Earth to Echo - CDAD oneshot (Patreon)

Hey everyone!  As the title says, this is not a RWBY oneshot.  I know, right?  Gasps all around.  

A few months ago, I read a story called Charon Docks at Daylight, which is essentially angst, gay girls, and zombies.  It was awesome.  Although so, so angsty.  (I recommend it!  You can read for free here:   https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3095130/1/Charon-Docks-At-Daylight )

I considered posting this on Tumblr and calling it a day but figured...it has some cool gay girls, and you guys might also like some cool gay girls?  Plus, I promised early access and stuff, so here it is!  If only RWBY is your thing, that's cool.  I'm probably not going to write more of these, and I kept this one super short on purpose, but who knows!  Maybe you'll enjoy it a bit too.  :D

“Echo!”

The sound of her name drew her gaze away from the book she’d been reading in the lobby of the med center.  Spotting the young girl rushing towards her, she smiled and set the medical textbook beside her.

“Hey Kara,” she replied before reaching out and greeting the tail that never left Kara’s side.  “Hey Wolf,” she said before turning back to Kara.  “What’s up?”

“You wanted me to let you know when they got back and...they’re back!”

Echo’s heart jumped at the words, and she immediately stood up.

“They are?” she asked, more out of surprise than questioning Kara’s information.  When Kara nodded, however, Echo felt the girl’s infectious smile spread to her lips.  “Let’s go greet them then.”

While Kara accepted the invitation with a big smile and nod, Echo tried not to let her own excitement get the best of her.  Genevieve had been gone for several days on a mission - several long, lonely days and even lonelier nights - but Echo didn’t want to be that person.  The one that couldn’t stand a few days apart without becoming a clingy mess.

Still, she struggled to control her pace so as not to leave Kara and Wolf behind while hurrying to the front gates.  The moment they rounded the corner, she saw the Strykers parked just inside with soldiers unloading supplies and equipment.  And when she saw Genevieve, her heart did an embarrassing jump that she’d never admit to.

The next second, however, confusion mixed with her overall happiness.

“Oh!” Kara exclaimed, adding a small hop for emphasis.  “They found people!”

Based on the strangers talking to Genevieve and Blake, as well as the crowd of onlookers, Kara was right.  Echo couldn’t remember the last time the squads found survivors and brought them back to base.  From what Genevieve said, finding survivors was growing rarer and rarer, and, on top of that, sometimes the people they found had no interest in joining the base.  If they’d survived this long on their own, they were comfortable taking their chances from here on out.

It was a group of two - a middle-aged man and a girl around Echo’s age - both with backpacks around their shoulders and weapons strapped to their hips.  From that fact alone, Echo knew they must be friendly, or at least friendly enough that Genevieve didn’t view them as a threat - a remarkable feat considering her propensity to be overly cautious with people she didn’t know.

“Wow, she’s pretty.”  

As soon as Kara made the remark, Echo felt a twinge of dislike pull at her lips.  But the new girl was pretty.  Tall, with an athletic build and blonde hair falling just past her shoulders, she looked like she belonged in a mall more than a military base.  And she was looking at Genevieve with an intent smile that Echo didn’t particularly enjoy.

“Thanks, Kara,” she said, sparing a smile for Kara and ear scratch for Wolf before joining Genevieve, Blake, and the newcomers.

“ - you should see April for your injuries,” Blake was in the middle of saying before gesturing to a long cut on the man’s forearm.  “She’s in the med center.”  Turning around, he pointed out the building Echo had just come from.

“Thank you,” the man replied with a nod of respect.  “And what about our belongings?”  

Before Blake responded, Echo took the opportunity to catch Genevieve’s attention and pull her away from the conversation.  With Blake handling all the talking, she wasn’t needed for this anyway.

“Hey,” Echo said in a low voice once they moved several feet away.  She couldn’t stop the smile that appeared as soon as Genevieve met her gaze with warm brown eyes and a hint of a smile.

“Hey.”  Genevieve’s gaze went to Echo’s lips, but she quickly looked away and shifted her weight between her feet - almost always the consummate professional in public.

