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Phainon stood beside the open gate to the poisonous flower garden as she watched it's gorgeous caretaker busy herself among the colourful array of deadly plants. It was a beautiful day where the sun shone down on the historic and protected grounds of the old but well-kept mansion while the gentle winds carried a slight chill.
The chill did nothing to prevent Phainon from her almost daily routine of wandering over on her breaks to admire Mydei at work; strong in appearance with her fierce tattoos that covered her exposed arms, red like some of her dangerous plants that displayed their colours in warning to their nature which Phainon couldn't help but think was also the case with Mydei, adorned in red, eyes that blazed amber and matching thick, blonde hair that blended into more red at the ends of her lengths. Despite her warning colours, Phainon was so drawn in to her contrasting, gentle handling and touch as she brushed her fingers — hidden under large and protective gardening gloves, along the petals and stems of her poisonous flowers as she made sure they were fit and well-fed.
"She's been on her feet for hours now, why don't you go in there? Give her an excuse to finally take her break and have a chat."
The warm yet firm voice broke Phainon away from her admiring to look behind and see her boss, Aglaea, gracing her with a small smile while Castorice accompanied beside her.
"If you're going in there, could you take these with you?" Castorice walked towards Phainon and handed her two roses, one red and one white, carefully held to avoid the prick of the thorns covering the stalks. "One for yourself to do with as you please and one for Mydei."
Phainon, also being mindful of the thorns, stared at the roses in awe. Castorice always took such good care of the flowers she tended for in gardens she managed on the grounds. The petals of both roses were almost perfectly undisturbed and smooth like she was admiring silk laid perfectly across a table's surface. The white of one of them was angelic and almost blindingly pure, untouched by any insect, harsh weather and clumsy fingers. The red on the other was similarly well-kept and refined; the deepness of the red was almost bewitchingly exquisite, much like the woman in the garden, Phainon thought to herself.
"Thanks, Castorice. They're beautiful, as they are every year for the Month of Balance." Phainon praised with an affectionate smile to which Castorice returned in kind. Phainon looked to Aglaea and nodded respectfully as she put her hand on the gate behind her. "I'll make sure Mydei gets her well-earned break. I'll see you both later."
The two nod back and walk away, chattering as they went while Phainon made her way through the gate and in the direction of Mydei who was still hard at work examining the condition of some flowers decorated in pinks and whites. As Phainon walked closer, Mydei noticed her approach and immediately stood up to greet her.
"Phainon. What brings you here today?" She asked.
"I heard you've been particularly busy today so I've come to make sure you take a break. I'm currently on mine so why don't we enjoy it together?" Phainon suggested, voice smooth, disguising the fact her heart was beginning to race as those amber eyes gazed so easily at her unaware the things they could do to her.
"It's true, I haven't taken a moment to myself yet. I should probably do so as I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast." Mydei turned herself around but looked over her shoulder to Phainon. "Come then, we can relax in my office."
Phainon nodded in response, her smile growing a little bigger and followed Mydei through the garden to a large, mostly glass greenhouse. The heat contained within struck Phainon like wave upon entering, contrasting the slight cold snap outside. They walked down a path through the centre, more perilous plants lining the beds of soil either side of them before at the end of the path was a door leading to a makeshift office space at the back of the greenhouse. Mydei opened the door but removed her gloves before entering, taking care not to let her skin make contact with the outer layers and placed them safely on a small table stood next to her.
Phainon followed Mydei inside the office and admires — as she always did upon every visit, the warmth and tidiness of the compact space. She seated herself at the table against the wall not far from the desk where Mydei's laptop and paperwork sat while watching the gardener shift through her belongings in search of her lunch. Eventually, she pulled out a couple of containers from her bag and laid one of them in the middle of the table, removing the lid to show an array of cooked but chilled bite-sized snacks. Some looked like pastry parcels containing meat and probably some vegetables while the rest seemed to be cheese-based snacks maybe also mixed with some greens.
"I'm not sure if you've eaten yet but regardless, help yourself to those. There's plenty for us both." Mydei said as she sat opposite Phainon with the other container in front of her containing a much more heartier meal for herself.
"Did you make these yourself?"
"Of course. The ready-made versions in the stores are always so dry and lacking in real flavour, I personally can't stand them. Probably no nutrition in them either."
