Who: Romilda Vane, Kimb Baker When: 24 December, 2001 Where: Theatre in Muggle London What: A date to the Ballet on Christmas Eve Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 Status: Private/Complete
Oh, Kimb was nervous. She looked at herself int he mirror and sighed. Her hair was up but her bangs were down and swept to the side. She'd bought a cute dress to go with her coat and shoes. She sighed again, gave herself a last look, before heading into her living room. She told herself she was going to read until Romilda got there, but she knew better. She'd spend the whole time staring at the same word and wondering if she was under dressed or if Romilda had changed her mind and didn't want this again, didn't want her, wasn't ready, etc. Kimb closed her eyes as she sat on the couch before glancing over to her tree.
No, it was fine. It was going to be wonderful. Everything that had happened in the last week pointed in the right direction and everything was going to be wonderful this Christmas.
Romilda had the day off work and had spent it dodging the owl from one of her distant relatives about a family Christmas party. She'd been rather shocked to be invited, and supposed it was her probably her Aunt trying to find out where she was at Christian's bequest. Not that he probably cared other than him being wanked about her sending the collectors after him.
She'd banished both owls she'd received to the rubbish and then taken a long hot bath with some lovely geranium bath salts she'd gotten as an early Christmas gift. Once that was done she'd taken her time getting ready, nails, hair, shoes, and finally her dress, a pink floaty little baby-doll number that went well under the white wool coat she'd finally been able to get cleaned.
Once she was ready, she headed for Kimb's, a few snowflake's catching in her hair as she Apparated to the point closest to the other girl's flat. She was not trusting a floo-hookup with her hair, that was for certain.
When she knocked on the door, she felt a little cold from the shortness of her skirt, but they'd be inside soon enough.
Kimb opened the door, giving Romilda an immediate and appreciative smile. She looked wonderful, she really did and Kimb felt better about her dress, not feeling over or under but just right and she chastised herself for ever worrying about it.
"You look beautiful," Kimb said with a warm smile, stepping forward to give Romilda a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She was afraid if she kissed her they'd miss the play entirely. Kimb stepped back in and pulled on her coat before grabbing her coat. "Ready," she said with a cheery little smile, her blue eyes bright and excited at the prospect of the night that lay ahead of them.
Funny thing was about Kimb saying she looked beautiful was that Romilda believed it. She laced her fingers through the other girl's and gave them a squeeze before the two of them headed out into the cold. It wasn't too terribly far to the Opera House from Kimb's, but far enough she didn't want to walk in the cold, so she slid her arms around Kimb's waist and Apparated them both to the deserted alley most people used as an Apparition point.
Covent Garden was crowded and full of people the moment they stepped into the street, and Romilda walked close beside Kimb as they made their way up the steps with the other ballet goers there was a festive attitude, a few people in full regalia, opera capes, gloves, tuxedos, others less splendidly dressed, a few St. Nick hats here and there.
She slid off her coat and left it at the coat check before fishing for the tickets in her purse and looking over at Kimb. "Ready?"
Kimb smiled and nodded, reaching out to hold Romilda's hand again once their arms were free of coats and they were situated again. She gave Ro's hand a squeeze before tugging her in the direction of the main theatre and smiled.
"Yeah, very." She bit her lip before leaning in to kiss Romilda's cheek. "Thank you," she said in a small, sincere voice, her smile growing a bit wider.
"You're welcome." Romilda was surprised that Kimb seemed so pleased, but it was nice to be out together, doing something fun rather than staying home. When they reached their seats she looked through the program for a moment before looking over at the other woman.
"You look really nice." Kimb flushed at Romilda's compliment, her eyes darting down before glancing back up and meeting Romilda's, her lips spreading over her teeth in a sweet smile.
"Thanks," she said sincerely, and for a brief moment she wished that the ballet wasn't about to start, or that they were alone and not in a room of people because quite suddenly she wanted to hug Romilda close and kiss her soundly.
