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Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 23, 2016 7:51:31 GMT -5
(OOC: Continuing from this post over in the "Planning Ahead For A Showdown" thread...) Grabbing a glass of tea from the dining hall, Stephanie walked over to one of the tables and sat down opposite Jessie, all the while trying - and failing - not to deny that there was something about the younger woman that she liked and wanted to know more about. "So, anyway," she said, trying to contain her interest while at the same time trying to relax as well, "what brings you to this place, Jessie?" taking a moment to undo the makeshift ponytail she'd kept her hair in as they sat.
Jessie had snagged some tea for herself as well and smiled just slightly. She thought it was sort of funny, Stephanie's question. The real thing that brought her here was the end of the world obviously as boring as an answer as that was. It was however the truth.
"Well, I've been here almost since the whole thing happened. I couldn't get out of the cityin time and well.... Here I am. FEMA camps were being overrun with people and the dead, a lot of people started talking about clearing Rikers. I went with them."
She sipped her tea and raised her brow. Jessie was glad to be able to do this. To have a conversation that felt somehow more organic and just simply different than what she had with some of the others here. It really was a welcomed change of pace that was in no way unpleasant.
Jessie took another sip of her tea and raised her brow in return, asking Stephanie the same question. "Well, what about you? What brought you here? You said you came here like a week or so ago? Or did I mishear that? I can be a bit all over the place sometimes. I sorta keep to myself for that reason. Among others..." Jessie whispered the last bit as she brought the cup to her lips.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 24, 2016 18:36:16 GMT -5
"Well, I've been here almost since the whole thing happened. I couldn't get out of the city in time and well.... Here I am. FEMA camps were being overrun with people and the dead, a lot of people started talking about clearing Rikers. I went with them."
"I've heard lots of stories about those camps...usually after they'd fallen," Stephanie said, turning her tea glass in her hands as she listened. "I stayed away from them, though, after everything fell apart; one thing I learned from living on the streets of Baltimore was something a fellow stick-up artist once told me..and that was 'Never let yourself get in something that you cannot walk out of in thirty seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner'...and the heat could be anything: cops, drug dealers, other stick-up artists....walkers," she added with a mix of humor and sadness.
Looking away for a moment, Stephanie continued after Jessie asked her how long she'd been at Rikers and just decided to open up to her about...well, everything. "'Bout two weeks; I came in with a group of survivors that had wandered into the heart of Manhattan...originally. Orignally, I was from Baltimore, Charm City, specifically South Baltimore or as we used to call it back in the day, 'Billyland' for all the hillbillies from western Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia who came to the city to work the industries during World War II. Wasn't very book smart as everyone used to tell me, but when you have a lot of street sense, books don't have to factor in there.
Taking a sip of tea, she continued. "When I graduated from high school, I knew I wasn't going to go any further...but with the line of work I grew into, I didn't have to worry 'bout that, either," her Bawlmer accent in full effect. "You see, back then, I used to rob drug dealers and other...other players, if you will," a sly grin forming on her lips. "Used to rob 'em of their drugs and their money; most times, I'd dump the drugs in the gutter and keep all the money," chuckling as she added, "sometimes, I'd sell the drugs back to other dealers...then turn 'round and rob them again. I had one ironclad rule, though, Jessie: I never - never - turned my gun on anyone who weren't involved in the game; if you were a taxpayer, a citizen, you had nothing to fear from me what...so...ever."
"But as bad as I was back then, I still remember that day," making it clear to Jessie which day Stephanie was referring to, "like it was yesterday," leaning forward in her chair, fingers interlocked together. A look of sadness passed over her. "At the time, I was slowly getting out of the life; I was dating this incredibly beautiful woman, Rachel...and we'd..." stopping for a moment as more memories came forth, "we'd been making plans to get out of Bawlmer, start anew somewhere...just me and Rachel," pausing to pull out a photo of her and a beautiful, blond-haired woman from a back jeans pocket and set it down on the table. "That was Rachel; from the first moment I saw her, I fell for her...and it was a rather hard fall, I might add; I loved her with all my heart...and it was truly reciprocal.
That day, I had just stepped out of a corner deli near the rowhouse we lived in when all hell broke loose," emphasizing each of the last few words. "Rushing back to the rowhouse, I all-but-broke down the door to try to get to Rachel, but..." looking away once more and wiping her eye in a 'I'm not crying but I'm about too' manner. "...but I was too late; a walker had stumbled in through a back entrance and had attacked Rachel; I only know that because as I searching for her inside the rowhouse, I was nearly attacked by Rachel herself; don't ask me how 'cause I'm not a doctor but she was staggerin' towards me, the front of her clothes all covered in blood from where she'd been bitten, staggerin' towards me like she wanted to take a bite out of me. So you know what I did, Jessie?" pausing to wipe another tear from her eye.
