Cherry did, and it felt
good
.
"When you're out on that floor, it's the most amazing feeling," Berlin murmured. "All your thoughts, all your problems, all your flaws … the entire world falls away, and it's just you and your body. You're completely in control of yourself, of your opponent, of everyone watching. It's like you're a god. It's … It's like you're free. You're going to love it, Cherry." Berlin let her hands slide down Cherry's back and fall away. She got up, took Cherry's face in her hands, and leaned in for a warm, lingering kiss.
"Everything's going to be fine, Cherry. Try to get some sleep." Berlin patted Cherry's back, subtly pushing her towards her own bed, and lay down, leaving Cherry alone with her thoughts once more.
Berlin took care of her the next morning, adjusting her clothes and helping with her makeup, forcing her to drain a bottle of water and at least choke down a piece of fruit. Before they left the house, Cherry took a moment alone with her mother's necklace, running her thumb over the engraved silver, kissing the grey-blue stone in the middle that was the same color that her mother's eyes had been.
All the way to the arena Cherry couldn't calm her nerves, couldn't stop rocking back and forth, couldn't get over the overwhelming urge to throw up.
Berlin helped Cherry stretch and warm up to distract her as the arena seats began to fill up, even though Cherry had been stretching out all morning.
"If something goes wrong, Amee still needs to win," Berlin said, giving her last minute advice as the previous fighters left the arena. "Fake an injury or make a mistake.
Don't
make yourself look bad. Keep the fight close but let her win."
Cherry nodded, desperately trying to take deep breaths, any breaths at all, really. Her nerves before her first dance were insignificant in comparison. Berlin suddenly kissed her hard and slapped her ass as she pushed her towards the arena floor. For some reason, the bit of normality calmed Cherry enough to somehow get onto the arena floor and stand opposite Amee.
Amee was younger than Cherry and as thin as they came, almost like a feral cat. Her fiery hair was wild and raging around her face; her eyes were surrounded by black diamond markings.
When Amee pounced, all thought fled from Cherry's mind and her body took over.
Berlin watched from the side as the thought wiped from Cherry's face. Cherry was good and soon the whole city would know it, too. As fast as Amee was, Cherry's flexibility made the match even.
The fight went on, Amee's speed against Cherry's contortions and even though Berlin knew Cherry had to have been exhausted, she didn't let on in her face or movements.
Just as the crowd began to wonder if the fight would last all day, Berlin saw Cherry open herself up to attack. Amee saw it too, and took advantage, leaping forward to tackle Cherry to the ground, immobilizing her by sitting on her thighs, and declaring her victory by lodging her forearm under Cherry's jaw and pushing back.
When Cherry stumbled over, gasping for water, Berlin helped her spill most of it over her face and gag on the rest. Berlin wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you, Cherry." She kissed Cherry's temple. "So proud."
As they waited for the escort that would bring them back to The Zone, Cherry couldn't stop smiling, the buzz in her blood making her feel alive in a way she hadn't in a long time.
Back in The Zone, they spent the afternoon lying under a tree, staring up at the sky.
"I think … I think I'm going to head north, to Valeria, when I get out of here."
Cherry rolled over and stared at Berlin with wide eyes, not quite sure she believed what she thought she had just heard. "You're … you're going to leave? What changed your mind?"
Berlin shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I dunno."
"Yes, you do."
Berlin gave a half smile. "All right, fine. The way you talk about it, about having a life where people look at you and see something
more
? I think I want that. I
know
I want that."
"Maybe I'll come with you."
Berlin tried to push back the desperate longing she suddenly felt and casually asked, "What about your father?"
It was Cherry's turn for a moment's silence while she weighed her options. "After I know he's okay, I could go with you. I'm not a child anymore; I can't live with him forever. I have to start my own life."
"I'd like that."
Cherry smiled brightly and rolled onto her side to look at Berlin. Now that there was someone else to share in her fantasy, she wanted to dream even more. "What would you do, in Valeria?"
Berlin hesitated.
"C'mon. Tell me," Cherry begged teasingly.
"I'd like to open an inn."
"Yeah?" Cherry's enthusiasm seemed genuine, so Berlin went on.
