[BC] Forbidden

[deep_red_bells]

It's the blow to her pride, really, that stings more than the split lip. The bitter taste in her mouth has nothing to do with blood and everything to do with the fact that a well-placed fist got past her defenses, her strength and her speed and nailed her solidly in the face.

Fingers tangle in her hair before she can straighten, clench hard and pull her head back, a thumb swipes across her lower lip; cold, dark eyes study the smear of red with interest before studying her, calculating and cool.

"How the fuck did that happen, Solis?"

She swallows, involuntary tears gathering in her eyes from the constant pull on her hair. "Don't quote me on it," she half-croaked. "But I'm pretty sure you hit me."

"No shit." He snarls and shakes her. She doesn't fight back. "Shouldn't happen. You should wipe the goddamned floor with me. This--" He swipes his thumb across her lip again, pushes down and drags to break the skin deeper. "--shouldn't happen."

"No, it shouldn't."

It does her ego good to hear him grunt in pain when she knees him in the groin and slams the heel of her hand into his nose. Blood for blood. It's only fair, she thinks as she punches him hard enough to drive him to the ground...slips her foot under his torso and flips him over, sinks to the ground and plants her foot firmly on his chest. "And it's not gonna happen again."

He snarls and fights her off, tries to pin her down...and she lets him. Lets his fingers wrap around her wrist and hold her down.

Their first kiss tastes of blood, and is laced with pain. She lets it happen. She lets him squeeze her wrists hard enough to bruise, she lets him bite her lip and make it bleed even more freely.

But she's true to her word. His hand doesn't strike her face again.