[ When every scrap of affection or intent must be doled out quickly for fear of discovery? Kissing falls by the wayside. But Adelaide has come to enjoy the plush press of Ruby's lips, the warmth of her breath, the glide of fingers through her hair. Knowing she has leave to take her time and return the same?
Warms no small part of her. ]
But I do. For the spoiling.
[ A soft aftershock pressed to Ruby's lips, to her jaw as she curls more or less on top of her. A large, protective wolf blanket. Adelaide snorts a soft laugh, plucking up one of the macarons to offer Ruby. ] This is an adequate level of snuggly.
You're pretty much going to have to get used to the spoiling. ( Brows raised, faint incredulity and uh oh mixed together. ) Sorry.
( Least sincere, least convincing apology ever, as Ruby holds herself above Adelaide and enjoys the press of their bodies together and the tangling of limbs. )
Level five on the snuggle scale, got it. ( And, helpfully, she isn't going to use her hands. Instead she just leans down to take a bite as Adelaide holds it, smiling contently. )
[ She won't always remember. Work will always come first when Ruby doesn't take steps to have her take breaks. But she will try- that much she can promise gladly. ]
What would a level one be? Hand holding?
[ She is genuinely curious- apply a scale and numerical measure to something and it's worth investigating for the sake of precision if nothing else.
Though she is distracted with that bite. Pink as anything she coughs, quietly, and finishes the rest of the macaron. ]
( The trying, because God knows Ruby isn't going to get it right all the time, either. Hell, not even most of the time. She smiles, though, thinking and humming as she mulls it over and lets the macaron - lavender and chocolate - melt on her tongue. And also pauses to let the tip of her tongue sweep a little smudge of the filling from the corner of her mouth as she mulls it all over. )
One could be hand holding. I guess ten would be naked cuddling? ( Her head tilts slightly to the side as she considers it. )
( The kiss surprises her just slightly, still pondering deeply the mysteries of the snuggling scale, and when it ends she lists closer to chase it for another, before Adelaide's question registers. )
Impossible? ( Surprised, amused, fond. ) What did I do?
( Genuine, that question, eyebrow just slightly quirked even as her mouth is caught in a smile. )
( Compliments, wow. Compliments that make her skin flush with a pink that is not nearly so subtle as she'd hope, and makes her exhale a breath that somehow sounds faintly embarrassed. )
The power of positivity, definitely. Or the power of illusion. Either or.
( Self-ridicule, an eternal staple in the life of Ruby Lucas, as she drops her gaze sheepishly. )
( The tide of magic, gentle as it is, makes her breath catch. Not with fear, though, as it might have when first she came from Storybrooke, or even as it might now, from some. Magic was a gift, but it was complicated. From Adelaide, though, it was never a threat, never would be, and it's more the sentiment behind the magic, the intent, that does it.
The blush persists, and she shakes her head a little in that shy way that belongs to people who aren't quite sure what to do in the face of sincere affection. )
You're ridiculous. ( Very gently, and very quietly, and beyond all that so incredibly adoringly, as she leans down to catch Adelaide with another kiss. One of her hands curls into Adelaide's hair, the fingers of the other counting over her ribs, and Ruby lets her teeth drag very slightly over Adelaide's lip before she murmurs against her mouth, ) Totally ridiculous.
[ Yet here she is, in bed, being ridiculous and not feeling any stranger for it. Feeling warm and contented, settled far better in her skin than any amount of focus meditation or writing or rest might have offered. ]
We should finish the tea and macrarons- or we will find crumbs in the bed.
[ Such heated sweetness that Ruby promises- it's more than tempting. But. Treats first, rapture later. ]
( It's not even her being obnoxious, there's a genuine note of despair at the prospect, even with the ridiculousness with which she says it. She eases back, smile fond as she looks down at Adelaide, and then to the macarons, and down to Adelaide. )
I might be merciful and move so gravity doesn't make all the crumbs fall on you, ( Ruby concludes, arching her back in a slight stretch before she shifts over, flopping onto her back in an invitation for Adelaide to cuddle up against her shoulder, again. ) What do you think, next? Violet and vanilla?
[ She sweeps her fingers along the curve of Ruby's jaw, terribly pleased, terribly fond. It is all quite terrible and wonderful in ways she'd never thought she might have.
Ruby moves and Adelaide? Curls against her side, cheek tucked against her shoulder. ]
Thank you, Cha Cha. And...I am curious to try those, yes. The chocolate was so lovely- I've never had them so light and airy.
( She smiles, ridiculously pleased to have Adelaide curled up against her side, the warmth of their bodies pressed together. Her hand idly traces patterns down the line of Adelaide's spine, a light dance of fingers over her chemise, cheek resting against her hair. )
I wish I could say I'd make them for you always, but... I'll definitely bribe Burly for you on a regular basis.
