Be Gay Do Crime

An obnoxious wailing pulled Ashe from her slumber.  She was warm and comfortable and something dared intrude upon that.  The sound continued, and so she flailed for her phone, but her nightstand wasn’t there.  Begrudgingly, she opened her eyes to the barely familiar room.  

Right, the apartment.

She rolled over, finding the nightstand on the other side, but again, no phone.  She groaned and forced herself to sit up in an effort to locate the offending wail.  She found it only a moment later, in Crystal’s hand on the other side of the room.  She was holding it up, a smirk on her face that just screamed ‘come and do something about it’. 

“Too early,” Ashe whined, falling back over and buried her face under the pillows. 

Two seconds later the blankets were ripped away with a rush of cold air and Ashe sucked in a sharp breath at the sudden change.  Then, Crystal took hold of her leg and began to pull her out of the bed. 

“Wakey wakey,” Crystal said sweetly.  “Come on, you’ve got school in an hour.” 

Ashe tried to resist, but she had nothing to grip onto and soon found herself pulled to the floor, glaring up at her grinning girlfriend.  Ashe answered that grin the only way that she could, by sticking out her tongue.  Crystal grinned just a bit wider, then offered her a hand, which she accepted. 

“You’re horrible, you know that, right?” 

Crystal rolled her eyes, hoisting her up.  “You know you love me.” 

Those words triggered a memory, covered in a pleasant haze, but those words were being spoken.  By her.  She looked up, finding Crystal almost apprehensive, biting her lip to play with her piercing in that cute way she always did when she was genuinely nervous. 

Ashe stepped forward, pulling her into a gentle hug.  “Yeah, I do.” 

The hug was returned in earnest, and Ashe could tell some of the tension in Crystal’s shoulders bled out.  They stayed like that long enough that Ashe almost drifted back off right there in her girlfriend’s arms.  She was jostled, likely having come closer to dozing than she realized. 

“Come on, one of the girls picked up donuts and dropped some off a bit ago,” Crystal said.  “Go get showered and you can eat on the way to school.” 

“Kay,” Ashe grumbled, moving to grab some clothes when Crystal directed her towards the bathroom. 

“Already laid out by the sink.  Don’t worry, I’ve got you this morning.” 

If hearts could physically melt, Ashe was certain hers would have done just that.  She still had difficulty believing that she was worth it, especially to someone as amazing as Crystal.  Years of having one’s self esteem ground into the dirt would do that to anyone, she knew that on an intellectual level, but actually accepting it was much more difficult.

Ashe pulled away and Crystal barely met her eyes before she was pushed along towards the bathroom.  Ashe pretended to have not noticed the sheen in her girlfriend’s eyes, and instead made her way through her morning routine, coming out of the bathroom about twenty minutes later with mostly dry hair, her wounds healed over but still tender at points.  Crystal had set out a tank top with skinny jeans, which Ashe was a bit conflicted about wearing. 

It would be the first time she wore anything to school that showed off the scar on her shoulder and arm from the encounter that changed her life.  They were healed, but not faded yet.  She knew it would take years for the scars to properly settle, but as badass as they were, she still didn’t like to show them off. 

Crystal was waiting for her by the door, her backpack already set out and a small box of what she guessed were the donuts waiting.  As soon as she got close enough, Crystal pulled out one of the donuts and pushed it into her mouth, cutting off any planned protests about the outfit.  Crystal was lucky that the donut tasted divine, she would need to thank whichever girl had brought them. 

The first time that Ashe had stayed over in the apartments, she was worried that some of the girls might recognize her if she stepped out in civvies.  They obviously did, but none of them drew attention to the fact that she was also Inferno.  Even the girl working the door just rolled with it. 

She should probably be worried about that, but she was already known to some of her worst enemies, even her parents had to suspect something by now.  She’d done a poor job of keeping herself off the radar, and she knew she would need backup plans for if her identity as Inferno ever went public. 

Alejandro had made it work for himself, and the police tended to be too afraid to just roll up and arrest him.  She would need a reputation every bit as terrifying if she wanted to continue to live something resembling a normal life if her after hours activities ever got out there. 

Crystal surprised her by taking one of the cars rather than their bikes, but it did give her time to eat on the way. 

