Belonging

by LostParkMih

Chapter 2

Notes:

I really hope you enjoy this fic and like the way I write Santos and Mel, let me know your favorite part! What was your favorite character?

“Do you need a ride?” Robby said, already putting his backpack on, and Santos looked at him, her eyes rising from her phone as she waited for Mel.

“No, I’m going out with Mel.” She said easily and saw how Robby’s eyebrows rose in slight amusement. “What?” And the dry tone made him give a small smile and lick his lips, stopping beside her.

"Did you decide to stop being such a useless lesbian?" He asked, clearly mocking, and she grunted, running her hands over her face and shoving her cell phone into her pocket, then indicating an area further from the door, and Robby walked without hesitation alongside her.

"She kissed me." She said almost under her breath, and Robby stopped and looked at her in surprise.

"Who would have thought she was so bold." The statement wasn't mocking, but rather a little surprised.

"Mel isn't emotionally incapable." And that made him clearly mock with an eye roll and a grunt.

"I know she isn't. She's had a boyfriend." Robby stated bluntly. "Mel was never the problem." He mocked, and Trinity groaned. "You're the one who's emotionally blocked, Trin." He said without mockery this time, and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I know, I’m painfully aware of my emotional shortcomings.” She spoke sharply, and he grunted.

“You’ve been hurt a lot, not just by Garcia recently, but by other people before. I know it seems like sometimes I don’t listen, but I do pay attention. I’ve heard everything your drunken ass has ever told me.” He spoke dryly, and she sighed.

“So you know that opening up emotionally is difficult for me since people see me as a damn toy because I have thick skin.” She replied quickly, and he nodded.

“Yes, I know, and in your own time it’s more than okay for you to open up to Mel. She’s patient. And especially, I think she’s a great match for you. The ‘black cat and the golden retriever’ energy, as Duke likes to say.” And that made Trinity groan, throwing her head back, which made Robby laugh. “Give her a chance, Trin.” And it was a more personal, friendlier tone, and Trinity sighed.

“Hi Dr. Robby!” Mel spoke suddenly as she approached and smiled broadly at Robby.

"Hi, Mel." He spoke in a slower tone and smiled at her. "Are you two leaving already?" He asked easily, and the blonde nodded.

"I promised to cook for Trinity." Mel said with a cheerful smile and then looked at the brunette. "Shall we go?" And Santos just nodded.

"Take care, rest, and if you need me, call me." She said to Robby, who just nodded, letting the two women walk away.

And walking to Mel's compact car was without much conversation, the woman was wearing clean clothes, and she opened the red car with a click, which made Santos put the backpack she had in the back seat and get into the passenger seat.

"How was the rest of your shift?" Mel asked as she started the car and the two began to move from the hospital to the blonde's apartment.

“Fuck, I made so many medical charts. I’ve never written down so many pain medications on charts before.” She said dryly. “I hate burn victims.” And her tone was clearly tired, and Mel made a small assertive sound.

“They are difficult cases, but we only lost two today, which considering the seriousness of the accident was good. Of course, a good portion of the patients die afterward from complications, and usually those who survive have sequelae.” And Mel started speaking slowly and then sped up.

“Oh, wow, Melatonin, let’s not be so negative.” Santos spoke in a dry tone, but it still brought a low laugh from Mel.

“You’re right, let’s just embrace what went right. We saved many, and they were transferred to specialized care.” The blonde said, nodding to herself. And that brought a small smile to Trinity’s face.

“Will Becca be with us?” And Mel’s sister was a little slippery from what Trinity saw, but the blonde still let out a disgruntled snort. “I imagine not.” She corrected herself, and Mel shook her head.

“She’s going out with Adam, since she stayed with me on my day off yesterday.” She scoffed and grunted. “He picked her up early this morning.”

“And you finally met him?” She asked curiously, and Mel sighed.

“From sight, he seems okay.” She shrugged, and Trinity chuckled softly.

“Okay for a man, or okay in general?” The question came, and Mel gave a small snort mixed with laughter.

“Okay for a man. She seems happy, so I’m trying to let it go.” Mel sighed and gripped the steering wheel for a moment, and Trinity thought about what she could do. The situation between her and Mel had already crossed the line of friendship, after all, there had been a kiss and touching, and Trinity was so tired of emotionally defending herself from everything and everyone. Mel was one of the good ones, Jack and Robby’s words echoed in her mind, and she actively decided to throw some of her insecurity and emotional caution out the window. If she was going to get hurt, it would be on her terms.

And then her hand touched Mel's thigh, and that made the blonde jump slightly and blush scarlet, but she still remained gloriously focused on driving even though the car rocked slightly and Trinity made a point of ignoring it.

"You're a good sister to her, I know it's still hard for you, but let's try to have a nice night together and maybe take your mind off it a little." She offered and saw Mel swallow hard and nod.

"I was thinking of making rice, vegetables, and a béchamel sauce." Mel offered suddenly. "You said you don't want meat, but is it okay if I eat some? I'm trying to increase my red meat intake because I was low on vitamin B12." She spoke quickly and swallowed hard when Trinity pressed her fingers against the thigh she was touching.

"I was just kidding about the meat, I might avoid crispy bacon for a few days." And that brought a grimace from Mel.

"God, yes, the image already made me unhappy." She spoke, and the brunette chuckled softly.

"What you planned is perfect, Mel." And that clearly made the blonde relax and continue driving. And for a few minutes, the radio music was the only sound, until Mel opened the gate to the apartment complex and started driving inside the building. "Which floor do you live on?" The question came curiously.

"On the top floor, there is less noise from the other apartments and the street. Becca likes the silence, although she hates having to climb six flights of stairs. She doesn't like the elevator." The tone was a little frustrating.

"So you climb more stairs than not?" The question came, and Mel grunted.

"God yes, it's great for my cardio, but I hate it after a twelve-hour-plus shift." She spoke clearly displeased, and Trinity laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry." It was almost sincere, and Mel looked at her with furrowed brows.

"You're mocking me." She stated, and the two got out of the car.

"Yes, the stairs did your ass good." And the speech was so direct that Trinity could only smile as she watched Mel stumble slightly and look at the brunette with arched eyebrows as if searching for the truth in the words, and when Trinity merely arched an eyebrow in defiance, Mel's cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Come on, let's take the elevator now." The blonde grumbled, and Trinity chuckled softly, casually slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"Yes, Captain."

*********

"Can I ask a question?" Mel's words cut through the brief moment of silence where only the sound of vegetables being sautéed echoed along with the boiling rice water.

"Isn't that a question already?" Trinity's response made Mel, who was cutting the meat, look over her shoulder with slight disdain, and the blonde's expression made the brunette laugh. "Ask whatever you want, Mel." She replied with a smile and received a small eye roll in response.

"Actually..." The blonde began and shifted slightly, and Trinity waited for the meat to be cooked. “Garcia came to ask what was going on between you and me.” And that made Trinity’s mouth drop open in shock, not only because of the question but especially because of Yolanda’s audacity.

“She did what?” The tone was sharp enough to make Mel tense up for a moment.

“Earlier today, after we talked in the parking lot, I went to talk to McKay, and it was about a surgical patient. I got a little lecture on the patient's examination and why he needed surgery, and Garcia was there, and she didn't seem very happy with me. But still, I never really talked to her much in general.” Mel pondered, and Trinity's mouth was in a disgruntled line. “Then McKay stepped aside to clear the patient's transfer, and Garcia asked me what you and I were doing together.” And Trinity's eyebrows rose. “I said we were friends.” Which wasn't a lie, after all, no new title or change had explicitly happened to make that untrue, and the fact that Mel had chosen friends over any other possible title didn't bother Trinity. And Mel seemed to ponder for a moment.

“Ask what you want to ask, Mel.” The tone was firmer and made Mel's uncertainty melt away.

“Did you and Garcia date?” And for a brief flash, Trinity thought she saw jealousy there. “I remember you two flirting on your first day.” She offered, and it certainly wasn’t a discreet flirtation on Garcia’s part. And Trinity sighed.

“The situation with Yolanda is… Complicated.” And she saw how Mel tensed up at that. “But not in the way it usually is.” She added, and saw how the blonde stopped chopping the meat, washing and drying her hands, and then she turned to look at Trinity while leaning on the counter. “And notoriously through my own fault, I read the situation much more deeply than it actually was.” She contemplated aloud for the first time about the situation with Garcia. “I thought I had in Yolanda someone who would be something more than casual sex, and when the situation with Langdon happened and dragged on, and I had difficulty letting go of what happened, she made it clear that she wasn’t there for me in an emotional support like I thought she was.” She touched the counter lightly, and then Mel moved closer until she was beside the brunette.

“You slept with her?” The question came, and Trinity nodded.

“At least once a week, and I don’t know, that consistency tricked me into thinking it was something more than it was. Yolanda wanted to de-stress, and sex with me was the tool.” She shrugged. “When she made that clear to me, I stopped chasing after her, on the day Langdon actually returned…” She then sighed. “But Yolanda Garcia is competitive, determined, and persistent. She keeps texting me even after I tell her to fuck off.” The words were harsh, and she saw how Mel frowned, clearly displeased.

“She’s an idiot.” The blonde’s words made the brunette’s eyebrows rise, and she looked up from the stool she was sitting on, leaning against the counter, to look at Mel.

And then there was the touch, the touch of Mel’s fingertips sliding down Trinity’s chin to the curve of her jaw, and the brunette held her breath when her eyes met Mel’s brown ones.

“If Garcia didn’t know how to value you, the loss is hers, you’re an incredible person, Trinity.” The words were so low, so painfully intimate, and Trinity breathed shakily for a moment.

“Something tells me you’re biased in that opinion.” She tried to joke, but Mel’s firm gaze didn’t change. And the moment of touch, of affection that made Trinity’s heart race, diminished when Mel’s hand left her face and there was a sweet smile from the blonde.

“Maybe I am, but I don’t think it’s a problem.” Mel spoke easily and turned to cut the meat as if nothing had happened, as if the blonde hadn’t caused a tsunami in Trinity’s emotions.

