Unseen World

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



Esther's grin quickly began to melt. "Wait, really?" She wasn't as opposed as C.T. was to the idea of dressing up, but it still seemed like a hassle. That Mag would expect her to look nice tonight just made the whole situation worse. Sighing, Esther took C.T.'s arm and started leading her back to C.T.'s bedroom. "Well, if I have to, I think you should, too," she said matter-of-factly. "For moral support. Or at least help me find something."

 

[Unedited Sky]

"Yes really." C.T said with a slight grin, she might be stretching it a bit, in all honesty Mag probably wouldn't really care that much, yea she'd make a comment about it....but Mag comments on just about everything.

"And do you think I have anything, 'nice' to wear?" C.T asked with a raised brow as Esther pulled her through the halls, that too was a bit of an exaggeration, C.T had decent clothes she could wear, clothes that Mag would probably approved of seeing as the other woman had picked them out, Hell C.T even had a skirt or two hidden away in her drawer....somewhere, along with a thong that Mag had tried to bribe C.T into trying on. For. Reasons. "Besides I'm sure I could support you in other ways, maybe by showering you in compliments? You are the beauty in this relationship. And as the beast, it isn't my job to look cute. It's my job to admire. Among other things."  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



("For. Reasons." Haha, oh Mag...)

"Beast?" Esther repeated, facial features contorting slightly. C.T. was tougher than Esther--there really was no disputing this fact--but beast? "That's a little harsh, not to mention wildly inaccurate," Esther stated matter-of-factly. "If I'm the beauty, then you're definitely the brawn. Or probably the brains. And the beauty, too." Realizing she couldn't choose just one to describe C.T. as she knew her, Esther mused, "Jesus, Connie, you're the whole damn trifecta." Reaching C.T.'s bedroom, Esther pulled open the door and let C.T. in before following suit. Grinning, she chuckled. "Which means you have no excuses. I'm sure I've got stuff you can wear if you really don't have anything of your own Mag would find suitable." Except Esther doubted this, especially considering Mag's ever-present influence. Kneeling in front of her suitcase and unzipping it to reveal her clothes, Esther clucked her tongue and shook her head, expression softening. "If only you could see yourself the way I do."

Something else C.T. said stuck with her: if it wasn't the "beast's" job to look cute, than it was the "beauty's," which, according to C.T., would be Esther. Although Esther didn't for a second think C.T. was implying she was useful for only her looks, the fact still remained that if meeting Jacob Bradley got messy, she wouldn't be able to be of any real help. What did she know about combat? About protecting herself? About protecting others? Rummaging through her clothes, half-looking at them, Esther asked, "Hey, do you think you could teach me how to fight? Or, maybe, how to shoot a gun or something? In two days, when we see my dad... If things take a turn for the worst, I don't want anyone to have to defend me. I want to be able to take care of myself." And take care of you, she thought immediately afterward.

 

[Unedited Sky]

"Harsh? Maybe a little, but I was just telling a bit of a joke at my own expense really." C.T said with a slight shrug, trying not to let Esther's quick jump to defend her from her own self deprecation go to her head. "Then again I might have just been fishing for compliments, you never know, I'm a very complicated character sometimes, dear Esther." C.T resisted the urge to give Esther another shrug and instead went to sit on her bed while she watched her girlfriend dig through her suitcase for something to wear. "Will any of your clothes even fit me? I am bigger than you after all." C.T said putting up more mock defense, honestly if Esther wanted her to dress up, she would, and C.T was only blowing hot air, with her last comment. She was exactly bigger than Esther, just taller. C.T would bet money that she and Esther probably wore the same size in pants.

"Honestly. I wish I knew what you could possibly see in me. If you saw me the way I see myself, you'd be terrified of me. But somehow, you managed to find a way to like someone like me, but. That isn't a complaint. I'm really glad that you like me."

"Hey, do you think you could teach me how to fight? Or, maybe, how to shoot a gun or something?" C.T raised a eyebrow at that question, but it just further hammered in what C.T already knew, Esther would fight her dad for C.T, that made C.T feel good. "Part of me wants to tell you no, and that same part of me wants you too know that I will always protect you, and that with me around. No one. Will ever touch you." C.T said slowly. "But that's just my ego, in these two days, I will teach you how to handle a gun, however teaching you how to fight. That will take longer than two days, but know that if you take me as your teacher, you're locked in, there will be no special treatment, even if I do love you."

