Helena is the (lionessrises) wrote in repose, @ 2018-07-15 11:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | *log, leena bertolini, sadie marella |
Leena B/Sadie M
Who: Sadie M. and Leena B.
What: Sadie builds a blanket fort and there’s movies
Where: The Wainright manor
When: After her arrival in Jersey.
Rating: FC for freakin' cute. S for s'moresing. Some mentions of prior violence.
Status: Log, Complete
Last year, if you’d told Sadie Marella she’d be taking a big, comfy, plane ride to New Jersey, or that she’d be staying in a big house — though mansion was probably the better word — that had gardens, and a butler, and probably all manner of finery….she’d have told you that you were right mad as a hatter. Now she sat in the back of the car looking all types of uncomfortable and not sure if she should say something, avoid touching anything, or just...sit there. Ultimately Sadie stuck to the latter, trying to find ways to occupy herself. Mostly this took the shape of fidgeting anxiously with her bag or violin case and checking on the cobbler she very much did pick up from the diner before she’d left town. She made sure it didn’t smoosh the cornbread and that nothing had spilled, which it really couldn’t have considering how Sadie never let the thing out of her lap the entire trip. Eventually the plane would hit the ground though and Sadie, the first thing she’d done when she got off it was to hit up a vending machine for a pack of gum. She almost never chewed the stuff, she really only got it because it was helpful for expediting her hearing returning to normal after she flew and she desperately needed her ears to be working properly for what she knew was coming at the end of the car ride. She’d stuffed four whole pieces in her mouth, chewing it hard until the pop came while she looked around for the ride she was supposed to find here... the one that would take her to the big house where there would be movies and blanket forts. And Leena. Which was a thousand percent of the reason why she couldn’t sit still in the back of that car. Sadie tried to chalk it up to the newness of the environment, because that was easier to deal with, but that didn’t change the fact she was tapping her toes on the floor and bouncing in the seat some. It was something that was becoming commonplace when it came to Leena and that said nothing of the fact that seeing Leena, it could be argued, had become as common as any of the other people she saw in her life. Now she was out of the car though, politely declining to have her bags carried, and following the help into the house. Now, she was wiping her hands on her pants, alternating which one held the violin, and trying not to look like the most nervous rabbit in all of existence. Stepping through the doorway had helped any and she instantly regretted her outfit. To say she felt underdressed and out of place, would not have been an understatement, but Sadie would press on. At least until those big, blue, eyes settled upon the gal who’d invited her here. There was a whole lot said, at least to Sadie, by way of that...but none of that was in her head just now. Now she was just bowing her gaze some, trying not to look like an idiot as she smiled from ear to ear. She felt like she failed, but she didn’t care. She’d just set down that violin case and move to wrap her arms around her host in a warm hug. Whether it’d be taken or not, Sadie couldn’t say, but she’d offer it just the same as she did her voice not a second after. “‘Lo you.” She was practically bouncing on her toes on the inside, but did her best to keep the animation of herself under control. “Good to see ye’ ‘gain. Leena wasn’t prone to nerves so much as she was prone to doing things she really didn’t want to do for someone else’s sake and it left her fidgeting, like all that energy she wanted to put into leaving needed an outlet. She was not fidgeting now. Whether that was the drugs or the company that was coming, or some mix of both, she sat with pupils blown wide — definitely the meds they had her on — and relaxed, phone loosely clasped in her hands. She got a text when Sadie landed, safely, and once the driver — who was not Alfred, because Alfred was here with her, but damned if she could remember his name — picked her up. The bruises along her face and around her next were mostly yellow now, but the side of her head was still shaved where she needed stitches, and the stitches were still in, but they made her feel a bit grim and grizzled. She had, briefly, pondered shaving her head so her hair was all the same length, but the jury was still out on that one. The wound and subsequent stitches in her thigh were covered up by soft, thin lounge pants that she would never wear in her cave or outside of this