They settled in to watch the ballet, and it was a little odd, her arm resting on the armrest of the seat, so close to Kimb's, close enough she could feel her breathing and her warmth.
While she watched the performance, she was also distracted by the girl beside her, in an almost electrifying way that was a little frightening.
Kimb was thrilled by the whole thing and she turned to glance at Romilda every now and then to give her a bright smile. At one point she even reached out to grab onto Romilda's hand, a happy grin spreading over her teeth. But then after some time, she became more aware of the whole moment and less of the immediate. Yes, the ballet was brilliant, but so was the whole date. She squeezed Romilda's hand and glanced over at her, slower this time, just taking in her profile in the dim light of the theatre.
She would have never thought it before meeting Romilda, but she was quite sure she'd never felt so alive.
Somehow the ballet ended, and it was strange to be sitting here holding Kimb's hand, she wasn't even sure she'd ever just held somone's hand like that. It wasn't the type of thing she did, normally, or that other people did with her.
As the lights came up, she looked over at Kimb who seemed almost glowing, and it made Romilda feel a bit humbled, which was an odd sensation for her.
"You liked it," she said simply.
"I loved it," Kimb affirmed, squeezing her hand before gazing over the theatre, taking it in one last time. She stood after a slow moment, hating to let go of Romilda's hand. "Thanks for suggesting it, it was a wonderful idea." Between this and Oliver! tomorrow, Kimb was turning into quite the cultured woman. Once they were outside again, bundled up and standing in the crowd swarming in front of the theatre, she turned to Romilda with a small smile.
"Are you hungry? We could get dessert if you've eaten dinner - my treat," Kimb suggested.
Romilda considered this. There was quite a crowd in Covent Garden, all festive in nature, doing last moment shopping, or leaving the theaters, and it seemed a shame to head home already.
"Let's go for a walk," she said. "Just a bit of one, because my shoes won't withstand too many cobblestones. We'll go down past the grocer's and over to Leicester Square? There's that little ice cream shop there, I wouldn't mind some ice cream, even if it is cold."
Her hand found Kimb's again, a gesture that some mind take as merely friendly, especially as she pulled Kimb against her side by tucking their arms up and together against the chill.
Kimb agreed readily, though walking along cobblestone for either of them for too long would prove tiring. She liked being this close to Romilda, this warm and tucked in and safe. She wrapped her own arm around Romilda's waist as they walked.
"Strawberry sounds wonderful right about now," Kimb agreed.
It wasn't too far of a walk, four or five city blocks, and there was a crowd out the door, theater goers, and other people like them who were apparently still eager to be out in the evening. While they waited, Romilda's eyes took in the groups of people, most warmly dressed, but still craving something cold.
"Let's get it to go?" she asked on impulse. "We can ours and take it to your place, maybe eat it while watching the lights on the Christmas tree?" Kimb nodded, leaning up to kiss her cheek on impulse. They ordered and paid for their ice cream and walked for a little bit, just long enough to find a good apparation point. She took Romilda's coat and put it up in the closet with her own before kicking off her shoes and curling up next to her on the couch.
"This was a good idea, Ro."
Romilda was sitting, legs tucked up under her, still feeling a bit chilly, so she tugged a knitted throw down off the back of the couch around the both of them.
"Mine has chocolate fudge," she decreed. "I can die happy now, which I may do if Oliver! is abysmal tomorrow." She snuggled a bit closer to Kimb and turned her head to smile up at her. "This is nice," she said. "I liked the ballet. And it's good being here with you. I probably would have just stayed home otherwise."
"Mmm, maybe I should have gotten chocolate fudge instead," she said. Vanilla might have also been nice. "And you're right, this was nice. The ballet was great. We'll have to do things like this more often." Kimb offered Romilda a spoonful of strawberry. "Want some? It's really good," she tempted.
