[Her place. She really had never planned to make this a long-term residence—or to have a long-term residence here at all. It's not in her nature to sit still in dangerous circumstances. Even now, there's a part of her that's ready to bolt the moment this place is compromised (the same part which has already decided what she'll grab first, the same part that rarely bothered to say goodbye when leaving a town behind.)
But this place is more than just her place. Somehow this overgrown little den became a place for others, too. When people wanted companionship, or understanding, or safety, they so often ended up here.
Kalmiya doesn't entirely understand it. But she can't bear the idea of taking that away.
So: her place. It will be far from the first time Sharon visits, though the context of this visit is very different from the rest. To say Kalmiya is nervous isn't exactly correct; it's more that she is very keenly aware that this could change things, potentially for the worse. At the time of most of her first dalliances with people here, their relationships were barely formed—there was plenty of room to shape them to fit this kind of intimacy.
It's a little different with someone like Sharon. Kalmiya already knows her, loves her, wants nothing more than to give her a place where she feels safe and understood. And there is a nonzero chance that things entirely out of Kalmiya's control could turn this into an unsafe experience for Sharon. Which Kalmiya is prepared for, which she will cushion as much as she's able to in such an unfortunate turn of events, but—
Above all, Sharon is her friend. Kalmiya never wants to be the source of a painful memory for her.
She decides to forego anything fancy—this isn't a date, after all, or if it is she was never made aware—but she does make the bed. Puts on clean sheets and blankets, a few extra pillows. Makes sure there's at least one reasonably clean bath towel hanging up. And very pointedly meditates on her tether with Sharon until the others quiet down a little. Closest thing to privacy that she can offer.
She's in little but an oversized pink sweater and fuzzy thigh-high socks when she answers the door for her guest, tails wagging in reflection of the bright grin on her face. She gestures Sharon in with a dramatic sweep of her arm.] Make yourself comfortable! You know where everything is.
[ Sharon laughs outright when Kalmiya sweeps her arm. She pauses to admire her for a beat, but there isn't much lechery in the look, even if the glimpse of skin between the pink sweater and thigh-high socks triggers a light, curious hunger. It's cute. It's Kalmiya. It makes her want to see more. ] Practically another home for me. [ She says lightly, amusement singing through the tether, along with a low lying anxiety. She slips her shoes off at the door, unwilling to track dirt, grime, or any potential Sleep-fungal biohazard deeper into Kalmiya's den.
Her relationship with Kalmiya is precious, something Sharon holds close. It's never felt awkward or strained, never edged with tension. It's always felt natural, even when Sharon couldn't quite follow Kalmiya's exuberant rhythms. The easy honesty. The gentle certainty of her hands when they curl together.
Sharon drops onto the bed and speaks with measured, careful sincerity, eyes fixed on Kalmiya's soft, heart-shaped face. This has been on her mind since she'd started the trek here. ] This... won't mess things up between us, will it? I love you, but I don't want to complicate our friendship, no matter how much I know I'd enjoy it.
[ She won't make that mistake again. Better to ask, to be upfront, than to hurt someone she loves, no matter how unintentionally. She knows Kalmiya enjoys sex, is open with it, but they already matter to each other. Some small, anxious part of her is afraid this could end the same way it did with Jinx. ] The last thing I really want to do is hurt you.
[Sharon's lingering glance and comfortable sentiment are met with a soft titter of laughter. Once she's divested herself of her shoes and taken her seat, Kalmiya closes the door with a quiet click; as always, she tests the hold of the locks after setting them. One of many small habits that secures this pocket of relative safety.
Though she suspects the source of Sharon's anxiety sits elsewhere than potential intrusions into the den. It is small but persistent, the faintest note of burning coal from an otherwise cozy hearth fire, and it lingers in Kalmiya's nose as she turns to face Sharon and finds her friend already looking up at her, honest and imploring.
The furrow of her brow is soft with sympathy as she pads over to join Sharon on the bed. It's an easy closeness as she sinks down next to her at the mattress's edge and lets her tails settle in a warm curl at Sharon's back.] I can't promise the future will be free of complications. But that's the nature of any relationship, not just sexual ones.
[The soft curl of her smile is reassuring as she turns her hand over to expose her palm, holding it in the space beside her thigh in quiet offering.] What's most important to me is that you're happy. As long as that's the case, I'll be just fine. [Then a small breath, the first hint of a gentle laugh.] Though I would prefer we stay in contact, regardless of what happens. I would miss you if you needed to move on!
[She would never begrudge Sharon such a need if it ever arose, of course. But she hasn't forgotten the sting of Freddie's silence in the aftermath of their impulsive liaison, and doesn't particularly want to lose another connection without even a word as to the possibility.]
