The X-Men needed to work out some kind of salary structure. Monetary compensation primarily, but benefits would not hurt. Yes, Rebecca was, at her core, the kind of “hero” who was in the game because of strong world views and a sense of duty to her fellow mutants, but at some point, it was hard not to look at the world as a realist. That point was most consistently when she was done working a shift.

Just like with the X-Men, Rebecca had put in the time and toiled to reach the point where she was the owner of her bar, but some nights it was hard not to feel like she had barely climbed from her first position as a bartender. Specifically, the nights when one of her bartenders called out on short notice, with no one available to cover. As the last line of defense and the most to lose from subpar service, Rebecca had to be ready at a moment’s notice to toss on a tank top and spend the night forcing a smile while pouring drinks. Looking on the bright side, at least she could leave the night with her own tips lining the pockets of her cut-offs.

It was hard to complain when she knew mutant poverty and homelessness were pressing social issues, and Rebecca was grateful to have a roof over her head and a steady job. Things had grown tighter over the years, however, when the Grey household became reliant on a single paycheck. New York was not a cheap place to live, and while she was saving money on the grocery bill now that she was feeding two mouths rather than three, their rent was still standing constant. Her budget for reflective surfaces, meanwhile, had risen significantly over two years.

She was happy. Rebecca had a loving spouse and the sweetest daughter a woman could ask for. She was just tired and stressed. Leading the X-Men, being a mother, and working a late job were draining her energy, which was to say nothing of her more personal struggles.

Finally crossing into her apartment, Rebecca removed the elastic keeping her hair bound in a ponytail, releasing the waves of copper so they could fall over her shoulders. She looked around the cozy two-bedroom apartment, standing in the small living area that seamlessly became their smaller kitchen. Mirrors of different shapes and designs were positioned on the walls throughout the space, not for the sake of vanity or artistic vision, but practicality. The narrow hallway leading out of the living room had four doors: two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a closet.

The bathroom sounded like a wonderful idea to Rebecca, who could still smell the scents of gin and rum clinging to her top, but one thing was more important than her immediate cleanliness. ”Honey?” she called out, before her over-tired brain remembering what time it was. ”Oh!” she whisper-shouted at herself.

Adjusting the volume of her accented voice, she asked, in no direction in particular, ”Astrid didn’t stay up waiting for me to get home, did she?” Until she heard (one of) the familiar voice(s) of her spouse, it was always tough to figure out which reflective surface they would make their first appearance in.

From the other side of the mirrorworld, the entire apartment looked like one giant mosaic of windows of different shapes and sizes. Becca had been spending a lot of money on mirrors (as well as scavenging quite a few of them from various places, and getting them as gifts from friends who were in the know), just to create the illusion that she and her spouse did not live in two different worlds.

>>”Honey?”

Jesse woke up from dozing off with a jolt, and peered around the hallway corner via a mirror set on the kitchen wall. Today, she was female, with a thick, jet black braid and olive skin, taller than Becca - not that it mattered with her looking through glass. She put a slender finger to her lips as Becca called for her, signaling that there was someone asleep in the apartment.

>>”Oh!... Astrid didn’t stay up waiting for me to get home, did she?”

Jesse shook her head. "No, she passed out eventually." she chuckled, moving closer into another mirror "Hello there, lovely. Long night?"

Of course, Jesse could have followed Becca to work. There were enough surfaces at the bar to do so, and she had done it before occasionally. But her wife worked there, and Mirage felt like she was intruding when she stood around doing nothing. It made her feel bad about not contributing to the family. So she stayed at home, watched the kid, and... well, that was pretty much it.

Becca looked tired. Gorgeous as usual, tank top and cutoffs and all - but also tired. Jesse put a hand to the glass, wishing she could hold her.

Rebecca remembered one night when her and Jesse were still dating, and her future spouse-to-be asked if she had a preference for how the shapeshifter appeared. Given the nature of their mutation, Jesse had no “default setting,” and no appearance they seemed to identify with more than another. It was a sweet gesture to give her the pick of what her “ideal Jesse” might look like.

The X-Leader gave the question some thought, but in the end, let Jesse know that in her eyes, there was no “default Jesse,” at that was part of the fun. Variety was the spice of life, and every day she came home, she could return to a different face with the same loving look in his or her eyes. That was what made Jesse beautiful.

She turned in the direction of her wife’s voice and smiled warmly at the olive face greeting her. Astrid was indeed asleep, and while she missed being able to say goodnight to her daughter, it was nice to know she was catching rest of her own and Rebecca could have some time to share with the woman she loved.

