All shook up
Nyra made her way through the loft carefully, one hand rubbing her postior. Her hair was clipped up out of her face with a paint splattered clip that was blue, yellow and red in places, just like her hair and smock. The painting was done, which was good though.
Her only thought was now to climb into a shower with a bottle of turpentine and a rag. Then she was going to sleep for a year. With a tired 'ouch' she closed and locked the door and walked to the one across the landing. After unlocking the heavy steel door and 'ouch'ing her way in she looked around for Connie.
She should have showered at the other loft, but she was so tired and shaken she just wanted to lay down as soon as she finished cleaning up. The whole need to dress due to the landing was frustrating but it gave her a very seperate and distinct space to work and sleep.
"Im home." Tiredly she called out, wondering if her love was home from work yet or if she was simply speaking to the furniture.
A strange stiffness on her face made straighten; she'd fallen asleep on the computer keyboard. It felt weird. Rubbing her cheek as she walked down the "office" steps, she saw Nyra near the door. "Hello sweetie. How was work?"
Connie moved forward to the artist, even covered in paint as she was, and drew her into her arms.
Snuggling her face into the taller woman's shoulder she yawned widely. "Finished the piece. Slipped on a spill. Spent half an hour cleaning up the paint all over the floor."
She really needed to get on Connie's schedule completely. The other woman leaving made her get restless and get up to paint, thus working for all night and more than half the day. The exhaustion was setting in.
"Need sleep and shower, though not that order even if its what my body wants to do." She mumbled into the raven haired goddess' neck, her arms draped loosly around the thinner woman's hips.
She slowly undressed Nyra. While keeping her standing, she made sure she didn't spread the paint too badly either on her wall, or further in Nyra's lovely henna-auburn hair, or even on her flawless skin. Once the artist was unclothed, she moved her to the commode, lifted the lid, and sat her down. "I'm going to draw us a bath now, love."
Caressing the younger woman's cheek gently, she stepped away and quickly shucked her own pajamas. Turning the tub water on almost-scalding hot, Connie realized she didn't have any turpentine in her apartment, so she darted quickly across to Nyra's. By the time she returned, three gallon jug in hand, the bath water was steaming, and she heard the remnants of the toilet flushing. Tossing a towel on the floor, she rolled it carefully, and guided Nyra from the toilet to lean forward across the edge of the tub. "I'm gonna rinse yer hair with turpentine, sweetie, then we'll fill it and take a bath with bubbles."
A quiet murmble of assention issued from the artist as Connie lifted the jug, and slowly poured the paint thinner into her hair. Brushing it out with her fingers, the accountant watched in amazement at the sheer variety of colors - blue, red, yellow, so many different shades of each - running down the drain. Reaching for the handheld hose, Connie ran water through that same hair, keeping care not to get any in Nyra's eyes.
By the time the colors were gone from Nyra's hair, it had drained from the tub as well. Drain blocked, lavendar-scented bubble balls dropped throughout. The balls broke and the steady stream of heated water caused an upswell of froth in the tub. A cloud of fragrance surrounded both women as the tub filled.
Connie tenderly assisted Nyra to stand, then climb into the still-filling tub. Standing behind her, the raven-haired vampire carefully guided both to a sitting position. Wrapping her legs around Nyra as the water and bubbles effervesced around them, she used her feet to maneuver her lover into a more reclined repose. Connie turned the water off when both were sufficiently covered.
Connie felt Nyra slipping in and out of the dozy world of naps. When she suspected her lover was forcing herself to stay awake, Connie pulled a loofah from a basket behind her head and began methodically washing her. Most of the paint had been stuck on Nyra's face and upper chest, hands and forearms, which was where Connie paid the most attention. A not-so-tiny whim to tease Nyra flashed through her mind, but the vampire realized her lover seriously needed sleep, and not satisfaction of the type she briefly craved.
