[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/tYWO6Bg.jpeg[/img] [sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=#cdb6d6][b]#cdb6d6[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]ronin[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]unclothed[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]descendants tower[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].........................[/color] [color=00674f][b]#00674f[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]sentinel[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]unclothed[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]descendants tower[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]The evening Zaria shared with Ronnie and Jules was senseless and passionate, by the time they were finished it was late into the night and her body was more exhausted than it ever had been before. Ronnie hadn’t been joking when she’d mentioned the idea of several positions she wanted to put Zaria in, and she was fairly certain the only thing stopping her from continuing was the fact that by her tenth peak she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She’d half curled in on herself, eyes drooping as the lack of sleep of several days caught up to her all at once. She wouldn’t have changed her decision to allow the women into her room, though. It had been exactly what she needed to distract herself from the fight from the day before, from the fact that Logan hadn’t been here waiting for her. Zaria knew it wasn’t the kind of thing that would last, it had been senseless in every way conceivable, but knowing that didn’t stop her from catching a hold of Jules wrist and Ronnie's ankle when they both respectively went to remove themselves from the warmth of her bed. [color=00674F]"Stay?"[/color] The single word was horribly soft and shy, considering everything they’d just done together, but it was vulnerable in a way even sex wasn’t. Her eyes slipped shut, because she didn’t want to have to watch them pull away. [color=00674F]"Just for tonight."[/color] The room was dark, and cool, and her bed was as soft as a cloud and pleasantly warm. It was big enough for all three of them, more than comfortable enough, and she found herself giving them both a small, desperate sort of tug closer to herself. Jules was frozen stiff by the movement, her eyes shifting over Zaria’s form as her legs were slung over the side of the bed. There was clear confusion on her face, her eyes searching the woman’s expression for sincerity that was plainly visible. While the three of them had gotten rather acquainted, she wasn’t expecting [i]intimacy[/i] of all things from the situation. Jules shot a quick look over towards Ronnie, eyebrows raised. She didn’t wait for an answer from the other woman, though. Jules turned her gaze back to Zaria, placing her free hand on her wrist to free herself. [color=cdb6d6]"Ok… it’s the least I can do."[/color] Jules slipped under the sheets, her hands gently rolling Zaria onto her side so she could press herself up against the woman’s back. She draped a leg over hers, locking her into a comfortable position. Ronnie was half draped over the edge of the bed, hand sifting through the pile of clothing and blankets to find her undergarments when a delicate grasp seized her ankle. She rolled onto her back and propped herself up on her elbows to look over at Aria and Jules. Casual sex for her was nothing uncommon or out of the ordinary, but she never stayed the night. The last time she recalled actually sleeping with someone was… Her gaze averted to the wrinkle in the blankets draped over Aria’s legs. She met Jules’s gaze and while she showed no hesitation, there was a tightness that twisted in Ronnie’s chest. Her eyes drifted toward the exit and then the women before her who slipped effortlessly together like puzzle pieces. One night wasn’t going to change anything… There was a part of Ronnie that wanted to slip free of Aria’s hold and leave before getting too familiar. But a guilty part of her wanted to remember what it felt like… Just once more. A reluctant sigh escaped her lips before she turned around in the bed and nestled herself opposite Jules on the other side of Aria. She didn’t really know what she was doing, not anymore. Did she face the woman? Make herself the little spoon? The subtle panic was making her overthink everything when she was usually calm and collected. She had taken too long. The heavy breaths of sleep were already filling the silence. Ronnie sighed, then slowly lowered herself to lie with her back to the women near the edge of the bed. Zaria let out a soft sigh, the bed dipping beneath Ronnie enough to bring her back from the edges of sleep, and her arm slid out reflexively until it curled around the woman's waist, giving her a surprisingly strong tug until she slipped into the space between her arms perfectly. A small, sort of happy noise escaped her throat as she pressed her face into blonde hair, dropping off to unconsciousness while holding Ronnie like she was an oversized teddy bear. Her sleep was surprisingly peaceful, only