The two had stayed together on the floor of the pod room for quite awhile before Marin was able to coax the blonde into the shower area. Giving Laura some privacy for a few while she went off to the bunk area to grab her girlfriend some clothes. Also changing out of her own as they were now covered in all that sticky fluid from the tank.
The shower still running, Marin sitting with her back against the glass divider. Feeling the slight vibration of the water while Laura washes herself on the other side. The blonde finding it rather difficult to scrub off the viscous gel from a few places. Also having to take a moment to cough and snort out lubricant still present in her throat.
Eventually Laura figures she has done enough for now and shuts off the water how Marin showed her. The doorway to the shower opening as she timidly peaks around it. Marin already ready with a towel that she hands over.
"I'll leave the room and let you change." The taller girl says as she starts to head towards the exit into the medbay but Laura's hand grabs her by the wrist quickly.
"No! Please…it's okay…don't leave me." The blonde nearly begs, her voice getting quiet near the end. A pained expression on her face that makes Marin's heart ache.
The tan girl smiling warmly. "Okay. I'm right here. I won't leave you alone."
Laura slowly nods and let's go of the other girls wrist. Allowing Marin to move over to a raised bench section on the floor in front of the mirror wall. The taller girl averting her eyes from the blonde as Laura steps out, drying her hair and graciously pulling on the trousers and t-shirt that Marin prepared for her.
"Okay. I'm dressed. It's okay to look." The blonde assures, running her hands through her long wavy hair. Marin standing up and approaching a bit cautiously while watching her girlfriend check herself over in the reflective wall.
The tan girl clears her throat. "As cute as you are covered in goo. I definitely like you best like this." She teases a bit, attempting to lighten the mood.
Laura turns her attention to her girlfriend and smiles lightly. But the expression doesn't last long as it quickly turns into a deep sorrow. The blonde standing up and moving close to the taller girl. Her heart aching, eyes becoming tearful. Her hands trembling as they reach up to cup Marin's cheeks.
Marin's brows furrowed with concern, her own hands clutching around Laura's midsection. "What's wrong?" She asks quietly.
Fresh tears stream down the blondes face. She chokes back a sob. "The..the last thing I remember was us talking…making a promise…" She recalls, the memory filling her body with dread as she pulls in closer. "And then you…you…" shaking her head as she struggles to force out the words. "…you stopped talking…your hand got so cold…" the sobs finally breaking through. Marin's eyes watering as well as she pulls Laura against her.
Laura can't get the image of Marin's motionless body out of her head. She had spent several minutes laying there all alone after Marin had already faded. Eventually succumbing herself. But those last few minutes plagued her so deeply.
And yet here Marin was. Teasing and smiling all the same as before. The warmth her body gives off becoming an instant comfort. So much that the blonde could barely break away from it. And Marin wasn't about to push her away anytime soon either.
Marin's hand rubbed circles over Laura's back, the blondes head tucked beneath the taller girls chin with her arms around Marin's neck. "I'm here. Not going anywhere."
Laura rubs her face into her girlfriends chest. "Is this really real?"
Marin sighs. "It sure feels pretty real to me." Leaning down to plant a kiss on the blondes forehead.
The blonde raises her head and tilts it to look up into Marin's eyes. The two sharing a long stare before the taller girl leans her head down, Laura meeting her half way as their lips connect. Loving warmth exchanging between them. Hands pulling each other tighter. Once the kiss finally breaks, Marin leaves a couple extra pecks on the blondes chin and cheek. Making Laura smile in response, a few tears dripping from her face. "We're really here…wherever this is…"
Marin smiles back, leaning her forehead against the others. "Wherever together."
Laura moves up to lay a brief kiss against the tip of Marin's nose before she breaks away to actually look around. Before she had been in kind of a blur and wasn't entirely cognizant. "How did we get here? All this stuff looks waaay too high tech to be a hospital." The blonde comments as she enters into the medbay proper. Marin following along.
"That's what I thought too. I can open and close the doors by just thinking about it. That was already pretty jarring." The tan girl agrees, reaching into the pocket of her pants to pull out the handle of the laser knife. "But I was still pretty skeptical until I found this thing."
Laura stops her snooping around in the medbay to look at the handle in her girlfriends grip. One of her brows raising curiously. "What is that?"
Marin smirks and stretches her arm out to keep the weapon at a safe distance, aiming the end of the handle towards the floor. She flicks the silver switch and presses the red button. The red blade erupting out in a flash that makes Laura jump. Her eyes widening at the clearly sci-fi-level nonsense that Marin is now carefully swaying through the air.
