Life had been so… dull lately.  Not bad, just not exciting.  Nokia had fallen into a boring routine and her body was aching— for a fight, a fuck, something.  She needed some action, and she wasn’t picky with what kind… she was just picky about who.

After street fighting for nearly a decade at this point, she had made a name for herself.  Seeing as she was pretty much a local legend among the area’s fighting community, there was no lack of challengers.  Yet opponents that she considered worthy were few and far between these days.  She had just become too good.  It wasn’t like she had lost the spark.  She still had fight in her; it was still her passion.  Lately, she had a hard time enjoying the empty, easy victories.  Where were the people that would give her a run for her money?  That would make her work for it?  That were worthy of being considered rivals?

In an attempt to occupy herself, Nokia mindlessly scrolled her feed on her phone.  She followed a lot of people who had come through the area and sparred against her over the years.  A flicker of envy and longing grew inside of her as she saw clips of their adventures, pictures of them with other fighting legends, or news of the latest tournaments they participated in.  With a pensive sigh, she tossed the phone down onto the couch and stared at the ceiling.  Perhaps it was time to cast aside the old nine-to-five and take her skills on the road.  She’d considered it before, yet the idea of becoming a world warrior was intimidating.  It was something she had often dreamed of, but never entertained.  Sure, she was good, but was she that good?  Good enough to make a living out of it?

Before she could dwell on this too long, her buzzing phone tore her from her thoughts.  She grabbed the device and sat straight up upon seeing a new message from the answer to her woes.  Mr. Turbulent Wind himself… Rashid!

Oh, Rashid…  What a man!  She admired him in more ways than one.  He was the very definition of a total package— easily one of the best fighters she’d ever faced, as well as one of the best friends she’d ever known…  Not to mention the best lover as well.  He lived the very life that she was just contemplating.  It seemed like he was in a different country every week, honing his skills with fighters from all over.  She couldn’t decide whether fate was cruel or kind since he of all people hit her up while she was facing such an internal quandary.  She quickly unlocked the screen to read what he had to say.

“Guess who’s in the area! 😜 dtf? ✊😏”

Her entire face lit up.  It had been a while since the last time she saw him.  She kept up with him on social media, still chatted on a regular basis, but it had been far too long since she last had the pleasure of hanging around him in person.  Donning a smirk, she replied to the message.

“down to fight?  orrrr…?”

Nokia laughed to herself as she sent the message.  She knew what he meant, but she couldn’t resist asking.  It had become sort of an inside joke between the two of them, dating back to their very first encounter.  Right as she was mentally preparing herself to pull away from the couch to get ready, another message came through.

“Why dont you meet me at our spot and find out? 😉”

She wasn’t sure how it was possible, but her smile grew brighter.

“i can be there in about an hour.”

“Perfect!  See you then!”

The place where the two of them met up to fight was only a few minutes away from where she stayed, but before she left, she wanted to make sure she looked her best.  She quickly rose to her feet and rushed to the bathroom to freshen up.  It may have been silly to put on makeup and get all dolled up just to get down and dirty, but she didn’t care.  When it came to Rashid, it was so worth it.  Fighting was pretty much foreplay between them anyway. 

In about 45 minutes, Nokia was all dressed in her best fighting attire and ready to rumble.  After leaving her apartment, she walked to her destination with a pep in her step, feeling more energized than she had felt in months.  She thought about sending a message out to the local street fighters group chat, because she was certain her friends and fans alike would love to see her face off against him again.  Between their combined power and showmanship, her matchups against Rashid were always crowd-pleasers, but she decided against it.  Not only was it a bit short notice, she also didn’t want to postpone things any longer than she had already.

It wasn’t long before she snuck into the old abandoned mall.  She stepped through the debris and litter until she reached the clearing where the food court used to be.  Rays of the sun beamed through the weathered glass windows above onto the area, casting a natural spotlight on the man himself.  After a nudge from his servant, he turned in her direction and eagerly called her name.

“Rashid!” Nokia exclaimed in return before dashing in his direction.  Before she even knew what she was doing, she practically tackled him with a hug.  He met her embrace by wrapping his arms around her in return and spinning her around.

