn't changed, but now I think you're perfect…for me."

Her breathing slowed, signaling to me that she had promptly drifted off after her admission. And, frankly, I couldn't decide if it was a relief that she couldn't see my reaction or if I wanted to shake her awake and make her elaborate. But it was no matter for now. We both had a competition to advance through once morning came, and I wasn't selfish enough to wake her with such high stakes on the line. For both of us.

I carefully pushed myself off the bed and made it a few steps over to the couch before I heard a tender mumble behind me.

"Mm...Starlight?" she called.

With no intention to ignore her, I looked back to find a warm smile against her pillow—and just for a moment, it made everything seem so clear.

"You made this the best birthday yet."

Chapter Text

I awoke to the frantic sound of the ringtone I set for my agent's contact buzzing from my bag on the floor beside me. After throwing the warm blanket off of me and rolling off the sofa-bed, I scooped it up and answered while I pranced to the bathroom for privacy. And, luckily for Akali, the short glance I took at her looked like she slept about as heavily as Becca did, and she was unbothered by the noise.

I'd barely gotten through picking up the call with half of a yawn before my agent was practically screaming through the speaker and making me wince out of habit. The earful included something about headlines and a scandal, but between still waking up and her lack of pacing, I didn't get what she was saying. At least, not until she mentioned something about a picture, and I followed the link to an article she had sent me among the string of texts from before I woke up.

It was difficult to make out at first. The picture in the article was dark and blurry, but once I squinted at it enough, I knew exactly what I was looking at. There was no mistaking my outline straddling Akali with her recognizable ponytail, and ignoring the bad feeling I'd had from the lurking figure the night before just made me feel that much more foolish.

My agent asked if I was still there, reminding me of the call I'd been silent on for the past thirty seconds. I assured her and insisted I would do my best not to let it happen again, especially after all the times she'd repeated the importance of not getting caught up in drama, and I was actually relieved when I remembered our rehearsal for that afternoon and used it as an excuse to get off the phone. Now I just had to survive it without making things any worse for myself. For all of us.

After the sloppiest face-washing of my life and a quick finger-comb through my hair, I rushed out to find Akali still sound asleep with no sign of intending to rise.

I plopped on her bed and pulled up the picture again. "Hey, do you remember what that person watching us last night looked like?" I asked.

"Good morning to you too," she grumbled through a stretch. "I don't remember anything specific, why are you asking?"

Her voice sounded adorable, but I couldn't spare the distraction and held my phone up to her. "Because my worst nightmare came true."

"Huh? What happened?" she asked, squinting through one eye at the bright screen before it clicked. "Starlight, you can barely make anything out. They can't prove that was us."

My head drooped down until my forehead was pressed against my fist, like I could feel all the thoughts banging around inside my brain. This was not good, not for any of us, and I was scared to do anything out of fear I'd somehow make it worse.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to dismiss your concerns. I'm just used to this sort of crap, is all." Akali said, offering a supportive rub over my back. "And this is kind of my fault, anyway. I'm the one whose been in the game for years—I should've been more careful with you around."

I shook my head with a weak smile. "Don't blame yourself. I'm used to being the responsible one, so I should've seen something like this coming. And I probably would have if it wasn't for that damn drink," I sighed.

"Nope. I'm not gonna let you do this. You're not blaming yourself for what happened either, alright? The real person to blame here is the creep who took that picture, and they would've been looking for compromising photo-ops like that whether you had a drink or not." she insisted.

My attention drifted back down to the picture in the article. I hadn't even checked social media yet, but going by the reaction from my agent, I already knew it blew up. A nagging thought that I was trying to ignore finally broke through: I couldn't help but wonder if Eve was responsible for this. I mean, she and Becca were in the bathroom around the same time this was taken, and this sort of clout seemed like the type of thing she would kill for—I just didn't want to think of her so poorly again after the small steps toward an understanding we'd taken since the last picture-posting fiasco.

"You look deep in thought. What's worrying that genius brain?" Akali asked.

I sighed. I didn't want to ask, but I knew I had to. "Is there any chance Eve could be responsible for this?"

"Eve? Nah," she blurted. "I told her if she pulled that shit again I was gonna fire her. She's not gonna risk that. And I think she actually felt bad about it last time, even if she's not very good at showing it, so there's no way she'd willingly do it again."

Her explanation reminded me of Eve's surprise visit and the poorly executed, but an attempt nonetheless, at apologizing. Not to mention everything she'd done to make Akali's birthday special for all of us, and whatever vague heart-to-heart she was going for when she offered to take care of my team for the night. "You're right, that wouldn't make sense. I just don't get who would've done this...or why." I trailed off.

Akali shrugged. "They probably recognized us and decided to snap a pic to turn in to the tabloids for a quick buck. Being spied on isn't exactly fun, but hey—at least it means you're getting popular if people care enough to take random pictures of you."

"Yeah, I guess so," I said, scrolling through the article for anything about the perpetrator. "It says that the person who sent it in stayed anonymous, though. That means they weren't in it for the money or the attention. So what would they gain from doing this? Do they just want to ruin my career or something?"

"Hey, I get it, but we've got a competition to distract us now, so let's—"

"No, you don't get it. I can't just forget about it and go on with my day," I snapped. "You have fans all over the world who would support you no matter what kind of awful headlines get posted, because you've established yourself and people trust you're a good person. But I'm new to this, and if any fans I've made see an article saying awful things about me, they might believe it. So this may be no sweat for you, but I have lives in my hands that are depending on me not to fuck this up."

Akali reeled, letting her hand find its way to the back of her neck. This morning was not going how I wanted it to, and neither were my words.

"I didn't mean to go off on you, I'm sorry. I've just spent the better part of a decade planning for this competition and doing my best to avoid any negative press, but clearly it wasn't enough." I explained.

She held out her arms. "Permission to hug, Miss Worry-Wart?"

After a soft laugh at the request, I accepted, and let myself sink into her—until I noticed the time and practically dragged her to the door.

"You sure you don't want to come with? The girls would love the company," Akali offered as she threw on a leather jacket and scooped up her bag.

I gave her a smile laced with disappointment as I shook my head. "I appreciate it, but we should probably lay low until this headline blows over. At least in busy places."

"I getcha. We'll figure this out, okay?" she assured me, offering a quick hug and a peck on my forehead that felt strangely nice and warm despite the rush. "Try not to let the drama get to you, 'cause I still expect you to win today." she teased.

After wishing her good luck for The Baddest's performance, which was one of the first ones of the day according to the schedule we'd been given, I changed back into my clothes from the night before and grabbed my things to leave. I found my way back to the lobby entrance and overheard a sharp voice chewing someone out over a phone speaker. My glance up led me to find Eve walking in with her same clothes and smudged makeup from last night while too overwhelmed looking at the screen to notice me, and I made out bits of the conversation as we passed by each other. It sounded like one of Eve's higher-ups must have found out about the picture as well, and they weren't any happier about it than my agent was. She assured the guy that she had no idea who took it or why it was sent in, and seeing how stressed she was over it, I was even more inclined to believe it wasn't her doing.

Their back-and-forth faded behind me as I left without a trace. But when I realized she hadn't changed or cleaned up from last night, I wondered what happened that kept her out and rushed back to my own hotel.

The familiar creak of the door sounded as I impatiently entered our room. My bed was still as perfectly made as I'd left it, unlike the blanket twisted messily around Becca on the couch, and the only thing off about the scene was a lack of snoring.

Becca's makeup, which had already started out grungy, had become a whole new style category of its own after sleeping in it. "Nngh—hello?" she asked, rubbing a fist against her eye and leaving a large black smudge in its wake.

"It's just me, Bec. Was Eve here all night? Did she do anything to you?" I asked.

"Yeah—wait, no, it wasn't like that," she rambled. "Okay, yes, she stayed over. But I asked her to. I uh, didn't want to be alone, so I asked if she'd stay until I fell asleep, and I guess she must have fallen asleep too. At least she set an alarm, though."

I smiled at her, finding it funny how similar she and Akali were sometimes, and sat beside her on the couch. Up close, I could see a pink feather from Eve's boa stuck to her lip, and I pulled it off before she could protest to my nitpicking. "It's fine, really, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. It sounds like Eve actually did a good job of keeping her word to take care of you girls."

Becca's thoughtful look turned into one of her childish smirks. "And speaking of, how'd your girlfriend treat you last night? Who took care of who?" she winked.

"Becca!" I laughed. "Your imagination rivals mine sometimes, I swear. We just talked for a while and then I slept on the couch. That was all."

She rolled her eyes, collapsing back into the cushions for emphasis. "You two are so BORING! It's so obvious you like each other, you might as well run down the street yelling it through a megaphone at this point."

My smile faded as I nervously played with one of my nails. Thanks to that picture, she was probably more right about that than she realized.

Becca didn't hesitate. "Alright, something's up. Spill," she ordered.

"Did you or Eve see anyone sketchy in the bathroom at the club last night?" I asked.

She tried not to giggle at the mention of it, then closed her eyes to think. "Not that I can think of. I wasn't really paying attention, anyway. Why? What's up?"

I gave her a plain overview of the situation, hoping to avoid having to show her the picture as proof, but I'd barely gotten through half of the story before she slipped her phone out of her bra and almost instantly had it pulled up for herself.

"Dammmn, Captain!" she grinned. "I don't know how we didn't see you when we walked by, but I'm glad we didn't interrupt."

I uncovered my face from behind my hands and rolled my eyes at the notion. "Don't act all innocent. You two were probably keeping each other too distracted to notice anything going on around you," I playfully jabbed.

Becca turned quiet and red at that, and the fact that she didn't try to hide it only made my suspicions more founded. It seemed she had some feelings of her own to recognize, but with a busy schedule and another round of the competition to win ahead of us, I decided it was best not to frazzle my second-in-command.

"Now then—I'm glad you had a good time last night, but you do need to get all this makeup off of you before we leave for rehearsal," I urged.

After sacrificing what was left of my makeup remover and convincing Becca to down a bottle of water for her light hangover before we left, we gathered the rest of our team and entered the theater as a tight-knit group, ready to get out there and give it our all.

If only I'd known that we wouldn't be leaving that way.

Chapter Text

That morning had fallen away as soon as we passed through the back entrance of the theater. It was replaced with the distraction of one last lively rehearsal as we prepared for today's performance—and not that the phrase "half-assing" was even part of my vocabulary—but I had really stepped it up this week in anticipation for our showdown with this infamous figure from Akali's past.

We returned to our dressing room to await our stage call when I noticed the notification traffic coming from The Baddest's group chat, and I briefly skimmed over the past fifteen minutes or so of messages. They announced their victory, solidifying themselves in the finale, closely followed with some adorable pictures they'd taken of each other and wishes of good luck to the rest of us. Although, from Kai, it was more like begging us to win so she didn't have to fight Qiyana for first place.

I had just set my phone down to follow the stage call overhead when one last notification popped up, this time directly from Akali in our private messages. Curiosity won over, and I glanced at it to find a single ";)", which I had a quick giggle at before gathering the girls to the stage.

The show's quiet intermission allowed me to feel the bustling of an excited crowd beyond the curtains. I knew our temporary rivals were waiting on the other side, but I tried not to think about them too much. This wasn't just about winning, I reminded myself—it was about leaving it all on stage and being able to go home proud of ourselves in victory or defeat. But I had to admit it: between our dreams hanging in the balance and The Baddest's high hopes for a rematch with us, it was hard not to feel the pressure.

Our host cleared his throat and began the introductions. "This week's team leaders need no introduction, but they're gonna get one anyway. She's back, and she's here to slay—give it up for Qiyana, a fierce leader and drama queen with no apologies to spare. Please join me in welcoming her team, True Damage!"

The woman in question strutted on stage, hardly paying attention to the audience. She was curvy and shorter than me, but she had no lack of attitude to carry her through each motion. Bright, cotton-candyish shades of pink and blue made up her bun and the bangs across her forehead, which were a sharp contrast from her smooth, mocha-tinted skin. The sleeveless crop top and leggings with the name of their group printed down the sides were the only things on her entire body that didn't shimmer, serving as a mere backdrop for the iridescent jacket hanging off her shoulders and the gold jewelry and accents sparkling all over her.

Now that Qiyana had soaked up the attention, she was closely followed by the rest of her team, which consisted of a few misfits that each offered plenty personality of their own. The only one even close to her height was a young man with metal-tipped dreads hanging over the one side of his head that wasn't shaved with a neat design, and the two taller members were an intensely casual-looking woman with long dreads of her own and a striking half-cape, while the other was a guy with a thick, fluffy ponytail who—from what I had gathered—chose not to speak outside of the privacy of his own home. I could not imagine how such a rag-tag group had ended up on the same dance team, especially with a leader like theirs, but I reserved my judgment and waited for the host to continue through his padded-out recap of their journey through the competition so far.

I had started to zone out from his spiel and back into compulsively going over choreography in my head when I heard a voice behind me.

"Ready to kick some ass?" Akali asked.

My chest fluttered as she came into view from the shadows of the backstage area. Her entire costume was neon yellow with black accents, and if I didn't know any better, I would have assumed she was cosplaying caution tape. Even so...she looked really good in it.

Once the admittedly pleasant surprise wore off, I folded my arms at her. "What do you think you're doing back here? You know only the performers who are about to go on are allowed to be near the stage," I scolded.

"Snuck back here when no one was looking," she shrugged, which was hard to imagine considering her costume was bright enough to cast a soft glow around her even in the dim light. "You didn't think some silly rule was gonna stop me from seeing my favorite rival before her biggest performance yet, did you?"

I smiled at the sentiment, but another wave of nerves weren't far behind. "I'm actually pretty nervous. It isn't like me," I shared.

"We all get jitters every now and then. Just keep being your amazing self like Eve said, and you've got this—no contest." she winked, mimicking her message from a few minutes ago.

Her eyes twinkling over that crooked smile of hers nearly made me forget where I was until I heard my name boom over the speaker system. I offered a nod and turned to face the stage before I could lose concentration again, then readied myself to strut out as I waited for the music. But that didn't stop Akali. A firm grip on each of my shoulders led to her pulling in with a close whisper, and as far as I was concerned, it served as a tease more than any form of friendly encouragement.

"Go get it, Starlight."

Instinct took over the second we hit the stage, and the rest of our introduction was a blur until the voting began. But that was when my comfortable smile faltered at Qiyana's glare over the monitors. She looked even prettier now that I could see her in detail—the type of unachievable gorgeous that you'd expect of a model for a luxury fashion brand or something—and yet, the rotten personality I'd been warned of still seeped out through her features.

It was hard to watch the split screen comparing the two of us without feeling the twinge of inferiority creep up, but it was quickly overshadowed once our team name beamed in victory over us. The vote was fairly close, with Mythic only winning by a margin, but it was enough for a boost of confidence. This was our first time being chosen to go first, which meant either the audience liked us better as Eve had predicted, or simply disliked True Damage more—and either way, I was okay with it for now.

Our opponents cleared the stage for us, but not before Qiyana fit in a juicy eyeroll over at me that didn't fully register until well after she was gone. I could see my own pulse rattling against my costume pieces when I noticed a subtle nod and wink from Becca, and I could only imagine what choice words she would've had about Qiyana if we weren't on live television, but it was enough to remind me of what we were pushing through this for.

We were nearly finished with the routine already when my professional smile turned into a genuine grin that I worried was too much for the serious song I chose for this week. It couldn't have gone better. Although, I shouldn't have been surprised, considering the extra precautions I'd taken to really wow the audience after The Baddest warned—

Snap.

I didn't recognize the sound until it was far too late. My view of the audience was already tipping in response to my shoe's broken heel, and the best I could do was shoot down my arms before I face-planted. All things considered, the recovery was a fairly smooth one, and I was proud of my reaction time. But my laurels weren't to be rested on, and the fresh, throbbing ache of a rolled ankle was accompanied by a haughty sound playing out from the curtains.

Qiyana put her whole body into a prominent laugh, making sure I would hear it over our blaring music. Great. I just had to look, didn't I?

The distraction served its purpose, and she managed to make me an entire count late to the ending. As the music ended and we settled into our final poses, I wondered what was more obvious—me nearly wiping out, or the untamed heat filling my cheeks. Somehow, though, the crowd's cheers sounded more fervent than ever, and the warm reception was certainly nicer than what I feared we'd get. The possibility of it being nothing more than pity that wouldn't be reflected in the votes later on crossed my mind, but there was something more to it. It felt like real support.

Our opposing team's leader stomped on stage in the middle of our applause, shooing us off as if the two seconds we'd been holding our poses for were somehow taking away too much from her turn. Becca helped me while I did my best not to limp off, and the moment I was out of the cameras' line of sight, a small crew of paramedics that usually hovered off in the shadows were now surrounding me. I accepted an ice pack I was offered as I slipped off the pair of uneven heels, but I assured them I was alright despite Becca's complaining over my shoulder. As a dance captain, I was no stranger to first aid, so I knew how to take care of myself—but unless I wanted to break down on the spot, the pain was the last thing I was going to concentrate on.

Akali had apparently given up on keeping her presence a secret and came over to check on me, and it wasn't long before she and Becca were helping each other come up with ways to scold me for not taking my injuries seriously. But their lecture soon trickled off as True Damage's routine began.

The rest of my team watched on beside us, and I was surprised by how plainly it started. The music was little more than a lo-fi beat coming into focus through the speakers, and there wasn't much happening on stage, especially compared to the flashy entrances and sets I was used to seeing from The Baddest's routines. I wondered if I was worried over nothing. If the fumble and the botched timing wasn't enough to ruin our chances, and if Qiyana was just a big-talker who had gotten into the semi-finals by sheer luck.

And then the universe proved me wrong.

My eyes widened as the lights shifted to fill the stage with a warm glow. Two ginormous halves of a set were wheeled together along the back of the stage, serving as what must have been the most expensive and questionably-within-the-rules-of-the-show backdrop I'd seen yet. The scene was imitating the marble foyer of a fancy mansion you'd find in Beverly Hills, complete with a curved double staircase leading up to a fake balcony, ornate pillars, and even beaded curtains draped along the sides and in a spiral around the center of the stage. And that was all without mentioning the golden ring dropping from the rafters by a long chain, encrusted with what I could only hope were three large, fake gems the size of my head.

Qiyana spun over and effortlessly pulled herself onto the bottom edge of the ring, holding onto the sides like it was the world's fanciest swing set. Her team danced around her like it was some sort of strange worshipping ritual, and although the tutting choreo was mesmerizing, even they didn't seem particularly comfortable doing it. It was more of a fashion shoot than a routine meant for a dance competition. But one thing was for sure: Qiyana knew what she was doing. I'd done my research just as I would for any other opponents, and True Damage didn't usually go for gimmicky pieces or props, so this sudden spectacle for the eyes was nothing less than a personal attack.

The dance, if you could call it one, came to an end with Qiyana still perched above the rest of us on her glorified hoola-hoop. And apparently, she wasn't interested in leaving it. The host came back amidst the screams of a wowed crowd to call us on for the vote, and my competition eyed us the entire way with a smirk that made me want to smack her down from there. 

My spiteful streak wouldn't last, though. The wardrobe malfunction played in my mind on repeat, paired with the hot glare I felt over my shoulder until I could hardly bear the pressure. My eyes shut tight. What if this was it? What if we went home over a stupid, broken high heel?

The host took his sweet time, but eventually, he erupted with enthusiasm and announced who was moving on. I barely heard Mythic roll off his tongue before my arms were bobbing up and down from Becca and the rest of the girls hopping around me and nearly taking me into the air with them.

"We fucking did it! Suck on that, Fake Damage!", I heard through Bec's grin. I would've joined in the celebration, but the nipping ache below had other plans. Not to mention I had some happy and shocked tears to quell.

I picked up on a faint cheer from Akali somewhere in the curtains, and I turned to look for her in the dark when I heard—or rather, felt—a concise thud behind me. The host was beaming as he walked over to congratulate us, but Qiyana had descended from her perch to intercept him. She snatched his mic, like she was trying to get a taste of our popularity by copying Akali. But unfortunately for her, she was lacking any of the class or authenticity that made our rivalry work for us.

"Congrats, Mythic. Must feel great to finally win a round, huh?" Qiyana sunk into one hip and snarled at me with her thick Latin accent. "But, y'know, I can't help but wonder...would the vote turn out differently if everyone knew the truth behind your fan-favorite rivalry?"

My chest felt as heavy as an elephant. The audience was beginning to bubble with questions and murmurs, and I was just as confused as they were. "What are you talking about?" I asked in a hush.

"I'm sure we've all seen that picture by now. No need to act coy," she lilted. "I just thought our audience might be interested to know how you and your partner in crime rigged this whole competition in your favor...but hey, what you do in your spare time is none of my concern. Isn’t that right, Starlight?"

Thoughts swarmed as I tried to come up with anything we'd done that could've given her that impression, but I knew it was pointless. We both knew she was lying. I simply was not prepared to argue, which I imagined is what she was banking on all along.

I'd already blown my chance to form a response when a bright figure swept in to take the mic from her by force—not that she put up much of a fight.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Akali hissed over the tightly-cupped mic in her hands.

Qiyana placed a hand on her own chest as if she was affronted by the question. "What does it look like? I'm exposing you," she taunted back.

The auditorium was unreasonably quiet as the two stared each other down for a moment, and I wondered if either of them were bothered by the millions of people watching their every move. Although something told me that was exactly what Qiyana wanted.

Akali's hand slipped off the mic as she turned to face the nearest camera. "Alright, I know this isn't my turn and I'm not supposed to be here, but I'm not gonna stand by and watch someone defame a person I care about. Whatever she's talking about is made up, and neither Mythic nor my team have rigged anything. But, if she wants to call things into question, then I'd be more than happy to share all the dirty tricks she's been using behind the scenes," she explained, earning a concerned look from the host as Qiyana put on her best shocked face. My competitor waved at something behind me, and I followed her attention over to a pair of bulky security staff striding toward us at top speed, who had seemingly been waiting for her command. Akali's words were cut off as Qiyana took the mic back, and all I could do was watch in disbelief as they dragged my counterpart off the stage. Akali was smart not to fight them, at least, but this did not bode well for any of us.

Qiyana carefully handed the mic back to the host, and the crew adjusted in time for him to wrap up the show, where she had conveniently snuck in behind him to smile and wave for the cameras despite her defeat. It seemed we had all underestimated her, in more ways than one.

Eager to get changed and leave this nightmare behind us, Becca led the way and opened our dressing room door to reveal the rest of The Baddest hovering inside. Eve was pacing the room, Kai was stretching on the floor deep in thought, Ahri had a pair of reading glasses on to help her see the two phones propped on a table in front of her like she was running a mini-investigation, and Sera was chewing her lip as she scrolled through what I assumed must have been social media's ever-present commentary on the whole ordeal.

The four of them perked up in unison at our arrival, quickly rushing over with a barrage of questions that Becca cut off.

"Okay, okay—one at a time, everyone gets a turn. But first, my captain needs to get her ass in a seat," she insisted before dragging over a chair from one of the vanities for me.

I let her help me down onto it, and I felt like a child at an adult party with the way everyone circled me.

Kai shook her head and whispered into her fist. "I told you I had a bad feeling. It's like Qiyana's presence is a curse. I mean, she was even hurt by a freak heel accident! That has to be voodoo or something." she lamented.

"Kai, not helping!" Ahri hissed, then leaned down and tucked her long, smooth hair behind one ear to get a good look at me. "How are you feeling?"

I glanced down at my swollen ankle. It wasn't pretty, but I'd survived worse. "I'll manage," I answered.

"Good, cause you have to compete with us next week. And since you can never have too much good luck...here!" Sera returned from digging through her dance bag and proudly handed me a pair of fluffy, bubblegum pink slippers. "Ta-da! These are my lucky slippers. I bring them with me to every competition, and they haven't failed me yet!" she beamed.

After thanking her for the kind offer, I slipped them on and tried to relax as much as I could. "Don't worry, I'll make it work. Unless my foot is somehow chopped off before the finale, nothing will stop me from giving you one last run for your money out there," I joked.

Both groups had a collective look of relief, which I found especially funny coming from Becca, who had seen me perform under much worse conditions in the past and still make it through. But the relief turned to palpable uncertainty as the quiet of the room settled over us.

Eve spoke up with her best attempt to hide the shake in her voice. "Not to gloss over your injuries, Darling, but do you know where Kali is?"

"I haven't seen her since they pulled her off stage. I thought she would be back by now..." My response trailed while I watched them carefully, but they only offered each other worried glances before Ahri volunteered to go look for her. She left the others in charge of helping me with anything I needed before she left, but to everyone's surprise, she returned a minute later with nothing to show for it.

