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They have the weekend off from everything: no classes, no quest, no obligations. Their friends are off in various places without plans to be back any time soon, and Julia insists they take advantage of the empty schedule and empty apartment.
"Let's have a girls' day," she says, standing in the doorway of Kady's room. "Have some drinks, put on a few records, just unwind." She smiles, and Kady knows she's in trouble.
They're not a them, not really, not officially. But there's been a hint of something between them for ages, and now that things are slightly less cataclysmic, Kady feels it growing in their lingering touches and low laughs — something building, something coming. Something she wants.
So of course she says yes.
They're most of the way through their second bottle of wine when Julia decides it's time to dance.
Ella Fitzgerald's voice and Louis Armstrong's trumpet are pouring sultry and sweet out of the speakers that are wirelessly (or maybe magically, she's never bothered to check) connected to the record player in the living room as Julia moves in slow circles, swaying her hips.
"Dance with me," she says, moving over to where Kady has been watching her from the sofa. She takes the wine glass out of Kady's hand and finishes off the last few sips before setting it down with a clink on the glass coffee table.
Kady rolls her eyes but lets herself be pulled to the middle of the room. "I don't know how to dance to this," she says with a laugh, but Julia shushes her.
"I'll show you," she says, pulling Kady to her and winding her arms around her neck. Kady slides her hands down Julia's sides to rest on her hips, swaying gently and letting the little space between the grow smaller.
"Stars fading but I linger on, dear," Ella sings, and Julia smiles up at Kady, her eyes bright in the afternoon sun that's shining in slices across the room. "Still craving your kiss."
Kady can feel her heart rate picking up at the words and at Julia's closeness, but she doesn't feel panicked or even particularly nervous. She just feels warm and alive and extremely present, hyper-aware of every place she and Julia are touching.
"But in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me," Ella finishes. The music stops and the room falls into silence. Julia starts to move away, but Kady hesitates, doesn't want to let her go.
"I'm just going to change the record," Julia tells her. Her voice is quiet but bright, like she's sharing a happy secret. "I'll be right back."
"Promise?" Kady asks, even knowing it's ridiculous. She'll be right there, a few feet away. But she wants to hear her say it anyway.
"I promise." Julia scrunches up her nose. "You're clingy when you're drunk. I like it."
Kady tries not to think too much about what that means. "I'm not drunk. Just… tipsy."
"Well then," Julia says, detouring from the record player to head toward the bar cart. "Let's fix that."
She twists her fingers in a screwing motion and then pops her thumb from under her pointer finger, and the wine bottle in her hand uncorks itself.
Not to be outdone, Kady gently levitates their wine glasses over to her, almost dropping them only once. Julia giggles, a higher laugh than Kady is used to hearing from her, but doesn't say anything.
"What do you want to listen to next?" Julia asks when they've both got full glasses. She bends over to flip through the records, and Kady doesn't even pretend not to admire the view. "Oh, this will work!" She pulls the record from the sleeve and sets it up in the player without showing Kady what it is.
Strings slide and swell, rising and falling, and then Etta James is in her ears and Julia is standing in front of her, holding her hand out. Kady moves to take it.
"My lonely days are over," Julia sings softly, tucking her head under Kady's chin. "And life is like a song."
"At last," Kady sings into Julia's hair, "the skies above are blue."
"You know it," Julia says, smiling up at Kady.
"Sometimes when I was a kid, my mom would drop me off with my aunt for a while. She'd put on old tapes and dance around the kitchen with me standing on her feet."
"Oh, is that how you usually dance? Want to get on my feet?" Julia teases.
"Maybe you should get on mine," Kady offers. "Give you a few more inches."
"But I fit so perfectly," she replies, tucking her head against Kady's shoulder. Kady can feel her warm breath on her neck, and she almost drops her wine glass when she feels Julia's lips just briefly press against her throat. "I feel drunk," Julia says, so close to her skin. She looks up, meeting Kady's eyes. "But I'm not."
"Hmm, you sure about that?" Kady asks, nodding at the now empty wine glasses they're both still holding.
Julia waves her hand and Kady feels a tug on hers. She lets go, and both glasses float safely over to the table. "Yeah." Julia looks up at her again, eyes wide and clear. "I, um. I think it's just you."
Kady laughs, feeling herself blush.
"Can I kiss you?" Julia asks, her voice soft, her hips flush with Kady's.
"Yeah," Kady whispers. Julia raises up on her toes and she dips her head to meet her. They're both smiling into the kiss, and Kady lets out a surprised laugh when Julia nips at her bottom lip.
"I've been wanting to do that," she says, barely pulling away.
"Oh yeah?" Kady asks. "For how long?"
"Hmm," Julia hums. "Probably for about as long as you have." She presses herself back up, bringing their lips together again.
Kady laughs against her mouth and Julia takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss. She tastes like red wine and the mint chocolate chip ice cream they called lunch.
"Well, if you've been waiting that long," she says when Julia pulls back, "you probably shouldn't stop now."
Julia looks radiant, like she's lit from the inside, and Kady has no trouble believing she has a goddess in her arms. She smiles, moving her hand into Kady's hair and bringing her down for another kiss. "Wasn't planning on it."