"I grabbed a baseball bat and took a Babe Ruth swing at Rachel," pausing to wipe another tear. "And girl, did I connect; next thing I remember, I'm sitting on the upper floor of the rowhouse, crying my heart out...and my girlfriend's maybe twenty, twenty-five feet away, with a good chunk of her skull missing from where the bat connected...right there!" tapping the upper right of her head a moment or two. "After getting myself back together, I packed what things I could, torched the rowhouse as best I could and got the hell out of Dodge." By now, it was all Stephanie could do not to break down and cry; other than the group she'd formerly been a part of, she'd never told that to anyone before.
"The first few months after were the worst; there were a few times when I nearly starved to death, being as thin as I am and all...and before you ask, I was simply cursed with a fast metabolism; I could eat two full meals back-to-back in the day and maybe gain an ounce or two growing up and that never went away. But I kept going, kept going every single day...even on the days, Jessie, where it might'd been better to eat a bullet and join Rachel in the next life, I kept going. And it wasn't just physically that I'd keep going; every time I'd wander through a new town, I'd always stop at a library or bookstore, grab a few books, read 'em from end-to-end and then end-to-end again...couple of weeks ago, I walked across the GW Bridge into Manhattan, ran into the other members of the group I'd been with coming here...and here am I," the seriousness back in her voice, even with the occasional sniffle. "Sitting across a table from....," pausing to gather her thoughts, "...from another survivor. That is what we are, Jessie: survivors. Each in our own way, we've made it this far; there's no reason to think we can't make it any further."
After a few moments, she laughed as she sat back, realizing she'd just opened herself up to someone she hardly even knew. "I think that's the most I've ever spoken to someone since...well, since in a long time, anyway." Taking another sip of tea, she added, leaning forward once again and propping her head in one hand, an inquisitive look about her. "If this were a nightclub, I'd ask you if you'd like to gout on the dancefloor and dance with me, but...that might be a step or three too far. Tell you what: you stick with me, Jessie, and we'll get through the coming storm together; on that, you have my word." It was the closest thing to just up and asking Jessie out on a date - and that was a big, big gamble, since Stephanie knew about Jessie in that frame of mind - but given everything Stephanie'd just said, she desperately wanted to change the subject and be done with the past, once and for all.
How was she supposed to respond to that? What could she say to follow that up with?
"I served coffee to hipsters and yuppies in a small coffee shop while I went to school." It was laughable, it truly was. But that was the truth. This woman laid out some crazy story about her life, what she went through, what she did, and that was how Jessie responded. Not to mention Stephanie made a pass at her, which literally floored her. How was she supposed to react to all of this?
"I like routine. I'm pretty smart and confident when I am in my routine. Which I most certainly am not. When I am though, I can handle most things. This is so far out in left field for me, I don't know how to respond to this. Any of it." She let out a small panicked laugh and looked to her tea. Jessie was having a hard time doing anything else.
"Never had another woman, uh, hit on me either." She looked up to Stephanie almost panicked herself. "Not that it is bad. I mean, I... never have thought that way... I mean not that being gay or straight matter. They don't."
She was drowning and she knew it. The longer she spoke the worse she hung herself. But she needed to dig herself out, otherwise she'd look and feel like a total asshole. "I wouldn't dance, either. Not that I wouldn't with you, just... it was never in my routine. Clubbing I mean. Not because of... other reasons.
Glad you... went after assholes and not tax payers... I mean, could be useful nowadays huh? Given the state of the world... I served coffee to hipstiers..."
Jessie wanted to die. Right now. She wanted to curl into a ball and die. She was so embarrassed and she had officially hung herself. She did the only thing left she could think of. She brought her tea up to her lips and started gulping it down, to which she ended up with too much tea and began to choke on it. Now in the middle of a coughing fit, on top of all that, now she wanted the tea to just kill her. The sheer embarrassed embarrassment was almost too much for her to handle.
Last Edit: Apr 26, 2016 22:59:23 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 27, 2016 2:09:41 GMT -5
Seeing Jessie's expression after essentially laying bare everything about her life, how she got here...and throwing in a pass at her as well, Stephanie quickly spoke. "Hey, hey, relax, Jessie...relax," she said, especially after Jessie coughed drinking her tea afterwards. Seeing that the younger woman was still struggling with it all, she added, "For what its' worth, if the tables were turned, I'd probably be doing the same thing too."