*******

She closed her eyes, actively closed her eyes, and tried to take a deep breath as soon as she left the treatment room, and perhaps Trinity thought that pediatrics would never be something she would enjoy working in.

Seeing two children being taken from their parents brought back a stream of cruel memories when she herself was taken from her mother and her father was imprisoned. She saw McKay, who was on the case with her, approach, and she shook her head, looking around for a safe place. Ideally, she was looking for Robby, since as the attendant was her boss, the emotional support of the boss and friend could be better seen. But she didn't want Michael, she wanted Melissa.

"I need to go talk to Dr. King." She spoke sharply, dryly, and McKay stopped walking and nodded, and that was enough for Trinity to start walking in search of the blonde, and seeing her come out of the bathroom was almost a relief, especially since Mel simply seemed relaxed in her own skin at that moment.

And Trinity walked up to Mel and stopped in front of her, restless and uncertain, and the blonde's curious look made her shift slightly, and the blonde's head went to the side, and she frowned, but Trinity swallowed hard and looked at the floor.

“Can we talk?” She asked in a low tone, and Mel now seemed a mixture of worry and uncertainty, but still, she nodded, and the two went to one of the family support rooms. When the door closed behind Mel, the brunette sighed, feeling a barrier break down inside her. “I’m having self-harm triggers.” She spoke quickly without filtering what I was saying. “When I tried to kill myself and managed to stay dead for a period of time, it started like that, with a mild trigger in the middle of the orphanage. And today I had a new one of those, where two children were taken from their parents, the oldest was my age when I ended up in the system. And I just… I feel like I’m there again.” She spoke and closed her eyes, clenching her fists until they were white, and Mel’s silence made her nervous and too afraid to open her eyes.

Then there was the touch, Mel’s hands passing over Trinity’s waist, her head resting on the brunette’s nape, and the blonde’s body pressing against her back. And for a moment, Trinity tensed, then she relaxed and let herself lean against Mel.

"You're stronger than the trigger, Trin." She spoke softly, her hands tightening around Trinity's stomach. "And you're not alone, I'm here." She whispered, and that made the brunette spin in the blonde's arms, Trinity's arms going around Melissa's shoulders and pulling her tightly against her. The terrifying feeling of wanting to hurt herself throbbed in Trinity's chest, and Mel didn't say much more, she let her hands move from the base of the brunette's spine to the nape of her neck and down again.

And there was something soothing about the consistent touch, the consistent pressure that rose and fell in the same rhythm. It took Trinity a moment to feel steady, then she swallowed hard and pressed Melissa closer to her. They stayed like that for long comforting minutes.

“I relapsed when we had the cyberattack, I cut myself for the first time in almost five years and I blame myself deeply for it, my therapist said that my body learned that dealing with physical pain is better than dealing with emotional pain.” She confessed to Mel. “But I prefer this, a hug, your hug, than the false comfort of a blade.” She whispered, and Mel sighed against her.

“You’re safe with me.” She echoed softly. “I’m proud of you for seeking help and recognizing the trigger.” And that touched Trinity deeply.

“Thank you, Melissa.” And not so unexpectedly, Trinity pulled away and kissed Mel’s cheek lightly. “Thank you for coming with me and helping me.” She whispered vulnerablely, and Mel sighed and pulled Trinity close again.

“I’m not going anywhere.” She said softly. “I’ll stay with you in this case even if there are other doctors so you don’t feel helpless or triggered again, and tonight I’ll go home with you.” She stated without hesitation.

“You were going to stay with Becca today, weren’t you?” Trinity said, almost embarrassed for not being able to refuse Mel’s offer.

“I’ll tell her she has to go see Adam today because I’m staying with you.” And Trinity closed her eyes, hugging Mel again.

*******

The door closed behind Trinity with a soft click, and she locked it without hesitation, turning on the light and illuminating the living room. Mel stopped a few feet in front of her very casually.

“Isn’t Dennis here?” the blonde asked curiously.

“He’s playing farm.” She offered, taking off her shoes and placing them by the door. It took Mel a moment to repeat the act.

“Is he dating that woman?” Mel’s question came as the blonde placed her backpack on the sofa, and Trinity made a small, thoughtful sound.

“I don’t know, he says no, but he’s emotionally involved with Amy and Theo.” She sighed and made a small gesture for Mel to follow, and the two began to walk. “I only have one bedroom, and the couch is mediocre.” The speech was almost hesitant. “Then we have Huckleberry’s room, which I imagine must smell like a man.” She spoke sarcastically, and Mel giggled.

“I’ll stay with you, silly.” And the way Melissa said that made Trinity’s breath catch a little.

“I…” She began and hesitated. “I have a lasagna that just needs baking, what do you think about eating it and then showering and then going to bed? I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.” She spoke sincerely, and Mel nodded and then yawned.

“God, yes, eating and sleeping after a shower is a little dream. Today was a very strange day.” She argued, and the two slowly returned to the kitchen.

“Tell me about it, it was one hell of a day.” The brunette grumbled, and a comfortable silence settled in as the lasagna, which had already been pre-baked, finished cooking. "Did you have any interesting cases?" The question wasn't just to fill the void, Mel was a great doctor, and Trinity liked learning from the blonde's perspective.

And that made Mel's eyes light up with excitement, and she began to talk about a rare case she had attended with Robby that day, and it was detailed. And Trinity loved hearing every little nuance, Mel was great at recounting the details because she remembered them with surgical precision, and the case practically took up the entire dinner to be discussed.

Then there was the moment when Trinity took a shower in Dennis's bathroom, much to her chagrin, and left Mel with the bathroom in her own room. And there was a very unique intimacy in walking into the room to find Mel there in shorts and a t-shirt that was clearly Trinity's.

"I like your shower." Mel said easily, and that made the brunette chuckle softly.

"It's hot. I like hot showers." She offered, and Mel gave a little laugh.

"I can see, you're practically cooked." The blonde said, moving closer and touching Trinity's shoulder, which was slightly red from the water. "Is that part of getting hurt?" she asked softly, tracing the skin she could feel and see was red, and Trinity thought for a moment.

“Hm… Maybe? Honestly, I never paid much attention to it, I’ve liked hot water for as long as I can remember. My biggest dislike was going to the pool or rivers and having cold water.” She said with a grimace, and Mel gave a low chuckle.

“Never been a big fan of the cold…” And the tone was low, even slightly provocative.

“I like hot things.” Trinity said, and there was this slightly amused glint in Mel’s eye.

“Your luck is that I’ve always been a furnace.” She said playfully and walked away, and it was almost playful to see how Mel stopped in front of the bed and made a thoughtful sound. “Which side do you sleep on?” She asked with her hands on her hips, and Trinity blinked a few times.

“Right.” The answer came uncertainly, and Mel nodded, sitting up and then lying down on the left side of the bed.

“Are you coming?” She spoke easily, and then Trinity moved to lie down next to the blonde, and the lights were quickly turned off, leaving the two in the darkness of the room. "Trinity?" The call came softly, and the brunette responded with a small hum. And clearly, Mel seemed to hesitate and then sighed like someone who was resigned to something. "Good night." The whisper came, and Trinity didn't have the courage to ask what Mel really meant.

"Good night, Melissa." She spoke softly.

********

It was strange, Trinity thought for a moment that it was really strange. And that made her look annoyed at the situation she was thinking about. Pondering and trying to rationalize how she and Mel, while seeming to advance rapidly emotionally, were strangely stagnant physically.

There were emotions, there was care, there was an active search for each other. Very different from what it was with friends, and it would be foolish—and Trinity Santos was not foolish—to deny that it was romantic. Because it was romantic, it was clearly romantic, but still… Physical touch was missing.

“You look like you have to clear a patient's intestinal constipation.” Jack said, stopping beside her, and she grunted. “Jesus, what's going on?” He asked with a grimace, pulling her by the elbow into one of the empty rooms, and she made a very disgruntled sound. “Stop grunting and start talking.” The man's order came, and Trinity threw her head back.

“I'm dying here.” She said, and he stood there looking at her. “Melissa is killing me.” And Jack's worried look turned slightly amused.

 

“Dying here how?” He asked, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner. “You two seemed very… Close at the bar the other day.” He teased.

“That's the problem, Jack. That's the most Melissa will go, she pushes me just to the edge, with touches, with little kisses on the cheek, with hugs, but she doesn't do anything beyond that.” She said in a clear tone of frustration, and Jack gave a low laugh.

“And you didn’t do anything else because?” And that wasn’t the question, she contemplated it and made another face.

“Because I don’t know if she wants it?” She offered, and this time the laughter that came out of Jack made several people look in the direction of the two who were in one of the consultation rooms. “Abbot, I’m going to kill you.” She threatened, and he placed his hand heavily against Trinity’s shoulder.

“You’re one of the smartest women I know. One of the fiercest, for sure.” He began, and she arched her eyebrows. “But you’re being stupid and blind.” He said, and her mouth pursed into a grimace. “She’s always looking for you, her hand is practically attached to yours. I thought you two were already having sex like rabbits.” He said easily.

“We haven’t even kissed yet, Jack.” And the man’s teasing tone dropped slightly.

“God, Robby’s right, you’re a useless lesbian.” He said, amused. “Get on top of the woman, I don’t know, confess that you’re dying in a sea of ​​lust, I don’t know how two women flirt. My wife was the one who took the initiative.” He teased, and Trinity rolled her eyes.

“But what if she doesn’t want to?” And he was almost insecure about her and sighed.

“Then we accept the no with the best dignity we can and move on.” And he held both her shoulders. “But if my opinion is worth anything, I don’t think she’ll refuse.” And with that he squeezed both her shoulders and left the room in slow steps, which left Trinity alone there with her hands on her hips and a long sigh.

“Hey, is everything alright?” Mel’s voice sounding from the doorway made Trinity look up from the floor to her. And there was this boldness in Trinity.

