Hearts And Hardware (Harlow)

[STACY HART]

Stacy was a Daughter of Venus, and she had used her Amokinesis to help her and her Cohort in War Games, but when it came to actual feelings of love, she was obviously shy and a bit awkward. Her mother was the Goddess of Love and her father was a famous romance novelist, so one would think she could easily express feelings of love to someone that... well... she was falling for. But nope, she was the shy geek who doted over her beloved stepmother's sci-fi/fantasy novels.

Still, Stacy had developed feelings for someone, a girl in her own Cohort named Harlow. Harlow was a Daughter of Vulcan, which kind of made things more awkward. Stacy knew the history between Venus and Vulcan, and it wasn't pretty. There was a LOT of drama with them. There was no drama between Stacy and Harlow. They were friends, colleagues, and had a lot of fun training together. Stacy knew Harlow, or Harley as she called her, liked her as much as Stacy liked the other girl in a friendship sense. No prob there. But... Stacy had developed stronger feelings, something beyond platonic. Stacy should have been an expert on Love a la her mom, but she was completely confused. All she knew was that seeing Harley always made her light up.

Stacy had just finished getting ready and was about to head to the Mess Hall for breakfast. She was about to go walk with Harley as usual, but as she did so, those butterflies popped into her stomach. Why? She was just going to eat with her friend like always.

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harley closed her eyes a little bit as she thought about it. She thought about it, she thought about it all the time. The one person who seemed to always be around and understand her was Stacy Hart. She had been the first person to approach her. She’d been the person to really make her feel like this all could be home. However sometimes she got overly nervous with this woman around. She found herself always dropping things or accidentally saying something or ultimately she would just end up blushing and she would look silly. Harlow was aware that her father and Stacy’s mother used to have some things and she thought about it all. She was a little shocked at first but then she realized why they were beautiful and stunning women.



Harley sighed a little bit as she stood up in her bunk this morning, she got herself fully dressed, today she was going for a run so she left early and was out running that morning. When she came to the home base once again, she freshened up a little bit and the woman was ready for breakfast. So she was ready she felt her butterflies start in her stomach. Then she walked with the woman, though she was in running shorts and a tank top. “ I think I want pancakes today.” She started their conversations.

[STACY HART]

As soon as Stacy saw Harley, she just tensed up and felt a little giddy inside. Why? This was her buddy, her sparring partner, her Cohort colleague, someone she had fought alongside in War Games, joked with, cried with when no one else was around. Stacy should have just been happy to see her friend like always. She was, but with that happiness, there was now the butterflies. And Harley looked really cute in her tank top. Stacy was in her usual purple camp shirt and shorts, which was nice given she'd be in training armor in a bit. It was nice to feel the breeze at the moment.

"Hey Harley," she said. "Pancakes do sound good. I kind of what to try something new for breakfast today." That was the great thing about the Mess Hall. The spirits who served there could produce anything and everything one wanted to eat. Stacy didn't even have to get a breakfast item for breakfast. "I've heard of this one dish called Eggs Benedict. People say it's really good, but I've never tried it." She then took a deep breath, trying to keep convo casual and not sound like an awkward derp. "So... how was your morning exercises?"

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harlow was always a little nervous when the woman was around because from the time her dark eyes rest on the features of this beautiful Demi-god Harlow knew Stacy meant something major to her. Harley smiled as they walked and looked at the woman’s appearance, she was gorgeous in their camp uniform. She however didn’t let her eyes linger on the woman’s body to long in fear that the woman would catch her and it would be weird fo everyone. Harlow didn’t want that to be the case and she could only really hope that Stacy would pity her and overlook it if she did catch her in the act.



Harlow looked over at her and nodded her head a little bit. “ You know that sounds really good Stacy. I think you’ll like it. It’s a very fancy breakfast but everyone says it’s divine.” She said as she walked along sider of her friend. She moved lightly and linked her arm with Stacy’s. “ Oh…you know. I probably push myself way to much. But I really needed it to clear my head. I think I’m supposed to go to the temple in my dad’s honor soon. So I hope I’m not going crazy.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders. “ What about you what do you have planned today?”

