Work Text:
It's 8pm, early to be left stranded in the middle of an unknown city, Allison thinks. She sits on a bench, legs swinging indolently, watching the corner of the busy interactions two blocks away. At the other end of the bench, Kira fidgets.
It's different when there isn't something breathing down your neck, when its cars racing in front of you and not werewolves. Allison's acutely aware of Kira's presence, always, because there's an ease to pairing up, but, again, in the noise of normalcy, it's different. Kira's different, or rather, not different, and Allison feels her own discomfort like sticky summer heat on her skin.
"Coffee?" Allison offers. "Iced, I mean."
Kira lights up. "Totally! I have some change, somewhere -"
"No. It's OK. My treat. My dad's the one who's taking awhile."
The stare of Kira's eyes follow Allison into the coffee shop they sat in front of, probably improbably, Allison feels, right to the barista. She sets her sweaty callused palms against the counter and orders, charmingly. It's not until Kira takes the drink and chirps a thank you that Allison realizes she ordered her and Lydia's usual - and that Kira doesn't mind.
They sit beside each other, still a distance away, drinking iced treats. The ice against skin should be refreshing, and it is in a way, but not in a calming way. Something in the sugar only coils Allison's nerves tighter. She glances at Kira, and she smiles back, eagerly like Allison has something to offer. They go back to facing the street and Kira scraps the whipped cream straggling on the side of her cup.
Maybe it's not that they're compatible, maybe it's that Kira's compatible with everyone. She's easygoing, understanding. Lydia doesn't like her, but that's because she has two types, doormats and challenges, and Kira is neither, and Allison thought for the longest time she was the latter, but sitting next to Kira, who confronts her parents and they take her, the picturesque airhead teenager, seriously, the coils in Allison's stomach tell her maybe she's the former. Maybe Kira wouldn't have taken the lies, maybe Kira would have seen the signs, maybe Kira would have been stronger.
Kira wouldn't have let her mother die.
The condensation on Allison's drink pools on her leg before she takes another sip.