[ Sharon finds comfort in the curl of Kalmiya's tails, in that sweet, familiar closeness that the other woman offers so freely. It's a gift that she'll accept over and over and over again, one she leans into, both physically and through the tether. A crackling fire beneath her green boughs.
The whole of her attention is on the other woman as she speaks, and when she opens her palm, Sharon immediately takes it, fingers curling around her hand. She is still adjusting to the nature of all relationships, still learning what means what, and how easily hearts can get broken. She worries her lower lip between her teeth, gaze dropping to Kalmiya's knees, to the way the striped fabric of her thigh highs presses into the soft pillow of her thighs. ]
I don't think there's anything that could happen between us that would make me need to move on from you. [ She finally says, her honesty raw. ] I mean, if you betrayed me, but... That's not something I'm worried about with you. [ With others, yes, but not Kalmiya. She is one of the few Sharon can't even imagine making a decision like that. ]
I'm just— [ and here, she laughs. ] I just don't want to fuck things up between us, that's all. You mean so damn much to me. [ She lifts their hands and presses her lips to the back of Kalmiya's knuckles to emphasize her points. Maybe she's just nervous, or maybe she thinks it's important Kalmiya knows just how important she is before they dive into this—that sex can't, and won't, change that. ]
[There is a tenderness at Kalmiya's end of the tether in the way the leaves of trees let in streams of the rising sun, painting everything inside of her warmer, softer. Such wholehearted trust from someone who has every reason to hold it back is one of the most precious things that can be given. That warmth paints her cheeks with a pleased flush as Sharon kisses her knuckles.
Gently, her free hand rises to brush a shock of blonde back from the side of Sharon's face, impressing quiet reassurance along the tips of her fingers and along the connection that links them.] You aren't going to fuck anything up. I know you aren't the betraying type, either.
Some things might change, but this won't change what's important. [A pluck, a thrum along the tether, an undeniable chord of love both given and accepted. Kalmiya is not naive; she knows that love cannot overcome everything, that there are certain things in this world that are simply irreconcilable. But in this, with Sharon, she believes it's enough.
Her assuring smile takes on a touch of playfulness.] I'm excited to see where it goes.
[ Kalmiya's reassurance—soft, steady, threaded through with that unwavering trust—eases something tight in Sharon's chest. The worries don't vanish entirely; they linger like a stray ant in the kitchen, small but persistent. Still, she chooses to believe Kalmiya over them. To let that warmth drown out the quiet insistence of doubt. This won't change what's important.
When Kalmiya's smile tilts into something more playful, Sharon feels her own answering it without hesitation. She lets go of the last fragile grip she has on her anxiety, head dipping in a shy sort of surrender. Her heart beats on, a steady, nervous beat, her hand still wrapped around Kalmiya's, the touch easy and familiar. ] So... [ She starts, a hint of curiosity threading through her voice. ] What does Kalmiya Longwillow enjoy?
[ She shifts a little closer, thumb brushing absent patterns against the back of Kalmiya's hand. ] I'm still new to all of this, so I'm kind of... open to exploration. [ She has few sexual preferences thus far. She's here for the connection—for exploring something like this with someone she knows she loves and trusts completely. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mid-Jan. (from MFLN)
But this place is more than just her place. Somehow this overgrown little den became a place for others, too. When people wanted companionship, or understanding, or safety, they so often ended up here.
Kalmiya doesn't entirely understand it. But she can't bear the idea of taking that away.
So: her place. It will be far from the first time Sharon visits, though the context of this visit is very different from the rest. To say Kalmiya is nervous isn't exactly correct; it's more that she is very keenly aware that this could change things, potentially for the worse. At the time of most of her first dalliances with people here, their relationships were barely formed—there was plenty of room to shape them to fit this kind of intimacy.
It's a little different with someone like Sharon. Kalmiya already knows her, loves her, wants nothing more than to give her a place where she feels safe and understood. And there is a nonzero chance that things entirely out of Kalmiya's control could turn this into an unsafe experience for Sharon. Which Kalmiya is prepared for, which she will cushion as much as she's able to in such an unfortunate turn of events, but—
Above all, Sharon is her friend. Kalmiya never wants to be the source of a painful memory for her.
She decides to forego anything fancy—this isn't a date, after all, or if it is she was never made aware—but she does make the bed. Puts on clean sheets and blankets, a few extra pillows. Makes sure there's at least one reasonably clean bath towel hanging up. And very pointedly meditates on her tether with Sharon until the others quiet down a little. Closest thing to privacy that she can offer.