“So nice to see you again, my friend!” he said.  He gave her a tight squeeze before letting her down.  When she was back on her feet, she turned to the man accompanying him.

“Azam!  Hope you’ve been keeping him out of trouble,” she said, causing him to chuckle.

“Doing my best,” he replied with a warm smile.  “Though, when it comes to you, I fear that is an impossible task, Miss Nicola.”

“Hey!  We don’t get into that much trouble!” Rashid said in mock-defense.  The other man shook his head in amusement.

Nokia took a moment to drink her opponent in, appreciating his attire.  It was more of a causal look than he wore in the past, complete with an open top that showed off his chest and abs.

“Wow,” she said, perhaps a bit more breathlessly than she intended.  She pried her gaze away from his body to look into his eyes.  “You look great!”

Rashid rubbed his neck with a bashful laugh.

“You’re always too kind,” he said.  “And you… Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?  You’re looking fantastic as well!  I almost hate to have to rough you up!”

“I wish I could say the same, but I always thought you look even better after a fight anyway,” she teased with a wink.  She gestured to his bare chest.  “So, you always walk around shirtless these days or is this an attempt to distract me?”

This earned a hearty chuckle from him, which was paired with the most adorable blush.  “Though I’d love to flatter you, I assure you, it’s no underhanded trick.  I’m just dressed for the occasion.  It’s hot out here!”

“I know, I know.  Just teasing you.”  After a playful bump of her hip against him, she looked around.  It seemed that the two of them had the same idea, considering there was no crowd.  “No spectators this time?”

“Nah, it was kind of a spur of the moment matchup,” he said.  “You don’t mind an intimate affair, do you?”

The way he worded this made her grin wide.  “Of course not.  Ready to get it on?”

“Absolutely!” he said as he stepped into position.  “I’ve waited a long time for this rematch, Nokia!”

She stepped back and got into her own fighting pose while donning a grin.

“Remind me, Rashid…  Which one of us won last time?”

“Hey, who’s keeping score?”

Her expression fell flat in mock annoyance, causing him to laugh.

“Okay, okay.  It was you, but don’t forget that I won the time before that!” said Rashid.  “And I’ve been training hard since the last time we sparred, so don’t expect to win this time.”

“Well, feel free to show me what you’ve got!” she replied.  “Are we thinking best two out of three?”

“You’ve got it! Azam?”

His servant stepped forward at the sound of his name.

“Yes, young master?”

“Mind being the ref here?” he asked.

Azam responded with an affirmative nod.  He stepped back, and once he determined that both fighters were ready, he began counting down.

“Three…”

Rashid hopped back and forth, ready to strike at the end of the count, while Nokia calmly channeled her energy as she took her position.

“Two…”

Nokia’s eyes, darkened with determination and desire, locked with Rashid’s.  He met her gaze with a smoldering one of his own, and he couldn’t suppress the grin that cracked on his face. 

“One…”

Anticipation hung heavy in the stale air of the abandoned food court, with the beating of their hearts nearly drowning out the echo of Azam’s voice.

“Fight!”

Nokia was the first to lunge forward, quickly taking the offensive as she aimed a flurry of strikes in Rashid’s direction.  Each hit was precise and calculated, but so were Rashid’s blocks.  He made a display of his agility, deftly dodging and countering each attack from her.  With a sweeping kick, the tide was turned and Nokia was left blocking an onslaught of spinning kicks.  She managed to stop this with a well-timed fist to Rashid’s side.  Her knuckles hit his toned muscles with a satisfying thud, causing him to grunt and stumble back briefly.  This split second of disorientation granted her a chance to grapple him to the ground.  The sudden force was enough to stun and knock the wind out of him, securing her the first round.

Rashid did not remain down for long after Azam called the round.  He was soon back on his feet, shaking off the loss with a smile bigger than before and enough adrenaline pumping through his veins to carry him onward.  The next round was no less exciting, with Rashid using his prior defeat as the fuel necessary to dominate.  Nokia was left on the defensive from the very start, and though she bobbed and weaved through the tempest of kicks, she eventually found herself caught in his Altair.  The whirlwind sent her to the ground, and she skid across the old floor a short distance.  With a groan, she laid in place to recompose herself and the round was called. 