The blonde covers her mouth with her hand, brows thoroughly furrowed as she stares at the laser knife with a complex expression. "Yeah…okay…that is definitely pretty beyond what I was expecting." Laura takes a deep breath as Marin shuts the knife off and puts the grip back into her pocket.
The tan girl approached Laura and grabs her hand, threading their fingers together. "Come on. I'll show you around. Atleast where I've explored so far." Gently pulling the blonde along with her into the hallway. Spending the next few minutes showing her the other rooms she's already gone into. Around the medbay, through the bunk room, and passing by the storage room. Finally ending up in the kitchen.
Laura purses her lips while their sitting at the dining table. "Six bunks. Six pods. Two of them were us. Who could the other four be?"
Marin leans back in the chair next to the blonde, arms folded over her chest. "That is what I was wondering too. I can't see into the other pods. But I don't even know how anything works in here other than the doors vaguely." Her lips pursed a bit in thought. "Although most of the storage room across the hall is locked to me other than basic equipment. I am guessing it's some kind of armory."
The blonde sighs leaning forward to prop her elbows up on the table and rest her chin in her palms. "This is starting to feel more and more like a doomsday bunker."
"Ugh. Yeah. I can feel that too." Marin agrees as her eyes glance over at the open doorway into the hall. "I haven't checked what's up the stairs yet though. Wanna come with?"
Laura sits up straight and takes ahold of her girlfriends hand. "Of course I do." Giving a playful smile. "But I'm staying behind you in case of any wacky booby traps."
The tan girl snorts and shakes her head, returning the playful smile. "Wow. And here I thought watching me die would give you more respect for my survival skills." She remarks back but immediately regrets it as she watches Laura's expression fall, nose crinkling and eyes watering. Sinking into herself as her voice gets really quiet.
"I'm sorry…I don't actually want you to get hurt for me…I would…I'd never…" the blonde mutters. Her heart sinking in her chest. Guilt and shame welling up.
Marin squeezes Laura's hand and pulls the other girl into her arms, scooting their chairs closer together. "No no. I'm sorry. That was too far. I shouldn't have said that." The taller girl wanted so badly to punch herself in the face for being so careless.
Laura lifts her head so she can see Marin's concerned face. "I just don't want to lose you again. It hurt…so much…" A pain wracking across her face. The taller girl cups her right hand on the blondes cheek and leans in to kiss the tears off her face.
"You won't. I promise. I'm not going anywhere. Not without you." Marin promises, the blonde able to see the burning determination in her girlfriends hazel eyes. "Plus, I've got a laser combat knife now. I'm basically unstoppable." She nods sagely.
Laura's face brightens as she can't help but smile and giggle at that. The weight on her heart lifting. "Oh yes. I forgot about that." Wiping her wetness from her face with her sleeves, pursing her lips. "Actually can I get one of those too?"
The tan girl grunts and nods. "Yeah that's probably a good idea. Honestly you'll probably be better at using it than me with your fancy fencing skills." She admits as she pulls away from Laura and stands up, offering a hand that the blonde accepts. Keeping hold of eachother as they move across the hall into the armory.
"You know fighting with a knife is completely different than fencing right?" Laura notes as they approach the still open drawer where the other knives are charging.
Marin gives a big shrug. "It's infinitely more combat knowledge than I have." She remarks before aiming a thumb back over her shoulder at the drawer. "Pick one."
The blonde snorts at the statement. "I'd hardly call it combat. Sure it can definitely be used to defend yourself, but fencing is basically just snooty dick measuring most of the time." Despite having done fencing semi professionally since she was 8, the blonde doesn't exactly have a positive outlook on it as it was a lot more what her parents wanted than she did.
Laura simply selects the handle that was next to the one Marin took on the right end of the drawer. "So you just flick the trigger…hit the button and…" her voice cutting off by the blade igniting from her handle. But both of them stare for a moment as the one Laura is holding isn't red. Instead it's a brilliant blue. And the blade is longer and more curved back a bit. Not as wide on the flat sides as Marin's combat knife. "Ooooooooh this one is cool. I didn't like the red anyway…too ominous."
Marin's brows slant inward. "Ugh! No fair! Yours is way cooler than mine. And red is so cool! How dare you." She gripes at her smirking blonde partner.
Laura sticks out her tongue. "Just pick another one then. Maybe they have different designs." The blonde suggests as she gives the energy knife a few test swings, also amused by the whirring and humming sound it makes. She starts to wonder if she can lift things with her mind now. But she isn't willing to try out of sheer embarrassment.
