Heart-to-Heart (Drifter & GASTER)

[thesteedman]

"I can handle myself Clara. I've been doing so for a long time... My chin has gotten pretty strong." Kay replied when her girlfriend began to explain if she was attacked because of enemies Clara might have made herself. She managed to rally a little, but her body language was still giving much and more away. Her head was slightly lowered as she looked towards Clara, and her stance did not exactly ooze confidence either.

"We've always known the risks Clara." Kay added, but slowly she was beginning to see things from Clara's point of view. There was certainly a hypocrisy to what Kay was doing. When Clara was in trouble she was the first to rush down and help her... What happened between Clara and Baroness with Drifter coming for the save had become an iconic moments in the LAW... yet when Drifter was in trouble... she was refusing help... keeping it close to the chest instead of coming to Clara like she would come to her if she needed aid.

But.... Kay would not have it. She was beginning to understand why Clara was upset, but she could just not accept it. In her mind she had to protect Clara and keep her safe. Keeping her out of her own problems was the best way of doing that as far as she was concerned.
"Please... I know you are here for me, and I know this is upsetting you... but I have to do things my way. You.... you must understand." Kay began... her tone was no longer as firm as it was however. Her voice began to break a little.

"I... I have my reasons Clara... Please believe me." Kay spoke out, feeling her breath catch in her chest as she spoke.

[Vc0m]

Clara listened to Kay. She admired her stubborness, the will to never give up...something she didn't possess to much off. But having to deal with it herself was quite irritating to say the list, especially when it was to her detriment.

As Kay would give her refusal, she realized that she wouldn't be able to make her listen as a worried girlfriend...but there was a way either she could convince Kay, or Kay could convince her.

"I understand...I just don't accept it.", Clara would respond, finally taking out the file and a pen, putting both on the table as she got the paper inside out:

"And I think we have only one choice to settle this."

She pointed the paper towards Kay:

WE ARE LAW 2022

CLARA GASTER VS "THE DRIFTER" KATHERINE SCARLETT

"Standard match. I don't think I would be able to fight you in anything else."

"What isn't in the contract however is this. I intend to show you in the match that I am better than you. I will show you that I will be able to help you whenever you need...and whenever you think I don't. After I win, and you get into trouble later, I want you to tell me if something is happening on your end."

"If you win, I leave you to your troubles...unless I actually, visibly see it, in which case I will come running. These terms are between the two of us, not as competitors, but as people who trust each other. Do you accept my challenge?", Clara would finish, redfaced with the slight embarassment over the light dramatics, and pointing the pen at Kay to potentially sign the match.

[thesteedman]

There was a moment of silence that befell the two ladies when Clara finished her declaration. In one hand was the piece of paper that issued the challenge of a PPV match, whilst the pen was in the other, motioning for Kay to take both items and naturally sign it. As each slow second went by, Kay's expression began to slowly darken when she glanced at pen... and then paper, before turning to look at Clara.
"What the hell is this?..." Kay would whisper, not being able to stop the agitation from slipping into her tone. In truth she already knew the answer, and it upset her.

"You've... had this lying in wait... ready the whole time?" Kay whispered. Her stance slowly began to shift. Kay was no longer on the defensive and it became clear as she stood with more presence. Her head tilted slightly, as she tried to comprehend the situation before her.
"What... was talking about this never going to be enough for you?" Kay was carefully aware she could be over reacting, but at the same time, seeing the document was actually a distressing sight for her. If Clara had picked it up a few days later... Kay would have been annoyed and perhaps angry for certain... but there was something about seeing this document right now, all pre prepared like this, as if Clara pre-empted the entire moment... It did not sit well with Kay at all.