mansion. Mausoleum really. A little more life was coming into the place though, with them here and Sadie coming, and maybe Misha too. Her feet were covered by slippy socks so that she could run down the hallways and slide a good 20 feet at the end of them, and the tops were still mostly white but the bottoms were starting to gray from said activities. Most importantly though, she was wearing only a Hello Kitty t-shirt, no hoodie or jacket in sight, the scars along her arms bared for all to see. They didn’t bother her. Nothing was bothering her. But she did stand up when she heard the car pull up and did her best to wait, slightly dizzy, until she could yank the door open and welcome Sadie in. The hug was returned gleefully, and unlike the previous times where she put herself at a lingering distance, her arm remained around Sadie’s shoulders even as she tried not to lean on her for balance. She might’ve failed. Oops. “Hi,” she drawled, and rubbed her non-yellowing bruised cheek against the point of her shoulder. “Come in, come in. Alfred will show you up to your room and then you can come to the entertainment room with me.” She tilted her face up, like a flower to the sun and smiled wide at Sadie. “The chairs all got moved back and I pulled the pillows off already, so we have plenty of room.” Pretty Sadie. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Now Sadie, she hadn’t expected at all to see Leena in the state she was in and a toddler probably could have read the extremely brief look of surprise on her face. Immediately she’d squash it, moving into the role she knew she would want if the roles had been reversed: Don’t call attention to it. Don’t fuss over it like it was a big deal. It was and no small amount of her was concerned by it, but this was Leena. Leena who had originally told Sadie ’no’ when she’d offered to be there and then had asked her to come. The last thing Sadie wanted to do was make her regret that decision and take the offer off the table for the future if she was going to invite her here now. It didn’t hurt that that smile Leena had offered made her swear the center of her chest was filled with big, fluffy, clouds either. That, however, was a selfish thing and Sadie was quick to put it aside too. Whatever personal reasons she had for being here, which weren’t just limited to the fact that a real interesting, real pretty lass had invited her, she needed to check them at the literal door. She was here for Leena, something she saw as all the more important now than ever, not herself. “M’so glad to be here.” And she genuinely meant it, all the more touched by the vulnerability that she felt like was being offered up. It was what moved her shoulder, which fortunately didn’t have to go very far since Leena had a couple inches of height on her, and bowing it just slightly to make room for Leena’s head to rest on it. Her free arm would follow, taking the other woman’s lead to sweep around those shoulders and try and help hold them both up like it was an everyday event between them. It was what kept the touch of her fingers gentle, what made her conscious about where things moved and how. It was much the same way like the thought of the big house, the butler, the cook, and the fancy plane were washed from her head. She’d worried, having always been a girl of limited means even when she’d lived at home, that maybe that would be an issue if there were ever a them for things to come between. It was stupid, probably, but it had been there all the same. Now? Now Sadie couldn’t have imagine a thing further from her mind as she followed the lead of the polite gent who showed her to her room. She didn’t even feel the same thick knot in her stomach when, for what was the first time ever between them, Sadie actually left her violin in a completely different room and followed Leena to the aforementioned entertainment room. “Sounds a bit like yer excited for it some.” She grinned, tickled pink that was the case. “Promise yer not the only one feelin’ tha’ some. Been a good lon’ while some since I had cause to go puttin’ un’ together.” Again, selfish thoughts were put aside and she set herself to the task at hand. “Ye’ wan’ me to show ‘ow it’s done some, or you wanna do it together like?” Because she thought that sounded like a good place to start. Leena had obvious been through some kind of ordeal and...well if she wanted to be doted on, then Sadie would dote. If she wanted to help, then Sadie would go real slow and help her set things up. Either way, she’d explain it the whole way through. She’d explain why the chairs had to go a certain way, so you could build a big open space in the middle without the sitting parts taking up all the room in the center. Next would come the pillows, set up all