While you were Sleeping

20. Keep me safe

After a long make out session, interrupted by growling stomachs, neither had eaten that morning as they were too anxious about their impending conversation, they went in search of something to eat. The atmosphere was different, there was an excitement yet nervousness around them. Shy smiles were exchanged every time one caught the other staring, each then wondering what the other was thinking.

Juliana searched the cupboards for something to eat and both agreed on pancakes. She toasted, buttered, and jammed each one before guiding Valentina back to the sofa to eat. "I'm going to teach you some bad habits, Princess," she smiled. "Number one, eating in front of the tv... without a knife and fork!" She brought her hands to her face in mock horror.

Valentina rolled her eyes. "You're so funny! I think I'll manage." Juliana grinned as they settled onto the sofa, an old episode of friends playing on the tv as they ate.

It was strange. Their relationship had gone through a range of changes in the last few hours but they still needed to define what was actually happening.

"Juls?" Valentina set her empty plate on to the coffee table and turned towards Juliana, who repeated the action and faced her. "You wanted to talk earlier... and I... didn't!" she shrugged, drawing a smile from Juliana. "I know this is new for both of us and I don't want to pressure you..." Juliana reached forward to link her fingers with Valentina's. "But I think you're right, we do need to talk about this... us," she stated, staring into Juliana's eyes.

"I know," Juliana took a deep breath, "but it's harder than I thought it would be."

Valentina squeezed her hand. "Juls, I know this is new and scary, for me too... but... it feels... right." She searched Juliana's eyes for any sign of doubt. "Right?"

Juliana smiled. "It does," she agreed. "Val, I've never met anyone like you before. At the beginning I hoped we could be friends, I don't have very many," she confessed, "but I didn't know if that would be possible when you discovered the truth." She looked down at their joined hands and sighed. "But the more time we spent together; my feelings changed. I couldn't stop thinking about you, wanting to be with you and..." she looked at Valentina, "I knew I wanted to be more than just your friend."

Valentina's heart was hammering inside her chest, relief washed over her knowing Juliana felt the same. "Juls, I feel exactly the same!" she announced. "I can't stop thinking about you either, it's embarrassing how much time I've spent looking at the photographs from our sightseeing morning," she confessed. "And that tiger..." she blushed, "I have slept with him snuggled in my arms every night since."

Juliana laughed. "The panda may have had a similar experience!"

Valentina's eyes sparkled at the admission. "I'm glad you're looking after him! It was a great idea to swap them," she smiled.

Juliana laughed again. "It's not like I had a choice!!"

"Yeah, okay! That's true... but aren't you glad we did?" she grinned.

"Yes, I am." she nodded. "I've thought about that day a lot, I kept thinking it felt like a date... or how I imaged a date would go," she shrugged.

"Me too. Not that I have any experience with that either," Valentina assured. "Although, the day we danced in the park, it felt like something changed between us."

Juliana smiled as she nodded. "Yeah, I think it did. It may seem silly but I loved holding you in my arms. There were a few times that day when I thought you wanted to kiss me..." she gazed into Valentina's eyes, "and I realised I was disappointed when you didn't."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Juliana blushed. "And that wasn't the only time," she reached for Valentina's hair, gently tucking it behind her ear before caressing her cheek. "There was also the night we watched a movie on this sofa, and the morning after our sleepover..."