“Any plans for after school?” Ashe asked. 

“The modifications to your suit should be finished and ready for pickup,” Crystal said, and Ashe had to blink.  She’d completely forgotten about that.  “My dress as well, though I’ll admit to being a bit jealous you’re getting to wear the suit here.” 

“We can always reverse that for any future formal events,” Ashe said with a wink.  “You would probably look amazing in a suit.” 

“I’m sure you’ll look great in yours too,” Crystal said, unable to hide her blush.  “Stupid school with their gendered dress code bullshit.” 

Ashe flashed a cheeky grin.  “At least we’re making it work to our advantage.” 

“That we are,” Crystal said, chuckling darkly.  “I can’t wait to see the looks on everyone’s face when they see us.  It’s going to be amazing.” 

Leaning across the divider, Ashe rested her head on Crystal’s shoulder.  “That it is.” 

Unfortunately, that moment had to come to an end as they pulled up to the school and Crystal put the car in park. 

“Be safe in there,” her girlfriend said, giving her a quick hug.” 

“Always,” Ashe said, then kissed Crystal’s cheek.  “I’ll see you after classes, loves you.” 

A flash of surprise crossed Crystal’s face, then she broke out in one of the most genuine smiles that Ashe had ever seen on her face. 

“Love you too, now get going before they have an excuse to slap a tardy on your ass.” 

Ashe grinned wide, then hopped out of the car, waving as her girlfriend drove off.  

She might have been dreading the coming day, but she felt light as a feather knowing she and Crystal had gotten that out of the way and were on the same page.  After all, if one loved someone, they should tell them at each and every opportunity, because you never knew when it might be the last and you never had another chance to tell them. 

Ashe understood that all too well.

In their line of work, that risk was always ever present, and she refused to let her girlfriend wonder how she truly felt.  She grabbed the last donut as she hit the front steps and dropped the box in the trash, not quite ready to deal with the bullshit of the day, but glad she at least had a bright spot to look back on, as well as something that wasn’t life threatening to look forward to once the day was done.

“You hear that freak signed up for prom?” 

Ashe paused in the hall, the voice having been projected specifically so they would be heard.  She turned and found Gray standing down one of the side halls, looking right at her with a self-satisfied smirk.  Ashe bit back a sigh, because apparently he wanted to play this game again.

Wonderful.

She knew that if she just ignored him, he wouldn’t go away, so she detoured from her path and right up to the group of sycophants that he had gathered around him.  She didn’t recognize any off hand save for the freshman that had latched onto him after Jessica was kidnapped. 

“Gray, how many times am I going to have to beat your ass into the ground before the lesson sinks into that thick skull of yours?” 

He scowled, but ignored her.  “I heard they’re even inventing a new category for you.” 

“Most likely to hospitalize the quarterback?” Ashe asked sweetly. 

A few of the guys padding out the ranks bristled, but didn’t move against her. 

“It is a shame you won’t be able to bring a guy,” Gray continued.  Was he just going to ignore everything she said?  Honestly, she was more impressed with his self control than anything else if that was the case.  “And no girl at this school would dare go with you.” 

He wasn’t wrong there, but she wasn’t going to contradict him.  

Ashe couldn’t wait for everyone to figure out that she had Crystal Ellington as her date.  Enough of the football team wouldn’t shut up about how she was their ultimate fantasy and shit, being the blonde daughter of a local political celebrity.  If she could get away with it, Ashe would love to take a rusty carving knife to some of them. 

“Rumor has it that Jessica is going to be named prom queen,” he said idly, as if he was reading from a script.  Knowing him, he had probably rehearsed this all night and didn’t know how to ad-lib any lines.  “They asked if Rachel would be willing to accept it on her behalf.” 

Huh, that was an interesting tidbit, and Ashe couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if Jessica just happened to be there to claim it.  She was eighteen now, her birthday passed while Ashe was in recovery.  Technically Jessica could reveal that she was alive and well and nobody could do much about it. 

The police would question her, there was no doubt of that.  They would need to discuss the possibility before Ashe got too enthusiastic about the potential prank.  Plus, if Rachel was approached about it, she would probably learn the details at some point in the coming days regardless. 