Scanning the contents and feeling spoilt for choice, Phainon finally settled on picking out one of the pastry-like parcels and plopped it into her mouth, being cautious of making any crumbs as to not disturb the immaculately well-kept space. As expected from the many other times she got to try Mydei's home-cooked foods, the flavours were on-point; even though it was chilled, the taste of the well-seasoned mince meat and finely chopped veg contained within was bold and lingered perfectly in her mouth as she savoured the bite.
"So tasty! As always, of course. Are you sure you're not hiding some sort of double life as a universe-famous chef, Mydei?" Phainon teased as she dived in for another snack.
Mydei allowed herself a tiny grin of pride as she finished a mouthful of her own lunch. Her eyes looked over to Phainon, pride noticeable within them too and Phainon, once again, felt her heart flip upon the woman's gaze landing on her.
"I could never. I enjoy my cooking as a hobby and desire for it to remain as such. Still, it pleases me to see you enjoying it so much. Besides, I quite enjoy my work here… at least when the guests behave themselves."
"Oh, that reminds me! Have you heard more on the situation with that guest from last week?" Phainon asked as she finished off another one of the snacks.
The situation in question being a rather unruly guest who had likely arrived for one of the tours of the mansion and it's grounds already intoxicated to some degree on alcohol. A guest arriving slightly merry from light drinking before a tour was nothing unusual but this case was beyond a little tipsy. They had strayed from one of the tour groups and Phainon found him making his way into the poison garden upon his unauthorised exploration. She had tried to stop him and bring him back but his state was unreasonable as he tried to put up a fight. While Phainon was no pushover nor lacking in skills and strength to defend herself, all staff had to be extra careful to not harm guests even if they are causing a disturbance.
While Phainon struggled to get the man to calm down and return to his tour group, Mydei had heard the commotion and came through the gate to check what was going on. Upon being spotted by the troublesome guest, he started throwing insults at Mydei in his drunken fit while beginning to physically fight back against Phainon. The situation growing worse, Phainon began to debate if it had reached a level where physical retaliation was allowed. The man became increasingly aggressive with Phainon and before it could escalate any further, Mydei's gloved fist came flying into view and landed a direct hit on the side of the rowdy man's jaw, sending him to the ground. The padding of the gardening glove eliminated some of the impact of the punch on both sides but it was still enough to knock the man off-balance and leave him dazed.
Taking advantage of the man's state of shock, Phainon dragged him to Aglaea's office to explain what had happened and to get him escorted off the grounds. The man continued to make a fuss but it was no longer Phainon's problem to deal with.
Fast forward to today and Phainon still hadn't heard anything on the matter after leaving Aglaea's office that day.
"I actually got word this morning when I arrived that he's not pushing the complaints any further, likely advised that he was at a disadvantage considering staff and guests noticed his drunken state so it would of been his account versus the words of many." Mydei informed as she continued through her lunch. "Apparently the side of his face became inflamed, blotchy and incredibly irritated so I think he's learnt his lesson."
"Oh, because you punched him with your gardening glove? Mydei, that was careless! He could of sued you and the company regardless of how intoxicated he was. What if you'd been handling much more dangerous plants that day!?" Phainon's voice was rising with panic, fearing what could of been the end of Mydei's job and possibly the loss of any chances to see her again. Mydei seemed unfazed as she simply smiled something devilish which made something stir within Phainon.
"It's okay, Phainon. I was aware my gloves had only handled the less potent flora that day so I knew what I was doing. If I really wanted to send a stronger message I could of easily gone for more sensitive areas." She continued to grin mischievously and Phainon had to keep herself from showing what such an expression was doing to her within. That flash of danger that matched those of the flora she cared for.
"Still, Mydei, you didn't need to do that. You know I'm more than capable of dealing with guests like that. You didn't need to risk your job in such a way!"
"You were letting it go on for too long, Phainon. It was long past the point of trying to dissolve the situation peacefully."
"I was accessing the situation carefully before jumping to physicality!"
"You were hesitating too much! If you went on like that any longer, both of you would of been walking away with injuries but in this case it was only him, deservedly so."
Phainon clenched her hands into fists, hidden under the table on her lap in frustration. She knew what she was doing, she didn't need Mydei's help in deciding for her! She chanced a look at the woman sitting across from her who was eating her lunch again but her face was slightly scrunched up into a mild frown. As Mydei took the last bite of her lunch, she removed herself from her chair, sighed rather loudly, grabbed one of the snacks out of the container on the table and shoved it against Phainon's mouth. Phainon's hands scrambled to her lips to hold the snack now half squashed into her face and glared at Mydei while also feeling a hint of heat build upon her cheeks.