Marin frowns and pouts, grumbling a bit. Plugging back in the knife she already had and grabbing the next one over. Flicking the switch, clicking the button, aaaaaaaand being met with the same wide dark-red combat knife. "Oh come on!" She exclaims with a bit of frustration. Plugging that one back in, grabbing the next one, flick-on, red combat knife. Trying the same with all the rest of them and getting the same result. Now she is actually agitated. "How! How did you manage to get the only unique one."
Laura can't help but laugh at her lovers frustration as she practices more flourishes with her curved blue blade. "Sorry baby. I can't help that I'm special." Grinning from ear to ear while Marin gives her such a cute pout.
The taller girl approaches, lowering her head and frowning. Making her face look as pitiful as possible. Even poking the tips of her index fingers together under her chin. "Um. Laura." She mutters, making her voice timid. "Can I atleast hold it for a little bit?"
Laura purses her lips at her girlfriends cute attempt at begging. But she can't help but giggle, shutting the knife off for safety and handing it over to Marin. "Okay. Since your being so sweet and asking nicely. But only for a few minutes!"
Marin's face brightens up as she takes the handle and flicks the blade on excitedly just to immediately furrow her brows and frown as the red combat knife of disappointment appears. "What the..fuck?"
The blonde stares at the blade, puzzled by it before she reaches over and touches the grip. The moment she does the red combat knife begins to warp in shape a bit, blue bleeding slightly into the dark red until she takes her hand away. "Oh…" A wave of understanding washing over her face as she goes over to the drawer and picks one of the other handles that Marin already tried. Flicking it on to see the brilliant blue curved blade.
Marin watching her do so widens her eyes. "Their…unique to the person holding them." She realizes now as well. Turning to stare at the red blade in her hand. "Well I guess that makes me feel…a bit better."
Laura nods and smiles a little. "Yeah. It's shaped to your preference I guess." Cocking a brow though as she looks at the one she's holding now. "But by what criteria they are pulling from to do that is beyond me."
Marin is trying to think of the implications but can't really wrap her head around it. Shutting off the blade and putting it into her pocket. Not worried anymore about giving it back as it will be the same for her either way. "We can try to figure that out later. I want to check upstairs." She would say more seriously. "I wanna have this whole place mapped out first before we actually decide to sleep here."
The blonde slowly nods in agreement, a bit of concern flashing across her face. "Do you…think we might run into something dangerous?"
The taller girl holds a very pensive expression, sighing through her nose. "Well we did agree that this place was feeling like a doomsday bunker. And with the laser knife things and this room more than likely being an armory of some kind…well." She frowns slightly at Laura, an honest expression to what she is feeling. "I'm starting to think that whatever is outside of this place might not exactly be safe."
Laura pockets the knife handle she had taken from the drawer, moving over to slip her left hand in Marin's right. "Then let's stick together." She states seriously while giving her girlfriends hand a reassuring squeeze.
Marin offers a small smile before she turns to the exit and moves back out into the halfway. Stepping out in front of the open stairway. The set isn't really that far up. Only about one flights worth and both of them can see a bit of the white hallway just from the bottom where they are.
The two girls give each other a pointed look before making their way up. At the top they are met with a short hallway that leads to a pretty thick looking red door that clashes so much with all the white matte plating around it. On the front in the center of the door is a single yellow and black striped circle.
Laura's lips form a thin line. "Mmmmmm that is definitely a caution sign." Her hand squeezing Marin's even tighter.
Marin takes a deep breath and leads them toward the red door. "Yeah it doesn't exactly fill me with confidence." Reaching out to the door and feeling around it, not finding anything even written on it. Frustration flashing across her face. "Whoever made this stuff really needs to learn how to label shit." Stepping back and just as she has been doing all day, she intends to open the door. A blinking green light appears at the top of the door. The sound of hissing as the door depressurizes. Laura and Marin stepping back as the door sections off equally into 6 parts and slides outward into the doorframe.
On the inside is a small space, a dark gray metal box with a shiny steel-like grated platform as the floor. Another door just across from the first one. This one also having a stainless steel finish. The walls and ceiling of the room have several vents.
Marin groans a bit. "That is what I was afraid of." She releases a long winded sigh. "This is definitely an airlock. We heard it depressurize too."
Laura folds her arms over her chest, looking more concerned about their situation. She keeps her distance from the airlock. "What if it's toxic out there…radiation or something…or could even be fucken SPACE for all we know."