Ahri closed the door behind her, and dodged the reasonable questions from the rest of our groups to whisper something just to me. "If you're feeling up to it, you should go outside." she urged.

I was confused by her suggestion, but I didn't argue and tenderly made my way over to the door Ahri was holding open for me. She closed it behind me the moment I stepped in the hallway for some reason, but after a quick glance around, I understood why.

Akali was sitting against the wall, caved in on herself with a hollow stare. But she wasn't just tired. Her eyes were bloodshot, and wobbly streaks of dried mascara ran down her cheeks while she propped up her head on her fingertips. I almost blurted out a question, but I remembered how she would often let me speak when I was ready, so I lowered myself onto the floor beside her and decided to do the same.

"I really fucked things up this time," Akali whispered.

"Well you did break the rules, but that's kind of your thing," I teased. "I appreciate you backing me up regardless."

She sniffled and swiped at her nose with a fragile smile, but the way her hands were shaking sent my thoughts in directions I'd been too afraid to consider yet.

Akali's gaze softened down into her lap. She swallowed, like her throat was too dry to speak, but the pain in her voice was just loud enough to make out in the quiet hallway—whether I wanted to hear the words or not.

"They kicked me off the show...I'm out of the competition."

Chapter Text

My notes started to look like they were swimming across the page from staring so long. A faint passion remained from when I first wrote them, back when I had just met Akali, and when I'd thought this choreography would be used in the finale against her team. But now it just felt wrong to imagine it without them. Without her.

Her voice shot into my mind again. Stuck together in the hallway, she told me how production kicked her off due to "repeated disruptive behavior", as well as a handful of "anonymous" complaints who we all knew the source of. The show still needed its finale, though, which meant True Damage was back in the competition by default to fill The Baddest's place. I knew it was just business, and I could respect that—but what they were sorely overlooking was the expectations of the very audience they claimed to be acting on behalf of.

"What's the haps, Caps?" Becca called out from above, raking my attention from the page and reminding me of the rehearsal I was supposed to be running. "You've been staring at that thing like it's got the secrets of the universe written on it."

I shook my head, and without waiting for a proper reply, she sank down beside me and eyed over the contents. Becca had to squint at my unusually sloppy handwriting in a few spots—since I had been so excited I forgot to make it legible—but she managed.

Her lips tightened into a straight line. "Ah, I get it now. I know things didn't exactly go as planned, but hey—at least we're still in the running, right?" she nudged.

"Winning against someone who uses dirty tactics isn't a satisfying victory," I answered glumly, "and that's if we can beat her fair and square."

Becca ran a hand over her chin. She glanced over at the rest of the girls, who were mulling around aimlessly as they waited for guidance, and popped up from the floor like she'd made up her mind.

"We're getting nowhere fast here. So, here's what I propose," she started. "Why don't you take the hour off and go pay the bad girl a visit, and I'll keep the team occupied and stretched for when you get back. Sound like a dealio?"

I wasn't opposed to the idea, but I felt the urge to raise an eyebrow at her anyway. "And just what are you insinuating?"

"That you clearly aren't in the headspace to choreograph right now, so maybe seeing Akali will cheer you up and get that creative juice flowing again." Becca answered with a surprising lack of teasing in her tone. It was like she'd accepted Akali as a normal part of our lives, and something about it made me too happy not to agree.

The bright sunshine of an early afternoon scorched my skin the moment I stepped out of the hotel. Never in a million years did I think I would willingly skip a rehearsal like this—and especially not one for a final performance in the world's most well-known dance competition. But, I suppose there's a first time for everything, and this competition had already shown me plenty of firsts. What was one more?

My thoughts scattered once the scent of a sweet, warm something filled the breeze blowing past me on the sidewalk. I glanced up. "Pantheon Pastries", the adorably-decorated sign read. I recognized the name—it was where Sera had gotten Akali's custom birthday cupcake, which I heard ended up being quite good—and as if to convince me further, my empty stomach growled below.

I wavered on the decision all the way up to the front of the shop, which had a large window and tall tables full of customers on the other side. My choice would be left up to how busy the shop was, I decided, as I held a hand up against the glass to peer inside—and that's when I noticed the sheen of long, mint green locks overhead, and I decided not to argue with fate today.

On the other side of the brightly-painted door, I found a small and busy, but efficiently-run business. Happy patrons filled what little space you could find in the dining area, all except for one empty chair situated across from Sera. She was tucked into the corner at one of the rare tables, deep in thought as she scribbled onto a notebook and gently nodded her head to the soft music playing on the radio.

I waited for her to perk up with one of her warm welcomes as I approached, but she was captivated by the decorative paper beneath her fuzzy pom-pom pen, which hadn't moved an inch since I spotted her. She looked different, too, with a muted gaze cast over her work. It didn't suit the bubbly girl I knew.

Without meaning to, I'd found myself drawn into her pretty handwriting. I had no idea what to expect Sera to be working on in her free time, but I certainly hadn't expected what looked like lyrics for a song, and good ones at that—

"ACK!" 

Sera jumped at my sudden presence—or at least what seemed sudden after being lost in thought for the last minute—and slammed the notebook shut. "How long have you been standing there?!"

My lips pulled into a sheepish grin. "Not long! I just saw you through the window and thought I'd come say hi," I quickly explained.

"Oh, sorry...that was nice of you to come check on me! You can join if you'd like, I just wasn't expecting company." she said, tucking the book beneath her elbows before she gestured at the empty seat.

I offered no argument and joined her, feeling proud of myself for the spontaneous decision. Akali would be proud too, I thought.

Sera had relaxed since the awkward encounter, but her gaze still tugged down at the worn leather cover concealing her thick stack of notes every once in a while, which made my curiosity harder to ignore.

"Okay, I swear I wasn't trying to spy, but I couldn't help noticing what you were working on. May I ask what it's for?" I requested.

She clammed up on reflex, running a thumb over it. It was like I could see the thoughts dancing in her eyes. "I haven't told many people this, but...before I got into dance, I actually wanted to be a professional singer and write my own songs," she explained. "I love to sing, but I have trouble actually doing it in front of anyone. At least with dance, I can use a mirror to practice until I know it looks good before I perform it—but with singing, I feel like there's no way of making sure it's good enough."

I almost laughed, but I refrained when I saw how serious she was. "Are you kidding? Sera, your voice is beautiful. I heard you at karaoke, and when I looked around, we were all impressed," I explained.

"Really? Oh, um—thank you." she muttered. "Even if you're right, though, I still don't think I could sing in front of people I don't know like famous singers do. I could think I'm doing great, but I have no idea what they're thinking, or how they'll react. It's just...it's too much pressure."

Thoughts of my early career as a dance captain crossed my mind as I nodded along. "I get it. It's hard to be confident in your work until you get feedback for it, and in order to get it, you have to perform and risk rejection. But you won't get closer to your dreams until you reach for them," I offered.

Sera chewed her lip beneath her taught eyebrows, but her eyes sparkled for a moment. She scooped up the book with both hands, then shoved it through the air over the table, wincing like she didn't want to think about it and risk losing her nerve.

Curious, I gingerly took the fragile book, which felt like it could unravel at any moment. The pen was still clamped inside, leading me right to the page of her latest piece:

And no one, is perfect

You don’t need to be strong, every single day

No one really knows along the way

That the best things in life won’t be, perfect anyway

Something panged inside me. Maybe it was the emotional weight of last night catching up, or the timely relatability of an imperfect situation—but whatever it was, it came at the perfect time.

"Sera, this is..." I glanced over to find her fiddling with her jewelry in anticipation, until her attention hesitantly flicked up. "This is amazing. You have something special here." I finished.

She struggled to hide a smile at my reaction, but it faded just as fast. "I appreciate it, but it won't do me any good if I never work up the courage to sing it," she said, letting her voice dim to a mumble. "Maybe I'll just ghost write songs for people who can actually sing. At least that way my work won't completely go to waste—"

"Don't hand away your talent to others like that. If you have a dream, then you owe it to yourself to do everything you can to make it a reality," I interrupted, not realizing how loud my voice had gotten until after I said it.

Sera was taken aback at first. I guess she didn't expect my passionate tone, either. She took back her journal and settled into thought for a moment, pondering something much larger than our little corner of the bakery, then shook herself out of it with a nervous laugh.

"Well, um, how are your rehearsals going?" she asked.

My shoulders slumped—a sharp contrast to the power-speech I'd just given. "To be honest, I think I could stand to take my own advice," I admitted. "This shit-fest with Qiyana is taking a toll on my creative process."

Sera nodded along. "Yeah, I don't blame you. But it sounds like you're fairing better than Kali, at least."

"Kali? Why, what's going on with her?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed by how I leaned over the table at the mention of her.

"We've barely heard from her since last night," Sera frowned. "I went with Ahri and Kai to check on her this morning, but when she opened up, she didn't even bother to take the chain off the door and just said she was tired and wanted to be alone. She hasn't answered any of our texts since, either."

My chest sank at the thought. My messages had gone unanswered as well, which I was hoping was a result of Akali going on a bike trip somewhere and making the best of her unexpected free time, but it seemed my hopes were a bit too optimistic.

"Is this normal for her? Did she do things like this before the competition?" I wondered aloud.

Sera shook her head, confirming my fear that this was hitting Akali a lot harder than she was letting on—and giving me even more reason to pay her a visit.

I excused myself under the cover of needing to get back to rehearsal, and thanked Sera for letting me join her and peek at her work. I didn't get far before she stopped me for a hug, one that I didn't realize how much we both needed, before speaking up with her usual, cheery tone.

"You should pick up a treat before you go," she urged with a short giggle at something. "Oh—and tell Kali I said hi."

Chapter Text

My fingers gently curled and knocked at the cold door. My expectations were limited, and I wasn't sure what kind of reaction I'd get after how Sera described Akali's mood, but there was only silence at my request. Did she have a change of heart and leave? I wondered.

Once more I rattled the frame, and this time there was a swish of fabric inside followed by a muffled voice.

"Go awaaay," Akali groaned. "I'm trying to sleep, I don't want company."

I cleared my throat, squaring up to the door as though she or anyone else could see me. "...Not even mine?" I called out hopefully.

The short silence revealed a thump of movement, and soon the crack of locks being undone filled the gap between us.

"What are you doing here?" Akali asked, shifting her gaze over me. It was less-so as a means of flirting, and more as a way of making sure her freshly-rubbed eyes were identifying me correctly. "Shouldn't you be practicing so you can kick Qiyana's ass once and for all?"

I shrugged past her as I let myself in, heading straight for the kitchenette I'd memorized the layout of during my last visit. "Wasn't feeling it," I answered lightly, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her while I helped myself to the small paper plates and napkins tucked in a cupboard. "I was worried and wanted to check on you, but it also gave me an opportunity to pick us up some wonderful-smelling sweets. And I'll have you know I rarely allow myself this luxury, even back home during off-season—so you'd be ruining my fun if you didn't indulge, too."

Akali looked concerned. "You weren't 'feeling' rehearsal? And you got dessert on a whim—are you sure you're okay?" She asked the questions plainly, but she was still interested enough to pass up climbing back into her messy bed and come investigate what I was doing.

"Since when are you the worry-wart?" I teased, shoving the warm treat into her hand as a reward for her curiosity. "But really, I'm fine—now stop asking questions and enjoy."

Akali fit in one last blink at me before inspecting the green powdered donut, and she lit up once she recognized the aroma. "Matcha? How'd you know?" she asked.

"Don't give me all the credit," I said, smiling as I thought back on my time chatting and sipping bubble tea with Ahri. "I'm not the only one who cares enough to get to know you. I think your team would be more than happy to support you like this as well, if you let them."

She grabbed her neck with a soft wince at herself. But I wasn't going to pressure her for an answer, so I encouraged us to focus on our atrocious excuse of a lunch instead.

A few messy bites in, Akali abruptly glanced over with a suspicious squint and a mouthful. "How do you have so much energy?"

I wasn't expecting to be accused of such a thing after my sluggish morning, but the more I thought about it, I realized I had picked up a second-wind since arriving. "I guess your company was just what I needed." I mused.

Akali rolled her eyes before eventually landing on me. "You don't have to lie to me, I know I'm—" She cut herself off with another question. "Wait, why are you smiling like that?"

"You're just cute when you're grumpy."

One pouch of empty calories for each of us later, it was time to actually check on her, as I had originally planned to.

"So, how are you feeling?" I asked, before shooting a firm, yet sincere look at her. "And please, don't pretend you're fine, because clearly that's not the case."

Akali hesitated. "Does this being the longest I've spent out of bed today answer your question?"

I resisted the urge to smother her with all the kind words and gestures I could think of just to see her smile again. But it would happen eventually, I told myself. It was just hard not to try and fix everything when I knew she was going through so much.

"It does," I answered, "and I think the rest of your girls are going through something similar, in their own ways. But it always hits hardest for us as the leaders."

She slumped with a weak nod, but she didn't look like she had anything to add, so I continued.

"Speaking of your team, how did Eve take the news?" I asked, since she confided in me last night about how concerned she was to tell her manager what happened after the show.

Akali wrung her hands on the breakfast bar in front of her. "About as well as she could have, I guess," she started. "I couldn't bring myself to break the news to her face after you guys left the theater, so I texted her as soon as I left and got a short, unemotional response with dead silence ever since. I assume it's 'cause she's been on damage control, but I can't help feeling like I let her down and she's upset with me now."

I nodded her along, noticing the dampened expression that crossed her features as she spoke, and reached for her hand so I could squeeze it. "I'm not going to pretend I get why, but I can tell you care a lot about what she thinks of you. I just hope she isn't unintentionally hurting you by holding that much of your respect," I explained.

"It's complicated," she quietly blurted, then pulled back from the far-off look in her eyes. "Okay, that sounded cliché—but it's 'cause she took a chance on me when no one else would. It's hard not to care after she's done so much for me, and that's why I feel so terrible about what happened. For everyone, though, not just Eve."

She knew I didn't fully understand, and I probably never would, but I was starting to piece together their complex history—even if I didn't think it excused the woman's questionable moments of behavior. But with that being said, an uncertainty hung over us that I was too invested in to leave untouched.

"So what now?"

Akali cracked a smile, but it was much sadder than I'd hoped. "You win the competition without us. Duh."

"Akali," I asserted, which garnered her attention more effectively than I expected it to, and even earned me the pleasure of her face popping up to meet mine before I continued. "There's no way in hell you're satisfied leaving like this, so I'll rephrase the question: what's your hairbrained scheme to get back into the competition going to be?"

She frowned at the question. "I saw the way that producer looked at me. She made it clear she never wants me stepping foot on their stage again, so there's not much I can do about that part. I did offer to find a replacement so The Baddest could continue with the competition, though, and the girls refused to do it without me for whatever reason. I guess now we're just biding our time until the competition is over, and then we'll go home and do...whatever."

If she put any effort into not sounding utterly miserable at the thought, it was lost on me. "Kali, they refused to compete without you because they care about you."

"I know, and look where it got them," she gestured toward the girls' rooms below with a bitter flick of her hand. "Obviously I didn't mean for this to happen, but it's still letting everyone down—even Mythic, and especially you."

I froze at the pain in her voice. The guilt, the pressure, whatever it was—it was eating her alive, and she was trying to deal with it all by herself. But I couldn't let things continue this way, not if I had a say in the matter.

"The whole reason this happened is because you defended me. Are you saying you regret doing that?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She scratched her head with a mumble. "Well no, but—"

"Then there's nothing to beat yourself up over," I interrupted. "If it wasn't for Qiyana, you wouldn't have had to do that in the first place—so if you want someone to blame, it's her. And I don't want to see you taking on the consequences of that sore loser, or anyone else's, actions."

Akali groaned and threw her head into her hands. She knew I was right, she just didn't know what to do with it yet—but I knew where we could start.

"Okay, that's enough of this. Come on, let's get you out of this depression-den." I commanded, gripping her hand tight enough to at least sway her from the seat.

Akali mumbled in defiance, asking what there even was to do—so I explained that my hour break was almost up, and that she should come along to our next round of rehearsals to keep us company.

"I dunno, Starlight... I don't really want anyone other than you seeing me like this." she trailed.

"I think the distraction will be good for you," I insisted, finally pulling her up once she considered the idea enough to stop fighting me. "And if nothing else, you'll be helping me out with my creative process."

She shot me a skeptical look while I shoved her toward the bathroom. "Me? You're the best choreographer I know, so what do you need me for?" she questioned.

A shy smile crept into my warm cheeks. "You make me push myself to do my best, because I want to impress you."

Akali paused in the door and laughed over her shoulder. She was surprised at first when she realized I wasn't joking, but she settled on being flattered.

"Alright then—if me being there ensures you do your best and send Qiyana packing, then you've got a deal. Just don't let me gloom the place up, okay?"

Once we had an agreement, Akali slipped behind the fancy bathroom door, and she nearly disappeared before she stopped herself and glanced back at me. "Hey, Starlight?" she asked, like somehow she was oblivious to my full attention. "I appreciate you coming to check on me, and I'm sorry I didn't respond to your messages earlier. I know that was shitty. I guess I don't know how to handle my feelings without shutting everyone out—but I'm gonna work on it, 'cause I care about all of you, and I want to impress you too."

I whispered how sweet she is to myself, unsure if she heard me under my breath. "Wow, that's... Thank you." I finished.

"What are you thanking me for? You're the one who took the time out of your nutso schedule to come cheer up my depressed ass. And as selfish as this is, it worked, 'cause I felt a lot better when I heard your voice at the door. But I didn't want you to feel obligated to take care of me when this competition means so much to you guys, so I kinda tried to push you away. Sorry...again." she said.

I tilted my head at her, as if to challenge the sentiment. "This may be the competition of my dreams," I said, softly cupping her face and bringing myself closer so it would sink in, "but I wouldn't turn my back on you for the world's greatest prize."

Akali's eyes twinkled down at me. The way she searched my gaze looked like she wanted to ask if I really meant it, so I tilted her toward me until I could place a kiss on her forehead. I thought my answer would stick with her better that way.

She finally smiled at the gesture—a real one, this time—but it was different. This wasn't her brazen smirk that accompanied a devious thought, or the cracking-at-the-seams kind she pulled after telling a really bad joke. It was gentle. She was letting herself be the most vulnerable I'd seen yet, and simultaneously the most beautiful.

My eyes yanked free of her and zipped over to the funky clock. Fuck. It felt like every time I looked at that thing she was making one of us late for something—and she made it difficult to care.

"Now, off with you if you don't want Becca asking perverted questions about why we're late," I teased, pushing her back into the bathroom before she could distract me with that look again.

She rubbed her face and scanned around the room for what had to be done, then landed on her reflection in the mirror with a grimace. "Okay, but it's gonna take a hot minute—and I might need some help."

"Five minutes. And I'll brush your hair for you," I laughed lovingly.

Akali's face turned devilish and familiar as she pushed the door shut with her behind. The look certainly suited her most of the time, but I couldn't wait to see more of this new, softer side of hers—and if I had the choice, I'd be seeing it for many years to come.

Chapter Text

The girls hovered behind me while I ran through the same four counts and came to the same creative dead-end on repeat. We were a couple of hours into rehearsal, and while Akali's presence had helped me get some new material down, coming up with ideas was all I'd done so far. Nothing had been finished let alone taught yet, and I was starting to feel the pressure.

I glanced over at our guest. She was sprawled out against the mirrors and looked like she was on the verge of falling asleep—but then I realized the look wasn't sleepy at all. Her longing gaze followed me around until she caught mine returning the favor, and it only averted once her phone slipped from her inattentive grip and had to be juggled into her lap so it didn't crack on the floor. It took great strength not to tease her for that.

With a playful smile at the sight, I closed my eyes and pulled my focus back into my own head—and back to the stage. I had our song picked out and a few costume designs to choose from, as well as a vague idea of what dance style would complement them, so now I just needed a routine that would pull it all together. It was a solid concept, and one that I had high hopes could set us apart from whatever extravagant plans Qiyana surely had by now. And yet, something was still missing.

"Captain, you've been on this count for like thirty minutes." Becca complained behind me like an impatient child in the backseat of a car, but she didn't let my shooing motion stop her from shouting across the room. "Yo Kali, you're here to help with her creative process or whatever, right? You got any ideas?"

I rolled my eyes, giving up on the attempt to work. "Don’t let Becca pressure you—all you have to do is sit there and look pretty," I assured her.

That got Akali's attention, but not the flattered kind. "I didn't build my brand on ‘pretty’, ” she stood and pouted over her comfortably folded arms, “but sexy? That I can do."

We shared a smirk at each other as she hopped over and asked me to show her what I had so far. She watched carefully as I obliged, and I could already see the gears turning as she gave me an encouraging nod.

"Okay, it's pretty good so far—but I see why you're getting stuck. It could use some flavor," she declared.

I blinked at her. "Flavor? This isn't ramen, Akali."

She laughed, and it sent my heart racing. It somehow sounded even more precious than usual, and the butterflies in my stomach scrambled in response.

"Hey—don't make me hungry if you want my help," Akali teased. "But I'm talking about that bit of signature flair that every good choreographer gives to their routines. And that includes you," she explained, then started grooving around me with what I could only guess was another one of her impromptu freestyle sessions. It started out pretty normal as she pulled out a handful of tricks that I had to agree were very her, but she wasn't about to take herself too seriously, and it quickly devolved into her acting out whatever silly ideas popped into her brain from moment to moment. Admittedly, it wasn't exactly helping with my routine—but after the way I'd found her that morning, it was well worth watching.

After taking a deep breath and trying not to question what I was about to do, I took the room by surprise and jumped in beside Akali with my best attempt at freestyling that I could pull off with a recovering ankle injury. I was about to laugh myself out of it when I noticed how happy she looked that I was participating, and Becca's cheers to keep going piled on.

"Hey, that's what I'm talking about! Now what if we did one of these..." Akali suggested, then slipped against me to guide us through something that combined whatever our "flavors" were quite nicely. She added onto my ideas as I did to hers, and before I realized it, we'd already created half of a kick-ass routine—for a duo performance.

We both glanced up at the mirrors in unison, finding the rest of my group watching on from the side with implying expressions after they had apparently cleared the floor for us, and Akali took that as her cue to bow out.

"Well—something like that, anyway," she mumbled.

Becca finished her applause early as she pranced over to us. "Damn. Too bad this isn't a partner-dancing competition, 'cause whatever you just did would win the whole thing," she announced, then prodded Akali with her elbow before she continued. "Maybe we'll have to start offering ballroom classes back at the studio for you two to teach together."

I gave her a sneering smile as if to say "Yeah, sure Bec," but when I glanced over at Akali expecting a timely comeback, I found her trying to discreetly cover her face like she usually did when she was nervous. Was it because of Becca's suggestion? Would she actually consider something like that?

Instead of letting our curiosity get the better of us, I pulled the attention back to myself. "It was a fun exercise, but I have all of you to account for, not just two of us. Now let's get back to it before I push back our practice time even further," I directed.

"Yeah, about that..." Becca winced, flicking up her Apple Watch to check the time. "We've got like two minutes left and I'm starving, so unless you've miraculously finished the rest of the routine and want to spend it cramming in a choreo lesson, we're gonna head off to lunch."

My eyes darted to the clock for confirmation, and sure enough, our spontaneous freestyling had already taken up the ten minutes I thought I had left. Great. Another hour of practice and nothing to show for it, I thought.

"Yep, so have fun frying your brain," Becca teased, pausing to hold the door for the rest of the girls on their way out. "By the way, I'm taking the team to McDonald's if you want to join, Kali."

Akali perked up at the offer, but settled on a polite smile. "Thanks, but I think I'll stay back and help out with this routine for you guys," she answered.

Becca shrugged. "Your loss. I don't know about anyone else, but I could kill for a MacDaddy right now."

"Daddy, huh?" Akali gave her a skeptical laugh. "I thought you liked women too much for that."

With little to argue and a convenient excuse to escape right in front of her, my co-captain said her goodbyes and followed the rest of our team out the door, leaving us in fresh silence.

"So what's the plan? Can I help with anything?" Akali asked.

I let my lips curve into a lighthearted smile as I began packing my bag to leave. "I think I've used my brain enough for one day."

"You— Did I hear that right?" she asked, looking over my shoulder for confirmation before finishing her thought. "You're full of surprises today. Who is this and what happened to my adorable workaholic?"

My bag was left half-zipped while I turned and shot her the smuggest look I could pull off. "What happened is the way you were looking at me all rehearsal," I said.

The curse under her breath was barely audible, but still loud enough for me to feel proud of.

"Ah—that's embarrassing," she softly chuckled, bringing a hand up to hold her neck. "I was kinda hoping you didn't notice."

