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It had started innocently enough, a simple comfort after a hard day. But as La’an ate her strawberries, something curious occurred… Una watched her hungrily, pupils dilating. La’an didn’t have to be a genius to string those together, but as she was an expert in reading people, she could see the minute changes in Una’s usually controlled expression. It was like an epiphany - how had she missed it before? - Una was attracted to her.
Even though it would require some careful thought and consideration, for the moment, she just enjoyed it, enjoyed the way Una’s gaze followed her lips, caressed her throat. It made La’an feel warm, seen. She’d been interested in Una for so long and now there was evidence that perhaps Una felt the same.
Later she thought it through, wondering what it would be like to actually finally get to be with Una. It felt like a dream come true. But Una clearly wasn’t ready to talk about it.
La’an did wonder, though, just how long she could push Una.
The next time they had dinner together, La’an ordered strawberries, even though it was just a regular day, even though she had no need of comfort. She justified it by telling herself she didn’t have to eat them only when she needed comforting. Una still gave her a look of concern as she sat down, immediately asking what was wrong in her own circuitous way.
La’an simply smirked, leaning forward to take another very slow, deliberate bite. Una’s eyes flicked down, and La’an couldn’t help smiling wider, feeling the glance throughout her body. When Una finally tore her eyes away from La’an’s mouth to look back up to her eyes, La’an finally answered her question, reassuring Una that there was, in fact, nothing wrong.
A week later they were at one of Chris’s dinners. He’d long ago learned that La’an was unlikely to partake in sweet delicacies, so he’d gotten in the habit of supplying strawberries for her. This time La’an didn’t even really think about it, simply enjoying the bowl as everyone else talked. When she finally remembered to look for Una, she found the other woman sat across the room, her face slightly flushed. Even though she was looking away from La’an, La’an could tell her eyes had just moved. She looked almost... guilty, too. With an internal chuckle, La’an wondered what Una had been looking at that made her look so guilty.
It continued on for weeks. La’an was actually disappointed at Una’s self-control, although certainly not surprised by it. It became so much a part of her routine that La’an didn’t even think about it, getting strawberries at least once her twice a week.
Finally, Una snapped. “Will you behave?!” she asked, voice strained.
La’an was surprised at the way her body alit at the words. It took her a moment to register what was happening, but when she did, she said, “Excuse me?!”
“I said, ‘Will you behave?!’ I know what you’re doing, La’an Noonien-Singh. You win!”
“Excuse me?” La’an wasn’t even sure what Una was talking about anymore.
Una leaned closer. “You. Win,” she hissed. La’an simply raised an eyebrow, still at a loss. “I know what you’re doing - you're trying to see how many times I can watch you eat those damned strawberries before I finally snap and tell you I’m in love with-” Una cut herself off, her eyes widening at the same time La’an’s did.
La’an hadn’t expected Una to admit she was in love with La’an… “Excuse me?” La’an squeaked out.
Expressions flitted across Una’s face until - finally - settling on something proud, mischievous. “I said, ‘I’m in love with you.’ Now, are you going to ask me on a date or what?”
It felt like La’an had been hit with a spanner. She suspected that she was the embodiment of the expression ‘heart-eyes,’ but she didn’t care. Summoning up just enough brain power to realise she’d been asked something important, she quickly said, “WillyougooutwithmeUna?”
When Una’s tears of laughter finally subsided, she said, “Yes.”