around the outside, which she’d explain were for sitting, leaning or laying, in equal measure. Then last would come the blankets, draped and tied over the chairs just so that the large flap opening faced the TV but still could have been closed if anybody had wanted. Her sister had always insisted on the flap and she’d put it there out of habit. Normally that thought would have stripped the light from her expression real quick, but Sadie didn’t stop smiling the whole damn time it was being put together. When it was finally done, she’d stand back, sweeping her hands back and forth across one another in the iconic gesture of a job finished. “Well.” She smiled over at Leena, moving to open the flap so she could go in first. “Ye’ wan’ ta’ do the honors?” Oh, yeah, she saw that look even in her current state. The morphine she was being given every few hours kept her easy-going though and she understood why it was Damian's drug of choice, even as she looked forward to the days she no longer needed it. It did make her a lot less stressed though, a lot more willing to give things a chance that she might not have otherwise. It certainly meant that Alfred didn't get the cold shoulder that nearly all men received from her, and that the thought of Misha coming wasn't enough to send her into a cold sweat. Or maybe it was the fact that she'd finally faced something she'd been scared of for years and survived it. Bruised and bloody, but she had survived and she was here now, building a fort out of blankets and pillows with Sadie. Sadie was doing most of the work though as she wobbled around, mostly on her feet, but it was easier when she got down on her hands and knees to help. And then it was complete. "Yeah," she said, rough and happy as she crawled inside and wiggled into the pillows until she felt surrounded by clouds. And once she was comfortable, Leena reached out, fingers wiggling and grasping for Sadie to follow her inside. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about," she started and gestured up to her face, to the stitches in her scalp. "It's not really something you can tell anyone. Like hey, I look like hell, but I'm okay. They're going to take my stitches out tomorrow and I was thinking I should undercut the other side of my hair too, so I can be even. Or maybe I'll just shave it all off, and rock a pixie when it grows out a little longer. What do you think?" It wasn't that often that she even asked for anyone's opinion, but the morphine loosened her up and kept her that way. "Then you can--" and she reached for Sadie's hand, slower as she brought it up to her head and let her feel the fluffy stubble of hair around her stitches. "It's soft right? It could be fun. And long hair is harder to grab," she murmured, body rolling slightly toward Sadie's. Doting on was definitely on the menu. "I wish we had s'mores. I should ask Alfred for some. Do you want some too? He'll bring us anything we ask for and he's got the strangest ability to be there when I want something. It's freaky, but I guess it makes him good at his job," she rambled. Those wiggling fingers? Oh they excited her plenty and she was real quick to follow that invitation inside the fort. She’d crawl right down in on those pillows, smiling in her usual ‘too big for her face’ kind of way. She was happy, excited, thrilled even that Leena sounded happy with it and that it was something they’d been able to put together. It was a special thing to share; something, like so many things between them, she hadn’t shared with anyone in a very long time if ever. It was warm and cozy. It was a real nice moment was what, and it didn’t even darken when Leena addressed the very serious issues in the room. Sadie, she just shook her head real soft when Leena had scooped up her hand to push it through the tickling stubble around the stitches. She made sure her touch was real gentle like, despite the fact that touching hands hooked a knot somewhere near the base of her throat for a moment and the way the hair against her fingertips made her made her giggle. ““Dunn’ae see any reason to be sorry none for not sayin’” She paused for half a second. “Same as I’d say ye’ dunn’ae look like ‘Ell none.” Her voice matched her movements, rolling out of her mouth just so, careful but genuine. “Long as ye’ say yer gonna be okay.” Because really, with damage done, that was what mattered. To say she was curious about what had happened, concerned really, would have been true. Equally as true however was that Sadie wasn’t about to pry. Sharing had always been something each did on their own terms and, given the state of the other woman in the fort with her? Sadie figured she’d mention it on that same scale. If she didn’t? It wouldn’t be any bother to the fiddler. “Think