I stepped up to her—which going by the look on her face, she wasn't expecting—then gently slid the back of my finger down her cheek.

"Well I did. And luckily for you, I found it quite hot."

Akali swallowed and watched me carefully. She didn't know what to do with herself, and it was too adorable not to answer with a giggle.

"You look really cute when you're flustered, you know that?" I lilted.

Her jaw clenched under a smile, like she couldn't decide if she loved or hated that compliment, but her cockiness took over before I could relish in it. "You really wanna make this a competition? 'Cause I can assure you, you are much easier to get flustered—and twice as cute, too."

My former rival's kindly-veiled threat left me with the very expression I had just teased her for. Damn it. Not looking to fuel her argument, I quickly busied myself gathering my things before it could get any worse, but that didn't stop me from hearing the triumphant snicker at my back.

Once I finished, I looped my bag over my shoulder and strode for the door with a nod at her to come along.

"Where are you headed off to looking so confident?" she asked.

I paused to wait for her, but not just to be polite. “Nowhere. Not alone, anyway." I answered.

She gave me a curious glance as she started to pass by, but I stopped her and pressed her back against the doorframe with a kiss that lingered far longer than it was supposed to. Our lips broke apart with a mutual breath of restraint, quickly followed with a frustrated laugh. I'd wanted to do that all day—but now I didn't want to stop.

"Starlight," she asserted, or at least she tried to sound assertive under her distracted breath. "Are you sure you wanna do this right now? I mean, don't get me wrong, I am all for it—but don't you have another rehearsal in less than an hour? I don't wanna rush this."

My heart fluttered at the sentiment. Akali wasn't wrong about my intentions, nor was she wrong about my never-ending schedule—but I wasn't sure I'd be able to ignore this feeling much longer, especially not when I kept inviting her to our team's activities.

I stepped back with a sigh. "I know—you're right," I quietly admitted.

"Hey, it's okay," she assured me, gently scooping up my head with her hands. "It's nice to know we're on the same page about that, but there's no pressure for where or when we get there. It'll work out eventually. So for now, if you want, we can hang out just the two of us and like, cuddle and make out or something. We'll call it quality time—it'll be chill."

Akali offered an apologetic smile as she pulled me in for a hug this time. It wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind, but having her in my arms felt so right. Part of me didn't want to move at all, but her offer was too good to pass up—so after one last squeeze, I took her hand and headed for the nearest elevator.

Once we reached my floor, I greedily dragged my guest across the patterned carpet, taking care not to trip on it as we neared the last corner.

"Hey, hey, woah! I appreciate the enthusiasm, but you're gonna yank my arm off at this rate," Akali giggled.

I shared a particularly unrefined laugh with her as I looked back at the trail of antics. Something sprouted in the back of my mind, pointing out that I would usually roll my eyes whenever I saw people acting like this in public, but maybe I just didn't know what I was missing all this time. Or maybe Becca was right about Akali changing me for the better recently. But either way, as we rounded the corner, I felt myself welling with something I couldn't quite place. Was I really this nervous to sit in my room and watch reruns of Dance Moms with her?

I was shaken out of the thought when I felt Akali stop dead in her tracks, and the pull of unwanted thoughts weren't far behind. Did I come on too strong earlier? Am I scaring her off? Is she—

"About time you showed up, Starlight."

The curl in Qiyana's voice sent the worst kind of shiver up my spine before I'd even turned to look at her. But that was the least of my problems.

"How are— How the hell did you get my room number?" I demanded.

Her head popped up from the oversized ring she was admiring with a piercing smirk, giving me more than enough time to take her in, which was way more than I cared for. She was trying a little too hard to pose against the wall she was leaning on, and the sight almost reminded me of Eve if not for her short stature and the different perfume—not that hers smelled any less expensive than Eve's.

She finally scoffed at me, as if she wasn't the one stalking her competition like some creepy ex who couldn't move on. "What can I say? I know the right people. Not that it's any of your concern, since I highly doubt we'll be seeing any more of each other after this."

My brows furrowed at her. Never seeing her again would've been a lovely thought—if it weren't for the unexplained implication that went along with it.

"Alright, cut the shit," Akali interrupted. "Either leave or give me a good reason not to call security of my own."

Qiyana's laugh sliced through the hall. "What are you, her guard dog? It's almost cute—too bad it makes you look so desperate," she jeered.

I heard the tail-end of a strangled huff over my shoulder, and I didn't stop Akali when she pulled out her phone to make good on her threat. But unfortunately for us, Qiyana wasn't that easily swayed.

"Oh, I'm so scared. What are you going to do? Call the cops on me for hurting your feelings?" Qiyana taunted. "The only reason I'm here is to see the look on your faces now that I've basically won the entire competition, so you can save yourself the call."

Akali's hand froze over her screen in unison with the questions beginning to buzz around in my head. I tried to force myself to ask Qiyana what she meant, but it just didn't make any sense. She had to be bluffing, right?

The looks on our faces must have asked the question for us, because Qiyana started giggling to herself, drinking in every second of it. "Oh my god—you don't know yet, do you?" she asked.

My hands started to shake as I pulled out my phone to see what she could possibly be talking about, and the three random messages from Eve I found waiting for me somehow filled me with more dread than the stream of notifications piling up from my social media apps.

It's Eve. Just letting you know that you and Akali are both being accused of things that I'm sure aren't true, and I'm doing everything I can to keep this from affecting the competition. Will update soon.

Update: Nothing is confirmed yet, but it's not looking good.

I'm sorry, honey. The producers think it's best if you and Akali are disqualified until they can sort these rumors out, and they can't keep the production schedule waiting that long. I did everything I could.

My eyes lost focus of the screen. Akali was saying something behind me, but I couldn't concentrate on her voice—or anything, for that matter. None of this felt real. It just felt like one of the pre-performance nightmares I got from time to time, the kind that I'd wake up from and need Becca to snap me out of by cracking jokes until I felt better. But this was no dream, and there was no escaping it.

Qiyana's shrill excitement forced me back to reality. "You should see your faces! I would film this, but I think this is too priceless to share," she applauded to herself. "Oh—and I suggest one of you start looking for a replacement. Otherwise, it looks like I'll be taking that sham of a victory back from you, Mythic—permanently."

I blinked as her hips swayed past us to leave. It barely registered how Akali stepped between us in case she pulled anything, but nothing was there to protect me from that obnoxious perfume lingering through the hallway. And there was certainly nothing to protect me from the rage building inside.

"Hey...Starlight?" Akali's shaky voice repeated, but she had to give my shoulder a good nudge before I acknowledged her. "You okay? You've been spacing out on me."

I turned and glared at the empty hall behind us, where the woman who potentially just ruined both of our careers without a second thought had sauntered through like a hurricane. I was not okay, but neither was her getting away with this without a fight.

"Don't worry about me—we've got work to do."

Chapter Text

I slammed my fist against the first-floor button in the elevator and went back to giving anything with the misfortune of facing me a sour glare over my tightly folded arms. Qiyana clearly didn't know who she was dealing with, but I was going to make sure she did...somehow.

Akali scratched her neck and gave me a careful glance. "So uh, where are we going?" she asked.

"I don't know yet," I admitted, feeling a wave of anxious energy run through me until it landed in my bouncing heel. "We could find Eve and figure out how the hell this happened, or gather the girls to break the news and come up with a plan—I don't really care. I just can't stand around and do nothing."

She rubbed her face with a curse, but this time it wasn't shy. "I'm really sorry. This whole thing is fucked, and it never would've happened if I hadn't entered this competition. At least then she wouldn't have a reason to personally target you like this," she sighed.

I shook my head and reminded her that this wasn't her fault. The only thing I regretted was not taking Becca more seriously this morning when she had suggested some wild, vigilante-style scheme to catch Qiyana red-handed and clear Akali's name. I'd dismissed it as a bad look for us to be meddling with a formal investigation—but now I wasn't ruling anything out.

"Hey. I know you're frustrated, and I'm sure you'll figure something out with that genius brain," Akali started, then scooped up my hands to make sure I was paying attention, "but I don't think it's a good idea to make any big decisions right now. You still have plenty of time before the next round of filming, so why don't we take a breath and try to get our heads on straight first?"

My argument that I was calm enough was quickly challenged by a skeptical look at my trembling hands, which unfortunately for me, there was no denying. "Ugh, fine—but I still need to get out of here. I can't get the taste of her perfume out of my mouth," I grimaced.

"Right, hmm..." Akali squinted until she came up with something that satisfied her. "C'mon. I think I know what'll help."

I knew we were going to a gym based on the Google Maps route Akali's phone was displaying on the dash of her bike, but as we pulled up to it, it looked like anything but. If it weren't for the giant sign out front labeling it as a gym, it could've easily passed as one of the ultra-modern mansions dotted around the outskirts of the city, and I was curious to see what was filling the multi-level building as I followed her inside.

The entrance matched the exterior, largely covered by sterile tiling and sleek finishes. It smelled surprisingly clean for a gym, too. After glancing over the list of amenities on a welcome sign, I found out what the space was being allocated to, including a snack bar, shower rooms, and a set of indoor and outdoor pools—as if one of each wasn't enough, I thought.

Akali excused herself and headed into the changing rooms—which I thought was odd, considering she was still wearing her dance gear underneath her leather jacket—but I shrugged it off and took the opportunity to check out the atmosphere. The hum of treadmills running on the second floor drew my attention through the glass railing, where they were all lined up by a large window overlooking the packed parking lot just outside. I always wondered why gyms did that, but what baffled me most of all was the people who chose to do their workouts in a spot where anyone could peer in and judge their every move. Glancing over the clientele, which was mostly female and all rather fit, I decided maybe they were doing it for the attention to give their performance an extra boost or—

"Looks like someone's enjoying the view," Akali teased from behind me. "Do I have competition to worry about?"

I whirled around to assure her it wasn't like that when I noticed she had changed into a proper set of gym clothes—which were much tighter, and certainly left less to the imagination than her baggy dance gear. My body quickly remembered where we'd left off back at our practice room. Fuck, not now, I begged. Akali's knowing laugh teased me as I rubbed my face and guzzled some water to distract myself, but luckily she didn't say anything and followed me over to the most energy-draining equipment I could find: the punching bags.

After strapping on the designated gloves and squaring myself up to the bag, I blinked at it. It had been many years since the couple of kickboxing classes I'd taken on a whim, and the information certainly wasn't fresh anymore. Akali stepped up to the bag beside mine—with excellent form, I noticed—and I started to feel self-conscious, as if I was one of the people flaunting myself by the window. Then I reminded myself why we were here.

Pnff. My knuckles teased the vinyl with their first, shaky strike. I tried again, hoping I would find my rhythm if I kept at it, but my heart just wasn't in it. I guess I'd gotten too good at holding myself back.

My eyes clamped shut, allowing me to picture the snobby, entitled sore-loser I was forced to call my competitor as of a couple hours ago like she was right in front of me. That got the fire going—and there was a lot of fuel to burn.

Why? I asked myself. Why did it have to be her? My whole life, I did everything I could to ensure fair competitions that every participant could walk away from feeling proud of themselves. I even did my best to instill that integrity in all of my students back home. But even then, all fighting clean had gotten me was a boot to the face before I could even reach the finish line— So was that it? Was it all for nothing?

I let myself get lost in the thought-to-bag flow, and I had no idea how long I'd been at it for when I heard Akali plop onto a bench. She pulled down her mask to catch her breath, and I could only imagine how hard it must have been for her to breathe with that thing on during a workout. The urge to scold her consumed me again, but I knew better than to try convincing her not to uphold her brand image—or whatever Eve called the pressure she put on her—that kept Akali wearing it in the first place.

Akali checked me out while she wiped a sloppy swig of water from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Are your workouts always this intense?" She asked.

"Maybe they would be if the gym back home was even half as nice as this one," I laughed, but it was more frustrated than amused. "We'd be lucky to find a single vending machine at the one in town. It would probably make the newspaper."

I couldn't tell if it was her giggle filling the air or the endorphins kicking in that was making me feel better all of a sudden, but I didn't want to stop working out and risk losing my adrenaline just yet. It looked like she was watching me from the corner of my eye as I continued, but when I glanced over, I realized her dreamy stare was actually far off into the afternoon sky as her voice drifted over.

"Guess you should start getting used to the fancy treatment, then," She suggested.

My eyebrow raised at her without skipping a beat of my set. "I highly doubt that's going to happen. My career is already taking a massive blow from this, and it's barely even started yet."

Akali flicked her mask up, mumbling into it as she toyed with a piece of her ponytail that had come loose.

"I actually meant you'll have to get used to it if I make you a permanent part of my brand...and my life."

The next jab stopped short of hitting the bag. My heart was already pounding from the workout, but this felt like something else. I didn't care about the celebrity lifestyle—in fact, it sounded kind of dreadful, and I had no plans to rest in a state of complacency even if I were to find myself in that position—but being a part of her life beyond this trip was something I was already having dreams about. I had just been too cautious to admit it out loud yet.

I finally dared a glance at Akali. Her head was turned with a hand clamped against her mouth despite the mask already covering it, and she only yanked it away once she noticed my eyes on her.

"Shit, sorry—I didn't mean to say that out loud." She winced at herself.

The smile creeping over my face almost felt foreign to me after spending the past hour looking like I wanted to kill someone. "Don't be. It's cute," I said.

"...Really?" Her body visibly melted until she remembered we were in public, then cleared her throat and glanced around for any unwanted attention. "I mean, if you say so."

My smirk deepened. She was keeping her word and trying to be more careful with me in public—but now that my career was basically over, what was there to lose?

Shadows filled in Akali's face as I stepped in front of the bench. I tucked one side of my hair away as our faces grew closer, calling out to her in a whisper. "No need to be shy now, Kali."

She either didn't have time to react or just made no attempt to dodge me. I hovered over her, gently tilting her jaw up to face me, and watched as her attention fluttered between my eyes and lips over her mask.

"Someone must be feeling better." Each word melted into a sigh that practically begged me to keep going, but she held firm. "What's with the change of heart, though? I thought we were keeping things, y'know—just between us."

I let go and bristled at the thought. "It doesn't matter anymore. My plans are already ruined, so I might as well enjoy what's left of this trip—and that means enjoying you," I answered.

"Well if that's the case, then maybe you won’t mind if I...” she paused to pop up from the bench and pull me in with a hand at each of my sides, and this time she came onto me now that she had the height advantage. “...do this?”

My breath caught at the sensation of it. But I wouldn't be so easily defeated—not when I felt like this. The urge to take it out on her in a way that a punching bag could never provide nagged at my every move, but I clenched my teeth and steadied myself. Not yet.

I gave her a calm stare. "Careful. You and I both know I'm more than capable of turning this back around on you," I warned.

"This is true—and hot. Maybe I should get you angry more often," she joked. "But, if I'm not mistaken—I think you're a little too weak in the knees to pull anything like that off at the moment."

She was almost right, I admitted—and especially after the velvety accusation rolled off her tongue like that. But once my hands drew into her hair and around the back of her neck to pull myself in, I lowered my voice to match.

"I wouldn't be so sure."

The way her eyes widened down at me was intoxicating. I wanted more of it. The sound of her breath seeped through her mask, and her stare was softening into that wonderful look again—but it all stopped when she gently pushed me away.

"Sorry, fuck, I just—" she rambled breathlessly and pinched her forehead like she was dizzy. "Look—I don't think either of us are in the right headspace for this right now. I mean, I'm still recovering from last night, and you're understandably pissed off from Qiyana, but I don't want any of that shit tainting our time together. Not with something this important."

I stepped back and closed my eyes, as if that would somehow protect me from the consequences of my own actions. What was I thinking? We're in the middle of the world's most see-through gym, and right after all of that drama and emotional turmoil, no less— How could I expect either of us to be ready?

Akali must have picked up on my inner dialogue and offered a steady hand on my shoulder. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. You still did amazing, and I can't wait to see where this goes once we're both feeling better, okay?" she affirmed.

My soft nod was enough to satisfy her as an answer, and I was kind of relieved when she turned to grab our bags. I guess the adrenaline finally ran out, and all that remained was the thing I had been dreading all afternoon: the part where I actually had to accept what happened. We were both out of the competition...and it wasn't even our fault.

"Ready to head out? I don't know about you, but I'm starving, and I think I saw a sign for a food festival or something when we—" Akali came back to hand me my bag, but it didn't even make it into my hand before it was on the ground and her arms were around me. "Shit—please tell me this isn't 'cause of me. I promise I enjoyed it, and you are seriously hot—I just didn't want us to regret anything."

It didn't even feel like I was crying, aside from the warmth trickling down my cheek. "No, it's not you. You were right, it's just—I guess I can't believe it's over," I quietly explained.

She brushed my tears away and squeezed me tighter. "I get that. I couldn't believe it at first, either—it felt like it was too unfair and too sudden to actually be happening."

I buried my face in her shoulder and let the silence sink in. What else was there to say—how unfair life is? How much I despised Qiyana? How I would do almost anything to clear my name and fix this shit-fest, but instead I just had to sit around and pray that these biased producers would somehow figure out what really happened before next week?

Akali interrupted my thoughts to rub my back like I usually did for everyone else. "You know it's okay to be sad, right? 'Cause I'm not going anywhere," she told me.

"I know," I answered, letting my arms gently curl around her. "I just wish I could be better company."

I felt her smile against the side of my head with an amused hum. "Starlight, there is literally no one else I'd rather be with right now."

The checklist of major people in her life went through my mind. There was her mom, who she seemed to adore, then whatever her relationship with Eve was. She had Sera with her sweet-yet-sensitive personality, Ahri, who showed a well of maternal instincts once you got to know her, and then there was her long-standing history with Kai. But even with all of those promising options, she still chose me, the woman who was crying at the gym like some nutjob from a reality TV-show.

It was like Akali was learning how to read my silence. "I mean it," she emphasized, then slipped away to offer my bag to me one final time. "Now then, if you're up for it—let's go get our minds off of this."

Chapter Text

The scent of cotton candy and salted pretzels wafted by from different directions. Joyful crowds filled the air with excitement, while colorful hot-air balloons calmly dotted the sky above them. Big, warm light bulbs strung across the vendor's tents were swaying in the modest summer breeze, casting a lovely glow over the area, and got caught in the twinkling eyes of children and adults alike who were happily enjoying their late afternoons together.

An empty sadness filled me despite the soft smile I gave to the passing crowd. It was picture-perfect, I thought, before realizing I did not belong in such a scene.

A group of teenagers who had gathered around a campfire ring bubbled with laughter in the distance. Curious, I watched them, remembering when Bec and I used to have the time to enjoy things like that back in our school days. A new source of dread filled my chest. As supportive as Becca had been through the process of getting into the competition, I noticed she seemed a little more restless than usual lately, and I couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with the time she and Eve spent together at Club Venus. I'd been trying to avoid thinking about it in hopes of just surviving this competition before any serious drama could rear its ugly head, but it seemed that was one thing Qiyana was good at creating.

I blinked out of my daydream when my phone vibrated in my bag. The message was from Becca, asking where I was and saying that she and the girls were locked out of our practice room—and a wave of panic wasn't far behind. Shit, I realized, I forgot to tell them.

Akali returned to the picnic bench she'd left me at to find me aggressively typing out a response that I wish I never would've had to send.

"Writing a post about Qiyana so soon?" She asked, plopping down on the other side of the bench with a half-smile to match her half-joking tone.

I glanced up at the corn dogs she was holding, one of which was proudly stretched out and waiting for me, and I took it with the hand I wasn't using to text. "I wish. Even that would be less painful than filling the girls in late on what happened."

"Makes sense though," she nodded and mumbled through her mouthful, "there was plenty to be distracted by."

It shouldn't have surprised me that we both glanced up at each other in that moment, but it still did, and our eyes were left locked until she broke away to clear her throat and change the subject.

"Y'know, for someone whose brand is built on being a rule-breaker, you'd probably be surprised by how many I have to follow," she said.

I shook my head, somewhat grateful for the topic change. "I'm actually not surprised, Miss Superstar—but I am curious what kind of rules you have."

"Well for starters, if Eve was here, she would never let me eat one of these," she explained, nodding down at her half-eaten corn dog. "According to her, someone might take a picture of me with anything shaped like this and slap some nasty caption on it, which would be bad for the brand, and blah blah— You get it."

After glancing down the row of food vendors and spotting at least a dozen other options she had to choose from, I came back to her. "Why did you get these, then?" I asked.

"Figured we both deserve to let loose a little after the day we've had," she explained, growing a smile as she looked over. "And honestly? I'm just tired of my career getting in the way of our time together. And in the way of junk food."

I offered her a polite smile in return, but thoughts of the competition quickly consumed me as my focus drifted off into the horizon, which did not go unnoticed.

"What's on that beautiful mind, Gorgeous?" Akali asked.

My eyebrows stretched into a questioning look. "You don't have to call me that, you know. Especially not after I had my dream crushed and then hit the gym all in one day—I can't imagine I look my best after all of that."

"I know I don't have to," she laughed, "but I want to. 'Cause you're always gonna look gorgeous to me."

What little emotional energy I had left made me want to melt at the sentiment. It was just too bad that was all I had in me to react with, and my worries were quick to take their space in my thoughts again.

"Well, to answer your question, I've been wondering what Qiyana said to get us pulled from the show. It must have been pretty awful to make them act as quickly as they have." I explained.

Akali slumped forward over the table and made a cross between a sigh and a growl at the idea. "Yeah, and I'm still pretty fuckin' pissed that you guys got swept up in this shit in the first place," she shared with a low voice to avoid angering any stray parents passing by, "but I have an idea to make it up to you."

The trill in her words suggested it was something to be excited for, which would've sent my heart into my throat just a few hours ago, but even that fell short for me. "Well that's very nice of you, but you don't have anything to make up for. And like you said earlier—we're not in the right headspace to explore that yet," I answered.

"Damn, Starlight—what kind of woman do you take me for?" She winked playfully. "But really though, that's not what I was getting at. I thought what we could use is a nice, proper date later this week now that we have the time for it. How does that sound?"

I internally grimaced at myself for the assumption, but I blamed it on my mental exhaustion and tried not to dwell. "Well in that case, it would be my pleasure. But be warned—if you keep spoiling me like this, I really am going to get used to it one day," I weakly smirked.

"That's the plan—but it's not just an excuse to make you feel special. We have no idea what'll happen once we go home, so I think we should use the rest of our time here getting to know each other and figuring out what we could be in the future."

The way she mentioned our future so confidently made me wonder if she realized just how difficult it was going to be, for two people with as different of lives as we had, to stay in touch let alone try to foster a close relationship once we went back to our lives. But the sentiment made me happy regardless, so I chose not to think too deeply about the details and just agreed to her plans for now.

I glanced down at my DMs with Becca. She hadn't responded yet, and I didn't know what to make of that, given the importance of the matter. My mind was going in all kinds of directions—wondering if she was too upset to respond, or if she was taking her time breaking the news to the rest of the girls, or if maybe they'd taken it surprisingly well and decided to go back to McDonald's for the rest of the evening—and that was when a chunky boot flew into view, shortly followed by the rest of a leg swinging over the bench to plop down and straddle it beside me.

“That bitch did not, ” Becca demanded.

Akali giggled at my startled reaction, glancing between the two of us like she was about to buy some popcorn from a nearby stand just to further enjoy the moment, but I was not nearly as amused.

"Becca! Didn't I tell you not to storm up to people like that without warning? I almost..." My scolding was cut short when I noticed the rest of the girls pouring in and settling around the table, and I thought to myself that they must really consider Akali a part of the team now to be comfortably crashing on us like this. Their expressions ranged from confused, to distraught, to angry—all feelings I understood quite well by now—and it was hard to look at them knowing there was nothing of significance I could do to help.

I reigned in my tone and put on my leader voice, or at least as much of it as I could muster. "How did you find us?" I asked.

Becca gave a quick mumble about how I left location sharing on for one of my social media apps again, but she wasn't interested in explaining and interrupted herself with her own question. "So what's the plan? How are we gonna dish out some fresh revenge on this Gucci-model-wannabe from hell?"

The angry, yet hopeful stares watching me felt like two tons on my chest. I wanted to rally the group with some big idea and tell them it was all going to work out in the end if we just put our minds to it, I really did—but sometimes you just needed to know when to back down, even if it broke your heart.

Becca waved a hand in front of my face expectantly, as if I could've forgotten her heavy question. "Well? You do have a plan, right?" She reiterated.

“Our hands are tied, Bec,” I explained. “I’m not sure what evidence there would be to prove Qiyana’s lying about her claims, but even if some did exist, I don’t know how we would obtain it without getting ourselves in even more hot water.”

She blinked hard at me, and a cold laugh of disbelief escaped her. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. So that's it? You're throwing in the towel, just like that?" She snapped.