vague dreams of killer cowboys making her restless a few times through the night, but each time she roused from one of the dreams she’d wake to the weight of Jules leg thrown over her own, to the warmth of Ronnie against her chest, and she’d drop back off easily enough. It was when the first few rays of sunlight began to break over the horizon that she felt the shift on the bed, coldness spreading across her chest as one of the women slipped from the bed and out of the room. Zaria reached out blindly, searching for where Ronnie had rolled away to, but Jules arm was curled around her waist and it kept her in place like an iron bar. Zaria’s movements stirred Jules, who was awoken to the soft smell of rain and cashmere. Her naked form clung on tightly to Zaria, her hands gently caressing soft skin. It took her a moment to come to her senses, her bleary eyes blinking away a rather relaxing night of sleep. She looked up past the woman before her, noticing the other blonde had slipped away. Jules just scooted even closer, craning her head up to rest in the crook of her companion’s shoulder. Her voice was low and a bit deeper, her throat a little hoarse from their nightly activities. Her tone was a little playful. [color=cdb6d6]"How did you sleep, sweetheart?"[/color] She shivered as calloused hands, now familiar against her skin, slid across the smooth expanse of her side. She twisted so that she was pressing against the other woman, her own arms twisting around her waist as she relaxed in the embrace. It was surprisingly intimate, even the question felt a little out of place with how she recalled Jules had hesitated last night, but no one would catch Zaira complaining about being on the receiving end of any form of affection. [color=00674F]"I dreamed about cowboys trying to kill me."[/color] She admitted, ghosting the tips of her fingers along Jules' side slowly. A slight smile tugged her lips upwards, but it was an earnest admission, Jules could feel how her pulse jumped at the mention of it. [color=00674F]"How about you, beautiful?"[/color] Her lashes brushed along the ridge of her cheeks as she subtly observed the other woman's expression. Jules froze at the compliment, but a weak smile had remained plastered on her face in a poor attempt to hide how one word had startled her. Jules shifted her arm up to brush a couple strands of golden hair from Zaria's face, trying to think through her words. She opted for honesty. [color=cdb6d6]"Sweaty and warm."[/color] She looked into Zaria's eyes, searching her expression as she tried to read her. She opted to cushion her confession with a bit of humor. [color=cdb6d6]"Dreaming about men while in bed with us… that's very rude of you, Aria."[/color] Color filled Zaria’s cheeks, and she let out a small, startled laugh. She was rather warm too, it had been surprisingly comfortable though. She shifted one of her arms, hand gliding along Jules arm until her fingers very gently curled around her wrist. She guided the woman's hand across her stomach, muscles jumping some at the contact despite the fact that she was initiating it, until Jules could feel the raised and twisted patch of healing skin on her side. Sleeping had helped with her healing factor, it was no longer twisted and thrumming angrily, simply a pink mass of healing tissue that only tingled as her fingers grazed it. [color=00674F]"I would have rather been dreaming about you,"[/color] she admitted, knowing the other woman had spotted the injury the night before and could tell that it had changed drastically in just a few short hours. [color=00674F]"Getting stabbed in a truck stop isn’t going in my fondest memories folder, last night though…"[/color] Zaria’s smile twisted in a grimace for a moment as she tried to not think about how the weight of the man had nearly suffocated her, how the knife had felt twisting inside of her. She needed to check on James, maybe thank him again. Jules gently rubbed where the wound had once been, quickly putting the puzzle pieces together. She knew a thing or two about healing quicker than most, but it definitely did not make the pain any easier. [color=cdb6d6]"You get used to it… getting stabbed, shot, burned."[/color] Jules made a note to pull her head back, admiring Zaria’s form for a moment. [color=cdb6d6]"At least you don’t have to worry about scars at the pool."[/color] She let out a small exhale that bore the faintest trace of a laugh. Her smile faded a little, eyes unfocused as she seemed to look past the woman next to her. Jules unhooked her leg from Zaria and folded her arm in front of her. [color=cdb6d6]"Last night was nice."[/color] Her words were less than confident. [color=cdb6d6]"Maybe we can do it again sometime."[/color] Zaira paused for a moment, not understanding why Jules pulled away so suddenly. She wasn’t easily dissuaded though, and she followed the other woman like a cat that was hungry for attention. She rolled easily onto Jules, arms barketing the other woman's body against the bed on either side of her. Their bodies slid together, the silk sheets twisting around them, but she slotted herself between Jules legs and pressed her lips to the woman's cheek. [color=00674F]"Promise?"