Knocked out of course (Girlxgirl)

Shelter - Sam's POV

I saw Iris' shoulders relax more and more with every step we took.
"I want to diffuse the tension but I don't know what to say, everything that comes to mind sounds stupid."
As this thoughts plagued my mind my uneasiness grew.
Some time has passed when I noticed Iris was picking up her pace. She seemed to have a renewed energy to her. I struggled to keep up.
"For someone so short she can walk pretty damn fast! Wait is she smiling? That's so fucking adorable!"
The brunette was the first to reach the building. As she pushed the door open, a look of gentle relief seemed to wash over her.
Just as I entered the building, a small voice called out.
"HEY YOU'RE BACK!"
Before a boy collided with the goddess wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Hey little monkey!"
The beautiful girl rasped out tenderly, a smile noticeable in her voice. I watched her kneel down so she could look the young boy in the eyes.
"Have you been taking care of our friends?"
A quick nod was the response that followed as the cute light haired boy grabbed her hand as if asking the strong brown eyed girl to follow. Sparing a glance to a redhead teenager standing behind a shiny glass counter top.
"She will tell you what you need to know!"
The feisty teen looked at me and Gabriella as a mischievous twinkle grew in her eyes.
"Oooh you brought company this time! They're breathtaking too! Where did you find them?"
"Alexis behave!"The olive skinned girl warned.
"Fuck why does she sound so hot?! I wouldn't mind if she ordered me around! Focus Samantha!"
"I'm an angel!" Alexis retorted with a devilish smirk. The discrepancy between her smirk and her words made me snort in amusement.
I watched as the pair left hand in hand looking absolutely adorable.
"I bet she would make an amazing mother!"
I stared at their retreating silhouettes until a latina accented voice snapped me out of it.
"What are we supposed to do?"
The green eyed girl brought a finger to her lips tapping them twice lightly as if thinking.
"Cats or dogs?" She asked unexpectedly.
"What?" You couldn't miss the harshness in that single word.
"Did she need to be rude?"
I rolled my eyes. Ignoring this the fiery young woman turned to look at me.
"You look more like a dog person! I'll take you to Kyle and you." She pointed at the insufferable girl's chest. "You will go to the cat's section. Be careful they bite!" The teenager made a biting motion with her mouth.
"SONYA it looks like you have some company today!" This was said in a sing song tone irritating Gabriella further.
After a minute or so a small, round, bespectacled face peeked around the corner. Before she could open her mouth Alexis pushes Gabriella in the direction of the newly arrived girl.
"Go on you two."
"But..." Was the only thing the rude latina managed to get out before the red head interrupted her.
"Meet us here when you're done! Toodles!"
Turning away without a second thought the emerald eyed girl starts walking.
"Follow me cutie. I think you'll like this! I won't spoil the surprise!"
It was hard to miss the soft hearted yet cocky smile directed at me.
"By the way you're a bit too obvious!"
Caught off guard all I could get out was a startled. "What?"
A head tilt and a shrug passed between us.
"With the marshmallow hearted one. She can look intimidating, but as soon as you talk to her you can tell there's kindness running through her veins."
I blink in surprise at her words. My silence makes her go on.
"What? Do you really not see how obvious you were? You were practically drooling." She chuckles as I blush.
"We're here!" The teen announces loudly. "Are you ready to look inside?"
I pull myself together before giving a determined nod. The fiery haired girl pushes the door open for me. I gasp loudly at the sight in front of me.
"Puppies! Oh my god! They are so CUTE!" My outburst causes the red head to laugh.
"Have fun!" She winks and walks away allowing the door to close between us.
"This must be heaven!" I whispered to myself louder than I thought I had if the chuckle coming from beside me was anything to go by.
"Pretty much yeah! Want to know what the best part is?"
I looked at the source of the voice seeing a boy with pale green hair and deep blue eyes.
"There's better?" The disbelief in my voice was palpable.
The sardonic smile I received was followed by the best news I had been given today.
"Your job for the next hour or so is to play with them!"
I let out a small squeal as my eyes turned into stars.
Time passed way too fast before long Alexis returned to get me.
"Come here beautiful!" There was a twinkle in her brownish green eyes. "I need you to help Iris bath some of the dogs."
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of the athletic girl's name.
"Let me just go get the cat lady! Let's see if she's still hissing after that!" A couple of minutes went by before the teenager returned with Gabriella in tow. Her face only seemed to sour as our eyes met. We walked back to the reception area together.
The brown eyed goddess was standing next to the young boy listening to him with a fond smile on her face.
"That has to be the cutest thing I've seen today!" As this thought crosses my mind the brunette looks up as a puzzled look dawned on her face.
