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Inside Crystal's cold apartment, there was activity abuzz. There was a whiteboard on top of an easel, Crystal barely stifling a snippy comment about it, instead settling for sitting on her office chair as Vick wrote in black sharpie. "Guide 2 Getting Ellie" filled the board in her sloppy handwriting. Below it in a smaller but equally messy handwriting, Vick wrote down 'Part One'.
"Alright," Vick clapped her hands together, "so we need ideas for asking Ellie out, and by we, I mean you."
"Oh, that's right," Crystal had a hint of condescension in her voice, leaning forward on the chair. "I have to ask Ellie out. Mmm. Can we skip that part?"
"How the hell are you expecting this to go?" Vick turned around. "You can't even begin dating someone without someone being asked out."
"Sure, we can," Crystal retorted, waving her hand, shrugging her shoulders. "It'll be better than what you're cooking up, surely."
"Excuuuse me, I am a perfectly good matchmaker, thank you very much," Vick huffed.
"With your failed attempts with Miles, one would think quite the opposite," Crystal observed. "Or did you already realize your subtlety is a little too subtle and you're now telling others to not be subtle and unhappy in their love lives?"
"Well, aren't you unhappy in your love life?" Vick had a face that screamed 'gotcha'.
Crystal clicked her tongue. "Touché, Crow. Touché."
Vick snorted. "Anyway. Moving on! So, any ideas?"
"None here, private."
Vick wrinkled her nose at the other woman but didn't say anything on the matter. "What about a love letter? Or a box of chocolates? I know Ellie loves chocolate... And espresso... OH, A box of espresso chocolates and a love letter would work well!"
"What am I, a hormonal teenager in high school?" Crystal raised her eyebrow.
Vick rolled her eyes and raised her voice, making an impression of Crystal. "Hey Ellie, I'm an emotionally stunted teenager that can't express her feelings like an anime protagonist, and though I won’t tell you, I love you and let's kiss sometime soon."
"Hey, aside from the first part, that's a pretty sound thing to say to her," Crystal mentioned.
"So you don't deny your feelings are like an anime protagonist?" Vick joked as she wrote stuff down on the whiteboard.
"At least anime protagonists don't get denied the ability to be a huge lesbian," Crystal leaned back in her chair.
"Then start acting like you got the green light," Vick says.
"You do the same," Crystal is quick on the uptake.
Vick huffed and wrote 'I'm a big chicken' on the whiteboard, with a little doodle of Mile's pet eagle to accompany it. “By the way, you should’ve told me how cold your apartment was, Jesus!”
“It’s the middle of the snowstorm and one thing you think to wear is shorts? What are you, a suburban dad on a walk?”
“Touché,” Vick huffed, “touché.”
---
Okay, this was dumb and a bit stupid. And nerve-wracking too. Of course, Crystal would never admit the latter part. The words "nervous" and "Crystal" never went together before, so it shouldn't now, right?
Crystal took a breath in. No reason to back down now. Crystal had texted Ellie to swing by the nearby park, which had been Vick's idea, and somehow Ellie agreed to it, despite the snow. Maybe it wouldn’t end up a huge disaster, like that time when she tried baking birthday cakes with Miles*. Maybe, of course. Crystal didn’t hold out much hope for such things.
The day was surprisingly mild, which was perfect for the chocolates and semi-perfect for Crystal, with only the mild inconvenience of needing a jacket on. As Crystal walked up to the duck pond, Ellie was already in view. The other lady was sitting on a bench, feeding the ducks some peas, and a number of them were flocking to her to get their daily fill. Ellie was humming a soft tune to herself when she saw Crystal approaching. “Oh, hey!” Ellie waved a hand that wasn’t feeding the ducks.
Ellie didn’t seem to notice the gift bag in Crystal’s hand, and if she did she didn’t put any mind to it. (Vick said it was a terrible idea, Crystal wholeheartedly disagrees.) Crystal sat by Ellie on the bench, seeing a few ducks look in her direction but ultimately return to Ellie to eat more. “What was it you wanted to talk about?” Ellie asked.
“Uh… Do you feed the ducks here often?” Crystal asked. Yeah, maybe it was a chicken's move, but she honestly didn’t know what to say to Ellie yet, she was still at the beginning stages of trying to figure that out herself. She went the safer route, for now.
“Yeah. I haven’t been able to do so as much recently, mostly due to the New Years, y’know?”
