It wasn’t a date.

Four simple words, repeated like a mantra within the confines of Nicole’s mind. She could almost believe it too if she hadn’t just spent over an hour agonizing over what to wear. Unfortunately, Becca wasn’t going to be back at the apartment until that evening, so she couldn’t pester her for advice. Not that Nicole had any intention of giving her oldest friend that sort of ammunition.

She settled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a tank top, this time in black. Was she playing up her image as a Ranger? Maybe a little, but her identity as a Ranger was important to her, and it might be the first thing she could be proud of that people couldn’t just mock her for. There would always be the odd ball out that would decry anything that actually helped the people, but those nut jobs could be safely ignored.

Even if some of the conspiracy boards could be amusing to read from time to time.

Elm Creek Park was fairly close, and not one of the parks they had used for their training over the last few days. That was where she had agreed to meet up with Grace for what was absolutely not a date. Nicole gave her motorcycle a passing glance before checking her map again and did a few mental calculations. If she and Grace decided to go somewhere else for a movie or food then two vehicles became a bit of a headache.

The distance to the park was less than her late night jog, though Nicole would lack the cover of darkness that had allowed her to run flat out. Still, it wasn’t like a normal jog would cause issues thanks to the endurance that came with becoming a Ranger.

Nicole swallowed a touch of bile at that thought and took off a bit faster than she probably should have. Even as her breathing remained steady despite her pace, her thoughts wandered, the steady drumming of her feet on the sidewalks almost proving to be meditative.

It felt like a slap in the face to every bit of gains made during her gymnastics career. Even when people mocked her for being muscular, she had still retained pride at the work it had taken to become one of the best in the country. She’d let that slip away intentionally, only to have it all thrust back upon her once more.

Gifted power still felt abhorrent to her, having worked so hard for so long to get where she once was. Still, it was a tool she now possessed, and it afforded her something that Grace found appealing, so she couldn’t look too harshly upon it. Even if every instinct she had screamed at her to do so.

Slowing her jog as she reached the public parking area for the park, Nicole caught sight of Grace in the distance. She was squatting down, being swarmed by half a dozen dogs as she laughed, the canines all attempting to garner her attention. Nicole had to slow her approach, not wanting to interrupt the moment. After a moment, a brilliant idea crossed her mind and Nicole got out her phone, switching to the camera app, then started recording the scene.

A golden lab was attempting to use its tongue to clean out Grace’s nose, despite her half-hearted attempts to stop it. The other dogs were no less enthusiastic, and Nicole was barely holding back her own laughter at the sight. Nicole was struggling to keep the camera steady, even as others joined her in laughing at the rather hilarious scene.

Was this a regular sight at this particular park that nobody seemed concerned about a woman being literally dogpiled? Grace hadn’t mentioned much of what she got up to in her free time, just that she was working an apprenticeship with a bladesmith on the weekends. Grace hadn’t mentioned him further, and Nicole was a bit too afraid to pry deeper. Had he survived the attack on the Renfaire, or was he among the casualties?

Nicole found a nearby tree and leaned against it, watching as her friend continued to play with the multitude of dogs. She’d run for miles once again, and wasn’t even winded by the effort. It would be all too easy to get lost in the thrill such power brought with it, as well as the little voice in the back of her mind whispering that she should use it for her own gain.

Such was the danger of power, it begged to be used, and tempted its wielder viciously. She refused to fall into temptation, Nicole was the master of herself, the responsibility was great, but she would rise to the challenge. Grace had given her a reason to live, to strive and fight for tomorrow. It was flimsy, and not truly her own, but her therapist had once said that any reason to carry on for another day was reason enough.

Her reason was now standing, having seen her after several minutes of adorable tomfoolery with the dogs. They circled and yipped excitedly for a moment as she attempted to break away, then their owners began to call them back, and soon a slobber covered Grace was walking over to her.

“Hey,” Grace said, a shy smile on her face. “Sorry about that. I worked part time last summer for a dog groomer, and two of the dogs remembered me, then it sort of cascaded from there.”

Nicole grinned, spinning her phone around to where Grace could see the video playing. “Don’t worry, I collected plenty of evidence of your debauchery.”

“Curses,” Grace said, kicking the dirt. “What do you plan to do with such damning evidence?”

Nicole hummed, her cheeks burning as she considered her choice of words. It would be embarrassing, but she could do it, she charged into a blazing inferno, she faced down Sylan automatons without any power to her name, she could say one damn line that was just a touch flirty.