"That's not fair, Bec, I think you know I would never give up on our—"

"Do you realize how much we're losing if this investigation they're doing doesn't clear our names? It's not just this competition, it could be our whole goddamn careers. Does that even concern you?" Becca accused.

I bit my tongue to distract myself from the quiver in my lips. Response after response played out in my mind, all of which resulted in me making things worse, and she'd already turned to Akali before I could answer her.

"And you! I thought you of all people would be fighting with everything you've got to protect your career, so what the hell? It's like everyone is just giving up."

Akali grabbed her neck and stayed quiet to give me room to respond, but I couldn't put two thoughts together with all the pressure. I could handle Qiyana's insults, but being torn apart by my best friend was on a whole other level.

"Bec, it's been a long day—for all of us. I understand why you're upset, but I think we should take some time to collect our thoughts before we hash this out," I suggested, hoping no one noticed the shake in my voice.

Becca shrugged away from my attempt to reach out, and let her head hang as she planned her words. "It seems like you two have already forgotten about the teams that got you here in the first place. So enjoy your free time together, I guess—but I'm not just gonna sit here and pretend everything's okay."

"I—that's not true at all! If you just wait, I can—" I nearly tripped myself getting up from the table as I tried to run after her, but by the time I was on my feet, she'd already stormed off and disappeared into the busy street. "...Explain," my tired voice finished.

"I'd let her cool off first, but it's up to you. You know her best," Akali quietly offered behind me, which is when I remembered that she and the rest of my team were silently watching the whole thing go down. I probably looked like an idiot. A cruel, fumbling idiot.

My eyes shut tightly, dreading what I'd find when I turned back to face them. They hadn't followed Becca in storming off yet, which I took as a good sign, but most of them were avoiding me and certainly didn't seem pleased. They excused themselves to go explore the festival while they were there, and I was left with the feeling of being resented as they cleared out to leave me and Akali in the world's loudest silence.

I slumped over the table, forgetting when I even sat down. My cheek very well could've gotten a splinter from the old, splitting table, but I didn't have it in me to care. Not after that. Akali disappeared from in front of me, and I half-expected her to leave like everyone else, but then she sat and wrapped her arms around me so she could rest her head on my back.

We sat like that for a while until the thought banging against my skull finally slipped out.

"Some leader I am, huh?" I mumbled.

I felt her stir against my back as she spoke. "Nah, this isn't 'cause of your leadership skills. But I see why Becca would be the most upset out of them," she started to explain. "Not only is she losing the opportunity for all of Mythic's hard work to pay off, but since we've started hanging out, you haven't been able to give her your full attention anymore, either. It probably feels like a lot to deal with all at once."

My body somehow slumped even farther onto the table, which I didn't think was possible. "So I'm a worse friend than I am a leader...great." I thought aloud.

"That's not what I meant, Gloom-and-Doom. I just think this is a shitty time, and it happens to be hitting Becca the hardest—through no fault of your own. But, I also think it'll get better once you get home and back into the groove of your teaching schedules and what-not."

I hoped she was right, but the knot of guilt in my stomach wasn't easily comforted by the idea. Of all the things I'd accounted for to go wrong in this competition, upsetting my own team was not one of them, and it just hurt that much more that it felt like I couldn't do anything other than cross my fingers and hope that Qiyana would have a sudden change of heart and give us all another chance to compete.

Akali released me from her arms and leaned over to peek at my face. "I know hearing this probably won't seem like much right now, but I think you're very inspiring. I've seen how you motivate your girls to put up with your insane rehearsals, which is already nothing short of a miracle—but even with me, you've said a lot of stuff that made me rethink my own shit. And you've indirectly convinced me to do something I'm pretty nervous about, to be honest..." she trailed off and scratched her head like she was mulling something over, but didn't elaborate. "So anyway, that's enough about my stuff. Now let's get you back to my room so you can rest without worrying about Becca for a bit, yeah?"

I shot her a curious look, but she was already getting up, so I didn't pry—mostly because I did not have the energy to lift my head up and ask. I was in the process of trying to force myself off the bench, for the sake of getting to lay on her admittedly very comfy bed again, when she slipped one arm behind my back and the other under my knees and hoisted me up into a princess carry.

My body stiffened in surprise at first, feeling my face grow hot before we'd even emerged from the shaded picnic area and back into the light of the low sun.

Akali chuckled slyly down at me, pleased by the reaction, and whispered softly on the way back to her bike.

“What—you didn’t think I hit the gym just for looks, didja?” She winked.

Chapter Text

My eyes peeled open to the bright morning sunlight pouring in through the unusually well-parted curtains. It was quiet, notably from the lack of snoring I would normally wake up from by now, because Becca had elected to sleep on the floor of one of the other girls' rooms. Or at least, that's what the short text I got from one of the girls last night had said, which left me no reasonable excuse to stay at Akali's room for the night. I never thought I would miss those snores.

I eased through the laziest morning routine I'd allowed myself for a while, then made my way downstairs to the breakfast bar, where part of me expected to see the girls waiting like they usually did. But the tables were empty. After putting together an array of snacks and sitting by myself to eat, I checked my buzzing phone to find a message from Ahri. Deep down, I knew it was too early to expect a message from Becca reaching out to talk things over, but that didn't stop me from getting my hopes up at first.

You should come to Akali's room ASAP if you can, the text read, and as if Ahri already knew what I was typing in response, she sent another before I could finish it. Nothing is wrong, I just think you should be here for this.

Curious and a little confused, I grabbed my things and headed for the hotel down the street as requested. I approached the door to her room, finding it held open by a coffee maker from the kitchenette that was being used as a make-shift door stop, and picked up on some nervous chatter coming from inside. The entrance was empty as I paused at the door, hoping someone would come over and invite me inside so I wouldn't have to walk in unannounced, but I couldn't see anyone from around the corner and decided I had no choice but to let myself in.

Turning the corner led me to the lounge, where most of The Baddest was gathered. Akali was plastered into a chair as Ahri meticulously sprayed her leader's hair up into its iconic spiky shape, Sera crouched in front of her to apply some impressively symmetrical eyeliner, and Kai was hovering over a very last-minute-looking setup on the coffee table that consisted of a laptop, a pair of headphones with a mic and a fraying wire, and a trail cam precariously balanced on top of a stack of luggage cases.

Their heads bobbed up almost in unison, and I was greeted by a set of friendly smiles from everyone except Akali, who looked surprised, happy, and then annoyed to see me in the span of a second.

“Alright, which one of you spilled?” Akali griped.

Ahri stifled a giggle and then cleared her throat to put on a mature voice. “I didn't 'spill' anything, I just invited her over—and you can thank me for it later,” she explained.

“I told you I didn’t want this turning into a big production,” Akali pouted. “It’s not even that big of a deal—I hope.”

Sera set her makeup case aside to greet me, and from the lack of surprise on her and Kai's faces, I got the impression they were in on Ahri's idea to invite me. "Whether it's received well or not, this is still a big deal for you, which is exactly why she should be here for moral support. Isn't that right?" Sera asked with a friendly nudge at my arm.

I took a seat on the slippery pleather sofa and blinked between her and Akali, wondering if I was missing something. "I, um—sure? I don't know what all this is for, but if you need an extra pair of hands then I can try to help out."

"Isn't she just the cutest?" Kai commented wistfully while she fiddled with some settings she had open on the laptop. "When are you gonna start being helpful like that, Kali?" she teased.

Akali rolled her eyes, which Sera scolded her for since she was in the middle of carefully applying mascara onto her, and a few minutes later, the freelance hair-and-makeup team seemed satisfied with their work. They escorted her to the middle of the couch I was perched at the end of, in front of where Kai had been setting things up, and I finally got to see the full look they put together for her.

Akali's makeup was fierce and gorgeous, with sharp, heavy eyeliner cresting her eyes and gloss painted across her full lips that was shiny enough to see a reflection in. And her hair was as gravity-defying as ever, but noticeably neater than usual, thanks to Ahri's finesse. And then her outfit, which I assumed she picked out for herself, looked like it came straight off the cover of a streetwear fashion magazine, complete with a designer jacket, sporty joggers covered in a variety of pockets and straps, and of course, custom sneakers. I recognized the jacket from somewhere, and after squinting at it for a while, I realized it was the same one she was wearing on the cover of her last album—and if all of that was anything to go by, it seemed she was getting ready to address her fans as her celebrity alter-ego. It made me wonder where Eve was, since I always imagined her as the type to run around micromanaging anyone involved in Akali's public appearances, but curiosity slipped my mind once Akali's hand found mine.

I turned to find her with a grateful smile. Her reasoning was beyond me, but the sentiment was still contagious, and I found myself doing the same. Then Kai's call for a mic test pulled her away—and that's when I saw the nerves kick in.

Her pulse rattled the collar of her jacket below a shaky breath, and her leg began to bounce over the side of the cushion. Although I still had no idea what was going on, I was getting nervous for her—whatever this was, it must have been big.

Kai used her fingers to count her down from behind the camera, and without thinking, I squeezed Akali's hand. Her eyes darted over like she didn't expect it, but it seemed to remind her to relax for a moment. She took one final inhale as Kai's last finger dropped, strapped on her mask—and then the broadcast began.

The webcam light flicked on from the top of the stack of suitcases, shortly followed by the flood of viewers who had apparently been waiting to tune in. Akali started off easy and greeted them for a while, either to give people extra time to join, stall having to begin, or both. But once Kai gave her a thumbs up and Ahri and Sera excitedly nodded her along, she worked up the courage to get things going.

"So as you guys probably know, I've had a lot going on lately—but I'm not gonna be talking about that today," Akali started, already having to clear her throat. "The point of this stream is actually just to talk to you guys, and it's about something I think I should've shared a while ago. And that thing is, well—me."

My intent focus on her was stirred when she waved Ahri and Sera over, each of whom hovered to either side of the set up and waited for her to continue.

"And when I say 'me,' I mean that this is the part of me you all know," she gestured to herself with a smug flick at her jacket's collar, then quickly slid it and her mask off before unsubtly yanking out her hair tie to let her messy locks swirl at her shoulders. Sera handed her an oversized hoodie to slip on, and Ahri gingerly rolled off the false eyelashes that her counterpart had just taken great care to apply a few minutes ago. Akali plucked a makeup remover wipe from the packet they held out for her, and took no precaution as she smeared the pigments around more than she removed them. She blinked up at the screen, laughed at the result of her work, then continued. "but this is me, too. And I think it's about time I formally introduce the rest of myself to anyone who cared enough to follow me over the years."

I really shouldn't have been as surprised as I was. My jaw had been hanging for a good minute as she went on to explain how she always wanted to have a more personal connection with her fans, and once the surprise wore off, I could not have been more proud of her. That was Akali.

My attention sharpened back to her when she scratched her neck and paused. She explained that she would understand if they were disappointed by the shattered illusion, and wouldn't blame them if they didn't want to support such a massive change to her image—but even from the end of the couch I could make out the flood of hearts and other encouraging emojis filling the live chat. She offered an appreciative smile at first, but it was one that soon quivered and hid behind the hand clasped across it. Akali stifled a happy sob and tried to keep up with the unending—and clearly, unexpected—support she had garnered through her tears, and the urge to hug her was physically painful to resist. Or at least, it was, until Ahri pushed me toward Akali and gave her audience a nice view of my near face-plant onto the cushion beside her.

Figuring I might as well hug her now that I was close enough and needed some way to recover my awkward entrance, I threw my arms around Akali and left my back to the camera. I had a mini-heart attack at the idea of being on this important livestream at first, but once I felt her in my arms, everything else disappeared. Even Ahri, who I was sure must have been proudly giggling her ass off at the result of her scheming. And I would get her back for that someday, I decided, but today was not that day.

I held Akali for a while, giving her time to recover before she would have to wrap up what she started. And once she was ready to address the camera, I slipped out of frame as quickly as possible, but I turned back to those beautiful and freshly-bloodshot eyes when the tug of her hand found me again.

"Sorry about that, but hey—what's a reveal of my authentic self without some authentic waterworks, huh?" She humbly shrugged before turning to find me from off-camera. "But I think this is a perfect time to thank someone very important to me for giving me the courage to be myself. And not just for today, but every day."

My grin was enough to serve as a response, and after she returned her focus to the screen for a quick thank-you to everyone who showed up and for the overwhelming support, it was a successful wrap.

Akali shut the laptop with a wide stare and exhaled like she'd been holding her breath for the entire stream. "I can't believe I just did that," she thought aloud.

I barely had time to scoot aside for all three girls to pile on top of her before they had effectively pinned her to the couch with hugs. Akali fussed with a lighthearted complaint, but Kai buried her voice with a pillow, joking that they couldn't quite make out what she said and therefore must be asking for an even tighter hug. Which they were more than happy to provide, of course.

Ahri snapped over to me with a pout, like she'd just realized something. "Surely you don't think you're getting out of joining us," she teased and waved me in. "You're part of this, so get in here before I have to give fate another little nudge."

My half-hearted squint at her didn't last long, and before I knew it I was sucked into the tangle of arms and dead weight. But the friendly gesture quickly fell apart when a slow, even applause cut in from the entryway.

"Bravo, Darling."

The rest of the girls and I scattered with a balanced mix of concern and dread as we watched Eve's sharp stare graze each of us, and then finally land on the star of the show herself.

Akali sat up taller than I'd ever seen her willingly bother to. "Eve? Wait, shit, I didn't want you to find out like this— How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," Eve answered with a smooth, unreadable tone, which somehow made it worse. "But Darling, of course I found out—it's my whole job to know when something involving you happens. And naturally, that includes when you go live on your main social media page."

She had a point—and it was one I was surprised none of them thought through in the first place—but there was a reason why Eve was the PR manager of the group, after all.

Eve stirred from the wall she had been leaning against and let the click of her heels fill the silence as she came over to join us. She plopped her oversized designer purse onto the table with an oddly heavy clink of its own, then retrieved a bottle of champagne from it that, going by our faces, no one was expecting.

"Be a dear and fetch some glasses from the kitchen, will you?" Eve requested with a gentle tap at my arm. "I'm sure someone as observant as you knows where they are by now."

Unsure if that was meant to be an underhanded compliment or not, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and took the glasses from the kitchen as requested. Once I returned, she began pouring each of us a glass of the bubbly, golden liquid—except for Sera, who Eve had apparently grabbed a bottle of apple juice for from a vending machine—then held up her own for a toast.

"To Kali," Eve announced.

Akali blinked at her with a tense stare. "To me? But aren't you—?”

"Surprised? Sure I am,” Eve interjected. “But I’m also proud. You’ve come a long way, Akali.”

Sera audibly let out a breath after looking like she was going to pass out for the past minute, and Ahri and Kai's relief showed through the sudden nervous laugh they shared, which gave the rest of us a chuckle at the timing of it.

Akali looked like she was starting to relax a bit too, even if it was hesitant. “...So you’re not mad that I went against your advice?” she asked.

"Well, to be honest, I thought you dropping your act would end in disaster. Fandoms can be quite—fickle, when it comes to change," Eve sighed. "But I must admit—judging by the response, it seems like you actually pulled this off."

I couldn't tell who was the most caught off guard when Akali rammed into Eve for a hug, but the surprise on the taller woman's face faded into a rare, tender exchange between the two of them—and finally, I could see it. This is why Akali cares so much.

With the conflict resolved and spirits flowing amongst friends, our afternoon quickly turned into an evening of what I was told were classic The Baddest shenanigans, consisting of ordering pizzas, watching horrible reality TV shows, and taking turns tipsily playing Just Dance on Akali's Nintendo Switch. The game even had a stage that reminded me a lot of their group, but unfortunately they couldn't keep up with the virtual dancers since they were too busy sabotaging each other and laughing to perform many of the moves.

As much as it warmed my heart to see them all getting along so well, the situation with my own group nagged at me in the back of my mind. I excused myself to the kitchen to clean things up a bit, and to my surprise, Eve wasn't far behind.

"I appreciate it, but you don't have to help if you'd rather spend some quality time with them," I told her.

Eve shrugged. "I'm used to it. This was always my job until you came around, so it's nice to have an extra set of hands."

I returned her friendly smile the best I could, but her sentiment just felt like a brutal reminder of how much time I'd spent with Akali and her group—and how much it had clearly affected Becca, despite her efforts to hide it until yesterday. And apparently, I wasn't hiding my feelings all that well, either.

"Listen, I don't mean to intrude, but how are things between you and Becca?" Eve asked with a hushed voice.

My head popped up at the mention of it. "Why do you ask? Has she been talking to you about it?"

She drummed her fingers on her arm and rolled her lip, like she was thinking over her words carefully. "I have a vague understanding of the situation, which is why I was hoping you could fill me in on some of the details. I'm sure this seems a bit out of the blue, but if I can help smooth things over between you two, I'd like to try."

The way she avoided a direct response to my question was all the answer I needed. If Becca was reaching out to Eve about this, then why wasn't she answering my texts with more than one- or two-worded answers so we could actually talk things out? Did she really have that little faith in me? Was this how I made her feel?

Eve stirred from the corner of my eye, reminding me of how long I had silently been in thought for. “I’m not sharing this to cause any issues, by the way— Far from it. I just don’t want to see anyone’s group falling apart, especially not one with members who clearly care so much about each other.”

"I'm the one accidentally creating issues," I admitted. "But, if she trusted you enough to open up about this, then I guess I should respect that and take whatever help I can get."

She listened attentively as I explained my side of the situation, being careful not to say any more than necessary to get my point across. I was surprised by how much effort she was putting into this, and even though the conversation was about my own relationship with Becca, it was making me curious about what had been going on with the two of them while I had been off with Akali lately. But that was probably a long story for another time.

Eve nodded and pecked a few notes into her phone as I finished, and the last thing I expected was the motherly hug she squeezed me with afterward. "You're still a good person, you know. I don't fault you for getting distracted by something as new and exciting as love," she told me. "It's hard to balance that with the rest of life, and sometimes people we care about get hurt as a result. But you're still trying, and I think that's what counts. And I think Becca will eventually come to realize that as well."

I didn't know where all this mushy advice was coming from all of a sudden—maybe this was how Eve always acted after a night of celebratory drinks, and this was just my first time seeing it—but I also didn't realize how much I needed to hear it until now.

"Oh don't tell me you're—ugh. Why do so many of my displays of affection end with people crying?" Eve joked.

My laugh came out louder than I wanted it to, but I was glad no one else noticed since they were all distracted by the aggressively sloppy dance-off happening in the lounge.

"Alright, I think that's enough emotions for one evening," Eve announced, releasing me from the embrace before pouring each of us what was left of the champagne and waving me over. "Let's have some fun while we can, shall we?"

I nodded and followed her over to the rest of the girls, where Eve and I were quickly volunteered by Akali and Kai to face off against each other. After the unexpectedly worrisome day I'd had so far, I wasn't about to turn down some wholesome, and even stupid, fun—so that's exactly what we had.

But wait—did she say I was in love earlier?

Chapter Text

The latest of my mental checklists was in full-swing as I paced around my room, preparing for the evening ahead. I guess I missed the stress of responsibility more than I realized, since I hadn't needed any lists since our last performance, and yet here I was making up new ones. I'd made reluctant peace with that being it for competing on this trip, though. It seemed making it to the finals just wasn't meant to be.

Returning to the task at hand, I pranced over to the mirror. I felt presentable—which was impressive, considering dating was the last thing on my mind while packing—but I still questioned if I was prepared for an actual, full-on date. Would she be impressed? Was I supposed to impress her?

My thoughts scattered in every direction when three clear knocks pierced in from the hall. It filled me with the best and the worst kind of nerves—but it was hard to worry about my own appearance once I found her waiting just outside my door.

Akali was standing up tall—instead of leaning casually against a wall somewhere, as she usually would—with a bright smile and a vibrant bouquet tucked at one arm. Once I got past the flowers, I eyed her outfit, which was a mostly-mesh top under her leather jacket, cargo pants with no shortage of pockets, and the most decked-out pair of high-tops I'd seen yet. Her marbled hair was down today, laying across her shoulders with gently-styled waves—but most striking of all was the mask missing from her face. The unfiltered view allowed me to see her makeup—which I could tell she did herself, because it was much subtler and nowhere near as sharp as what Sera had done yesterday—and the thought of her making it a point to get herself ready for our date warmed my heart.

It was chaos—and so perfectly her.

I remembered I couldn't just stare all day, so I said the first thing on my mind: "Looking good, Hot-Shot."

"Yeah? Whew—I was worried you'd be thrown off by the mix-and-match. I was gonna try to find a pair of heels or something, but if I can't walk in those, then I definitely can't ride my bike in them," she laughed, then glanced down at the bouquet like she just remembered it was there. "Oh! Here's these. I hope it's not too cheesy—but I couldn't let my beautiful date go without a gift to match."

I smirked at the shamelessly unsubtle compliment. "Kali— Thank you, but you didn't have to get me anything. This is just a date, so no need to show off," I teased.

"So what?" she asked, shrugging with that devilish grin of hers. "I told you I was gonna to spoil you."

I returned from putting away the flowers to find Akali waiting patiently with a warm smile, and I wondered if she'd been watching me like that the whole time. We just took each other in for a moment, soaking in the buzz of excitement and possibility—at least, until she tipped forward to throw her arms around me.

"You really do look amazing, y'know," she mumbled over my shoulder.

"You do too," I hummed, breathing in the lovely scent around her. "Oh, what do you have on?"

She didn't try to hide the awkwardness in her answer. "I have no idea, actually—Eve spritzed me without warning as I left, and I didn't think to ask what it was. She must have known what she was doing, though."

I offered a curious look at the idea of a celebrity being so unfamiliar with something like the industry of high-end body sprays, but I was starting to catch my expectations quicker. She was no ordinary celebrity, after all.

"Surprised?" she joked. "I mean, you saw how much help I needed getting ready for the livestream yesterday—so imagine me with that level of panic today, except times a hundred."

My giggles filling the hall seemed to delight her. "No way you were that nervous for a date you asked me out on," I teased.

"You're right, you're right—that may have been inaccurate," she grinned. "It was more like a thousand times that."

She pretended to wince when I swatted her arm on the way out—and before we knew it, we had arrived at our first mystery-destination of the evening.

We pulled into a sizable parking lot, which was dedicated to the even more intimidating mall up ahead. The modern architecture was mesmerizing—especially a big section in the center, with huge windows looking into the lobby and a big sign reading RIOT THEATERS—but my attention was pulled away when the Ducati stopped purring beneath us.

"Ta-da! I hope you like movies, 'cause we're spending the next couple of hours watching one," Akali jested.

I nodded and followed her off. "I've been known to splurge on the occasional trip to our local theater back home, but this has to be the biggest one I've ever seen. Which movie did you pick?"

"I didn't," she shrugged with a half-smirk. "I don't know the first thing about what's out right now, or your taste in movies yet—so I'm leaving that up to you, Starlight."

My attention flicked up to the handful of interesting posters on either side of the entrance, each one I was just as clueless about as the next. "Are you sure? I don't want to make you sit through a movie you won't enjoy," I hovered.

"Hey, try not to overthink it," she assured me. "Look at it this way: you get to watch something you'll probably like, and I get to spend time with the prettiest girl I know. What's there for me to complain about?" she winked back at me.

Once we got inside, I realized the lobby was no less extravagant than it looked from out front. Promotional art of the latest films lined the walls, a pianist played a gentle tune from the shiny grand piano across from the concessions counter, and of course, the scent of warm, buttery popcorn beckoned us forward.

Akali loaded up on snacks, seemingly unbothered by their ungodly prices as I browsed through the theater schedule for a movie to pick. A trailer on one of the monitors overhead caught my eye: a rom-com about love, friendship and deceit. That certainly fits the themes of this trip.

In the spirit of not overthinking it, I joined Akali at the counter with my decision. I ordered the tickets, helped her carry the stash of goodies she'd grabbed for us—and then we were on our way.

Akali insisted I choose where to sit in the fairly empty theater, so I led us to the middle row near the center. Loud commercials and trivia breaks played as we settled in—which despite claiming not to know much about movies, she impressed me with her knowledge of—and soon the lights dimmed to welcome the start of the film.

The intro sequence was cute enough, with a song and a dance indicating that I had apparently chosen a musical. But I didn't mind. I tried to let myself get lost in the lyrics until something beside me drew my attention, and it seemed the only thing getting lost was Akali's focus.

"Don't tell me you're not a fan of musicals. Because if so, I'm afraid you're out of luck," I whispered.

"Hm? Oh—" she blurted, then shook her head. "No, no, musicals are fine! Just...having trouble concentrating. But I'll try."