"Go get her tiger!" Alexis whispered to me. "And try not to drool so much this time! You're in for a surprise!" Her trademark smirk turned suggestive as she ushered me away. I gave a nod as I walked in the gorgeous dark skinned girl's direction.
"Alexis is asking us to give a bath to some of the dogs. She said it's a two person's job."
My crush looked over my shoulder narrowing her eyes almost unnoticeably before meeting my own.
"Come on then." There was no harshness in her words they were said gently but firmly. "How does she manage that?"
I hurried as to not stay behind. I took the opportunity to study her.
"She looks even more beautiful since we got here it's almost like she has a new light in her eyes. Like a weight was lifted from her chest. She has a peaceful soft aura to her." I encouraged myself to speak up trying to get over my awkwardness around her.
"You seem somehow lighter since you've mentioned coming here!"
A wistful sight escaped her perfect lips.
"I feel lighter! This place keeps me sane!"
Understanding downed on me. "This is her safe place! Her lighthouse! She comes here when she needs peace!" Even tho I could understand this it also raised questions. "Why has she brought us here? Why is she showing us a glimpse of her vulnerability? Does this mean she trusts us equally? That she sees us in the same way? I might just be overthinking all of this tbh!"
Excited barks pulled me out of my reverie. The positive atmosphere calmed the turmoil that my mind was in. A chuckle caught my attention and filled me with a new energy. The dark orbs that met my own seemed alight shining like they have a light of their own. I watched as the gorgeous girl gave a bit of attention to every single dog before returning with one.
"This silly boy here is Brutus we're doing him first because he is one of the hardest ones."
The comment made me a bit cautious and if I have to be honest fearful. The beautiful goddess must have noticed the look in my eyes considering the soft spoken, reassuring explanation that followed.
"Nothing like that! He just gets too excited! He loves water!" Even tho I felt calmer I searched the girl's face looking for the meaning behind her words.
The brunette lifted the dog into the tub like he weighted nothing.
"Can you grab the black and gold towel that is in there?" My gaze followed the direction I was being pointed in. I found a deep brown chest in the other side of the room. The wood it was made of was so dark it almost looked black.
I did as I was asked finding the towel easily. As I turned around I froze in place as soon as I raised my head, drinking in the sight in front of me. My mouth felt dry as it slightly opened yet I was unable to produce any sound. My brain was completely and utterly paralyzed as if it wasn't capable of doing anything other than burn the image in front of me into itself. My body wasn't obeying me as my mind lost itself in it's own imagination. Images of me touching the soft looking olive skin in display. The strong arms wrapping around me, as my hand traveled down her toned abs, my nails digging into her wide shoulders... "Oh god!" My face felt hot like I was burning up from the inside.
Her raspy voice called out to me. "Sam?" This broke me out of my stupor. "UHM yeah! HERE!" My hands were shaking and my knees felt incapable of holding my own weight.
"How can she make me so nervous just by saying my name? It shakes me right to my core."
The goddess brown eyes rake over my body causing something to stir within me.
"You might want to step back or take that off."
She said it in such a nonchalant way that for a second I think I might have imagined them yet her words startle me to the point I'm only capable of sputtering out. "What? Why?"
Without an ounce of hesitation my crush answers. "You'll end up soaked to your bones."
My mind went to hundred different places finally settling on a single thought. "I might already be." I decidedly pulled off my shirt being rewarded with a blush from the fit brunette. After a few seconds her eyes left my skin and I immediately missed their soft caress.
The grey dog's excited bark broke the tension as the water was turned on. Lukewarm water hit my skin derailing my thoughts completely. A gasp escaped me being closely followed by a melodic laugh that gave me pause. The dark eyes met my light ones the teasing expression fitting her way too well.
"I warned you."
Instead of answering I left out a yell that turned to laughter. "I HATE You!"
I tried to wrestle the shower head out of her hand. It didn't even budge yet she managed to make it look so effortless.
I found myself in between the girl and the dog's tub, so close we could almost touch.
"She is so warm. I can feel it without even touching her." My eyes travelled down along her neck, to her chest and further down to her abs. "I want to touch her!" I abruptly turned away as I realized I was unknowingly reaching out to her.
Iris made me feel at ease and at peace even making me laugh a few times as we kept working. I still couldn't shake the thought that lingered in my head. "I want to touch her."
I listened as I was told all the dogs' names one by one. I melt as I saw a blue eyed dog with a light colored fur. As they approached my heart softened. I reached out tentatively to the dog, being allowed to pet their head.
"Oh my god! You're so cute! I might just take you home with me!"
The smile I was offered released butterflies in my stomach. "You can take the lead on this one."
"Fuck! Get it together that's not what she meant!" I chastised myself.
