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H’aanit never tended to feel embarrassed when she expressed ignorance of non-S’warkii traditions and terms. She was always willing to learn, unlike others who dismissed her speech patterns as strange and unworthy of deciphering. She at least took pride in her willingness to understand.
It was strange then, that when Primrose had suggested they go on a ‘date,’ heat flushed the back of her neck. She wasn’t embarrassed per say, but the fact she had to clarify numerous times certainly made her feel hot.
“Thou doth not mean the placement of the sun?”
Primrose’s grin was patient, kindly. “No.”
“Thou meanest… courtship?”
“Yes, my fair huntress.” Primrose wrapped her arms around her neck and leaned into her strong frame. “I would like to court you.”
H’aanit gulped, an insatiable flutter in her stomach materialized. “If thou willest.”
And now she sat across from Primrose and it was like she was quite suddenly ripped from a daydream. Yes, she had prepared this meal herself, caught the venison that very morning, baked the tarts and made the accompanying cream. She was starting to think the many candles might have been too much, but that was her own fault for seeking Cyrus’s advice. H’aanit wasn’t sure where to be looking, every time her eyes drifted to Primrose she felt an unbearable clench in her chest. Primrose was all smiles, even in the relative silence, like she was waiting for something to happen.
“You’ve been staring at your dessert for a while now.” She sighed, though it was deep and she was pouting much too hard for the act to be sincere. Her eyes twinkled in the candlelight, dancing brown and orange hues. “Am I not good enough company?”
“Nay. Quite the contrary, Primrose.” H’aanit said, a shameful dip in her voice.. “Thou art delightful, I just findeth it quite unbelievable thou wouldst choosen me for…” She stalled, the word tightened in her throat and refused to come out.
“Courtship?” Primrose supplied.
H’aanit nodded. “Aye, courtship.”
Primrose placed her hand on the table, palm up and wriggled her fingers expectantly. H’aanit blinked, forgetting what it meant for a moment before a little ‘o’ formed on her mouth. She put her hand on Primrose’s. Sometimes she hardly recognised her own hands without her gloves. It seemed they never stopped working. Shoot an arrow, skin a hare, thread the fur, cook the meat. But with Primrose, she could relax, let the gloves fall off.
“H’aanit, how could I not choose you?.” The dancer’s fingers traced the skin where her palm met her wrist. H’aanit noted the blush tinting her cheeks as she felt her own face burn at the confession. “After all we’ve been through, how could it not be you?”
H’aanit managed to suppress her flustered impulses to panic and took a steady breath. “I am moved, dear Primrose.” She entwined their fingers together. “Thou has become adept at reading mine heart, thou knowest how I feel for thee.”
Primrose’s canines peeked out in her smile and oh how H’aanit’s heart ached to see that smile for the rest of her days. She watched as Primrose dipped her fork into the tart and scooped up a portion. Elbow on the table, she gestured it towards H’aanit. “Prove it, indulge me.”
H’aanit leaned over and took the sweet dessert into her mouth. Their eyes never left each other, H’aanit thought to squeeze her hand to which Primrose responded in kind. Her lips slid back off the fork and she let the pastry easily fall apart on her tongue. “How is it?” Primrose purred.
H’aanit swallowed. “Delicious.” The intimacy of what just passed seemed to catch up with her, but she didn’t fluster. Her gaze fell to Primrose’s lips and she fancied for a moment playing her at her own game. “As thou muste be.”
Primrose’s jaw dropped ever so slightly, eyes widening before she leaned forward to close the gap between them. H’aanit went still and then relaxed into with barely contained relief. Her kiss was tentative at first, yet grew firmer and more insistent as the seconds passed. H’aanit fell into the moment easily, releasing a pleasant sigh as they remained lip locked. She did indeed taste delicious.
Primrose pulled back first, long lashes opening to reveal loving eyes. “Um…” She tucked her hair behind her ear, uncharacteristically bashful. A smile was blooming on her face. “That was nice.”
“Twas…” H’aanit whispered. “Wouldst thou like to engage in more ‘dates’ in the future?”
Primrose got out of her seat and H’aanit thought for a terrifying moment she meant to walk away before the dancer moved to straddle her. H’aanit instinctively held her hips and pulled her close, thankful. “Let’s finish this one first, then we can have as many more as we like.”
“Very good.” They gazed at each other, no more words were needed as they smiled before wrapping around each other. Tightly, tenderly.