I kept my pleased smile to myself. Yep. She's adorable. The movie continued ahead, but the way she kept eyeing me was giving me ideas I'd never thought of before. Things like that weren't called for back home, in our small theater usually packed with high schoolers and the overbearing couples who would sneak into the back just to make out the whole time. But this wasn't home—and we weren't here just for the movie.

The crunch of popcorn stopped the moment my hand brushed against the top of her warm thigh. My eyes were trained straight ahead as she stiffened beside me, and I could hear her unsuccessfully trying to hold her breath. Teasing in a place like this may have been a new experience for me—but it seemed the receiving end was just as new to her.

"Are you trying to fucking kill me?" she hissed. "If you wanted some popcorn that badly you could've just asked."

I stifled a laugh. "That's not what I was going for—but sure, I'll take some."

Akali rolled her eyes as seriously as she could. "Then what were you going for, huh?" she asked. "I thought you wanted me to focus on the movie, but I'm starting to think you just want my attention all to yourself."

My hand slipped away so Akali could adjust in her seat and compose herself. Maybe she was right, but we also had an agreement that I didn't want to push before we were ready.

"Hey, it's not my fault you kept staring," I teased. "You're right, though...I do want your attention. But that kind can wait."

I did my best to refocus on the movie and catch up with the plot I missed, but as soon as I felt an arm lay across my shoulders, I turned to investigate.

"Hey. I know we're in public, and we're supposed to be chill and stuff, but...it's not just you. I really wanna kiss you right now," she confessed. "Is that cool? And don't worry, I'm not trying to get revenge on you or anything. That kind can wait, too," she smirked.

I tried not to get swept up in the feeling her subtle threat left me with. Part of me was concerned that someone could be watching us again, but whoever was responsible for that picture at the club had already shown the world much more than a kiss—and I wasn't willing to lose another second of this.

With my nod of approval, Akali followed with exactly what she offered: a soft, warm kiss. The kind that made me feel like everything we'd been through was still worth it—like everything would be okay.

Once our lips broke apart and we shared a close smile, Akali laid on my shoulder for the rest of the movie. And, although she denied it, I thought I caught her falling asleep on me a couple times. I was secretly hoping she would get to do that more often.

What was left of the movie breezed by, and the credits were barely rolling before Akali popped up from her seat to stretch and usher us along to the exit. I asked what the hurry was for, and she was halfway through explaining something about having a reservation when we heard the sound of a shrill, recognizable shout coming from the lobby—and after a quick search around, we realized where it was coming from.

A group of young girls were huddled around one of their phones, which was playing a video that must have come from one of True Damage's social media pages at full volume. They seemed unbothered by the looks it earned as it played out, but once I heard Qiyana arguing with her team over something, I grabbed my phone to check for myself.

Akali watched over my shoulder as I pulled it up. It wasn't very hard to find, considering it was trending and seemed to be getting a lot of attention. The short video was recorded in their practice space from someone's pocket with a low, shaky angle, showing Qiyana chewing out the guy with the blinged out dreads I recognized from their intros. He made some pretty strong accusations against her, which was quickly backed up by the rest of the team, and apparently it gave him enough courage to walk out and ask who was with him. It was a bit blurry and muffled at parts, but by the end, what went down was very clear: True Damage was falling apart.

"Well then," Akali announced with a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "Can't say I'm surprised, but— Hey, you okay?"

I let go of a breath I didn't realize I was still holding. "I—I will be. It's just, what was the point of all this sabotage if they aren't even going to follow through with the competition? How blinded by revenge can someone be?" I huffed.

"I have no idea what goes through that girl's head...which is probably a good thing. But, what I do know is that we have a reservation waiting for us, and it's at a place I think you'll like. How does that sound?" she asked.

As much as this development felt like a slap in the face, just having Akali by my side made me feel better. "As long as we're together? I'm down for anything."

As soon as we pulled up, I could tell why Akali thought I would like this place. It was gorgeous, with ivy creeping up the crisp stonework, tall windows that glinted with the reflection of passing cars, and a set of curved wooden stairs that looked like they were leading into something out of a fantasy movie. The inside was just as magical as I imagined—but what I wasn't expecting was to be pulled through the main dining room and out onto the patio, where the most magical part yet awaited us.

A bed of flowering bushes was the only thing that separated us from the steep edge overlooking our temporary home city. The low sun painted the city with a palette of soft oranges and reds, and a soft breeze with the slightest chill swirled past—as if to remind us that our summer days, and our time here, was nearing its end. The wind danced around the lit candles adorning each crisp white tablecloth dotting the space, and the smooth jazz playing over the speaker system welcomed us in with the allure of an unforgettable evening. For a night dedicated to our future—it couldn't have been more perfect.

Akali pranced ahead to grab my chair for me, and she made a show of it that I couldn't help admiring. "Pretty snazzy, huh? I tried to pick something you'd like, and I figured I couldn't go wrong with a literal candle-lit dinner," she smirked proudly.

"I couldn't have picked better myself," I confessed as I took it all in, then finally landed back on her as she settled in across from me. "You must be catching on, Baddest."

After the set of soft drinks we'd ordered found their way to the table, Akali sat up and cleared her throat. "Eve usually does the toasts, so I dunno how qualified I am to give one, but... Here's to us. For getting where we are now, and for wherever life may take us."

I tapped our glasses together. "I can drink to that," I winked.

"That's very easy-going of you," Akali grinned. "Sounds like I'm not the only one catching on, Mythic."

Once our orders were given, the looming pressure of our date began to set in. As much as I wanted to sit back and enjoy the view, we weren't just here to live in the moment—we were here to determine what came next.

Right on cue, Akali reached for my hand across the table. "Hey, Gorgeous?" she asked.

In that moment, everything else felt far away. Hair swaying in the breeze, eyes twinkling—it felt like my heart was going to pop. She made everything seem possible.

"Yeah?"

"I know this probably goes without saying, but I'm like, so ridiculously happy I met you. I don't know what I did to deserve this, and I'm gonna do whatever I can to make you happy—but even if that doesn't happen for some reason, I want you to know what a pleasure it's been just getting to know you. You're special, Starlight."

My eyes dared, but I willed myself not to cry. There would be plenty of tears on the plane ride home, and I did not intend to start early.

"You think you're the lucky one?" I teased. "This trip wouldn't have been even half as fun if I hadn't met you. Without you, I—"

Bzz-bzz.

A vibration from my bag alerted me, and Becca flashed to mind. I'd sent her a text earlier that I would be busy for the evening, and although she'd left it on read, it wasn't like her to reach out if she knew I was busy. I decided it was probably something else and shrugged it off—there was enough for me to think about right now.

"I could say the same, y'know," Akali continued for me.

I raised a brow at her. "I am many things, but I doubt many people would say 'fun' is at the top of the list. Especially compared to you, Miss Outgoing."

"And I think you should give yourself more credit," she countered. "Besides, seems like we bring out the best in each other."

Thinking back on our time together so far, I could agree with that. I mean, sure, she drove me crazy at first, but they say the people you care about most tend to do that. And I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Akali squeezed my hand, watching her thumb roll over mine. "And that's why, after thinking about this a lot, I'd like to—"

Another buzz. The second time annoyed me—if not for the distraction, then for the anxiety it was causing. But even if it was Becca finally reaching out, I told myself I would give this conversation my full attention, before it was too late. After, I promised myself.

"Everything okay?" Akali asked.

I nodded now that my phone was on silent and plopped back into my bag. "Whatever it is, it can wait. So, what were you saying?"

She cleared her throat and started again. "Well, as great as meeting each other was, I don't think either of us got what we entered the competition for. So, even though I know Eve's gonna kill me for this...I'm not ready to let go of competing yet. And I don't want to let go of you, either."

"Are you saying you're coming back next year to compete?" I asked. "I mean, I'm not complaining—but it sounds practically impossible to run rehearsals and work on music at the same time," I thought aloud.

Her smile was strained as she looked past me into the closing sunset. "You're right, and that's why I'm not getting back into music. Not until I figure out what this unfinished business with my mom and the stage is, at least."

There was a quiet bravery to each word. Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised, not after the stand she made against Eve yesterday—but I still wasn't expecting her to decide so quickly. And that one decision would lead to a dozen more for both of us to make.

I was racking my brain for a response, potential questions, and potential answers all at once when the harsh blue light poking up from my bag finally won out. My eyes flicked down without thinking. Another notification—this time lighting up my screen instead of buzzing. The thoughts swirling in my head were competing with our conversation for attention. What if it was an emergency? What if—

Akali interrupted the silence that I should've filled with an answer by now. "You gonna check that?"

My chest dropped. Why did this have to happen right now, of all times? "I—yeah, I'm sorry. I just want to make sure there isn't an emergency, then I'll turn it off," I assured her.

Eager to get this over with, I gave in and slipped my hand from Akali's to scoop up my phone. I found three new messages from an unknown number, and I could tell at a glance who I was dealing with:

this is the leader of mythic, right? it’s qiyana

in case you’re wondering, I got your number from my agent. but I need to talk to you. I’m at crestview fountain park, it’s urgent

please.

My stomach twisted at the screen. Not only because she had the nerve to contact me without permission, but also from the unbearable combination of curiosity, confusion, and paranoia swallowing me whole.

"Starlight?"

My mouth felt dry as I started to explain. I imagine it must have sounded like a mumbled string of nonsense, but I guess she knew me well enough by now to put it together.

"Wait, so let me get this straight—Qiyana asked to meet you after dark at some random park without giving you an actual reason for it? Yeah, right. Like you're that gullible," Akali scoffed. "She has an impeccable talent for interrupting our time together, though—I'll give her that."

I went over the messages a few more times, as if that would somehow answer my endless questions. Akali was right that everything about it screamed suspicious, but there was something more to this. I just didn't know what yet.

Akali leaned forward, this time lowering her voice. "You're not actually considering it, are you? 'Cause to me, it seems like a perfect setup to ambush you and make you look bad. And I think we can agree she's done enough of that already," she said.

"I wish I could say I wasn't, but something feels different about this," I admitted. "I mean, why would she go to the trouble of getting my number just to ask me privately? And if she wanted to cause another scene, I don't think she'd ask to meet at an empty park during off hours like this. Not to mention she said please—that seems pretty big for her."

Akali sighed and asked to see the messages for herself. She gave them a skeptical read, and once she was finished, she rubbed her face like she couldn't believe what she was about to say. "Alright, yeah—I still don't trust her, but you make a good point. So, what are you gonna do?"

I was dreading that question. Qiyana was the last person I wanted to be around, especially when I had an important date right in front of me to see through—but responsibility weighed on me too heavily to ignore. What would Becca think if she knew I was given one more opportunity to make our dreams a reality, and I just didn't take it?

"Okay, maybe I skipped ahead with that one," Akali interrupted. "So I'll put it this way: will you regret it if you don't take a chance on this?"

After thinking it over—with my career, my team, and my own dreams in mind—I nodded. I never thought being a dance captain would be this hard. Part of me wondered if I was right all along, and maybe I shouldn't have let Akali into my personal life, not when I knew how many people were already counting on me.

I hesitated to look up, and I hated the disappointment on her face when I did. "I'm really sorry, Kali. I was looking forward to spending time with you, and even the tough conversations about our future—but I've come this far, and I have a team that's counting on me. We both do. And I hate that I have to choose between you sometimes, but as their leader, I owe this to them. I have to try. And—"

My words fell when Akali reached out and cupped my hand with both of hers. "Starlight, it's okay, really. I'd probably do the same thing if I were in your spot," she assured me. "Obviously, I'm not stoked that we're losing time together—but if I ever hope to be your official girlfriend, then I can't let you pass things up on my account that you'll end up regretting."

The threat of tears got the better of me this time, even if it was just slight. I shot up and threw my arms around her, smothering her in a way that the customers around us didn't expect any more than we did, but I wasn't concerned about them. My only concern was about the unbelievably supportive woman in front of me—and how the hell I was going to make this work.

"Thank you, Kali! I don't know how yet, but I'll try to make this up to you, okay?" I told her.

She smiled against me, or at least as much as she could while I was squeezing her. "You don't have to thank me, Gorgeous. That big heart is part of what I...like about you," she paused. "But we probably shouldn't keep her waiting for too long if you want to do this."

I wished I had more time to soak the moment in, but she was right. I let go to retrieve my phone and send a quick, plain message to Qiyana that I would be there within the hour—now that just left the issue of how I was going to get there.

After frantically looking through my phone for the Uber app I downloaded years ago, I grabbed my bag and began my search before I would have to leave, but I was distracted when I noticed Akali getting up from her seat.

"You're not trying to leave without your ride, are you?" she smirked.

I shook my head. "I can't ask you to come with me. This was my decision, so I'm not going to put you through whatever this ends up being on top of it," I said.

"Like hell. If you're gonna do this, you're not doing it alone," Akali insisted, promptly slapping more than enough cash to cover the services onto our table. "And besides—it won't hurt to show up in style."

What we were about to do didn't hit me until we left, and the fear of the unknown wasn't far behind to claw at my thoughts. Our dreams and their slim chances to come true were resting in my hands now—but with Akali at my side, I knew anything was possible.

Chapter Text

We parked hastily along main street and entered the park, welcomed by beds of flowers and exotic plants that belonged to a well-kept garden. I wished I could have seen it during daylight hours, but I suppose I couldn't afford to be picky. Akali and I passed through and followed the entrance path straight for the center of the sprawling grounds, which was conveniently lined with the occasional lamp post to illuminate the walkway, and eventually we approached the main attraction—and our meeting place.

If the large, shallow pool of restless water surrounded by pretty stonework was anything to go by, then this was it. A circle of curved streams sprayed toward the center, pointing to the backlit geyser shooting straight up to the height of a tree, and decorating the outside of the display was a ring of hip-height planters and ornamental shrubs. My eyes darted around the place to take it all in, but my focus sharpened once I spotted a moving figure.

Qiyana's silhouette was pacing back and forth across the water's edge. Even from the other side, I could tell she was a nervous wreck—and more surprising than that was the lack of people with her. No witnesses, no people she paid to record the scene— Now something is definitely up.

Her face lit up with relief as soon as she saw me, which I didn't know how to feel about, but it was cut short anyway when she noticed Akali beside me and stiffened up.

"Ugh. What are you, her guard dog?" Qiyana sneered at her. "I guess those rumors were true after all."

Akali shrugged. "I'm surprised to see you here, too. I thought you'd be off practicing your award speech for that trophy you didn't earn," she bit back.

The two women stared each other down as Qiyana wound up with a retort, but I didn't have the time nor the patience to hear it out.

"If you just called us over so you could get in some insults, then we're done here."

She sucked in her temper. "No—that isn't why I called you here. And, uh, thanks for getting here on such short notice," she mumbled, which was barely audible over the rhythmic splashing around us. "Not that you had much else to do, I imagine."

Akali and I gave her a matching look, and after one quick glance between us, she cleared her throat to try again.

"Okay, the thing is, I um—I need advice," she managed to spit out.

I looked her over curiously. "Advice...from me? What kind of advice?" I asked.

"It's my team," she started, and her tone picked up a franticness that was hiding behind her words until now. "We had a misunderstanding earlier, and then they walked out on me, and if I can't convince them to come back before the finale then we won't qualify to win—"

"Screaming at them for calling out your bullshit isn't a 'misunderstanding'," Akali interrupted.

Qiyana rolled her eyes. "Stalker. How would you know all that unless you were watching my team's social media, huh?"

"It's not like that. We overheard some kids playing the video while we were out earlier, so we checked it out for ourselves," I explained. "But I don't see how any of this is my problem, or why it's something I should help you with."

Qiyana bristled at first, but a burst of that smug energy that I was so used to getting from her took over. "It isn't. But what I have to offer in return might change your mind," she lulled. "This competition is what you've built your entire career around, right? Well, after some thinking, I'm willing to take back the accusations against you so you can have one last chance in the finale. We'll call it another...misunderstanding."

My stomach flipped. Whether it was from nerves or just excitement at the idea of a second chance, I wasn't sure—but either way, I had an opportunity in front of me.

I gave her the strongest look I could muster over my tightly folded arms. "I would consider it. But my answer depends on what you want in return," I told her.

"Hmph, right—that part. Last week I saw you having fun with your group, and how well coordinated you all were on stage, so I thought maybe you could give me some...leadership advice," she started out mumbling through her words, although they took a sharp turn once she glanced at Akali. "But there's a reason I didn't invite your volunteer bodyguard. Only Mythic would be allowed to reenter the competition—I'll make sure of that."

I wanted to think things through before I got myself into any worse of a mess, but all the different ways this could go wrong were overwhelming. I didn't want to compete without Akali—that just wouldn't be fair to her or The Baddest. But was it any more fair to deny my girls the chance to compete again because of it? Was that fair to me?

A hand on my shoulder brought me back, and I glanced up to find Akali watching closely.

"Don't worry about me. No regrets, remember?" she whispered.

I placed a hand on top of hers and tried to assure her with a warm, and secretly brave, smile. "It's okay. I won't regret this."

Akali didn't seem satisfied with my answer and searched me for another one, but she had no choice but to nod me along. I knew what had to be done.

"I'm afraid I can't teach you the kind of skills you'd need to create a healthy relationship with your team. That's something you'll have to look inside yourself for answers on," I began. "And beside that, I wouldn't want to compete without Akali's group also getting the chance they deserve."

Qiyana squinted at each of us. "You're really going to throw away my offer like that? Just for Akali?" she demanded.

"This isn't just for her, Qiyana. This is for anyone who cares about the integrity of the dance world—and clearly, you do not."

Her temper finally got the better of her, and she started barking at us with nasty words that were quickly drowned out by my own thoughts. This isn't going to change anything, is it? I knew the chances of this working how I wanted it to were slim, but I guess my hopes got higher than I realized, because the weight of failure was already settling onto me. I had to try, I knew that—it just didn't make the sting of broken dreams and missing out on crucial time with Akali any less painful.

Before I thought too much, I held out my hand to Akali. She happily obliged as we turned our backs to the noise—and then Qiyana switched tactics.

"So now you're just going to leave? Fine! Go back to your cushy suite, I didn't invite you in the first place!" Qiyana shrieked. "Make sure you draw the curtains, though—you never know who could be watching."

Akali's grip tightened and she stopped dead in her tracks. "What the hell did you just say?"

I thought it too: Qiyana's warning sounded just a little too informed. But now that she had our attention, she seemed more than pleased by the reaction.

"What, you didn't hear me? I always knew you had a poor sense of rhythm, but I didn't think your hearing was that bad—"

"This isn't a game," Akali snapped, and her hand had already slipped away from mine before I could think about stopping her. "Did you take that picture of us or not?"

Qiyana squirmed under our glares. I got the feeling she said too much, and her refusal to answer wasn't doing her credibility any favors.

Akali didn't need a response to give her a cold laugh, though. "I knew you weren't above using cheap tricks, but this... I never thought you'd go that low."

The three of us were silent. I don't think any of us knew what to do with the information. I was trying to put together how Qiyana would've gotten involved with that whole nightmare when she decided to speak up, but she didn't quite sound like herself.

"Ugh, fine—I did it, okay? Just stop looking at me like that," she asked. "I thought you would've suspected me by now, since you both hate me so much."

It made sense, and yet only led to more questions. "Why were you even at the club? Were you following us?" I asked.

"No. I was lonely," Qiyana spilled, but the frustration wasn't directed toward us this time. "And it's even worse now that my own team left me. But it's not like they ever hung out with me outside of practice like yours do, anyway."

Akali stirred enough to roll her eyes. "I wonder why that could be," she said under her breath.

"Okay, so you weren't following us—but then why did you take the picture? And how didn't we see you the entire night?" I continued.

"Because I avoided you, obviously." she grimaced. "I already wasn't having the best time before you got there. I was wasted, and worried about my chances of winning—I even went into the men's bathroom on accident. But then, when I came out and found you two all over each other, I saw an opportunity. So I took it. And it worked out for me pretty nicely—at least, until today. But...I guess my luck has run out."

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I stepped toward her. I guess I recognized it in her voice—the pain of someone at wit's end and in need of direction. She'd certainly played a part in getting herself to this point, and hurt plenty of people along the way, but it just didn't feel right to stand by and allow her to go through it alone. Not when I could give it one last try.

I wrapped my arms around Qiyana, and there was a moment of stillness between us. No arguing, no insults—just a hug. But then she realized what was happening and pushed me away, although I don't think it was nearly as forceful as she was trying to make it.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you want me to add assault to the list of accusations against you?!" she cried.

Akali snapped out of the bewildered stare she was giving me and looked like she was ready to step in at any moment, but I gestured for her to stand down.

"There's no need for that," I answered. "I just want to ask if you'd like to talk about what's bothering you."

Qiyana watched me carefully. She didn't look like she believed me, but she wasn't pulling away, either.

"Why do you even care? The deal's off, you don't owe me anything." she reminded me.

"It's because I care deeply about my team, and I can't imagine how painful it would be if my girls all decided to leave one day," I started to explain, feeling a pang of doubt that I would be able to make things up to them before they did just that. "And even though you may not have the most close-knit group, I'm willing to bet it still feels pretty isolating—especially if you're trying to figure it all out on your own."

She'd kept her skepticism up until this point, but now she was slumping down onto the edge of the nearest half-wall, where she began spilling her thoughts without warning. "It's just— There's so much tension in my group all the time. They get along fine when I'm not around, but as soon as I show up, they all seem miserable. If they hate me so much, then I don't get why they bothered joining in the first place."

I sat beside her and nodded her along, biting my tongue to stop myself from sharing the many impolite theories that came to mind. "Well, I assume you've...tried. But have you asked them about it directly? Maybe something is bothering them that you could talk out together."

Qiyana furrowed her brows at the notion, like she wasn't expecting any actual advice. But she was actually thinking about it, which was some kind of a start—until she shook her head and started mumbling her thoughts out loud.

"I can't believe I've resorted to getting support from the enemy. How pathetic is that?"

Akali emerged from the shadows she'd been hovering in to speak up. "But we're not your enemies," she corrected. "I actually had a lot of respect for you until you snapped and left that day. And honestly, it still bothers me that I don't know what happened between us. But, if you want...it's not too late to try talking about it."

Qiyana blinked at her, then lit up with a scoff. "Oh, so you do remember what happened—how sweet. But it's way too late to make up for that now, Akali." she hissed.

Akali rubbed her head. She looked frustrated, and now I understood why she wanted to intervene for me earlier—but I didn't need to fight her battles. I could trust her, too.

"Alright, what's this about?" Akali asked.

"You seriously haven't figured it out yet, after all this time?" Qiyana snarled, and despite what she'd have us believe, she was starting to sound more hurt than pissed off. "Fine. I guess I'll have to spell it out for you."

Qiyana picked at her nails with a shaky touch, dragging out the foreboding silence. There was an unnerving feeling of change in the air. Akali moved closer, seemingly unafraid of the many ways this could go, but she still kept some distance between them before they aired their divided history.

"You could say I wasn't having the best luck starting a career in dance. I tried everything I could think of, but I kept falling short—and then I saw a poster for your auditions. At the time, it felt like my last chance to make a career out of my passion, so I showed up ready to give it everything I had," she explained. "And when I showed up expecting another snobby, cutthroat audition, I was relieved by how welcoming and open-minded you seemed. I felt like, finally, I found people who were seeing me, and not just looking at my inexperience and brushing me aside. You made me think that maybe my dreams weren't just crazy ideas after all."

It felt like a miracle that no one had interrupted each other for a whole minute as we listened. I had to admit: her side of the story wasn't sounding that bad so far, and I was wondering where the drama Akali and her girls told me about was going to come in—then the hope in her voice took a sharp turn.

"I put everything into that final round. And after you and the others had been so encouraging, I never expected to be rejected like that—like trash getting swept back into the street. And then it was over. I got sent home, with nothing to show for it, like the connections and 'friendships' we'd made in that short time meant nothing to any of you. And then you expected me to just happily wave your new crew off to go compete, and leave me behind without a second thought? No. That was the moment I swore I would surpass you, one way or another."

Akali's nails dug into her arms. The two of them couldn't look each other in the eyes, creating an unbearable stillness around us.

"I...had no idea you felt that way," Akali answered quietly.

"Of course you didn't," Qiyana shot back, "because that would have required you to make any effort to stay in touch with me after you decided I wasn't good enough for your team. You know—like an actual person, and not just some disposable performer."

Akali shook her head, and I was proud of how calm she was staying under the accusations. "That's not fair, Qiyana. I had to cut a lot of talented people that day, so I couldn't let myself get too attached if I wanted to do what was best for the team. Not to mention how you were screaming about making me regret it in front of everyone before you stormed out. You didn't exactly leave me room to reach out and fix things."