[/color] It was little more than a whisper, just as vulnerable as when she’d asked the women to stay the night before, but there was nothing but honest hope in her tone. She’d been on the run for so long, for a while it had just been her and Logan and the older man had been like a reluctant father figure to her. This was the first time in quite a long time that she allowed herself to be this close to someone else, and it was the most selfish parts of Zaria that wanted to cling to it. Jules stared up at Zaria, a wash of emotions passing through her eyes: bashfulness, excitement, happiness, and then finally sorrow. The sadness on her face lingered as she reached her hands up to cradle the woman’s cheeks, holding her gaze. [color=cdb6d6]"You trust far too easily, darling."[/color] Her tone was soft and nurturing, more a lesson or instruction than chastisement. [color=cdb6d6]"I wouldn't mind more of this… and you are much cozier to hold at night than a pillow."[/color] Zaria’s brows furrowed, though she instinctively leaned into Jules' touch. She didn’t understand why the other woman looked so sad for a moment, but the urge to soothe away that sadness rose up in her unbidden and abrupt. They’d only known each other for a few short hours, but Aria was the sort of person to get attached and hold on with all her strength, she’d been too alone for too long not to learn to value the people she could be close to. [color=00674F]"Should I not trust you?"[/color] Her lips curled up into a small smile, the idea amusing. They were all on the same team, fighting for the same thing, and she had no reason not to trust any of them. They were all fighting for the same thing now, even if this was little more than a one night stand it didn’t change the fact that they were teammates now, comrades in arms. Zaria wasn’t alone anymore, and that realization clouded out more important things like logic. The sadness remained for a moment as Jules just shook her head. [color=cdb6d6]"It's your decision on who to trust… all I will say is that I want you to."[/color] [i]Memento Mori.[/i] It was her father’s favorite phrase. It was a rallying call for acting cautiously, for remembering that any moment could be your last if you let your guard down. Unfortunately, Jules had picked up on what the phrase was really used for in the years since her training: remember that you will die one day so that you can live today without regret. Jules’ smile grew a little as she noted just how desperate the woman was for a bit more affection. She slid her hands from Zaria’s cheeks to her jaw, and then the back of her neck to pull the woman’s face close to hers. [color=cdb6d6]"I can’t promise you’ll get both of us again. I can’t speak for Ronnie."[/color] Jules looked up through her lashes at Zaria, batting them slightly. [color=cdb6d6]"But you can invite me any time you get lonely."[/color] [color=00674F]"I’m surprised I even got this far,"[/color] she admitted, lips brushing over Jules, blushing as she recounted the night's events. [color=00674F]"I’m not going to complain about anything else, I’m lucky enough to have you right here."[/color] And then, because she was trying her luck, Zaria kissed her. Jules accepted the kiss, keeping it short and sweet for the moment. She let their lips interlock, sliding her hands up to hold Zaria's face still when she broke the kiss off. Her eyes searched Zaria's. [color=cdb6d6]"You don't have to sweet talk me. I was already planning on having a little more fun before I made some coffee."[/color] Zaria’s gaze was soft and warm, and Jules could see the exact second she decided to throw caution to the wind and simply trust the other woman. It was naive of her, they both knew it, and she had a funny feeling that if it were anyone else she’d stop to think about it more, to analyze their interactions before she gave her a more tangible piece of herself. But, Zaria was tired. She’d been lonely, and sad, and just scrapped by day by day to try and find Logan. She missed her home, she missed her brother, and she missed having someone she could put her trust in. The fact that Jules acknowledged she trusted too quickly likely played a part in it all, because if she was planning anything that would break her trust she wouldn’t be so blatant about it, and besides…she’d trusted James rather quickly too, and he was literally half demon or whatever. [color=00674F]"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them."[/color] Zaira grinned at Jules, biting her bottom lip. She’d heard the quote somewhere before, but it was true enough. Though, they could stick a pin in the whole trust topic if they were about to extend the night's fun. [color=00674F]"Sweet talking you is fun, but maybe you should show me [i]exactly[/i] what sort of fun you were thinking about."[/color][/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [center][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] ronnie [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] [@Sleepy Tani][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]