"Just eat and forget about it. Seeing you mope over something already dealt with and in the past is annoying me. Such a sorry look doesn't suit you." Mydei aggressively commented as she walked over to put the empty lunch container back in the bag.
Begrudgingly chewing on the food forced into her face, Phainon savours the snack regardless because as annoyed as she was about the situation, she had to admit Mydei's cooking could likely always bring her some form of peace. She started to wonder if Mydei was somehow privy to that as she watched her return to the table. Phainon tried to avoid eye contact, admittedly still a little pissed off but in doing so she noticed the roses given by Castorice that laid on the table forgotten.
"Oh, yeah!" Phainon said aloud as she carefully grabbed the roses, avoiding the thorns with her fingers and holding them both towards Mydei. "Castorice gave me these just before I came to see you. She said one was for you so take your pick!"
Mydei leaned in, a finger thoughtfully resting on her lips as she stared at roses in Phainon's hold. Phainon couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked with a face in pondering as she concentrated her gaze on the roses. She felt the heat on her cheeks again as she realised this almost looked like she, herself, was offering a flower often connotative with themes of love, to Mydei.
Calm down, Phainon! You just said they were from Castorice.
"Castorice normally gives me a red one so I'll take the white one for a change." Mydei said as she gently took the white rose from Phainon's fingers and admired it between her own. "The colour somewhat reminds me of someone."
For a brief moment, Phainon felt her heart jump in her chest.
W-What did she mean by that!?
"Castorice takes such good care of her flowers, I'm in awe at how pristine both the colour and the condition of this rose is. It's no wonder the mansion makes such good money every time the Day of Love rolls around." Mydei continues as if she didn't just send Phainon's thoughts racing across the galaxy and back.
Phainon mentally shook herself out of the buzz and brought herself back to Mydei's office space.
While the people of their planet had the Month of Weaving to celebrate the connections and relationships between loved ones and friends, travellers from beyond the sky brought with them the lore on how other planets had a day to celebrate it instead and how it often focused more on the romantic kind of love. Some people loved this idea and over time it became a part of the calendar for everyone to choose to celebrate, matching with the other cultures that shared it from beyond. The mansion took a part in these celebrations, offering various special items for purchase such as Castorice's specially picked flowers and arrangements. Many were also attracted to the mansion during this time because of it's history with romance and tragedies. This meant Phainon often found herself extra busy with fully-booked tours on every available slot which left her breaks tight for time. She took every chance she could get to catch Mydei on these strained breaks otherwise The Month of Balance left her almost Mydei-less.
"I remember you saying before that the Day of Love was one of your least favourite times of the year yet here you are looking so adoringly at that single rose." Phainon teased, trying to shake off the frantic energy her heart pumped around her body moments ago.
"I can appreciate well-cared for plants any time of the year regardless of the connections it might share with something I might loathe." Mydei explained as she continued to admire the white rose, handling it as if it were made of glass.
"You know, I don't think I've ever heard you explain why you hate the day so much. Hater of soppy couples and fairytale romances?" Phainon let out a light chuckle as she continued to tease but stopped when Mydei looked back at her with a dull expression.
"No, I don't care for all of that but I don't hate it either. I'm not a fan of the Day of Love because my parents see it as an opportunity to increase their chances of finding me someone to settle with for their business." Mydei sighed as she walked around looking for something while continuing to talk across the room to Phainon who stayed sat at the table, listening to every word carefully. "Every year they think they can use the romantic atmosphere to put me on a less than interesting date with someone who has ties to the lines of business or the knowledge of such. Said person also tends to be just as boring, small talk and self-important speeches — it's always a miserable day or evening out."
Mydei pulled out a narrow vase from a cupboard and took it over to her compact sink in a corner of her office, filling it with water and then adding some nutrients to it. She delicately placed the single rose into the slim vase and brought it back over to the table, placing it neatly in the centre next to the container of food still waiting to be finished.
Phainon recalled Mydei mentioning to her in the past that her job here was on borrowed time. Her parents wanted her to continue working in their business but she had enough as she personally found it unfulfilling so eventually, they allowed her to take the job here as the keeper of the poisonous garden on the condition she would find someone to bring into the family who could help her and them secure the business' future and by that they meant marriage. Phainon remembered some of the occasions Mydei mentioned she had one of these 'dates' that day, often coming to work the next morning completely devoid of any enthusiasm and looking more tired than when she left work the afternoon prior.