“Good for her,” Ashe said.  “I’ll be sure to pass that along if I see her.” 

“Not likely,” the freshman girl said, grinning savagely.  “They learn what you are, you won’t even get to be a whore, they’ll just kill you.” 

“I’m aware,” Ashe said without missing a beat.  “It’s why the three that attacked me are all dead and I’m not.”  She just wasn’t going to explain exactly how deep her role in that went.  “Others are welcome to try, but don’t expect any different.  You might want to request my police record sometime, or just watch the damn news.  Maybe then you would grasp why you shouldn’t fuck with me.” 

She turned, content to leave it at that and go off towards her next class, so of course the bastard couldn’t leave well enough alone.  He just had to get the last word, to try and save face with his little group of bottom feeders. 

“You won’t be able to hide behind those dykes’ badges forever.” 

Ashe snarled, turning around and quickly closed the distance between them, the urge to just end the bastard growing stronger by the moment.  She got right in his face, but didn’t dare put a hand on him.  He still blinked first. 

“Do I look like I’m hiding?” Ashe asked, her voice deathly calm.  “Keep fucking around, Gray.  You might just find out.” 

“You don’t scare me,” he answered, but his voice lacked conviction. 

She continued to glare, not backing down one bit.  Those around them had moved to clear space in the event it turned into a fight.  Ashe had no intention of starting one, but it wouldn’t matter if Gray swung first, the witnesses would all say she started it. 

All that meant was that she would have to make sure it was worth the punishment she would no doubt get stuck with.

She’d allowed the silence to drag on, and Gray was clearly getting nervous the longer it stretched.  Ashe knew how unnerving that could be, she’d been subjected to it enough herself back when she first came to the school.  Now, she was turning it against those who thought they could torment her without repercussion. 

“Then you haven’t been paying enough attention,” Ashe said. 

“What is this,” someone demanded.  Ashe didn’t turn to look, but she knew it was likely a teacher.  “You, explain.” 

“This crazy tranny just came over and started threatening us,” the freshman bitch said.  “Naturally, we know better than to pick on the mentally ill, so we’ve been at a loss for how to handle it.” 

No matter how much she wanted to, Ashe knew that anything she said or did beyond sitting there and just letting it play out would only serve to get her into deeper trouble.  The others all gave their own accounts on what had happened, some wildly contradicting others, but Ashe just stood there, staring at Gray as unnervingly as she could. 

“I see,” the teacher said.  “Anything to say for yourself, mister Hamilton?” 

Gray grinned when the teacher asked that, but rather than wilt, Ashe smirked instead.  She turned, and walked right up to the teacher, and leveled that same glare upon him.  She had stared down Alejandro and Yessina, as well as Theodore Ellington and the goddamn Silver Cross.  There was nothing that some high school chumps could do to intimidate her, and with only a scarce few weeks left of school, Ashe was done playing along with their bigotry. 

“Pardon?” she asked.  “I’m afraid I didn’t quite hear you.” 

If she let a bit of Inferno leak out, well, there was nothing for it. 

The man blinked, then swallowed.  “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” 

Ashe smirked.  “No, I heard that part.  What was the other thing you said?  See, I’m almost certain I misheard you and don’t want to start something over a misunderstanding you see.” 

She was definitely crossing a line by doing this, but Ashe was done caring what a bunch of nobodies thought of her.  Being a loner who let themselves be beaten down was not who she was anymore.  Ashe was Inferno, and it was about time she started acting like it in all aspects of her life. 

“Mi—  Miss Hamilton,” the teacher finally said after a moment. 

She smiled, something that should have come across as happy, but was tinted with far too much sadistic pleasure at browbeating a correct gendering out of an asshole. 

“That’s what I thought,” she said.  “If you’ll excuse me, I have class and don’t want to be late.” 

“But—” 

“Unless you want to continue,” Ashe said sweetly.  “You’ll need to write me a pass though.  You know how Mrs. Stevens can be when someone is late.” 

With a defeated sigh, the teacher waved her off, and for once, Ashe headed for class with a bounce in her step.  She probably shouldn’t be proud of herself for that, but damn did it feel good to put some fear into others for a change. 

She was done being treated like garbage.

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