Title: origin point
Rating: G
Fandom: Highway Blossoms
Relationship: Amber/Marina
Wordcount: 470
Short summary: The two of them have returned to the southwest US in Amber's RV after some time away.
“Hello, welcome back to endless dust and dirt.” Amber announces their arrival to the desert region as if she is ready to be bored, but really, after spending two weeks in the Yellowstone area, driving away from vegetation and crowds will be a nice change of pace.
“And sand! It kind of feels like home though.” Of course Marina knows Amber’s mannerisms well enough to see through the act and respond with a genuine expression of their feelings. Because Amber too has fondness for the desert landscape of the southwestern U.S.
“It’s well over 100F outside.” But Amber can’t stop being snarky. And it is true; it is very damn hot outside, and that’s why the AC in the RV is blasted near max.
Marina pouts. “You know what I mean.” She puts her left hand gently on top of Amber’s right forearm. “We met and fell in love on these desert roads.”
“And you probably would have died on them if I didn’t pick you up.” Amber chuckles. She checks her back mirror, sees no other vehicles. “Couldn’t help it; she was so cute.”
Occasionally Amber wonders what her life would be like if she had never met Marina on that road, on that day. When she’s feeling a particularly nasty mood, she thinks she would have “died” too. Her heart at least would have.
“Who is ‘she?’” Marina asks, putting heavy emphasis on “she.” Her fingers press down on Amber’s skin. “Are you trying to make me jealous?”
Amber waits a few seconds, a few heartbeats, before smiling. “You, of course.”
She doesn’t answer the second question with words but rather allows her smile to turn into a smirk for a minute. Although she really doesn’t try to make Marina jealous of other women, knowing she wouldn’t want Marina to do the same to her. Accidental instances are, well, still accidental, but a frank conversation about what happened is all that’s needed to clear up any misunderstandings. They’ve sworn for nothing like that first trip to Vegas to happen ever again…
Amber clears her throat. “Well it is nostalgic to be back.” Obviously everything has worked out even when they have fights, or they wouldn’t be here in this RV, together, having this conversation. “I wonder if that clerk is pimping another book that may or may not have a tourist trap.”
“Hmm, maybe we should go check it out.” Marina grins. “Who knows, the treasure could be real.”
Amber is always going to start out as a skeptic and Marina is always going to start out as a believer. Still, by coming back to their “origin point”, maybe because it’s such an important moment in Amber’s life, but… She’s definitely willing to try, whatever it may be. As long as she and Marina are in it together.