Like a lot of things, it's Sara's fault

Sara clung tightly onto the rope as she descended, only releasing it as she got close, to land on bent knees beside her girlfriend, Nyssa al Ghul. She looked around, whistling appreciatively.

“This it, huh?” Sara said.

“It is, Ta-er al-Sahfer,” Nyssa said. Sara’s League-name rolled off her tongue with ease.

Nanda Parbat was set into a cliffside, a myriad narrow, spiralling corridors linking up within the mountain. There was only one entrance, for the sake of security, though there were a number of nearby, connected areas set into the sides of the cliff.

This was one. Or rather, this was under one. If one was brave enough to climb down the sheer face of the cliff, then beneath the outcropping was a quiet, natural spring. It seemed like most people didn’t know it was there.

Sara had asked if Nyssa knew of any places like this. The desert heat could be overwhelming, particularly for someone relatively new to it. Sara had been with the League for some years now but it was still not her usual. Nyssa herself had found the spring in her youth, while training herself and exploring the cliffside, stumbling into the little gap entirely by accident.

The spring was a good, quiet place to cool off. There were facilities in Nanda Parbat and connected areas, but none so private.

Even so, Nyssa’s eyebrows rose when Sara started to pull off her top.

“Sara?” Nyssa said.

“Yeah?” Sara said. Her pants were already around her knees. “Tell you what. You introduced me to all the League fighting stuff, let me return the favour, have a little tradition from where I’m from.”

“Which is…”

“Skinny dipping,” Sara said, kicking her costume aside before diving into the spring. “I don’t feel like trudging back in wet clothes, do you?”

Nyssa hesitated. She watched the blonde kick out into the still water, sending ripples out, unbothered while it was just the two of them.

Sara had always been less… conservative than much of the League. It was one of the things Nyssa loved about her. And, true, a student of the League was expected to let nothing bother them, whether that be pain or nudity, but things were never so clear.

As Heir to the Demon, Nyssa especially was expected to fill her role perfectly. Still, she’d always been a little uncomfortable with nudity outside of her chambers. Then again this spring was quiet, out of the way, what was there to fear?

Nyssa stepped out of her assassin’s clothes, leaving them near the edge of the spring. She dipped a bare foot into the water, slowly, then stepped in. The water came up to her breasts as she sat there, and Sara swam up.

“See?” Sara said. She leant in to kiss her. “Fun.”

“It’s… unusual,” Nyssa said.

“Chill,” Sara said.

She moved until she was standing again, in front of Nyssa. She leant in, the warmth of her body suddenly very noticeable as she pressed it to Nyssa’s, giving her a fuller kiss. A pale leg slipped between Nyssa’s darker thighs.

“Knew I’d make you loosen up,” Sara said. “Come on in. Swim.”

“I sense you may have an ulterior motive,” Nyssa said.

Sara smirked. She took a teasing step back, Nyssa’s fingertips trailing along the sides of her hips as she moved away. Slowly, Sara laid back onto her back, floating away into the deeper center of the spring.

After a second, Nyssa swam after her. She took a deep breath and submerged herself. A moment later and there was sudden splashing as Sara righted herself, treading water. Nyssa surfaced.

“I’m not sure if I’ve been a good influence on you, or a terrible one,” Sara said.

“I’m sure my father would say a bad influence,” Nyssa said.

Sara made a face. “Can we not talk about him just now?”

Nyssa smiled back, and leant in to kiss her again.

The two played in the water for some hours more, sometimes relaxing, sometimes going for activities that required rather more exertion, their clothes left almost forgotten up by the side of the pool.

Eventually, Sara pulled herself away. Nyssa stayed floating absently for a last few moments. As strict as she could often be, she knew more than most to savor the rare moments of peace.

Sara climbed out of the spring, shaking off droplets of water, ringing out her hair, as she approached the pile of clothes.

It was a little while more before Nyssa started to float towards the edge of the spring, and was greeted by the sight of Sara with an odd look on her face.

“Ta-er al-Sahfer?” Nyssa said. “What is it?”