“Looks like you guys did pretty well.”  When Echo turned towards the Strykers, she caught the new girl’s gaze before pointedly ignoring her and nodding to the bags of supplies being carried towards their ultimate destinations.

“Surprisingly well.”  After glancing over her shoulder at their haul, Genevieve finally smiled.  “It helped that Layla and Tim locked the supply cabinets years ago.”

“The new people?” Echo subtly nodded towards the newcomers, whose conversation with Blake was wrapping up.

“Yeah, they’ve been holed up inside for years but were willing to help once they heard what we were doing.”

“Is that why they got to keep their weapons?”

If Genevieve heard the slight resentment in Echo’s tone, she didn’t acknowledge it while shaking her head.  “We got attacked by a group of Ferals while loading up.  It was either let them keep their weapons or risk our lives trying to keep them safe.”

By now, Echo knew better than to question Genevieve’s judgment on missions.  It just sucked to remember that she’d had to earn the right to carry her weapon while these people got the opportunity through circumstance alone.  Before she could respond, however, she caught sight of the new girl - Layla - walking over to them.   

Echo couldn’t put her finger on it, but something about the girl bothered her.  Her tall, lean figure.  Her too-bright hair.  

It wasn’t until Layla smiled that Echo figured it out.  It was that look.  The look she hadn’t seen in years but still immediately caused a visceral reaction of dislike.  The look that brought back so many memories she’d rather forget, yet here they were again.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Layla said before turning towards Genevieve with that charming smile still in place.  “I just wanted to say thank you again.  For letting us come back with you, but also for taking on that Feral for me.”

“Oh.”  Looking genuinely surprised by the gratitude, Genevieve smiled and nodded once.  “Of course.  That’s kind of what we do.”

“Taking on full grown Ferals with nothing but a knife is what you do?” Layla restated before laughing and shaking her head.  “Pretty sure I’ve never met a girl like you.”

No one heard Echo’s jaw snap shut, and she ground her teeth together when Genevieve glanced her way.

“Uh, thank you.”  It didn’t look like Genevieve had more to say than that but, fortunately, Layla gave a small wave and headed after her companion.

“I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, see you.”

In the short silence that followed, Echo knew she shouldn’t say it.  She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but she just couldn’t.

“What was that about ‘not risking your lives’ for the new people?” she asked, hearing the agitation in her tone.  And, from the way Genevieve sighed, she heard it too.

“We were trying to make it out of there quietly - you know how it is.”

“I knew how it was…” Echo grumbled.  Once again, she was reminded of how much she hated being left behind.  Not only did she get restless on base, but the idea of Genevieve fighting Ferals without her put a ball of terror in the pit of her stomach.

“Hey.”  Feeling a hand gently touch her cheek, Echo looked up and found warm, patient brown eyes locked onto hers.  “We went through this...we knew it would be more than a day trip, and with your headaches…”

“I know.”  Cutting Genevieve off before she launched into another spiel about safety, Echo leaned into the hand on her cheek.  “I just...hate being left behind…”

“And I hate leaving you behind…”

Hearing that simple admission, Echo felt better.  At least if she was stuck here missing out on all the action, someone else felt bad for her.

“Well, what are you going to do now?” she asked as a subject change, preferring to forget her self-pity for now.

“I need to debrief the guys.”  When Genevieve walked over to the door of one of the Strykers, Echo followed.  “But I’ll see you at dinner?”

Echo wanted to argue for more time together.  Instead, she watched Genevieve haul a large duffel bag out of the Stryker and set it comfortably atop one shoulder.  If Echo had to guess, the bag probably weighed a good eighty pounds, but Genevieve treated it like it was nothing.

“You know…” Echo said, taking a step closer and setting her hands on Genevieve’s hips.  “Pretty sure I’ve never met a girl like you.”

“Oh stop.”  Gently pushing Echo’s shoulder away, Genevieve shook her head but failed to hide a smile.  “Just make sure you’re at dinner on time - I have stories for you.”

The casual comment caught Echo’s full attention.