[STACY HART]

Stacy didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she turned her head to see what she thought was Harley... checking her out? Maybe it was just wishful thinking... or maybe that was the case. Stacy wanted to know so bad. Wait, she was Venus' daughter. Shouldn't have she been able to pick up on this? Stacy shook it off. She didn't want to use love powers here. If there was a spark, she wanted it to be natural. For the moment, she stuck to the breakfast.

"Well if you recommend it, then Eggs Benedict it is!' she said. Harley then locked arms with her, causing Stacy to tense up, but in a good way. She was tempted to hold hands with the girl, but... what if that freaked Harley out? She couldn't handle that. She couldn't handle losing Harley as a friend in general.

The way Harley spoke of going to the temple, it didn't sound like an ordinary trip. Demi-gods went to their parents' temples all the time to pay tribute. This sounded like... like she was actually going to meet Vulcan.

"Wait..." she said. "Are you having visions... as well?" she asked. She guessed if she could tell anyone about her own weird dreams, it was Harley. She trusted Harley more than anyone at camp after all. Now in a dazed, she picked up on Harley's question. "Oh... um... nothing much... the usual. You?"

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harley kept her arm lingering with the other woman’s she’d felt that connection to one woman and then she sniffled a little bit. She smirked a little bit as she walked with the blind. She nodded her head. “ Well done and done.” She said lightly as she thought about it and then she looked over at her. Harlow was a little nervous, she felt something for a daughter of Venus. She knew the stories of her mother and my father. It was a serious story that sometimes it steered her away from her feelings. But this always came back to it all. She always felt the pull toward Stacy and it sort of made things a little weird. She sighed, “ It’s not really a vision…it’s just like I slept and saw a version of what I think is my father and I just know I need to go to the temple for some reason. ” She shrugged her shoulders.



She looked over at her friend. “ You are having visions? You didn’t say anything. What sort of visions?’ she asked the woman as she walked. She couldn’t help but want to smile but forced that down. She then nodded her head. “ I think I’m gonna spar a bit today. Swing by the armory…then probably find my way down to the water later tonight. I just feel like I will have things to think about you know?” She said as she shrugged her shoulders. “ I haven’t been sleeping very well. I am getting to the point of just giving up..” She said honestly.


Stacy Hart

[STACY HART]

Harley was being called to the temple by her father. Stacy had been having dreams involving her mother. Strange things were happening. Harley might have denied it, but Stacy felt there was more to what Harley had seen then met the eye.

"It has to mean something," she said. "I would definitely go there if I were you." She then sighed about her own visions. "Mine are... complicated. I keep seeing the two camps, and there's this really wicked voice who calls me 'Daughter of Venus' and says my love will be tested. And... and..." Stacy took a deep breath. "You're in the dreams as well." Okay, she said it. She could only wonder how Harley would take it.

Stacy listened to Harley's plan, and stopped when Harley said she was thinking of giving up. Okay, whenever Stacy felt and whatever Harley felt for the other one, she couldn't handle Harley saying something like that. Not her friend, who was so strong and brave and smart. She unlocked her arm from Harley's, but then took both of the girl's hands.

"Listen, Harley, don't give up. You're too skilled and talented and brave and beautiful and amazing to give up." Wait, did she throw beautiful in there? Well, it was true, wasn't it? "Listen, I'm with you, okay? I'm your bestie and your colleague." She then found herself looking deep into Harley's gorgeous eyes. "I... I..." She gulped. "I'm there for you all the way." And the next thing Stacy knew, she was drawing closer, close enough for her lips to almost touch Harley's.

"Hey!" shouted one of the Third Cohort Centurions. "You two coming to breakfast or what?" Stacy blushed as she drew away.

"Guess we... better go eat," she said.

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

She felt it, Stacy was the one who had made her feel so safe and comfortable. It was Stacy who mostly played in her mind. She felt herself growing these turmoil feelings for so long. People told her to be careful when it came to feelings and the Venus kid. She never understood why people felt like such things. Stacy was different, she was trust worthy, passionate, strong, skilled, smart. Everything was perfect when she was around. She shook her head trying not to focus on it all. “ all right all right, I will go see my dad. He was always someone who was trying to be cryptic but I never enjoyed that part.” she said as she shrugged her shoulders not giving it too much thought. “ well seems like you are about to be tested. I’m in your dreams? Like.... you dream about me too?” did she just let that slip out that she dreamed of this beautiful blond as well. She did and she liked it. “ maybe you are going to find love or something and it’s going to be tested? she asked her friend.

