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Ayda and Fig spend a lot of time together, and the nice thing about that is that they both are incredibly impulsive. They act without thinking quite often.
So naturally, they’ll banter for a little until one of them gets too impulsive and kisses the other, and then Fig is flat on her back under Ayda, who’s pulling on her clothes and kissing right at the spot where her jaw meets her neck, and Fig’s enjoying it so much and then she remembers why she’s actually come to see her girlfriend today, besides spending quality time with her.
“Can Adaine crash here for a couple of days?” Fig asks just as Ayda is about to pull her sweatshirt off, and Ayda pauses her actions.
“Why? What happened?” All of the heat is gone from the moment and now Ayda’s guiding Fig to be sitting right up because God knows she can’t concentrate like that. “What’s wrong?”
“Her dad’s being an asshole,” Fig replies, fixing her sweatshirt, “And she just needs somewhere to crash for a little while.” She looks up at Ayda. “Would you and Garthy mind? It’s just that…she’s nervous he’ll find her in Elmville and she doesn’t want to put all of us in danger. You’re far enough away and I think Angwyn Abernant would rather die than set foot in Leviathan.” The Abernants are an incredibly well-known, rich-as-hell family that runs public amenity grants that Garthy applies for every year, but they never receive it, probably because they live in Leviathan and the rich Abernants much prefer Fallinel to Leviathan.
“Adaine’s an Abernant?” Ayda asks, and she thinks, “I think…let me ask Garthy.” She rolls over in bed and picks up her phone to call them. Even with this discussion, Fig is fidgeting with the string on Ayda’s very comfortable sweatpants, and she lightly bats at her hands with a smile as she chats with Garthy on the phone. Fig has that devilish grin that makes Ayda’s heart skip a beat plastered across her face.
They say yes, of course, for Ayda’s friend. Ayda likes how her chest feels when they say “Ayda’s friend”. She didn’t have many of those growing up. So having some now makes her feel incredible, on top of the world. She feels wanted, loved. Friends are good.
“They say yes,” She says to Fig, “Adaine can stay. As long as she needs.” She puts her phone down and Fig nods, texting Adaine.
“I would like to get back to what we were doing,” Ayda says once Fig’s phone is back on the bedside table and not the focal point of Fig’s mind. Fig grins and pulls Ayda back to her, kissing her again.
Adaine comes later that night on the back of Fabian’s motorcycle. Fig is going home with him, a trade-off. Adaine has a small backpack of belongings as she gets off and thanks Fabian ten times over. He promises this task is nothing big, and he tells her to text if she needs anything. Fig intercepts Adaine, capturing her in a hug. They talk for a couple of minutes, Fig teasing Adaine a little for something Ayda doesn’t know about nor really cares about, and Fig looks up at Ayda and motions for her to check her phone.
Fig :): can i stay over too?
Ayda nods immediately. “Absolutely.”
Fig walks Adaine up the stairs leading to Compass Points, and then Ayda brings them upstairs, through the second section to the “STAFF ONLY” door and the spiral staircase up to the O’Brien home. The kitchen is small, but it’s incredibly decorated and Ayda points out the pictures of her and Garthy on the fridge. One of her and Fig, from Aguefort’s semi-formal, Ayda’s first dance, is hung up as well.
“I took that picture,” Adaine says. It’s the first thing she’s said all night. Her eyes are tinted red and there are dry patches on the outside of her eyes from rubbing away her tears. Ayda nods.
“You did. It’s a beautiful picture,” She turns to Adaine and, with a nod, takes her hands in here. “What did your dad do?”
“He…” Adaine’s voice catches in her throat, “He wants me to get a boyfriend. So I can marry him.” She looks absolutely mortified at the prospect. “And he’s mad I don’t want to do that.” She’s trying not to cry again. Ayda can see it in the way her lip is trembling and how fast she’s blinking. With another nod, she pulls Adaine in for a crushing hug.
“You can stay as long as you need,” Ayda says, “Garthy doesn’t mind.” She’s never called them “Dad” or “Parent”, just “Garthy”. She opens the fridge once she pulls away and pulls out some leftover pasta to reheat for the group.
They eat dinner in relative silence, Fig trying to break it with jokes, but Adaine’s a little tired and worn down, and Ayda is very sure that it means that Adaine doesn’t exactly want to talk. She brings Adaine to the guest room.
It’s small, but Ayda tries to make it homey. The view, like Ayda’s, is of the harbor. The bed is tucked in the corner with a small bedside table and some flowers on it. There is a small desk, as this was Garthy’s office before it became a guest room, and there are some books Ayda put there from the library for Adaine to read. She smiles a little at the sight.
“Thank you, Ayda,” She whispers, putting her backpack down on the chair, “You didn’t have to do this.” She sounds a little heartbroken.
“Why would I have to?” Ayda asks, sitting on the bed, “I want to.” Fig has gone to use the shower. It’s just Ayda and Adaine. Adaine shrugs, sitting on Ayda’s other side.
“It could get you in trouble, my dad’s…he’s a very powerful man, he could get you all in trouble for helping me,” Adaine says, “And having an extra person here is a lot of work on you guys.”
“Not at all,” Ayda says, “Garthy has people over all the time. They have a lot of partners, you know.” She tries to forget about seeing Sandra Lynn Faeth here, and tries to forget about seeing the guy Garthy had been seeing when she was little back here again a few mornings ago, “And I like having my friends over.” Adaine doesn’t have to know she’s going to be Ayda’s first friend to sleep over.
Adaine nods and swallows her words. She puts her hands on the plush comforter, soft and homey. “Thank you,” She says again.
“I know you’re thankful,” Ayda says, looking at Adaine, “Fig asked in a…moment of…romantic endeavor.” Adaine groans and leans back against the blanket.
“I cannot believe she told you like that,” She covers her eyes, “The image is burned into my brain now.” Fig’s in the doorway stifling her laughter as Adaine whips a pillow at her. Fig whips it right back and laughs as the two girls fly into a pillow fight.
Fig prods Ayda in the back in her bed later that night. Ayda’s looking at her phone, watching to see if anything about Adaine is on the news. To her surprise, there’s nothing. Fig peppers her skin with kisses. Her cheek, her neck, the back of her shoulder that’s exposed by her tank top. She rolls over and looks at Fig.
“Yes?” She asks, watching Fig. “What do you need?”
“Nothing,” Fig says, “Just wanted to have you to myself.” Her arms are hooked around Ayda’s waist. Physical touch used to overwhelm Ayda, but not anymore. She’s hooked on it and she can never seem to get enough of it when it comes to Figueroth Faeth. Ayda leans in and sleepily catches her lips in a kiss. Fig doesn’t resist.
Adaine, the next morning, makes everyone breakfast, and Ayda’s happy to help her clean up before the three girls head downstairs to man the library. Ayda at her desk, Adaine in the study room, and Fig, sitting next to Ayda, calling Fabian so they can raid the Abernant home for the rest of Adaine’s school supplies.
Ayda’s happy to get used to this. She likes this. Adaine smiles at her from across the room and, yeah, Ayda can get used to this.