Crystal nodded, “Yeah. I've been busy this year too. How’s your house been since the snowstorm? *”
“We got power back on within two days, thankfully,” Ellie sighed. “Though I haven’t heard from you. How’s your apartment?”
“It came back about that time,” Crystal said. “Something’s funky with the heater though, so it’s pretty cold there still.”
“Oh, that doesn’t sound too good,” Ellie cried, “I heard the temperatures are going to drop to 16 degrees* tonight…" she trailed off.
"Eh, I'll be alright," Crystal waved her hand with nonchalance. "I'll survive. I've called the heating company, so it may get checked out in a day or two."
A moment passed between them. A couple of ducks quack and a few flew back to the pond. There were two geese that were eyeing Ellie, honking and picking at Ellie's hand once she grabbed out more peas. "Do you want to stay at my place for the night?" Ellie said. "Because of the weather, the other two will understand, so don't worry about that."
While not something that happens often, only Ellie can catch Crystal off guard. For a moment, Crystal didn't know what to say. "I… sure." It was incredibly kind of Ellie to do that.
A moment passed and the geese had their fill, flying back like the ducks had to perhaps torment a few people. "Uh, I wanted to give you this, since uh…" Crystal showed her prowess for romantic speeches, as she loosened the gift bag from her shoulder. Ellie looked at the bag curiously.
Inside, there was a heart-shaped chocolate that was a specialty coffee chocolate, a bar of dark chocolate and an entire bag of chocolate coffee beans for Ellie to nosh* on. Ellie's face was stunned for a moment, but in an instant her face lit up. Ellie made a delighted squeal that Crystal had never heard Ellie make before as she took the gift, looking at the present. "Oh my goodness," Ellie murmured as she blushed, "Oh gosh, thank you Crystal."
Crystal felt her heart melt from how cute Ellie looked at that moment. "Oh, it's nothing. I saw it and I thought of you, so I got it."
For a moment, there was a flash of - realization? - on Ellie’s face, but it quickly shook off. Ellie looked at the gifts and cradled them like they were her baby. For all intents and purposes, the gift kind of was. “If I’d known, I would’ve gotten a gift for you as well.”
“No need,” Crystal admitted, “you don’t have to feel indebted to me, y’know?”
“Next time then!” Ellie chuckled, already opening up chocolate covered coffee beans. “You have no idea how badly I’ve been craving these.” Crystal nodded, still trying to cook up what she should say to Ellie. Something cheesily romantic? Something with gusto? Crystal wasn’t one for romance - she was an artist with a love of motorcycles and badassery, not an artsy geek who has a passion for love and can sweep anyone off their feet, and things like this don’t come easy for her. Ellie shoved a fistful of coffee beans in her mouth with the modesty of a hungry seagull in Australia. “Oh, wow! We got way off topic. What did you invite me here to say?”
It was basically a green light, a Segway into saying ‘I love you’ like in those romance movies. Crystal wasn’t a coward, or a big chicken, or anything of the sort, but in this moment, all her boldness went right to… “Oh, that’s all, I just wanted to give you that as a gift!”
Cha cha, real smooth, Crystal.
“Ah- alright!” Ellie smiled, but she looked at Crystal over her glasses, some words unspoken. After a silence, the two decided it was time to head back home. Crystal and Ellie walked back to the entrance of the park, the parking lot unsurprisingly empty aside from Crystal’s motorcycle and Ellie’s truck. “What time will you swing by?” Ellie asked, pulling out her keys from her messenger bag, where she had put her gift. Crystal blinked for a moment - she had forgotten Ellie invited her. “Uh, probably around 8-ish?” She guessed. She doesn’t know when it will snow again or if it will tonight, but it was the best answer she could give as she pulled out her own keys for her motorcycle.
“I’ll see you then,” Ellie smiled as she hopped onto and into her car. Crystal hopped on her bike and hitched up the kickstand, grabbing her helmet and putting it on. She put the key into the ignition, turning it on, but finding it wasn’t roaring to life like usual. She turned it again, but it wasn’t turning over. Crystal huffed in frustration, groaning as she tried once again to get it to turn over, but with no luck. “Fucking hell.”
The side of Ellie’s red truck went past Crystal, but Ellie rolled down the window. “Is it not turning on?”
Crystal took off her helmet. “Nope!” She shouted back.
Ellie turned off the truck and walked out, meeting to join Crystal again, as she tried to turn her motorcycle away. “Jesus Christ,” Crystal moaned, taking out the key and kicking back the kickstand as she dismounted her bike.