After a moment, she decided to try and lighten the mood once more. "I remember this one time, I was about twenty-one, twenty-two," pausing to take another drink of tea, "when my grandma, aghast at the lack of any sort of male relationship in my life - she had no idea I was attracted to women and I didn't let on to it around her either - tried to set me up on a date with this guy from our neighborhood down in South Bawlmer." Laughing, she continued, "Boy, that date ended rather spectacularly...," pausing as she bit her lip in an effort to not laugh ever harder at the memory. Sticking her tongue out a moment at Jessie, she shook her head and went on. "...anyway, we went to this bar off of Patapsco Avenue and Derek - that was his name - and he kept trying to hit on me all the time we were there...and there was nothing there; I wasn't feeling anything towards him. He wouldn't get the freakin' message; eventually, he just asked me, "Well, is there anything you see here that interests you?
"'Well,' I told him, looking straight at him as this gorgeous brunette that I knew at the time joined us at the bar," leaning forward towards Jessie as she told the rest of the story, "if you kept your mind above your waistline, maybe you'd see things more clearly....like this, for instance?" adding, "And without hesitating I leaned over and kissed Liz right on the lips; as we're walking out of the bar, I look back, arm wrapped around Liz's shoulder, and added, 'By the way, Derek....your fly's open,' motioning towards him a moment before Liz and I walked out of that bar. You should've seen the look on his face as he glances down, beer in hand, this dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks look on his face. Now, I don't know, Jessie, if that look on his face was because his fly was open or because I leaving the bar in the company of another woman, but it was priceless."
Finishing her tea, Stephanie looked over towards one of the windows and saw that the sun was beginning to set in the western sky. Blowing out a long breath as she leaned back in her chair, she sheepishly looked around a moment, then looked Jessie square in the eye. "I don't know about you, but its' going to be one very busy night, getting everything ready to go to Yankee Stadium. I'll be in the Armory probably all night, going over weapons, getting the gun-kits ready to go," getting up from her chair and walking over to the mess line to leave her glass for the dining crew to wash and clean. As she walked away and began walking towards the exit, something tugged at her heart; she thought to herself, Dammit, Stephanie Jean, admit it: you're attracted to Jessie; tell her how you feel and let the chips fall where they may!
After a moment's pause, she turned and walked back over to where Jessie was still sitting. Leaning down, she quietly spoke to her. "Jessie," taking a deep breath as she began, "I have to admit something here, Jessie, and if what I have to say scares you, I apologize right here and now. I....I, uhh, I think you're beautiful, attractive and I'd like to get to know you better. And," running a finger seductively along Jessie's forearm, "I think you're probably feeling the same way as well; if not, you would've bolted earlier...but you didn't," pausing. Leaning down, Stephanie gave Jessie a faint kiss on the cheek and ran her finger up Jessie's upper arm in the same manner she'd done moments ago. "See you in the Armory after dark," Stephanie whispered; without waiting for a reply, Stephanie got up and turned around, walking out of the mess hall, feeling as though a heavy weight had been taken off of her shoulders. Quietly whistling "Farmer In The Dell" as she got outside, Stephanie figured she'd had a 50-50 shot; either she was still good at reading people or she'd just made an absolute fool of herself, so close to what was about to go down in the South Bronx. Please, God, Stephanie thought to herself as she walked down the road towards the Armory, please let things work themselves out as they should, adding, please don't let what I said to Jessie go in vain....I've already had my heart broken once losing Rachel; I don't want it broken heart in regards to Jessie....
As Stephanie's word rattled on, Jessie sat there, listening to her and wasn't sure on how to respond still. She did her best to keep her coughing down as most of it seemed to have subsided. She watched Stephanie intently and felt her cheeks flush when she was told she was beautiful.
Never before in anyway shape or form was Jessie ever attracted to a woman. Sure, maybe she though one girl had great hair, or legs, of a beautiful face, but never attracted to one. Ever.
Then Stephanie closed the distance and her finger dragged across Jessie's arm. Instantly the hairs on the back of Jessie's neck were on edge and goosebumps covered her arms. She kept her eyes locked on Stephanie as she spoke. It was almost hypnotic, but when Stephanie placed her lips against her cheek, a shiver shot up her spine. By this time, any words she spoke were lost to Jessie. The only thing that registered was that same touch on her arm.
