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“Y'know, you're pretty good at this,” comments Ava.
“As you've said many times before.”
Ava breaks out into a grin as she's gently spun away from Beatrice, in time with the Spotify playlist on Ava's phone, and then comes back just as carefully until she's pressed back against Beatrice's front.
Here in their one-bedroom house in Switzerland. To Ava, the term house doesn't really fit the bill- but home does, and Beatrice helps make it a home. Wrapped in Beatrice's strong safe arms at night (who knew Bea was a cuddler?), Ava knew instantly.
She fell for a fucking nun. A nun out of everyone else in the world. How stupid do you have to be to one, fall in love with a God damn nun, and two, fall in love with someone who doesn't love you back!? Pretty fucking stupid, but that's who she is. Ava ‘pretty fucking stupid’ Silva.
If she tells Beatrice how she feels- all of her fears will come true! Beatrice will be nice about her rejection, and Ava will take the sorrowful smile and understanding eyes like knives to the gut. Which doesn't actually hurt that much once the blood loss gets to you (… Beatrice wouldn't have found that funny either). And then she'll walk out of Ava's life and leave her alone.
Ava being spun around broke her out of her spiraling thoughts. Their bodies hug against each other with no space left between them.
“Where'd you go?” Beatrice murmurs to the side of her head. She kisses her hair and attaches her hands to Ava's hips.
Ava hums in contentment, “Just thinking.”
“Oh no.” The swaying of their bodies doesn't match the upbeat Katy Perry song bouncing through the room, but that's OK. As long as she can still soak up Beatrice's attention, that's all she needs. Beatrice squeezes her closer as she continues, “Should I be worried?”
Ava snorts and shoves Beatrice back to see her face. “Rude.”
“Not rude, just cautious,” Beatrice replies.
“ Please- Name one time my thinking led to disaster.”
“That thought at the market.”
“I couldn't predict a shopping cart blowing up!”
Beatrice narrows her eyes at Ava's weak excuse. Her eyes dart along Ava's face, and the Halo bearer has never felt so exposed before. Studied like almost every book Beatrice has on their shelves.
She takes the time to look at Beatrice's face too. Dark brown eyes, nearly black without the sun's help, flitting up and down and left and right. A thoughtful twitch at the corner of Beatrice's mouth followed by a slight purse of lips. Ava's eyes wander up to the raised pinch between Beatrice's dark eyebrows. Ah, the old worrier nun (ha!).
Without thinking, Ava playfully pokes in between Beatrice's eyebrows. Beatrice blushes, refocused her gaze up (where was she even looking?) to meet Ava's wrist in her view.
“Crinkle,” Ava muses. She lowers her hand slowly, dragging the backs of her fingers down Beatrice's face and only stopping to curl a piece of loose hair behind her ear- though the extra cup to the cheek might have been too much. That same hand squeezes Beatrice's shoulder. “You get top priority. What's cooking in that brain of yours?”
“You.”
Ava fights the way her knees nearly jelly-fied themselves.
“Oh!” she tries not to sound surprised, voice going almost robotically to keep her thoughts somewhat in line. “Oh, I see!” OK, now she's doing too much.
Beatrice hums, not seemingly caring about Ava's awkward energy. “I want to kiss you.”
Ava freezes at the words. She's been waiting to hear those words for-fucking-ever, but fantasizing about them was the only way Ava thought she'd hear them. Hearing them now- and she's silent and staring blankly at Beatrice who gazes back with a laxness Ava's never seen in such an uptight woman.
“Y-yeah?” Ava manages to say.
“Can I?”
“I don't know, can you?”
Beatrice rolls her eyes. A soft fondness gleams in them. “May I kiss you?”
This was it This was her chance She can kiss Beatrice Kiss her Oh my God She can't stop staring at her lips What if my breath stinks What if she doesn't like how I kiss I want to kiss her Oh no I'm hungry She asked to kiss me!
Ava dumbly nods.
Beatrice didn't waste another second.
Fuck. Ava gasps against Beatrice. Her hand slides to the side of Beatrice's neck, brings her down, closer so all Ava could sense was Beatrice.
Beatrice's mouth was clumsy against Ava's with each kiss stretching into a series of them, endless and addicting. Ever the quick learner, Beatrice quickly caught up on her Kissing 101 lessons and deepened the kiss. Her hands were all over Ava's hips and waist, one of them coming up to press insistently on the back of her head. Ava hums at the touch, and her body sags into Beatrice.
Slowly, Beatrice trails her kisses off until she's absent-mindedly standing there with her eyes closed. Her face hovers in front of Ava's as she hasn't moved back yet. In her silence, Ava savors the tangy orange and blossom perfume Beatrice spritzes on her neck every afternoon after training.