Jesse came closer, and when she called Rebecca “lovely,” the cynical woman’s heart warmed and she could feel a tingling across her skin, sending goosebumps. Something about the way she spoke still felt like the way her lover’s arms used to wrap around her after a long day of work, releasing the stress of the day from her body.

It was comforting, even if it was not perfect. She did not like to talk about the things that were not perfect. It was more important to focus on the good.

She could still whine and complain to the supportive ear of her partner, and that was good. ”Another shift on my feet all night covering for one of the girls, pouring drinks for regulars and college kids, one of whom spilled a cocktail on me, while patrons of all ages kept checking out my chest.” Rebecca covered her mouth to stifle an exhausted yawn. ”Another perfect night,” she half-joked. For all her complaints, bartending could occasionally lead to surprisingly enjoyable conversations and stories, and when no one was playing with the jukebox, she could dominate the bar with her tastes for hours at a time.

Finally looking to take a moment to relax her body after a night of being on her toes, Rebecca winced when she realized how much tension she was carrying around her neck. Using her thumb and the tips of her fingers, she did her best to kneed the spot where her shoulder and neck met. ”I didn’t realize how sore I was though. I’d kill for a massage,” she said off-handedly, before turning to face the braid-adorned woman on the other side of the mirror.

She felt guilt immediately. It was just a comment that slipped out, but Rebecca felt like she was unintentionally reminding Jesse of the times when she would work through all the knots and all the tension she brought home with her before the redhead would reciprocate. It was a sweet gesture they both remembered fondly, and one that was off the table. Once again, the types of things she would rather not talk about.

Looking to change the subject before it could stick, she followed up with a chuckle and revised her desire. ”Though really, I’m sure a hot shower is exactly what I need right now.” Smooth, Rebecca. Wife of the Year material right here.

>> ”Another shift on my feet all night covering for one of the girls, pouring drinks for regulars and college kids, one of whom spilled a cocktail on me, while patrons of all ages kept checking out my chest. Another perfect night,”

Jesse snickered at her wife's report on her work day. Bartending sometimes resulted in hilarious stories, and sometimes in stories that she should not have been laughing about, but found amusing anyway. She knew that the club meant a lot to Becca, even when she had to get her own hands dirty and help out at the bar for the night.

"Checking out your chest? You don't say." she smirked, making an exaggerated show of checking out her wife's chest. It really was nice to look at.

>>”I didn’t realize how sore I was though. I’d kill for a massage,”

Jesse's smile wavered at the comment. She knew that Becca probably meant nothing by it at all - it was just one of those things that slipped out, after having spent two years divided by glass, but it stung anyway. Jesse would have given anything to be able to hold her wife again. Standing in the mirror with her hand on the glass, she pressed, just a little. It was something she did regularly, almost without thinking about it. It was a check. Maybe today would be the day... maybe.

Becca realized her mistake, and made an attempt to turn the conversation around.

>>”Though really, I’m sure a hot shower is exactly what I need right now.”

"Can I watch?" Jesse inquired with an enthusiastic grin. It was mostly a joke, since bathroom mirrors tended to fog up pretty fast, but that did not stop her from being flirty.

For all her complaining, Rebecca put a lot of time and effort into The Rock Bottom Pub. It paid the bills, and it was something that was hers, even if it was just a hole-in-the-wall dive bar. They did good enough business to keep the doors open and keep herself and Astrid from starving. Before Rebecca took over, rebranded, and hired on new (semi-competent) blood, “The Cove” was a losing proposition. Rebecca owned the identity of a dive bar, and her regulars loved it because it was their dive bar and it was not trying to be something it was not.

Jesse was the one who supported her through the growing pains of taking over a failing bar and making it survive. At times the support was financial, when profits were thin to non-existent, and at all times emotional. When Rebecca was stressed out, Jesse was always her rock.

Maybe that was why she felt so insufficient as a partner. Jesse always seemed to say the right thing, which had never been Rebecca’s forte. Jesse was patient with her, and patience was not one of her strongest virtues. She did, however, excel at spotting small details, like the faltering of Jesse’s smile on the other side of the mirror. This was hard enough on the both of them, and the last thing she wanted to do was make the person she loved feel guilty about something they had no power over.

She was thankful for the good humor of her partner. It helped when she was discouraged to hear her wife’s joking voice teasing her about her chest, or making the requests only she could get away with. ”Of course. Far be it for me to stop you from ogling what’s yours,” she answered with a grin to match Jesse’s own.