"I take it telling them no thanks isn't an option?" Phainon asked.
"Unfortunately, they'll only take no for an answer after I've at least tried going on the date with whoever they've plucked from the world of business. I just wish they'd stop picking out the most boring individuals just because their credentials look attractive."
"Are they really all like that?"
"Yes. Same conversation starters. Same business talks. Same questions. All the same. If I try to nudge them past it they go quiet like I've ruined the script and they don't know how to improvise."
Mydei's face made it all the more clearer how much she detested these dates; frowning, voice low in disappointment and eyes narrowed throughout. Phainon hated hearing it, both because they clearly made Mydei miserable but also because Phainon envied how these people with their flashy little business resumes and credentials were allowed to take Mydei's hand and attempt to swoon her only to leave her disappointed every time. Phainon wanted nothing more than to have her chance — have her moment with Mydei outside of their jobs at the mansion and it's grounds but she felt she had no choice but to continue admiring from afar and appreciate the small things such as these breaks they could share together to chat, to laugh, to tease, to pester and be at ease.
As Phainon watched Mydei grab a couple of the snacks from the container on the table and take a bite, an idea popped into her head.
"Hey, Mydei? You say they won't take no for an answer but what if you said you had a date already planned that day?"
"Then they'd respect it and leave me to it. They'd just ask about the details later to make their own judgements but I don't like lying to them so that's out of the question."
Phainon felt her nerves rise and her fingers fidget against her leg as she tried to keep her composure.
"What if you didn't need to lie to them?"
Mydei paused her chewing and looked directly at Phainon with an eyebrow raised — curiosity written all over her face. She swallowed the food to speak.
"Spill, Phainon. What are you getting at?" Her voice was low, laced with interest and a dash of daring.
Phainon took a deep breath.
"What I'm getting at, Mydei, is that…What if I asked you out on a date instead? You could avoid another boring set-up from your folks and you don't need to lie about it. I'd say that's a win."
The remaining food stayed frozen in time in the still hold of Mydei's hand as she processed what she just heard. She blinked a few times, taken off-guard by Phainon's suggestion but nothing on her face gave away if she was for or against the idea. After a couple more seconds of stunned silence, Mydei finally spoke up.
"Do you really mean to ask me for a date, Phainon?" Her expression remained difficult to read.
"Yes…I do." Phainon felt her stress levels rise as she struggled to gauge what Mydei was thinking. She tried to keep herself cool and composed. "I can't take you anywhere fancy or any place as grand especially since the Day of Love falls in the middle of a working week but I can at least offer you a meal at my place?"
Finally, Mydei's expression shifted. She started to smirk as she scoffed at Phainon.
"You? Offer me a meal? I find that hard to believe." She said with a low chuckle.
"I may not be as skilled as you when it comes to the art of cooking but I can at least try!" Phainon tried almost desperately to defend her case, confident if she could put her best forward she could pull it off, right? She watched Mydei fold her arms across her chest, an eyebrow raising again and a bigger smirk on her lips formed.
"Who was it again? The one that somehow let the microwave in their workstation catch fire? Twice, may I add?"
Phainon felt like she was beginning to deflate with her confidence as she was reminded of her own blunders. It was her who somehow caused the microwave to catch fire. It was her who put too many minutes on the timer and came back to smoke pooling out from the kitchen area of her office.
"So, it's a no then?" Phainon said dryly.
Mydei sighed and then brought a hand to her forehead.
"I never said no."
Phainon's eyes darted back to look at Mydei and noticed her cheeks were tinted with a very light shade of red.
"But you-"
"I wouldn't let you cook me a meal, not until you've been given proper guidance under a knowing eye." Mydei cleared her throat and averted her eyes to the side. "However, I wouldn't be against a date with you."
"Wait, so…Is that a yes or?"
"I'll accept your offer for a date but you're not cooking anything. The date will be at yours and I will bring food with me to cook for us. Agreed?"
"I can't accept that! I'm the one asking you so I should be the one to offer something. What if I ordered us-"
"Phainon!" Mydei interrupted with a firm voice which immediately stopped Phainon in her tracks. "Either I cook or no date!"
"Okay. If you insist…" Phainon muttered in response. Despite the drop, internally her mind was bouncing with excitement. "I can at least promise you I won't be a bore like all those business losers." Phainon waved her hand dismissively as she spoke of the previous dates and Mydei allowed herself to laugh as she challenged the claim.