Nokia pushed herself up, feeling the cracked tiles of the court beneath her palms.  Once on her feet again, she brushed herself off, ready to give her all in the final round.  She wasn’t alone, as Rashid was just as determined to finish this fight off strong.  The bout continued, and the opponents moved with a grace and fluidity that made their actions seem more like an intricate dance than a spar.  The two fought in mesmerizing harmony, so evenly matched that they appeared to take turns relinquishing dominance to allow the other a moment to showcase their expertise.  With each having a victory under their belt, neither allowed the other a chance to get the upper hand.  They slowly chipped away at one another as they stored energy.  Seconds before Azam was ready to call time, both parties released said energy, hitting one another with their respective finishing moves.  The collision was surrounded by wind and dust, making it difficult to make out which strike landed first.  This only cleared when both were knocked back from the impact and sent to the ground.

Time stood still in the moments after the double K.O. as both fighters recovered.  Azam was speechless, too impressed by the stunning display of skill and strength to comment on the round.

“Well?” Rashid eventually asked, looking up between puffs of air.  “… Who went down first?”

Nokia propped herself up to look towards Azam with equal curiosity.

“Truly, I could not tell,” Azam admitted.  “It appears to be a draw.”

Rashid let out a heavy sigh of amusement as he fell back against the tile, holding a hand over his chest.  Nokia laughed as well, shaking her head as she managed to get herself up to her feet.

“Nokia, I must say, you’re even more formidable an opponent than I remember,” he said after catching his breath. 

“You’re not too shabby yourself,” she said, offering him a hand.  “You remind me how much fun this can be.”

“Agreed,” he said as she pulled him up.  “No matter how many times we fight, it’s always a blast with you.  I knew I made the right choice by making you my rival.”

“Rival?”

Her voice was laced with surprise as she said this, and the tone wasn’t lost on Rashid.  Once he was on his feet, he looked into her eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Rival,” he repeated.  “Listen, I know we don’t see each other much, but don’t tell me you have some other rival.”  He paused and glanced away, taking his hand off her shoulder to rub his neck.  “I mean, I don’t really consider myself as a jealous guy, but this… might be the exception.”

“No, no,” she assured him.  “I promise, you don’t have to worry about any other rival.  I’m just… flattered you think so highly of me.  I mean, you’ve had to fight hundreds of people at this point.”

“What?  Of course, I do!” said Rashid.  “Hey, listen…  It doesn’t matter how many people I meet around the world.  I always have to return here to see how I fair against you!  And let me say, you never disappoint.”

Pride welled up in Nokia’s chest upon hearing this.  She stole a glance from Azam, who nodded to confirm that what Rashid had said was the truth.

“Thank you.  I’m honored.”

Rashid gave her a smile and a pat on the back.

“Well, it’s getting late,” he said, changing the subject.  “Let’s get out of here while there’s still some light.  The idea of walking through here in the dark kind of gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“Good idea.”

Rashid and Nokia were still too beat from their fight for idle chit-chat.  With Azam being a man of few words, this led to a comfortable lull in the conversation as the three walked through the dilapidated mall.  Rashid walked close to her side, and the proximity led to more than one occasion of their arms brushing.  Each touch, though brief, was enough to send jolts of need through Nokia’s body.  She glanced over at Rashid, catching the way his bare skin glistened with perspiration in the dim light that poured through the cracked windows above.  She tried not to gawk, reminding herself that she needed to pay attention to where she was walking, but it was difficult not to admire the way the late afternoon sun highlighted the contours of his muscular physique.  Though it wasn’t the first time she had seen his body, enough time had passed that the sight of him mesmerized her anew. 

Soon, they stepped out into the open air, a welcome change from the musty atmosphere of the abandoned building.  The summer breeze, though warm, sent a chill down her spine as it blew past her own soaked skin.  The scent of Rashid’s cologne wafted in her direction with this breeze.  The pleasant smell of sandalwood mingled with the salty, earthy scent of the sweat he had worked up.  It was so alluring, borderline intoxicating.  It took everything she had not to bury her face in his chest.