She felt hot, like a fire erupted inside of her. Jessie knew she must have had a crimson look about her with how much her cheeks had flushed, but she just sat there in a stupor as Stephanie walked away. Even as minutes ticked by, she stared towards the door and didn't even hear her name called until the second time.
"Earth to Jessie, hello?" It was Dillion and he had a slightly perplexed look about him. "Are you okay?"
"Huh? What? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm good." She blinked a few times and snapped back to 'Earth' as it were.
"You prepping for that big push f..." Dillion was suddenly cut off as Jessie stood up.
"I gotta run, Dillion. I'm sorry. I just need to check something." Jessie made a break for the door and heard Dillion say... something. What she couldn't know for sure. Quickly she moved towards the armory and when she neared it, she slowed down.
For a moment, she paused and felt unsure. Jessie wasn't gay. She had never done anything with a woman. She identified as straight because... well, she liked guys but...
There was this. What was she doing here? Why had she come? Stephanie's intentions were very clear, even if she hadn't noticed it at first. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Fuck it.
Jessie moved towards the armory and entered. Once inside, she saw her. Stephanie. She needed to say something and not just stand there like an idiot. So, she said the first thing that popped into her mind.
I'm not gay but...
No she didn't. Jessie stiffened and felt and looked mortified because the words almost escaped her lips. She had to say something, though. Right now. This second.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 28, 2016 1:01:23 GMT -5
As she spent the evening working in the Armory, Stephanie took the occasional glance towards the window, pausing every so often to watch the setting sun and wondering if her gamble would pay off or whether she'd gone well and truly down a branch with no exit in sight....and the nervousness showed at times; pausing to calm her nerves as she worked on some of the weapons, she caught sight of her reflection in a window pane and abruptly closed the shade, trying to alleviate the nerves bundling inside her. It'd been years since Stephanie had been on any sort of date and she kept wondering if she'd blow it somehow, do something stupid or foolish....of course, if Jessie doesn't show up, she mused, I'll have been nervous and all that for nothing--
For a moment, she paused and felt unsure. Jessie wasn't gay. She had never done anything with a woman. She identified as straight because... well, she liked guys but...
There was this. What was she doing here? Why had she come? Stephanie's intentions were very clear, even if she hadn't noticed it at first. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Fuck it.
Jessie moved towards the armory and entered. Once inside, she saw her. Stephanie. She needed to say something and not just stand there like an idiot. So, she said the first thing that popped into her mind.
I'm not gay but...
No she didn't. Jessie stiffened and felt and looked mortified because the words almost escaped her lips. She had to say something, though. Right now. This second. "Hi..." That would have to do.
Hearing someone behind her, Stephanie turned...and smiled an honest, happy smile; seeing Jessie standing there, looking nervous and all, she walked over to her. "Wow...I'm glad you could make it over here, Jessie," she said, wanting to say or do more in the moment but not wanting to screw anything up in the process. She'd almost thought Jessie would back out, not come by...but once again, Stephanie's hunches had paid off. "There's a couple chairs back there if you sit and talk or something..." her voice trailing off as she pointed off towards the back. Biting her lip a moment, she had to will herself to not show any undue nerves or anything that might cause Jessie to bolt, instead opting to wait and play things out as they went along...
Stephanie offered Jessie a seat in the back. Jessie saw her bite her lower lip and Jessie knew what her intentions were. It was obvious. But it still felt a little too crazy to have listened to her story, her pass and then her touch. Yet here she was, standing here.
As Steph smiled, Jessie swallowed hard. Again, no words came to her. Some others here had flirted with her before. All of them guys. Hell, even Dillon had done so playfully. Not a single one hit her the way this had. Her heart began to beat in her chest wildly.
Routine had come and been thrown right out the window. Her little world had once again been turned on its head. The comfort zones Jessie strove to keep were utterly torn down. She thought about taking a seat, but instead wordlessly, dropped to her knees, placed both of her hands on Stephanie's cheeks. Perhaps a little less than gently, but without pause, Jessie brought her lips to Stephanie's.
Jessie kept her hands cupped around Stephanie's face and kept her lips pressed firmly in place a moment longer. Slowly she broke the lip lock, but moved to press her forehead against hers. With her eyes closed, Jessie shuddered as the thought of what she had just done really settled in. Trembling ever so slightly, her eyes began to open slowly.