"Yeah. I think I'd like that, to see all the people as they come and go, hear their stories."
"I could dance," Cherry offered.
Berlin laughed. "I thought you wanted to get away?"
"It's different. I like to dance. And I wouldn't have to do it all the time, just when I wanted to. The rest of the time, I could clean tables or cook food. It would be different because you wouldn't make me dance if I didn't want to."
"I could make you do a lot of things." Berlin's voice was quiet.
"Yes. Yes, you could." That was a simple statement of fact, one that thrilled and scared them both.
"I'd never make you do anything you didn't want to do," Berlin said, her voice soft but firm. "Ever."
*~*~*
For her second fight Cherry was fighting Mriah and she was much more comfortable, in part because she knew Mriah well and partly because the initial nerves—terror—had worn off.
The fight went well. She lost, as planned, but it was a good fight. Mriah told her what a good job she'd done as Cherry watched Berlin's fight.
It was brutal and quick. Berlin was in her headspace, and her opponent just couldn't match her technically or physically. In a flurry of swift punches and quick kicks, Berlin's opponent was pinned down in surrender.
Berlin didn't talk much when they got home, just changed into street clothes and packed a bag with a few items and left in the early evening with no explanation but a flat, "Don't wait up for me."
Of course Cherry did. She spent hours with a mug of tea wondering just what Berlin was hiding. It wasn't that Berlin was quiet; Berlin never said much. There was something in the way she acted, like she was ashamed of something, and the hardness in her eyes had an edge that Cherry hadn't seen before. Cherry had thought they were past secrets, for the most part; she had thought that with all the recent heart to hearts, Berlin finally trusted her, was finally opening up to her.
Clearly, she was wrong.
It was well after midnight when the door opened. With the moonlight streaming behind Berlin, Cherry couldn't see her face—until she stepped inside.
Cherry gasped; she couldn't help herself. There was blood
everywhere
, dripping from Berlin's nose and mouth, staining the front of her shirt, congealing across her hands.
Berlin started with a wince. "Cherry." The hesitance in her voice proved that she knew she had been caught and wouldn't escape without an explanation. "I told you not to wait up for me."
"Berlin …" Cherry finally found her voice. "What happened?"
Berlin shrugged, pulling a face at the movement.
"Come here." All of a sudden, making sure Berlin was alright was a lot more important that finding out what had happened.
She settled Berlin in a chair and carefully pulled off her shirt, biting her lip when Berlin gave a small whimper. Fetching water and a cloth, she cleaned away the blood from Berlin's face as gently as she could, wiping away what had run down her throat and chest before dabbing at her knuckles. Berlin's muscles jumped on instinct when Cherry ran her fingers over her ribs, but none of them seemed broken. She wrapped up Berlin's split knuckles before finally turning her attention to Berlin's face.
When she cautiously extended her fingers toward Berlin's face, Berlin jerked away. "Don't. Don't touch it."
Cherry let her hands fall away. "Is anything broken?"
"My nose."
"Your … Bee, I don't … What …?"
Berlin shook her head carefully. "I'll do it." She took a few deep breaths through her mouth, gripped her chair with one hand, and twisted her nose with the other. Her scream made Cherry's stomach roll, and when she opened her eyes, Berlin was so pale she looked like she was going to throw up or pass out. Her breaths were shallow, and her eyes were glassy.
"Bed," Cherry ordered, helping Berlin to her bed before removing her pants and boots. When she began to back away, she was brought up short by Berlin's voice.
"Bar fight."
Cherry turned back. "Berlin, you need to sleep."
"No. I need to tell you. I should've told you." She took a few deep breaths through her mouth, and Cherry came to sit on the floor beside the bed.
"I got in a bar fight. I went and drank too much 'cause I know I don't think straight then and I got in a fight with the first brute I came up with an insult for. I didn't want you to know."
"But … why did you do it?"
Berlin turned onto her back and whispered, "I fight before Kage's birthday every year."
"
Why
?"
Berlin closed her eyes. "For me. So I don't forget. So I don't make that mistake again. To punish myself for giving him away."
