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For Vanessa, Jarias was a revelation in happiness. She did not know what it was that they were doing, but she was beyond asking questions, or pushing for more than Jarias seemed ready to provide.

They had shared kisses and a bed, though Vanessa had woken up with most of the blankets.

They had shared breakfast and stories over a living room picnic, and then gotten tangled up in that blanket together.

Vanessa did not know a lot about the way that magic worked. As Vulcan, she had wielded it for years without asking any questions about where it came from or why. It was just there, a powerful tingling in her blood that made her feel high. Being with Jarias was like that. Every kiss made her heart swoop into her throat, where her pulse beat out a rhythm that was as shy as it was hungry.

'More, more, more,' it said, 'I have courage enough for this.'

But then the kisses had stopped, and she'd had to go home, and Vanessa had had no choice but to pull back the curtain looking out on reality. She tried to be fair to what she saw there, did not trust herself to know for sure.

Jarias was so beautiful. And so generous and so kind. There were text messages, after Vanessa got her phone back, but Jarias did not ask to see her again. She wondered. Bit her lip. Went about her life.

And then, because she was sick to death of thinking and not even very good at that anyways, Vanessa put on a crop top and her favourite pair of faux leather pants. They were high-waisted, paired with a pair of simple black heels, and played peek-a-boo with the little silver bar in her navel whenever she moved. She fixed her hair. Applied make-up. Chose the lipstick that was the same shade of red as her hair.

She hit up the bar. Alone, because she didn't need anybody to come with her. She wasn't playing games. Just wanted to leave lipstick stains on a mily white neck.

The bouncer stopped her at the door. Asked for ID. She gave it to him, smiled when he waved her inside.

"Oh ho," Keep said, glancing from the entrance to Jarias's face, a smirk twitching on his lips. "Look who just walked in. Seems like maybe she likes you too."

Vanessa had not come to the club where she knew Jarias worked to meet men. No matter how young or attractive they were. Unassuming, she smiled at the cutie who approached her, but her eyes followed the edge of the crowd- searching for the woman whose lips she could still feel. On her skin, every night when she crawled into bed alone, memory ghosting over her body with the burn of a gentle fire. Making her tremble.

'Hey there Red.'

The sound of Jarias's voice sent a thrill shivering up Vanessa's spine. She let slip a soft, surprised sound at the suddenness of the hands on her waist and was unprepared for Jarias's kiss- but far from displeased. It took a moment for her to catch up, hands curled into fists on reflex. But then she was so there. Turned up by the demand in Jarias's lips, Vanessa yielded to the pressure of her kiss; pretty mouth falling open, arms snaking around Jarias's neck, accepting the jealousy with a little breathless noise- though it had not really occurred to Vanessa that Jarias might be jealous over her.

She'd forgotten all about the man that Jarias had cut off. Forgotten that they were in public. Flushed when she pulled back and remembered both. They had drawn a couple sets of eyes.

Deciding that she didn't care, Vanessa pressed another kiss to the corner of Jarias's mouth.

"Hey," she murmured, smiling, hands gliding from Jarias's neck to Jarias's waist. I wanted to see you again. I'm so relieved you're happy to see me.

The words got caught on her tongue. Instead, she laughed. Took a step back. She waved at the whole of the club with one hand, while the other lingered near Jarias's hip.

"I felt like dancing a little bit tonight." Vanessa's gaze flickered to the man who'd approached her. She smiled at him. "I'm Vanessa."

"This is Jarias. She's..." fingertips slipped under the fabric of Jarias's t-shirt, played along the soft skin near the waistband of her pants. A really good kisser. "a friend. What's your name?"

"Dylan," he said, smirking at them both, "it's nice to meet you. Both of you."

Vanessa had an adventurous spirit. She had never considered the possibility of a threesome before. No one had ever asked her. She was not even sure that Dylan had suggested one just now, but Jarias seemed to think so. He put his hands up in the in air, palms up, and spun away on one of his heels.

Vanessa glanced sideways at Jarias, aware of the hand that held hers. There was a question at the tip of her tongue. She wasn't sure how to ask it. The tone Jarias used with Dylan implied something else- something surprising.

'That all then?'

She wants me to tell her I missed her. The idea struck Vanessa like an arrow to the heart. Made it sing. She bit her lip, searched Jarias's face with her amber eyes. A smile twitched across her lips. She shifted closer again, lips seeking the soft skin next to Jarias's ear.

"No," she murmured, voice low and sultry, "that's not all."

She took Jarias's earlobe between her teeth. Gave it a little tug.

"I wanted to see you again."

And then she was stepping back again, smirking, squeezing Jarias's hand gently in hers.

Holy s**t, was all Vanessa could think with her back against the wall and Jarias's hands in her hair, Oh, yes. Every kiss rocked Vanessa's heart in the cradle of her chest. Every touch reminded Vanessa of the nights that she had spent without them, and made her wonder why she'd ever left Jarias's apartment in the first place.