“Jack is being silly.” She said and the blonde laughed lightly.

“I know it’s personal when you call him Jack and not Abbot.” Mel said, leaning against the door frame.

“Do you want to go out today?” The brunette asked suddenly and there was this smile that widened on Mel’s face.

“Yes, of course, do you want to do anything specific?” The blonde hooked her fingers on the scrubs and Trinity approached, stopping beside the blonde at the door.

“I chose the bar the day before yesterday, so your choice, babe. I’ll wait for you at the usual exit after your shift.” And she walked away without looking back. Without seeing Melissa King standing there with slightly flushed cheeks and her gaze following Santos.

********

She learned one thing. She always left before Mel. Even on the quietest end-of-shift days, as was the case this particular day. Trinity always finished before Mel. And she learned that it was because the woman constantly stopped to talk to someone and she was pleasant, so there was always a line of people, especially from the night shift, who liked to see how she was doing. So there was Trinity, waiting, leaning against the brick wall. And that's when Dana came out of the emergency room with a cigarette in her hands and lit it without hesitation outside the awning where Santos was.

 

“Shouldn’t you be going home?” The brunette's question made Dana look over her shoulder and blow the smoke away.

“I should, but the night nurse hasn’t arrived yet, and I can’t leave my post.” She took another drag, and Santos grimaced at the cigarette. “What? You’re going to tell me to quit smoking too?” She asked dryly, and Trinity snorted.

“Ethically, yes, you should quit, it’s bad for you. Morally? I have no credibility to judge other people’s legal vices. At least you’re not stealing drugs from patients.” She said this, and Dana grimaced.

“You need to let this Langdon thing go, Santos.” She said in a heavy tone. “He was punished, not in the fairest way from your point of view, but still punished.” And Trinity rolled her eyes.

“He’s still a manipulative thief who stole Louie’s medication.” Santos said dryly.

“Who stole Louie’s medication?” Mel’s words made Trinity freeze and look at Dana. Trinity didn’t want to be the one to shatter the superhero image Mel had of Langdon. Dana sighed deeply, which made the younger blonde's eyes focus on the nurse.

"This stays between us, Mel. But what made Langdon leave here for ten months wasn't just the addiction." She spoke softly, and Trinity saw how Mel's mouth opened and closed.

"Come on, let's let Dana smoke, and I'll clear up your doubts about this." Trinity took Mel's hand and started pulling her toward the car, and Mel was clearly processing the information.

"Did Dr. Langdon steal medication from the hospital?" She asked when the two sat in the car, and Trinity sighed.

"I noticed something was wrong with his prescriptions on my first day. He noticed that I noticed." Trinity began to speak slowly, and she saw how everything made sense in Mel's mind.

 

"And he started to discredit you." Mel said, and her mouth closed in a line. "And then he humiliated you in front of everyone, for what? To make you untrustworthy if you reported him?" She asked sharply.

“Yes, but I spoke with Robby and well… Apparently Langdon confessed to the addiction and Robby gave him a plan of action, avoiding denunciation and dismissal. As far as I know, few people know about this.” She offered, and silence stretched in the car.

“I…” Mel began and stopped speaking. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked softly.

“I didn’t tell anyone, Mel.” Trinity still had the car off, and the two looked at each other. “I told Robby, and a large group started giving me dirty looks, thinking he was removed because of an abuse motion on my part in HR. I didn’t tell anyone. Dana, Abbot, and Al-Hashimi found out from Robby.” She spoke slowly.

“Dennis?” Santos shook her head. “Garcia?” And that brought a mocking laugh from Trinity.

“When she found out about my… High school beef, as she called it. With Langdon, she emotionally punished me for a long time. I didn’t trust her to tell me what really happened. But Frank Langdon stole benzos from patients.” She spoke sharply.

“But do you trust me now to tell me this?” She spoke slowly, and Trinity grunted at the tone used.

“Yes, I trust you to know about this.” The tone was slightly unhappy at the questioning.

“Why didn’t you tell me before I heard it from a third party?” She asked, and God, Trinity loved and hated Mel’s rationalization.

“Because you adore that idiot.” She spoke sharply. “You adore that huge asshole, and he’s a good doctor despite everything he’s done wrong.” She spoke dryly, almost sharply.

“So you didn’t tell me he committed a crime to try to preserve my friendship with him?” She asked, and Trinity gasped and groaned.

“God, you’re unbearable.” She spoke, and Mel frowned. “Yes, darling, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to hurt one of your friendships with something he’s clearly already been punished for and is punishing himself for every day. I didn’t think you needed to suffer emotional consequences because he, at the height of his addiction, made idiotic decisions. I hate that man, but you like him, and having you happy is more important to me than—” And anything that could be said beyond that was cut off by Mel holding her face and kissing her. And Trinity, she could only gasp, moan at the unexpected contact, and kiss back.

“I should be angry, but my God, no girlfriend or boyfriend of mine has ever thought of protecting me like this, of thinking about my emotional safety before anything else.” And Trinity blinked a few times at the abrupt break in the kiss.

“Are we okay?” She asked, clearing her throat.

“Yes, let’s go to the pizzeria.” Mel said easily, and Trinity swallowed hard and started the car to begin driving.

*********

The idea wasn't to sleep together, but still, Mel went into her own apartment first, and Trinity followed right after.

And unlike the brunette's apartment, the blonde doctor's had an unexpectedly warm atmosphere. There were photos of Mel and Becca, there were plants, and there were colors. And it was almost ironic how opposite the two were in so many things. But still, Trinity allowed herself to stop in front of the wall that had several photos and observe with curiosity.

"They died when we turned 16." The sentence made Trinity's eyes leave the photo of Mel's parents and focus on the blonde.

"What happened?" She asked gently, and Mel sighed.

"Car accident, they were cut off on the road, my mother still made it to the hospital. We managed to say goodbye to her, and well, it was horrible, you can imagine." This made Santos nod.

"And you became responsible for Becca then?" she asked softly, and there was a shake of the head.

“My grandmother. For a few years, six I think. I was already in medical school when she passed away. Bad heart. And I became responsible for caring for Becca. And for a few years I had to make a lot of decisions. It's only recently that she's become more independent.” She contemplated and sighed. “She made a friend this week, Andrey, and now, just like Adam, she's hyper-focused.” And there was a small eye roll.

“Is that a problem?” Trinity asked casually and turned to Mel.

“It could be, but Andrey seems nice, she came over, introduced herself, and the two of them are having a sleepover tonight. Which works well, neither Becca nor I had many people during childhood.” She contemplated and leaned against the hallway wall. “And now I have you too.” The sentence wasn't necessarily sensual, but still, it stirred something inside Trinity.

“Oh, that's true, isn't it?” And Trinity had many insecurities in life, but sexually wasn't one of them.

So when she approached Mel and gently pushed her against the wall, it was delightful to see the blonde simply give in, letting herself be held by the hips, and the blonde's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Ah, where's the confident little pup who kissed me twice?" And the question came low, and it was glorious to see how Mel's skin prickled. The blonde was emotionally exposed almost constantly, but it was the first time Trinity had been able to read the desire in Mel.

"She was being spontaneous and caught you off guard?" Mel offered, and Trinity gave a low laugh that seemed to echo off the blonde's skin.

"I don't seem so off guard now, do I?" And that came sensually with a touch from Trinity on Mel's chin, and the blonde gasped.

"Definitely not." The whisper came, and the two looked at each other.

“Can I kiss you, Melissa? Will you tell me your limits if I touch somewhere I shouldn’t yet?” And despite her roughness, Trinity was very faithful to safe, consensual romantic touches. And the moan that echoed from Mel was delicious, and yet, the brunette didn’t move, actively waiting for a verbal response.

“Yes.” And honestly, neither of them seemed to need anything more than that.

Kissing Melissa King was a little wet dream, if Trinity were to verbalize it. The blonde kissed like everything she did, dedicated, committed to knowing every corner of Trinity’s mouth with her tongue, and especially she made deliciously erotic little sounds.

And Santos knew that Mel wasn’t a virgin and that there had been relationships before, but there was still this somewhat innocent image of the blonde that was easily breaking with each small gasp, with each brush of her tongue against the brunette’s.

Mel’s hands plunged into Trinity’s hair, pushing the elastic that still held her hair away so she could better grip the strands.

“Oh fuck.” Trinity gasped as her fingers pressed against her scalp and tugged slightly, and it was unexpected but still deliciously sensual.

“I-I’m sorry-” The blonde stammered, blushing as they pulled away.

“Shhh… You’re so hot.” ​​The phrase made Mel’s cheeks flush even brighter with a more vivid red.

“Am I?” And there was disbelief in the blonde’s tone, which made Trinity look at her. The brunette’s eyes were filled with desire.

“You are.” The brunette stated huskily and placed her hands flat beside Mel. “I was going crazy, thinking about you every waking moment and with you haunting me in my sleep…” Trinity’s hands slid down Mel’s arms and then gripped her hips, pushing up the blonde’s t-shirt. “Do you have any idea how maddening it is to get a painfully sensual glimpse of your skin when your t-shirt rides up?” She then leaned in and sucked on Mel's lower lip, pulling it between her teeth.

"Trin—" The blonde's gasp was thick with desire.

"Ah, yes fuck, moan my name." The brunette felt deeply aroused and pressed herself against the blonde's neck, and the contact of her mouth with the throbbing pulse made the blonde arch, tilting her head back and to the side.

"Oh my God, Trinity." And there was something delicious about having a woman so controlled, so perfectly functional as Mel exactly as she was at the moment, slumped against the hallway wall.

"Should we move this somewhere else?" The brunette asked hoarsely, slipping her hands under Mel's shirt, squeezing the blonde's waist and feeling the woman's warm skin.

Mel's hands on Trinity's shoulders pushed the brunette back and for a moment they looked at each other.

"I have a question." And that made Trinity's head fall to the side slightly. "Should eating be before or after sex?" And that made the brunette laugh softly.