Ellie quickly looked over the bike and nodded. “I can tow this easily; I just need to get the motorcycle hitch up.”
“You don’t need to,” Crystal mentions. “I can walk to my house and grab my car.”
Ellie shook her head, “It may get dark after that, which means it might be towed by the city come sunset. Plus, I don’t recall you having a proper hitch or a ramp for it, and you can easily damage yourself or your bike if you don’t have the proper equipment to do it.”
Fucking hell; Crystal loathed when Ellie pulled out the professional voice, but she really couldn’t argue when Ellie was the professional with this. “Argh, alright, what do I owe you?”
“Riding in my car, maybe?” Ellie said. “I can drop you off at your house or bring you to mine.”
“Hmm,” Crystal hummed. “I’ll head to your place with you. I’ll end up being there anyway.”
“Alright,” Ellie nodded as she opened the tiny backseat door and pulled out a toolbox and a steel bike hitch. “Feel free to hop in the passenger side. I’ll be finished in a jiffy.”
Crystal sat in the car and waited for Ellie to do her thing, and quicker than expected her motorbike was already on the hitch. Ellie huffed as she got into the car, putting her toolbox in the back. “Whew!” Ellie pants, a bit winded. “I think that’s a record time. Getting better at this!”
She closed the door and clicked her seatbelt in, turning on the car and beginning to head out. Because of the winter season, the sun was already beginning to set, and Crystal could’ve mistaken it to be 8 o’ clock. The drive was short and rather uneventful, and they ended up at Ellie and her housemate’s place quickly.
After getting back home and getting Ellie’s car in the garage, they got into the house and Crystal was blessed with a warm house. Considering for most of the day she'd been sitting in the cold, it was a welcomed relief.
Inside, Miles and Vick were grossing over a cooking book in the living room trying to pick out a recipe for the day. "Have you guys figured on anything yet?" Ellie made her presence known. "We got a plus one, by the way."
Vick and Miles turned to look at the two as Crystal and Ellie deposited their coats onto the coat rack. "Uhm… We were trying to find out if we wanted chicken or beef tonight."
Ellie walked over and began chatting with them as they tried to come to a decision. Crystal plopped on the couch next to Vick, and while Miles and Ellie talked, Vick gave a quick wink to Crystal. Crystal rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.
After double checking if Crystal was okay for some chicken curry, and after verifying that it was something she'd like as well, Miles began cooking while Ellie began putting away her gifts. "By the way, if any of you eat my chocolate bars or coffee beans I will punt your ass to the stratosphere," Ellie warned. "I'm looking at you, Vick."
Vick groaned. "It was ONE time!"
After dinner, Ellie and Crystal were sitting in the living room by the fireplace. They would’ve been closer, but Miles is fucking around trying to get the fire roaring, and Crystal knows how well that can possibly end up. “If you burn this house down,” Ellie warned, “you’re going to hell with me!”
Ellie’s, Vick’s and Miles’ house was much warmer than Crystal’s, and she was honestly thankful for being invited. Snow was falling outside, and she could feel the coldness radiating from the windows near the fireplace. Crystal was also glad that her motorcycle wasn’t going to be mummified come the morning - there was enough room in the garage to fit both Ellie’s car and her motorcycle.
Miles clicked on a lighter. “I won’t, I promise!” Miles exclaimed, all the while giggling at the huge matchstick that burned in his hands. Even his eagle, Kevin, looked about 9000% done with the self-proclaimed pyromaniac, and you could see the eagle’s thought bubble of “Miles is going to fuck around and find out one day.”
Vick came up behind the two on the couch, some popcorn in hand, “So, how’d it go? Did you guys go on a date yet?” She casually asked as she popped a kernel in her mouth.
At that moment, that was both the right and wrong thing to say. Ellie’s face crimsoned, and Crystal wondered if a judge would believe this murder was justified if she went to court for strangling Vick. Before Crystal could say anything, though, Ellie squeaked out an embarrassed “I was going to do that a little later!”
Vick nearly choked her popcorn kernel. Serves you right, asshole, Crystal thought. Vick swallowed, “What?! Crystal didn’t already!? God dammit, you two are hopeless!” Vick groaned in frustration.
“Not as hopeless as you and Miles!” Crystal cracked back. Miles looked up at the three and tilted his head. “Huh?” He voiced, puzzled.
“Nothing!” Vick called out.