Knowing Astrid was asleep, Rebecca pulled the tank top over her head while they were still in the living room. Under normal circumstances she would be more cautious, but her marriage was no longer a normal circumstance. Maybe she wanted to push the envelope and remind Jesse she still wanted to put in the effort to be romantic through it all. She tossed the discarded piece of clothing on the couch, leaving her in a black lace push-up bra (because she was not dumb enough to shy away from tips from perverts,) as her long legs took strides to the washroom.

Her walk through the hallway passed at least three mirrors, so she made sure to shimmy out of her cut-offs, putting on a little show for her wife as she got to the door. ”Please join me?” She would brush away the condensation and fog from the glass as many times as she needed to; the stupid mirror world could not take away something as necessary as showering with her lover.

Rebecca took her up on the joke, and Jesse was grateful for it. The awkward moment still lingered, but there was an unspoken agreement between the two of them to let it go, and enjoy what they had instead. Which, in her wife's case, was a pair of spectacular boobs that she shamelessly put on display.

>>”Of course. Far be it for me to stop you from ogling what’s yours,”

"I love you, baby" Jesse grinned, flashing white teeth as she followed along down the hallway, slipping from mirror to mirror to give Rebecca appreciative looks. Jesse could look like anything she wanted - skinny, curvy, lanky, with any varying levels of hot or attractive. Rebecca, on the other had, was simply born lucky. That was a whole other thing, worth of appreciation. She did not need shapeshifting to look her best. Jesse twirled her brain around her fingers as she leaned against the frame of one of the mirrors, catching her wife's seductive look from the bathroom door.

>>”Please join me?”

"I like it when you say please..." she said with a deep chuckle, and slipped into the bathroom mirror, the door closing behind them.

FTB

The redheaded bombshell did her best to put on a show for her wife over the course of an enjoyable, steamy shower. Jesse knew the limitations and Rebecca had to be conscious enough to wipe away the steam gathering on the mirror as often as possible. By the end of the shower, there was a distinct handprint she left behind in the corner of the mirror.

She missed truly sharing a shower with Jesse; in the earliest days of Jesse being trapped in the mirror world, it was one of the harder things for Rebecca to adjust to. Showering was such a versatile part of a young couple’s life. After long days, it was a way to wash away weariness, enjoy spending extra time in the waters in flirtatious or sexy pursuits, or even just feel the comfort of someone who loved her getting the spots on her back that were hard to reach with soap. She still remembered being in denial early on, certain that given time, they were going to figure out a way for Jesse to get free from her mirror prison. Nowadays, hope was in short supply, and Rebecca was going to make due with whatever form of “showering with her lover” she still had left.

It became easier over time, and leaving the shower, Rebecca did feel better than when she returned home. The hot water had loosened up her tired muscles, and there was something revitalizing about seeing the reminder in Jesse’s eyes that she still found Rebecca desirable and sexy. It was an undeniable fear that after enough time knowing they would never touch each other again, Jesse’s disinterest in her wife might grow.

But that had been far too many negative thoughts for a nice night of winding down with her spouse. Rebecca emerged from the bathroom along with a cloud of steam, with a large fluffy towel cinched around her chest and a second towel wrapped atop her head, cocooning her hair. Her fingertips lightly dragged along the surfaces of mirrors, knowing Jesse was following her out, until they made it to their room.

Once inside, Rebecca sauntered over to her dresser, glancing at herself in one of the mirrors not occupied by her wife. ”Hey luv,” she asked curiously, looking at her freckled back, ”Do you think I could use another tattoo?” Rebecca was not lacking for ink, and in her financial situation, more body art might not be the most prudent purchase, but she enjoyed the sensation of putting thought on the canvas of her skin, even if some of her tattoos were silly or impulsive. She used to be considered humorous once, after all. ”I still have all this unclaimed skin, after all,” she teased, undoing the knot and letting her towel slip off her body into a fuzzy puddle on the ground. Sure, Jesse had spent their time in the shower seeing Rebecca’s bare form more… actively than this, but with the fog, it must have been like watching her in low definition.

Plus, she was self-admittedly pretty hot, and did not need a reason to show off for Jesse.

The shower had been steamy in more ways than one. Rebecca probably needed it after the long shift at work to loosen her muscles, and wash the scent of alcohol and cigarettes out of her hair... but it was also a private time they shared together, and as limited as their options were, they had learned to make the most of it. Jesse occasionally had to leave when the mirror fogged up too much, but her wife made sure to wipe if off often, so that she could... participate.