The taller girl shakes her head, rubbing the back of her neck as she inspects the interior of the chamber from outside of it as well. Kind of scared to be near it herself. "I doubt we're in space. The layout of this place is definitely not for a ship." Taking a few more steps back before she shuts the red inner door. "As fancy as this place is it doesn't feel long term. It's actually pretty small. It feels to me more like a base of operations. A hideout." She turns to face the blonde with her brows knitted. "Or am I thinking too deep?"
Laura shakes her head, her expression pensive. "No. It is definitely strange. We woke up in here…so whoever is in the other pods likely are meant to as well." The blonde frowns a bits "But why we were amongst them is anyone's guess."
Marin exhales through her teeth. "I wish there was anything WRITTEN here! Then maybe we could get some help figuring this shit out." Rubbing her temples with her fingers. Laura stepping over to reach up and take her girlfriends hands into hers. Helping calm down the frustrated woman.
The blonde gives Marin a comforting smile, rubbing the backs of the tan girls hands with her thumbs. "I think we've explored around enough for now." She states lightly. "Why don't we check out what's stocked in the kitchen and make something to eat. Then we can hit one of those beds into the bunk room and take a nap. Calm our nerves."
The tan girl hears her stomach ache at the mention of food. "That..sounds like a great idea."
The two of them join hands again, heading down the stairs and turning right into the kitchen. Spending the next few minutes opening up cabinets and rifling through the fridge.
"Oh my god Marin! They have actual steak in here…but it's shaped really weird and it's kinda purple looking?."
"Yeah I found a lot of fruit and vegetables…I think? I don't recognize any of these."
"Guess we'll just have to try them out..."
The kitchen echoes with laughter and the smells of cooking. Laura letting Marin handle most of the actual cooking as she is pretty good at it. The taller girl has 3 siblings she took care of a lot so she had to learn to cook atleast acceptably.
Laura sifted through airtight jars of spices on a rack she pulled out of the wall. Her eyes squinting at the rows of various dusts, powders, and flakes. "Ugh! Why does nothing have any god damn labels. This is so annoying." Throwing her hands up, giving up trying.
Marin chuckles, standing in front of one of the fancy stovetops with a nice steel-like pain over one of the electric burners. Currently basting two purple mystery steaks with what she is pretty sure is atleast some KIND of butter. Along with some simple greens and spices. "I've just been tasting them until I found some that vaguely worked." She admits a bit sheepishly. "Leeeeets just hope I'm not allergic to any of these."
Marin keeps the steaks on until their about well done. Which she usually would never do but she has no idea if these steaks are even beef or not and doesn't want to take any chances. Setting the steaks onto some rather perfectly shaped metal plates they found and sets them onto the table. The steaks are accompanied by a heaping side of cooked mystery vegetables that taste pretty alright on their own. Some peppery and others a bit pickle-ish.
The couple sits down after filling up metal drinking cups with water. Not brave enough to scout around for anything else to drink in the walk in fridge. Both of them staring at the steaks a little cautiously. The food certainly smelled pretty good.
They glance over at each before taking fork and knife in hand and cut in to their respective hunks of meat. Getting a nice bite sized piece. "Here we go. Cheers baby." Marin says nervously as the two clink their forks together and take the bite.
Both of their expressions go from concerned, to surprised, to satisfied pretty quickly. Laura swallows and leans over to kiss Marin's cheek before going back to cutting up and eating her steak. "Welp. It atleast tastes pretty damn good."
Marin smirks, eating another bite along with some of the mystery vegetables. "Thank fuck. I was worried…although this is definitely not beef. It tastes nothing like it. It's kinda strange but not bad at all."
The two girls just enjoy their meal for the next few minutes. Eventually their plates are empty. It did take them a good 20 minutes trying to find anything resembling a dishwasher before they finally found just a simple slot next to the dish cabinet. They aren't entirely certain that it's correct but the plates seemed to fit pretty perfectly.
After eating, the two find their way into the bunk room. The 6 beds are quite large. About twin sized with a white and gray plated plastic and metal frame that appears fixed to the floor. Each bed area has a few hidden storage compartments and racks in the walls around it. But they also have a desk with a curved ergonomic office chair. The chair has no wheels but certainly slides around like it does. The desk has another set of those odd black oval rings on them that neither girl can guess at. Marin has tried several times to command it on but all it does is flash red. So it atleast she knows it's supposed to do something.
Laura checks the storage cabinets. She finds pillows, sheets, and extra blankets. The bunker is definitely pretty cold and it's not like they've managed to find a thermostat yet. The blonde tosses the extra blankets over one of the beds nearest to the door on the left side of the room. Marin seeing her girlfriend take that one, moves over to the one beside it and starts getting ready for bed.