Ava watches Beatrice's close-eyed expression in silence, a little shock. This totally means Beatrice likes her back. Score.
“Can we kiss again?” Ava mumbles out breathlessly. Beatrice hums. “My eyes were closed.”
Beatrice breaks and laughs. Amusement swims in her eyes as a small smile spreads on her face.
“I can't believe you didn't make the first move,” Beatrice comments slowly. “We've been dating for weeks and all I've gotten from you were those cheek kisses. I love them, by the way, I'm not saying I don't love them.”
Ava slowly breaks away from Beatrice, though the brief tightening of the older girl's arms doesn't escape her notice. Confusion pulls her mouth down, eyes squinted at Beatrice as she utters one word: “Huh?”
“I asked if you wanted to dine out at the restaurant that opened while we were fighting Adriel. And you said yes.” Beatrice swallows and looks away from Ava. “Did I misinterpret something or make you uncomfortable in any way? I apologize if-”
“What?” Ava chuckles slowly and then booms out cackling. Tears prickly at the corners of her eyes as she sways into Beatrice once more, forehead butting Beatrice's collarbone.
Tension melts away from Beatrice's shoulders.
“You are laughing.”
“Not- I'm not laughing at you but- Holy shit, give me a minute.”
All this time she was worried Beatrice wouldn't be able to return her feelings, and Beatrice thinks they're dating! This has got to be one of the most confusing at least it ended great experiences Ava's ever had.
“Are we really dating?” Ava asks to be sure.
Beatrice still looks amused, but she's beginning to show signs of confusion. “Yes, we are. At least, I hope so.”
“Cool. Cool, cool, cool.” Ava tries to play off how uncool she actually is with a quick ahem. “Not to sound uh nosey, but what about the OCS? Being a sister warrior was huge for you.”
“I renounced my vows. Were you not listening at all when we went on our date?”
Crap.
“I was! I uh…”
Beatrice in a pair of jeans and a baggy, rustic blue turtleneck. She let her hair down for the occasion, and Ava wanted to run her fingers through the strands. Maybe tug her close for a steamy make out, Ava thought as she watched Beatrice's mouth. No wait, nun duh. Ava can't think like that, Beatrice has a chastity vow to make sure she's loyal to God. Fuck God! (I'm just kidding, God, I'm just really fucking frustrated and I'll take it out on training tomorrow.)
“… friend, if you'll have me. What do you say?”
“Huh? Yes!”
Nope. Ava was not paying attention.
“Now that I have your full attention,” Beatrice says, hand coming up to brush Ava's jaw, and her thumb brushes Ava's bottom lip. Ava sticks the tip of her tongue out absently, and Beatrice somehow steps further into Ava's personal space. “Would you be my girlfriend?”
She was still hesitant in saying the words even though this is the second time she's saying them, but it was understandable. Beatrice was still reeling from her shitty parents and all that religious thinking saying being gay is bad.
Fuck the church.
Happy, God? I didn't utter your name once. Ava grins.
“Totally!”
Beatrice glances towards their small kitchen set-up where Ava's phone drones along to some slow song by Bruno Mars.
“Still up to teaching me the dip?” Ava cheekily inquires, face hurting from smiling so much. But she couldn't help it! Beatrice and her… Together. She's a little disappointed in herself for not knowing they were dating for a while, but the giddiness straining her cheeks is enough to wash it down the drain.
Beatrice returns to swaying them through the first bridge. “Depends. Will you drag me down this time?”
“Depends. Can I have a cookie after dinner?”
“I'll think about it.”
Beatrice twirls Ava out and back into her arms, one arm hugging the small of her back and the other clasped in Ava's up and out to the side. Ava nuzzles into her shoulder. Her hand rubs in the space between Beatrice's shoulder blades.
Dancing with Beatrice is always awesome. She's been teaching Ava about dancing, and previously, Ava giddily thought she'd see Beatrice bust a move or two. The only moves she busted so far were the waltz (a very slow waltz) and secondly the tango, which Beatrice quickly introduced after noticing Ava's boredom on their first lesson.
Not that Ava would ever admit it, but she enjoys the slow sway they always settle into. Where they're pressed so close together Ava can catch the warmth of her body.
“One, two, three, four…” Beatrice whispers, as quiet as a mouse. “Step out and follow with your other foot. Then back. Keep going, you're doing great.”
If Ava hadn't been sandwiched into Beatrice, she might have fallen over. The words flow down her spine and tingle pleasantly in her lower abdomen.
“Now out.” Beatrice and Ava separate, stare into each other's eyes. “And I carefully dip you.”