They moved on to the bedroom, with less steam but more privacy. The kid, even if she woke up, did not usually wander in there without knocking - she learned better a long time ago. Jesse leaned against the frame of one of the many mirrors inside. Becca looked a lot more relaxed, and... clean.
Jesse missed showers. While trapped in the mirror world, her bodily functions were suspended; she didn't need food or water, and she did not really need to clean herself either. If she aged, she had no indication of it. Aging for a constant shape-shifter was mostly a choice. But damn, she missed some of those things - food, drink (alcohol, she really, really missed alcohol), and hot showers. And her wife. Mostly her wife.

>>”Hey luv. Do you think I could use another tattoo?... I still have all this unclaimed skin, after all,”

Rebecca liked her tattoos. For her, they were an artistic choice... a form of expression. And she rocked them, for all intents and purposes, like she rocked everything else. Jesse looked over her with an appreciative smirk. "I can definitely see it" she nodded finally "Do you have a pattern in mind?..."

Jesse was the perfect supportive spouse; they were not going to tell Rebecca that every idea she had was a great one, and that was good. When Rebecca wanted something, she was good at finding ways to make it happen at any cost (with the one notable tragic exception,) which was a dangerous trait. She relied on her partner to ground her when she needed it, keeping her from going too far. As a leader, she found this presence in her life invaluable.

Still, on a personal level, Jesse was often a proponent toward any idea that could make Rebecca happy, and tattoos did that. When questioned about what she would etch into her skin forever, she had to chuckle because she had not thought that far ahead yet. ”Let’s see…” The redhead looked through her drawers for something to wear, (because having a daughter in the house meant sleeping clothed was always a better idea,) thinking about the many tattoo ideas she had been tossing around in recent months.

There was one design she kept coming back to, but she was conflicted by the idea. Maybe it was finally time to get Jesse’s opinion. ”So… there’s been this idea I’ve had since early in our marriage, but… well…” Rebecca was not one to fumble with her words, but she was unsure of how to properly explain the picture in her head and why it was complicated.

”Maybe I’m just being silly, but… I was thinking about a tattoo for the things that matter to me. Crystal feathers,” she proposed as a symbol for her daughter, before hesitantly moving forward with, ”Specifically as the frame for an ornate hand mirror. I’ve even had it drawn up, but…” She struggled to explain how apprehensive and even resentful of mirrors Rebecca had become at a certain point. When she came up with the design, it seemed like a no-brainer, but now… it was hard not to think it wrong to tattoo on her body the thing that stole away the person she loved most.

>>”Let’s see… So… there’s been this idea I’ve had since early in our marriage, but… well…”

Becca was getting dressed now, which ironically, was just as enticing as she was when she was getting undressed. Jesse gave her an appreciative smirk as she watched, for lack of having anything else to do, from the mirror. Clothes. It was another thing she missed. Sure, the X-uniform was comfortable like a second skin, but man, did it get boring after two years...
She was intrigued by the big reveal. What was the next ink going to be?...

>>”Maybe I’m just being silly, but… I was thinking about a tattoo for the things that matter to me. Crystal feathers... Specifically as the frame for an ornate hand mirror. I’ve even had it drawn up, but…”

"Ooh." Jesse's smile softened as she listened to Becca haltingly explain the idea. It was... very sweet. People tended to get tattoos with names, and symbols, of people they cared for, as a form of commitment... but Becca's idea was both artistic, and spoke volumes about what - or rather, who - she cared about the most. It was touching. Having something on her skin that was a link to Jesse... on skin that she might never again be able to touch. Jesse shook the thought out of her head with a soft chuckle.

"You are a hopeless romantic, baby." she noted "Have you asked your daughter about it?"

Rebecca looked through the options bundled up in her drawer containing a mishmash of undies, pajama bottoms, and tank tops. There were flannel pajama pants and oversized sleep shirts, but the weather was warming up, so she settled on blue cotton shorts and a baby blue tank top; the sleep equivalent of the outfit she just changed out of, essentially.

As she always was when Rebecca needed it, Jesse was sweet, reminding her that she had a romantic streak many people might not have expected from the otherwise cool, jaded woman. ”Don’t tell anyone,” she joked, pretending she cared about her tough reputation. In truth, she would not mind the world knowing she had a heart, even if Combatant might tease her for it. Anything to remind Jesse that she still loved her and saw their marriage as a necessary part of her life.

