An Interlude at Perdition

The day dawned bright and clear, the rays of the sun doing their best effort to penetrate the fall chill that had overtaken the small town of Perdition.

Though early, the streets teemed with life as pedestrians unhurriedly proceeded along the sidewalks to start their respective days. Every now and then the human traffic would slow as someone would stop to share a quick conversation with a friendly face before, smiling, everyone was on his or her own way once again.

From her post at the doorway to Perdition Town Cleaner's Nicole exhaled a lungful of satisfying smoke, the tendrils of it tickling the gaudy orange and black decorations hanging above the doorframe.

"Bunch of pretentious assholes."

She rolled dark eyes at the people that waved at her as she idly played with her tongue ring, her smoldering cigarette diminished to not much more than a filter.

Nicole sighed, realizing that it was almost time to get to work. She flicked her cigarette to the ground and idly churned it beneath her boot, the action making the various chains attached to her baggy black pants clink together solidly.

"I thought you quit."

Surprised to hear the low voice, Nicole peered up to meet twinkling hazel eyes partially hidden behind small square lenses.

"I am Fleur, you know I had to put in my two weeks notice just like everyone else."

Nicole glared at Fleur's tall form, knowing the woman knew that Nicole would be leaving in a few days.

A smirk blossomed on Fleur's face as she slowly ran her hand down Nicole's shoulder, down past her hand before idly resting on the topmost cargo pocket which slightly revealed a rectangular shape.

"Not that, silly." She paused as she reached into the pocket and slowly withdrew the object and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.

Nicole guiltily glanced down to the floor, an apologetic expression forming on her face as she peeked up at her girlfriend through her black bangs.

"Yeah, well, you sort of made it clear that you were mad at me and I thought 'What the hell' and?"

Fleur waited patiently, her blonde brows slowly creeping up her forehead.

"And?"

Nicole nervously tugged at her eyebrow piercing, not knowing how to get out of trouble.

"And?um?I love you?"

Fleur let loose a deep laugh, the sound penetrating Nicole to her core as it always did.

Nicole cautiously tangled her fingers together with Fleur's, tugging the amused woman closer and silently hoping for a kiss.

Fleur, smirking again, slowly tilted her lips toward Nicole's before turning her mouth to an ear instead.

"I told you I don't kiss ash trays."

With that Fleur was out of the shop and determinedly making her way towards her own job, her long strides making the slit in her skirt reveal tantalizing flesh.

Nicole banged her head against the wall a few times, idly cussing herself out for buying the pack of cigarettes last night.

Rubbing her head at her further stupidity, she jumped as one of her cargo pockets began to violently vibrate. Uttering more curses, she dug into her pocket for her phone and hastily flipped it open.

"Btw Nic don't be late tonight."

Nicole let a grin encompass her face in response to Fleur's text message. She was totally getting some tonight!

She clutched the blonde head closer to womanhood, knowing she was so close to nirvana.

"Fleur?fuuuuck?" she panted as the blonde teased the piercing on her clit with brief, light touches of her tongue.

Nicole looked down to see hazel eyes twinkling mirthfully at her waiting for Nicole to give in.

"Dammit!" Nicole growled as Fleur's touches retreated even more.

Fleur pulled her head away completely from Nicole, her eyebrow arched and a smirk firmly planted on her face.

Nicole pouted.

"Fine! Please Fleur?make me come."

Without warning Fleur ducked her head back to her task, her mouth hungrily sucking Nicole's clit into its dark recesses.

Nicole's body arched and stiffened, her mouth forming a soundless "O" as her hands clutched Fleur's blonde tresses unforgivingly.

Fleur lazily lapped up Nicole's juices as the last shudders shook the petite body.

Nicole greedily gulped air into her lungs, and idly reminded herself for the umpteenth time that, where Fleur was concerned, appearances were far from what they seemed.

Fleur scooted up the mattress and laid on her back, her shoulders once again even with Nicole's.

The petite woman rolled over, her head comfortably resting on the taller woman's shoulder.

Nicole lethargically ran her fingers over Fleur's abdomen trying to once again reconcile the blonde's sedate public persona with the wicked woman she now lay with.

"Fleur?"

"Hm?"

"Did you ever think we would end up like this?"

The blonde was quiet for a moment, seriously considering the question.

"Honestly? No. When I first saw you I knew I wanted you but?I also knew from gossip that you didn't approve of anyone outside of your little elitist group of goth friends."