“So, what now?” Rashid asked, holding his hands behind his head as he strolled along. 

Nokia didn’t answer verbally.  The plans she had in mind had no business being spoken aloud.  She opted instead to shoot him a look that he had seen enough times over the years to read without any additional context.  With an amused huff, he shook his head and dropped his arms.

“Of course,” he softly said.  A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, and he cleared his throat.  “Azam, if you, uh, don’t mind, I think I’d like to catch up with my old friend for a while.”

After a beat, the older man replied, “Should I expect you back tonight, young master?”

Rashid looked over at Nokia.  The locking of their eyes confirmed that he had a long night ahead of him.  He smirked and turned back to Azam to shake his head.

“See?” Azam said to Nokia.  “Impossible task.”

Heat rose to Rashid’s cheeks as Nokia giggled behind her hand.

“Don’t worry.  I promise to keep him out of trouble,” she said.  “C’mon, let’s get going.”

She reached for Rashid’s hand and held it, prompting a big, goofy smile to spread across his face.  He waved at Azam as she tugged him along in the opposite direction.

The walk back to Nokia’s apartment was a pleasant one.  Both were grateful to have this time with one another.  Neither was in any rush to get to their destination, so they took the scenic route back.  They strolled side by side with their fingers laced together.  Rashid dominated the conversation, naturally having more to say thanks to all the adventures he had been on.  Nokia listened intently as he caught her up to speed on things that he’d done or seen since they talked last, living vicariously through his words and silently envying him.

“So, what brings you around this time?” she asked when she saw an opening in the conversation.  “On your way to some big tourney that I hadn’t heard about?”

Rashid shook his head.

“Nope, just… felt like stopping by, I guess.  Why?  Do I need a reason to come see you?”

His question was emphasized by a squeeze of her hand, causing her to giggle.

“No…  No, you don’t,” she replied.  A content smile played at the corners of her mouth at the realization that he visited just for the sake of seeing her.  This fuzzy feeling within was soon accompanied by those lingering feelings of longing for that kind of freedom, causing a sigh to fall from her lips.  “Man, you really have it made.”

“Hm?” asked Rashid with a tilt of his head.  “How so?”

“You know, being able to go wherever you want to go, whenever you want to go.  Doing whatever you want to do.  Seeing whoever you want to see.  I bet there’s never a dull moment, huh?”

“Man, I wish that were true,” he replied with a slight chuckle. 

Nokia turned to look at him after hearing the subtle change in his tone.  Rashid’s playful smile had faded to a more serious expression, though there was still a hint of softness on his face.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy this lifestyle.  It certainly beats all the boring nobility mumbo jumbo back home.  But sometimes, I do find myself getting…” he paused, considering his words. “… Restless.”

“Restless?”

A nod was his initial response.  There was another brief moment of silence before he continued.

“That kind of excitement can at times lose its luster when it’s all you know.  At the end of a long day, no matter where I am, I just can’t shake the feeling there’s something missing.  I always find a way to enjoy myself and make the best of any situation, but I can’t deny lately I just kind of feel… unfulfilled.  I lay there and find myself aching for… a constant, I suppose.  Some stability.  Familiarity among the chaos.” 

Nokia was silent as she allowed his words to sink in.  Though she couldn’t quite say she related, she could empathize with him.  The sense of being unfulfilled resonated with her.

After a beat, he smiled and shook his head.  “Well, no, actually… That one part isn’t entirely true.  There’s one place where I don’t feel that way.”

This addition piqued her curiosity.

“Where’s that?”

His eyes flicked over to meet hers again, answering her with only a grin that suggested she already knew the answer.

“Here?” she asked incredulously, causing his grin to grow wider in confirmation.  She scrunched her nose.  This area was nice and all.  It brought in its share of tourists, but it was no dream travel destination by any means.  “Really?  Why?”

Rashid shrugged, turning his attention back to the path ahead.  “Same reason you wish you could go wherever and do whatever, I imagine.  I think it’s just in our nature to yearn for what we don’t have.”

