#rajila

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Adore stood in the hot parking lot outside of the Femme Fatale training gym, sweaty, tired and mildly hungover. The rest of the crew was with her, waiting. It was obscenely humid out, despite the sun just barely peeking over the horizon. She yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth, letting the feeling wash over her.

Next to her, Courtney stood in a big sweater and leggings, her short hair sticking up a little at the back like she hadn’t had an opportunity to brush it. She sucked on the straw of her bright green smoothie that probably had a little too much healthy, leafy stuff in it for Adore’s tastes. Adore tilted her head back to get the involuntary, full-body yawn over with, and Courtney glanced at her, noticing.

Courtney pulled the straw out of her mouth and yawned enormously, stretching her shoulders and tilting her head back, nearly dropping her dangerously healthy smoothie.

“Nice,” commented Adore.

From Courtney’s other side, Dela looked up. She’d been hunched and smoking a cigarette, grouchy in the mornings despite her generally pleasant demeanour, and Adore hadn’t yet spoken to her. Jinkx (on Dela’s far side) was similar, wearing dark sunglasses and clutching a coffee. Adore wondered how mornings must be at their house; the mood shift from grouchy morning weirdos to sunshiney enthusiasm must be pretty intense.

“Bianca did say she’d be here, right?” asked Gia, crossing her arms.

“She said she’d- uh, ahhh-” began Dela, only to begin yawning halfway through her sentence, cigarette abandoned.

Gia rolled her eyes, and then her jaw involuntarily opened as well, struck with the yawn.

Adore found herself smiling, amused. Courtney continued to suck on her drink with disgruntled amusement, but she glanced at Adore knowingly.

“Yep, she said five-thirty,” continued Jinkx, replying on Dela’s behalf before yawning herself and glancing at her phone, dark circles under her eyes.

Adore hadn’t known Jinkx before her concussion, but she seemed pretty awesome when she’d returned a few months, and heroically ousted Bill from manager position. Adore wasn’t really privy to all the drama during the lead-up to it, although she had occasionally walked in on Bianca and Dela arguing about it, only to cut themselves off as soon as she came into the locker room.

Jinkx finished yawning, her lips closing again as she shoulders twitched. It was like watching dominoes fall. Adore stepped forward slightly so she could get a better view as the yawn travelled through the group like a bad flu. It caught Gia, Laganja, Trinity…

Manila glanced to the side, like she’d noticed an oncoming wave, and the yawn hit her full-throttle. She tilted her head back, stretching her arms out like a cat, and then it faded. She looked expectantly at Raja, who stood next to her at the far end of the group.

Raja looked up questioningly.

“Your turn,” said Manila, with a shit-eating grin.

“No, it’s not going to get me,” insisted Raja, backing away like she was trying to ward off contamination. “I’ve been up for like an hour and a half, this is my third coffee-”

“It’s inevitable, babe,” continued Manila.

“No!”

Everyone waited for it, staring at her. Adore grinned.

Raja stared back, lips determinedly pressed together, the seconds ticking along. Raja’s eyes bulged and then she let out a growl of frustration that quickly transformed into an epic yawn, and she turned her back on the group. The group laughed mildly, and returned to their early morning brooding.

Adore took a few steps down to where Raja was still complaining about the yawn, and Manila was still teasing her about it. She didn’t know the two of them very well yet, but she’d met their daughter Natalia a few times, who had to be the most awesome eight-year-old Adore had ever met. Although Adore was technically sometimes her babysitter, she considered Nattie a good friend.

“Is Nattie coming along with you guys?” inquired Adore.

“Nope, she’s staying home,” replied Manila while Raja sipped her coffee. “I really need a break from both the kids.”

Adore nodded. She’d followed Raja and Manila’s indie tag-team career when she’d been growing up, and after a few years of major life changes (two kids and a career-ending injury, respectively) they were both back; Manila was wrestling again - in fact Adore was scheduled against her a few times on the tour - and Jinkx had hired Raja as Femme Fatale’s fitness coach.

“I can’t imagine having kids,” commented Courtney, coming up behind Adore and resting her chin on her shoulder, which made Adore’s heart beat a little faster. “It must be completely crazy.”

“Yeah, it is, try leaving a wrestling match all bruised up only to go home and meet the demands of a hyperactive eight-year-old and a dangerously intelligent three-year-old,” replied Manila, dryly.

“Mommy needs a break,” chuckled Raja, nudging Manila’s side.

“Hey, Raja, can I talk to you about-” asked Jinkx, and Raja turned to her, took a few steps away towards her.

“So, either I’m going to take the opportunity on tour to get absolutely shit-faced drunk with everyone,” said Manila, gesturing at them, and then inclined her head at Courtney. “Not you, obviously, congrats on the nine months sober by the way-”

“Thanks,” replied Courtney dryly.

“-or I’m going to take advantage of the hotel room and fuck my girlfriend thoroughly and loudly all night long,” finished Manila, looking knowingly at Raja as she chatted just out of hearing range with Jinkx and Dela. Adore’s eyes widened. “Once she’s done fussing over whatever minor bruises I might acquire in the ring.”

