Chapter 3 #2
A different bartender—a woman—brought my martini with a smile.
It was so good. As I sipped it, I pondered other questions I could ask the girls.
I refused to ask any of the common things, like what’s your favorite part of being a member of the Nine or what made you want to join Santa’s Team.
I had already seen every interview, every moment on the press tours, every social media post from them.
I wasn’t a stalker, I swear, but I knew these two better than I knew any other member of the Nine.
Or, at least, I knew what they put on for the Press.
I finished my martini and nodded at the female bartender for another one.
Then, I decided to convert the delicious cocktail into some liquid courage.
“As much as I love the idea of this being a normal date, it won’t ever be.
I already know so much about you guys. Not to be creepy, but I have studied you both for years, even before the Tryouts—”
“Oh, did you, now?”
I pushed past Merry’s teasing to stay focused. “I’ve seen everything you both have done. So, how close to the truth is your portrayal in media?”
Felicity raised her eyebrow. “That depends. How do you see us based on what you have seen?”
I swirled my refreshed drink around in thought.
“Well. The disingenuous side of the media would call Merrilee arrogant, unable to take anything seriously, and a smartass. But I see Merry as confident, a goofball, and witty. She’s sincere and strong, literally the most perfect Prancer the Nine could have. ”
“Aww, you hear that, Red? She gets me.” Merry kissed my cheek.
“Well, you are the biggest open book ever seen. You are kind of easy to understand.”
She laughed. “I never did score well when it came to keeping things close to my chest. But FeFe’s a little different.”
“Well, I have to be,” Felicity said, crossing her legs as she turned to me.
“Where I come from, everyone has assumptions and expectations about who you’re supposed to be and what you’re supposed to do.
Who I am and what I want have never fit into those boxes, and I have never felt comfortable trying to please those who do not care about my happiness.
For the sake of my survival, I had to temper myself.
I had to do what I could to learn when to stand out and when to hide in the shadows.
I have a media persona I use. I don’t have a choice because I can’t let too many people get close and use personal things against me. ”
“You are in luck, Bambi. It took ages for me to wear FeFe down so she could admit this.”
“The emphasis should be on the wearing down.” Felicity rolled her eyes. “My point is that as much as I hide behind a mask, everything I say to the Press is the truth. I would never lie, even to those who don’t deserve the truth.”
I nodded. I always admired how Felicity held her emotions close to her chest. It was a direct contrast to how I wore my heart on my sleeve.
Some analysts said that Felicity’s stern nature and Resting Bitch Face made her hard to read.
Even if that was ever the case—which, it really fucking wasn’t and those pundits were so wrong it was a wonder they even had jobs—that could only ever apply on the ground.
In the sky, Felicity was incredibly easy to follow.
She led by example, and you could anticipate what to do based on her flying.
It’s why she scored a nearly perfect score in Leadership in her first Reindeer Games, an unheard-of feat for any Hopeful in any category.
“What about you, little doe?” Felicity asked, caressing my arm lazily, like she didn’t realize she was doing it. “How would you like to be portrayed?”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I haven’t really thought about it.
I don’t focus on the media a lot because you can really lose yourself in the constant critique and public perception, you know?
I want to be true to myself, and I like putting my PR Team to work.
Being a female athlete of color, the media also isn’t exactly friendly. The narrative rarely goes our way.”
“Preaching to the choir there, baby,” Merry said, raising her glass before taking a sip.
“I wish I could say it gets easier with time, but the media is relentless.”
“So, I have to ask, since I know you both have seen all of my stuff—”
“I wouldn’t say the both of us. Felicity has definitely watched more—Ouch!” Merry said, before Felicity pinched her hand.
“Continue with your question, Bambi,” Felicity said.
“Well, how have you guys seen me portrayed in my interviews?”
Merry smiled, slowly and mischievously. “I see someone who’s as confident as me, but knows her shit. I see a goddess among men, a badass who kills it every single time and who is destined for greatness.”
“It’s not just that, which Moose put oh so eloquently,” Felicity continued.
“That’s who you are, but it also isn’t. You have an incredibly sweet side that people may or may not get to see because they are too busy seeing the girl who breaks records.