Ava lets a hitched sigh fall from her mouth when Beatrice adjusts her grip and guides Ava back… and back. Ava's head falls back as her spine arches, supported by a steady firm palm beneath the glowing ring in her back. Her spine shouldn't be able to let her do this. Oh well, she could get used to Beatrice bending her backwards everyday.
Innuendo intended.
As if Beatrice couldn't get any hotter, she grabs under Ava's bent knee and hitches her thigh firmly against her side.
Blood rushes to her cheeks at the light huff of laughter from Beatrice. She opens her eyes and lifts her head to glare at Beatrice.
“So.” Beatrice says. “Does this mean I have a glowing review from you?”
It takes everything in Ava not to glow brighter in joy, but the growing gleam of amber on Beatrice's iris shows she's failing big time. Why did the Halo have to respond to her emotions again?
Ava drags Beatrice down with her.
They land in a heap on the floor. Ava's side has an elbow digging into it, and Beatrice quickly curls away from Ava's knee pushing her stomach into her lungs. Ava and Beatrice wheeze.
It's ridiculous. Ava can't help but cackle to herself, a hand cupped over her eyes. She's tangled on the floor with Beatrice after screwing up the dip on purpose, listening to one of Beatrice's favorite classical sonatas fading into the cheesy upbeat of “Baby” by Justin Bieber, and they're dating.
She feels Beatrice hovering over her, feels her eyes and senses the adoring smile directed down at her.
“I still can't believe we've been acting like a couple without you knowing we were together,” Beatrice comments as her hand toys with Ava's shirt hem. Ava slides her hand off of her face until her knuckles hit the floor above her head, watching Beatrice's flicker in thought.
“Crinkle,” Ava claims once more, poking firmly the center of her brow. “Your concerns are mine. Give ‘em to me.”
She can see the bobbing of Beatrice's throat. The puff between her eyebrows grows larger as she worries her lip between her teeth.
“Hey, I mean it. What's up?” Ava reaches out and cups Beatrice's face. Beatrice closes her eyes at the touch.
“It's nothing, I promise. You're just breathtaking. I want to kiss you again.”
“What's stopping you?”
“I don't want to make you uncomfortable,” she admits.
As much as Ava wore her heart on her sleeve, Beatrice is easier to read. Maybe it's because Ava knows Beatrice better than she knows herself, and vice versa, but the concern is pungent.
“You could never make me uncomfortable. Except at night when you sleep with socks on.”
“I'm not playing footsies with you, Ava.”
“You're just mad I'd win.”
“Not likely.”
“Prove it.”
The world spins and knocks Ava around when Beatrice's lips collide with hers. Prickling tingles raced down her skin. A pleasant heat shocks her system.
And Beatrice kisses her through it all. Slow and intense. The hardwood flooring is the only thing grounding Ava (ha!) at the moment. The way Beatrice is kissing her steals her air, pulling silent gasps and small groans out of her empty lungs. They burn but Ava refuses to pull away.
Not until she realizes the position they're in.
If they were naked- Oh, if they were naked, Ava would have no trouble keeping Beatrice close with her legs hugging her hips, driving the unconscious rocking down and forward.
Beatrice licks her bottom lip in a smooth motion, tongue heavy on kiss-bruised lips. She pulls back enough to mumble against Ava's mouth. “You're thinking too loud.”
“I'm in a good mood, what can I say?”
Beatrice tries to kiss Ava again but the Halo bearer's wide smile keeps interrupting them.
“What's got you in such a good mood?” Beatrice brushes hair away from Ava's face and turns the girl's head so she can kiss along her jawline, descending.
“Besides making out with you,” Ava responds, “I'm just happy we're together.” Beatrice produces a light noise into the hollow of her throat. “Are we going too fast?”
Beatrice takes her time removing herself from Ava's neck and hovering back over her. Her eyes search Ava's face.
Ava can't help but panic a little. This is all she wants- a life with Beatrice and maybe some news on the coming Holy War so she can obliterate the other side. She can't fuck it up.
“I've been waiting for you to kiss me for weeks, you didn't know we were dating and have been pining for me, and I think we're both a little pent up,” Beatrice counters firmly, face open. “But we have all the time in the world to take it at our own pace.”
Ava sighs, partly relieved and part frustrated. “Thank you. I don't want to fuck this up.”
“Never. You can't get rid of me that easily.”
“I've got quite the magnetic personality, Bea.”
“No wonder I'm so attracted to you.”
Puns shouldn't be sexy, puns shouldn't be sexy. Puns should not be sexy. Even from Beatrice.
The Halo shimmers. Ava silently curses it while Beatrice rests their foreheads together and smirks.
“Can't hide anything from me, Ava.”
“Not true! I didn't tell you I accidentally broke that vase you bought and glued it back together before you came home from the bar.”
Wait a second.
“Ava.”
“Oops?”