#this combo.............

          my way or the highway. the phrase is old as rocks ( asphalt, specifically ), yet rings clear in ivanova’s mind. like hell she’s going to accept an ultimatum, of all things. and this is an ultimatum, no matter how prettily the woman dresses it up. ultimatums are threats. ultimatums, unless they come from herself, are not to be followed. ( as the leading expert on hypocrisy, she is the exception to the rule ! )

          when someone says this is the only way, her instincts scream. scream no, scream this is a bad idea, scream fuck you, i am specifically doing the opposite of what you suggested because you phrased it like that. fuck you, again. it’s a big ol’ cacophony. a pain in the butt, too. it works. doesn’t keep her out of trouble, but it works. nine times out of ten, anyways.

          today is a one-in-ten day.

          it’s not the fact that her back is against the wall ( literally, metaphorically, who-gives-a-shit-ally ), or that their options are rapidly thinning to nil, or that she is dependent on a stranger for guidance. it is the fact that she trusts her. contrary to the normal nonsense, it is something in her core that believes in this woman, while her brain insists otherwise.

          even her brain has to acknowledge the woman’s eyes possess a focus, a confidence that keeps her stomach from twisting into a pretzel. ivanova’s jaw sets, chin dips in a nod. sure. why not.