As Selene leaned in, the moment felt so right, so undeniably magnetic. She could feel Lyra's breath catch, the slight hesitation in her body before Selene kissed her gently. It wasn't the rushed, impulsive kiss from earlier; it was slow, careful, and full of something more something real.
Their lips met, just for a second, but Selene's heart raced. She pulled back slightly, smiling in that way she knew drove Lyra a little crazy.
"You didn't pull away," Selene murmured, still close enough to feel the heat from Lyra's skin. Her mind buzzed with the alcohol coursing through her veins, emboldening her in a way she hadn't expected. She wasn't just feeling something anymore she was going for it. All in.
But just as she was about to close the distance again, Lyra's face scrunched up with a quick frown.
"You stink," Lyra said bluntly, pulling away. Her nose wrinkled as she waved a hand in front of her face. "Go take a bath, Selene. Seriously, you reek of alcohol."
Selene blinked, caught off guard, a laugh bubbling up as the playful energy from the kiss vanished like a puff of smoke. "I do not!" she protested, but she could already feel the warmth creeping up her neck as Lyra's words hit home.
"Trust me, you do," Lyra said, her voice softening as she reached for a drawer. "You'll feel better if you freshen up."
Selene, still caught in the whirlwind of her emotions, raised an eyebrow. "Well, fine," she said, standing up a little too quickly, stumbling as the alcohol caught up with her again. "But you can't just send me off to the shower and not have anything ready for me."
Lyra smirked, clearly amused by Selene's antics, and pulled out something from the drawer. She tossed a pair of pajamas at Selene they were purple, with little Chikawa characters all over them. "You can borrow these. I think they'll fit you."
Selene blinked at the pajamas, an amused grin forming on her face. "Are you serious?" she asked, holding up the oversized, cartoonish pajamas. "Chikawa? What are you, ten?"
But Lyra didn't answer, only rolled her eyes. "Just go take a bath. You'll feel better."
As Selene headed to the bathroom, still laughing, she couldn't help but think that things were getting a little ridiculous ridiculously sweet.
Selene stepped out of the bathroom, feeling a little more sober but still in high spirits. The soft scent of Lyra's soap lingered on her skin, a reminder of the intimacy they'd shared just moments before. She had changed into the Chikawa pajamas, and despite their goofy design, they felt comforting. She couldn't stop smiling at how Lyra had taken care of her.
The moment Selene stepped out of the bathroom, Lyra was sitting on the couch, reading a book, her expression unreadable as she glanced up at Selene.
"Oh my God," Lyra muttered, almost in disbelief. "You look ridiculous."
Selene grinned widely, twirling around in the oversized pajama pants. "Oh, come on. You know you love it."
Lyra raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "I love the look of my couch more than I love you wearing Chikawa pajamas. It's not a good look."
Ignoring Lyra's teasing, Selene sat down on the couch next to her, crossing her legs as she got more comfortable. She could feel the awkwardness from before slowly fading into the background. It wasn't perfect, but it was better. They were together, in this weird little moment, and Selene was finally allowing herself to let go of some of the tension she'd been carrying.
She stretched, her hands resting behind her head, and the comfortable scent of Lyra's apartment wrapped around her. But her eyes drifted back to the Chikawa pajamas, and suddenly she had a thought. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Selene leaned forward, taking a deep breath of the soft fabric.
"I'm just saying," Selene said, almost as a whisper, "it smells like you."
Lyra froze, her eyes snapping to Selene as she realized what was happening. Selene was sniffing the fabric, sniffing her pajamas, and it was probably the most ridiculous thing she had ever done. Lyra felt her face flush as she stared at Selene, whose grin grew wider by the second.
"You....what...." Lyra sputtered, her cheeks turning bright red. "Are you seriously sniffing my pajamas?"
Selene let out a small, almost inaudible laugh. "Oh, yeah. It's got your scent all over it. Just a little bit of Lyra in every wash. I think I'm in love with it."
Lyra was turning as red as her favorite books now, and she didn't know whether to laugh or scold Selene. The combination of her seriousness and the overwhelming absurdity of the situation caught her off guard. She didn't know what to do, but before she could process it, Selene continued to tease her.
"I'm serious though," Selene said, snuggling into the fabric a bit more, the drunk smile still plastered on her face. "It smells like you, and I can't get enough of it."
Lyra turned her face away, trying to hide her smile, but she couldn't stop the soft chuckle that escaped. "God, you're insufferable," she muttered under her breath, but she didn't pull away when Selene kept making herself comfortable beside her.
Selene grinned, laying back, the soft cotton fabric still in her hands as she wrapped herself further into it. "Yeah, well, you love me anyway."
Lyra didn't say anything, but the soft look in her eyes betrayed the truth.
As Selene lay there, both of them on the couch, a comfortable silence fell between them. Lyra's hand found Selene's without thinking. The touch was small, intimate in its own quiet way. The tension that had been hanging between them was still there, but it had softened. For the first time in a long time, Selene felt like maybe just maybe she wasn't making this all up.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough. For now.