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Having Shadowheart in her little flat makes Tav’s stomach twist. In contrast to the big, beautiful house the mechanic calls home, Tav’s humble abode is tattered and so small the place feels particularly cramped. Perhaps it’s just Tav’s nerves and the feeling of inadequacy that manifests itself every so often, but she’s embarrassed to have her goddess stand in the tight hallway, her back constantly brushing against the scuffed wall.
In contrast, the mechanic seems entirely at ease. Her plaited hair is hanging casually over one shoulder. Her stance is relaxed, with her hip cocked a little, and her green eyes are taking in the surroundings methodically, as if she’s mapping the place into her memory.
”It’s not much…” Tav trails off, her eyes on Shadowheart’s knees. The pair of black ripped jeans she’s wearing reveal slivers of pale skin.
Shadowheart reaches her hand out to lift Tav’s chin up. Tav faces the dark-haired woman, who smiles at her softly, with a twinkle in her eye. ”It’s your home. It’s perfect,” she says, and Tav can’t help but smile in response. Shadowheart has an almost magical way to make her feel comfortable.
The truth is, Tav has meticulously planned this little date of theirs. And for this reason, although it was daunting to invite Shadowheart to her flat, it is imperative for the date to take place here. Tav grabs Shadowheart by the hand and leads her to the living room.
The mesmerized look on Shadowheart’s face is precious beyond measure as she takes in the scene. The furniture in the cozy room has been rearranged to leave as much space in the middle of the floor as possible. Quilts and blankets hang off the backrests of the settee and arm chair, with one hung from the ceiling to create something of a tent-like structure. The doorway to the blanket fort is facing the hallway, allowing for a view of the inside. Tav spent the entire morning preparing a comfy nook there, her duvet, pillows, and decorative cushions creating a nest that invites lovers to sink into romance. A string of fairy lights is the only light source, aside from Tav’s laptop, which is at the ready with a sapphic rom-com already paused on the screen. A basket of movie snacks awaits beside the laptop. It’s no cliffside picnic, but Tav’s incredibly pleased with herself.
“Ta-dah!” Tav motions towards her creation with her free hand, while the other one’s still holding onto Shadowheart’s.
“Tav…” Shadowheart’s voice is soft and sappy as they step further into the living room and squat to peer inside the fort. “This is incredible!”
Tav holds the fort entrance open for Shadowheart to crawl in on all fours. The sight of the grown woman, a backpack still on her shoulders, crawling into a blanket fort makes a giggle escape Tav’s lips. Tav follows suit, letting the tent flap close behind her. The women settle in, and Shadowheart awkwardly shuffles the backpack off her back, setting it on the floor.
”Now, you asked me to bring wine,” she says sheepishly, ”but I must admit, I forgot. Hope this makes up for it.” She produces two wine glasses out of the pack and hands them to Tav. Then, she pulls out a four-pack of Red Bull.
A genuine belly laugh erupts from Tav, as she gladly receives Shadowheart’s offerings. ”I wouldn’t have ever expected this from you,” she teases between guffaws. ”You’re always so well-prepared for everything. But this is more than okay. You know me too well.” She puts down the drink and glasses, and grabs the dark-haired woman’s hand in hers.
Shadowheart’s expression turns from ashamed to merry, and her green eyes glimmer in the light emanating from the fairy lights. ”I was hoping you’d approve,” she murmurs, giving Tav’s hand a squeeze. Tav leans in to touch her lips to Shadowheart’s. ”This is more than worthy of approval. Thank you, Shadowheart.”
Tav cracks a can of Red Bull open ceremoniously. With added flare and dramatics, she pours Shadowheart a glass, swirling the sparkling drink like it was one of the mechanic’s finer vintages. ”My lady,” she croons, offering the glass to Shadowheart, who accepts it with a coy ”Why, thank you!”.
After Tav has poured a glass for herself, she puts the empty can aside. ”If I may, I’d like to say a few words.” Her voice is playfully pompous, as she puts on an accent heard only on British period dramas. Shadowheart’s smile widens as she settles to lie on her stomach amongst the pillows. She turns to her side to watch Tav intently, enjoying the silly performance. ”Let’s hear them, then,” she says, dragging her finger around the rim of her glass, refraining from drinking quite yet.
Tav clears her throat. ”Dear, esteemed… guest.” She doesn’t drop the accent as she begins her speech. ”Thank you for joining me in this fort. As you might’ve noticed, it is a masterpiece of engineering, very much unlike my car, which, as you know, is a masterpiece of awful.” Shadowheart almost drops her glass as a burst of laughter makes her body convulse. She sets the glass down on the floor and continues to listen to Tav, trying her best to hold in her laughter as Tav shoots a jestful glare at her.
”Young lady, I don’t like being interrupted,” Tav apprehends the dark-haired woman, who rolls her eyes in response. ”Tav, I’m literally older than you,” she giggles, but Tav waves her hand at her dismissively.
”Be that as it may, I welcome you to this spectacular fort with open arms and a heart that beats faster when you’re here with me,” Tav finishes her speech, feeling a blush creeping onto her cheeks with the words of affection.
”Well, I’ll drink to that,” Shadowheart hums in approval. She raises her glass and looks at Tav over the rim with a smirk that makes Tav’s stomach twist. Tav makes a quick recovery after steadying her breath, touching her glass to Shadowheart’s.
After a sip of Red Bull that, in Tav’s opinion, is much more satisfying than any of Shadowheart’s fancy red wines, she also settles on her stomach. The movie is turned on with a click of the space bar, and the two women lie there, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying their whimsical date. Tav’s nervousness about Shadowheart seeing her dinky flat is all but forgotten. Inside the fort, whatever exists outside has lost its meaning. It’s just Tav, the woman of her dreams, and the very small space that holds them.
Shadowheart grabs a hold of Tav’s hand, bringing it to her lips. ”Remind me to allow you control of our date nights more often,” she murmurs. ”You did so well tonight.”
The praise sends Tav’s heart thumping like mad in her chest. Shadowheart seems to realize the effect her words have had on her lover. She lifts her arm up to allow Tav to shuffle closer to her. She rolls on her side and Tav snuggles against her body. The mechanic’s body is muscular, yet soft. A place of safety that Tav has learned to call home. She relaxes into Shadowheart, revelling in the feel of their bodies melding together.
Tav turns her head to return her attention to the movie, and Shadowheart pops a salted crisp into her mouth. ”You know, Tav,” Shadowheart says after a few minutes of silence. ”A fort this fine should have a name.”
The whimsical suggestion takes Tav by surprise. ”Any ideas?” she asks.
”How about ’Last Fairy Light’?”
No consideration is needed. This name is a perfect homage to where they first met. ”I can’t think of anything more befitting,” Tav replies, leaning in for a kiss that threatens to send their half-empty glasses of Red Bull toppling over. Happy giggles soon fill the Last Fairy Light Fort as the lovers continue their date.