"Oh? Think you got what it takes to keep me entertained?" Mydei grinned, her teeth peeking through like a cat ready to open for the bite just before they land their pounce, eyes staring straight at Phainon's as she felt the heat rushing to her face again. That look is something she loved so much; a challenge with that edge of something dangerous. The keeper of the poisonous flora and her own warning colours — a warning that kept most at a distance but to a woman like Phainon it was tempting her in for a closer look.
"I'll have you know, Lady Mydeimos, I'm quite the entertaining woman! You'll be so charmed by my ways that you'll never want to leave my company." Phainon spoke with a dramatic flair. She gracefully picked up the red rose laying on the table, swiftly brought it to her mouth and held onto it with her teeth but her smooth act was very quickly broken when a thorn on the stem caught the corner of her mouth.
"Ow!"
She took the rose away with haste and tasted the tiny amount of blood from the minuscule wound. Mydei rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked over to Phainon, a very faint but affectionate smile appeared on her lips as she leaned in to inspect the wound. Blushing increased across Phainon's cheeks likely towards her ears as she saw Mydei's face so close to hers but before she could say a single word, Mydei had a thumb on the corner of Phainon's mouth — holding it there for what seemed longer than necessary before she slowly and gently wiped away a bit of blood. She leaned back up, pulled a handkerchief from one of her pockets and removed the blood from her thumb.
"I look forward to it then, Lady Phainon."
— ❁ ♡ ❁ —
The days leading up to the date were painfully long and slow as Phainon went through various emotions; excitement and joy because she finally had gotten herself a date with Mydei to then drop into the waves of anxiety and apprehension because oh titans, she has a date with Mydei! What made it worse was the fact her tour schedule got more and more hectic as the Day of Love approached meaning she had difficulty setting aside time to visit Mydei. She would still occasionally see the gardener around the grounds outside of her poisonous garden but never at a moment where she was free to chat.
Thankfully, they had exchanged phone numbers so they could make proper arrangements and updates if necessary but Phainon fretted over ever sending anything outside of relevant information. Mydei messaged every now and again, asking for food loves and hates, if she had any dietary exclusions and similar such questions but in the end, Phainon simply told her she could cook for them her own favourite dish since she was the doing work (which Phainon still felt a little guilty about regardless of Mydei's insistence).
Finally, the evening of the date arrived and Phainon couldn't have been anymore nervous.
She gave herself one last look-over in the mirror of her bedroom, making sure her outfit was exactly how she wanted it and made sure her hair was behaving itself as she combed her hands through it just to be sure. She had debated on whether a dress would be best for this occasion but eventually settled for the comfort of a smart pair of trousers along with a smart button-up shirt to match. Phainon was never the type to feel comfortable in dresses or skirts, only wearing them if needs must but this was not such a time as her mind was already stressing about every little detail so the last thing she needed was for her body to be screaming at her too in discomfort. For extra reassurance, she had made sure to put the outfit choice through the knowledgeable eyes of her boss and thankfully, she happily corrected and assisted in the perfect combination to impress. The final message from Aglaea came through with a thumbs up of approval, putting at least a sliver of Phainon's anxiety to rest.
To finish the preparations, Phainon gave the kitchen a thorough check to make certain everything was tidy and in place ready for Mydei to use. She placed the red rose gifted to her from Castorice in the middle of her small dining table, thankful for the advice given on how to keep it's beauty for as long as possible. As she gave herself a nod in content, the chime for her door sounded through her apartment and sent her heart rate flying.
Take it easy, Phainon. You got this. You'll put all those other dates to complete shame and Mydei will be head over heels!
Phainon took a deep breath alongside her mental pep talk and walked through her apartment to the front door. When she opened it, her eyes went wide and words of greeting found themselves unable to move past her throat as she stared in awe at the sight in her doorway.
There stood Mydei, gold earrings with a tiny blue gem of some kind attached to each and a matching , dainty gold necklace also decorated with a little blue on it's charm. Phainon was used to seeing her in various overalls, shirts covered in soil and sometimes colourful pollens, thick gardening trousers and her hair half up and half down. Now she stood in front of Phainon in a black dress that faded into dark reds along the edges and shaped around almost every curve of her body that made it difficult to look away. Her hair was fully down, parts of it flowing upon her shoulders and the ends beautifully resting along the sides of her chest.
Phainon's attention was soon brought back to her doorway as Mydei cleared her throat a little louder then necessary making the host blink in realisation that she'd been caught staring for a little too long to excuse.