“Are you very hungry right now?” She asked with slight amusement, and the blonde shook her head no. “Then we can eat after sex.” The offer was made.

“Thank God.” And the way Mel said it, as if this was the choice she wanted, made Trinity give a muffled laugh against the blonde’s mouth, but there wasn’t much room for amusement. Mel thrust her tongue against Trinity’s and pulled her by the nape of the neck to force them both to walk.

And if someone had told Trinity on her first day in the hospital that she would be in a frantic kiss trying to get into a bed with Melissa King of all people, her past self would have laughed. But her present self could only think that the hell this was finally happening.

When Mel’s back hit the bedroom door hard, there was this delicious gasp and then the blonde arched against her. One of Mel’s legs went up onto Trinity’s hip and she grabbed the lower part of the brunette’s back and pulled her against herself. And the pressure, God, the pressure against the covered center made Mel groan hoarsely.

“Oh my God, you’re amazing.” Trinity whispered against the blonde and swayed her hips against Mel, which brought another moan from the woman. “Who would have thought you’re so sexually confident?” She said, already gripping Mel’s hips with one hand and the other searching for the door latch.

“I like sex.” Mel whispered and blushed scarlet. “It just doesn’t happen that often.” She stammered as the two entered. “I know everyone thinks I’m innocent or something, a virgin…” She said as the two stumbled into the room and Mel gasped slightly. “But I lost my virginity at 17 and I’ve had other partners, both male and female.” She stated, and Trinity nodded.

“You’re very closed off in that regard, but Robby said you’ve had a boyfriend before.” She offered as the two walked into the car.

“I dated a guy for a year and a woman for another year while I was in my first year of internship and my first year of residency.” She offered, and the two stopped in the middle of the room and looked at each other.

“Great, so you know what you like.” Trinity said firmly and looked at her. “Okay, healthy communication. I’m clean, I got tested a month ago to donate blood, and I haven’t had any relationships or exposures at work.” She stated without hesitation, and Mel’s eyebrows rose slightly, and she blushed.

“I got tested a few days ago, hoping that we would finally kiss.” And that brought a small gasp mixed with a laugh from Trinity.

“We could have been having sex for days.” She grunted, and the two looked at each other. And there was this active movement from Trinity, she grabbed her own shirt and pulled it over her head, which made a gasp escape Mel. 

And then there was this rush, this very impulsive moment between the two of them. Clothes were ripped off, with them a step away from each other, and when Mel let go of her bra on her back and let the material fall, the brunette could only groan, still wearing her own bra and panties and watching Mel in just her panties in the middle of the room.

"Fucking damn, you have a tattoo." She said, looking at Mel's ribs, and the blonde blushed slightly and nodded.

"It's the tree that was in front of my childhood house, Becca and I used to have picnics there with our parents all the time. It was a cherry tree." She offered, and it was a black and white image of the tree. With delicate and fine lines, it was a tattoo about a hand's length.

"I want to lick your tattoo." And Trinity said it so quickly that she herself felt her cheeks blush, and the blonde opened and closed her mouth.

"Okay!" Mel's response came, and this time the brunette didn't hesitate. She moved forward, touched the other's waist with open hands, and pulled her closer, causing their mouths to meet again in a very rough kiss.

"Take off your glasses, babe." Mel pulled away in agreement, placing her glasses on the bedside table. At that moment, Trinity chose to push her back, causing the blonde to fall back onto the bed and gasp. "You're so delicious." The brunette muttered more to herself than to Mel, but the woman's cheeks still flushed a deeper red.

"Do you like oral sex?" The question came as Trinity was already slowly kissing Mel's collarbones.

"I love a pussy in my mouth." The almost dry way the brunette said it made Mel moan.

"Can it be mine?" She whimpered at the request, and Trinity gasped, seeing the woman surrendered on the bed, still wearing beige panties and deliciously willing to be eaten.

“Damn, yes, for as long as you want.” She said, feeling her insides tighten at how open Mel was being. But still, she leaned down and licked the center of the blonde’s chest, which made a loud moan echo from the woman as she moved to her breasts. “I want to suck your breasts and lick your tattoo.” It was definitive, almost non-negotiable, and Mel nodded frantically, holding Trinity’s arms as the woman moved to the hardened nipple.

“Be—” She stammered through a gasp. “Gentle, they’re sensitive.” She continued in the same tone, and Trinity delicately licked around the areola, which made a delicious moan echo from Mel. “God, yes, just like that, Trinity…” And Trinity’s new goal was to see how far she could get Mel to surrender in moans and words.

Then her tongue circled the nipple, then gently sucked it between her lips. She felt Mel's entire body stiffen and a delicious moan escape the woman, but she paid attention to both nipples, and when she pulled away with a small pop of pressure from her lips against the left nipple, the blonde shuddered completely.

"Are you wet?" Trinity's question was dirty, and she quickly began to develop a small desire to hear the blonde talk dirty to her. And the blonde blushed and nodded. "Give me your words, Melissa." She purred and began to trace Mel's tattoo with her tongue.

"Ah-I-" She stammered and blushed, and then Trinity watched as Mel's legs tightened. "Why don't you find out?" She tried, and it was a very sincere attempt at teasing that made the brunette's eyes travel up the blonde's thighs.

"Open your legs." The whispered tone caused Mel's thighs to part, and yes, there was a wet stain on the blonde's panties that made Trinity gasp. "Now answer my question."

“Trinity…” The tone wasn’t one of denial, but rather shyness. “Do you like dirty talk?” She asked almost awkwardly.

“Yes, especially coming from you.” She affirmed and saw how for a moment Mel seemed to find courage within herself and her cheeks flushed even more.

“I’m going to sound silly.” She said very uncertainly.

“I’m sure I’ll find it enjoyable and super hot.” Trinity reaffirmed, and the two looked at each other for a moment.

“Ask me again.” Mel asked in a slightly hoarse tone, and this made Trinity’s nipples tighten, and she licked her lower lip.

“Are you wet for me, Melissa?” And there was this contraction of Mel’s thighs, and Trinity thought the woman became even wetter.

“I’m so wet for you, baby.” And Mel’s tone was low, hoarse, and even a little harsh, the woman said this with very red cheeks, and Trinity groaned hoarsely.

 

“Damn, you’re so hot.” She whimpered and moved to the foot of the bed, kissing the inside of Mel's knee and slowly moving her mouth up her thigh.

"Ah, yes, this is nice." The blonde gripped the bedsheets tightly and arched slightly as Trinity's hands held her panties, causing the fabric to slide down the blonde's thighs. There wasn't really any blatant shyness, Mel's legs fell open, and Trinity plunged forward.

And to think she'd be licking Mel's pussy slit on a Wednesday wasn't what Trinity from the beginning of the year imagined she'd be doing at the end of the year, but still. The blonde tasted delicious, slightly earthy, with a little acidity and yet a sweetness that made sense as being Mel's. And Trinity could only moan as she opened her mouth wide enough to practically embrace the entire pussy with her mouth.

"Trinity!" And Mel's tone was high, perfectly executed as Trinity's tongue plunged inside her, and the brunette could only moan against the folds. “Like this, please, like this, I’m going to—I’m going to—” Mel stammered, and Trinity only quickened her movements, rubbing her tongue everywhere possible.

Having Melissa King come against her tongue should be a crime, and Trinity would happily accept a life sentence if it meant continuing to feel the woman shudder, wetting her tongue and chin as she deliciously came.

“I need to be inside you.” The brunette spoke hoarsely against Mel’s folds, and the blonde nodded.

“Two or three fingers, I don’t know if I’m ready for three.” The blonde spoke quickly, pulling Trinity’s hair up, and their mouths met.

One finger plunged into Mel’s folds, and she nodded against Trinity’s kiss. And then the second finger plunged in alongside the first, and their mouths broke so Mel could moan.

“What does a girl have to do to get you to swear at me?” Trinity asked hoarsely against Mel's neck as she moved in and out of the blonde.

"Make me come with your fingers." The answer was direct, almost a little frantic, but still, Trinity felt the walls tighten and relax and gently pushed a third finger inside. "Just like that! Your fingers are so deep..." The blonde moaned, arching her back, her messy hair on the bed already loose from the braid, and that made Trinity moan.

"And I am that deep without even fucking you with my strap-on." The words were spoken directly, and Trinity's name came out broken from Mel's lips. "Oh, you like the idea of ​​me fucking you with my cock?" The question was asked with the brunette's mouth sucking on Mel's earlobe.

"I love penetration." And Santos loved how Mel felt the need to answer, even though she was clearly functioning at half capacity with the physical stimulation and the wave of endorphins.

"I'm going to bend you over on my bed and fuck you so deep when we go to my house." The promise came, and she felt it, even before the rest of Mel's body registered the orgasm that erupted, starting with the walls squeezing her tightly and then her fingers becoming soaked.

"Fuck! Fuck! Babe! Trinity!" And Mel was loud, loudly delicious in her moans, and when she fell limp on the bed, the brunette simply pulled her fingers delicately out of the blonde, moving her wet hand up against Mel's belly.

"Are you okay?" She asked so softly, and Mel gave a mixture of gasping and giggling.

"Yes. You're so good at this." The answer came, and Mel seemed boneless. "I need a few minutes to reciprocate." She stated.

"We have all night, let's rest a little, and then if we're hungrier, we'll eat and then have more sex." The brunette spoke easily as she lay down next to the blonde.

“It looks perfect.” And with that, Mel rolled over to lie against Trinity, and they both sighed softly. “Best fuck ever.” She mumbled, which made the brunette chuckle softly.

********

“Stop.” The order came, and it invariably made Trinity freeze, especially when Mel’s hand touched hers and altered the angle of the scalpel. “If you continued at the other angle, you could hit an artery.” And Santos didn’t argue, she just nodded and continued the procedure.

“Good eyes, Dr. King.” Dr. Al-Hashimi spoke, and Mel just kept her eyes fixed on what Trinity was doing.