Qiyana didn't look happy about Akali's response, but she wasn't arguing with it, either. In fact, she was shrinking into herself in a way I never thought I'd see from someone as proud as her. Are we actually getting through to her?

As if on cue, Qiyana spoke with what little remained of her resistance. "Why are either of you still here, anyway?" she asked. "I have no choice but to take back my accusations now, unless I want you to out me as a pathetic cheater—so you already got what you wanted. I messed up. You won."

The hope fluttering in my stomach made me realize I'd forgotten about the competition for the first time since we were disqualified. It was strange to admit, but I was starting to care about her beyond just the outcome of our meeting.

I glanced up and noticed Qiyana looking to me for an answer, so I said what was already on my mind. "Even if we did come forward with what you shared tonight, we still don't have any actual proof, so it may not work out that way," I told her. "But what I can say is that you've made some bad decisions, and you would have a lot of making up to do if you wanted to make this mess right—but there's a hard-working and caring person inside you somewhere. I can see that now. And I think that person is in a lot of pain trying to get through this without a support system."

My words stirred something in her, but before she could respond, Akali elected to sit beside her and continue.

"And you're also a good dancer. You were a top contender when I was putting together my team," Akali explained, which caught Qiyana's attention enough to pull her gaze up from the ground. "But you didn't have to start all this drama to get here. In fact—if you shifted the effort you're spending on these schemes into improving your skills, and treating your team with respect? There's no telling how far your career could go."

Qiyana chewed her lip for a moment, but whatever realization she was having halted when she glanced up at Akali’s Ducati shimmering at the edge of the park. “That’s easy for you to say. Not everyone gets to coast into their career with an entire fanbase already cheering them on, you know.” she pouted.

"You're right. We don't," I cut in. "But no matter where you're starting from, you still have to earn the kind of respect and support Akali has with genuine passion for your work. And being true to yourself helps, too—even if it is scary to put yourself out there."

I wondered if we'd gone too far when Qiyana started sniffling. It must have been getting late by now, and I'm sure we were all exhausted in our own ways—but I think we'd made too much progress not to see this through while we still could.

"The only thing that got me any recognition was doing things I didn't like. I had to change myself in order to get where I am," Qiyana went on, pushing through her broken voice. "But now that I'm here, I...I don't know who I am. I used to have so much passion, and some people even told me I was too determined for my own good. But I'm not like that anymore. I miss that part of me."

It was only a moment before Qiyana's knees were against her chest, and her muffled sobs were filling the tight space between them. Akali froze up and tried offering her a stiff pat on the back, but she was already out of things to try—and I found myself feeling for our rival more than I ever imagined.

I guess all three of us really were full of surprises tonight, because the urge to throw Qiyana into the tightest hug I had wore away at me until I gave in, and all the mushiness I was holding onto spilled out with it. "I may not know exactly what you're going through, but I do know how it feels to be an aspiring dancer who's just starting out. And I know how every rejection and loss feels like a huge deal when you're counting on your success to keep going. But you've already made it this far, so there's no reason you can't do it again—just in a way that you can be proud of, this time." I said.

Qiyana gave us both a weak hug until her breathing returned to normal and she was ready to pull away. I'm not sure what I expected her first impulse to be—maybe to brush us off and pretend that never happened, or something—but I was still hesitantly curious when she reached into a pocket and drew out her phone.

We gave her space, and a minute later, me and Akali's phones buzzed in sync. We glanced at each other and then Qiyana, but she kept a plain face. She was watching expectantly for us to check what she had in store.

after coming to a *very* surprising understanding, i have decided to officially resign true damage from the competition this year, her latest post read. please give your support to the two remaining teams. they've earned it.

I soaked in the words across my screen, still trying to hide my excitement out of habit. "Does this mean—?"

She raised a hand. "I make no promises, but I will try to settle this with the producers on my own," she said, with a foreign and poorly hidden smile growing across her lips. "But you'd both better get to work. I expect to watch a bombshell finale."

Screw it. I engulfed Qiyana one last time, bouncing up and down as if I'd just won the whole competition right then and there—but in some ways, this was even better than winning.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm amazing," she groaned over my celebration, but at least she was only half-joking this time. "Now, if you'll excuse me—I think I have some apologizing to do."

After a quick promise that she would return next year stronger than ever, Qiyana turned to leave. My head was already buzzing with all the preparations and last-minute coordinating I had waiting for me, which I assumed would be on Akali's mind as well, but she surprised me when she called after Qiyana and pulled me along to catch her.

"You just couldn't let me have my dramatic exit, could you?" Qiyana sighed.

"Not when you're walking by yourself in the dark like this," Akali pointed out. "You got a ride?"

Qiyana bit her cheek. "Yasuo usually drives the team around...but we're not exactly on 'speaking terms' at the moment. Our hotel isn't far though, so I should be fine."

Akali paused to sigh, like she knew what she was going to do, but couldn't believe she was actually doing it. She bolted for her bike, leaving me to ask if Qiyana needed a cab or something, but luckily she returned before we had to sort that out.

"No need," Akali interjected, panting as she shoved her helmet, with tiger ears and all, into Qiyana's arms. "One ride to get you back for the night, but that's it. And yes, I saw you eyeing my bike earlier—so don't deny that you're at least slightly intrigued."

Qiyana's eyes trailed over the helmet. She blinked up at Akali as it sunk in, but I intervened before she got her hopes up.

"Um, Kali—are you sure your bike is built to have three people on it at the same time?" I asked.

"It's not, but it'll survive for a few minutes," she shrugged. "Now everyone on—before I change my mind."

Akali and I topped the bike as usual, and it took Qiyana standing there studying us for me to realize just how second-nature this was to me now. She followed and awkwardly straddled behind me, much like my first attempt had looked all that time ago, but eventually she made it work. And it was honestly impressive, considering I'm pretty sure the part she was sitting on was not ever meant to be used as a seat.

Qiyana snapped on the helmet and clung to me for dear life. “Well…I suppose this is appreciated," she called over my shoulder with a distaste in her tone, likely trying to hide the shake in her voice. "But this doesn’t mean I like you now, One-Hit Wonder.”

Akali smirked, revving the engine just to prove a point. “Don’t worry, Fake Damage—feeling’s still mutual.”

And with that, Akali, Qiyana and I embarked on the world's shortest bike tour down the street, peaking at an exciting speed of five miles-per-hour under the additional weight. If someone told me this is how I would be spending one of the last few days of our trip before this all started—cruising down main street after midnight, packed in between two of my rivals on a Ducati, one of which I thought had ruined my career just a couple hours ago—I would've called them crazy. But I think I was finally getting used to it. And I would miss it dearly once we all had to go our separate ways, heading home with an equal potential for victory and defeat between both teams—but I wouldn't waste a moment of it thinking about everything there was to lose. From now on, I was going to fight for everything we had to gain.

Chapter Text

"...Did you really just convince Qiyana to drop out and let us compete again?"

Akali's disbelief carried over her shoulder beside the busy street of early-morning commuters humming by. She absent-mindedly watched from her bike as our former rival disappeared into her hotel, meanwhile I was eagerly taking the short break to call an emergency meeting starting in twenty minutes. I wasn't sure any of my girls would be awake yet, let alone ready on such short notice—but the circumstances didn't leave me many options.

"I guess I did," I answered her as I hastily sent out my message to Mythic's group chat. "But don't give me all the credit—I had some excellent assistance."

Akali grabbed her neck with that shy laugh of hers. "I guess we did make a pretty good team back there," she admitted.

I leaned forward so I could nod against her with my arms wrapped around her waist. She felt so warm, and the city's late-night chill was soon an afterthought. We really did it. Finally, everything seemed to be falling into place, and we held onto that feeling for as long as we could—but eventually her chest sank. We couldn't ignore it forever.

"This means we won't get to finish our date after all, huh?" Akali whispered, like she didn't want to hear herself say it.

I answered with whatever reassurance I had left in me after the emotional evening. "I'm afraid so. We've got some serious rehearsing to do if we want to be ready for the finale in two days," I reminded her.

Akali let her thumb hover over the engine start button as she hung on my words. "Yeah—yeah, you're right," she managed to get out. She directed me to put on my helmet before taking off for my hotel down the street, and the short burst of cool air was a perfect sensation to accompany the shift in mood.

"Well, this is it," Akali said, each word sounding more hollow than the last. "I'm sure we'll both be busy rehearsing until the show, so...I guess I'll see you there."

The relief from our breakthrough with Qiyana slipped away. This is how the schedule was planned to go from the start, but now that it was back on track, it felt more wrong than ever.

I reigned in my thoughts and willed my throat not to close on me. "Well, I know things didn't go as planned, but remember what you told me? As long as you still want to, we can figure this out."

Her eyes danced across the sidewalk as her lip threatened to quiver. I pulled her in, careful not to squeeze too tight and risk one of us breaking down, but the shake in her voice didn't sound far off.

"Of course I want to," she whispered, like more of a promise than an answer. "I want that more than anything."

I smiled into her soft hair. "I do too, Kali. And we have all the time in the world to make that happen, but our dreams need us first."

Instead of comforting her with my commitment to try again, I sensed my words weighing her down like an anchor. So much for always knowing just what to say.

I slipped away before I made things any worse, but not before wiping the glint against her cheek that I caught twinkling under a streetlight. My hand hovered there for a while, looking into her eyes for much too long, until I finally pulled away. This was the order of priorities I'd always thought a responsible leader would adhere to. Feelings could wait... Right?

My own muscles tugged at me in defiance. Logic had never failed me before—in fact, it even carried me through the most grueling schedules I'd set out for myself. But that was then. And maybe that was the right thing to do when I didn't have the most wonderful woman I'd ever met watching me through tears as I walked away. But now, whether I was ready for it or not, that same woman was making me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

Akali met me halfway as I went back on my plan, and this time I squeezed her as tightly as I damn pleased. "I'm sorry. I don't want to push your feelings aside," I assured her, even with the quaver in my voice.

"It's okay," she sniffled. "You're just a lot more responsible than I am, and I respect that about you."

I stopped counting down the seconds until rehearsal was supposed to start. This wasn't just me against the world, like I'd been used to for so many years. If Akali needed me here, then she needed me—and I didn't want to push her, or life, or anything else away for work anymore.

As if Akali had somehow heard my decision, she nuzzled against me with a soft voice to match.

"I get that we need to practice like crazy if we're gonna pull this off, and I never want to stand in the way of your dreams, it's just..." she pulled me closer to her chest, like she was trying to distract herself from bursting into tears. "I'm scared we're gonna regret not talking about us before we have to go home."

I blinked down at what little of her I could still see while being smushed. "I'm scared too," my answer echoed. "But if there's one thing I'm learning from you, it's that life will pass us by if we're living in fear of the future. That's why it's so important to enjoy what's in front of us, right?"

Akali was still for a moment. I wasn't sure if she was plotting ways to get out of rehearsing or if she was actually listening to her own advice, but I let her hold onto me as long as she needed to either way. She eventually pulled away to swipe at her nose, and the brave smile beneath her watery eyes was all the answer I needed.

"I must be teaching you well then, Starlight. I just didn't expect you to use that against me," she laughed.

"Of course I did," I teased back. "But with that said, I don't want how much I enjoyed our time to be lost in the excitement of returning to the competition. You made our first proper date even better than I could've imagined—and I plan on returning the favor."

Akali perked up at that, with a grin to herself that was somehow adorably bashful and proud of herself at the same time. "It was my pleasure, Gorgeous. And if I get another chance, I hope I can show you an even better time," she winked.

The wind picked up and bristled through her hair as the hum of passing traffic slipped by. For one precious second, all I could see was the light of business signs around us dotting her dark eyes like stars in the night sky itself, all while her words lapped softly in my ears until they became a wish we could share. I didn't know how it would work yet, but I was never more sure of a feeling than I was now. This—us—was my future.

Akali broke off our accidental staring contest to get ready to leave. Once she boarded her bike, I wondered if she had any idea how good she looked perched up there—and if she did, it was nothing short of cruel.

"I'd wish you luck on your routine, but you're gonna kill it out there. I know you will," she told me.

I felt warm again from the pride in her eyes washing over me. "I'll return the favor and skip the well wishes, then," I replied. "But I still expect you to give it your all."

She slid on her helmet to leave, but not before giving me a sharp smirk. "Oh, trust me—I will. I won't let you show us up without a fight."

With that final retort, Akali took off down the street before I could get in another word. I knew she was ripping off the band-aid of leaving so I didn't have to, but I still let my response disappear after her into the first glow of morning light.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Chapter Text

The hotel lobby was quieter than usual. Most sane people were just now waking up at this hour, and certainly not getting ready to choreograph the most important routine of their life while going over twenty-four hours without sleep—but this was worth a little sleep deprivation, I thought. I'd rest once someone was holding that trophy on the plane ride home.

I shook my head of that tantalizing thought and marched toward our rental space. The empty hall was so still, and yet it filled me with a foreboding sense of dread. If everything went to plan, then this would be the last moment of anything close to peace I would get on this trip, ending the moment I walked through that door to meet with the team that I'd missed so much. But what if it's too late?

The light streaming through the doorframe and Becca's stretching playlist humming from inside settled my nerves enough to keep moving. At least one of them showed up. Now I just needed to find out if they were willing to hear me out, or if our time apart led them to the conclusion I feared most.

With a deep breath to get myself as ready as I'd ever be, I pushed inside. I quickly counted the four girls across the floor, each wearing their team uniforms and preparing with some light stretching despite having no routine to practice yet. It felt like the start of any other rehearsal, save for the uncertain glances in my direction as I entered. It didn't feel good, but it was understandable—a lot had gone on in the past few days, after all.

Becca was the last to notice me, standing abruptly to cut the music. She was much too quiet. I spent a few seconds psyching myself up for the speech that I'd been half-mindedly preparing ever since I entered the hotel, but I blanked once she started walking toward me. I was prepared for the worst, unsure of what reaction might await—but there were too many possibilities to prepare for.

"Keep stretching," Becca calmly instructed the group. "I need to have a talk with the Captain before she starts whatever epic monologue she has planned."

The breath I was holding dissipated once I saw Becca cracking a faint smile. The friendly rib was a relief, but there was still no denying the tension behind it, and the nerves quickly built up again as I followed her outside.

As soon as the door clicked at our backs, the charged silence was waiting to envelop us. Where was I supposed to start? I glanced over, and Becca looked like she was asking herself the same thing as we caught each other. She opened her mouth to talk a few times, but each time she mentally talked herself out of it, until eventually she just gave up on thinking and put it out there.

"It has been brought to my attention that I may have reacted too...'harshly', last time we spoke." She paused to check for a reaction, then pursed her lips like she remembered she still had more to say. "I'm still upset, but I've been doing lots of thinking, and I can see how this has probably been pretty hard for you, too. So before this gets in the way of whatever you wanna say to the team, I'd like to get this figured out. And this time, I'm gonna try...hearing you out...so I can understand what happened."

I blinked at her. Who was this and what had she done with my best friend? Except it was definitely still Becca, going by her hesitance whenever she had to refrain from jumping to conclusions. She just never put this much thought into anything once she'd made up her mind—which had me wondering if this was Eve's influence at play—but I wasn't going to complain about it.

"Of course we can, Bec," I told her. "I've wanted to talk ever since our argument, but I was also trying to give you space."

Becca bit one of her already-cracked nails. She glanced over a couple times, like she was thinking hard about saying something, but she settled on a nod and let me continue instead.

Now that we'd come to a sort of truce, I eagerly took the opportunity to explain my side of everything that had been going on. Things like how difficult it was to balance the team with my new relationships, especially with Akali, and that this was exactly why I was always so afraid to get involved with anyone before I passed the peak of my career. But then things with Akali just kind of happened, and suddenly I was left trying to figure out how to navigate it while also leading Mythic through our biggest competition yet. And, as I learned the hard way—no amount of frantic Google searches could teach me how to do all of that on my own.

"But most importantly, I heard you, and I'm sorry that I made you feel like I forgot about you as a result of everything else going on," I continued, even daring myself to look up from my own wringing hands to emphasize the point. "And I want you to know that I still value our friendship and everything we've been through together, Bec. More than ever."

Her nails dug into her palms at her sides. Despite my attempts to connect with her, she still hadn't lifted her attention from the floor.

"...Do you mean that?" her whisper slipped out.

I took up one of her hands into my own. "You still are, and always will be my first and best friend—"

Before I could even finish, Becca threw herself at me with the most aggressive hug I'd ever received, which was shortly followed by her letting out all the other emotions she'd been holding in. I was starting to lose track of all the times I'd hugged someone in tears on this trip—and seeing where it got me, I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

"It felt like I was being replaced and it fucking sucked!" Becca cried, but she still somehow managed to make it sound like an emotionally-charged joke. "I was fine competing with Akali on stage, but I didn't want to compete with her over you, too."

I tried to soothe her by patting her back, feeling a pang of guilt that she felt that way without me knowing for so long. "I don't want anyone competing over me, Silly. That's why going forward, I'm going to do my best to make time for both of you, because you're both important to me." I promised.

She squeezed me excitedly at the mention of my future plans, which only made it that much harder to follow up with the brutally honest part.

"But, if Akali becomes a serious part of my life," I continued, "then things won't go back to exactly how they were before. And as much as I wish I could do everything and spend all my time with both of you, that just isn't possible. All I can do is try my best to balance my time better."

Becca straightened up and quickly wiped her tears at that. "Well... I'm not thrilled about that part. But I can also see how happy you are with Akali, and I don't want to get in the way of that. 'Cause I really do want you to be happy, y'know."

We shared a smile for the first time in much too long, and I assured Becca I wanted the same for her. "But next time something is bothering you, I want you to say something so it can be addressed before it turns into a hurtful situation for both of us, okay?" I encouraged her.

"Yeah...turns out I'm not very good at this whole 'thinking before I speak' and 'communicating how I feel' shtick," she admitted. "But you're probably right—so I'll keep trying, too."

With that settled, I felt a full breath was finally in order—but the chatter bubbling through the door served as a well-timed reminder that Becca wasn't the only one who was upset with me.

Right on cue, Becca dragged my attention away with an elbow digging into my ribs. "Ready to get back in there, Soldier?" she teased.

"I don't think I have much choice," I sighed. "But I wouldn't blame any of you if you didn't trust me to see the competition through anymore."

I could tell Becca's hopes were flying at the mention of competing, but she reigned herself in and played it cool. "Are you shitting me? Why wouldn't we want to finish this if we miraculously got another chance?" she asked.

"After this rollercoaster of a competition? I'm not sure of anything anymore," I thought aloud.

"Nah. No way in hell they'd pass on an opportunity like that," Becca claimed, then slugged an arm around my shoulder to guide me inside. "Now let's go get this cleared up."

The pleasant chatter filling the practice space fell silent at our entrance. Their eyes were on me now, each expectant and guarded in their own way. I just hoped Becca was right.

I swallowed my nerves, grateful that Becca stayed at my side for this. "Alright, ladies. I have some big news to share, but first, I think I owe you all an explanation—and an apology."

My team listened willingly as I gave them exactly that. They were skeptical at first as I explained why I'd been so absent ever since Qiyana kicked us off, but they eased up by the end. Now the big question was all that remained.

"I understand if you'd rather not see the competition through after all of this. And I don't expect you to, either," I announced, feeling another knot in my stomach as I worked up the courage to continue. "But, if you're all still willing—then there's no team I'd rather get back on that stage with."

At first, there was nothing. A whole lot of nothing. It was just me and my uncertain thoughts as what could come next played out in my mind. But then one girl stood, and then another—and before I knew it, I was being swarmed by arms like a wrapped present.

"Told ya," Becca giggled beside me as she joined the group embrace. "But, wait—did you say we're going back on stage? What the hell happened while you were gone?!"

Exhaustion threatened to creep in at the mere thought of everything they'd missed. "It's a long story that will have to wait for the plane ride home, I'm afraid. But yes, you heard correctly—if all goes as planned, we'll be competing against The Baddest in two days for the finale." I proudly shared.

The hotel guests probably thought our practice room was being rented for a party based off the cheers and excitement following my news. I watched them warmly as they celebrated, thinking of all the blood, sweat, and probably even tears that would need to be shed if we were going to meet our tightest deadline yet—and then a devilish grin took over me.

"I hope you'll all remember this moment when we're running our routine for three hours straight," I warned them, finding amusement in their collective groans at the mere thought of it. "Now, if we're all good here—let's get ready to show the world what a million-dollar dance routine looks like."

Chapter Text

My feet ached as I paced along the front of the stage, letting the music for our routine soak in one last time before the real deal. I was tired. But it was the good kind of tired—the kind that followed a couple days' worth of hard work that was finally about to pay off.

Becca and the others panted through the final pose of the routine, watching me desperately for a signal to take a break after running it for a sixth time in a row.

"Well," I began, squinting over them as they held the positions that would soon be broadcasted to millions of potential voters. "I think this is our best work yet. Now go hydrate before we have to get ready for the show to start."

I followed my relieved group to where we'd plopped our bags so I could scoop up my phone that was being used as a speaker while we practiced. My lips tugged at the song title scrolling by. I thought I would've been sick of it by now, but I suppose some things just never get old. The headlines that would result from it in the morning were already playing out in my mind, too—at least, until Becca swooped in to elbow me.

“Picking out random K-pop for our first routine was bad enough, but now this... You're so obvious, y'know that?” Becca teased between her vicious chugs of water.

“I didn’t pick it for myself, Bec." I tried not to smile as I half-heartedly defended my creative decision. “I’m using it to stir up drama for the show. More rivalry means more audience interest, which is good for all of us.”

Becca snorted at me. "Riiight—and it's definitely not because you just wanted an excuse to listen to her voice all day," she shot back.

I couldn't offer her more than a coy smile before it was time to herd them off to our dressing room. We filed out into the hallway, and I was mostly focused on my final pre-show checklist until some shuffling on the opposite side made me look over, where The Baddest's group was following Akali to the stage for their own practice.

I was almost too distracted from staring to reciprocate the quick wave Akali gave me. I'd barely seen her since our attempt at a date night, save for the couple of minutes Akali had snuck in to visit yesterday while her group was on lunch break—and, needless to say, that wasn't cutting it.

But the demands of showbiz inevitably won out and urged me to set aside my feelings for now. It wasn't all bad, though. At least I had the excitement of a big performance to keep me occupied.

Since I'd come in early to set up for our off-stage surprise—and do my hair and makeup, as always—I was able to skip right to changing into my costume. It was much fancier than our usual looks, with ivory-colored quilted fabric, gold accessories, and even feathered trim on the collar and sleeves. It reminded me of something Eve would keep in her closet for a special occasion.

Too bad it isn't going to stay this way—but we have to earn our shock-value somehow, I suppose.

The gold pieces glittered in the vanity mirror as I looked myself over for anything to fix. Normally, this was the part where I'd start worrying about how the audience would react, and second-guessing all of my pre-planning. This time, I was finding myself more curious about what she would think—but those thoughts would have to remain carefully tucked away while I helped my team.

I was jostled out of my thoughts again—quite literally—by Becca slugging an arm around me. "This has gotta be our, what, hundredth time doing this now? We've got it covered, Captain." she pointed out.

"Are you sure? I mean, my options are kind of limited. There isn't enough room to practice in the hallway, and Akali's group is probably busy with their own rehearsal, so..."

Becca shook her head at me. "You've been distracted ever since you saw her out there. At this point, I'm more concerned about what would happen if you didn't talk to her before the show. Now shoo," she insisted, matching her words to a waving motion as she all-but shoved me out the door. And apparently, she wasn't the only one with the idea.

I didn't make it two steps outside before almost colliding with a sheen of silvery fabric. After stumbling back—grateful that I didn't mess up my stage makeup, at least—I blinked up to see that the fabric was part of a costume. And that costume belonged to Akali.

"Ah! Just the girl I was looking for," Akali chuckled down at me. "But first—either I'm seeing things, or Becca just kicked you out of your own dressing room. Everything okay in there?"

I nodded, trying not to dwell on the way I was practically stuck between her and the wall. "Yeah, she was just reminding me to live a little instead of obsessing over preparations. In fact, she was sending me off to talk to you."

"Glad I saved you the trip, then." Akali's tone went soft as her gaze dipped down to my costume, and she lingered there before speaking up again. "I see you're going for high-class this week. It's very nice, but I'll have you know that it wouldn't look half as good without you wearing it."

She got a smile out of me. But if she was going to be so obvious about it, then I felt it was only fair to shamelessly check her out as well.

Her look was put together with a short holographic jacket over a tight, sleeveless top, shiny black leggings, and sleek pull-on sneakers with crystals lining the soles. It was exactly what I imagined most people thought of as "cool"—and very on-brand for her, at that. But it felt a little more daring this week. Certainly much crisper than her usual loose, flowy threads. Maybe it was her exposed abs on display, or the O-ring zipper going down the neck of her top that looked like it was just begging to be tugged— But I couldn't afford to be thinking like that. Not until the show was over, anyway.