Cherry didn't know what to say so instead reached for Berlin's hand and held it until she fell asleep.
*~*~*
When the day of Cherry's first non-rigged fight dawned, Berlin's eyes were still black and blue, but she could breathe properly again. It was a bit disconcerting at times when Cherry was caught off guard but for the most part she was used to it.
The pre-fight nerves were back. Cherry didn't feel like she was going to throw up, but as she waited in the arena tunnel with Berlin, she couldn't stop moving. She sat down to focus on her stretches as Berlin gave her advice.
"This girl, Ginnifer, is a biter."
Cherry stopped what she was doing. "Excuse me?"
"She's a
biter
. She's just as likely to bite you as hit you. More, actually."
"No way."
"She might pull your hair or try to scratch your eyes out."
Cherry snorted, returning to her stretches. "Great."
"Yeah. If she comes at your face,
close your eyes
."
"And you're just telling me this now because …?"
Berlin grinned. "Didn't want you to worry your pretty little head about it, Cherry Babe."
Cherry raised an eyebrow at her. "'Cherry Babe?'"
Berlin laughed. "You called me 'Bee' the other day; I didn't want you to feel left out that you didn't get a nickname, too."
"'Bee' is at least logical—and
shorter
than your name. And I can't believe you even remember that."
"I was in shock, not drunk, Cherry Babe."
Rolling her eyes, Cherry got to her feet. "I'm going to go let some girl bite me and pull my hair."
As she walked away, Berlin called after her, "I'd bite you and pull your hair!"
"Later, Bee."
Ginnifer
was
a biter. She bit Cherry and pulled her hair as promised, and the crowd loved it. Cherry did not. How was she supposed to fight such tactics? Bite her back? That was a common suggestion from the crowd.
She stuck with her own tactics, wrapping her body around Ginnifer's to avoid her mouth, matching Ginnifer's blows and delivering her own.
In the end, Ginnifer's biting was her undoing. As she bit down on Cherry's bare shoulder, Cherry swung out with her braid and clipped Ginnifer just above the eye. She quickly followed up with a knee to the gut and a punch that put Ginnifer on her back.
Cherry had just won her first fight.
Berlin was beaming at her when she got off the field and immediately kissed her full on the mouth. "You did good."
"Cherry Babe," Cherry added with a smile, and Berlin laughed.
"You did good, Cherry Babe."
Because Berlin wasn't fighting, there was no need to stick around, and they were escorted back to the house.
Neel arrived in the evening and gave Cherry a pouch of coins. "There's your cut of the winnings. Don't spend it all in one place. Or do. It's your choice."
Peeking in the purse, Cherry's excitement escalated even more—if that was possible; a couple more fights like that and she would be able to pay off her debt.
Cherry couldn't stop grinning, especially when Berlin told her, "Go stash your gold. We're going out to celebrate. My treat."
'Out to celebrate' meant The Zone's pub. It was loud and crowded, but Berlin was able to find them a free table. Beer and food made everything better and just added to Cherry's untamable excitement.
"Still want to see me dance?" she asked, breathless with laughter.
"What?"
"Before, I offered to dance for you. Still want me to?"
Berlin grinned. "Absolutely."
Bouncing, Cherry pushed her way to the pole near the band and requested a heavy dance beat.
Berlin stared at her. Cherry was better than good; she was amazing. Her body control was phenomenal, and as Berlin watched her precise contortions, she couldn't help but imagine what other things Cherry would be good at.
Cherry didn't seem to notice the applause when her number ended, seeking Berlin's reaction. "Well?" She slid back into her chair. "What did you think?"
In answer, Berlin leaned forward to kiss her breathless, slipping her tongue inside Cherry's mouth for the first time. "You're
amazing
, Cherry Babe."
When she pulled back, Cherry followed, straddling Berlin's lap and threading fingers into her hair to kiss her again. Berlin's hands found their way to Cherry's bottom, fingers spread to hold her close as her thumbs rubbed circles on the bare skin of her hipbones.
Berlin leaned her head away with a groan as Cherry began rocking on her lap. Cherry moved her mouth to kiss up and down Berlin's neck and across her jaw.