And it was curious to Santos that she didn’t mind the correction, in the grand scheme of things, and despite Langdon’s very verbose opinion about Trinity being arrogant and thinking she knew everything, she had a painful awareness that she was learning and that there were older doctors around who knew more than she did. She wasn’t stupid enough, like Ogilvie, to think she knew more than others.

“Good work, everyone. Let’s keep the hydration and medication going and wait for an opening upstairs for admission.” Santos simply nodded, discarding the blood-stained gloves and, with a yawn muffled by her mouth, she moved to resume filling out charts.

“You did well.” Mel’s voice made Trinity look to the side and snort slightly.

“If you hadn’t corrected me, I would have killed the patient.” She said, rolling her eyes, and Mel frowned.

“That’s why we work as a team, nobody needs to know everything.” Mel spoke in a caring tone and touched Trinity’s forearm. “You did well.” She said, and Santos sighed.

“A work in progress, I’d say, but yes, thank you.” She grumbled, and Mel gave a wide smile and let her hand slide from Trinity’s arm, and the two separated to continue doing what they were doing.

“Trouble in paradise?” The question came from Robby, who stopped beside her, and she looked at him with an angry expression and grunted.

“Worried about my personal life?” She grumbled, and he chuckled slightly and ran a hand through his beard.

“A little.” And that came with a small, almost smug smile, which Michael often had, and Trinity rolled her eyes hard.

“How unprofessional, Michael.” And it was sarcastic, which made him chuckle softly. “We’re fine, don’t worry about it.” She said dryly and looked at Mel, feeling a pang of desire in the pit of her stomach. “We’re doing very well.” And she saw out of the corner of her eye how Robby’s eyebrows rose, and they both watched as Mel realized she was being watched and lifted her head from where she was writing things down and looked around until she met Trinity’s eyes, and the blonde blushed slightly and went back to writing.

“You should notify HR.” He said softly, and that made the brunette’s eyes shift from the blonde and look at him.

“Why?” The question came with a grimace, and Robby chuckled slightly.

“Just administrative security, technically she’s your superior.” He spoke to just the two of them, but still, there was a small sound, which made them both look at Dana, and Trinity grunted.

"Oh, great." She muttered and walked away in dry steps, and yet she heard Robby sigh and walk away to the opposite side.

And she knew it wouldn't be long before Dana cornered her at some point that day, especially since minutes after that conversation, the older woman's eyes were on her with an intrigued look, and Trinity didn't let herself be disturbed, she had many things to do besides perhaps worrying about what Dana or anyone else thought about her and Mel.

As if summoned, the blonde stopped beside the brunette, and a small individual cupcake in a yellow package, which was chocolate, was placed in front of Trinity, and this made her eyes rise to Mel.

"Do I need to change your nickname from Melatonin to Serotonin?" And this was said in an extremely sarcastic way, and she saw how it took Mel a moment to understand that it was a joke.

"I prefer Endorphins." Mel teased lightly, and then Trinity accepted the cupcake without much hesitation. The small package was opened, and she sighed slightly.

“Definitely not that ultra-processed crap.” She grumbled and then looked at Mel.

“My neighbor made this, she sells it.” Mel shrugged.

“Oh, yes, the torture of the smell of food being prepared at six in the morning. A horror.” She grumbled, and again Mel chuckled.

“You enjoyed it.” The blonde retorted lightly.

“I had to cook at six in the morning, I never enjoyed that.” And it was a tease, sarcastic and almost cruel, but still Mel shrugged.

“And yet you did it, oh, the horror.” And the answer came so easily that Santos held back an amused smile and shook her head.

“If that’s what keeps your boat afloat, Melatonin.” She teased, then looked ahead, seeing Victoria staring between the two. “Did you lose something on my face, Crash?” The tone was sharp, and Javadi blushed and shook her head. “Then get moving, go find something to do instead of eavesdropping on other people’s conversations like a creepy creep.” And that made the younger girl’s cheeks turn even redder, and she stumbled away from Trinity.

“That was undeniably cruel.” Mel said, and the two looked at each other, and there was this layer of amusement in the blonde’s eyes that would go unnoticed by the vast majority, but Trinity knew that in a slightly sadistic way, Melissa’s little rainbow soul, she enjoyed the sharp cuts that Trinity delivered to most.

“I’m cruel, it’s what we can do.” Trinity replied, and there was a small eye roll, but then someone called Mel over for a case, and the two exchanged a light glance before the blonde walked away.

It didn't take many hours for Dana to approach Trinity as she was leaving the bathroom, and the two looked at each other for a moment, and there were some feelings in the woman's eyes.

"I washed my hands." Trinity said dryly and saw how Dana rolled her eyes.

"Don't mess with Mel." The statement was so sudden that it made Trinity's eyebrows rise, and she looked at Dana with slight disbelief.

"She's a grown woman." The phrase was defensive, Trinity especially didn't like the suggestion that she was messing with Melissa.

"She's already suffered enough, Santos, she doesn't need games." And it was almost offensive that Trinity Santos was considered a player. And she looked at Dana with a very angry expression and crossed her arms.

"Funny, when Garcia messed with me, nobody came to defend me." She grunted, and that seemed to disarm Dana. “Keep your opinions about my personal life to yourself, Dana. I didn’t ask for and don’t want any guesses about how my personal relationship is going, and if you’re so worried about me messing around with Melissa, go talk to her instead of barking at my tree.” And that was offensive, extremely offensive, and it wasn’t really sarcastic or cruel, but rather hurtful, which seemed to leave Dana even more uncertain of what to say, but Trinity walked away without really hesitating, feeling overwhelmed by things. And she walked to the parking lot, needing to cool her head if she wasn’t going to say something she shouldn’t to someone.

And for a moment she thought she understood people who needed a cigarette break, she herself considered that nicotine could be a reasonably strong relief at that moment, but she just closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the minutes dragged on and she began to feel more in control, needing at least ten minutes of peace.

“Do you want a cigarette too, like me?” The question made the woman open her eyes and see Cassie McKay there. She wasn't exactly the person Trinity wanted to share a peaceful moment with in the parking lot, but it was what she had.

"A cigarette, a vacation, peace, anything." Trinity spoke sharply, and McKay made a positive sound.

"Can I ask a question?" And that came a few minutes of peace later, which made the brunette just grunt.

"Something tells me that if I say no, you're going to ask your question anyway." She replied sharply, and there was another moment of silence.

"Actually, it's more of an observation." And Trinity just tilted her head to the side and looked at McKay out of the corner of her eye. "Mel just argued with Dana." And this time Trinity's head turned completely and looked at the woman, and Santos's impassivity made the older woman hesitate for a single moment. "She told Dana not to meddle in her private life and that there were people who had glaring red flags and everyone ignored them." The brunette let out a small, amused snort. “So she went up to HR, which I presume is to report on your relationship?” And there was the question McKay wanted to ask.

“Did you draw the shortest straw to confirm or deny King and Santos’ relationship?” Trinity asked sarcastically, and McKay squirmed slightly. “I’m going back to work.” And with that, she turned on her heels and moved into the hospital, and there was this strange layer of tension in there when she arrived at Pitt, her eyes traveled around, and there were many eyes avoiding looking at her, but still, Michael was at the door of trauma 1 and looked at her with a slight expression of unease, but Trinity rolled her eyes and chose a case on the board, going to attend without hesitation.

It would be one hell of a shift if it depended on people gossiping about Mel and Trinity’s private lives, but still, the brunette had thick enough skin and sharp claws that would keep any comment at bay, even if it seemed like a wildfire spreading in the emergency room.

*******

Trinity's laughter caught some of the people around her off guard, but the brunette's eyes were on the pool table, actively watching as Mel was cleaning the floor with Matteo and Jesse, and it was almost hilarious to see how Melissa King's duality was shattering the almost saintly image people had of her.

Mel was fierce, she was determined, she was completely stubborn when she decided on something she wanted, and at that moment she was challenged to a game of pool when she mentioned that she liked to play when she went out with Trinity. And seeing how Matteo and Jesse got the idea that Mel was just being her usual self-important self was funny, especially since the woman was extremely focused when she was playing.

"My God, Mel is destroying them both." Perlah's voice rang out, and Trinity looked at the rest of the hospital group.

She didn't necessarily want to be there, drinking in a so-so bar with the people she'd spent the last 14 hours with, but that's what Mel asked for. She asked Trinity to go out with her and the rest of the people, and sweet, gentle Melissa said she wanted to show that Trinity wasn't bad for her, and Santos accepted it as a losing vote that didn't really happen. But there she was, drinking a Cuba Libre that had mediocre, weak rum but served to give Trinity a little buzz and nothing more.

"She's great at the pool." Trinity said casually and took a slow sip of the drink, and she saw how Mel looked at her and there was this small, playful smile.

There was a very pure amusement in seeing Mel's image being changed for the people around her. The pit crew had this immaculate image of the blonde, as if she were almost a saint. Saint Mel, and she never does wrong things or never has thoughts different from what is right.

No, Mel had layers, and Trinity loved that. She was indeed dedicated, correct, ethically and morally set in stone with many things. Mel was the kind of person with a good heart and good intentions, but still, there were layers that Trinity didn't know if the people at the hospital chose to ignore or never really allowed themselves to see.

Mel was stubborn, defiantly stubborn, and with rigidities that were typical of neurodivergence, she liked control in the work environment, she liked routines, and often wanted to throw a little tantrum when people didn't do things the way she wanted. And there was something everyone there was learning: Melissa King was extremely competitive, the kind who didn't like to lose and got angry when she lost.

"Damn, that was a historic defeat, who would have thought you played so well." Matteo said, sitting down next to Dana, who was just having a beer while chatting with Princess. Mel gave an amused laugh, and then there was the easy realization that she and Santos were together. The blonde just stopped next to the brunette, put an arm around the woman's shoulders, and sighed.

“Mel is feared in The Hole for that reason.” The brunette spoke slowly, and one of her hands moved down Mel’s legs, holding the back of her knee. It would be too much for Trinity’s shoulder to hug Mel’s waist, but the contact still made the blonde shudder slightly, though she kept smiling. “I had to pull Mel away a few times from a small circle of bikers because they were practically suffocating her with compliments.” She rolled her eyes, and Mel gave a light laugh.