"I could say the same about yours...and more."

The hallway fell quiet after that, and the silence only highlighted the palpable restraint filling our section of it. This was how it had to be if we wanted each other at our best out there. I knew that. But that didn't stop it from feeling like a constant low-grade torture humming in the background.

Akali finally cleared her throat and proposed a new subject, which was either out of genuine interest, or just a desperate need for distraction. "So, how are things going with Bec? I know you two were having a rough time after the food festival."

"It wasn't easy, but we worked through it," I started, then lowered my voice. "And I think I partially have Eve to thank for that. Becca and I have had our fair share of disagreements over the years, but I think this is the first time she's ever intentionally taken a breath before responding to something."

Akali perked up at that. "Guess that explains why Eve's been glued to her phone so much lately," she recalled. "I wish I could tell what was going on with Eve like you can with Becca, though. She's so good at hiding what she's feeling that I'd probably never know if she was seeing someone unless she straight-up told me."

I nodded. Partly because that tracked for Eve, but also because I could relate, since Becca wasn't exactly the best at recognizing her own emotions. "Even if I know something's going on with them, I still have to wait for her to admit it to herself first. I guess all we can do now is wait for them to figure it out."

We shared a quiet laugh so we wouldn't raise any suspicion from inside my dressing room, and then the hum of production getting ready for the show picked up through the door behind Akali. It served as a definitive reminder that we only had a few minutes left, and some curiosity started to mix in with my usual pre-show nerves.

"So, Miss Headliner, am I allowed to know what your latest gimmick will be?" I asked.

Akali grinned and patted her pocket, which had a small lump poking at it from the inside. "It's nothing big this time. You could say I was inspired by someone to make our technical work the focus, instead of flashy props for once—but you'll still get a surprise."

Now she had me more intrigued, but I wasn't about to ruin whatever she had in store. Besides—she wasn't the only one with something up her sleeve. "In that case, I look forward to seeing what all your hard work went into. Just don't be surprised if we're the ones throwing a wild card into the mix this time." I smirked.

"Oh, trust me..." she purred, "no one is looking forward to this more than I am."

Akali's gaze shifted with her breath, followed by an unsureness between us. It was like every vulgar thought that plagued me during the last few days of practices was pushing its way into my attention. I'd gotten good at refocusing on my work, but having her so close was making it damn-near impossible not to think of all the things I wanted to do to her—and it was no easier to ignore once she pulled me in and let her head drop onto my shoulder.

“I wish I could kiss you right now,” she whispered, and I hoped like hell she didn’t notice the way I shuddered at the sensation of her voice against my bare skin. “Don’t worry—I know. That would be too much here. But just know that if we weren’t sworn to our duties for the day, I’d be kissing you until we forget all about competing.”

I swallowed and tried to imagine my distracting thoughts going down with it. They didn't. "That sounds per—"

My whisper was cut short by the buzz of our stage call through the speakers overhead, and I couldn't decide if that was the best or worst possible timing for it.

“Hold that thought— Sounds like it’s showtime,” she hummed, offering a peck on my cheek and a quick wink. “Well, Starlight... May the baddest team win.”

Our groups waited on opposite sides of the stage as the host put on his final introductions for each of us. Since we were the only two teams left to compete, they had to pad out the rest of the runtime with an extra-long recap segment—which felt like nothing short of cruel to make us wait through. But eventually he finished, welcoming The Baddest onto the stage.

Akali flashed a bright grin the moment she stepped out there. I'd seen that gorgeous smile of hers plenty of times by now, but this was special. It was her first time on stage without a mask holding her back. She looked out over the adoring crowd, and I wondered if she was thinking of her late mom as she soaked up her well-earned time in the spotlight—but even so, I had no plans to go easy on her.

Once our turn to make one final grand entrance was over, the decision of who would perform first was left to the audience, as was customary by now. This was normally when my nerves would start to really kick in—but I didn't mind it today. As long as everyone gave it their best and had fun along the way, that was all I could ask for.

The Baddest was chosen to go first against us for the third and final time. I doubted it was a coincidence at this point—but I wasn't about to let that worry me as we cleared the stage for them. And besides, we had some preparations to make.

They lined up across the middle of the stage, letting a harsh spotlight shine down over them to create some neat silhouettes—which is when I realized how much variety their costumes had while still managing to match. Individualized costume pieces seemed to be a staple for them, but this almost felt like watching a fashion show as they started moving.

Akali looked as confident as ever in her costume that I was already well-acquainted with, and the rest were just as fitting to each of them. Kai's was simple and sleek, contrasted by the frilly and highly-decorated look Sera was rocking, and Ahri's had a pronounced elegance to it without being overstated. It seemed Eve was eager to show off her promiscuous side with hers, though, emphasizing the tight material around her chest and thighs with a set of shiny leather straps stretched across her bare skin. I hoped the costuming alone wouldn't get them extra votes—since I was confident neither team wanted to win on that merit—but once I caught my own co-captain's jaw hanging at the view, I knew we were in for a battle.

As GRL GVNG by XG played out—which I had to admit was a clever song choice, in terms of lyrics—I focused on making sure our own little gimmick went smoothly. It was difficult to prepare in the dark, and even more difficult to justify at the expense of our costumes, but I convinced myself the reaction would be worth it. We needed to go big or quite literally go home, after all. And luckily, as Becca reminded me, it didn't need to be perfect to get the point across.

I snuck in as many glances at the stage as I could while we worked and I noticed their routine had a different feeling to it this week. It was cleaner than usual, and certainly less improvisational than Akali would normally go for. I smugly realized that I had inspired that change—and it was playing right into my plans.

Akali's promise of a surprise came to mind as their music neared its finale. I watched as they hit their ending, which was perfectly timed with the cut of the music, and I joined the audience's rapture as she made a show of reaching into her pocket and chucked whatever was in it onto the ground with a precise snap. A soft hiss filled the stage as smoke poured out from it, and the eager silence of the auditorium broke into a roar as the shroud cleared to reveal an empty stage where they just were.

We would have to dance for our lives after that—and I couldn't wait.

The producer waved us on, marking the point of no return. I led the charge and squinted through the last remnants of smoke to find Akali on the other side, who was cheering and high-fiving her group, as if there wasn't an audience of thousands of people just around the curtain who could've heard her.

I smiled to myself as we found our positions. And to think when we first joined I would've been tempted to file a report with production over that.

The grip of anticipation hung in the air across the stage and out over the audience, filling every muscle with adrenaline and eagerness. Faint whispers of confusion filled the front rows following our entrance. This was it. The first trill of Akali's famous single hit the speakers, and my lips bent with a smirk as I heard a line of gasps ripple through the audience in response. With this kind of attention on us, our only option was to give them a show they wouldn't forget—and I planned to make it one that would make my rival proud.

The dark rows beyond the stage lights were perfectly still below us as we moved through our routine. I had to admit—it was scary to try something so far from my typical style. Especially when that style incorporated elements that I once considered raunchy and unworthy of being broadcast on a platform like this. Maybe it was meeting Akali, or maybe I feared losing if we didn't switch things up somehow for our final stand—but something changed. And if I was going to pull this off, then I was going to have to let loose in a way I never had while performing before.

I'd spent a lot of time as I choreographed this week thinking about how Akali described the way she feels on stage. The way it takes over, and gives her a kind of freedom she can't get anywhere else. Well, it would be a first for me...but there was only one way to figure it out.

I embodied that carefreeness I'd learned to love about her as we got into the routine, and soon the key moments were getting exactly the reactions I was banking on, if not better. And that was before we revealed our biggest surprise.

The crowd's attention was already taken by force, if not shock, when everything culminated into the final verse—the moment I'd been waiting for. The stage lights clicked off, casting a noticeable chill in place of the warmth they'd been radiating all day, and it was taken over by the soft buzz of a dim, murky light as the final phase of my plan came to life. An aura of the neon paint we'd traced and splattered across ourselves was now glowing across the stage and filling the corners of my vision. I took a well-earned gulp of air as I kept moving with this unexpected new stage persona of mine, knowing our viewers—and especially, Akali—were getting a good look at the designs we pulled off. And the stir of gestures and voices below were telling me it was worth it.

Was it the most original idea ever? Certainly not. But I ensured we made it our own. And, honestly, what mattered most was that it was memorable—and if Akali’s introduction at the beginning of the competition had proven anything, it was that stunts like this were difficult to forget.

We kept dancing through the rest of our music like our lives depended on it. And maybe they did, in some ways—but I was starting to enjoy it beyond just my usual performance high. It wasn't quite as sore of work as our usual routines were, since I wasn't worried about standing up straight the whole time, and it was even strangely fun to be so close to the front of the stage like this. I even crossed the line marking the boundaries of the stage just enough to interact with the front row a little bit. Of course, I'd already planned that out ahead of time—but since when was I so comfortable with breaking the rules? Have I been missing this all along?

And then...it was over.

The song trailed off to its familiar end, and the stage lights shifted back on as if to offer us closure. Our poor costumes were back to looking like the canvases for a kindergarten class's finger-painting session, too—but I didn't think anyone would be forgetting what we just pulled off anytime soon.

It wasn't long before I was pulling my girls in and hoping they could feel just how proud of them I was. I knew they couldn't hear me over the roaring audience, but by the time we got home, they'd be sick of hearing my praise. And I could live with that.

The cheers were still in full-swing as The Baddest was called back onto the stage to await the votes to be counted one last time. I glanced over. They were giving us a handful of playfully-disapproving looks after our cheeky jab, and it was surreal to think this could be the last time we'd ever get to be in this position. On this stage, together, with both teams as they are. And apparently, it was surreal enough that my tears tried to slip out again... But I didn't want to be sad just yet. After all, what I ended up getting out of this was better than I'd ever dared to imagine—and that's all before the winner was even announced.

I closed my eyes and waited. The suspenseful music they always played was swelling, but it hit harder now. This time, more than ever, it really mattered how the votes went.

It was close enough to feel real in my head—Mythic Essence, sprawled across the giant monitors and the screens of every viewer. Our hard work finally paying off. My dream, our dream, becoming reality. But then, there was the opportunity for The Baddest to win out, and I smiled a little harder at the idea of Akali seeing the proof of her own leadership skills on full display. Sure, there would be disappointment there, too—but it wouldn't change the excitement I'd feel for them. Besides, nothing could change how proud I was of myself and my team for persevering everything—and everyone—this trip threw at us to be able to stand here at all. And we didn't need a trophy to be proud of that.

As nice as the thought was, I realized no winner had been announced yet, so I peeked one eye open in search of an answer. The host was stalling even longer than his usual agonizing spiel required, and he was running out of material. He pressed at his earpiece to make out whatever was being said over the demanding crowd, then nodded to confirm something. With a tall back and his blazer straightened, he finally pushed on with the results.

"I hope everyone at home is ready—because after a careful recount, our latest showdown between Mythic Essence and The Baddest has been determined. Please, put your hands together for..."

My heart skipped. Was this it? Is it finally happening?

"...OUR FIRST-EVER, TIED, FINALE!"

Chapter Text

A moment of stillness passed before the results sank in. The host was occupied while he waited for further instructions, and now the eerily-quiet audience was looking to us for how to feel. I wanted to give them an answer, but there was no hiding it: I was at a loss.

Our groups started to shift behind us, and they sounded like a bit of everything. Still buzzing from the adrenaline, somewhat frustrated—and, of course, confused. In all the time I'd spent planning for this competition, I never thought to account for a tie in the finale...or what it could mean for us. Would we have to split the earnings? Cut the trophy in half, maybe?

Wherever this latest development would lead, I had no time to worry about it before the host cleared his throat and continued in the aftermath of his announcement.

"While we've never seen a tie during a finale spanning the entire history of our show so far, the producers have decided on a never-before-seen tie-breaking method...that will be right up after the break, so stay tuned!"

Akali and I glanced at each other once the live feed turned off, and it seemed neither of us were eager for this last-minute tie-breaker we knew nothing about. I wondered how we had never been briefed by production on the protocol for an undecided vote this late into the competition—until a handful of staff rushed on stage to pull us directly to them.

The pair muttered between themselves as we entered the stairwell they were camped out in. It reeked of tobacco, and they hunkered down over a makeshift project area strewn across an entire section of the steps, which were nearly covered with notes and empty diet soda bottles. One of them finally noticed us and yanked his hand from the Dorito bag he was clutching to wipe the crumbs off on his pants, and offered each of us a hasty greeting—but the one behind him was not nearly so concerned with our presence.

She kept her focus on the messy folder of paperwork she was flipping through—a rulebook for the show, based on the label written in thick Sharpie—and strung out a page filled with scribbled, overlapping handwriting written at every angle imaginable. "You're the last two?"

We nodded, and I couldn't help feeling a bit offended that she wasn't sure who the finalists of her own show were.

"I hope you're familiar with the concept of a dance-off then, since that's what we're gonna do." She read off the page like a long, continuous sigh, giving us a whirlwind explanation that even they clearly hadn't thought through very well. Her quick cadence and the co-director's occasional mumble made it difficult to follow, but what I got out of it was that just Akali and I would be facing off against each other to settle the tie, and we would be dancing to a random song that their audio person was going to pick. To prevent the live votes from resulting in another stalemate, they decided whoever reaches one million votes first will end the voting process—and win automatically.

I nodded along to the audible thought dump, getting no help from either of them as the guy's blank, stressed stare bore through us during her ramble. How are Akali and I the only ones staying calm here?

The pair scrounged up their mess and turned to leave without warning, and I felt a pit forming in my stomach when I realized they weren't going to elaborate on their own. "Excuse me, but how are we supposed to come up with a TV-ready routine in the next five minutes?"

The woman snarled to herself, like my presence was yet another inconvenience to her day, and turned back with the most pleasant face she could be bothered with.

"Improvise it."

They shuffled up and out of sight, as if they hadn't just announced one of my worst intrusive thoughts was about to come true. I didn't know what song they'd play, or what style of dance to use, or how long this challenge would even go on for— But worst of all, I couldn't do the one thing I knew best: plan.

Akali reminded me that I hadn't moved a muscle since they left when her touch carefully met my arm. "Hey. You gonna be okay?"

"I'll just...have to figure something out." My fingers cramped from the fists squeezed at my sides. "It doesn't sound like I have much choice. I mean, you heard her—I have to improvise. On live TV. In front of millions of people. It's not like my entire career could be—"

“Are you sure you don't want me to drop out?”

I blinked up at her. It was hard to tell if she actually meant it, or if she was just saying something to snap me out of my thoughts. Either way, she got my attention.

"Kali, I don't care how stressed out I am, I would never want you to give this opportunity up. Especially not after I learned why you're really here." I told her.

Once we found each other, it was as if we were sharing the memories we made on her hotel balcony all over again. At the time, the finale of the show had felt like a faraway concept—yet here we were already nearing its conclusion.

Akali smiled like she had settled something and grabbed my hand. "Then we better make sure you're ready. Whatever you need, I'm here."

The warmth of her gesture slipped away as soon as she guided me out of the stuffy stairwell. Our teams milled around restlessly in the curtains across the stage, and all the ways this next segment could go horribly wrong was at the forefront of my mind. The studio had so many things to repair, things we could only fix with the earnings if we won. But even more troubling than not being able to fix the place up was the thought of my—and by extension, the entire studio's—reputation if I screwed this up. Who would want to send their kid to be taught by a woman who froze up on stage because she can’t improv? And who could blame them for it? I certainly couldn’t.

“You're not alone, y’know. I’m nervous too,” Akali mused over my shoulder, which is when I realized how patiently she had been holding me while we waited.

I'd thought Becca was the only person who could make me crack a smile at a time like this, but Akali managed—and she probably wasn't even trying to. “If the superstar is nervous, then I'm really in trouble.”

"I have my moments." She smiled back, but the shake in her hands proved her point.

We watched the production team prep the stage as each second ticked closer to our return, desperate for even a fleeting distraction. Akali was holding me tighter than usual, and while I didn't mind it, I got the feeling she had more on her mind than just performance anxiety.

"What's got you nervous? I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to improv."

Her voice was softer this time. "I am. It's just that this time I'm up against the most amazing dancer I've ever met." She squeezed me closer, like she was still halfway lost in thought. "But no matter what happens out there, the most important thing is that we're living it to the fullest. It's what Mom would've wanted."

The one-minute stage call rippled through backstage. As soon as she let go of me to prepare, I scooped her hands into my own shaky grip, then spoke with all the bravery and pure adrenaline I had going for me.

“Then here goes everything. No holding back, got it?”

It was her turn to be surprised. “Against you?” Akali carefully swiped her eyes with an adoring smile that I wanted to hold onto forever. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Starlight. All out.”

We gave our teams a quick wave as we returned to the stage and settled onto the marked spots the staff left for us during the break. The lights were somehow even warmer than usual, and I wondered if my stomach was churning from the heat or the nerves—but I couldn't worry about it once the cameras started rolling. Before we knew it, the host was already back on stage, this time with a fresh script to read as he welcomed the viewers back from the ad break.

My smile muscles were twitching as I tried to swallow, and even his booming voice started to fade through the blood rushing in my ears. I did my best to concentrate on his explanation of the rules—which he was reciting quite well, despite probably being briefed on it even more last-minute than we were—but everything around me was slowing down. The lights smeared in my vision, and the air felt like Jell-O filling my lungs as he presented us for what had no other choice than to be the final time.

Once the lights dimmed, what I vaguely registered as music began to play. I didn't recognize it, but it didn't sound too abstract to work with, at least. It was an instrumental composition that sounded like the beat and grunge of hip hop mixed with the upbeat flair of a jazz number. The piece was likely supposed to be something that could work with both of our usual dance styles—which I appreciated on behalf of whoever chose the track—but now that I knew our music, that just left the actual dancing part in question.

After taking a careful glance at Akali so it wouldn't be obvious what I was doing, I could tell she hadn't started yet either. She closed her eyes and shook out her body, probably trying to smooth out the shakes, and nodded a few silent counts to herself. By the time the next beat dropped, she was ready—and the music pulled her along into that happy place she spoke of so fondly.

The first time I visited The Baddest's rehearsal space came to mind. How Akali seemed to be moved by an outside force, guiding each gesture in a mesmerizing display—but I couldn't get caught up in it this time.

I turned my attention back to the cameras, and the eager swirl of motion in the darkness beyond them. My mind was rocketing through every prior experience I'd ever had with this. There was that improv class I took in college, but my anxiety had prevented me from absorbing the content and concluded with my lowest grade for that entire semester. My private attempts at freestyling went better by comparison, but even that was more of a calculated attempt to do something without planning it first. My chest was getting tighter with every reminder of my shortcomings. I needed something more productive, more recent... More personal.

The improv I'd done with Akali's help during our rehearsal last week flashed in my eyes. That was the first time it didn't make me a nervous wreck. What made that different? Was it that Akali was with me? Had she shown me the secret to it and I just didn't realize?

Her sharp movements picked up in the corner of my eye again. She was leaning much more heavily into her hip-hop side, as expected—so I just had to do something different to make sure the audience had two clear choices to pick from.

I started by using some of the moves from my jazz class warmup routines back home, just in a different order with the occasional niche move sprinkled in. It certainly looked different from what Akali was doing—and a lot more stiff. The audience was getting quiet. I must have been doing something wrong. Did it look like I was copying Akali somehow? No, I trusted that our styles were distinct enough—not that I thought it was a good idea to look over and check this far in, anyway.

Autopilot kicked in. I couldn't stop now, no matter how badly I wanted to pause and think this through. My brain frantically shuffled through my memories, trying to recall every detail of that afternoon Akali spent with us during our practice. I was still with her, and there was music playing, and this time I even had an entire audience that was eager to support our cause—so what was I missing?

Maybe I just wasn't good at improv. Maybe this is how the competition was always going to end. I mean, how did I expect to compete with someone who loves to dance on the fly as much as Akali does? There was an uncertainty to it that I always resented, but somehow, it didn't feel so forced with her. It was loose, promising infinite possibilities. She made it seem so...

I blinked up at the audience. It wasn't about what Akali did that day—it was how she made me feel.

My body stopped going through the motions of jazz class so I could turn to Akali. I had to let myself smile—not my rehearsed performance face, but a real smile this time—so I could soak in the sight as much as I wanted to. The energy flowing through her was effortless, and finally, I was starting to understand how such a thing was possible. She was doing the opposite of what every fiber of my being was telling me to. She wasn't trying. And she didn't have to.

Once I was ready to face the cameras again, I turned and let the vulnerability wash over me as a fresh set of counts began. No more thinking, no more forcing—I want to feel this. For me... For us.

My muscles burned from the release of their learned tension as the sensation tingled throughout my body. Following Akali's example, I closed my eyes and tuned into the music, picking up on things I couldn't hear before. The rhythm started to make sense—not just to my brain, but my body as well. Each new movement was becoming inspired and weightless, and by the time I opened my eyes again, I was surprised to see how far it had taken me.

Akali and I had both naturally drifted toward the center of the stage, where we were now standing face to face. She took the time to slip in a proud nod at me, and after returning the gesture, I tried to route myself back to my side of the stage—but Akali seemed more than fine with sharing center and circled around to keep me close. I couldn't say I minded it, either—and it served as a timely reminder that this was still a competition of entertainment.

I held out a hand to her, waiting just as patiently as she had for me. Dance-offs didn't usually include the competitors dancing together—but hardly anything about this competition had gone to plan, anyway. If production didn't see this coming, then that was on them.

Akali's curious pause came to an end when she took my hand and let me guide us around the stage. Even so, I was careful to give both of us plenty of room for expression, with frequent breaks and time to do our own things before meeting up again. It still amazed me how we were able to blend our two different styles together so well—and it felt damn good to pull off.

Once the music sounded like it was nearing its finish, Akali pulled me tighter. I played along, letting her have a turn to spin us around as she fiddled with something, and I barely heard the "Get ready" under her breath before a clash rang out in front of us.

The familiar hiss of her smoke bomb filled the stage again, this time in place of our freshly concluded music. The usual roar of applause and cheers were absent, and they were probably just as surprised as me when the smoke thickened and concealed us from our hungry audience—until I realized I was the only one holding her attention.

Akali leaned over, barely stopping short of my lips to take in the sight of me. "Think there's any rules against kissing during a live show?"

“Who cares?” I dipped from her gaze to her waiting smirk with a vicious grin of my own. “As you said—rules just hold us back.”

The force of Akali's lips against mine gently pushed me into her grasp at my back. Smoke and stage sweat filled my lungs as I took her in, and the rest of the world fell away once I let myself finally tug that tempting zipper ring on her neck. She let me press further into her soft skin, and the way her hum met my kiss went right through me—until she gently pulled away as a reminder that we were still on broadcast.

My eyes fluttered open to thinning smoke, and I wondered how much the audience saw—but when a deafening roar filled the auditorium, I think they were giving us the answer. The host's jaw hung open until he remembered that he had a show to host, but he wasn't quick enough to hide the grin he flashed at us before turning to consult with his earpiece.

I almost didn't catch the orders being barked at us from the curtains in the midst of the crowd's reaction. My worry had been lost in all the excitement, but I certainly remembered once we were instructed to separate and return to our marks, where the anticipation hit me like a brick to the stomach all over again.

The stage went dark, allowing two spotlights to swing around for an eternity before settling on each of us. Seconds flew by and mixed into the dizzying chaos below. I hardly even noticed the host's lead-up this time until someone ran out to hand him a fancy golden envelope, and he only got in half a sentence before a set of dormant confetti cannons lining the stage were blasting every shade of the rainbow across the entire auditorium. My ears popped from the boom, and by the time I blinked over, the host was already clapping along in the aftermath of his announcement. Is it…over?

A wave of commotion spreading among the staff in the wings wasn't helping as I searched for an answer. I caught plenty of smiles and cheering in the front row, but nothing to indicate who it was for. It wasn't until Akali scooped me up and twirled me around that I remembered to breathe—and it wasn't until she set me down again that I could finally read her lips.

You did it, Starlight!

Chapter Text

My eyes drifted to the monitors above as a new set of graphics settled over them. Sure enough, there we were—huddled in the group photo we were required to take as part of a fancy photoshoot our first day here. But even that wasn't enough to make it feel real yet.

A stampede of footsteps from behind me was getting closer, and before I knew it, I was being jostled in every direction at the hands of my team. Akali was quick enough to get out of their way, but it only took a short pause from Becca before I heard "Get in here!", and then Akali was already being yanked over.