ye’d look real nice with either way, I would.” She answered the question next but, thinking on it for a half second, she realized that it really wasn’t much in the ways the input Leena had asked her for. “Like the fuzzy bits I do, but fussin’ on hair’s always nice to be able to do if’n ye’ want too. Say leave some and see? S’not like ye’ cann’ae jus’ shave it’toff later like, if ye’ wanted?” It seemed like a reasonable way to look at it. She matched that little scoot without thinking, selfishly taking a few more moments to play with the hair under her fingers. It’d long been a curiosity of hers because she wondered on things like that in her seemingly endless alone time. She’d indulge it perhaps a bit longer than she should, enjoying the way Leena rambled, and Sadie just listened as she carefully avoided anywhere that looked sensitive or sore. “Think that sounds lovely.” She nodded affirmatively, pulling her hand back finally so as to not have it overstay its welcome against the scalp. “Sweets to match tha’ film an’a company.” She paid the compliment real easy, without thinking on it at all. However Alfred, which she didn’t at all know what to say about so she just didn’t say anything, worked his magic? Well, if Leena was going to suggest smores and a movie in a blanket fort? It’d be a cold day in Hell before Sadie Marella ever turned that down. Talking about the elephant in the room that was the damage to her face was one thing -- talking about why it happened was one that she wasn't willing to broach yet. It seemed to be altogether too much, and how was she going to explain everything now? The facility and everything that followed? She huffed a bit, but she was still smiling when Sadie promised her not to say she looked like hell. She probably did. Her eyes shut lazily against the gentle touch to her scalp, trusting in a way that she couldn't obtain without pharmaceutical help and this girl. Cause even with the little misunderstanding they had months ago, Leena had trusted her. So far, she'd never been disappointed. Her eyes opened back up and gave a slow blink. "Yeah, eventually. With a lot of PT. And as good as the drugs are, I can't wait to be off them either. It's like having a head full of fuzz, but everything is so easy." Maybe it wasn’t the time to make decisions, but maybe it was and she could live with the regrets after. “I think I’ll do that, just undercut both sides so they’re even and leave it longer and if I want to cut it later, I can.” She smiled, her eyes still shut while Sadie’s fingers explored her soft stubble. “I’m going to have a Mohawk,” she whispered quietly and giggled, her body curving easily to fit into Sadie’s side. She finally opened her eyes up again and reached into her pocket for her phone. “S’mores then. We can pick out a movie,” her voice petered out as she texted Alfred, asking for s’mores and milk, then flicked over to the movie app. The letters did wave a little bit in front of her eyes and she finally handed it over to Sadie. “You pick? I trust you. Something funny and sweet, like the company.” “You need help with any of that, and you want me some, you just say, yeah?” She offered the words gently. Really, Sadie just wanted to help. Always. Everyone, but especially Leena. It was a means of atonement in her eyes, at least at first, for how selfish she’d been as a child. What changing herself had turned her into however? Well, truth being what it was? She was having a pretty girl curl up beside her. She was getting to run her fingers through someone’s hair, to smell them in that real close and personal way you only could when someone got this close. She felt her pulse jump for a second, careful as ever to keep her touch away from anything that looked sensitive. She was getting to share a gentle touch with someone, something that had become the rarest of rare things in her life and that she missed so terribly. So the truth was, Sadie was pretty sure her Mum and Grandma had been right all along and, while maybe that would have darkened the moment for some people, not for Sadie. She figured they were both probably real proud some and Leena, sure as the sun came up they’da liked her. Grandma especially. It was what made it so easy then to slip an extra bit of care and attention into the way her fingers spun through Leena’s mane. It was what made it easier for her to giggle just a bit as she rolled herself in real close when Leena whispered. She even boldly draped her arm over the other girl, matching the tone of her voice as blue eyes fluttered to catch her gaze. “S’ok.” She smirked. “Think mohawks are sexy, I do.” Because it seemed like the thing to say, even if it did make her head dip a little. Despite all the little butterflies in her stomach, it was the truth