"Good evening, Phainon. I hope I'm not too early?" Her date teased while seemingly trying to hide her amusement at Phainon's wandering gaze.
"Of course not! I've been waiting on your arrival so please, come in!" Phainon replied while trying to keep her composure and stepping aside for Mydei to make her way in while feeling a tad embarrassed at her minor blunder.
Phainon guided her date to the kitchen where she helped her unpack the ingredients, throwing out guesses as to what dish they could be for to which Mydei would shake her head, wearing a small grin with every incorrect guess. Phainon tried to offer her assistance but her date continued to shake her head and insisted she watch and learn at most or just make herself comfortable and wait.
The two of them settled for chatting while Mydei cooked and Phainon watched her, admiring the way she effortlessly made it look easy. They both found themselves easing into conversation naturally much like the breaks they sometimes shared back at their job, transitioning from one subject to the next, a joke or two thrown in making the time pass unnoticed while occasional periods of silence would settle between them but they were silences of shared, appreciated peace and never a loss of interest. The atmosphere continued to the dinner table where Phainon admired the home-cooked meal with compliments for the chef. Mydei, once again, trying to hide her amusement but she could never hide her pride.
As the evening bridged into night, Phainon came to realise that her apartment had never felt so warm and pleasant until this moment as she sat on her couch with Mydei next to her, quietly admiring the deep, red wine in the glass held neatly between her fingers; the wine she insisted they share at least a small glass of each since it pairs so well with their meal and who was Phainon to refute the woman who had provided both. She had made sure to remind Mydei they still had a job to attend to the next day so these would be the only glasses of the night and to make sure they were savoured.
"I'm not usually a lover of wine but I have to admit that this one does go down well after the meal. You are a woman of fine tastes, Mydei." Phainon said with a smile to charm and eyes gazing fondly at her date.
"And I have to admit, Phainon, that this is one of the better dates I can recall ever having." Mydei said in kind, returning a small smile of her own. "Not only have you provided me a respite from having to sit through another terrible, set-up with a bore of an individual but you've been great company too."
"Did I not say I would leave those business bores in the metaphorical dust? I shouldn't take all the glory since you did cook the delicious food and provided a fine wine to match." Phainon responded as she slowly tilted her wine glass back and forth making the liquid sitting within sway with it like a restless ocean before finding herself staring, lost in it's waves in thought. "Admittedly…I do feel a little bad. All I could do was offer you my place when I bet yours is at least a few steps above this passable, liveable box space in the city."
"Phainon."
Mydei shuffled herself closer and leaned towards Phainon whose eyes looked to and followed her amber as they both focused on each other. Phainon struggled to make a read of Mydei's intent as her expression hid her thoughts, leaving Phainon gazing — searching, wondering what was going on in that pretty head of hers.
"You're overthinking things." Mydei finally said and Phainon found herself relaxing ever so slightly; her eyes remaining focused on the woman mere inches from her. "I enjoy cooking most days and I rather like watching you enjoy the food I sometimes bring with me to work so this actually came together perfectly. The space your apartment offers is of no concern to me."
She took another small sip of her wine.
"Though, perhaps, if I were to be fully honest with you, your space could do with a couple of plants to liven it up." Mydei said with that slight tongue-in-cheek grin that flicked a switch somewhere in Phainon's brain making her want to match the energy with eagerness.
"Oh, really? Well, I would ask for recommendations but I fear yours would try to kill me." Phainon retorted with her own cheeky smirk and watched as her date allowed a faint chuckle to sound in her throat as her lips remained sealed in that teasing smile Phainon thoroughly enjoyed.
"You think I'd try to poison you?" Mydei asked with a mild tease in her tone and eyes with a glint of something to match that Phainon couldn't quite put her finger on but one thing was for sure; she was enjoying every second of this.
Phainon took her turn to lean a little closer, casually resting her elbow on the back of the couch and her head rested on the hand connected to it.
"Who knows? The original owner of that garden you love to look after so much was suspected of poisoning both the former head of the family that once owned the mansion and later, his widowed wife using the toxins from the very plants she tended to before following with her own death. Whose to say the spirit of the former gardener hasn't possessed you to commit similar crimes?"
Mydei let out a soft and light "ha" before she leaned herself even closer, the glint in her eyes inching closer to that danger Phainon always admired from afar and now found herself staring straight into it, heat gathering and rising deep within herself the longer she gazed at it, wanting more.