The rest of The Baddest wasn't far behind, adding themselves onto the already crowded group hug. They were probably making it even more difficult for the swiveling cameras below to get those priceless reaction shots they were always hungry for—but I guess we wouldn't have to worry about that for much longer.

Once the embrace dispersed and I could move my limbs again, the host was waiting to give me a polite side-hug of his own before the questioning began. He asked how it felt to win, and what the first thing we'd do once we got home was, among some other softball questions. I answered smoothly considering all the attention on me, but I could tell he was winding up for one last kicker.

"And is there anything you'd like to say about you and Akali?"

It wasn't exactly subtle, but I wasn't surprised. I knew we were pulling in most of this season's views. That didn't mean I could give them the answer they wanted, though, so I just decided to be as honest as I could.

"Akali is an amazing person both on and off stage. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with her and The Baddest, and I look forward to any opportunities we may get in the future to do just that." My official statement was sealed with a small wink at Akali, which got the crowd bubbling, as expected—but that was hard to focus on once I noticed how she was definitely redder than before.

With that, the host drew the audience's attention as he closed out the show one final time. He offered each of us a concise handshake and kind words before disappearing backstage just as quickly, and the rest of the production crew were wrapping up to match. Half the audience had already cleared out, the cameras were being carefully packed up for transport, and the staff were all-but shoving us off stage. Their efficiency was remarkable, it was just bittersweet to see such a life-changing show for all of us coming to such a quiet and swift end.

Our teams were left no time to process as we were piled into the hallway and instructed to pack up our dressing rooms. Everyone fit in as much spirited chatter and congratulations as they could along the way, but there was a whole lot more to discuss than just today's performances—especially for me and Akali.

Our teams had split off to get changed and clean up until a groan poured through the locked door separating our rooms. I could faintly make out Kai complaining that she was exhausted, and Eve was quick to step in.

"I suggest you find some coffee on the way then, because I need all of you perked up for the announcement afterparty."

Akali heaved a sigh at the mention of it. "I forgot all about that. Do we really have to do it tonight? Can't we do it once we get home or something?"

I wondered what they were talking about, since it was evening time and I imagined everyone would need sleep before their early flights in the morning—but before I could stop to go ask, Becca was already throwing open the lock on the door connecting our rooms.

"Wait—there’s an afterparty? Like, with free food and drinks? Why didn't anyone tell me?!" Becca demanded through the chain-bound crack.

There was a confused pause as they wondered why there was suddenly a loud voice shouting into their room, but given that voice belonged to Becca and she was talking about food, the pieces probably put themselves together.

“It’s just a glorified publicity stunt,” Ahri called over. “Eve’s had it planned since before the competition even started. Trust me, you’re not missing much.”

Eve cleared her throat. “Well, yes—but it’s not just a stunt. It’s to keep up momentum, spread the word about Kali returning to rap, and ensure a smooth transition with lots of media traction.”

Becca slumped away from the door to continue what she was doing, but tension was starting to creep into the silence from the other room. I was worried that someone was about to pounce over there, but luckily, Kai spoke up first.

“Y’know, now that Mythic won, everyone will be clambering to hear from them. Maybe it would help bring more press attention if they came along? Eh?” she suggested, shortly followed by what sounded like her nudging a displeased Eve in the back with her elbow.

Ahri and Sera audibly lit up at the idea, adding that it would be way more fun with us there—but knowing the truth about Eve's role in all this, I wasn't sure I would be able to watch it happen. Akali made great progress by taking back control of her social media accounts, but I wasn't convinced she was ready to make an announcement like this. And more importantly, I didn't know if she'd be able to call it off if she wasn't.

After ominously asking to confirm that everyone in our room was decent, Eve pushed the door in and watched me with one of her menacing squints. It was hard to tell if she was simply thinking or if she was plotting a murder, but I knew Eve well enough by now to assume the better of her.

"Hm. It would certainly attract more press, but it could end up detracting from Akali's announcement. Not to mention how difficult it would be to find you all media-ready outfits on such short notice..." she thought aloud.

Akali and the others popped up around Eve with their best puppy dog eyes, and it didn't take Becca long to join their cause, no doubt still thinking about the prospect of snacks. Eve held strong as she mentally weighed her options, and it wasn't until Akali piped up with a "Pleaaaase?" that she finally caved.

"Ugh... Fine. I'll see what I can do."

I considered interjecting to refuse the offer, but as they bounced around excitedly with squeals and thank-yous, I decided to give it a chance. Maybe me being there would help Akali. And besides—it was hard to pass up the opportunity for all of us to spend a little more time together.

Chapter Text

I was starting to realize why people say that not everyone has what it takes to be famous. I'd thought getting out of my costume and into the formalwear was going to be a relief—but as I sat on the back of Akali's bike in the tight, slippery fabric, I realized my mistake. As uncomfortable as it was, though, I couldn't deny that I was impressed by Eve's ability to get us all in and out of a salon in record time and on such short notice. It came at the strain of the beauticians and stylists she'd hired, but I was confident Eve paid them more than fairly for their troubles.

The venue crept into view down the empty street as we stopped at a quiet intersection. It was a large, if not plain building on the outside—and despite the fortune I imagine it cost to rent it and clear the street, Eve said it was still the cheapest place she could find with enough space to set up an event like this. Big cities had their perks, but it was expenses like those that made me grateful to have started a business in a much less prominent area.

I squinted ahead to make out some of the restless figures waiting around the venue's entrance. Paparazzi, I assumed. According to the quick briefing I got, the original idea was for Akali to ride in by herself and make a big statement entrance, which Eve had already given the photographers a heads-up on. But after a little convincing from Bec, Ahri, Sera and Kai—who seemed quite proud of themselves afterward—Eve agreed that it would be even better if I joined Akali's flashy entrance as a surprise guest. I went along with it while I was still riding the adrenaline high from the finale, but now that I was staring down the big production ahead of us, the consequences of my bravery were starting to set in.

My chest fluttered when the press noticed us turning onto the empty street, readying their cameras and microphones for our arrival. I reminded myself that I'd already faced my fear of doing improv on live television and won the world's biggest dance competition today, so I could probably handle a sidewalk full of reporters—but I was distracted from my silent pep-talk when the bike came to a stop on the side of the road.

Akali pulled off her birthday helmet and turned back for me. "You sure you're up to this?"

"I'll be okay, if that's what you're asking."

"I know you will," she assured me, "but it kinda seemed like everyone was making decisions for you in the chaos after the finale. I want to make sure you don't feel pressured into this."

The hypocrisy of that weighed on me, since I'd already spent our drive here wondering how much Eve had pressured her into this—but it was a bit late to confront her about it now that we were minutes away from her big announcement party.

"Well, I'll admit I get a bit nervous around cameras..." I trailed off, feeling my pulse tighten again at the swarm of press ahead.

Akali smirked over her shoulder. "I could tell that much from the premiere."

"Yeah, yeah," I teased, allowing myself a giggle at the memory. "But I can handle it as long as you want me here. I just hope we won't take away too much of their attention, especially since this is such an...important time for your career."

Akali paused at the topic as well, but she perked up with her answer. "Maybe, but it'll actually be a relief to have some of the pressure taken off me. I've been dreading this ever since Eve started setting it up—but I know it's already been a long few days, so I don't want to overwhelm you. You make everything better just by being with me, though, and I'd really like to spend as much time together as we can, before..."

I squeezed her waist and nodded my decision against her. Neither of us dared to say another word as she slipped her helmet back on, and compared to the looming dread of having to part ways by tomorrow, the cameras suddenly felt a lot more bearable.

The star of this event gave me a nostalgic reminder to hold on tight before she revved her bike and made a show of swerving around the crowd. Faces and lights swirled around us as I felt her heart banging against her chest in front of me, and despite the reservations I still had about this sort of thing as a professional dancer, her excitement was contagious.

Once we'd settled, Akali removed her helmet and shook out her loose hair, which she had started flaunting ever since her livestream's success. She looked as stunning as ever, especially with the sparkly suit and soft curls her stylists put together—but something was different now. That sparkle of life in her eyes was gone. Normally she'd be drinking up the attention and having fun with the opportunity to show off, but this time it was like she didn't even notice the packed entrance. Was she still bothered that we had to leave tomorrow?

I kept close and followed her lead along the roll-out carpet. The cameras looked high-quality—and they would almost certainly pick up the slightest tremble or misstep. But as if my own struggles in front of the lens weren't enough to think about, Eve’s terse instructions were also still ringing in my head, telling us with no uncertain terms not to do anything “obnoxious or revealing”. Although if the way she eyed Akali as she said it was anything to go by, I'd say I wasn't the one she was worried about.

I wondered if Akali was thinking the same thing as she made no secret of reaching for my hand—but we could afford to be a little more daring than that, right?

My voice hummed at Akali's ear. "I think you've earned my permission to stir up some more headlines by now, Baddest."

She smiled warmly at the offer, but something held her back despite the way her body shifted from my words. "I'm sorry, I'd love to, but Eve... Well, you heard her. She already chewed me out for pulling that move at the premiere without her permission, and I don't think she's happy about the club picture scandal or my little stunt at the finale, either.”

It was hard to keep my smile as the thought of it played out in my mind. The tension between her and Eve had seemed better since her act of independence with the livestream, but I guess it was asking a lot to expect Eve's overly-professional habits to change overnight.

With our hands held together firmly, the two of us navigated through the last few shots and made it inside the venue. The lofty conference room was spacious and brimming with activity, which Eve clearly spared no expense on, and it even boasted enough square feet to host a custom-made stage that had been set up for the event. Cheers and squeals poured out from the packed seats, and it was impossible to avoid the gazes of the endless rows of Akali's eager fans awaiting us—at least, until we were yanked behind the stage area for a last-minute briefing.

"There you are," Eve whispered, and before either of us could get in a word, she was already handing us papers to look over while she fired out more directions. "The entrance went great, but I need you to perk up a bit, Kali. You looked sleepy in some of those pictures, and we don't need anyone starting rumors that you're on substances..."

I felt more like a bystander than someone who was supposed to be listening to her PR critiques, so I let Eve's voice dim out of focus and glanced over the paper in my hand. No sharing personal info that isn't strictly related to your dance career or the competition, no confirming your relationship status, and NO KISSING, some of the main points read. Akali's nerves were starting to make a lot more sense. But would another kiss really be so bad after our barely-hidden one during the finale?

My attention drifted over to Akali. She really did look tired, but not the kind you'd get from a lack of sleep. I caught a sharp sigh from her as Eve's focus shifted to scanning over and adjusting her client's outfit, and despite the instructions Eve was still spouting at her, Akali was able to speed-read through the strict list of rules and confidently hand them off. She may not have liked this lifestyle, but they worked like a well-oiled machine together.

Eve cleared her throat at me, and I blinked over to find her hand waiting to take the paper back. "Got all that?" she asked.

A special kind of panic that could only be caused by a lack of preparation welled up in my chest. Akali was already boarding the stage, so I quickly doubled down to cram in as much of the warnings as I could, but her manager plucked them out of my hands.

"Try not to sweat this, Darling. These rules are more for Akali than anyone else," she began, while gently but firmly guiding me into sight of Akali's adoring fans around the corner. "If you take away anything from it, just remember not to say anything about dating or get touchy-feely up there. Whether you're actually dating in private or not is irrelevant, we just have a delicate reputation to uphold here—and I trust that you don't want to make things difficult for her. So let's keep this clean and do our best for the sake of her career, yes?"

And with that, Eve sent me up to the stage, letting her words follow my every move just as closely as she was.

I scanned around amidst the echoing excitement until I noticed a small note card with my name written across it in Eve's handwriting. Part of me was surprised that she didn't want to be right next to Akali to whisper more pointers under her breath—but I wasn't going to argue with a win and took my seat. Eve took hers soon after, and with one last subtle reminder for everyone to remember the rules, she opened the event.

She started off with a fifteen-minute window to answer any competition-related questions, then promised to get to the big announcement after that. Akali fiddled in her seat at the mention of it, but her professional side took over as soon as the questions began. They were likely questions Eve had vetted herself, and they were so bland that I started to feel sleepy just listening to them. But to my surprise, they started to get more and more related to me, my team, and my ties to Akali, which required a great deal of care to navigate without crossing Eve's clear list of boundaries. I'd thought the media's fleeting attention would be done with Mythic the moment the competition was over, in favor of whatever other celebrity gossip was going on—but the audience and reporters alike seemed just as interested in me as they were with the person this whole event was for.

As if to shut down any potential distractions from the pending announcement, Eve whispered my cue to leave, which she had coordinated with me at the salon earlier. I nodded and quietly left to look for my team—but before I could reach the stairs, I felt a hand in my grasp that was too tight to miss.

Akali looked sweaty and pale behind me. She didn't dare look over and risk tipping off the crowd to her nerves, but her attempt to keep me there was no less obvious to me. She muted her mic and leaned over to ask Eve if I could stay—which earned her a well-hidden sigh from her manager—but after a look between us and seeing the state Akali was in, she conceded.

I carefully returned to my seat and tried to draw as little attention to myself as I could. Akali's grip trembled in mine as Eve set up for the announcement, and the preparations we'd made for her rogue livestream came to mind. She had been nervous leading up to that announcement as well, but there was an excitement to her nerves that day, which was much easier with the full support of everyone around her. Now, there was no mistaking the quiet dread in the air as Eve manufactured the entire scene before us.

"That wraps up our time for competition questions, and I hope you're all excited for the big announcement," Eve smiled. "Take it away, Kali~"

My back sunk further into my chair, and I waited for Akali's unmistakable presence to take over and hype everyone up with news of whatever her next project would be. But a moment later, there was only silence in place of my expectations.

I glanced over and found her staring down at the expectant mic, looking just as gaunt as before. The shake of her hand under the table was the only sign of motion coming from her. Eve cleared her throat and repeated herself, but it stirred little more than a dry gulp from our star rapper.

The reporters and the audience alike began to mumble their confusion amongst each other. Akali's name was stuck in a hiss under Eve's breath, but seeing that she was getting nowhere with her, she changed tactics and filled in as many blanks as she could.

"I think I may have overbooked Akali a bit today, so she's probably tired after wrapping up such an exciting competition," Eve paused for the polite laughs she received, but they weren't any more convincing than her excuse. "I'm sure she'll be more than happy to tell you all about it herself after some rest, but for now, I am thrilled to announce that Akali is officially returning to rap. This next step of her career will be bigger and badder than ever, and she's even releasing a brand-new album later this year to celebrate. Isn't that right?"

It was obvious what she was doing, but I gave Eve credit for being able to think on her feet under the circumstances. She'd done most of the work for Akali, and all she needed was a quick nod and a smile from her to seal the deal—but the one part she hadn't accounted for was her own client.

"I...can't do this."

Eve blinked. Her head swiveled between Akali and the audience, and a panic I'd never seen in her started to surface. This whole event was one mishap away from becoming a complete disaster, so she quickly stalled the crowd with empty words to buy whatever time she could, but I don't think anyone expected her own team to be the ones to interrupt.

"Give it a rest, Eve." Ahri's voice bounced firmly through the speakers. "Akali should be the one to make this decision, and if that means she needs more time to figure it out, then so be it."

I could only imagine the lethal stare Ahri must have been receiving for that. But she stood her ground, and it wasn't long before the others followed.

"I didn't want to cause problems, but this has gone too far. You can't force a huge commitment like this on her," Kai added.

Sera's head bounced up and down behind her. "And no one can follow their dreams if they don't even know what those dreams are yet! She'll never figure out what she wants if you push her too hard."

The entire room was watching Akali now as the hum of opinions got louder. Eve was apparently tuning them out as her wide eyes darted around in search of a cover, an excuse, anything she could find—but deep down, I think she knew it was too late to talk her way out of this.

A sharp ache in my wrist made me realize I'd been gripping the armrest of my seat, resisting the call to action inside me. After quickly assessing the room, I pulled Akali's mic over, and calmly encouraged everyone to ask the rest of the panel any fun questions they may have while we take a break. I turned to Eve, and not having much choice, she swallowed her nerves and offered me a stiff nod.

I carefully guided Akali out of her seat and off the stage, and Becca breezed past us without a word to take my place. She must have heard the in-fighting and decided to provide a distraction from the chaos, but she sounded almost a little too eager over the speakers as she bribed the audience, offering promises of "juicy gossip" from behind the scenes of the competition.

Once we were out of sight and the rest of my girls left for the lobby to give us space, I was finally able to get a good look at Akali. She was still shaking, her short breaths were getting faster by the second, and her distant gaze looked like a symptom of faraway thoughts. This was no ordinary public speaking jitters.

With no spare seating in sight, I helped lower her to the ground where she could sit against the back of the set. It wasn't perfect—but after a deep breath of my own, I settled in beside her.

"I need you to keep breathing for me, but don't try to control it," I coaxed her. "As long as you're breathing, you're doing great."

Her short nod was a relief. I'd helped my girls through a number of panic attacks before, but I wondered if this was a frequent problem for Akali. How long had this been going on?

After a few minutes of talking her down, Akali's breathing had slowed to a controllable pace, and I felt comfortable getting a little more out of her.

“Now, as someone I care about once asked me: What’s on that beautiful mind?”

That earned a small smile from her, but it wasn't one to last. "You saw it for yourself. I totally choked up there."

"And I'm sure there was a very good reason for that."

Akali curled up beside me and buried her face in her arms. "Do you ever feel like you just can't do anything right?" she mumbled.

"Sometimes," I answered. "But it seems to me like you've been following all the rules perfectly." Maybe a little too perfectly.

She shrugged. "Eve would say otherwise. Every time I try to be myself, I end up doing something wrong, and she's never far behind to point it out."

There was a sour feeling in my stomach as I wondered what her manager's next move would be. Becca's voice was steadily trickling through the speakers behind us as she kept the audience occupied, and I realized I hadn't heard Eve or the rest of their team in a while. Whatever she was doing, I just hoped it wouldn't make this mess any worse.

My focus shifted back to Akali when I felt her head against my shoulder.

"I feel like an idiot. I kept telling myself that if I could just reconnect with my mom on stage, then somehow I'd know what to do and my career would make sense again. The finale was a blur, but I did—I felt her up there. It was like she was watching over us. And it felt great in the moment...but now I feel more lost than ever."

I leaned over in return. "You're not an idiot for trying to figure out what you want. Maybe you're just looking in the wrong place," I thought aloud. "You're seeking answers from the outside world, but buried deep down, you might already know what you want. Sometimes the hardest part is admitting it to yourself."

"How am I supposed to do that with all this pressure?"

A soft smile of understanding came over me as I pulled her in. "That's something only you can figure out. But I think paying attention to what makes you feel alive is a good place to start."

Akali was quiet for a while. I started to wonder if she fell asleep in my arms, but eventually she stirred with an answer.

"Well, I love both rap and dancing..." she paused, and her voice returned much quieter. "But I'm starting to question if I have what it takes to live in the spotlight like this. And I'm terrified to even bring it up to Eve, let alone my fans. What will she think? What will everyone think? Is wanting a break really worth letting that many people down—?"

"Akali, I can't let you do this to yourself anymore."

Her attention flicked over, and I didn't waste my chance.

"You are worth infinitely more than what you can offer Eve, or your fans, or anyone. This is the only life you're going to get, so you owe it to yourself to live it how you want. And anyone who truly cares about you will wait until you figure out what that is—including everyone out in that audience."

She threw herself into me without regard for our rented outfits, and the tears weren't far behind. It was hard to see her hurting, but I was hopeful this meant I was finally getting through to her—until a tall shadow over my shoulder caught us both off-guard.

"I'm sorry I have to break up your conversation, but...I need to speak to Kali for a moment."

We both blinked up at Eve, and I made no attempt to hide my true feelings this time. "Unless you want a repeat of your last attempt, you're all going to have to wait." I asserted.

"I understand your hesitance, I do." Eve hurried over and did her best to crouch down in her heels and pencil skirt, but after a moment, she gave up and sat on the carpet in front of us. "However, I talked with the others about this, and I think I understand...somewhat. But regardless, I want to hear Kali's side of things before this goes any further."

Akali sat up and wiped her cheeks. The two struggled to meet each others’ gaze, seemingly unsure where to begin. Part of me felt like I was imposing again, but I wasn't going to allow Eve to bulldoze her way through this—not when we were so close to a breakthrough.

“You don't have to do this alone, or at all, if you're not ready.” I reminded her. “I'll stay right here if that's what you need.”

She shook her head, and a brave smile peeked through. “I really appreciate it, but this is my demon to face. We should've talked about this a long time ago, and it's my own fault that I never got the courage to bring it up. But after all the support and advice from you and the rest of my team… Yeah, I think I'm ready.”

With a whispered thank-you, Akali gave my hand one last squeeze. I glanced at Eve and felt my own nerves shoot through me on her behalf, but I nodded firmly in return. She had this.

Once I left earshot of Akali and Eve's much-needed conversation, I settled around the corner of the stage to listen in on the impromptu Q&A. An audience member's question caught my attention, asking what it was like to have me as a dance captain, and I wasn't sure what to expect as Becca began her answer.

“Well, it was a wild ride,” she chuckled. “But...she got us here in the end, and that’s what matters. I couldn’t be more proud of her and the team.”

My own heart swelled with pride as I heard a few "awws" from the audience. I hadn't expected such a real answer from Becca, but perhaps change was in the air for all of us. Even Akali's team, who had struggled to speak up for their own reasons, broke their silence to defend their leader today. All we could do now was wait patiently to see what would come of it. 

A handful of questions rolled by before I felt the brush of movement slip past me. Eve was hurrying to the stage with Akali in tow, and she spared no time for explanation as she pulled me along. The lack of communication did little to settle my nerves, but Akali followed eagerly, so I left my curiosity for later.

We settled back into our seats, with no lack of prying glances and whispers from the audience. Eve's pristine makeup looked shinier than usual as she prepared—seemingly trying to avoid the audience in doing so—and finally unmuted her mic with an unceremonious clear of her throat.

"I apologize to you all for the wait," she began. "After some further communication, it seems that I spoke out of turn earlier, and I will unfortunately have to retract the announcement I made on Akali's behalf. But if you would all be so kind as to lend your ears for a moment, Akali has an announcement of her own to share."

After a soft gesture to Akali, Eve sat back in her chair. The room was thick with anticipation. My nerves were hardly any better than the first time, but what really mattered was how Akali was feeling—and ready or not, we were all about to find out.

"Right—uh, hey guys. Before anything, I just want to thank everyone for being here. I know things have been a little chaotic lately, but if nothing else, I hope this will give you all a feel for what's going on and what you can expect." Akali grabbed her neck, and with a wince, out too came her words. "...I need a break for a while. From everything."

Gasps and audible frustration bubbled up before us. I could see Eve's fingers twitching in her lap at the reaction, but the words were out there now—and Akali wasn't done yet.

"I know you're all eager to hear what the next step of my career will be, and I don't want to keep you waiting or risk losing your trust. But I also saw the outpouring of support I got during my livestream announcement, so I'm hoping we can trust each other again while I take some time to figure out what my next move should be. And before you freak out on me, I'm not saying I'm done with the stage yet—I just want to make sure that whatever I do, it's something I can feel good about making."

And with that, the room lit up like a spark on gasoline. The reporters and audience members poured their questions over one another, and I wondered if this was what Eve was afraid of. As if to answer my question, Eve sat up and tried to reestablish order over the unruly crowd, but Akali stopped her.

"It's okay, Eve. I was the one who changed the plans, so I should be the one to handle the consequences."

Eve stared at her. For a moment, it was as if she was seeing something no one else could, and there was a gentleness to her words when she spoke. “You sure do love to steal the mic...don’t you, Tiger?”

With the crowd growing restless for attention, Akali returned her focus and did her best to get a handle of them. I was impressed by how well she was doing under the circumstances—but that all fell apart as soon as her manager stood to leave.

Eve faltered at Akali's voice calling after her, but she didn't turn back. She reached out to put a hand on Akali's shoulder, maybe to reassure her or keep her away—but the glimpse of tears weren't so easily held back.

"I may not think this is what's best for your career, but..." The words hung heavily, like she wasn't sure how to finish her thought. "You're stronger than I ever was, Akali."

Her gesture slipped away, and Akali's expression told me she didn't understand it any better than I did.

"Eve? What does that...?"

She was out of sight before the question could reach her. Akali stumbled forward for an answer, but without an event manager to cover for her, the demand for a response at her back left little choice this time.

As we put on our bravest faces and reluctantly returned to our seats, I'm sure we both had plenty of our own questions weighing on our minds. I didn't know what Eve's admission meant for either of them—and I'm sure it wasn't making Akali's decisions any easier—but the selfish unknown at the forefront of my mind was the very topic we'd been avoiding all week.

What was next for us?