When Nyra's body was clean, but for a few spots on her cheeks and chin, Connie pulled the drain and allowed the bubbles to go. She took Nyra into the shower stall and rinsed them both.
The lavendar cloud followed them out of the bathroom. Drying Nyra quickly, she moved them to their bed, where Connie dressed Nyra in fresh pajamas. Guiding her lover under the covers, she placed a gentle kiss on the artist's forehead and tucked her in.
Connie made sure to turn off Nyra's cell phone after she dressed herself, checked the time and wrote a quick note - "I'm at the mall for a couple hours.. I turned off your phone. If you want, call me when you wake up. If not, I'll bring home lunch."
Picking up her car keys and cell, and swinging her purse onto her shoulder, Connie locked the door to 29A behind her.
At least it was until her cellphone rang. She flipped it open. "Hello?"
"Hey Connie it's Rachyl. I was wondering if I could kidnap your girlfriend for a day or so. I'm headed home to New Jersey to visit my Mom, see how she's doing."
(( present by invitation ))
Rachyl responded to her with some pleasantries, and the call ended.
"Such a nice girl," she thought, "to want to take your lover out for some much- needed alone time and sunlight."
"Well... One of those I can give her. The other... not so much."
Connie stopped to stow her phone, leaning against a pillar support. She saw the new Apple store that had opened in the Mall, and decided to go in.
(( Rachyl out ))
Unsure of how long she had slept, the artist awoke to the call of nature. Stumbling her way to the bathroom she swiftly took care of business and drank several handfulls of water from the tap.
Standing at the bed, she looked at the kitchen area, debating what she wanted more. "Food, sleep. Sleep, food"
Realizing that getting food would take effort she climbed back into bed and snuggled under the covers. The water had helped calm the tummy noises so she could drift off. Hazily she wondered where Connie was.
Smiling to herself, Connie exited the store and continued on with her shopping.
**
Connie allowed four hours to pass while she was at the Mall. Snacking on a salty pretzel she'd gotten from Auntie Anne's, she made her way through the garage to her car.
Almost four and a half hours had passed while she left the loft and headed to the Mall; she imagined Nyra would probably be waking about now, either to refresh herself, eat, or drink...
On her way home she picked up some takeout vegetarian Chinese food to take to Nyra.
**
She slid the door open with her foot, and picked the bag of takeout back up. Kicking her purse through the door, she stepped into the kitchen and set about finding plates and utensils.
She did try not to disturb Nyra's rest.
"It wouldn't be apropriate to have food in bed would it?" she asked with a giggle, not completely sure if she was serious or joking herself.
Before setting it on the bed, she leaned over, kissed the sleepy artist's forehead, and set it next to Nyra. Snapping her fingers, she moved quickly back to the island. Grabbing the utensils, and a cloth napkin, she returned to the bed. Resting her bottom carefully on the edge, she waited for Nyra to right herself to eat without difficulty. "I don't see why eating in bed would be a problem. After all, my heart, soul and mind feast on your beauty, talent, and sensuality while I'm in it with you all the time."
Winking at Nyra, she brushed a few stray hairs from her lover's face, and returned to the island for her own platter.
"Have I mentioned today that I think you are the most wonderful person on the planet and I love you so very very much?" The question was asked casually but her eyes surely shown with her love and devotion to the beauty beside her.
Picking up her chopsticks that Connie had so thoughtfully provided she began to eat the stir fry. Dipping veggies into the sauce as she liked to do. Half way through her meal she realized that it did not quite taste as it normally did. When she had awoken she could smell the sauce and veggies, now tho, it was muted and fading fast. Probably just the earlier tears making her nose stuffy. Pushing aside the veggies for the chilli she took a half dozen bites before deciding to be done.
"Thank you so much for the lovely meal. I am sorry to have been so tired earlier."