Whatever Jessie had to say, she felt like she just had. As scared as she was about the morning, about going into Yankee Stadium, she had to live her life. She didn't want to be a victim. Step one of ensuring that wouldn't happen was taking charge of her life. Here she was, doing just that. Jessie then pressed her lips against Steph's once more, letting her eyes close.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 28, 2016 13:23:15 GMT -5
In all her life, Stephanie had thought she'd seen it all...and given the relationships she'd been involved in, she could reasonably say that, but nothing could've surprised her for what happened next. As they went to sit down, Stephanie was surprised - nay, shocked - when out of the blue, Jessie reached over, cupped her hands around Stephanie's face and kissed her, square on the lips...without any hesitation whatsoever.
As they each fell to their knees on the floor, hidden from view by the Armory's tall counter, a rush of emotions coursed through Stephanie's veins; as their lips separated from the other's, she could feel Jessie trembling, her forehead flush against hers'. Seeing the younger woman's eyes closed, Stephanie held her tight and whispered, "Just do what comes naturally, baby...just..." Before she could whisper anything else, Jessie shocked her once more by pressing her lips once more to Stephanie's....once again, a rush of emotions went through her, but unlike before, these weren't emotions of shock or surprise or wonderment...this time, they were emotions of love.
As they continued, Stephanie decided to kick things up a notch; leaning forward, she planted soft kisses on Jessie's neck, letting her hands drift slowly down either side of Jessie's back and whispering in a slow, ever-so-seductive tone, "I....want....you."
With her eyes still shut, Jessie turned her head ever so slightly, offering more her neck to Steph. Whatever happened now was out of her hands. Her body was in control and it wanted this. It wanted this more than she could have ever realized.
Hearing Stephanie's voice only made this so much worse. The fact that she flat out told Jessie she wanted this, wanted her made Jessie just want to scream.
Why did tomorrow have to come? Why was she feeling this way? Why didn't she care? All of this rushed into her head but come the end of all of it, it didn't matter. Jessie wasn't gay, she wasn't straight and she wasn't bi. She was alive. More so then she had been in a long, long time and she wanted to feel connected to someone. This someone just so happened to be Stephanie.
"Can we... can we go somewhere?" she asked with her eyes still closed and her neck still offered to the older woman. "Please?" Jessie had a yearning in her voice. There was fire to her plea.
"Hello?" came Dillon's voice from the armorers window. Normally Jessie would have been mortified, but she instead let one hand move around Steph's back, while the other pressed on the back of Steph's head to keep her on her neck. To Jessie, the only thing that mattered was this moment.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 28, 2016 17:14:30 GMT -5
"Can we... can we go somewhere?" she asked with her eyes still closed and her neck still offered to the older woman. "Please?" Jessie had a yearning in her voice. There was fire to her plea.
"Yeah," Stephanie whispered, pausing to kiss Jessie once more, this time with more passion and want. "There's a room in the back," she continued, still sliding her hands along each side of Jessie, stopping at her hips for just an imperceptible moment before bringing them back up. This time, though, Stephanie slipped one hand underneath Jessie's shirt, the cool touch of her hand contrasting with the steadily growing fire coming from Jessie, repeating her words from a moment before. She wasn't kidding either; there was a storage room-turned-makeshift sleeping room in the back, used by the Island's Armorers to catch a few zzz's on long nights servicing the Hive's coterie of weapons....and for other, occasionally surreptitious purposes.
Hearing someone on the other side of counter, Stephanie smiled as Jessie slipped her hand around the back of her head and drew her close so that Stephanie could continue along. "Don't worry," she whispered in-between kisses, "whoever it is can't see past the counter...and the shades' down; its' just us here, baby...just us." Taking hold of one hand, Stephanie began sliding the other along Jessie's spine from top to bottom. "C'mon," she whispered, adding in a wantonly seductive tone, "take the next step...," as she slowly started to bring her hand - the one under Jessie's shirt - around in slow, agonizingly slow circles...almost as if Stephanie were daring Jessie to take that next step.
Feeling Steph run up and down her spine, feeling the rhythmic circles she was making made Jessie tense up. It felt beyond good. The fact Steph was egging her on only made this worse. A soft moan escaped her lips as her back arched. Jessie had about enough.
Quickly, she advanced on Steph, pushing her ever so slightly backwards as Jessie began to guide her to the ground. Carefully, she lowered the older woman so she was on her back and Jessie straddled her before bending at the waist to place a heated and impassioned kiss on her lips.
