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As the music kept playing and a new song started, Dominique caught herself staring at her again. She could say with absolute certainty her feelings for Jeanne were nothing like she’d ever felt before.
She knew she liked Noé. Or maybe she used to. She wasn’t sure anymore. What she felt for her childhood friend was a kind of yearning that she knew would never be requited. She adored him, and spending time together made her feel like the happiest person in the world. But the way he stared into the distance sometimes, the times she heard him whisper her brother’s name in dreams when he fell asleep, combined with her own insecurities made her feel that he wasn’t always there with her. Not mentally. His thoughts were somewhere else, on someone else, maybe. And so, even if she still loved and thought of him as her closest friend, she knew their relationship would never be anything more than that. And she'd decided a long time ago she wouldn’t let her happiness depend on his feelings. It wouldn’t be fair on any of them.
The de Sade daughter was well aware of her attraction to women. She wasn’t sure when it started, but she always enjoyed spending time with them, felt comfortable in their presence in a way men could never imitate. But her absolute favorite thing was the way they danced. As part of a noble family, she had attended countless parties and balls, and, despite loving dancing herself, she always spent a good amount of time observing the way other women moved.
While she thought about all that, her gaze never left her form. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress. It made her look like a princess. As pretty as Jeanne looked in pink, blue just complemented her looks in a way that had Domi’s heart beating fast.
Jeanne laughed at something Luca said, and Dominique felt a kind of warmth spread through her chest, a feeling she would not mind getting used to.
After she saw Lord Ruthven take his nephew away, leaving Jeanne behind, she started walking towards her with the intention of asking for a dance. When Jeanne noticed her approaching, she smiled pleasantly at her, looking happier that she’d seen her in a while. That just made Domi more confident, pushing her to ask her before anyone else did. She wasn’t sure why no one had asked her yet, but she wasn’t about to let her chance slip away.
“Good evening, dear Jeanne. I apologize for not greeting you until now, but I thought you’d rather tend to your duties unbothered. Now that your schedule seems to be a little less cramped, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“Lady Dominique”, Jeanne’s red cheeks were a lovely sight for the noble. “It would be my pleasure. But you know I am not the best dancer.”
Domi couldn’t help but remember the first time they danced together. So she reminded the other too.
“You remember what I said the first time I asked you for a dance, do you not? I always seize every opportunity to enjoy myself. And there’s nothing I find more enjoyable than dancing with the prettiest girl in a room, my dear.”
With Dominique leading, their graceful steps became the focus of everyone's attention soon enough. Being who they were, they expected people to stare anyway. Both of them were having fun, so close to each other and feeling the music lead them into a world of their own. But the bourreau couldn’t be completely comfortable with so many people looking at them, as much as she wanted to ignore them, and her dance partner noticed soon enough. After a couple of songs, she offered the other an escape:
“Say, Jeanne. Would you acompany me to get some fresh air? It’s starting to feel too stuffy inside the ballroom.”
“I… am afraid I cannot leave the premises. Lord Ruthven and Lord Luca expect me to wait for them here”.
“Do not worry. I was just thinking of going out to the balcony. You’ll still be able to notice the moment they come back. So? Shall we?” Domi held out her arm for Jeanne to take. The other blushed and looked away, but did not hesitate to grab it. They walked outside together. The cool air felt good on their skin. It may have been an excuse to get Jeanne away from everyone, but it was true it was too hot inside, and the two women welcomed the change.
“Thank you for your kindness, Lady Dominique. I don’t know what I would have done in that ballroom if you hadn’t approached me.”
“I’ve told you many times how much I enjoy your company, Jeanne. And please, drop the ‘Lady’. I think we’re close enough for you to call me by my name” she didn’t let Jeanne slip in a single word before interrupting her. “And don’t even start with that whole ‘but I’m a bourreau and you’re a noble’ thing. I know and that has never affected my feelings or choices before.”
“Alright… Dominique” Domi adored the way she blushed in that moment. She didn’t think it’d be possible for her to get any redder. “Or… is Domi better?”
Now it was her turn to blush. While Dominique was intimate enough, there was something about the way her nickname sounded in the other girl’s voice that made her momentarily forget how to breathe.
“Domi would be perfect”.
Neither of them looked at the view the balcony offered, in spite of how beautiful Altus Paris was at night. They were too busy staring at each other, enjoying the silence and the short time they had just for themselves.
“La- Domi.”
“Yes?” she whispered back. She didn’t know when they had gotten so close, but her gaze was torn between Jeanne’s lips and her eyes. Jeanne seemed to be in a similar situation.
“I forgot what I wanted to say” Jeanne blushed again. Cute. “Sorry, it seems I’m not too good at this ‘being close’ stuff.”
“I think you’re doing great, dear. And it wouldn’t really matter even if you weren’t. We have all the time in the world for you to learn. I’m not going anywhere” her eyes refused to leave the other’s lips at this point.
Jeanne chuckled.
“I suppose you’re right”.
Domi didn’t expect her to, but it was Jeanne who closed the gap between them. As their lips met, the youngest de Sade could only think that, if there was anything like paradise, this had to be it.
They separated when they heard the voices of Ruthven and Luca finally call for Jeanne.
“It seems our time is up” Jeanne whispered sadly.
“Yes. Maybe the next time we meet we can work a little longer on this ‘being close’ thing. Although in my opinion, you’re already plenty good at it. The terrifying Hellfire Witch is surprisingly cute when we are alone”.
Jeanne was blushing so hard she could barely let out a word. They heard Luca’s voice again and hurried inside, saying farewell politely when he spotted them. However, before he could reach them, Jeanne spoke once again:
“Perhaps… next time we meet we could go on a proper date?”
Dominique was beaming.
“I look forward to it”.