( Ruby dreads to think what she'd do to macarons, honestly. Probably not worth considering. Her smile is so very fond, and she is content to just inhale the scent of this, the sweetness of the macarons and the warmth of the tea, and Adelaide's pressed close against her. This is literally the last thing she envisioned happening ever, or close enough. Rather than dwell (or dwell right now, she'll probably dwell later) Ruby just reaches for the box of macarons and rests it on her abdomen, easing out one of the violet ones and holding it out to Adelaide. )
Bribing burly will be sufficient. [ More than. Having this with Ruby is more important than having the sweets, honestly. Having this safe haven from even her own thoughts? It's priceless.
Something about Ruby makes her put those standards aside, makes her forgive herself just a little- if only because that is what the person Ruby thinks she is would do. Whoever this woman is that Ruby sees when she looks at her- Adelaide wants to be that. Wants to be that good, that perfect. ]
By far, and you may tell him so. [ Her turn, now, to lean forward and bite the small cookie in half, tongue flicking to catch crumbs before they fall. ]
( Oh— kay, okay, she hadn't realised that it was that distracting to do the biting thing. Probably she should have thought about that, a little. Her focus on Adelaide is sharpened, for a moment, and she reminds herself to swallow, bringing the macaron up so she can take a bite herself, before offering the remaining quarter to Adelaide.
Clearing her throat a little before speaking, ) I will. I'll prepare a ten minute speech. A presentation, even.
( Shut up, Ruby. )
Maybe the next assignment we do can be a study on the benefits of cuddling. I think that'd be really good.
[ Completely, utterly innocent in the way she leans forward to take that last bite, lips barely brushing against Ruby's fingertips. Coyness does not come naturally to Adelaide, and thus it is not coy. Merely affectionate and, perhaps, more than a little grateful. ]
Physical contact does do a great deal to sooth the mind. In the Qun Tamassrans take care of such things from what I have heard. Perhaps a similar service would do well to ease stress in the Inquisition? Though there is one problem with this.
Mmhmm. Oh, if only this world had PowerPoint. I'd run wild.
( spoken with a broad smile, Ruby delighted by the exchange, by the playfulness of it compared to that raw, painfulness of a minutes earlier.
Adelaide grazing Ruby's fingertips may not be intentional, and especially not intentionally coy, but there's a quiet hitch of her breath that she ignores, exhaling slowly.
Wait. Focus. ) The Qun has designated cuddlers? ( Pro...bably not exactly. ) What's the problem?
( No, it's fine, she's just shaking her head a little, eyes shut, embarrassed by her own thought of cuddling rather than what was probably the more logical conclusion. ) That— makes more sense.
( And eyeroll at herself, bemused by her own conclusion, as her fingers stroke through Adelaide's hair. )
No? But what about the research? A larger pool of hugging data? ( She doesn't bother to hide her smile, so ridiculous is her teasing. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Warms no small part of her. ]
But I do. For the spoiling.
[ A soft aftershock pressed to Ruby's lips, to her jaw as she curls more or less on top of her. A large, protective wolf blanket. Adelaide snorts a soft laugh, plucking up one of the macarons to offer Ruby. ] This is an adequate level of snuggly.
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( Least sincere, least convincing apology ever, as Ruby holds herself above Adelaide and enjoys the press of their bodies together and the tangling of limbs. )
Level five on the snuggle scale, got it. ( And, helpfully, she isn't going to use her hands. Instead she just leans down to take a bite as Adelaide holds it, smiling contently. )
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[ She won't always remember. Work will always come first when Ruby doesn't take steps to have her take breaks. But she will try- that much she can promise gladly. ]
What would a level one be? Hand holding?
[ She is genuinely curious- apply a scale and numerical measure to something and it's worth investigating for the sake of precision if nothing else.
Though she is distracted with that bite. Pink as anything she coughs, quietly, and finishes the rest of the macaron. ]
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( The trying, because God knows Ruby isn't going to get it right all the time, either. Hell, not even most of the time. She smiles, though, thinking and humming as she mulls it over and lets the macaron - lavender and chocolate - melt on her tongue. And also pauses to let the tip of her tongue sweep a little smudge of the filling from the corner of her mouth as she mulls it all over. )
One could be hand holding. I guess ten would be naked cuddling? ( Her head tilts slightly to the side as she considers it. )
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You are-
[ She laughs and it's easier. Warmer. Quiet in the space between them. ]
You are impossible. How have you come to be? How?
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Impossible? ( Surprised, amused, fond. ) What did I do?
( Genuine, that question, eyebrow just slightly quirked even as her mouth is caught in a smile. )
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[ Another kiss to the corner of Ruby's mouth, pulling away only enough to peer into her eyes. ] Be mine. How?