”I haven’t asked Astrid yet, but I will. I wanted to ask you first incase… you know, it’d be weird,” she mumbled as she approached the mirror her wife was residing in. Her hand pressed against the cool surface of the glass barrier between them. If Rebecca could reach in through the mirror and pull Jesse out, she would give anything to make it happen, but until that day came, she wanted to feel close to the mirrorwalker in any way she could.

”I think I was mad at mirrors,” she admitted, knowing she must sound crazy for holding a grudge against an object, ”but I’m past that now. Mirrors are the one thing that still let me keep you in my life. So if loving you means loving mirrors, then I love mirrors.”

She could feel a stinging in the corner of her eye as she pressed her forehead against the glass. ”And I love you, Jesse. I love you so much.”

>>”I haven’t asked Astrid yet, but I will. I wanted to ask you first incase… you know, it’d be weird,”

Rebecca seemed hesitant about her decision. Jesse tilted her head; she knew it was a very personal gesture, something that united her and the child Becca had been raising, and wrote them both on her skin. She wondered what Astrid would say.
Her wife walked up to the mirror and placed a hand on it. Jesse copied the gesture. There was glass between them, but this was as close as they were going to get, and she took any sign of affection still available to them.

>>”I think I was mad at mirrors. But I’m past that now. Mirrors are the one thing that still let me keep you in my life. So if loving you means loving mirrors, then I love mirrors.”

Jesse sighed, noting the strain in Becca's voice, and the hint of tears in her eyes. She was a better person than Jesse - Jesse hated mirrors, as much as her powers were tied to them. She hated being trapped in them. She hated being behind glass, possibly for the rest of her life. Possibly forever.

She rested her forehead against the glass anyway.

>>”And I love you, Jesse. I love you so much.”

"I love you too." she whispered "I don't know what I would do without you. I really don't."

Astrid's window fell shut behind her with a loud thump. There was no way that both Becca and Jesse would have missed that. She was well and truly screwed. Well, really, she had been screwed the second that she flew back to the apartment building with a live animal. 

The girl knew full well that she wasn't supposed to go out after bedtime. That much was an obvious rule. Don't go flying around New York City after dark alone when there are people kidnapping mutants hanging around. However, there was something about the feeling of being above everything else and, well, free that made her want to ignore the rules that had been put in place for her own safety.

She also knew that bringing a cat home to an apartment that didn't allow pets and two parents who'd already told her that she couldn't have a pet. However, when she saw the scrappy little thing wandering the streets alone, she couldn't very well just leave it there.

It had been alone in an alleyway, devoid of tags or identification, and very clearly malnourished. Beneath the dirt and matted fur, there was a female brown tabby with bright green eyes. Astrid had coaxed it toward her with the cheese string that she'd had in her jacket and then plucked it right up. At first, the cat had been scared, but with some cheese and gentle petting, Astrid had won it over. They were cut from the same cloth; abandoned and then found by someone willing to give them the love they needed.

So, Astrid had high hopes as she jumped down from her bed that late night. Her adopted mother, Rebecca, had a soft spot for strays. Everyone knew that. Maybe, just maybe, if she tugged on her heartstrings enough, then she could get her to agree to let her keep the animal. If not, then Astrid would be making a scene. Either way, there was no way that the critter was going back out on the streets with her around.

"Shh," Astrid whispered soothingly, trying to get the cat to stop wriggling in her arms. She stepped out of her room and down the hall, holding her breath until the proper time.

As soon as she'd reached the room that had previously occupied both of her parents, but at that point only held one, she opened the door. Normally, she would have knocked, but she was too excited to bother. "Mom...s! Look!" She added the s on the end as she remembered what form Jesse had taken that morning.

She held the cat out for the two woman to take a look at. It was a filthy, wriggling, skinny little thing, but there was no denying that it was very cute. Astrid licked her lips and began to the spiel that she'd been rehearsing in her head for her entire fly home. 

"I know, I know, I am not supposed to be going outside after nighttime, but I found this cat! And she's so cute! I named her Bijou because her eyes look like green jewels and I want to keep her," she finished. Her blue eyes were wide as she glanced at the two women who had the power to decide the fate of her new friend.

Some nights were easier than others. There were nights when Rebecca and Jesse had it in them to make jokes about their situation, looking for the light in a terribly dark situation. Sometimes, they could just talk for hours like they did when they started dating, and nothing would feel out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, some nights her body and soul longed to just feel Jesse holding her again. Those were the toughest nights, and she took solace in the little things. She might not ever touch her spouse again, but she still had Jesse there for her, physically as close as the universe would allow, reminding her she loved her. Things could always be worse than this.