"As the lead tour guide for the mansion, you should also know that the most common rumour at the time of their deaths was that it was the wife who plotted the poisoning of her husband after she became tired of their marriage — a marriage arranged against her own wishes. She was the one to request the assistance of the poisonous garden's keeper who was suspected of also being the wife's secret lover and the main driving force for the wife's plot against her husband."
"Oh, I'm very aware." Phainon replied before daring to move herself further so their bodies no longer had any distance between them and their faces a breath apart. Mydei did not shy away, her gaze staying firmly locked on the blue of Phainon's own. "Someone's been listening well to my tour talks."
"I like to listen in sometimes when I need a break away from the garden. The enthusiasm you have for the history of the mansion and it's grounds is infectious. I always find myself listening intently."
Taken aback and blushing across her cheeks at the compliment she wasn't expecting, Phainon broke her gaze for a second as she tried to keep her composure, processing what she was just told. She was aware Mydei sometimes lingered at the back of a tour group for a few minutes at a time before she'd have to return to her own work but Phainon had no idea she did so often enough to take in all the information and to borderline praise the way she gave them. All this time Phainon was admiring Mydei from afar when their breaks did not align, had Mydei been doing the same to her?
Feeling a new rush of confidence brewing, Phainon fixed her gaze on Mydei once more, staring straight into her amber eyes with a renewed fire within herself, going from a slowly rising flame to an increasing blaze — there was no backing down now. She brought her face in closer, noses almost within touching distance while the arm once supporting her head now moved further along the back of the couch so it lay directly next to Mydei's head, enclosing her.
"Then you'd also know the same rumours said that the wife's death as well as her secret lover's were the result of a suicide pact using another poison created from the flowers in the garden after investigators got too close to the truth of the husband's murder. It was said they took it together and died in each other's arms. A truly romantic tragedy."
Phainon saw something shift within those amber eyes but before she could register what it could of been, Mydei moved herself swiftly and seamlessly onto Phainon's lap, rested an arm across her shoulder and hovered her face over her date. The blonde hair tinted with a light shade of red at the ends hung around them, almost hiding their faces from the world outside. The only light seeping through was from the lamp behind Phainon's end of the couch, the glow of which caught on Mydei's eyes turning them from amber to a gold that shone with daring — daring Phainon to try and move Mydei off her or entice her deeper into the moment. Mydei brought the hand still holding onto her wine towards Phainon's cheek and stretched the index finger outwards to softly trace along the skin from the cheek to underside of her chin, the ghost trail burning itself into Phainon's memory as if it were phantom scratch left behind as she felt the tip of Mydei's finger and the nail painted beautiful in shades of reds and golds gently push against her chin in delicate demand to look up at woman looming over her.
"Tell me, Phainon," Mydei started with her voice low and seductive, "how do you think they took that poison they supposedly shared?"
The air around them was shifting and Phainon was completely enthralled by it. Her eyes remained on the woman clearly trying to draw her into her game and she was living for it, every part of it. With Mydei up so close, all Phainon could think was how beautiful she looked with her lips in a challenging grin while her eyes continued to gaze at her both in warning and temptation. Phainon could only gaze back with want and a desire to allow herself to continue falling into this moment.
"There were a few suggestions by those who looked into their cause of deaths." Phainon said, her voice lowering to match Mydei's — smooth and beginning to border on sultry. "One suggested they shared a glass of liquor mixed with the toxins of whatever flower they chose from the very same garden you manage and laid themselves to rest together on the bed they were later found on. Another suggests they simply divided the poisonous liquid into their own glasses and downed it straight at the same time. My favourite, however, is one more intimate. The final theory is that one of them drank from the poisoned glass first but left some on their tongue before embracing in a final kiss of death, leaving this world together both figuratively and literally in the closest form possible."
Mydei hummed, whether in quick thought or some form agreement, Phainon wasn't sure as she saw the woman's finger slide itself away from under her chin to bring the wine glass to Mydei's mouth for tiny sip. Phainon watched, continuously captivated by every movement and sound her date made. In the next moment, Mydei finally closed any space left between them as she quickly drew their lips together into a kiss. Phainon's eyes went wide in shock, her heart thumped against her chest and the air almost caught itself in her throat as their lips collided; any thoughts she had quickly disappeared and were replaced by pure desire as she began to feel a gentle tongue at her lips encouraging her to let Mydei in.