too. “Think it’d look real fetchin’ on you. If you don’t mind me sayin’ any.” She added, not trying to flirt as much as she was paying the girl a genuine compliment...at least before she realized just what she’d said and her eyes immediately darted to the movie app. When Leena turned her compliment back on her, it only made the tops of her cheeks turn even more red, but she smiled real big now she did and, unless Leena moved out from under it, she’d leave her arm right where it was while her other hand scrolled through movies. Intently scrolled through movies even, her tongue even got caught between her teeth for a half second, because really the harder she looked at that….the less likely she was to look really stupid...or..or something like that. Either way, her tiny fingers would spin through the titles. She started looking for things they’d talked about, thought not Robin Hood, but frowned a bit when she didn’t find them. If Leena had not asked her to pick, she might have even tried to default away and just say she couldn’t but...but Leena did ask and so Sadie was going to try extra hard. “This—” She started to say, turning her head a bit but having forgotten just how close they were while she had been in her focus. The words stalled for a moment, and Sadie she just smiled. She knew she shouldn’t have been thinking it just then, but real pretty this gal was, and she had to shove the thinking down around her feet somewhere. That was fine, her toes could curl happy and nobody would be the wiser. “This’n?” She finally pushed out the last bit of the question as she turned the screen towards Leena. “Figure a movie ‘bout what degs think cann’ae be nothin’ but silly’n sweet?” She giggled a little about the mohawk being sexy, because she wasn't. Especially now, with her bruises yellowing along her cheek and throat, scalp laced up with stitches and the drugs making her dopey. "I don't mind you saying so," she murmured, soft and slow. "But I think your gauge for pretty might be off. I look like Frankenstein's monster," she said with a drugged smile. "He might be prettier even, today. But most other days, I think I can take him,” she said with a little giggle. “The correct response to compliments is thank you though, so thank you. Even if I’m a hot mess.” It didn't even bother her that she was a complete mess in front of (pretty) Sadie because, well, her desire to impress was somewhere with her fear of men and fear of letting people get close. Which was to say, not currently present or buried deep under the weight of the very good drugs she was getting. Or maybe it was located under the drape of Sadie’s arm, warm across her belly. If it was buried there, it could stay there, and Leena didn’t mind at all as she closed her eyes and drifted pleasantly while Sadie flipped through the movies. When she finally opened her eyes up again, Sadie was much closer than she’d realized, but they hadn’t moved any. Not really, but from here she could watch the tongue between her lips, and when her eyes widened at spotting a movie she finally wanted. She didn’t even look at the damn screen, just smiled up at Sadie, nice and easy like she never was without chemical help. And maybe she should not be thinking about how damn pretty Sadie was, and how comfortable she felt along her side, nothing but warmth and softness and girl. For the first time, she was really glad that the only people her were her and the staff — and now Sadie. She grinned, her own arm draping over her carefully, hand to her hip, and nodded. “Yeah, sounds good to me.” “You do not.” Sadie didn’t even miss a beat. “Think ye’ could take ‘im even ta’day jus’ the same..” She wasn’t even being flattering for its own sake, The bruises and marks, as far as she was concerned, didn’t hurt Leena’s look. Absolutely there were things she would rather were not there, but it never even occurred to her that they were things that would count against the girl. Not even a little bit. “But yer welcome jus’ the same." There was more she could have said for sure, Sadie had the gift of gab and that was no secret, but she decided to keep some of it to herself. She didn’t think now was the right time to go making comment about how Leena’s hot part was decidedly accurate. Instead she just flipped through the controls to figure out how to get the movie to play and settled into the comfort and the closeness that the company provided. It was easy too, easier than it had been in some time at least, to nestle under that draped arm. She told herself it was just Leena wanting some kind of comfort, something she could understand and would probably want too if the tables were turned. That was her logic at least as she curled just a little bit closer, letting the arm that draped over her and the