She stopped walking as the blonde came into her view point. Her hands, they were so soft, her heart started to beat a little faster, she started at the woman the blue eyes were hypnotizing. She thought she was beautiful. She bit her lower lip and smiled. “ you think I’m beautiful...” she smiled a little bit. Then things got a little more intense. She felt herself sooo breathing and she wanted to kiss her. Harlow started to lean into her. It was perfect. She heard everything and she cursed her cohort up one side and down the other. But Stacy pulled away. Harlow didn’t think when her next actions sort of happened in slow motion. “ Hey, hang on....” she moved forward and then grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward her. Only this time Harlow’s other hand wrapped around the woman’s waist and her lips crashed lightly with Stacy‘a.

The kiss was unfortunately quicker than she wanted it to be. She slowly pulled away her eyes slow to open but finally did. All she could think was what has she done?! She could have just wrecked her only meaningful friendship.

[STACY HART]

Stacy gulped a bit when Harley reacted about being in her dreams and the whole thing about finding love and being tested. Oh boy, that all came out of Stacy in a weird way. What was Harley thinking? Did Stacy pretty much just confess that she thought of Harley in a romantic way? Which she definitely did. That she was falling in love with Harley? Which she definitely was. Ooooh darn.

"Yeah... um... maybe, but there are all kinds of love, right? Maybe it's the love for a friend or the love for a family member like my dad or stepmom. Or... could be... that other kind of love... I guess."

Harley then drew Stacy in for a kiss, and Stacy got all kinds of happy and excited. She frowned a bit though as Harley pulled away. Harley looked as if she were worried Stacy was going to react weird. Oh no... no way. She heard the Centurion shout once more.

"Hey, like she said, hang on!" said Stacy, who then turned to Harley, drew in, and kissed her. She then smiled and took Harley's hand. pulling her along. "Um... let's go eat now!" It was all weird and wonderful what just happened, but Stacy and Harley would need to discuss it in private later.

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harley was a bit more of a rough and tough tell you how it was person. She was always chalking that up to her father. He looked like the kind that would tell you how it was. So here she was talking to her best friend who was having a hard time with her dreams. Dreams that Harlow happened to be in, so yes was the kiss Harlow’s way of confirming her feelings out loud to her best friend who almost kissed her by actually following through on said kiss? Yes Harlow in fact did do that in her own Harley flare. Now all she could do is hope that nothing terrible happened and that Stacy wouldn’t leave her high and dry.



She nodded as she looked over at her friend. “ Lets not beat around the bush gods are cryptic and they always mean the things we don’t want them to mean. So we both know it’s the love, love that they are testing you with.” She said honestly. She knew a lot about the whole godly type and she had no doubt in this moment that that was what Stacy’s test was going to be. Which sucked because she wanted to be loved by Stacy. But she would just have to be okay if that wasn’t in the gods cards for them. She was going to just continue the walk when Stacy called after telling them to hang on. Then her lips were drawn into Stacy’s once more. She wanted to deepen that kiss however stopped when the woman pulled away and then pulled her along saying to go eat. Harley was a bit confused but also happy. She nodded. “ Right…eat…. Okay.” She now had a lot of things going on in her head.

[STACY HART]

(Time Bump. Scene takes place after Harlow's talk with Vulcan and Stacy's talk with Venus.)

Another nightmare. This one was the worse yet. The world seemed to literally fall down around Stacy, and the wicked voice reminded her over and over again that her love would be tested. She saw Harley again, only this time the girl was hanging by one hand on the edge of a cliff over a pool of lava. Stacy reached for her, but when she grabbed the girl's hand, Harley became a robot... or automaton rather. She was extremely heavy as a metal being, and Stacy felt herself starting from go off the cliff as well from the weight. Harley begged her not to let go, and Stacy just screamed...

