Deicide

Chapter Three

"Hey, good morning sweetheart."

Sophie's slumber was broken by a soft kiss on her cheek and fingers running through her hair. She responded by grabbing her lover's pillow and squeezing it tightly to her body, making a rebellious groan as she did.

"No, no." The woman said to her. "I let you sleep in long enough." A moment later, Sophie felt the cool air against her naked body as the comforter was pulled off. She finally gave in, rolling onto her back and pandiculating to satisfaction. She opened her eyes and looked over to Violet, who was standing in front of the vanity brushing her hair.

"What's up, V? You're showering without me now?" Sophie asked.

"Only when I need to actually get clean." Violet responded with a reserved smile.

Violet was the kind of woman who presented herself as professional and serious as possible. Generally, she was able to manage and suppress emotion so well that many of her colleagues believed her to be a clinical psychopath. Even the most misogynistic of her peers would avoid looking at her for fear of inviting her wrath. Sophie herself was often intimidated, if not by the woman's calculating gaze, than by her stunning beauty and imposing stature. Sophie was glad to be on her good side.

After rolling herself out of bed, Sophie stood up and basked in the warm light from Apollon's main star. She stretched again as she looked over Violet's estate, then moved over to Violet and gave her a kiss. She may have been practiced at hiding her emotions from sight, but she wasn't nearly as good at hiding them from touch. When Sophie's lips touched hers, it was like all of Violet's suppressed passion came out at once. When they parted again, Violet looked deep into Sophie's eyes, but then looked away with a hint of shame hidden underneath an instantly stoic expression.

"Misty's going to be returning today..." Violet said. Sophie pulled away, reminded of their current situation. "She's scheduled to arrive before dusk. We... might not be able to see each other in person for a few weeks."

"Okay." It was all that Sophie could say. She thought about having the conversation, the one where she asks Violet to consider leaving her wife, but Sophie was well aware of her role in this relationship, and in the larger context as well. Running off with a married woman was an unrealistic pipedream in every sense. Just considering the scenario was a waste of time, but Sophie couldn't help letting the fantasy play out in her mind. When she quietly moved toward the shower, Violet grabbed her wrist and pulled her back for another kiss.

"Maybe I can set up a meeting or two..." Violet said, caressing Sophie's cheek, who smiled in kind.

As Sophie showered, Violet dressed herself and left the house. Sophie heard the faint atmospheric boom of an OTech Transport appearing in the sky, and a few seconds later, another pop as the air fills the vacuum where the transport used to be. Sophie rolled her eyes. After getting to know her, Sophie was starting to realize that a lot of the things Violet did to seem so cool and intimidating were lifted straight from the movies, like leaving the girl without saying goodbye, for example. Sophie wondered if she left a cheesy note on the dresser as well. When she walked back to the bedroom, sure enough, there was a note projected against the mirror that read 'Until next time. XOXO'. Sophie would have liked a physical note that she could keep in her pocket, but understood Violet's choice to do it digitally, in which only Sophie would be able to see it, and it wouldn't be forgotten and discovered by Misty later.

She waived away the message, then dressed herself and left the house. Instead of taking an OTech Transport, Sophie opted to order an automated ground taxi, as it was much easier to obscure her identity. She ordered it to meet her a few kilometers down the road so she could get in her morning jog. Sophie loved the smell of the forest around her. It continued to surprise her how large the trees were after only 10 years since being planted. It reminded her of being back on Earth, which she supposed was the point.