Regaining herself from the unexpected move, Phainon allowed herself to sink back into the moment as the shock from the escalation was burnt away by the heat racing throughout her inner workings and fuelled by it, she moved into the kiss. Mydei's hand travelled along Phainon's shoulder to place itself on the neck as if ready to guide her if necessary with Phainon's own hand moving to rest on side of Mydei's face, her fingers gliding slightly into her soft, blonde hair while her other made it's way over to rest upon Mydei's waist. Phainon finally opened her lips to her.
Wasting no time, Mydei's tongue found it's way in immediately while Phainon's heart raced, readying herself for a passionate clash but was quickly thrown off when her mouth filled with the intense taste of wine. At first, she thought it was simply the lingering taste from the sip Mydei took just before she locked their lips together but in the next moment she felt it; a single, minuscule drop of something slide down her own tongue and to the back of her throat. She swallowed in realisation and broke away from the kiss to stare in disbelief at the woman on her lap who licked her lips while said lips took the form of something devilish.
"M-Mydei, did you just…kiss-of-death me?" Phainon felt the blush from her cheeks reach her ears as she watched for her reaction.
Mydei's smile grew larger until she burst into laughter, a sight Phainon never expected to see and honestly, never wanted to forget. Her cheeks were also bright red as she tried to settle herself again to speak.
"Well, wine can be considered a poison in some cultures. Consume enough wine and it can become potent enough to poison your body, so, maybe I did." Mydei replied with her playful yet tantalizing grin.
"Oh titans, Mydei…" was all Phainon could breathe out as she processed everything that just happened. Mind racing, heart on fire yet despite it all she still found herself hungry for more. Mydei's warning colours — the same warning colours the toxic flowers of her garden so boldly flashed to the world around them — were no longer a simple comparison Phainon made in her imagination but now were really an indication of Mydei's true nature; a woman who carried a dangerous spark in her eyes, a woman who seeks fulfilment and not the mundane simplicities and anyone who approached her unprepared and unknowing could find themselves playing with fire or would simply be ignore if they got lucky enough. This is what enticed Phainon to Mydei more; this is what Phainon loved about this woman who was currently looking at her with an expression of both something endearing and something prideful as if she was very pleased with the reactions she got.
Bringing her hand gently to Mydei's chin, Phainon drew them back together for another kiss, a short and soft sound escaping the other woman before she played into the second kiss. This time their lips melded together in a smoother harmony rather than a clash of intent, a settlement falling between them to take it a bit easier and flow into something a bit more intense and intimate the longer their mouths remained together. The danger had passed but that didn't mean Phainon was any less captivated by any attention, touch, look or sound Mydei gave as they made out on her couch while time around them became a blur.
This time, it was Mydei who broke their kiss, slowly drawing their lips apart to gaze into Phainon with a look so loving that Phainon felt herself unable to register anything else so she could absorb everything about this very moment. The expression very quickly faded into something more amiable but still quite warm as Mydei leaned away.
"It's getting late, so I should go before we forget we have to be up for work in the morning." She lifted herself up from Phainon's lap and the sofa, carefully placing her wine glass back on the small table in front of them and collecting her stuff from nearby.
"You could always stay the night, you know?" Phainon almost whined in response, a minor pout forming on her lips at the loss of warmth from Mydei's gorgeous body and the upcoming loss of company she'd quickly come to crave more of.
"You and I both know if I stay, sleep would not be happening for a while." Mydei said with a light chuckle as she stood back up from picking up her things and looked back towards Phainon. She smiled at her as she pointed with her free hand to the bottle of wine stood in the middle of the table by the couch. " You still have a bottle of wine to finish. Why don't you put that somewhere to chill and maybe I could help you finish it on our next day off?"
Phainon's eyes lit up at the prospect of spending more time with Mydei, her little pout smoothing out into a pleased grin as she could excuse the night coming to an end if it meant another was just around the corner.
"It's a date!"
Mydei continued to smile as she began to walk towards the door, Phainon following behind to see her off but Mydei came to a halt at the dining table. She reached for the red rose still resting in it's little glass and grabbed it, carefully avoiding the thorns and with smooth movements, placed it between her teeth and raised an eyebrow in teasing towards Phainon who let out a little huff in response. Phainon reached for the rose and took it away from Mydei's mouth to which the woman laughed before continuing to make her way to leave. Phainon held the rose close as she watched Mydei walk away from Phainon's door towards the exit of the floor her apartment resided on as she started to imagine the red as one of Mydei's colours, allowing Phainon to keep a piece of her somewhat while she waited for the next time they could spend their time together blissfully forgetting the world around them.