“I dunno, aren’t you booked against ‘Ganja and Gia for the opener?” said Adore, teasing. "Might be more than minor…”

“I can handle ‘em.”

“Hah!” chuckled Courtney, “I think they’re gonna kick your ass, but…”

“But?” replied Manila, lips pursed.

“But… I like your idea of skipping the bar and spending the night thoroughly fucking your girlfriend instead,” continued Courtney, her eyes fixed on Adore, with a shark-like grin.

Adore gulped, an exciting flutter going down her spine. Girlfriend. Really?

Manila laughed, and kept chatting with Courtney, and Adore took the opportunity to slip away. She glanced at the horizon; it was lightening, going from deep orange to a lighter orangey-yellow. She approached Gia, Laganja and Trinity.

It wasn’t that Adore was worried about it or anything, but things had been a bit up and down with Courtney. Courtney had struggled with her mental health over the past little while. And they hadn’t called each other ‘girlfriend’ yet. The idea felt good, if a little nerve-wracking. Adore really liked Courtney; she was smart and fun, and she brought good vibes to most occasions. Adore also couldn’t deny that she found Courtney really fucking hot, both when she was decked out in her high femme mega-babe wrestling persona and when she was her relaxed, androgynous outside-the-ring self. Also, Adore really liked her apartment; her own apartment was a shit-hole.

“Adore?” said Laganja, waving her hand in front of Adore’s face. “Anyone in there?”

“Oh!” said Adore, shaking her head as she realized she’d been standing next to the three of them, completely in her own world. “Sorry! Hey, how’s it going?”

Trinity sighed, tucking her thermos of tea under her elbow and rubbing her eyes. “I’m nervous as hell. I’ve barely been outside of Florida before, and now I’m on a tour across multiple states?”

“Tours rock, don’t worry,” replied Gia reassuringly. She wore an oversized hoodie covered in images of weed leaves that Adore was fairly sure belonged to Laganja. Were they…? Or weren’t they. “It’s been a while since any of us have toured, but we’ve done it before. It’s always chaos, and it's always fun.”

“Imagine all the bars we’re going to hit,” said Laganja.

“And the new strains of weed to try!” added Adore encouragingly.

“True,” Laganja nodded thoughtfully. “Florida weed is pretty good but California is on a whole other level.”

“I guess…” said Trinity, curiosity crossing her face.

“Girl, you just turned twenty-one, enjoy yourself,” said Adore, encouragingly. She was the closest in age to Trinity out of the Femme Fatale crew. “We’re going to have an awesome time!”

“I mean, I'm really excited to finally legally go out with everybody,” agreed Trinity with enthusiasm. “But if things get a little out of hand, don’t tell my mom?”

“My lips are sealed,” promised Gia.

“Same,” confirmed Adore. “We’re meeting up with her in Houston, right?”

“Yeah, she’s heading there for a-” replied Trinity, but then a loud noise at the edge of the parking lot caught her attention.

Adore turned her head, along with the rest of the crowd, towards the growl of an engine and a flash of light reflecting off a window at the edge of the pitted asphalt parking lot. A truly massive truck rolled up, it’s jacked-up tires barely impacted as it aggressively took the curb. The rising orange sun reflected from the windshield, blocking the driver from view and Adore put her hand up to block the ray of light. The truck was long and wide, a bright fire-ending red, gleaming, polished to absolute perfection.

“What the fuck?” asked Gia mildly.

“Girl…”

The engine growled and the truck abruptly accelerated towards the crowd, causing several of them to jump back in shock. But then it took a turn, whipping around into a tire-squealing donut.

“Well, she’s always loved to show off,” drawled Jinkx.

Adore gaped, she had no idea who could possibly be inside as she gazed up at the monstrosity before her. But as it turned into a second donut, she caught a glimpse of the license plate. It was decorated with flames, and the image of a luchador mask, and it read SANTERÍA.

“Hey that’s Bianca!” yelled Adore, pointing at the vehicle, though the rest of the crowd had probably already realized. “Bitch, where the heck did you get that thing?”

The truck came to a stop, and the driver’s side window rolled down to reveal Bianca, who let out a magnificent cackle, the sun reflecting off her aviator sunglasses.

“Wow,” said Courtney, dry as bone. “I bet it does so well on gas.”

Bianca opened the door, clambered down the foot rail, and hopped to the ground. She wore a red jumpsuit in the same shade as the truck; the look was powerful and impressive, especially with the shining vehicle behind her.

“She’s gonna get so much pussy with that thing,” commented Raja, lowering her sunglasses to take in the truck, and Bianca, in their full glory. “Probably in that thing, to be fully accurate.”

“Ugh…” complained Courtney, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at her. “Seriously? It’s too early to talk about Bianca’s sex life.”

“Yeah, ew, she’s like our mom,” added Adore.

“Like your mom, maybe, you’re barely out of your teens,” replied Raja, dryly. “Bianca’s hot as hell, you two have no taste. Count yourself unlucky you haven’t had opportunity to spend the night with her.”

Adore’s jaw dropped and Courtney’s eyes widened, as she demanded. “Did you two-?”