After a moment, Miles went back to his thing while Vick made her escape with her popcorn. Crystal didn’t look at Ellie, staring angrily at the huge blanket on her, mostly just irritated at Vick for opening her mouth. “Hey,” Ellie murmured, gently touching Crystal’s shoulder. “Do you want to head to my room for a moment?” She glanced over at Miles, and Crystal got the hint.
The two went upstairs to Ellie’s room, which Crystal had seen a number of occasions and was used to how much cybernetic and techy stuff was inside. Ellie sat on her bed and motioned for Crystal to do the same. Crystal didn’t hesitate.
“So…” Ellie started, gently touching her own face, pondering what to say. “Vick also played matchmaker with you, right?”
“Yeup,” Crystal nodded.
“God damnit, I had a hunch,” Ellie sighed. “I wanted to ask you out earlier but didn’t really know how to do it yet. Guess the cat’s out of the bag, though.”
“I meant to,” Crystal candidly remarked, “back at the pond. Didn’t really know what to say, though.”
Ellie shifted. “I also had a feeling, especially with the gift. I wanted to ask you out back there, but I didn’t at the moment,” Ellie laughed. “Mission failed successfully, maybe?”
Crystal cracked a smile. “I guess so. So, what were you planning on saying to me later?”
“Well, that’s the thing,” Ellie clarified, “I only had ‘I had a crush on you for about four months now, what do you think about going out on a date?’... or something to that ilk.”
Crystal’s jaw metaphorically hit the floor. “Four? FOUR? Four months ?”
Ellie giggled, blushing. “Yeah, give or take. Victoria actually noticed it before I did. She said, ‘you are all googly-eyed when you’re near her, my gaydar is pinging and I think she’d say yes if you asked her out.’ But, well, we both know how good Victoria is with matchmaking and relationships.”
Crystal snickered, “Yeah, it went swimmingly with Arthur, and it’s going very well with her and Miles.”
Ellie chuckled. “Yeah. I guess a stopped clock is right twice a day though.”
A small, comfortable hush fell over the two. “So…” Crystal began. “Do you want to go out on a date?”
“Oh- c’mon! That was my line!” Ellie playfully booed. “Do
you
want to go out on a date with me?”
“Fuck yeah,” Crystal said. “What do you think? A movie after the bad weather passes? Dinner and a show?”
“I think we can just have our date here,” Ellie mentioned, getting off the bed. “If Victoria doesn’t hog all the popcorn, that is.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t!” Crystal boldly proclaimed, following Ellie and getting off as well.
“Good luck with that!” Ellie said, and right before she walked out the door, she faced Crystal, face all serious for a moment.
“Huh?” Crystal said for a moment, wondering what Ellie was about to say. Quickly, Ellie leaned into Crystal and gave her the smallest peck on the cheek. Feather-light and over far too quickly, Ellie squeaked out a small “I’ll see you downstairs!” before running off. Crystal, while stunned for a brief moment, could definitely feel her heart beat faster. Crystal huffed; Ellie stole a kiss and ran off before Crystal could even retaliate! Motherfucker. Crystal thought about how she’s going to get Ellie back for that, soon.
For now, though, she’ll harass Vick and hopefully, during the movie, cuddle with Ellie. As she descended down the stairs a roaring fire that was (thankfully) contained in the fireplace made the air comfortably warm, and Miles was already joking with Vick as he made some Jiffy Pop over the fireplace. Ellie was cuddling up in the comically large blanket, and Crystal plopped down right next to her.
“So, how’d it go?” Vick had an impish smile on her face.
“It went better than your love life,” Crystal bit back, and Ellie stifled a giggle when Vick gave her a sour face. Crystal, seeing an opening, decided to enact revenge on Ellie and give her a kiss back. Crystal leaned in, about to kiss her on the cheek as well, when at the exact wrong moment, Ellie turned her head to face Crystal, and the two ended up kissing on the lips.
The surprise was written clear on their faces; neither of them were expecting that kind of kiss so soon. When they quickly ended the kiss, Vick belted out a huge laugh, slapping her hand on her knee. Miles gave a quick chuckle and began searching for a movie.
As the night wore on, Ellie and Crystal stayed cuddled on the couch. The other two were sitting on the second couch, also similarly cuddled. During the middle of the movie, Ellie grabbed Crystal’s hand under the covers and intertwined their fingers. And as the movie took to a close and sleep fell over them, they cuddled together under the blanket.
It was a very warm and peaceful night’s sleep indeed.