"We should," she agreed, breathlessly, cheeks flushed with excitement and just a little bit of need. "Yes, let's go on a date."

Vanessa bit her lip, curled her fingers in the front of Jarias's t-shirt. The black bouncer outfit reminded her of the night that they'd met. She knew now what it hid from view. Regretted that they were not somewhere more private.

"You're not going to get in trouble?" She murmured, because her throat felt thick and she was incapable of talking any louder. Vanessa held Jarias close by the fabric of her shirt, lifted her foot off the ground- slid the inside of her thigh up along the outside of Jaria's leg, but remembered that they were in public, and stopped before she could hook her leg around the other woman's waist.

"With your boss..." She swallowed, peppered sweet kisses from Jarias's lips to Jarias's jaw, "... you're... supposed... to be working..."

Vanessa had not come to the bar tonight to put Jarias's job in jeopardy. She could not help feeling just a little bit guilty, and just a little bit selfish, for distracting her so thoroughly from her work. She did not want to complicate Jarias's life. It feels so good when you smile at me. I don't want to lose that.

"I'm free Thursday." She let out a dreamy sigh. Wanted to watch Jarias's beautiful rainbow curls tumble over her shoulders. Resisted the urge to pull the pins out of Jarias's hair.

'How about I call it a night here and we go out and get some like really good greasy food.'

Vanessa gazed up at Jarias through lowered lashes, pretty face flushed from the effort of their kisses, and the fact that they were so exposed. Not that Vanessa was shy. On the contrary- she was thrilled.

The wall was solid at her back.

Jarias's body was firm. The hand that gripped her thigh was strong.

If they drew eyes, Vanessa did not care. She could not see much past the shine of Jarias's face. Everything beyond -the bar, the music, the drunks- was muted, somehow, rendered lesser in the wake of Jarias's kisses. Vanessa smiled, teased Jarias's bottom lip between her teeth.

Inhaled. Tried to breathe her in.

"I love greasy food."

But- could Jarias really just leave work like that?

"Do you have to ask someone, first? What about your paycheque?"

Vanessa did not mean to argue. Would, in fact, have loved to go anywhere, as long as it was with Jarias. But a childhood spent on the poorer side of financial stability had impressed upon Vanessa both the importance of hardwork and the value of a dollar. She would never forgive herself, if she ended up the reason Jarias couldn't make rent.

Movies sounded great. A walk in the park sounded even better. The kind of relationship Vanessa was used to fell more into the wham bam, thank you ma'am spectrum of affection. With Blake- there had been moments of light, but they were more like candle flickers than radiant sunbeams.

Jarias seemed made of pure energy.

She talked so fast that Vanessa could hardly believe that all of this was happening. Whatever it was.

'I'm not really thinking like straight you know, I missed you a lot. Sorry, that's weird. I really like you...Ah s**t okay look...'

Every word that Jarias spoke echoed in Vanessa's heart. She searched the other woman's face with her eyes again, and was pummelled by the sincerity that she saw there.

'It's worth it for the time to spend with you.'

What had she done, to deserve a shine as bright as Jarias? All of the best things were fleeting, she knew. She did not want to hope for too much, but let Jarias lead her by the hand anyways. Wove their fingers together with a contented smile.

I do not know how long this wil last, she thought, but I am grateful for what it is now.

"CHYEAH," she said, "I love diners. Let's just order one of everything. I'll get some fries, you can get onion rings. We can share!"

At Jarias's car Vanessa paused to press her new favourite woman up against the driver door. She leaned up on tip toes for a kiss that was as much teeth as it was lips, because she could not stop smiling, and then darted away- headed for the passenger's side.

When she'd come to the bar looking for Jarias that night, Vanessa had hoped only that the other woman would smile upon seeing her.

That was all.

She had gotten that. And so much more.

Vanessa lounged in the passenger seat of Jarias' car as though that was where she belonged, one foot tucked underneath her, the other tapping a rhythm against the floor that matched the beat of the stereo. She was not drunk, but she was happy, and that was kind of the same thing.

"I LOVE MILKSHAKES," Vanessa shouted back at Jarias, laughing because it was hilarious. She reached over with both hands, cradled Jarias's cheeks between her palms, and then turned her head for another kiss-- even though Jarias was driving, even though it was dangerous, even though they could have died.

Vanessa wanted to make it last. Wanted to draw it out annd to ease her hand inside Jarias's t-shirt. But the kiss was brief. Ended almost before it had even started. Vanessa pulled her hands back, but shifted so that she was sitting in the middle seat -right next to Jarias- instead of by the window.

The smile on her face was nymph-like. She looked as though she was tyring to keep a secret.

Vanessa bit her lip, and then put a hand on Jarias's thigh. She squeezed, trailed slowly, playfully inward...