Wait.

What did she just say?

(Mag is clearly the main character of this story lol.)  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



(Clearly. XD)

The reaction was delayed. Esther continued rummaging through her suitcase, and then, registering what it was C.T. had said, her hands began to slow until they finally stopped. Everything seemed very quiet all of a sudden, so quiet that there would have been a ringing in her ears if not for the overwhelming sound of her own heartbeat. Butterflies consumed Esther's stomach, and she stood and turned as steadily as she could manage in her current state. Her eyes quickly found and held C.T.'s gaze.

She needed to be sure she hadn't misheard or misunderstood. She needed to listen to C.T. say it one more time, without interfering physical or mental noise. "C.T.," she started, voice threatening to crack. "Do you... love... me?"

 

[Unedited Sky]

It took C.T a moment to register what she had just say, in reality, she had just been talking, caught up in the moment and uncharacteristically having fun, she didn't even realize truly the extent of what she had said, until a few moment later, when it had hit Esther as well and now she was on the receiving end of a very simple question, but still one that made C.T very nervous.

"Yes. I mean, I...I do love you." C.T wrung her hands together now, nervous, so nervous in fact she felt she needed to explain. "I told you before, that I didn't understand love, but I think I do now. you make me happier than I've ever been in my life, all I want is to be with you, no matter what happens. You make everything better... easier. My heart..." C.T moved closer to Esther taking her hand and once again placing it on her chest right over her rapidly beating organ. "Beats for you, because somehow, with all the things wrong with me, you've found a way to look past it all and just see me. So yea. I love you. I love you very much." C.T stated softly releasing Esther's hands and taking a quiet step back.

"Sorry if I said this too soon, I know most people like to wait...."  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



Everything C.T. was saying, all of these beautiful words... No one had ever told Esther such things. She could still feel C.T.'s heartbeat on her palm when her hand was released, as if she had consumed C.T.'s internal rhythm and made it part of herself. Esther suddenly felt honored, and, at the same time, extremely unworthy. It wasn't a self-confidence thing, Esther knew, but she found herself doubting that she deserved the amount of affection C.T. apparently held for her. That wasn't to say she didn't want it. She wanted C.T.'s love more than anything.

Esther shook her head. "Don't apologize," she said softly. "You don't know how happy you've just made me." She was wearing a smile on her face that looked small, but was perhaps the most genuine smile she had ever worn. Knowing C.T. loved her made her feel giddy. At the same time, however, she was a little hesitant. What was it that she felt for C.T.? She could only assume it was love. After a brief, contemplative pause, in which Esther's eyes fell to the floor and she wrung her hands, Esther finally met C.T.'s gaze again. "If I don't say it back right away... It doesn't mean that I don't love you," she said. She felt like she needed to make sure C.T. understood why she wasn't returning the confession just yet. Esther took both of C.T.'s hands. "What I'm feeling, I've never really felt it before. At least, not like this. Even if the answer should be obvious, I don't have a name for it yet, and I need a little more time to figure it out. You deserve to know when I do tell you I love you, that I'll mean it whole-heartedly and without any doubts."

 

[Unedited Sky]

No more apologies, C.T had to remember to stop doing that, she knew that Esther didn't want to hear it and for the most part her apologies weren't because she felt she had done something wrong, they were more because, she was afraid of ruining everything. But Esther said that C.T had made her happy and that was all C.T needed to hear.

"You don't have to say it right away Esther, I- it just came out." C.T said honestly, she was saying that she didn't mean what she had said, because she did, she really did, but she hadn't meant to say it the way she did, she hadn't expect it to just slip out so casually. If she had a choice she would have held on to her confession a little bit longer, to fix the jump of emotion that she was feeling like Esther was doing. "I don't mind waiting until you are sure." C.T said simply, even though her heart was screaming for her to say more C.T just left it at that.

Instead she decided to change the subject draw attention away from these crazy emotions, and back to something that was easier to think about. "So what are you going to dress me up in for tonight? I am anxious to find out."  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



Esther was trying not to let the guilt eat away at her. Following C.T.'s lead, she forced herself to shift her attention to the clothing situation again. Even though this wasn't as strong a distraction as she would have liked, it worked to keep her nerves at bay. Turning to the suitcase again, Esther pulled a crimson dress from the newly-formed pile of clothes. It had short sleeves and was fitted at the top, and the skirt was pleated and above knee-length. "Here, try this on," Esther said, smiling again as she handed the dress to C.T. She covered her eyes with her hand. "You can do it in here. I promise I won't peek... Probably." A chuckle bubbled from her mouth.