“What kind of stories?” she asked, but Genevieve simply waved over her head while walking away.  Watching her go, Echo sighed in pure, genuine relief.

With Genevieve back on base, Echo was happy.  She’d be even happier if there weren’t so many responsibilities preventing them from spending every second together, but dinnertime would roll around soon enough.

Until then, she busied herself the best way she knew how - mindlessly patrolling the perimeter of the base while searching for any potential weak spots.  Not that she needed to check - the official patrols checked every inch of fence regularly - but she felt better seeing their security with her own eyes.  It helped her sleep at night.

Fortunately, the fence looked the same as it always did - sturdy, unbroken, and humming with electricity.  Nothing to report there.

Once her extended stroll wrapped up, she headed to the cafeteria right away.  Normally, she’d go to the barracks first to meet Genevieve and walk over together, but tonight they were meeting there instead.

With dinner just getting underway, the line wasn’t long and the tables were predominantly empty.  After grabbing a bowl of food - another vegetable stew - she spotted a familiar face and headed across the room to join them.

“Hey Micah,” she said while sitting down across from the boy.  “How’s it going?”

When he merely raised the book in his hands as a response, Echo nodded and said “gotcha” before falling silent.  Apparently, he’d decided to read rather than participate in conversation tonight, which was fine with her.  At least he tolerated her presence now, just like he’d promised to do if she found Genevieve.

She would’ve gone to the ends of the earth looking for Genevieve anyway.  Earning Micah’s somewhat-forgiveness was just an added bonus.

While Micah read, Echo mindlessly ate dinner and scanned the cafeteria for Genevieve.  It wasn’t until the room was nearly full - people talking and laughing after another hard day’s work - that Genevieve walked through the doors and immediately caught Echo’s gaze.

Just looking at Genevieve reminded Echo of how long they’d been apart.  Three whole days...and she felt every second in the look Genevieve gave her.  Being apart for a few hours felt like too long sometimes, but three days?  Too much could go wrong in three days...which was why she’d worried practically nonstop.

Part of her believed that Genevieve felt the same because, instead of getting in line for dinner, she walked over to the table and dropped into the chair beside Echo with a sigh.

“And you told me not to be late,” Echo teased while bumping Genevieve’s shoulder, silently rejoicing in their proximity.

“I’m sorry.  I got caught by basically everyone I passed.”

“Must be nice to be so popular.”

“I don’t know if I’d put it like that…”

“Micah,” Echo said, gaining the boy’s attention.  “Isn’t your sister popular?” 

“Gen, you’re one of the most popular people on the base.”  When Micah rolled his eyes, the corner of Genevieve’s mouth lifted with humor.

“Since when do you side with Echo?”

“Since she’s right.”  When Micah stuck his tongue out before going back to his book, Genevieve huffed in amusement.

“It’s not a popularity contest.”

“But if it was,” Echo butted in.  “You’d be winning.”

For a moment, Genevieve looked like she wanted to argue.  Then she laughed and leaned into Echo’s side.

“Whatever you guys say.  I’m just happy to be back.”  When Genevieve reached across the table and ruffled Micah’s hair, Echo smiled and felt her heart hum with content.  Unfortunately, the feeling evaporated as soon as she noticed an unfamiliar yet all-too-familiar face heading towards them.

Though Echo narrowed her eyes, Layla didn’t appear to notice.  Or, if she did, she wasn’t at all deterred from tapping Genevieve on the shoulder.

“Hey Genevieve,” she said, smiling when Genevieve turned her way.

“Oh, hey Layla - how’s everything going?”

“Pretty good.  Tim got that cut cleaned and stitched up - April said he’d be better in no time.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah, it is.”  Pausing for a second, Layla thought about her next words before finding another winning smile that made Echo dislike her even more.  “But, uh, Blake told me I should have someone show me around base.  And I thought...who better to show me around than the girl who can take on a Feral with her bare hands?”

Genevieve chuckled at the compliment, but Echo’s brow furrowed even further.

“Ok, sure.  You want to go now?”