"Uh, hello?" came Dillon's voice again, but Jessie did not stop nor did she even acknowledge it. Instead, she just focused on Stephanie, the fact she hadn't felt like this in a long time, and that her body felt like it had become possessed. Not breaking the liplock, both of Jessie's hands grabbed Stephanie's arms and began to position them above Stephanie's head. Once there, Jessie's hands grabbed Steph's and interlocked her fingers with the older woman's.
Jessie only broke the kiss for a moment, hovering just an inch above Steph's face. Jessie's body laid heavy on top of her and shuddered once after taking stock of what was happening. What was going to happen. She felt there was no going back now. Even if her mind had second thoughts, her body didn't. Closing her eyes, Jessie placed her lips to Stephanie's once more.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 29, 2016 19:01:22 GMT -5
An hour later.... As Stephanie and Jessie lay resting on the couch in one of the Armory's back storage rooms, Stephanie could feel her lover's breath washing quietly over her; covered only with a large blanket, her skin felt alive, tingling from the release of all the sensations and passions inside of both of them. Brushing a few strands of hair with her fingers, Stephanie whispered, "I know I said 'take the next step'," pausing to playfully kiss the top of her head a couple of times, "but I think I unleashed a monster instead," trying to take in everything that'd happened.
One evident sign lay on the floor nearby: their clothes were scattered along the floor...but it hadn't been from rushing into anything, it'd been from what at first was a slow, gradual give-and-take between the two of them...but then, to Stephanie's surprise, Jessie had taken the lead in their lovemaking...and now here we are, she mused, just a little bit flushed, a little bit sweaty...and coming down from a high of having several years' worth of pent-up, unreleased sexual tension come out in one...fell...swoop.
Brushing aside a few more strands of hair, Stephanie whispered, "That...was...simply amazing, Jessie; I haven't...I haven't felt this alive in years." Kissing her once more, she added, "Thank you...now what should we do next?"
While she lay next to Stephanie, her mind had all the time in the world to digest what just happened. In all honesty, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She literally wanted to just talk to Stephanie after that brief but what happened next was something she just couldn't control. Or was it?
One thing that troubled her was what was where did she fit in Stephanie's life and where did Stephanie fit in hers. Jessie didn't identify as gay, because she wasn't. But she just slept with another woman, a woman she had just met no less. A woman who made her feel more alive in the last hour than she had in the last year, though.
She paused a moment as Stephanie kissed her. Maybe it wasn't about being straight or not, having sex or not. Maybe it was about feeling something she hadn't in so, so long. Stephanie allowed her a connection she hadn't been part of since before the apocalypse. Her life was laid out before her and she lived it over and over again. That was what Stephanie gave her.
Jessie was given hope.
Stephanie kissed her head a few more times, and Jessie smiled. A genuine smile. "I don't know... I mean... I still have to pack but," she whispered and cleared her throat. "Maybe I just want to lay here." Some of Jessie's hair was pasted to her forehead and her body still ached in all the right places. "What about you? What did you want to do? I'm sure you need to pack still too, right?"
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 29, 2016 23:27:11 GMT -5
Stephanie kissed her head a few more times, and Jessie smiled. A genuine smile. "I don't know... I mean... I still have to pack but," she whispered and cleared her throat. "Maybe I just want to lay here." Some of Jessie's hair was pasted to her forehead and her body still ached in all the right places. "What about you? What did you want to do? I'm sure you need to pack still too, right?"
For a long time, Stephanie thought about Jessie's question, using her hand as it slid up and down Jessie's side in the same slow rhythmic circles as earlier to give her time to think about what she was about to say. While it was true that she had had many lovers....and while it was true that her pre-apocalyptic life with Rachel had been a long-lasting, loving relationship....there was something about Jessie, she thought, something she'd never experienced in all those other relationships, dates, hookups, whatever you want to call them. It shocked Stephanie to admit it, but as she continued tracing those rhythmic circles along the younger woman's side as they laid on the couch, she came to realize in one of those sudden, lightning-bolt-from-the-sky realizations...I'm in love in Jessie, she thought, and not just on a physical level, either, but right...down....to....my....soul! Could it be? she thought some more...could I have found my soulmate, of all people?!? Here, in the midst of a coming storm? Jessie?
As they laid there, Stephanie looked down at her...and quietly wept, not really caring if Jessie saw the silent tears coursing their way silently down her face. "Jessie," she said quietly, "I'm pretty much packed for the trip out to Yankee Stadium tomorrow....but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." As she continued to look at her, Stephanie began. "You know, there's an old legend that says when a soul descends to Earth, it splits into two parts, each part going into a separate person and that those two people will always wander the earth until...until they find their other half, their soulmate.