I accepted the shower head shaking off my awkwardness. As I was working I could see the smile on the complex eyes. 
"You seem a lot more relaxed here! Like there's a weight off your chest!" I was offered a half hearted smile.
"That's because here there are no expectations! It's one of the reasons I like animals so much! Because you can get away from expectations! You see animals don't expect anything from you! They just want to love and be loved. No expectations, no conditions and no judgements!" I stared in awe finally understanding why she loves this place so much.
Her words made my heart ache for her. "I can't imagine what she went through to feel so heavily about people. I feel like I lack the life experience, I mostly had good people in my life! I do understand the weight expectations can have tho."
"I understand that feeling. Thanks for bringing me here!" A moment of understanding passed between us in a shared smile. Work felt lighter after that.
As we walked back to the others so close our hands and arms were almost touching the thought from before jumped back at me. "I want to touch her! I want to hold her hand!"
I looked up finding an annoyed Gabriella staring back at me.
"Is it bad that this kinda feels like a victory?"
"We're back." The raspy voiced goddess stated. Immediately the small boy ran into her arms. "I taught Taavi to give his paw! HE IS SO CUTE!" The last part was yelled in excitement.
"Good job buddy!" The dark skinned girl ruffled his hair.
"They look so adorable."
Alexis came over to us smirking. As the red head looked from one of us to the other she asked. "Did you girls have fun?" I stiffened as her words drew flashbacks of strong arms and abs... My mouth went dry as if there was no amount of water that could kill my thirst.
Before either of us could answer we were rudely interrupted.
"Damn what took you so long?" I rolled my eyes. "Does she always have to be so damn rude? I don't get what Iris sees in her."
I looked at the olive skinned girl from the corner of my eye and even she looked taken back.
"It always takes this long."
"I don't get why she feels the need to explain herself! Gabriella was an asshole just now." My thoughts were interrupted by the tempting voice.
"Everything is done on this side. Anything else to do?" The teen shook her fiery head.
"No that's all."
Without missing a beat the latina spoke up. "Does that mean we can go now?"
I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they would get stuck on the back of my head for a second.
"Does she always have to be this bitchy?"
Even tho the beautiful brunette said we could leave I didn't move, Adora coming to my mind.
"Go on without me. I'll catch up in a minute."
As the two girls walked outside I turned back to the red head. She smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.
"So how did it go?" I blushed hard and hid my face behind my hands.
"You could have warned me!" I heard the green eyed teen chuckling.
"Where would be the fun in that? What happened? Tell me everything!"
When I uncovered my face I saw her looking at me expectantly. I threw my hands up.
"I just drooled over her. I mean how could I have not? Have you looked at her?" I growled in frustration this caused the girl to laugh.
"Yes I have! You should have seen me when she came through that door the first time!" There was a pause. "Was that all?" The red head asked amused.
"Yes!" I felt so sheepish. "She gave me an amazing chance for something to happen and I wasted it because I couldn't keep it in my pants!"
The teen pulled me out of my thoughts.
"So why are you here?"
"Right!" I focused back to what kept me behind.
"What do I need to do to adopt one of the dogs?"
A mischievous glint invaded the forest green eyes. "Oh? Did you fall in love?" My face turned red but I ignored the double meaning to her question.
"I want to adopt Adora." After a few minutes of explaining from the young woman I come out the door to find Gabriella touching Iris' face.
"What the fuck is happening? I leave them alone for a few minutes and she's already all over her?" I knew this was jealousy but in that moment I couldn't care less.
"Am I interrupting?" As I stepped forward the latina stepped back. I looked at the brunette as she smiled at me.
"All done?" As I reign in my feelings I step closer only giving a nod as an acknowledgment to the question. I didn't trust my voice in that moment.
A heartbeat went by and neither of us moved. "I don't want her to leave."
"Dinner and a movie?" I hope that they can't hear the hopefulness in my voice. Gabriella that had been hanging back this whole time answered sarcastically.
"Sure thing princess." She shoulder checked me and grabbed Iris' hand pulling the dark haired girl with her. I saw them take a few steps as I looked on hopelessly.
"Did she already have her heart?" My stomach dropped at the thought.
Brown eyes that somehow managed to look full of light even from this distance met mine. A hand was extended to me, I rushed to it like it was my lifeline.
I smiled thankfully the bad thoughts dissipating as our hands touched. I laced my fingers through the brunette's, feeling more at peace.
I looked back at the shelter as we left it behind.
"I will come back I promise!"

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A.N.
I'm sorry for my long absence work has been leaving me exhausted and with  very little free time.
I'll try and update more regularly.
Thank you for all the reads and I hope you're enjoying the story.
Remember to take care of yourself.