hand on her hip have to stretch less (not that it took much) and cut the space between them down to just about zero. The fluttering, much to Sadie’s chagrin, came back with a vengeance then. She tried to focus on the, admittedly cute, animated dog. She tried to focus on the story and the narration, smiling delightedly, on waiting for the s’mores to show up, and really anything other than that fuzzy feeling that refused to get out of her stomach. The movie helped and was barely through it’s introduction when it had her giggling at the food being rejected by a cat and she couldn’t help but steal a glance over at the girl to her side. “If’n ye’ get sleepy some, you jus’ rest yeah? Promise ta’ stay right ‘ere too, an’a we can watch the movie again.” She felt like that was a good thing to offer, covering her bases, and it gave her something to do with her mouth besides awkwardly chew on her bottom lip too. "You're sweet," she said and patted Sadie's hip. Leena knew she wasn't pretty right now, she was jacked up, but it was sweet of her to say otherwise. Besides, even as jacked up as she was, Sadie still came and was staying with her. They were watching a movie and going to have s'mores, and it was looking quite possible that she was going to fall asleep on Sadie. Leena hoped she didn't drool. Her heartbeat did skitter up for half a second when Sadie edged closer, no space between them, but it felt safe. Like they were in their own little comfort cave made of pillows and blankets and pretty girls. And maybe, without the drugs, she wouldn't have let her arm come up and go around Sadie's waist to tug her until they were smooshed together like graham crackers and marshmallows. It was close, and it was good, and she missed the start of the fucking movie because she was too busy looking at Sadie up close. The straight, even line of her nose, the point of her chin, her wide, gorgeous eyes, her little mouth that split so wide when she smiled. She was so fucking gone on this girl and she didn't even know how it happened. "You look like a fairy," she said, quiet and hushed. "Don't they carry people off when they sleep? You can carry me off." No questions asked and maybe she should be a little alarmed about the inane things running out of her, but -- the drugs in her system. No worry existed with them pumping high in her veins. Leena wasn't the least bit concerned. "If I fall asleep, wake me up for s'mores" “Naw.” Sadie felt her cheeks go a touch pink as she found it very hard to keep her eyes on the screen and not on Leena. “Mean it plenty I do.” She finally gave in and turned her gaze toward the girl. “Sure do like your face plenty withough the bruises and such, but that don’t mean I like it any less jus’ ‘cause somethin’ ‘appened to it like. Still yer face it is.” She meant that part too, even if it felt like a bit of an overshare on her part. She told herself it’d probably help. “But ye’ can go on sayin’ m’sweet jus’ the same. Specially after the smores get here.” Which she did look particularly excited about, not quite able to remember the last time she’d had one. When she felt Leena tug, she didn’t fight it in the slightest. She was surprised, for sure, and there was a whole new swarm of fluttering that went on in her stomach, but Sadie accepted it easily. How could she not? This...this didn’t happen and she wanted it to happen, and she was sure she hadn’t said a single thing to make it happen and….and it was just… The comment, which Sadie decidedly took as a compliment, only made her smile all that much brighter. It made her wriggle some, twisting this way and that while very pointedly not moving away, until she’d managed to roll herself over onto her back. From there it was easy to grab a pillow and slip it up against her shoulder before patting her hand on it. She’d done this a million and one times for all of her siblings and the muscle memory came just as easy, but when she looked over and saw Leena again...well the usual ’c’mere’ didn’t just… “Could be more comfy here, fer sleepin’ some, if ya’ like?” She was being so careful now, making sure she used the right words, making sure she didn’t stumble. It was too important, given the fact that she’d been invited and she was being snuggled, and Sadie didn’t want anything throwing a monkey wrench in it. “Promise not ta’ carry you away to nowhere I wouldn’t be when ya’ woke up even” She offered a playful bit of a reply. “An tha’ I’ll wake you up proper when it’s time for snacks.” Whether or not Leena took the pillow, Sadie stayed in the position though. If it was taken, well, then Sadie would just curl her slender arms around her and let her rest. She figured it was probably better too, as this way she wouldn’t spoil the experience of getting to see the movie