 

[Unedited Sky]

C.T eyed the dress that Esther pulled out for her as if it was the strangest thing she had ever seen in her life, it seemed a little....short? "Where's the rest of it?" C.T asked a bit skeptically, a ting of red coming to her cheeks as she imagined herself wearing such clothing. It wasn't just showing a bit of skin that had C.T a little tense either, it was what came with that skin, the multiple array of scars and tattoo's that lined her skin, those same scars and tats that usually forced her to wear longer sleeves.

C.T wanted to protest but with Esther already covering her eyes with thinly veiled excitement hidden behind her joke C.T knew she had no choice, besides. She didn't want to disappoint her girlfriend

Sighing C.T took the dress from Esther, laying it across her bed before shrugging out of her jacket, and without a moment of hesitation, pulling her shirt over her head leaving her standing in nothing but a black bra and her jeans. Her back was to Esther exposing a number of scars and a rather expansive dragon tattoo on her back. The tattoo hadn't been her idea, back when she was captive, on of the other experiments had found an ink tube and decided she was feeling artistic and since Connie was the only one who could heal and erase any mistakes made the girl had spent the better part of a week begging Connie to let her try it out. Eventually Connie gave in. Surprisingly it had came out well, and even though she had received a particularly fierce beating from Jacob when he found out, she felt it had been worth it. Somewhat.

C.T was a bit shocked that she didn't feel as exposed as she thought she would, when she revealed her body, maybe it was because Esther had promised not too look, though with her back to Esther she wasn't sure if the girl was looking, but she supposed it didn't matter. With a deep sigh, Connie stepped on the back of her shoes to slip out of them and pulled down her pants stepping out of them, before turning to the dress. She picked it up and looked it over, trying to figure it out, really. She had never worn something like this before....

"How the hell do I even get into this thing?" C.T asked "Help me?" She added, with a small smirk now, seeing if Esther would forget her promise peek.  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



Like she had promised, Esther didn't peek. Although she would admit that she wanted to, it felt wrong to do so. C.T. had been through a lot physically and mentally, and it wasn't Esther's right to look at her exposed body without permission. Maybe she was being a little overly cautious, but still.

When C.T. expressed confusion about how to put on the dress, Esther's left brow quirked. "What are you talking about? It's a dress, C.T., not a suit of armor. You pull it over your head, put your arms in the sleeves..." Y'know what? Forget it. Esther was taking this cry for help as the permission she had wanted to pull her hand away. Her gaze now free to roam, the first thing they landed on was C.T.'s tattoo. Momentarily forgetting what she was supposed to be doing (and, apparently, her earlier reservations about looking, as well), her eyes followed the outline of the artwork, absorbing all of the details and the way that the dragon rested on C.T.'s back. Her gaze eventually found the scars, too. Or, at least, some of them. It made her feel almost nauseous and a little angry when she thought about how they had been received, what C.T. must have endured. Esther didn't have to see past them, though, to recognize how beautiful C.T. was, scars and tattoos and all. Finally, her eyes met C.T.'s, and, seeing the smirk on her girlfriend's face, Esther's expression went flat. C.T. had anticipated Esther would go back on her promise and look.

Esther rolled her eyes, fighting off the grin that threatened to appear on her own lips, and joked, "What a drama queen." Walking over to where the dress was sitting idly, Esther scooped it up and rolled the fabric so that the holes meant for the head and the arms were more easily accessible. "Arms up," she instructed, turning to C.T. and holding the dress so that the girl could just slide into it.

 

[Unedited Sky]

"Of course it's not a suit of armor, I'd be able to manage with a suit of armor, this thing.... not so much." C.T said feigning defensiveness as Esther finally gave up on chivalry and removed her hand from over her eyes and laid her gaze upon C.T's body. C.T could see the emotions that were playing across Esther's face, first the amazement that obviously had to be caused by C.T's tattoo something that now made the girl proud of the ink, next was the sadness that touched the girls eyes as she noticed the scars that marred C.T's pale skin, luckily that sadness was short lived, C.T's grin was noticed by Esther, who must now be realizing that she had fallen into a but of a trap because she was rolling her eyes at C.T.