Of course Genevieve agreed.  She was too helpful to turn down that type of request, especially when paired with a compliment like that.

“I can introduce you to the kitchen staff first,” she added while standing.  “When you’re deciding where you’d like to help out, that’s always an option.”

“Where do you help out?” Layla asked while turning to leave with Genevieve.  The feigned innocence in the question wasn’t lost on Echo, who watched with a growing frown while the two headed towards the kitchen.  

An ugly feeling was brewing in her chest and, unfortunately, she had a name for it - jealousy.  

“You’re really going to let her get away with that?”

Surprised by the question, Echo turned and found Micah shaking his head at her.

“What do you mean ‘let her get away’ with it?”

“I’d never let someone try to steal my girl like that.”  When Micah’s eyes slid towards the end of the table, where Kara was in the midst of an animated conversation with Mal, Echo raised one brow.

“You better not let Dugan catch you looking at her like that.”

Immediately turning red, Micah focused on Echo instead.

“I’m just saying...all that girl talked about in the clinic was how amazing Genevieve is.  I know Gen’s awesome, but she’s not worth that much praise.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that, either,” Echo replied with a huff, but her gaze slipped to the doorway of the kitchen where Genevieve and Layla were talking to one of the cooks.  Layla stood needlessly close to Genevieve, their shoulders grazing in a way that looked too coincidental to be an accident.

“You have to show her that Gen’s taken,” Micah added.  “Stake your claim.”

“‘Stake my claim?’”  Saying the words out loud, Echo emphatically shook her head.  “If I ever said something like that around your sister, she’d kick my ass.”

When Micah sighed and picked up his book, Echo thought he was finally giving up.  And he might have been, but then he shook his head and said, “She played soccer too.”

That pushed Echo over the edge.  And, before she knew it, she was stalking over to the kitchen to interrupt the pair.  Like hell was she letting Layla win Genevieve over with some nice smiles and conversations about soccer.

“Hey, Gen, sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you.”  Gently taking Genevieve by the elbow, Echo pulled her a few steps away before letting go.

“Echo?  What are you doing?”

Now wasn’t the best time to figure out what she wanted to do.  All she knew was that she needed to break into the conversation somehow.  Now that she had, and now that Genevieve and Layla were staring at her, she needed to come up for a good reason for the disruption.

“I thought I could help you give the tour,” she offered with a forced smile.  “You know, give some pointers and stuff.”

It was the best way she could think of to keep the two from flirting all night, but Genevieve’s eyes immediately narrowed at the suggestion.

“...why?” was all she asked while studying Echo with an intensity that made her scuff her foot on the floor.  

“Just...trying to be helpful,” she mumbled.  

The answer wasn’t good enough - she knew that the moment Genevieve shook her head.

“It’s ok.  I know how much you love giving tours.”  After giving Echo one last searching expression, Genevieve smiled and patted her shoulder.  “But I’ll see you later tonight, right?”

That wasn’t the answer Echo wanted, but she knew better than to force her way through Genevieve’s decision.  Before she left, however, she had to try one last time - she had to remove a bit of the desire and want from Layla’s eyes.

“Right,” she replied with a flimsy smile.  “But uh, before you leave.  I uh, I was hoping for a kiss.”

Eyes widening in surprise, Genevieve looked around the cafeteria - filled with people - before turning back to Echo.

“Right now?” 

What she really meant was right here, in front of all of these people.  Echo didn’t care so much about the other people, but in front of Layla was exactly what she wanted.

“Yeah, just a short one?”  She knew it would reassure her if they kissed right now - that it should ‘stake her claim’ and send a clear message that Genevieve was off limits.  Unfortunately, that plan hinged upon Genevieve saying ‘yes.’  And, from the confusion and borderline discontent in her eyes, that probably wasn’t going to happen.

“Layla, can you give me a minute?”  When Layla nodded, Genevieve pulled Echo far enough away that they could talk in private before dropping her arm.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.  God forbid I ask for a kiss from my girlfriend…”  Echo knew she was laying on the guilt pretty thick, and it immediately backfired when Genevieve frowned.