with Leena as opposed to watching it while she was sleeping — or at least that was the justification Sadie had for it in her head. Ironically enough, it’d be the redhead who would doze regardless of whether or not Leena did. It was just too comfy, too warm, and it couldn’t be helped. When there was a food delivery however she’d shift just so. The wafting scent of sweets had always been an easy way to get her out of bed as it was but more so she was reminded of the promise she’d made. It was that promise that ran her hands gently through Leena’s hair, carefully avoiding any spots she knew where damages lingered. “Luv.” She spoke quietly, gently trying to see if the girl was awake or not without moving too much. “Snacks are here now.” The pillow, rescued and then elevated against Sadie's shoulder was something of a conundrum for Leena's drugged brain. Surely Sadie's shoulder was just as good -- it was, a little voice inside her said -- and the pillow was not needed. Unless she had a bony head. Maybe she had a bony head. She was used to the interior, not the exterior of it, and after a moment of staring at it before she oh so calmly reached out, dug her nails into the soft cotton, fisting it and dragging it away. Moving fast wasn't really an option, and she was probably moving a lot slower than she expected, but she grinned wide and cheeky at Sadie like she was doing something she shouldn't as she laid her head on her shoulder, sans pillow. Yeah, it was good. Real good. Leena still hadn't looked at the screen yet. "'S better this way," she mumbled, her arm draping loose over her waist as she settled down. If she tucked her chin into her chest, she could just see the screen-- but it meant not looking at Sadie. Sadie was better. She tilted her head back, eyes lazily blinking, slow, slow, slower, and then only a bare slit of white was visible between her lids. She gave up trying to keep her eyes open when those careful fingers slid into her hair. It was comforting and she was comfortable. Warm. Cozy. Snugged up like smores, marshmallows sinking into graham crackers until they oozed into the vent holes. Yeah, like that. And the world went dark, but it was a comforting dark, not the impending dark of something bad. A warm dark. She made a little noise of complaint when Sadie tried to rouse her. She was good, she was comfortable, Sadie smelled good, and she nuzzled her way a little further up her shoulder and into her neck. "Gimme 10," came out in a mumble. Now Sadie hadn’t expected the pillow to be snatched away and plain was the look of confusion on her face for a second. Did Leena not want to, had she gone too far? It took her a whole second more to work out what was happening and then, Sadie just wiggled more excitedly than she ever had in her life. She shifted just so, making room for the arm and the chin and the nose. She kept her arm up until Leena was settled and then returned those fingers to the careful strokes of her hair; hair that wafted a delightful scent up into her nose and made her sigh contentedly. “Sure is.” She couldn’t even help the words that came out of her mouth, though she didn’t really try either. This was nicer than nice. It was comfortable and warm and...and special. She felt that warm little thrum in her chest, though she called it a nothing. She felt her toes curl and her legs shift. Her cheeks swelled with a smile. It was the kind of thing that was just so warm and so good there was no way not to doze. It was like… The revelation and the word drifted off into dreams, but they were good dreams. Grassy meadows and deep forests, sunflowers, butterflies, and summers on the lake. They were littered with laughter and sans the usual landmines, and all the while Sadie snuggled right on Leena. There was not a place else any part of her could think to move or go, conscious or otherwise, and that was all there was to it. A soft murmur was given in echo when Leena’s protest—or was it a request?— came out. “You take as much time as you want.” She smiled, attempting to shift her shoulder some and welcome the return of the head. “Both me and the s’mores will be here.” She half giggled and felt a tug to doze again herself. “Nice sleepin’ on you, I think.” Her dreams were not sweet -- they would have been alarming if they were -- but they weren't the nightmares that drove her to screaming, sweating wakefulness. These ones were fuzzy, half formed shapes moving, nothing definitive, nothing alarming and she snugged her cheek right up against Sadie's collarbone. The snack s'mores they could have later. Right now, they were having their own s'mores of a different kind and her arm tightened around Sadie's waist like she was a giant girl-shaped pillow, and sweet, content sleep swallowed her up again. |