“They’re nice. Even though Stinky wants to teach me how to throw darts, I don’t know how I feel about throwing something sharp at a target.” She contemplated, and Santos snorted.

“You’ll do well because you’re stubborn enough to learn.” And Mel pondered for a moment and made a small, thoughtful sound.

“You’re right.” And it was an easy answer.

“I rarely am not.” The response was curt, and Trinity saw how uncomfortable the people around seemed with it, but Mel gave a light laugh and slipped a hand down Trinity's nape, scraping the tips of her nails against the brunette's scalp, and Santos actively stifled a sigh of pleasure.

"Do you want to eat something before we leave?" Mel's question was directed at Trinity, who made a thoughtful sound, and she saw how the people around seemed to observe the two—not as discreetly as they wished, she imagined—interacting slowly.

"Are you hungry now?" And the question made Mel's cheeks flush slightly, and she cleared her throat.

"A little." She contemplated thoughtfully.

"We can get a small portion of fries perhaps, unless you want something more substantial." And Trinity wasn't necessarily rude to Mel, although she saw that her tone was frowned upon.

"Sounds good, will you order?" She asked almost shyly, and Trinity sighed and stood up without really hesitating.

“Take care of my drink, would you like an Ale?” And the question came so easily with the routine of knowing each other, and Mel nodded. And Trinity moved to the bar to order the food, and she saw in the bar mirror how the people from the table group crowded around Mel, clearly asking questions, while Trinity lingered in her order, waiting in line. It was almost ridiculous how much attention their relationship was getting, but still.

“I’ve never seen you here.” And that made Trinity, who had her cheek resting on her palm while she waited for the bartender to bring Mel’s drink, lift her eyes from the bar and look at the woman next to her.

“I don’t usually come to mediocre bars.” Trinity replied dryly, and the woman seemed surprised but still gave a wide smile.

“Well, then it’s lucky for me that you came this time, isn’t it?” And it was a flirt, blatant, and it made Trinity’s eyebrows rise in surprise at the woman’s audacity, this was a mostly heterosexual bar. And she didn't have time to actually answer.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't hit on my girlfriend." Mel's voice made Trinity's eyes shift from the clear look of surprise she had at the woman in front of her and focus on Mel.

"Oh, I didn't know." The woman said and gave an awkward smile. "Sorry."

"No harm done." Trinity said, and then the waiter put the can of ginger ale on the counter and easily informed them that the fries would be brought to their table. Trinity took the can without hesitation, then extended her free hand to Mel, who readily accepted, intertwining their fingers, and the two began to walk. "Jealous, darling?" And the tone was low and even a little dirty.

"I don't like people looking at you like that." Mel replied dryly, and Trinity nodded.

"I think you made the boundaries pretty clear." And with that, Mel nodded, smiling more calmly, and when they sat down, Trinity opened the can of ale for the blonde without really needing to ask. "What?" She asked sharply to the rest of the group, and someone quickly changed the subject and started talking to someone else. But still, Mel's hand touched Trinity's thigh, and it was possessive even though the blonde was talking to Victoria with a wide smile.

***********

Frenetic was perhaps the perfect word to describe how Trinity and Mel entered the brunette's apartment. The kiss that Mel initiated as soon as the door was unlocked made the two hit the hallway wall hard enough for Trinity to gasp for air.

"Damn, you're wild." She growled against Mel's mouth, and then the blonde pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

"I want you to fuck me." And they had been together as girlfriends for a few days, good days in which they had a lot of sex whenever possible, but Melissa still didn't swear much.

"Any particular way?" She sighed and was pulled by the belt loops of her pants into the bedroom.

"Yes, I want your dick." And that made Trinity stumble slightly and gasp. “You promised me when we started having sex and until now I’ve just waited.” And Mel pouted slightly. “I’ve been good, I’ve waited patiently and I’ve behaved like a good girl, can I have your cock now?” She asked and Trinity felt her throat go dry with excitement.

“Fuck.” The brunette echoed hoarsely and the two looked at each other in the middle of Trinity’s room. “Yes, God, yes.” And that was said hastily as Santos moved to the wardrobe. The toy was pulled out and the condom taken from the package and the two looked at each other. “Take off your clothes, baby.” It was a direct order and Mel didn’t hesitate to tear off her own clothes. “I have a question.” Trinity echoed, tearing off her own clothes and putting on the strap-on.

“Yes?” Mel asked hoarsely and the brunette turned to her. “God, you’re so sexy.” She whimpered, looking Trinity up and down.

“How did you feel being so possessive of me in front of all your friends and my coworkers? Touching my shoulder, my hair, my thigh… Showing everyone that I’m yours.” She asked hoarsely, and Mel groaned loudly. “Melissa.” The name echoed, and she saw how Mel’s legs tightened and spread.

“I felt powerful.” She spoke hoarsely as Trinity approached. “Everyone sees me and thinks I’m just a silly, goofy girl, and I felt so sexy showing that you chose me, the way you touched me makes me feel so possessed…” She whimpered. “I was wet just from you watching me play pool like you wanted to lay me down on that table and fuck me.” She gasped as Trinity placed her hands on Mel’s thighs and pushed her legs wider and up a little.

“You went to HR to say we’re together, you fought to defend our relationship.” Trinity spoke softly and held the toy, gently opening Mel’s pussy lips. “No one has ever shown me how much you want me, Melissa.” She sounded hoarse, and Mel couldn’t answer, not with the toy being slowly pushed inside her.

“I want you, Trin—please—” And the brunette interrupted the blonde’s sentences twice, pulling and pushing the toy inside her.

“I love that you’re so needy.” Trinity confessed as Mel’s hands gripped her forearms and scratched. “I’m going to fuck you so good.” The purr came, and Mel’s legs wrapped around Trinity’s hips, making the toy’s movement shorter but still present.

“Like this, like this, kiss me.” Mel demanded, and Trinity leaned in, causing their mouths to meet in a kiss that was very deep and in the same rhythm as the fucking that was happening between their hips.

And the two didn't separate, their breasts pressed together, rubbing against each other with every movement of Trinity's hips, and Mel was panting against her mouth in a hoarse moan when she pulled back and a small, sharp meow when their pelvises met.

"I'm going to come, baby—" And Mel tried to warn, but still, the blonde's hands went to Trinity's back and dug her nails into the woman's shoulder blades. And Trinity just gasped against the blonde's mouth, feeling the woman's body tense and her come deliciously, arching against Trinity and her nails scraping hard against the brunette's skin.

"Again." Trinity said, pulling away slightly, rising on her knees, and this gave her more room to move, pulling the toy to the tip and then pushing it back inside Melissa forcefully, and the moan that came out of the blonde was long.

“I’m so sensitive…” The blonde whimpered but still spread her legs wider and Trinity held Mel’s breasts, teasing her nipples while continuing to thrust forcefully inside the blonde. “Don’t stop…”

“God, you’re so hot, so incredibly hot. Holy shit.” Trinity groaned, running her hands over Mel’s thighs and quickening her movements. “I’m going to—” She started and didn’t have time to finish the sentence, feeling her body tighten in a tremendous orgasm.

That seemed to be all it took for Mel to let out a very loud moan, Trinity’s name coming out broken by the moan and gasp. And Trinity felt her body give way, falling on top of Mel and both breathing heavily.

“Roll off, baby…” Mel’s request was hoarse and Santos didn’t argue, just slowly pulled out of the blonde and rolled onto her back. Which made them both gasp and moan. “Oh my god.” And that came with a giggle.

“What was that?” Trinity asked, loosening the straps of the strap-on and placing it haphazardly to the side, and Mel gave another little laugh.

"I don't think I've ever come so hard, I can't feel my legs." She said playfully, and Trinity gave a slightly arrogant smile.

"I'm good like this." And Mel didn't really argue, just nodded and gasped slightly.

"I can't disagree, you took my legs apart." And that made the brunette laugh slightly and her hand went down to pat Mel's belly, both still a little breathless and completely sweaty. "I need a shower as soon as my legs start working again." She gave another little laugh and the brunette just ran the tips of her nails lightly against Mel's belly.

********

"I'm demisexual and demiromantic." Mel's words to Joy made Trinity's eyes leave what she was reading and focus on her girlfriend.

"Oh, how cute, you like feelings." Joy spoke, and it was a little sarcastic, which made Mel frown and then shrug.

"It is what it is." And it was a very comfortable statement, but at the same time it seemed to draw the attention of Princess and Perlah, who were close enough to hear, and Trinity saw how the two looked at each other. Something was said in Tagalog, and she observed with slight curiosity.

"So you like our grumpy one over there?" Princess's question was slightly mocking, but it still didn't seem malicious, and she indicated Trinity with a gesture over her shoulder without looking at the brunette.

"I've been dating Trinity for a few weeks now. Being demiromantic, it would be pointless if there weren't feelings, don't you think?" She asked, pointing out the very obvious. Trinity suppressed a snort mixed with laughter and continued paying attention to the conversation.

"Well, we never doubted your feelings." And it was Victoria who said that, which made Trinity's eyebrows rise and she began to move to defend herself.

“If that’s an insinuation about Trin, I think you’re all driven by an extremely limited, black-and-white, and essentially prejudiced view of another person.” And Mel said this so easily that Trinity gave up trying to get up and sat down again. Clearly, the blonde had the situation under control. “What’s the biggest fear here? That she’s somehow using me?” Mel continued, and this time Trinity rested her elbow on the counter and her face in her palm, watching Robby approach and cross his arms beside her, observing the scene.

“Well…” Princess said awkwardly.

“Then you’re all idiots.” Mel’s response was reasonably direct. “You see the sarcasm and the curtness as a single layer of Trinity, but you choose to ignore the fact that she’s one of the most positively rated doctors we have today, you ignore the empathy, the care, the attention she gives to people. But you prefer someone who invariably sucks up or is excessively sweet or puts herself in uncomfortable positions to appease.” And Trinity saw how Jack, who had already arrived for work, leaned against a wall with his ankles crossed, listening to Mel's speech.