“Oh, just a couple of times somewhere around 2007,” mused Raja, with a wink and a filthy grin.

“Why are all the old people around here so unnecessarily horny…?” complained Courtney, sharing a put-upon look with Adore.

“Who are you calling ‘old?’” demanded Dela, overhearing.

“You’ll get there one day, sweetie,” replied Raja, patting Courtney’s shoulder with mock comfort. “Besides, aren’t you like thirty?”

“Alright, you assholes,” stated Bianca, arriving before the group and putting her hands on her hips like a general facing her troops. Everyone gave her their attention. She looked far too awake and chipper for such an early hour. “We need to load all the gear, including all the promotional crap, costumes, and everything required to set up the ring into the back of my new truck-” she grinned, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder at the monstrosity behind her, “-and I have four extra seats available, who’s coming with me?”

She held her hand up, four fingers splayed out like an auctioneer. Her hand contrasted dramatically against the dawn sky.

“I’d love a ride in that monstrosity,” piped up Trinity from the back. “Can I take a turn driving?”

“You certainly can,” Bianca lowered a finger, leaving three up. “One taken!”

“I have my van-” began Adore, looking to Courtney, “I was thinking maybe we’d-”

“That van is a deathtrap, you’re not taking it on the highway,” interrupted Bianca, rolling her eyes. “Make that two and three.” One finger remained up.

“Our car is fine,” stated Gia, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Laganja nodded her agreement.

“We have our own vehicle,” shrugged Raja, glancing over at Manila, who nodded.

“I think we’re just fine in our car too,” added Dela, putting her arm around Jinkx. “As long as we’re careful about taking turns driving.”

“Don’t worry too much about my concussion, darling,” replied Jinkx, kissing her cheek. “We’ll get there.”

Adore looked around. It seemed that everyone was accounted for.

“I want a turn driving that awful beast too,” stated Courtney.

“Yeah, same,” agreed Adore quickly.

“We'll see,” teased Bianca with far too much enjoyment, walking through the small crowd towards the facility’s doors. “I'm not sure I trust either of you behind the wheel.”

Adore and Courtney's protests fell on deaf ears as everyone followed Bianca into the Femme Fatale gym and storage area. They organized one another into small groups to get things loaded into the bed of the truck. Adore volunteered to help carry the ring equipment and found herself dragging a duffel bag full of thick ring ropes with Dela. The crew went back and forth from the building to the truck, getting everything together, and only one argument broke out, and soon enough the truck’s bed was loaded, tarped over and strapped down.

“Alright, see you all in…” Bianca whipped out her phone and checked their first tour spot. “Jacksonville? Who designed this schedule?”

“Me,” answered Jinkx dryly.

“It’s a good schedule!” insisted Dela.

“Wait, I have to ask,” insisted Laganja, unexpectedly from the crowd. “Where the hell did you get that truck, Bianca?”

Bianca laughed again, and winked. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Everyone stared at her. Now Adore was even more curious.

“Again, what the fuck?” said Gia.

Bianca merely gave her a mysterious smile, and the crowd dispersed. Trinity asked Bianca a couple of questions about the truck's engine type, and they loaded their personal belongings into the truck’s cab.

“So, uh, should we get our stuff?” asked Adore shyly, motioning awkwardly at Courtney.

“Yeah,” replied Courtney, shrugging. Admittedly, Adore had given her a ride over here from her apartment last night in the van. She also seemed a little awkward. “I’ll just, uh-”

Trinity and Bianca made eye contact behind them, rolling their eyes.

Adore hustled over to her van, jiggled the door until it unlocked, and grabbed her duffel bag, brushing aside the empty beer cans. She threw some sparkly wrestling outfits, hockey tape, a few loose sports bras and clothes into it, and a couple of crusty eyeliner pencils. Finding her phone charger and bent driver’s license, she decided it was good enough. In the front seat was Courtney’s bag, a neatly packed backpack with a rainbow flag patch. With that, Adore checked her eyeliner in the rearview mirror, found it pretty much still in place from last night, got out, locked the van and went back over to Bianca’s monstrosity.

“-it does well on the highway, relax, I test-drove it,” said Bianca as Adore walked up, seemingly reassuring Courtney who stood before her with her arms crossed.

“I call shotgun!” announced Trinity, raising her hand.

“Aw man,” complained Adore, turning to Courtney. “I guess it’s you and me in the back seat…”

Courtney raised her eyebrows suggestively and Adore blushed.

“If I catch you two making out back there…” began Bianca as she reached up to open the driver’s door and hauling herself up into the seat.

Trinity went victoriously around to the passenger’s side, and Adore opened the back door and got in. The interior of the truck was new, clean and pin-neat, and Adore really hoped Bianca didn’t expect her to keep it that way throughout the entire tour. Neatness wasn’t her forte.

As Courtney slid in next to her, Adore glanced out the window. The other members of the groups had convened in their respective vehicles, and the sun rose higher in the sky, the beginning of another warm beautiful day.

“Ready?” said Bianca, revving the engine.

Adore smiled, leaning forward to clap Bianca on the shoulder. “Born ready, bitch!”