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The power of positivity, definitely. Or the power of illusion. Either or.
( Self-ridicule, an eternal staple in the life of Ruby Lucas, as she drops her gaze sheepishly. )
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[ She reaches up to stroke Ruby's cheek, a cool wave of magic flowing over her. A simple dispelling. ]
See?
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The blush persists, and she shakes her head a little in that shy way that belongs to people who aren't quite sure what to do in the face of sincere affection. )
You're ridiculous. ( Very gently, and very quietly, and beyond all that so incredibly adoringly, as she leans down to catch Adelaide with another kiss. One of her hands curls into Adelaide's hair, the fingers of the other counting over her ribs, and Ruby lets her teeth drag very slightly over Adelaide's lip before she murmurs against her mouth, ) Totally ridiculous.
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[ Yet here she is, in bed, being ridiculous and not feeling any stranger for it. Feeling warm and contented, settled far better in her skin than any amount of focus meditation or writing or rest might have offered. ]
We should finish the tea and macrarons- or we will find crumbs in the bed.
[ Such heated sweetness that Ruby promises- it's more than tempting. But. Treats first, rapture later. ]
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( It's not even her being obnoxious, there's a genuine note of despair at the prospect, even with the ridiculousness with which she says it. She eases back, smile fond as she looks down at Adelaide, and then to the macarons, and down to Adelaide. )
I might be merciful and move so gravity doesn't make all the crumbs fall on you, ( Ruby concludes, arching her back in a slight stretch before she shifts over, flopping onto her back in an invitation for Adelaide to cuddle up against her shoulder, again. ) What do you think, next? Violet and vanilla?
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[ She sweeps her fingers along the curve of Ruby's jaw, terribly pleased, terribly fond. It is all quite terrible and wonderful in ways she'd never thought she might have.
Ruby moves and Adelaide? Curls against her side, cheek tucked against her shoulder. ]
Thank you, Cha Cha. And...I am curious to try those, yes. The chocolate was so lovely- I've never had them so light and airy.
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I wish I could say I'd make them for you always, but... I'll definitely bribe Burly for you on a regular basis.
( Ruby dreads to think what she'd do to macarons, honestly. Probably not worth considering. Her smile is so very fond, and she is content to just inhale the scent of this, the sweetness of the macarons and the warmth of the tea, and Adelaide's pressed close against her. This is literally the last thing she envisioned happening ever, or close enough. Rather than dwell (or dwell right now, she'll probably dwell later) Ruby just reaches for the box of macarons and rests it on her abdomen, easing out one of the violet ones and holding it out to Adelaide. )
Better than... Val Royeaux macarons?
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Something about Ruby makes her put those standards aside, makes her forgive herself just a little- if only because that is what the person Ruby thinks she is would do. Whoever this woman is that Ruby sees when she looks at her- Adelaide wants to be that. Wants to be that good, that perfect. ]
By far, and you may tell him so. [ Her turn, now, to lean forward and bite the small cookie in half, tongue flicking to catch crumbs before they fall. ]
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Clearing her throat a little before speaking, ) I will. I'll prepare a ten minute speech. A presentation, even.
( Shut up, Ruby. )
Maybe the next assignment we do can be a study on the benefits of cuddling. I think that'd be really good.
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[ Completely, utterly innocent in the way she leans forward to take that last bite, lips barely brushing against Ruby's fingertips. Coyness does not come naturally to Adelaide, and thus it is not coy. Merely affectionate and, perhaps, more than a little grateful. ]
Physical contact does do a great deal to sooth the mind. In the Qun Tamassrans take care of such things from what I have heard. Perhaps a similar service would do well to ease stress in the Inquisition? Though there is one problem with this.
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( spoken with a broad smile, Ruby delighted by the exchange, by the playfulness of it compared to that raw, painfulness of a minutes earlier.
Adelaide grazing Ruby's fingertips may not be intentional, and especially not intentionally coy, but there's a quiet hitch of her breath that she ignores, exhaling slowly.
Wait. Focus. ) The Qun has designated cuddlers? ( Pro...bably not exactly. ) What's the problem?
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[ She leans up to press her lips against Ruby's cheek, arm looped comfortably around her waist. ]
I have no desire to share you with anyone. Someone else would have to stand in for research purposes.
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( No, it's fine, she's just shaking her head a little, eyes shut, embarrassed by her own thought of cuddling rather than what was probably the more logical conclusion. ) That— makes more sense.
( And eyeroll at herself, bemused by her own conclusion, as her fingers stroke through Adelaide's hair. )
No? But what about the research? A larger pool of hugging data? ( She doesn't bother to hide her smile, so ridiculous is her teasing. )