She's in little but an oversized pink sweater and fuzzy thigh-high socks when she answers the door for her guest, tails wagging in reflection of the bright grin on her face. She gestures Sharon in with a dramatic sweep of her arm.] Make yourself comfortable! You know where everything is.
no subject
Her relationship with Kalmiya is precious, something Sharon holds close. It's never felt awkward or strained, never edged with tension. It's always felt natural, even when Sharon couldn't quite follow Kalmiya's exuberant rhythms. The easy honesty. The gentle certainty of her hands when they curl together.
Sharon drops onto the bed and speaks with measured, careful sincerity, eyes fixed on Kalmiya's soft, heart-shaped face. This has been on her mind since she'd started the trek here. ] This... won't mess things up between us, will it? I love you, but I don't want to complicate our friendship, no matter how much I know I'd enjoy it.
[ She won't make that mistake again. Better to ask, to be upfront, than to hurt someone she loves, no matter how unintentionally. She knows Kalmiya enjoys sex, is open with it, but they already matter to each other. Some small, anxious part of her is afraid this could end the same way it did with Jinx. ] The last thing I really want to do is hurt you.
no subject
Though she suspects the source of Sharon's anxiety sits elsewhere than potential intrusions into the den. It is small but persistent, the faintest note of burning coal from an otherwise cozy hearth fire, and it lingers in Kalmiya's nose as she turns to face Sharon and finds her friend already looking up at her, honest and imploring.
The furrow of her brow is soft with sympathy as she pads over to join Sharon on the bed. It's an easy closeness as she sinks down next to her at the mattress's edge and lets her tails settle in a warm curl at Sharon's back.] I can't promise the future will be free of complications. But that's the nature of any relationship, not just sexual ones.
[The soft curl of her smile is reassuring as she turns her hand over to expose her palm, holding it in the space beside her thigh in quiet offering.] What's most important to me is that you're happy. As long as that's the case, I'll be just fine. [Then a small breath, the first hint of a gentle laugh.] Though I would prefer we stay in contact, regardless of what happens. I would miss you if you needed to move on!
[She would never begrudge Sharon such a need if it ever arose, of course. But she hasn't forgotten the sting of Freddie's silence in the aftermath of their impulsive liaison, and doesn't particularly want to lose another connection without even a word as to the possibility.]
no subject
The whole of her attention is on the other woman as she speaks, and when she opens her palm, Sharon immediately takes it, fingers curling around her hand. She is still adjusting to the nature of all relationships, still learning what means what, and how easily hearts can get broken. She worries her lower lip between her teeth, gaze dropping to Kalmiya's knees, to the way the striped fabric of her thigh highs presses into the soft pillow of her thighs. ]
I don't think there's anything that could happen between us that would make me need to move on from you. [ She finally says, her honesty raw. ] I mean, if you betrayed me, but... That's not something I'm worried about with you. [ With others, yes, but not Kalmiya. She is one of the few Sharon can't even imagine making a decision like that. ]
I'm just— [ and here, she laughs. ] I just don't want to fuck things up between us, that's all. You mean so damn much to me. [ She lifts their hands and presses her lips to the back of Kalmiya's knuckles to emphasize her points. Maybe she's just nervous, or maybe she thinks it's important Kalmiya knows just how important she is before they dive into this—that sex can't, and won't, change that. ]
no subject
Gently, her free hand rises to brush a shock of blonde back from the side of Sharon's face, impressing quiet reassurance along the tips of her fingers and along the connection that links them.] You aren't going to fuck anything up. I know you aren't the betraying type, either.
Some things might change, but this won't change what's important. [A pluck, a thrum along the tether, an undeniable chord of love both given and accepted. Kalmiya is not naive; she knows that love cannot overcome everything, that there are certain things in this world that are simply irreconcilable. But in this, with Sharon, she believes it's enough.
Her assuring smile takes on a touch of playfulness.] I'm excited to see where it goes.
no subject
When Kalmiya's smile tilts into something more playful, Sharon feels her own answering it without hesitation. She lets go of the last fragile grip she has on her anxiety, head dipping in a shy sort of surrender. Her heart beats on, a steady, nervous beat, her hand still wrapped around Kalmiya's, the touch easy and familiar. ] So... [ She starts, a hint of curiosity threading through her voice. ] What does Kalmiya Longwillow enjoy?
[ She shifts a little closer, thumb brushing absent patterns against the back of Kalmiya's hand. ] I'm still new to all of this, so I'm kind of... open to exploration. [ She has few sexual preferences thus far. She's here for the connection—for exploring something like this with someone she knows she loves and trusts completely. ]