Romilda considered before foregoing the spoon and leaning in to kiss Kimb, her tongue flicking out and gently tasting the scene of her lips. They were cool from the ice cream, sweet and strawberry flavored, and after a long moment, during which ice cream was nearly upended and the bit on Kimb's spoon nearly melted, she pulled away.
"I think I might have to try it again."
"I think I'm done with my ice cream," Kimb admitted, her blue eyes dancing. Kimb licked her spoon clean and considered this a moment. She ate another couple of mouthfuls (purposely slow, teasing with the spoon) before she finally set her ice cream aside. "Yes, I think I am done, though I wouldn't mind trying some chocolate fudge." Kimb leaned forward and pressed her lips just barely across Romilda's before pulling back to give her a sweet, impish smile.
A long sigh escaped her, and she set her own ice cream aside, leaning back and looking at Kimb, her face a study, both contented and terribly wistful.
"How was it?" she asked. "The chocolate? To your liking?"
"I'm not sure," Kimb teased. "I've always been a fan of multiple opinions and I might just have to taste it again." And she did, leaning forward and brushing her lips against Romilda's a bit more. "I dunno," she whispered against Romilda's lips. "I'm not sure if the chocolate tastes better or you..."
Romilda's eyes half closed and she let out a little shuddery breath. "Me." She whispered. "Because you definitely taste better than the strawberry." And then she was kissing her in earnest, ice cream cool tongue slipping past Kimb's soft pink lips, her teeth scraping just a little as they tried to get used to each other again. There had been little kisses, yes, but none like this yet, none with this building certainty that she could do this, that she wanted this, wanted something with Kimb, and not just physical intimacy.
"You taste so good." It was murmured, a bit muffled, and her hands were sliding up into Kimb's hair, tightening over the silky strands.
Kimb groaned softly, pressing Romilda back a bit into the couch, still doing her best to be as gentle as possible, not ever wanting to pressure Romilda and always feeling the need to be gentle and slow with her, because Romilda was delicate to her and something worth savoring.
"I know, sweetheart, so do you. Makes me want chocolate covered strawberries," she murmured, sliding a hand between them and along Romilda's waist.
"No more food talk," Romilda teased. "I don't do this and food combined well." Still, she kissed her way along Kimb's jaw, down her throat, the soft skin salty sweet and perfect to the taste. She swept the pad of her thumb down along the delicate bones at the back of Kimb's neck and under the neckline of her dress.
"Missed this." It was true. She had forgotten how it felt really, if she even had ever really known before. It wasn't something she was used to, gentleness, and their first time had been something so very different than this.
"I missed you," Kimb said quietly, though it was some of her last words for a long moment as she nipped gently at Romilda's lips, slowly easing closer, pressing her hips ever closer, arching gently against the younger girl.
Kimb let her hand trace idly over Romilda's stomache, teasing softly before letting her hand trail up the brush against the curve of Romilda's breast.
"I want to remember what you look like beneath all of this," Kimb murmured softly, brushing her lips over Romilda's slowly. "It's been so long, sweetheart."
When she felt Kimb's hand against her breast, she took in a long sharp breath, her eyes closing as she forced her heart to slow down, her breathing to steady. This was Kimb, and it was alright, it was better than alright, really, she just had to remember that.
"Slow. Please." It came out a ragged whisper, and she couldn't look at the other woman. She didn't want her to stop, but it couldn't be fast or hard tonight, it had to be something else entirely. Her hips tilted up into Kimb's, and she pulled the zipper down slowly on the back of her dress. "Bedroom? Here?"
Kimb pressed slow, aching butterfly kisses along Romilda's jaw, trying her best to remember to be careful, gentle. She'd stop if Romilda said so, she'd go as slow as she needed - but she also wanted to take care of her, show her how special she was, how beautiful she was. Kimb brushed Romilda's hair away from her face and gave her a sweet smile, placing a kiss to her nose, then her cheek.
"Anywhere you want, sweetheart. Anything you need," she said softly, brushing her cheek against Romilda's.