She allowed herself a moment to ponder this statement, then nodded her head.

“Yeah, that’s fair.”

He hummed in response, letting the topic be dropped and replaced with a comfortable silence.  Nokia dwelled on his reasoning.  She mulled over his dilemma while simultaneously thinking back to her own from earlier.  Though the situations varied greatly to the point that they were basically opposites, they weren’t so dissimilar from each other.

Soon enough, they reached her apartment.  She reluctantly let his hand go to unlock the door and invite him inside.  The friendly, easygoing atmosphere shifted the moment the door shut behind them.  Before a word could be uttered, the unspoken tension that had been mounting since the pair reunited earlier heightened and they found themselves in each other’s arms.  Mouths met and melded together.  Tongues glided over one another, coaxing the kiss to deepen.  Nokia’s back pressed against the door, and Rashid’s chest pressed against hers.  His hands came up, cupping her cheeks as he grew more frenzied from the taste of her lips.  The soft strokes of thumbs against her cheeks were a contradiction to the cheeky tug of her bottom lip between his teeth.  The sensation elicited a moan to rise from deep within her chest.  She melted against the surface behind her when he took that same lip between his to gently suck on it.

“Rashid…” she breathed when his lips moved to her neck.  Another moan was choked out as he lavished her nape.  One hand fisted his dark, silky hair that was still slightly damp from their prior engagement.  The other clutched the fabric of his top as if she were holding on for dear life.

“Kia…”

The feel of his lips catching against her skin as he murmured his name for her had her knees weak as heat pooled in her abdomen.  Those same knees buckled upon feeling his swelling arousal grind against her. 

“Please…” she pleaded while his hands dropped to hold her hips.  “Rashid, please…”

“Please what?”

The husky rasp his voice raised goosebumps on her skin, as did the way he followed his question by lightly raking his teeth against the shell of her ear as he whispered to her.  She shuddered and her lips moved without producing a sound.

“C’mon… What do you want?  A little excitement?” he asked.  “A thrill?  Just something to spice things up?”

She bobbed her head, and he pressed his lips behind her ear.

“Because I want you.”  His voice dropped an octave lower, making her whimper.  “I just want to feel you again.  I missed this.  I craved it.”

Nokia’s breath hitched upon hearing this confession.  Her pulse quickened and lips quivered, wanting to speak, but unable to form a response.  He took a deep breath, inhaling her deeply before he continued.

“I mean, I might fight for a living, but I just can’t fight myself when it comes to you.”

The raw tenderness in his voice inspired her.  Her hands found his face, guiding him to look into her eyes. 

“Then don’t,” she said in a hushed whisper.

“Believe me, I won’t,” he responded.  “Why should I?  You’re my constant in this crazy world.”

A smile broke on her face and she pulled him in for another urgent kiss.  Things escalated again before he whisked her around, deftly maneuvering through the apartment while managing to continue their passionate exchange.  They stumbled into her bedroom and onto the bed, collapsing back onto it without disrupting the heated embrace.  The rustling of clothes being removed mingled with the sounds of need and labored breaths to fill the room.  Both sets of hands roamed the other’s body with all the familiarity and reverence only known by longtime lovers as they cast the articles aside.  She reached between their bodies to touch his rigid erection, the tip already beading with desire.  He caught his lip between his teeth and shuddered from the attention.

“K-Kia…” he grunted.

“I got it.”

One hand pumped him while the other reached over and felt around the nightstand drawer for a little square package.  Once located, the packet was ripped open with her teeth before rolled down his length.  No time was wasted after this task had been completed.  Rashid gripped her hips, lifting them slightly to line himself up with her hole and plunge inside.  That initial thrust and the delicious stretch that accompanied him filling her to the hilt earned a wanton moan in response.  She tossed her head back in ecstasy, exposing her neck just in time for him to bury his face in the crook.

“This never… ever gets old,” he panted against her.  “I could do this with you forever.”

Her head bobbed in agreement.

“So could I.”