"So... You're telling me that Trinity Santos is sweet and kind to you?" Perlah's question was indeed a little shocked.

"Trin is sarcastic, she's ironic, and she's absolutely hilarious when you stop taking it so personally." Trinity looked at Mel with slight amusement. "She knows exactly how I like my coffee, she knows exactly when I'm with Becca or busy, she's never pushed me beyond what I've allowed, and honestly, you guys are absolutely blind not to realize that I was the one who hit on her, not the other way around." And when Mel said that, Jack let out a genuine laugh from the bottom of the Pitt.

"Can we stop talking about Mel and Trin's personal lives and start, I don't know, working?" He said, approaching and placing his hand on the blonde's shoulder. "If my opinion as an outside observer is worth anything." He said pointedly. “They both like each other, leave them alone, stop putting other people’s relationships under a microscope, it’s rude.” And Jack was protective and even pulled Mel along with him. “Come on, Dr. King, let’s find something to do that isn’t about justifying things that don’t need justifying.” And that seemed to embarrass many people who were around Mel as if they were flies. And there was that awkward look from Perlah to Trinity.

“They’re still hyper-focused on that, aren’t they?” Robby asked the brunette, who shrugged.

“I understand the reasons, I’m absolutely undatable and yet, sweet and gentle Melissa King is with me. People get bothered when relationships don’t follow the patterns they expect.” And she honestly didn’t care about the general opinion.

“So mature of you.” Robby teased lightly, and Trinity rolled her eyes.

“Do you have something for us to do or are you going to stay here, like a statue next to me?” She replied sharply, and he chuckled softly, but there was no time for a response, as an emergency came in.

“Your dreams have come true, let’s go.” Robby spoke quickly, and Trinity didn’t argue, walking with Robby at a brisk pace.

And the brunette really enjoyed working with the older man, it was a constant back-and-forth of work. He taught her, and she learned by doing the things that needed to be done. There were corrections, there were explanations, and it worked because Robby didn’t treat Trinity as a problem. He simply adjusted to her way of learning, and the two proceeded in a very coherent way for the friendship and boss-employee relationship.

“Hey, how’s your day going?” Mel asked, approaching Trinity in a rare moment of calm where the brunette was drinking water from her red mug and sighed slightly, offering Mel some without hesitation.

“Uh, a little hectic, car accidents, motorcycles, falls, the usual. But as Huckleberry says, sometimes people seem to need help at the same time.” She said with a sigh, and Mel nodded.

“Dr. Abbot and I also saw a considerable number of people, and now he’s gone home to sleep.” She shrugged slightly.

“Jack has the strangest schedule in the world.” Trinity’s grumble made Mel giggle.

“Do you want to come over to my house today?” Mel’s question sounded gentle, and Santos saw Garcia stop and look at the two of them.

“Go to an empty house without Huckleberry stealing my avocados, or go to my girlfriend’s house?” She contemplated and tapped her index finger against her chin. “Tough choices.” And that made Mel giggle and nudge Trinity lightly on the shoulder. “I just need to go home to get the avocados or they’ll spoil, so I’ll come to your house after that?” She offered, and the blonde nodded.

“It looks perfect, I’ll order pizza.” She said smiling and looked at the painting. “Oops, let me go check my possible heart attack in south 17.” And with that, Mel quickly walked away, which made Trinity just take another sip of water. And she saw without much hesitation how Garcia dropped what she was doing and approached her.

“Are you really dating Blossom?” And the question was met with an eye roll.

“She’s more like Bubbles.” She said casually, and Garcia grimaced.

“Seriously?” The question came, and it wasn’t about the nickname, but about Mel.

“I don’t need to justify anything to you, Garcia. We’re not even friends.” Trinity’s dry, cutting, and almost impassive answer made Yolanda’s eyebrows furrow.

“After everything we’ve had, I’m not even your friend, hm.” She said heavily.

“You defined how things would be, and I set the limits. Poor Yolanda was denied the sex toy and now she’s in a dry spell.” The response was so brutal that Dana, who was passing by with Emma, ​​stopped and looked at the two of them.

“You don’t need to act like a bitch, Trinity.” The words were spoken, and the brunette laughed sharply.

“I already have a bad reputation, Garcia, I don’t care what you think or don’t think. You and I are in the past, it’s over, good luck. And leave my girlfriend alone.” She stated sharply.

“Oh, otherwise you’ll defend your defenseless princess?” And the sarcastic response made Dana take a step closer, but she stopped herself when Trinity laughed.

“Melissa King will chew you up and spit you out like a bad piece of food if you push her buttons. But I say this, good luck if you try to push my girlfriend’s buttons, I may bite more often, but she is much more precisely deadly than I am.” And with that, Trinity passed by Yolanda, their shoulders bumping, and she walked away without really looking back.

********

“You should give him presents for Hanukkah.” Mel’s phrase made Trinity, who was drying her hair sitting at the foot of the blonde’s bed, stop what she was doing and look at the woman.

“Why should I? I thought I should just give you a Christmas present.” She said, intrigued and even a little ironic, but Mel just snorted slightly and shrugged.

“From what I’ve seen, Dr. Robby hasn’t been practicing Judaism since Dr. Adamson died, and from what I’ve seen, he was actually a participating member before that. Maybe he needs a push back to the faith.” She said, and Trinity again looked at Mel with arched eyebrows and a small grimace.

“And why the hell do we need him to return to the faith?” She asked in a disgruntled tone, she herself had a very difficult relationship with faith and God.

“Because unlike the two of us, this helped Robby.” Mel said, and the two looked at each other. The look lasted for a moment until Trinity sighed.

“I don’t even know what to give someone for Hanukkah.” Trinity said, throwing her head back in a dramatic way that mixed genuine confusion and exasperation at giving in to Mel’s idea. But the blonde even gave a small laugh. And what made the brunette open her eyes was feeling the woman straddle her thighs and her hands on her shoulders.

“I’m sure you’ll find small gifts that will please Robby, there are eight small gifts, it’s something more to remind someone that you thought of them, from what I read.” She spoke softly and ran her hands over the brunette’s shoulders, which made Trinity sigh and move her hands up the woman’s thighs in a provocative act. And Mel sighed, running her hands through Trinity’s hair and gently pulling at the damp strands.

“We’re going to be late for our shift if you keep teasing me like this.” She spoke in a low tone, her hands already pushing under Mel's shirt, and this brought a sigh of pleasure from the blonde.

"I should be deeply disturbed by this, the ‘going to be late’ situation, but at the moment..." And there was this moment of suspension where the two looked at each other. "Take advantage of the fact that I'm only in my panties and on your lap, Dr. Santos." And that was sensual, the husky way Mel called her, and a slight gasp escaped Trinity.

"Damn, how am I going to hear you calling me inside the hospital and not remember this scene?" She grunted and leaned forward, their mouths meeting in a kiss that was slow but still fervent with desire. Mel moaned against Trinity's lips, and the tips of her fingers trailed down the back of the brunette's head and neck, leaving small red lines there.

Mel liked to scratch, Trinity liked to bite. It was a very erotic combination considering they both enjoyed a little pain during sex. So when the brunette's mouth met the base of the blonde's neck and bit, sucking the skin there, the moan that escaped Mel was deliciously hoarse.

"Fuck me, baby, we don't have much time." Mel purred, throwing her head back, and Trinity put an arm around the blonde's lower back, supporting her.

"So demanding." Trinity teased lightly and licked a line from the hickey she left at the base of Mel's neck to her earlobe. "Ask please." And to punctuate the teasing, she sucked on the soft skin.

"Oh, fuck, God, fuck me, baby, please? I'm a good girl, I need your fingers, please? I need you fucking me like only you know how, making me come for you… I'm soaking wet, Trin…" And it was delicious to have Mel talking dirty to her. The brunette groaned hoarsely against the blonde's skin, and there was this rush, where fingers pulled the panties aside and plunged against the wet cleft.

"Jesus, what made you all work up like this?" Trinity asked in a mixture of lust and real surprise, after all, Mel and she had had a very sexually active night and had even had sex a short time ago in the shower.

"I don't know, I just feel very horny." Mel said sincerely, shrugging slightly, but then her tone of voice changed, ending in a hoarse moan as Trinity lightly rubbed the hood of her clitoris.

"I don't think it's bad." And the brunette's tone was a purr against the skin of the curve of Mel's jaw. "You're so wet for me." And it came in a very sensual purr, which made Mel's hips move forward. "Be a good little pup and stay still for me." She whispered, and Mel gasped hoarsely.

"I-Yes, yes ma'am." And this was new, but Trinity just allowed a wave of desire to wash over her body.

"Such a good girl for me." She pulled the skin that was talking against her teeth and Mel groaned hoarsely. "How many fingers do you want? Your pussy is begging to be fucked." And she continued gently rubbing her girlfriend's clitoris.

"Two, definitely two, please." And Mel was a little desperate, for some reason that Trinity couldn't really pinpoint considering how much sex the two were having between shifts, moments together and routine, but the brunette didn't necessarily find it bad.

Two fingers plunged into Mel's folds and it was delicious to feel how wet the woman was and especially how she squeezed Trinity's fingers and her nails dug into the brunette's nape. Mel was needy, deliciously needy, the brunette loved that she was expressive and so warm. Mel was affectionate, and completely sexual.

“Ah, ah, fuck, just like that…” And Mel said this sharply, pushing herself against her fingers to make them go deeper, and Trinity felt her own stomach tighten with desire.

“Damn, you’re incredible.” She whispered, keeping her fingers still inside Mel. “I never imagined that sweet, slightly clumsy, and so competent girl I met on my first day of work would be someone so sexually powerful. God, you’re so powerful, so hot.” ​​And her fingers began to move in and out of Mel, which made the blonde’s delicious high-pitched moans begin to sound, and Trinity gasped.

