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1.
The first time was when they were packing up for America. Lorraine managed to form an elaborate ruse to fool that American man and the loose ends from the Berlin trip to ensure a nice early retirement. Lorraine promised that once everything was blown over, they'd come back to Paris and Delphine could show her all around the city. Promises that Delphine doubted would be kept, but had no doubt that Lorraine would keep them the best she possibly could. Delphine held onto their luck though, happy that they were together after everything that retched city had put them through.
"Have you ever been to America?" Lorraine asked, a caring tone to her voice. Since Berlin, something in Lorraine seemed to noticeably changed. Delphine noticed more care and something a bit more human to their interactions. However, when all doors began to open again, Lorraine was back to the almost mechanical, closed off killing machine MI6 made her.
"No, but I assume it will be a safe place for us." Delphine said and Lorraine nodded. "You are so tender and careful with me, much like a glassblower and their craft. I assure you I am not nearly as gentle as the glass. If it has to do with Percival, you of all people know of his state."
"That doesn't mean that somebody like Percival isn't out there Delphine." Lorraine said and Delphine frowned before going in for a light kiss which like nearly every other kiss they'd shared since meeting, turned into something much different.
2.
The second time was their first night in America. Lorraine had gotten a house in what seemed to Delphine like a village, but had been referred to as a small town. Lorraine managed to persuade Delphine on the plane into staying inside of the house until she managed to cover her accent. At least well enough to make it seem like she hadn't just fled Europe recently. America seemed to be a bit on edge about communism still and Lorraine assumed that a small, southern area wouldn't be too keen on Europeans, nonetheless ones leaving an area where communism seems to be retracting.
"It is beautiful here." Delphine said and Lorraine smiled at her. "Hold still, I want to get a picture of you."
"Maybe you could be a photographer while you're here?" Lorraine suggested and Delphine snapped a few more photos. "You're good at it and you seem to enjoy taking pictures."
"Perhaps, but I doubt I'll be able to find another subject as fascinating as you without completely falling for it." Delphine said and Lorraine blushed. Delphine took a picture, not thinking she'd be able to get the same reaction from the woman again. "Besides, I was thinking of learning guitar while I allowed myself to lose my accent."
"I don't want it lost, only covered a bit in public." Lorraine argued, moving towards Delphine. "I do think you'd be a wonderful guitar player. I saw a music show on the way from the airport. Perhaps, a gift is in order for such an entertaining plane ride."
"No, I do not want to feel that I owe you anymore." Delphine said and Lorraine grabbed her face and directed it towards her own. "You have given me more than enough."
"I don't do anything so you'll owe me, I do it because I want you to be happy here. I took you from a home you could have gone back to. You still had a chance, but you came with me and let me ruin it." Lorraine said and Delphine took another photo. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"To prove a point." Delphine said and Lorraine raised an eyebrow. "Take a look at these pictures. From the moment you arrived in Berlin, I was taking them. I would've been associated with you no matter what, whoever you kill, they'd question me about. Now look at the pictures from Paris. The ones that we are together in, we are happy in. I can tell you exactly what is happening in each of these and I intend on remembering them forever. We might fade away one day, but at least these pictures will serve as a nice memory of what you gave me."
"Pictures fade too Delphine." Lorraine said and Delphine took a picture of their home.
"But only when we let them." Delphine said and Lorraine rolled her eyes at the girl.
3.
"I love you." Delphine whispered against Lorraine's neck. It seemed a bit early, but Delphine had felt a strong pull towards Lorraine since their first night together. Delphine didn't hide her feelings, often times saying whatever first came to mind behind closed doors. Lorraine, although she'd complain about it, thought Delphine's honestly and impulsiveness was cute. "I do not expect you to reply, so do not worry."
It was then that Lorraine realized that it'd been a few minutes since Delphine confessed her love. Lorraine felt bad, Delphine, probably due to her impulsiveness and honesty, had a tendency to love with everything. It didn't matter how bad of a person Lorraine believed she was, Delphine would without a doubt love her no matter what. It was part of why Lorraine had a stupid instinct to protect Delphine no matter what it cost her. It's why she'd wanted to die when she saw Delphine's nearly dead body on the ground of her apartment.
"What will you do for work here?" Delphine asked and Lorraine wasn't completely sure. She could do quite a bit, but at the same time not have to work ever again. As nice as the thought of spending the rest of her days lounging around with Delphine sounded, she knew that she needed to find a job and keep herself busy. "There is an art school nearby, I'm sure they could use you as a muse."
"I don't think being a muse will pay the bills." Lorraine said and Delphine snuggled in closer to her. "Besides, you have a bit of a bias towards me darling."
"Even if we didn't have this connection, I still would be inspired by you. Your beauty and grace is awe inspiring. Anybody would be lucky to have you as their muse for even a few seconds." Delphine said before capturing Lorraine in a searing kiss. "Je t'aime."
4.
The fourth time Lorraine was compared to something, Delphine wasn't technically there. Delphine had taken a trip to France to meet up with her parents. Lorraine was supposed to fly in a week later, having some work left to do. Lorraine ended up finishing early and had spent the past two days lounging around their little home. Lorraine felt that it was probably safe to find a little place in France and spend the rest of her days with Delphine there, but they'd worked hard on their American life. Besides, she was sure to run into somebody if she moved back to Europe.
As Lorraine cleaned up their apartment before packing, she noticed little papers strewn all over the desk in their spare room. She looked through a few of them before realizing that they were Delphine's. It was poetry, each one seemingly about a lover. There were a few that were obviously (hopefully) not about her and many that were. The ones that were about her talked of a woman with hair and skin so fair like the ghost that seemed to leave touches in her dreams. There were lines about her radiating that left a blush on Lorraine's face, a feeling in the pit of her stomach making her want to immediately fly to France.
5.
"Mon amor pour toi est comme une chanson, tougours dans ma tete et sur le bout de ma langue, en attendant de m'epancher." Delphine said, leaning closer to Lorraine before capturing her lips is a searing kiss. "Je t'aime."
"I love you too." Lorraine said, feeling the words come out of her mouth without thought. Delphine beamed and Lorraine blushed, the French girl quirking an eyebrow before giggling and kissing her cheek.
+1.
Over the course of a year, Lorraine grew fond of America. Delphine had begun to make wonderful music and didn't show many signs of unhappiness most of the time. She had even thought of perhaps raising a family here now that she was certain that nobody would be coming after her in an attempt to tie up any loose ends. Delphine had managed to get checks from the French government, which Lorraine didn't argue against since she had spent the first six months of their time in America gathering money from unreliable sources. And then the next six months were spent getting rid of any trace those sources or herself may have left behind.
So, now that she was a free woman, she found herself standing outside of a cafe. Delphine had her first show here and Lorraine had heard her practice in the early hours of the morning, but never the whole song. She opened the door and sat down, ordering herself a coffee. She'd sat there for a little over five minutes before Delphine walked onto their mockery of a stage with a guitar and began to strum familiar chords. Delphine's music was raw and angry, but soft and sad while maintaining trace amounts of happiness.
Lorraine realized that this was what Delphine was supposed to do. Delphine seemed to be in her element up on the stage. When she ended, there was a small applause from the inhabitants of the cafe. Lorraine waited outside of Delphine, wrapping her arm around the smaller woman as they walked down the street. That night, Lorraine saw Delphine in a different light, no longer something that might break and must be handled with the gentlest touch, but rather all of the love that she hadn't known had been held back within herself.