Another one of those “little things” made herself known to the house with a slamming window. (To be fair, it was hard to call Astrid a “little thing;” after her last growth spurt, the teenager now stood at least three inches taller than her mother.) The sudden sound caused Rebecca to jump for a moment, pushed by her training to assume any unexpected violent noise as a threat. When she realized where the thud came from, Rebecca smirked and used her palm to wipe the water from the corners of her eyes.

It was easy to assume that her free-spirited daughter had just returned from a flight, and while Rebecca encouraged Astrid to express herself, there was a reason these unattended flights were against the rules. Astrid knew it, too; even with this particular rule broken, Astrid was a sweet, obedient daughter, and now that she knew she was busted, it was only a matter of time before…

A lovely girl opened the door and excitedly entered the room, followed by her large, crystalline wings. Rebecca was right to prioritize putting on clothes, because sometimes, Astrid had too much pep in her step to knock and wait for permission to enter. She called out to herself and, after a moment of mental clarification, Jesse, which made Rebecca smile. Naturally, it took some time before Astrid felt comfortable calling Jesse her mother or father, but hearing it now reminded Rebecca that she had built a true family for herself. This was why it was so hard to chastise her daughter when she broke rules; Astrid got the kind of leniency no one else did because she was truly one of the lights in her life. Her little angel.

Who had a little kitten in her arms. Once again, Rebecca was trying to put herself in mother mode, but she was conflicted. Despite her tough outer exterior, Rebecca had her weaknesses, and now she was confronted by two of them: Astrid and cats.

And her daughter, of course, was clever enough to have a clearly rehearsed plea that packaged an apology for breaking rules with a request to keep her newfound pet. Rebecca looked sternly at her daughter through mismatched eyes, (or tried to anyway,) before her face cracked into a smile and she sighed heavily. ”Astrid, I swear, some days I think you’re just trying to see how much you can get away with.” Answer: a lot. Too much. ”Get over here.”

Rebecca examined the cat cradled in her daughter’s arms. It was cute, as Astrid attested, but it was a frail, dirty thing that did not strike her as the type of animal that would survive on the streets of New York. She could feel the sympathy for the cat swelling in her heart, because yes, Rebecca had a soft spot for strays. ”Poor thing…” she muttered quietly to herself. To be honest, their apartment would have already had a cat wandering and clawing furniture, if not for… ”Honey… you know our apartment doesn’t allow…”

She wanted to be rational, but a helpless cat and a young French teenager were both looking at her, their eyes begging for approval. Rebecca, now the helpless one, pressed her temples with her fingers and resigned herself when she thought of one option worth exploring. ”Jesse, babe… do you think we could get away with keeping a cat at the base?” Sure, bringing a cat into the building might have been against the rules, but so was harboring and operating a team of vigilantes out of the offices.

Rebecca, for all her talk, was a total softie. Agnes would give her so much grief.

Their moment was broken when the sound of a shutting window came from another part of the house. That usually meant one thing: Their daughter had snuck out again to fly around. Teenagers. Jesse could not really blame her; most teens liked to test their wings, and in Astrid's case, those things were literal, not figurative.

>>"Mom...s! Look!"

"Hey kiddo." Jesse chuckled, knowing whatever got the girl so excited was going to be fun "What you got there?"

The new-found treasure turned out to be a very scrawny stray cat. Jesse tried to bite back a laugh, as she would have wagered money on the thing being a stray animal. Astrid got that fascination from her mother, who was a lot more tender-hearted than she usually let on.

>>"I know, I know, I am not supposed to be going outside after nighttime, but I found this cat! And she's so cute! I named her Bijou because her eyes look like green jewels and I want to keep her,"

>>”Astrid, I swear, some days I think you’re just trying to see how much you can get away with. Get over here.”

"She does look cute." Jesse noted unhelpfully, the corner of her mouth twitching as she tried to remain serious. She knew the moment Becca looked at the animal, she would be lost. Her wife had a thing for stays. Jesse would know - she had been one of them.
She was probably less flea-ridden than the cat, though, even back in the day...

>>”Poor thing… Honey… you know our apartment doesn’t allow…"

No, it didn't. But that never stopped a kid from wanting a pet before, did it. Jesse watched the wheels turn in Becca's mind. She knew what was coming next; she knew her wife well enough.

>>"Jesse, babe… do you think we could get away with keeping a cat at the base?”

"Well, people get away with doing a lot of things at the base." Jesse deadpanned, managing to keep a completely serious face as she made the comment.