Nicole opened her mouth to protest Fleur's depiction of her and her friends, but knew the dry description was entirely on point.

"Mm, and besides that I was hesitant to really start anything because of a few of the other rumors."

Nicole felt her upper lip bead with sweat.

"Ah, what a, what kind of rumors exactly?"

Again, Fleur was quiet for a moment. She cleared her throat and tried to say the next part with no emotion.

"Well there was of course talk of your somewhat?promiscuous?ways and your predilection for ending up back in JT's bed."

Nicole released a breath and tried to soothe the blonde with reassuring touches while she tried to cope with her own inner turmoil relating to her on-again off-again lover and the problems that had arisen because of him.

"Look I?I know I can't ever take back that night but I, um?I?I want you to know that if I'd known then how serious you wanted us to be I would have never left with him that night. It's just, at that point I thought you were just playing with me and I know you didn't really give me any reason to believe that-"

"Nicole I told you I understand. It still hurt and I'll never like the guy but," she took a breath, "at least I know you know better now."

Nicole gulped guiltily; glad her face was hidden from Fleur's view.

"Yeah."

"Hey, you know what? It's kind of stuffy in here. Why don't we go take a walk?"

An odd look crossed Nicole's face. "Now?"

Nicole felt Fleur nod her head. "Yeah, why not?"

"Well for one thing it's Halloween and you know all the freaks will be out in droves."

Fleur chuckled.

"I thought we could take a nice stroll through the woods in the back, maybe even find a nice spot to snuggle and look at the stars."

Nicole rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's sappiness, but a smile played on her lips in spite of herself.

"Yeah, okay. Let's do it."

The pair donned their usual casual clothes; Fleur her pressed jeans and brown pullover, and Nicole in her black jeans and long sleeved black shirt.

Smiling at her companion's predictable attire, Fleur gently grasped Nicole's hand before guiding her to the door.

"It's so quiet."

Fleur quirked a grin at her companion for her comment before pointing out the obvious.

"Well despite the holiday and its copious amounts of sugar distribution, I doubt the loudest kid could be heard this far away from all the festivities."

Nicole bumped Fleur's shoulder with her own and glanced at the taller woman's face to see her usual smirk in place.

"Anyway?hey why don't we sit down over there," Nicole pointed to a nearby spot covered in leaves and protected from the wind by a group of trees.

Fleur squeezed their joined hands and nodded, motioning for Nicole to sit first.

Nicole did, finding a comfy spot for her bottom before raising her knees to rest her arms on. Fleur quickly settled behind her, one arm curling around Nicole's waist while the other crossed over Nicole's collar bone so that her hand was resting on Nicole's left shoulder.

Nicole snuggled in to her girlfriend's arms, content to sit there for however long Fleur pleased.

Long moments passed before Fleur finally gazed up, her glasses oddly glinting in the starlight, hiding her eyes in the light's reflection.

"Nicole?"

Nicole shifted her head to rest back on Fleur's left shoulder.

"Hm?"

"I heard something rather interesting today."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mh-mm."

Nicole pinched her girlfriend's side.

"Well, what is it?"

Fleur grinned wickedly at their little game.

"A co-worker of mine swears she saw you leave Darik's house early this morning."

Nicole's heart sped up and her mouth went dry as she chuckled nervously.

"Now why would someone say something like that?"

Fleur's grin turned grim and her hand tightened on Nicole's shoulder.

"Because you slept with him last night didn't you Nicole?"

Nicole opened her mouth to try to explain but her air supply was suddenly cut off as Fleur tightened her arm around Nicole's neck painfully.

"Don't try to deny it Nicole, I already know. You fucked him and went out to buy some cigarettes. I saw you at the store and followed you. You went back and fucked him again."

Nicole was panicking, clawing at Fleur's arm for some relief, trying to scream, anything to stop Fleur.

Fleur continued; her voice both calm and cold.

"I forgave you for fucking JT after our first date. I forgave you after I caught you with your tongue down that girl's throat on our second date. Why? Because I love you Nicole, I have for the longest time. And you're mine. We were meant to be. But you just had to keep fucking things up. You won't any more?everything will be as perfect as it's supposed to be now."

By the time Fleur had finished her diatribe Nicole was utterly still and quiet.

Fleur smiled as she idly ran her fingers through Nicole's long tresses.

Yes, everything would be alright now.

Fleur felt a giggle escape her at an idle thought before she voiced it aloud at Nicole's still form.

"I told you cigarettes would be the death of you."

Hey, I warned you! *runs away*