"I can't believe this... No we don't only have one choice! There are other ways we can settle this! How could this be the last resort and how the hell did we end up here... Why do you have this here thing right now?! Is... is fighting over this... really what you want?! You have to challenge me to a wrestling match?!!" Kay gasped out, snatching the paper from Clara's hand before waving it aggressively before her.
"This isn't trust Clara... " Kay added more aggressively this time, taking the pen from her. Perhaps she needed to take a moment... but Kay felt anger brewing up inside of her the more she looked upon the paper. In an act of anger she signed the now crumpled paper to accept the wrestling match, before shoving it and the pen on a nearby table.

Kay realised all at once she had to get out of there. The way she was feeling right now... She knew saying anything else would only lead to terrible regret later on. She turned away from Clara, heading back towards the door. Her mind was racing, her body trembled with anger and even sorrow. She couldn't believe Clara had that document at the ready... She placed her hand on the door, but she turned to look at Clara.
"Do you know why I don't want you to get into my troubles?... It's because I love you Clara." Kay would mention in a solemn manner.
"You're... the first person who I've honestly ever cared for and love. I... I don't have anyone in my life who loves me back apart from you. I don't have any parents, I don't have any siblings. What folks I do have out there did not want me and left me in that Orphanage..."

"I've been alone all my life Clara... That was something I had come to accept and live with... but when I met you, when I fell in love with you... I didn't even think it was possible we could even be together.... but then that night happened... and everything changed!" Kay continued, feeling herself welling up inside as her own vision began to blur.
"You are all I have Clara... you are all I ever want. That's why I don't want you involved in my troubles... that's why I don't want to see you hurt. I don't want to lose what we have and I don't want to lose you... that's why I..." Kay would cut herself short, feeling her emotions brewing over.

"I.. I have to go..." Kay would speak with a breaking voice, before she would rush herself out of the door. She just had to be alone right now...

[Vc0m]

Part of Clara felt that Kay's response might be calm. She was a wrestler, answering challenges from allcomers was (also) in the job description...but naturally, that completely ignored the context of the situation. She was a concerned girlfriend worried about her partner keeping things from her about situations that might result in her getting hurt, because she is used to do things her way.

As much as Clara tried to psyche herself up for Kay to agree, deep down, she always knew that the moment she would pull up the contract, that would result in the verbal fight getting worse...

"Quite the opposite. Talking about it was always going to be alright with me, as long as you agreed to not keep things from me.", Clara said with a serious, slightly cold expression.

Kay ranted to her about the situation. She was right. This wasn't an only choice. She could still try and convince her verbally. This was far from "the last resort" Clara build it up towards. Although she wanted a match with Kay, be it a standard or a more lighthearted affair, but when fighting over a personal issue, a match wouldn't be what a normal person would go for. And indeed, Kay was right. This wasn't trust. This was forcing her to agree with her, against Kay's better judgement.

Clara let Kay take the document, and, in her confusion, walk around with it around the appartment. Kay could rip it up if she wanted. She wouldn't mind in the slightest if she didn't fight her. She would try to convince her to trust her by other means.

But it didn't happen. Kay accepted. Angrily, but accepted.

Problem with Clara was this was the best way she knew how to settle the issue. This wasn't just a personal issue, this was a wrestling issue. Part of her wanted to beat Kay, to show her that this mighty girl, who pissed off so many angry, bitter wrestlers had someone to protect her. Someone more powerful and fearsome.

For now, she quietly continued listening to what Kay had to say. Despite trying to put on a cold show, she was a wreck on the inside. She wanted to hug Kay, wanted to take the contract and rip it to shreds herself as she apologized to her profusely...

Except this wouldn't have solved anything.

The reason why Kay didn't want to get Clara into her troubles was the same reason Clara wanted to. She loved her. And every time she passively looked on how someone she cared for went for something deconstructive for themselves, it always...always ended badly, including for her. But Clara didn't want to bring Alice and her scar, or Asuka and the bitter love triangle left in her absense with Raquel to Kay.

Clara's eyes began to water as she saw tears forming on Kay's eyes as she finished...before leaving, asking to be left alone:

"Kay...I'm..."

But the blunette already rushed out the door.

Clara crumpled, her face in her hands as she just cried her eyes out:

"I'm sorry..."