“I’m yours, Trin.” And the phrase had weight, for the first time in a long time, someone had decided to choose Trinity, and she pulled away from the blonde’s neck to pull her into a long, deep kiss.

And feeling Melissa King melting in her fingers, right after saying she was hers, was glorious, so deeply important to Trinity that she had the realization. She fell in love with Mel without even realizing it, and that made her stop thrusting for a moment, and the two looked at each other, with Mel panting against her.

"Is everything alright?" She asked hoarsely, still trembling from the orgasm.

"I—" Trinity paused for a moment and then swallowed hard. "I'm in love with you, Mel." She spoke softly, and Mel gasped, sinking into Trinity's fingers by pure reflex and then moaned.

"Fuck, what?" The question echoed, and Trinity was still frozen. "Oh my god." And for a moment, the brunette felt insecure. "Trinity Santos, you better start moving those fingers inside me, because I'm also in love with you and I'd like another orgasm now." She spoke hoarsely, and the two looked at each other. "I love you, even if you're having a terrible time telling me that." And that made Trinity thaw and laugh lightly, leaning in to kiss Mel a few times against her lips and skin.

“I’m known for having terrible timing.” She spoke softly, and Mel gripped her shoulders tightly, pulling her close. “We’re so lesbian, saying I love you so early.” She spoke huskily and began rubbing Mel’s front wall.

“Love can come in the craziest ways possible, and honestly—” She gasped and moaned. “You’re so easy to love.” And that made Trinity gasp and begin to quicken her fingers.

“Let’s give you an orgasm so we can go to work, Melissa.” She purred, and Mel nodded, beginning to move up and down on Trinity’s fingers again. “I love you.” She purred against Mel’s ear and felt the blonde crumble into another orgasm, arching and moaning the brunette’s name loudly.

“Fucking Lord, yes, I love you too.” She gasped and took a long deep breath. “I’m going to need a shower.” She grumbled, and Trinity chuckled and glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

“Can you run a shower in 15 minutes tops?” And that made Mel groan slightly and stand up, which made Trinity's fingers slip out of her. And she clung to the brunette's shoulders to steady herself as a wave of pleasure echoed through her body.

"My love, I can take a bath in 5 if I'm desperate enough." She said, and Trinity chuckled.

"Go take your bath, I'll make our coffee while you're at it." She said playfully, and Mel leaned in, kissing Trinity's lips lightly, then moved to the bathroom.

********

The tiny gift package slammed onto the table in front of Robby, who was reading what looked like a CT scan, and Trinity didn't really care. But the older man's brown eyes glanced at the gift and slowly traveled up Trinity's arm, looking at the brunette with one eyebrow arched in a clear question.

"Happy Hanukkah or whatever the hell you call it in this case. Happy first light, whatever. Here's your gift." She spoke in a passive-aggressive tone and grunted, crossing her arms clearly defensively, and it was clear that some people looked at the situation with curiosity, but Robby didn't really say anything. He just lowered his eyes back to the package. "I was going to give you money, but Mel insisted on a gift." She scoffed, and Robby didn't really react to the joke, which made Trinity stand there not knowing what else to say to break the silence.

But still, the older doctor's fingers moved slightly to pull the small plastic ribbon open and then pulled the gift out of the package. And the Harley-Davidson-shaped keychain appeared, and underneath was Robby's name written in the metal, and he looked at Trinity again, and the woman grunted.

"Congratulations on getting your motorcycle back." She muttered and turned abruptly to leave.

"Thank you, Trinity." Robby's voice wasn't necessarily filled with emotion, and the brunette didn't actually look back, just gesturing with her hand over her shoulder and stepping away to look at the panel.

And she quickly found a case to work on, preventing the very emotional moment from happening with Robby. It was the first day of gifts, and she was already regretting giving in to Mel, but still, when she looked at the woman from afar, there was this smile, and Trinity rolled her eyes slightly, which made Mel giggle.

"Your relationship is strange." Victoria spoke suddenly beside Trinity, who was typing some medical charts, and the brunette just looked up and stared at the younger woman with emotionless eyes, which made the younger woman hesitate for a moment.

"And I want to know your opinion because?" The brunette asked very dryly, and Victoria hesitated for a moment.

"I don't know, I just think it's strange." She said, and Trinity looked at her expectantly. “You don’t seem very affectionate, and Mel is quite…” She indicated the blonde who was giving Langdon two pats on the shoulder, who chuckled softly. “Mel.” She finished, then cleared her throat, and Trinity pondered for a moment.

“How well do you know me?” She asked, not curtly or anything like that, but simply directly, and Victoria hesitated. “Exactly, I can count on one hand the people in this hospital who took five minutes to get to know me. Robby, Mel, Huckleberry, and Abbot.” She raised a finger for each. “Four people, Victoria.” And she pointed slightly at the woman. “You don’t know me, you and a lot of other people here don’t bother to get to know me, but you insist on putting me in very specific labels.” She spoke very slowly and saw how Victoria stiffed. “I’ve spent a large part of my life being put in boxes, as a difficult person, a complicated woman, someone unapproachable. But the truth is you don’t know me, and honestly, I don’t want to know people who are so quick to put me in a box just because I have thick skin, self-preservation, and no patience for nonsense.” And then she indicated Mel. “Mel earned a place in my life because she decided not to see what everyone so quickly judges, she decided to get to know me, she decided to give a chance to someone who is invariably lonely because everyone insists on being cruel. I don't need your cruelty, and the reasons why Melissa and I work together are none of your business or anyone else's. Keep finding it strange, but at the end of the day I have a girlfriend who sees me, who accepts me as I am, can you say the same?” She asked and saw how this hit Victoria hard, who swallowed hard and shuddered.

“Excuse me.” And the woman left in quick steps, which made Trinity purse her lips.

“Sissy.” She muttered to herself. And it wasn't necessarily cruel, no, it was just a fact. Mel knew Trinity and respected the woman, and the relationship was a double effort to make it work. And for Santos, whether people saw that or not was their problem. The woman's eyes returned to the screen and she resumed typing.

“Did you make Victoria cry?” The question came from Mel, and Trinity's eyes went up to her girlfriend.

"She made herself cry, she didn't like hearing that she and a bunch of other pressure groups are cruel for putting me in boxes. Deserved for calling our relationship weird." She spoke in a slightly sulky tone, and Mel blinked a few times, absorbing everything the woman said.

"Well, the world is a difficult place, it's important for Victoria to learn that she can't always speak her mind so openly." She contemplated and shrugged.

"The world is a bitch in stilettos who steps on our backs." And for a moment the sarcastic tone caused a brief silence to settle in the small public circle around Trinity, but what broke the awkwardness was Mel giving a very genuine laugh.

"That sounds like a great comparison." She said with an amused smile and pushed her glasses up her nose. "Oh, I was going to ask, did Becca text you?" And it came so easily, and Trinity pulled out her phone and saw a series of messages from Becca. The woman had been a little hyper-fixated on Trinity ever since the two met and was telling her about her day.

"About... Thirty." She said softly and opened the chat, which made Mel lean in to read with her.

"God, she's detailed, isn't she?" Mel said amused. And Trinity replied to some of the messages, mostly with gifs, and Mel gave a low chuckle. "I'm glad you two got along." She said sincerely.

"Becca is painfully funny with so many direct lines." The brunette replied, shrugging. "She wants to eat pizza today, if you want I can try to convince her to bring Adam?" She offered, and Mel sighed.

"Yes, please do that, I love you for it." She grumbled audibly enough and then straightened up when someone called her name. "I'll be right back." Trinity didn't really reply, she just typed a message to Becca asking if Adam could be included so she could meet her famous boyfriend.

"Was that an 'I love you'?" Dana's question rang out, making Trinity look up.

"Congratulations, your ears work." And the sarcastic reply made Dana grunt in mild amusement.

"I'm happy for you, kid. I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm glad you're in a good relationship." She said, and Trinity looked at her with arched eyebrows.

"Oh, a mushy moment, how cute." The tone was dry, and Dana looked at her with mild amusement. "Thanks, Dana, I'm happy with Mel." She said in a less harsh tone, and the older woman smiled at her and walked away after nodding her head.

*******

Trinity laughed, she really laughed loudly enough to make some people look at her with amusement. Being in the biker bar with a group like hers was unexpected but still welcome.

Mel was next to her, with her hand on Trinity's thigh, in front of her was Robby with an amused smile, telling jokes as always was Duke and next to Jack with his silent whiskey in hand. And added to the table was Becca who was laughing at something Adam said and Dennis was trying to keep up with Duke's jokes.

And Trinity just allowed herself to put an arm around Mel and pull her close while she mocked Duke and made the man laugh amused.

"You've got a good one there, King, don't waste it." Jack said suddenly and pointed at Trinity.

"Oh, how cute, he loves me." Trinity said, putting her hand to her chest, and Jack just gave a small smile and took a sip of his drink.

"I'll never say those three words to you." He replied in a very playful grunt, and Mel giggled.

“I’m speaking for you. Jack loves you, Trin.” The blonde said, making Duke chuckle.

“We all love our sourpatch, the weirdest group possible. Our relationship glue that likes the broken and messy.” He said, raising his beer mug, and Trinity blushed slightly as the rest of the table, including Adam, raised their glasses.

“To Trinity.” Dennis said, winking playfully at the brunette.

“You guys are idiots.” She said, and Robby chuckled lightly.

“And yet, you love us.” He teased, and Trinity sighed.

“Yes, Michael, I love you guys, you idiots.” She grumbled, and Mel just kissed her cheek quickly.

“And we love you.” The blonde said easily, and Trinity sighed.

The world was a mess of high heels walking all over people, but still, there was love, there was affection, and there was a family being built that made the world a little less ugly and scary, Trinity thought. And with this group of misfits, Trinity Santos was accepted and seen, and that was all she needed for now, belonging.

~The End

Notes:

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Notes:

Please let me a kudos, a review and a bookmark!