The two worked up another sweat together.  Their lovemaking was not unlike their sparring.  The steady rhythm and bodies moving in harmony appeared just as coordinated and choreographed as their earlier fight.  The only difference was that the two were rougher with each other in the sheets than they were in the streets.  Nokia clawed at his back as he pounded her.  Rashid nipped at her neck while she tugged his hair.  He fucked her with urgency; each slam of his hips against hers was more deliberate than the last.  The mattress creaked in tandem with his thrusts.  The constant thumping of the headboard against the wall was barely audible over the gratuitous sounds of their union as they chased their mutual impending climax.

Rashid thrust into her with wild abandon, grunting with pleasure from the squeeze of her around his length.  Locking lips with her, he lifted her hips a touch higher.  He made the most of this angle, fucking her harder and deeper all while she clung to him and moaned into his kiss.  This bout did not continue for much longer before both surrendered, succumbing to the white-hot pleasure.  The rough rhythm gradually slowed to a languid roll of hips as they rode out the last waves of their shared orgasm.  Their kiss continued as they wound down, albeit soft and lazy, until they eventually parted to catch their breaths.

The rivals lay together in afterglow, tangled in each other’s embrace and the disheveled sheets of her bed.  Rashid held Nokia close and rested his eyes as he pressed his lips to the top of her head.  A sigh, both wistful and melancholy, was heaved as she settled further into his arms.

“God,” she whispered.  “I wish we could do this all the time…”

“Why can’t we?”

Her brows furrowed, and she twisted her head to look up at him.  His eyes cracked open, and a dreamy expression graced his features.

“Oh, c’mon,” he said softly.  “Don’t look at me like that.  You haven’t decided to save me the trouble and just join me already?”

“Hm…?”

“I mean, pfft…  It’s not like I mind stopping by.  I just figured, y’know, you want adventure.  And me… Well, I want to see you more often.  So, why not?”

She paused, processing what he was saying.  She could hardly believe her ears.

“You’d really let me travel with you?” she asked.

“Let you?  I’m inviting you!” said Rashid.  “Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it!”

“Believe it or not, I was thinking about it the moment I got your text.”

“See?” he said, playfully poking her side.  “If you were waiting for a sign, I’m not sure you’re gonna get one that’s more blatantly obvious than this.”

She laughed, relaxing back against him.

“I dunno…  What if I get out there and realize I’m not in the same league as these people?”

“Are you kidding me?  If you’re good now, imagine how much better you’d be with that much more experience!  You’ll win some, lose some, but it’ll be worth it.  Trust me.  And you won’t have to lurk on my stories, because you’ll be right there!”

“Hey!”  she scoffed.  “I don’t lurk!”

“You so lurk.”

She rolled her eyes and fell silent, though she wasn’t pouting.  She took a moment to consider his offer.  Like he had said, if she needed a sign, she couldn’t ask for one more obvious.  It was everything she’d been craving, and opportunities like this don’t happen often.

“Listen, I don’t need an answer tonight.  And I definitely don’t want you to feel pressured into it,” he said.  His tone was still light, yet more serious than it had been earlier.  “But the offers there if you ever get bored.  Just you, me, and Azam, going wherever the wind takes us.  All-expenses paid.  I could even cover the rent here just so you’d still have somewhere to come back to if you decide you wanna break from it all…  Though I’m sure you’d be earning enough winnings out there to put my wallet to shame.”  He paused to let out a soft laugh, and she joined him.  He kissed her head once more and squeezed her before finishing his thought.  “Just consider it, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, not needing any further convincing.  “If you’re sure you don’t mind me tagging along, I’m in…  I just need a few weeks to make some arrangements, if that’s fine.”

“Really?” he gasped.  She nodded, and he planted a big kiss on her cheek.  “Yes!  That’s perfectly fine!  Take all the time you need!”

She turned around, laying against his chest to bring her mouth to his.  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back in earnest.  His excitement was evident and growing by the second, causing her to giggle against his lips.

“Take it you’re up for round two?”

Nokia could barely get these teasing words out of her mouth before she found herself pinned beneath him once again.

“Is that even a question?” Rashid asked with a wink before descending upon her again.