“Ok,” Genevieve replied in her ‘I’m trying really hard not to get annoyed but I still am’ tone.  “How about this?  You figure out what’s wrong, and I’ll see you later.”  

When Genevieve turned to walk back to Layla, Echo let out a disappointed breath and felt jealousy consume her.

“Fine, whatever.  Have fun getting hit on by Soccer Barbie.”  

She barely made it two steps away before Genevieve grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

“‘Soccer Barbie?’  What the hell are you talking about?”

“The hot blonde who keeps hitting on you?” Echo replied, feeling her jealousy spill over as agitation.  “You know, the one who can’t stop making eyes at you and telling you how amazing you are?”

“That’s not what she’s doing -”

“Uh, yeah, it is.”

It looked like Genevieve wanted to argue.  Instead, she furrowed her brow then shook her head.

“Well who cares, anyway?” she retorted.  “It’s not like it means anything.”

“It means something to me!”  

Echo immediately regretted the force behind the words.  But she’d already said it, and Genevieve’s eyes had already widened in surprise.

“Echo…” Genevieve tried again, in a much softer tone this time.  “What’s going on?”

Running a hand through her hair and sighing out loud, Echo suddenly wished she hadn’t walked over here.  She should’ve just left it alone and dealt with her issues how she normally did - mainly, by hitting something.

“It’s nothing -”

“No, it’s something,” Genevieve interrupted.  “I can see in your eyes that it’s something.”

Since when could Genevieve read her eyes so accurately?  Echo didn’t know when the change had happened, but now it was almost impossible to keep her thoughts and emotions from being picked up.

“I just...don’t like people hitting on you...” she muttered towards the floor, knowing she had to give Genevieve something.

“But why?  Imogen hits on you all the time, and you don’t see me pouting about it.”

“That’s different.”

Genevieve crossed her arms at that response.

“How is that different?”

Not having an answer that didn’t sound completely hypocritical, Echo sighed and hung her head.  She understood why this bothered her so much, but she really didn’t want to say it out loud.  Unfortunately, Genevieve deserved to hear an explanation for her behavior.

“It just...reminds me of before.”

Looking up, Echo watched Genevieve mouth the word to herself before realization sprang into her eyes.

“You know…” Echo continued.  “Before all of this.  When the hottest guys in school tripped over themselves for you while I was...nobody.”

She’d hardly turned towards the floor before a hand tilted her chin up and lips met her own.  The kiss was firm, open, more loving than she deserved, and gone before she could reciprocate.

“I love you,” Genevieve whispered, her brown eyes willing Echo to believe.  “No one can take me away from you.”

And between the kiss, those words, the look in Genevieve’s eyes, and the way she still held Echo’s chin with one hand, Echo smiled.

“Not even if they played center field for the Olympic team?” she joked, feeling lighter than air now that Genevieve had put her fears to rest.

“Midfield,” Genevieve corrected her with a smile.  “And no.  Not even if they were a midfielder on the Olympic team.”

Sensing that the window was still open, Echo leaned forward and stole another kiss - this one soft, lingering, and filled with the emotions she could never put into words.  But she was...grateful...that Genevieve put up with her insecurities.  Not only put up with them but knew just what to say to make her feel special and loved.

“Ok,” she said while patting Genevieve on the hip.  “Have fun showing her around.”

“You’re ok now?”  

“You’ve convinced me I was being immature.”  When Genevieve huffed, Echo responded with a playfully serious look.  “But I expect more reassurance later tonight.”

When the simple sentence lit a spark of desire in Genevieve’s eyes, Echo couldn’t help a smirk from appearing.  

But “we’ll see” was all Genevieve said before returning to Layla, whose expression had completely changed after witnessing that interaction.  Gone was the intent to pursue.  In its place, confusion and just a little chagrin that she wouldn’t get what she wanted.

“Such a tease…” Echo replied with a shake of her head before walking back to the table.   

Even though she’d said it earlier as a joke, it was true - she’d never met a girl like Genevieve.  And she wasn’t letting such an incredible person go without at least...staking her claim.