The blonde narrows her eyes at the tan girl and folds her arms. "Uuuuuh…what are you doing?" She asks with one of her brows raised high.
Marin turns around and looks a bit confused. "I'm…getting ready for bed? I thought we were going to try to rest for awhile."
Laura purses her lips. "Yes, we are. Today has been weird, traumatizing, and exhausting." She confirms before giving Marin a pointed look. "But what are you doing over there? Don't tell me your planning on us sleeping separately."
Marin's lips suck in like she tasted something sour, her cheeks getting a bit darker. "Well…yeah. I mean we've never…done that before. We've only be dating for like 2 months so I didn't want to rush into anything."
Laura's face softens a little. "Marin. That is very sweet. But I vividly remember you saying you wanted us to be able to wake up together." The blonde remarks, her stare is stern but gentle. "So get over here."
The taller girl fidgets a bit in place, her face getting hotter. Her eyes wanting to look away from the blondes stare but she fights it to meet the other woman's gaze. "Okay…" She mutters. Walking over to Laura sitting on the edge of her bed. The blonde reaching over to clutch both of the tan girls hands in hers. Kissing the backs of both of Marin's hands.
"It's also because I'm scared that if I can't feel you next to me that you'll disappear." She admits, a deep pit forming in her stomach. "I guess my brain thinks if I hold onto you tight enough you can't…float away again." The blondes eyes get a bit distant.
Marin kneels on the floor in front of Laura, pressing her belly against the blondes legs as she wraps her arms around her girlfriends midsection. Burying her face into the blondes stomach. Taking deep breaths of the other woman's scent. Slightly masked by the sterile smell of the clothes but still so uniquely hers underneath.
Laura threads her fingers through Marin's hair. Massaging into the dark scalp. "You are going to stay close to me. I'm sorry if that comes off as too clingey." She whispers quietly down to the other girl as the blonde spreads her legs and scoots further off the edge of the bed so that Marin is pressed in further against her.
Marin shakes her head gently, rubbing her face more into Laura's belly and squeezing a bit tighter. "Not at all. I'll stay close. I promise." She mutters back, a bit muffled but discernible.
Eventually Laura pulls Marin into bed, keeping atleast the t-shirts they found on while ditching the pants. The blonde immediately snuggling into the taller girls arms which Marin is more than happy to let her do. Just happy to be able to be this close to Laura.
After commanding the door closed and the lights off the two lay there quietly for awhile. A couple layers of blankets and their own closeness keeping them warm. Neither of them really able to close their eyes for more than a few seconds.
"Marin…you still awake?"
"Yeah. Kinda having trouble."
"Me too."
They both pause for a few moments, listening to each others breaths. Laura breaking the silence first.
"This just doesn't feel real. I keep thinking I'll blink and wake up at home, in the hospital, or...in the bus."
Marin grimaces and holds onto Laura tighter. "I know…me too." She admits quietly, running her hand up into the blondes hair to rest it on the back of the other woman's head. "But I don't think this is fake either. There are too many details. It just feels way too solid to be a dream."
Laura wants to agree so badly but her brain refuses to think she is lucky enough to get a second chance at life. Let alone a second chance with the person she's been in love with for years who she only just started to know more intimately. So she continues to have this overwhelming dread in the back of her mind that all this will crumble apart. That Marin, who she watched take her last breaths, will still be dead and she'll be left alive with nothing left to live for.
The only love her parents gave her was conditional and filled with expectations of what they wanted her to be. All of her siblings hated her because their parents wanted them to be just like her. The degree she was in college for was chosen for her. All her electives were chosen for her. Where she lived and what she ate and who she spoke to.
Her parents had given her everything in her life. Spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on her to make her exactly what they wanted her to be. And if she ever strayed from the path just a little…they would have all of that to guilt trip her with. How much she owed them for their years of struggle to give her a good life.
She had no way out. And had never truly made a decision for herself in her entire life.
Until Marin.
Laura wiggles her way up to bump her forehead into Marin's chin. The taller girl tilting her head down so that the blonde can slide up further and press their lips together. The two holding the kiss for a few lengthy moments before breaking it. Both of them feeling quite a bit warmer but too nervous to go any further than that. Waves of fatigue washing over them. Neither realizing truly just how exhausting today was until they got a bit more comfortable.
Laura sighs in Marin's arms. "This better be real…or I'm going to be so pissed."
Marin chuckles. "I promise I'll haunt you if it isn't." She remarks but regrets again her poor choice of words. But thankfully Laura snorts right back.
"You better…"