“I pronounce you guilty of being adorable,” Nicole said resolutely, even as every ounce of her own insecurities raged against her tongue. “The sentence—to be carried out at my discretion—is to be subjected to cuddles.”

Nicole forced herself to remain still, to not flinch or wilt in embarrassment after such a statement. It was bold, something she normally wouldn’t do, but it had felt right in the moment, to let her tongue off the leash, to be playful. How did some people manage to be so smooth about something so damn embarrassing? Did everyone just fake their calm when flirting with someone they found drop dead gorgeous?

A few rapid blinks followed her statement, Grace’s head tilting slightly to the side, then she burst into laughter. Oh come on, it wasn’t that funny! That was her first intentional attempt at flirting, cut her some slack! What, did she need to lift her shirt and flex her abs again just to get her to stop?

Then again, Grace would probably appreciate that. Nicole was also curious as to what the visual and verbal equivalent of a key smash was and if she could get one out of her friend. Though, she was almost certain it would be her to demonstrate it, not Grace.

“It wasn’t that funny,” Nicole said petulantly. Grace attempted to stifle her laughter, but failed miserably after barely three seconds. Huffing, Nicole decided she needed to make sure her best weapon was known to be on the table. “Don’t make me flex on you.”

Grace froze, looking back at her for just a moment, then had the nerve to smirk.

“Bet.”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

That just wasn’t fair! She wasn’t supposed to call her on it dammit! Nicole’s thoughts flailed for a moment, reaching for something, anything, that she could do to even the scales. What she arrived at was a simple solution, but one she didn’t want to use too liberally. It would lose its impact if she did, but at the same time, she had been challenged.

And a challenge must be answered.

So, Nicole pushed off the tree, her eyes not straying from her friend who now looked far less smugly confident, that damn smirk having fled. Grace’s eyes kept flicking down to her arms, which Nicole was flexing just for that reason. Grace was taller than her by several inches, there was no way to intimidate her properly, but she could channel her former confidence as a gymnast and fake it.

“Where did your bravado go?” Nicole asked, stepping right up to her, a single finger pressing just below her chin.

Once she was close, she looked up into Grace’s eyes. The instant that her friend blinked, Nicole moved. She grabbed Grace and spun the both of them so that Grace’s back was to the tree, and pushed her against it, one arm braced against the trunk as she leaned close. Her breaths had turned quick and shallow, and it took everything Nicole had to keep up the act.

It didn’t escape her notice that Grace was slowly sinking lower, right up until she had the height advantage. She knew it was now or never. The moment that happened, Nicole took a half-step back, then brought her leg straight up and over Grace’s shoulder to rest against the tree.

No doubt both of their faces were as red as Grace’s shirt, but she had always wanted to do that to a girl, and now she was, and holy fuck was her heart hammering in her chest. She knew people were watching, she could hear the fucking wolf whistles coming from the onlookers. Holy hell, how had she talked herself into doing something so damn embarrassing?

It was certainly having the desired effect, and she was so off balance that all Grace needed to do was hook a single arm under her leg and she could turn the entire thing around once more, so why hadn’t she?

The seconds ticked by, and once it was clear that Grace wasn’t about to flip the script again, Nicole smirked then darted forward and pecked a quick kiss on Grace’s nose before almost skipping backwards as if her heel hadn’t been sitting halfway up the tree trunk just moments prior.

“Holy shit,” Grace breathed, her voice a ghost of a whisper even as her chest almost heaved. “How the hell are you that flexible?”

“Gymnast, remember?” Nicole said. “We had to do all kinds of conditioning to be able to do some of the routines. That included stretching until we were limber as all hell.”

“That is so not fair,” Grace grumbled petulantly. “I’m going to have to figure out something to get you back for that.”

“Looking forward to it,” Nicole said. “Now, you wanted to show me the park?”

Grace was still beet red when the words settled in and a less inflammatory topic was grasped like a lifeline.

“Right,” she said, gesturing around. “You’ve already seen the pups, but there’s a few walking trails here and some decent enough sights for how close it is to the campus.”

“Well,” Nicole said, putting her hands behind her back before she leaned forward. “Feel free to lead the way.”

