Goddess of the lost Ones

13

"Carol, I love you."

Therese already regretted saying those words out loud in front of Carol. Eyes widened and almost emotionless as Therese perceived it. Carol's whole body is frozen, as if she doesn't believe what words just slipped from the young woman's lips. The words the older woman was about to utter have fallen silent and no longer passed Carol's lips. A small tear begins to slowly roll from Therese's green eyes. She tries to avert her gaze, because Carol should not see the pain she caused by the lack of her reaction.

Suddenly Carol's hand moved and placed it on Therese's cheek, forcing the young woman to look directly into Carol's almost grayish eyes, which are not unlike Therese's pain. Even though Therese didn't want to, she couldn't help but lean into her soft hand.

"Carol? Say something. Please,'' Therese said sadly, while more and more tears formed in her eyes.

Fingers catch each tear and a brow gently leans toward Therese. Blonde, almost tiny curls lightly tickle her face. Her fingers cling, as if to a lifeboat, to Carol's shoulders.

"Don't you know I love you, my darling?" asked Carol, before briefly tasting Therese's lips tenderly.

"You do?" asked Therese incredulously, her voice trembling slightly.

She just nods and smiles happily at the younger woman before wrapping Therese even tighter in her arms and hugging her happily. The fear that they were strongly internalizing because of this was blown away, at least for the moment. When Therese kissed her a little longer this time and buried her hands in Carol's hair, each time felt alien, as if Carol were an electrifyingly alien yet somehow familiar being from another star in a galaxy not yet discovered. A being who did not yet know the dark sides of the world and the human psyche and who perhaps for the first time felt something like love in her veins.

Carol immediately lost herself as theirs met again and so immediately clamped Therese's lower lips between her own. And bit tenderly into the tender flesh. Therese thought she had the privilege of being the more dominant of them this time, but it seems it will be Carol forever. But she doesn't mind as long as Carol stays with her. Forever.

The caress was never going to end, but eventually they separated to get oxygen back into their lungs. Their bodies tingled this time than in all the kisses they have shared so far. Something had been bothering Therese for several weeks, but each time she tried to figure it out, Carol deftly changed the subject, ignoring her every attempt. A kind of happiness she had never felt in her life was now spreading through her body.

Her fingers gently caress Carol's cheek as she kisses the luscious lips again and again. With each meeting of the lips, it feels like time stops at that moment.

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Their bodies lie tightly entwined on the wine-red leather of Carol's couch. Arm around arm. Leg by leg. Eyes gazing at the lit display of Carol's iPad, watching The Devil Wears Prada. One of Therese's favorite movies. Therese was stunned that Carol had never seen this movie. She would love to tell her every possible story about Andrea and Miranda. Still, she was too distracted by Carol gently snuggling up to her form and watching the movie with wide eyes, occasionally asking her a question about the plot. A fluffy fleece blanket is placed over them, warming the women in Carol's relatively cold studio.

Even though they've just started the film. "You look hotter when you get dressed than those girls did just now to Suddenly I see. You know?",Carol giggles and playfully kisses Therese's fingertips. A slight blush forms on her cheeks, as well as a nervous smile on her face. "No, stop fibbing. There's a lot more to women than there is to me, isn't there? You and all the other women don't have, like me, that almost youthful figure not unlike a boy. Who wants that?",Therese snorts tearfully, trying to somewhat regulate the extent of her over-emotionality so that Carol doesn't label her as a lunatic. Carol is not supposed to know anything that happened in her past. Ever. Of this she is sure, as when the blonde threatens to tear down every wall inside her.

"Therese, look at me. You are the most beautiful, smartest, most talented woman I have ever met. Just because someone didn't appreciate you in the past doesn't mean I'm the same. You are perfect just the way you are and never any other way. Every one of your beautiful green eyes, every corner of your mouth, every one of your little dimples, every visible rib on your torso and your budding breasts perfect and as if by the highest and most powerful magic of any universe. I love you just the way you are and no one we know will ever change that, my little darling," Carol says as she gently kisses every tear that flows from Therese's eyes from her skin.

"Really?" Therese asks softly, hugging the older woman as tightly and lovingly as she possibly can. She feels more secure than she ever has before. For so far, no one has come as far as Carol. Carol just nods, rests her head on Therese's chest and listens to her student's quiet somewhat uneven heartbeats. Before that, they clicked play again and they continued watching the movie.

Small, gentle and sometimes prolonged kisses occasionally land on Carol's shoulder and bare neck as Therese gently strokes her belly. "Carol?",Therese asks softly as she slowly pulls the blonde on top of her so that Carol is completely on top of her. "What's wrong my darling? Are you all right?" replies Carol, stroking Therese's cheek with concern.

"Carol, I love you. Please don't ever leave me. No matter what else happens.",she begs and wraps her legs around the older woman's body, making it impossible for her to escape.

Therese wraps her arms tightly around Carol's neck and plays with the blonde curls that wrap around her fingers. Being so close to her, she increasingly forgets to breathe regularly, but she doesn't mind.

Carol knew too well what Therese meant. Just like her, she didn't want to say it directly. Because that makes it far too close and tangible for the two of them. Should we avoid danger or risk it all?, Carol asked herself as she looked thoughtfully at the younger woman.

Before she could formulate an answer to at least try to stoke her own and Therese's fears, there was a knock at the door and a Carol, a very familiar voice, rang in her ears.

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Who do you think is the person behind the door and what reason? Please leave a vote and comments

(Cover of the chapter is a digitally painting on procreate by myself)