Stacy the woke up with a gasp. She had tears in her eyes. She got out of bed, thinking no one else was awake. She was thirsty again. She seemed to all be thirsty after the nightmares. She made her way to the water fountain. However, not long after she picked up the cup, she dropped it. She then just stood there and wept. The image of Harley on the verge of death was still fresh in her head.

"Harley..." she whispered, again assuming she was alone.

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harley hadn’t slept much in her time around. She was usually awake deep into the night, ever since her meeting with her father. Harley has spend numerous hours training with all different types of weapons. In doing so, she’d gotten a bit more deadly and proficient with her fighting skills. Harley had gotten very talented at forging weaponry. Not to mention she’d been getting even better at withstanding extream heat because she was training harder. She’d thought a few times about what her father had said about being careful about falling in love with Stacy. But she knew her feelings and she wasn’t afraid of them.

Harley wore the key around her neck. This evening she was in a pair of black running shorts, and a athletic tank top she was completely coated in sweat. She went out and showered a little bit as she made her way to the water fountain with her large water bottle. She heard her name and stopped. Her dark eyes stopping on the blond as she noticed she was out of bed. She moved over and said, “ That’s me…” She said with a small smile as she moved over toward her filling up the water bottle. She turned noticing the tears and she stopped. “ Hey. What’s wrong?” She asked moving to hug the woman against her.

[STACY HART]

As soon as Stacy heard Harley's voice, she turned and looked to see the girl moving in for a hug. Stacy embraced her and then began giving her small kisses on the lips and cheeks. She then just let it out.

"I love you, Harley," she said softly. "I love you so much. I am so in love with you. I had a dream... a really bad dream, and in it... Harley... no I'm not going to let that happen! I love you too much for that to happen!" She then moved in and kissed her again before she finally sat down and sipped her water. She took a deep breath before looking at Harley.

"I don't know why I'm having these stupid nightmares," she said once she calmed down. "But I'm sure they mean something. And if I have to fight for you, I don't care how big the monster is or how strong the army is, I will darn it! You're the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me, Harley, and I'll be condemned to the Fields of Punishment by Pluto himself before I let you go!" She then wiped her tears. "Sorry... I know I'm being all weird."

HARLOW NGUYEN

[HARLOW NGUYEN]

Harlow saw the woman in distress and she felt her stomach form knots. She then walked off and grabbed her wrapping her arms protectively around the blond who seemed to be falling apart. She slowly moved in and then looked over at the woman and smiled a little bit. She was berated by kisses and she looked over at the woman and she smiled a little bit thinking about it. Then the woman started to kiss her again and confessed to her love and it was really cute and it was fun. Slowly she tilted her head to the right as she looked over at the woman. She bit her lower lip thinking about it.



Harley slowly moved in and kissed the woman more. She pulled Stacy in and then she held her tightly against her body. She kissed her and she looked over at her. “ It’s okay. It’s okay.” She said over and over and then kissed her, she’d really kissed her, deeply and passionately and she pulled away. “ I love you Stacey. More than anything. You are my everything. Come here.” She said as she pulled her over to a hammock. “ I run warm being the kid of a god of fire.” She admitted and then pulled the woman with her into the Hammock. “ Sleep here with me Stacy. ’ She said to the girl hoping that she was there.

[STACY HART]

Harley DID love Stacy too! That automatically made her feel better and worse at the same time. Better because their love was officially confirmed. The girl of her dreams loved her back. That was amazing. It was worse because it made the nightmares all the more true. In the nightmares, the two were a couple already, and the evil force was trying to take Harley away...

But they weren't! Stacy was a trained fighter. She would go to war for her beloved. When Harley asked her to joined her int he hammock, Stacy smiled a little and nodded.

"Yes, definitely," she said. She climbed into the hammock with Harley and held her girl. She kissed Harley on the cheek and chuckled about Harley using the warmth her father had given her. "Well, I know I don't need to use the powers my mother gave me for us. The love is already here, and I really, really love you, Harley. I have for so long. I just wished I had told you sooner." She then just lied there, taking it all in. The bad times might come, but for now she enjoyed this time. This was the absolute perfect moment for her.

HARLOW NGUYEN