They don’t see the strength in your softness.
The public only sees the woman who gets what she wants, not the woman going after it. ”
My heart soared into my throat. I had never felt so seen before, especially not by women this gorgeous, brilliant, and right for me. It was wild.
This is a date, Wynter, not an ogle fest. Ask another question. I reminded myself, forcing myself to focus through the growing fog of the heat, adoration, and Merry’s and Felicity’s constant touches.
When I spoke again, it was so raspy it was almost a whisper. “T-tell me something that you’ve never told anyone in an interview or press release that I wouldn’t know.”
“Hmm,” Merrilee downed her drink as she thought. “Oh, I got one! Neither of us has ever told anyone which member of the Nine made us have our gay awakening.”
Felicity snorted. “Presumptuous of you to assume that it was a member of the Nine—”
“Mine was Clara Holly, Blitzen from the Nine of 2001,” Merrilee stated quickly. “She was hot as fuck, and I wanted to marry her so bad.”
Felicity and I laughed. Then Felicity gave her answer as if it required no explanation. “Tannebaum.”
Merry and I turned to her instantly, our eyes wide and begging for more information.
Felicity simply shrugged. “I didn’t know if I wanted to fuck her or be her, okay? I think it was both, for sure.”
When our laughter died down, Merry and Felicity looked at me expectantly. Merry was the one to ask finally after it was clear I wasn’t going to say anything. “Who was yours, baby?”
“Oh, I’m not saying mine.”
“Why not? You have to! We said ours!”
My blush only grew. “Nope. I’m not going to say.”
“Come now, little doe,” Felicity said, stroking my cheek. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I promise we won’t laugh or tease you about it, right, Moose?”
“I swear, baby. Don’t be embarrassed. Nothing could possibly change how we see you.”
I shook my head. Not because I didn’t believe them.
I wholeheartedly did. It was a lot to confess and admit.
I had had the biggest crush on them for well over a decade.
I watched them obsessively and almost religiously from Tryouts to the Draft to the Reindeer Games to now.
I knew now it was probably the mating thing starting early.
In fact, I was sure of it even though I knew nothing about mates, but it made the most sense.
But now, I had to confess that to them?
The female bartender had just replaced my drink, and I downed it in one go.
Then, I stared at the empty glass with the one espresso bean and shaved peppermint floating at the bottom.
As if the universe was mocking me, there were two shavings on either side of the bean.
I shook my head again before saying at last, “It was you two.”
The music seemed to skip a beat at my revelation.
Felicity’s hand stilled its caresses on my bare arm.
Merrilee’s hand on my shoulder held tight.
I desperately wanted another drink.
No, I needed one.
This was it. This aws where they laughed at you and called you weird.
This was where things became just like that first day at Flight School, where you got teased for being a “chimera freak” because you were half-caribou and half-deer.
This was where your heart fell apart right before the Reindeer Games, but you would have to go upstairs to your room with a bottle of whatever the bartender would give you out of pity and drown your sorrows and needy sex away until the big game where you would kick their asses for breaking your heart.
But, it woundn’t feel as good as it should because they were supposed to be your mates—
Two fingers suddenly took my chin and pulled me into the best kiss of my life.
I knew it was Merrilee as I was enveloped in the smell of pine, citrus, and allspice.
Her lips were so soft and caring. I could taste the rosemary, cranberry, vodka, and ginger beer from her drink.
Yet, I also tasted her and everything that she was.
My tongue explored her mouth, hungry for more, and she moaned.
But then Merry pulled back. Our breaths were entangled together, our heaving chests grazing each other.
As my eyes fluttered open, Merrilee turned my head for my lips to be taken by Felicity.
Okay, both of them gave me the best kiss of my life.
Whereas Merry’s kiss was tender, Felicity’s was demanding.
Like a brand, her hands held the back of my neck and gripped my thigh like I belonged to her.
She wasted no time in commanding me with her lips and tongue.
Felicity tasted just as she smelled: hot and spicy.
She led with such passion and fervor that all I could do was melt into her and this.
I felt like a white elephant gift being passed between them as they decided who was going to unwrap me first, but I had no preference on who ended up doing it.