Putting a finger to Jessie's lips, Stephanie continued. "Yes, I said soulmate, Jessie...and now that I have your attention," pausing to kiss her on the lips very tenderly, "let me tell you why I said it. Now, I know when people see me that I can come across at times as a thin, tall hardass....but I'm also a woman, with all the desires, wants, emotions and passions as any other woman. I've slept with many a woman in my life; I make no apologies for who I am or how I've lived my life up to now....but not until now, not until this night, have I ever felt the passions and emotions and all...that I've felt than with you, here...tonight. It was as if..." the tears now flowing a little more freely, "...it was as if someone took those two halves, those two separate halves....and joined them together as one."
By now, Stephanie knew exactly what she had to say to the younger woman. "When I first saw you, in that debriefing room earlier tonight, I knew right then and there that....," pausing once more to kiss Jessie, "....that we were meant to be together. Whether it was going to happen this quickly or over time, it didn't matter...." Then Stephanie looked Jessie right square in the eye and added, "Jessie, I love you. In the same manner that you throw caution to the wind, I'm telling you with everything I have within me, every emotion and every thought, without any reservation whatsoever....I love you."
"Glad you got to try out so many before finding the right fit..." she said in a somewhat teasing manner. When she saw Steph's tears she paused.
Jessie thought it a bit sudden to drop an 'I love you' bomb but Jessie didn't say that, nor did she push the idea entirely out of her head. Even the idea of being her soul mate seemed very overwhelming and Jessie wasn't sure how to really take it. Was it possible? Sure, it could be.
She didn't say anything as Steph spoke, she just listened. And when she finished, Jessie paused. As more tears flowed freely, Jessie propped herself up on her elbow and rested her head in her hand. With a small smile, she let a small sigh escape her.
"I uh, need to be honest here for a second. Just... hear me out. You have given me something I haven't had in a really long time. It's something that I cannot thank you enough for. I have been alone and cynical for the last coupe of years. It was... a lonely way to live. Live... heh. A funny way to put it...
But I just need... I need some time to really let this sink in. Up until a hour ago, I never thought about being with... a woman. It never crossed my mind. Ever." That was the truth. Jessie would need time to really process this. But she still smiled at Steph, and even began to get up and straddled her again.
Jessie brushed some hair behind her ear and leaned down to place a soft kiss on Steph's lips. Bringing her hands up to Steph's face again, she lightly cupped her cheeks and with her thumbs wiped away any tears still present. Jessie laid her forehead against Steph's again and smiled. "I just need time to get used to this idea..."
Post by Stephanie Harrington on Apr 30, 2016 16:53:54 GMT -5
Listening to Jessie's words, Stephanie gave a tender smile, letting the younger woman's reply sink in slowly; she knew it was a big step she had taken, but as she listened, she remembered her words from earlier...take the next step. Even so, she thought, Stephanie still wondered whether she'd gone out too far on the proverbial branch...
....but that question was answered when Jessie, though her words seemed to Stephanie to say one thing, her actions said something different....
But I just need... I need some time to really let this sink in. Up until a hour ago, I never thought about being with... a woman. It never crossed my mind. Ever." That was the truth. Jessie would need time to really process this. But she still smiled at Steph, and even began to get up and straddled her again.
Jessie brushed some hair behind her ear and leaned down to place a soft kiss on Steph's lips. Bringing her hands up to Steph's face again, she lightly cupped her cheeks and with her thumbs wiped away any tears still present. Jessie laid her forehead against Steph's again and smiled. "I just need time to get used to this idea..."
As they continued to lie on the couch, Stephanie smiled in turn; leaning up a little, she kissed Jessie once more and whispered, "We've got all the time in the world, baby....," hugging her tightly, as if there was absolutely no space between them. Kissing her again, she added, "All the time in the world..."
When Stephanie hugged her tighter, Jessie rested her chin on Steph's bare shoulder and managed a small smile. Jessie felt the heat between them, the sweat that clung to their bodies and the friction that it created. Nestling her head cheek against Stephanie's, Jessie turned her head just slightly and placed a small kiss near her ear before she began pulling back from the embrace.
"I gotta pack," she whispered softly before she got up and pulled away from Stephanie on the couch. She stood up and despite everything that they had done, she suddenly felt very aware of her body. Keeping her back to Steph, she began to gather up her clothes and piece by piece she dressed. As she did though, she looked to Stephanie over her shoulder now and again and smiled somewhat bashfully.