The cotton jammies were warm even though the shirt had short sleeves. Inspecting her elbow she realized there was quite a bruise forming along her arm. There was probably a large one on her rear as well. She wondered if Connie would want to come snuggle in bed for a few days or until the bruises no longer hurt at least.
When Nyra asked "Have I mentioned today that I think you are the most wonderful person on the planet and I love you so very very much?" Connie shook her head. With a rueful smile, she said, "Not today, but then, you've been trying to match my rhythms again, haven't you, and it's driving you batty. I really do appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're just not a night owl like me."
Connie nibbled slowly at her meal as Nyra did. "And you know you never have to apologize to me, Nyra. Well unless you tripped me or poked me in the leg with a fork. But even then I'd probably laugh, and just hug you." The vampire winked.
Eating again, her plate nearly bare now, Connie asked curiously, "Where did you get the bruise on your bottom?"
She frowned and rubbed at her elbow, hoping it would wipe off like a paint smear. Unfortunately all that did was add to her discomfort instead of cleaning off the spot.
"I had not realized it had bruised up so fast. When I slipped earlier today I landed on my tush and elbow. Somehow I kicked aside my dropcloth and a large dallop of paint landed on the floor. Graceful me slipped as I went to put my brushes up and made a bigger mess."
She had not eaten any more, but moved things around on the plate a bit. "I would ask you to snuggle with me but I am feeling kind of congested and I would hate for you to get sick because of me."
The week prior Nyra had cut her arm when a piece of glass she'd been working with shattered and she covered her face instinctively. Luckily, she'd been wearing goggles and a heavy apron, but her arm still got a sizable, if shallow, cut.
"I would love to snuggle with you, Nyra. And you don't have to worry about getting me sick." A thought: "She's almost addled with a cold, and hasn't even had medicine yet, Stone, so just say..." She continued, "Getting sick by cuddling and snuggling with you would be a great way to get sick."
The younger woman must think Nyra was a total clutz with all the scrapes she got into. Since the artist never spotted scrapes or bruises upon her lover she must be blessed with grace and agility. In fact she couldnt remember a cold ever catching the accountant either.
"You must have the best genes ever to not get sick and all the grace to avoid doing clutzy things like I do."
Moving both her tray and Connie's to the floor carefully, Nyra snuggled back into bed under the covers. Patting the spot next to her playfully.
She leaned to set her tray on the floor, and Nyra did so immediately after. "Something like that," she said in response to the comment about "the best genes ever." Crawling forward on the bed, she quipped, "If I had the best genes ever to include grace to avoid being clutzy, I'd be able to dance, too."
Her pursed lips homed in on Nyra's slightly pinkened nose, and with a playful kiss, she leaned back, her butt resting on her heels. Arms to either side of her lover, she gave Nyra options. Unable to keep the mischievous twinkle out of her voice, she asked, "Snuggle, cuddle, fondle, converse, or sleep?"
Feeling snug and loved she contemplated her loves options. "Can we cuddle and see what happens from all the snuggling? I would hate to choose fondle and fall asleep on you."
The small giggle that escaped could not express the doubt she felt about that possibility. Though she had already fallen asleep in the tub, so maybe she should not count upon her ability to stay awake when her body was pretending to be narcoleptic.
Pressing herself against Nyra's right side, she rested her chin on the shoulder before her, while her right leg wrapped around Nyra's right. Left arm under Nyra's neck, and right across her belly just below her unfettered breasts, Connie sighed contentedly. Her right hand saught Nyra's left, and her fingers interlaced with the artist's.
"So. What's new with you?"
"Nothing much new. Finished the last of a trio that corporate guy. Crated up those last four that Bertrand wanted."
Cozy and cosseted she smiled sleepily as she pet the raven locks near her hand. "Maybe I should give up on protecting the floor and just pick a corner and drip all over. It may mean refinishing the floor occasionally, but it may be better than futzing with a cloth."
Her hand lightly traced the delicate curve of her lovers ear. "How was your day?"