"Oh I'm embarrassed, and here I thought you wouldn't peek." C.T joked, as Esther took the dress from her hands calling her a drama queen while she did so, C.T couldn't help but chuckle a little at that. She had to admit she was being a bit dramatic, however she hadn't expected Esther to call her out on it so honestly. Deciding to spare Esther anymore trouble, C.T raised her arms at Esther's command and allowed the girl to slid the dress over her head, before taking a step back. All jokes aside, she was nervous now. C.T looked down at the red dress over her body, the dressed sleeves did well to hide her bodies flaws as well as her tattoo however as she had noticed before the dress was a bit short. exposing C.T's legs, which was probably what Esther wanted, however C.T was blushing furiously at just how much skin she was showing, she really wished she had a mirror in her room now, so she could get a better view of how she looked. As it was she was at the mercy of Esther's opinion.

"How do I look?" C.T asked a bit selfconciously, she averted her gaze to the side, trying to hide the blush that burned her cheeks.  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



When C.T. was finally in the dress, Esther took a few steps back so she could look at her girlfriend more fully. As evidenced by the blush on her face and the way she wouldn't meet Esther's gaze, C.T. seemed pretty uncomfortable and embarrassed. Esther supposed that the dress exposed a lot--definitely more than what C.T. was used to--but it was actually quite modest compared to the outfits she had seen her friends where. Esther took her time appreciating how C.T. looked, how the dress hugged the right places and flared out to make a beautiful silhouette in others. Hell, C.T. wore that dress better than Esther did. But it wasn't even the dress that Esther was so enamored with, as cute as it was. C.T. could have been wearing a potato sack and Esther would have been head over heels.

"Gorgeous," Esther replied honestly. Then she added playfully, though speaking the truth, "And the dress looks great on you, too." Approaching C.T., Esther, smiling, placed a hand on C.T.'s waist and gently gripped the young woman's chin with the other hand to coax C.T. to look at her. The blush on C.T.'s face was beyond adorable, and seeing it so closely caused Esther's smile to widen even more. "No one's going to be able to take their eyes off of you." She kissed her, a sweet and tender kiss, then wrapped both of her arms around C.T. and asked, "How do you feel?"

 

[Unedited Sky]

the compliments seemed to be a bit much for C.T as her blush reddened even further when Esther called her gorgeous, she didn't know why, this wasn't the first time Esther had complimented her, in fact she should be used to it by now, but maybe it had to do with the dress that C.T was wearing, and the fact that even though she wouldn't admit it to Esther for fear of dying from embarrassment, but C.T did feel beautiful in this moment, these clothes that Esther had dressed her up in, made her feel pretty.

"You really think I look good in it?" C.T asked, it wasn't that she wanted confirmation, she already knew what Esther's answer would be, she just had to break this silence, but instead of giving her a instant answer, Esther took hold of C.T's and spoke to her, softly. "No one's going to be able to take their eyes off of you.", with that C.T barely had time to smile before Esther's lips were pressed against her own. C.T reciprocated the kiss, pulling Esther even closer against her after the girl pulled away. "They can look all they want, but, I'm yours." C.T said honestly, before pulling Esther into another, deeper kiss, pulling the girl closer into her until she was almost lifting Esther off of the ground.  

[JAKattack09]

● ● ● | esther bradley



C.T. was hers. Esther liked the sound of that. She kissed C.T. back wholeheartedly, using enough force to gently nudge her girlfriend to the wall behind them. There, Esther broke from the liplock to kiss along C.T.'s neck, leaving a trail from her jaw to nearly her shoulder. "Alright," she said, grinning and forcing herself to pull away. "Face the wall. I've got to get dressed, too."

As much as she wanted to keep her arms around C.T., her suitcase was on the other side of the room, and something told her this party would be starting sooner than both of them could expect. Esther walked over to where the pile of clothes was and began picking through them again. She obviously hadn't planned on attending parties when she packed to run away, because her options now were pretty limited. Whatever. She had gotten C.T. into a dress, and that was what she cared about right now. Slipping out of her shirt and jeans to reveal her dark blue bra, Esther pulled on a loose white tank top and tucked it into a black pencil skirt. Almost more fitting for an interview, but it would work. "You can look now," she told C.T. before turning around. "Let's go see how the party's progressing, shall we?"