"I will be back in a little bit if you are gonna be here," she whispered and made her way to Steph, giving her one quick peck on the cheek. As she moved towards the door of the back room, she glanced over her shoulder and again smiled bashfully before departing. As she exited the armory, she huffed and ran a hand through her disheveled hair.
I just slept with a woman...
She shook her head but she did smile. As she recollected her thoughts, she made her way to her living quarters and quickly put together some clothes to take, some extra underwear and socks.
"Jess, are you okay?" came Dillon's voice and that was enough to make her jump.
After letting out a nervous laugh seeing it was Dillon, she nodded. She grabbed her bag and made her way back towards the door. "Yeah. A lot has just... happened. I'm a Scout now, apparently."
Dillon raised his brow. "For real?" His shock passed as he seemed more concerned about Jessie's behavior. "Are you sure you're good, though. You seem outta sorts. In the mess you were zoned out pretty bad."
"Dillon, for the first time in a long time... I assure you, I'm doing pretty good," she said with a small chuckle. It was sudden but she reached out and embraced him. Dillon seemed unsure of this sudden change but returned it. "I gotta go. I'll talk with you soon, okay?"
Jessie broke the embrace from a shocked Dillon and made her way back towards the armory.
We've got all the time in the world, baby.
The thought made her smile. "All the time in the world..." she whispered to herself.
Post by Stephanie Harrington on May 1, 2016 0:29:05 GMT -5
Watching Jessie get dressed, piece by agonizing piece, Stephanie wanted the moments to last longer but she also knew the morning was slowly, inexorably approaching. Seeing her smile, her back to her, Stephanie took in the sight of her....all of her, imparting it to memory. Telling her she'd be back in a little while, Stephanie replied, "I'll be here, baby," watching Jessie as she walked outside and after a few moments, out of the Armory.
After a few moments, Stephanie got up, dressing as well; as she slipped on a fresh, slate-gray colored tank top, she caught sight of her reflection and marveled; though she looked the same as she had before, there was something different about the way she looked, as if she'd shed some vestige of her old self and taken on a newer appearance. Looking over, she could feel butterflies floating around inside her and as her heart fluttered inside her it was at that moment that Stephanie knew - knew - that she'd spoken the absolute, inconvertible truth to Jessie, and that truth was that her and Jessie were meant to be together, meant to be lovers....they were just meant to be as one.
Wiping away a tear as she slipped her boots on and tucked her jeans inside them, she whispered, I miss you already, Jessie, as she got up and walked outside, back into the Armory. Like Jessie, Stephanie also had work to do; in just a few hours, she'd have to have her gun-kits - the small toolkits needed in case she had to repair or work on personal weapons while outside Rikers - ready to go, along with a few changes of clothes as well. Looking around, she saw her backpack was where she'd put it; kneeling down, she made sure everything was in its' place before returning her attention to getting the rest of her gear ready to the upcoming assault on Yankee Stadium.
The armory was a few steps from her when Jessie paused. There was little sense in being nervous or bashful about it now. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she reached the door and stepped inside. Stephanie was dressed now as well and getting right into work, it seemed. Dropping her back near the door, she raised her brow.
"So, what can I help with?" She clapped her hands together before letting them settle on her hips. If she could help Steph prepare for the morning she would, though her knowledge of firearms was pretty limited. She knew how to maintain her Glock 17 pretty well but beyond that, she handled what she could to varying degrees of success.
With a lopsided grin, Jessie crossed to where Stephanie was and squatted down. Wanting to enjoy as much of this downtime as she could, and prepare of course, Jessie knew the morning was going to be here before long. The same knots she had in the pit of her stomach right now would be present for the move out tomorrow, but the reasons behind them would be vastly different.
"It'll only be a couple of weeks of awful suck and hard work before we come back here to the boring and tedium." The words she spoke, while light hearted, were laced with a little resentment at the current situation as well as trepidation. "How long do you think it'll be?"
Jessie moved to lean up against the counter, resting her elbows on the surface as well. She didn't want to touch anything she wasn't supposed to and truly wanted to help Stephanie, but didn't want to be in her way. She opted to wait until instructed by the older woman who looked to be focused on her current task.
Shauna Kelly: That helped, thank you
Oct 4, 2021 14:40:44 GMT -5
Ayita Hunt: dang, January was my last post.. Jeez it's been a hot minute. o7 guys, sorry for the complete disappearance, life got.. a little interesting this year.
Oct 18, 2021 22:34:19 GMT -5