Would you Swallow all your Pride?

Chapter Twelve: Cyan.

"Thank you, Emma." Emma could have anyone she wanted; it was only fair Wilhemina was the one to thank her. It almost feels like charity. In an impulse, Venable leaned to peck Emma's lips before getting out of the car. She walked to her door, opening it and turning to wave back at Emma. With a smile, Emma waved at her. She got inside, and Purpura was already there to greet her. Now, in the solitude of her house, Wilhemina felt all the adrenaline crashing down. She bit her lower lip and smiled brightly. I kissed Emma. The thought was comforting and scary at the same time. She felt like a woman again, but she was scared like a child. I kissed her. I kissed someone. Slowly, she sat down on the couch. Purpura jumped on her lap and meowed at her, leaning to smell her face and neck. Venable blushed. "Sweetheart..." Purpura meowed again. Wilhemina chuckled. "I think you'd like her." She caressed the cat's back underneath her sweater, feeling the warm skin. "You did like Billie Dean, didn't you?" Purpura bumped her head against Venable's cheek. She smiled. "I like her, too." I like her, too. Wilhemina stopped to think about her own words. She did like Billie Dean, a lot actually. She cared about her. I'm glad she invited me to the work trip. It was a weird thing to admit to herself, but Venable was happy she would be there to help Billie Dean with the work. After a minute of caressing the cat, she got up to change and get ready for bed. Her underwear was warmer than usual. This is embarrassing. Wilhemina ignored it, for everything was already too much. She'd deal with one thing at a time. After brushing her teeth and getting into her pajamas, Venable got comfortable in bed. Purpura cuddled next to her. Mindlessly, she scratched between her ears. "I don't know how to feel, Purpura..." Wilhemina looked down at the cat; her big eyes stared right back at her, paying attention. "I'm happy, it just feels... odd." The cat blinked once. "I know, it's confusing. And it shouldn't be... not now, in my age." Purpura meowed at her. Venable sighed. "Maybe it's always confusing... just a little more to me." The cat stretched her paws, and Wilhemina frowned as she saw a strand of blonde hair on her sheets. She reached for it, grabbing the strand with her thumb and pointer finger. That's Billie Dean's. Venable stared at it, allowing her mind to wander. How would it be to go to the movies with Billie Dean? How come all she could think about after her date with Emma involved Billie Dean? Shaking her head, Wilhemina let the strand fall to the floor and reached for the book on her nightstand. Even though her eyes were tired, she could use the distraction for her mind. And unusually warm body. Sleep would come soon, she figured, and when it did, Venable turned the lights off and lay down underneath the sheets. Emma's perfume was still attached to her skin. No tobacco. It was no Floratta Blue, either.

In her dreams, Wilhemina kissed someone. It was a she, but she couldn't point to who it was. She smelled like strawberries, but also faintly like tobacco. Her hair was shorter, like Billie Dean's, but dark in color, like Emma's. It was silky and smooth and she caressed it as she pulled the woman closer by the waist. But the muscles weren't as strong as the ones she had felt on Emma's waist, and they weren't as soft as she had imagined Billie Dean's would be. The kiss was tender, but carried something more carnal to it. The woman moved down on her neck like Emma had done, calling her beautiful and whispering sweet nothings on her ear; the voice carried the tone of Billie Dean's, but the sweetness of Emma's. Her head bent back, and the kisses got rougher. The lips sucked on her neck, causing her knees to go weak. Venable let out a small moan and reached to kiss her full on the lips again, eyes still closed. Strawberries and tobacco invaded her mouth. Wilhemina's hands slipped lower to the woman's buttcheeks, pulling her closer and squeezing them. She felt no inhibitions with that woman; she felt absolutely comfortable and utterly free. The hands on her own waist slipped and caressed her spine, tracing the curves of it with her fingertips. And Venable didn't mind; she didn't flinch, she didn't pull away, she didn't feel ashamed. The woman brought her comfort. Wilhemina felt the lips on her own slipping down to her jaw again, and then they kissed just bellow her ear. "You're so beautiful," she whispered. Venable breathed hard, not managing to say anything back. "Utterly and absolutely gorgeous, Wilhemina..." The voice was still unfamiliar, yet absolutely comforting. The woman's fingertips kept on caressing her spine, bringing her a sense of security. In her dream, Venable gulped, hands slipping up the woman's body until she reached her face and cupped her cheeks. Slowly, they stared at each other; there Billie Dean stood, with green eyes and dark, long hair. Strawberries and tobacco.