Grace swallowed, taking one shaky step after another before she settled into a rhythm and walked more assuredly down the path. Nicole chuckled and fell in line beside her, an idle finger brushing against hers as she did. Nicole almost startled, the prospect of hand holding of all things somehow more daunting than the stunt she just pulled against the tree.

Should she do it? It was just holding hands, there was nothing wrong with it, and hell, she had just kissed Grace on her nose! Where the hell had that even come from? Nicole was acting on impulse, just letting herself go with whatever struck her. She never did that, and yet…

She reached out, her hand catching on Grace’s and they both squeezed. She risked a glance, and timed it just as Grace had done the same. Her heart fluttered, skipping a beat, but she didn’t look away. Grace giggled, and she found herself doing the same even as their shoulders bumped and some of the tension bled away. Just what was coming over her that she was acting like a damn pre-teen on their first date?

Nicole was eighteen, soon to be nineteen, she shouldn’t be so easily flustered by a bit of hand holding in the park! Then again, did she know how old Grace was? She hadn’t asked, and it hadn’t really come up. She had a suspicion that she was older, probably closer to twenty based on what she had said that night on the couch, but she couldn’t be certain.

They walked the trail hand in hand for some time, just enjoying each other’s presence as they went. Shy glances were shared, and occasionally they caught each other looking and once again fell into being blushing messes. Two Rangers, staunch defenders against the invaders from the stars, reduced to being complete disasters in one another’s presence.

It was almost enough to get a laugh out of Nicole, but her words caught in her throat as Grace pulled her off the path and towards a pond full of geese. She’d done battle with the fierce monsters before, the dreaded cobra chicken as Colin once called them. Grace pulled a pack of crackers from her bag and it was like someone had told a pack of Chihuahua’s they had treats.

Dozens of the little bastards nearly swarmed them, and Grace was just calmly breaking the crackers apart and handing them out to the little devils. Then she handed one over and Nicole wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. She began to snap it, but they must have sensed her apprehension and fear, because one of the bastards attempted to lunge for it.

Pity for the creature, but she was a Ranger.

Her free hand snapped out, two fingers pinching its beak closed with a gentleness that almost surprised her. She had to blink at how quickly it had happened, her reflexes proving themselves to, once again, be far above human norms.

Grace chuckled, not one bit surprised by the display of superhuman dexterity.

“They can be ornery little bastards,” Grace said. “Good on you for reminding them to be patient, though I don’t think I brought enough for all of them.”

“Devil spawn is what they are,” Nicole countered. “They are the unholy union of cobra and chicken. They are truly a blasphemy most fowl.”

“Oh come on, they aren’t that—” Grace cut off and her eyes narrowed. “Was that a fucking pun?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Nicole said, breaking up the rest of her crackers before tossing them to the birds. “And even if it was, it certainly wouldn’t warrant any punitive actions on your part.”

Grace groaned, and Nicole counted that as a win. Grace threw the remaining crackers over her shoulder, sending the demon birds running after them. Nicole rolled her eyes and followed her friend out of the swarm and back onto the trail. Grace was attempting to pout, but Nicole didn’t miss how her lip kept trying to twitch up into a smile.

This time she didn’t hesitate to reach for Grace’s hand and soon they were once again walking off with dopey grins on their faces. They really were a mess, and it was a bit comforting that Grace was every bit as nervous about everything as she was. The trail wrapped around most of the park, and it was only as they neared the opposite side from where they started that they caught a sound on the wind.

Someone was playing something in the distance, a guitar or other string instrument from what Nicole could hear. She tried to place it, but nothing really stood out to her, the song wasn’t anything she recognized, not that Nicole was all that into music. She liked listening to a bunch of stuff, but she was content with random playlists or the radio.

Well, as long as it wasn’t country music.

A small shudder ran down her spine at the thought of being subjected to that crap, and she was thankful to have grown up far away from where that stuff was the dominating genre of music. Following that thought, she didn’t even want to consider if there was a Nashville team of Rangers and what they might be styled after.

Coming over a hill, they were greeted by a wide field with a few shade trees, standard stuff so far for the park they were in, but what stood out was the crowd that had gathered around the performer. She could see the harp in their hand, being strummed with a gentle care of someone who treasured their instrument.

The sound was melodious and haunting, but that wasn’t what had brought the pair to a sudden stop. Nicole and Grace shared a look, one full of conflicted emotions, because there, sitting atop a stump, playing for a crowd of children, was the last person she ever expected to see performing.

Maraline.