The comfortable silence on the couch stretched, thick with unspoken things and the fading adrenaline of the night. Selene's head was still pleasantly fuzzy, but the warm bath and Lyra's quiet presence had grounded her. The ridiculous Chikawa pajamas felt like a soft, comforting armor.
Lyra's hand was still resting over hers, a point of contact that sent a current of warmth up Selene's arm. She turned her hand over, threading her fingers through Lyra's, and squeezed gently. Lyra's breath hitched, almost imperceptibly, but she didn't pull away.
Emboldened by the contact, by the quiet intimacy of the dimly lit room, Selene shifted on the couch, turning to face Lyra fully. She brought her other hand up, her fingers lightly tracing the line of Lyra's jaw, feeling the subtle tension there.
"Lyra," she whispered, her voice husky and low, all traces of her earlier drunken teasing gone, replaced by a raw, aching sincerity.
Lyra's dark eyes met hers, wide and searching, reflecting the same nervous anticipation that was making Selene's heart hammer against her ribs.
"Touch me," Selene breathed out, the plea leaving her lips before she could second-guess it. "Please."
The words hung in the air, a vulnerable and unmistakable invitation. Selene saw the conflict flash in Lyra's eyes desire warring with her ingrained caution, her fear of crossing a line she couldn't uncross.
For a long moment, Lyra was perfectly still. Then, slowly, she raised her free hand. Her touch was feather-light, hesitant, as her fingertips brushed a stray strand of hair from Selene's forehead, tucking it behind her ear. The contact was so tender it made Selene's eyes flutter closed for a second.
"Selene," Lyra said, her voice a soft, trembling whisper. "Are you sure?"
She wasn't asking about a kiss. She was asking about everything. About trust, about vulnerability, about stepping off the edge together.
Selene opened her eyes, holding Lyra's gaze with an intensity that left no room for doubt. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life."
That was all the permission Lyra needed. The last of her resistance seemed to melt away. The hand that had been brushing Selene's hair slid down to cup her cheek, her thumb stroking Selene's skin with a reverence that stole the air from Selene's lungs.
Lyra leaned in, and this time, she closed the distance.
Their second kiss was nothing like the first. It was not a question, but an answer. It was slow and deep, a deliberate exploration that spoke of pent-up longing and finally yielding. Lyra's lips were soft and insistent, and Selene met her with equal fervor, her hands coming up to tangle in the soft hair at the nape of Lyra's neck.
A soft moan escaped Selene, swallowed by Lyra's mouth. She felt Lyra's other arm slide around her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies were flush against each other on the couch. The feel of Lyra against her, solid and real and finally, finally letting go, was intoxicating.
Selene broke the kiss, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She leaned her forehead against Lyra's, her eyes still closed. "Don't stop," she pleaded, her voice thick with want. "Please, don't stop."
Lyra's answer was a kiss pressed to the corner of her mouth, then her jaw, then the sensitive spot below her ear. Her hands began to move, no longer hesitant, but with a newfound confidence. One hand splayed across Selene's back, holding her tight, while the other slid beneath the hem of the silly Chikawa pajama top.
The feel of Lyra's cool fingers on her bare skin made Selene gasp and arch into the touch. "Lyra..."
"I'm here," Lyra murmured against her skin, her voice a low, soothing vibration. "I've got you."
Lyra's touch was deliberate, worshipful. Her palm smoothed over Selene's stomach, feeling the muscles quiver beneath her touch, before moving upward, slowly, so slowly, until her fingers brushed the underside of Selene's breast. Selene's breath caught, a sharp, needy sound.
"Is this okay?" Lyra whispered, her lips against Selene's throat.
"Yes," Selene gasped, her head falling back. "God, yes. More."
Lyra's hand closed over her breast, her thumb circling a peak that was already hard and eager through the thin cotton of her pajama top. A shuddering sigh escaped Selene. She fumbled with the buttons of Lyra's shirt, her fingers clumsy with desire. "I want to feel you, too. Please."
Understanding, Lyra sat back just enough to allow Selene to push the soft fabric from her shoulders. Then her own hands went to the hem of Selene's top, and together they pulled it up and over her head, tossing it aside to join Lyra's shirt on the floor.
For a moment, they just looked at each other, chests rising and falling with rapid breaths. The air between them was electric. Lyra's gaze was dark with desire, but it was still filled with that same awe, as if she couldn't believe Selene was real, was here, was hers to touch.
Selene reached out, tracing the line of Lyra's collarbone, then the gentle slope of her breast. "You're so beautiful," she breathed.
A faint blush colored Lyra's cheeks, but she didn't look away. Instead, she leaned forward and captured Selene's mouth in another searing kiss as her hand found Selene's breast again, skin to skin this time. The sensation was so intense, so perfect, that Selene cried out into the kiss.
Lyra guided her down until Selene was lying back against the soft cushions of the couch. She followed, covering Selene's body with her own, their legs intertwining. The weight of her, the feel of her bare skin everywhere, was overwhelming. Lyra's mouth left Selene's lips to trail a blazing path down her neck, to her chest, until she took a taut nipple into her mouth.
Selene's back arched off the couch, a broken sob of pleasure torn from her throat. Lyra's tongue swirled and suckled, her hand mirroring the action on Selene's other breast, pinching and rolling the sensitive peak until Selene was writhing beneath her, a litany of "please, please, please" falling from her lips.
Lyra moved lower, her kisses painting a line of fire down Selene's stomach. She hooked her fingers in the waistband of the pajama pants and looked up, her eyes meeting Selene's, asking one last, silent question.
Selene nodded, lifting her hips in answer. "Yes. Everything. I want everything with you."
Lyra drew the pants down, along with Selene's underwear, leaving her completely bare. Lyra's gaze was pure worship, taking in the sight of her. She kissed the inside of Selene's knee, then her thigh, her touch gentle but unwavering.
"I've imagined this," Lyra confessed, her voice husky against Selene's skin. "So many times."
The admission made Selene's heart clench. "Me too," she whispered.
And then Lyra's mouth was on her, and all coherent thought vanished.
Her touch was exquisite, a perfect blend of confidence and tender exploration. She learned Selene's body with her tongue and lips, finding a rhythm that made Selene's hips buck and her fingers clutch at the couch cushions. The world narrowed to the point where their bodies connected, to the building pressure coiling deep within Selene's core.
"Lyra, I'm... I'm close," Selene gasped, her thighs trembling.
Lyra's answer was to slide two fingers inside her, curling them in a way that made Selene see stars. The dual sensation, inside and out, was too much. The coil snapped.
Selene came apart with a raw, keening cry, her body convulsing around Lyra's fingers as wave after wave of pure, blinding ecstasy crashed over her. Lyra held her through it, gentling her touch until the last tremor subsided and Selene lay boneless, utterly spent.
Lyra moved back up her body, kissing her way back to Selene's lips. Selene could taste herself on Lyra's mouth, an intimacy so profound it brought tears to her eyes. She pulled Lyra into a deep, languid kiss, pouring all her gratitude and wonder into it.
"My turn," Selene murmured when they finally broke apart, her strength returning. She rolled them over, reversing their positions so she was straddling Lyra's hips. She looked down at the beautiful woman beneath her, her skin flushed, her lips swollen from kissing. "I want to make you feel what I felt."
And as she lowered her head to Lyra's breast, as she began her own journey of discovery, she knew that however complicated their path had been, they had finally found their way home. And it was more perfect than any dream.
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uHMm aaaaa :3