The Continuing Adventures of Cloud Nine and the Bonny Anne (closed)

[GypsyGirl84]

Their skin cut quit a contrast, so close together. Alex bent one knee, sliding it up under May's arm. May trailed her fingertips down the long hairless leg.

"I'm jealous of how smooth and perfect your skin is." May mused aloud.

Alex shuddered slightly at the memory of how her legs had gotten that smooth. "It is not an experience I would care to repeat, or recommend to anyone else." Alex pursed her lips, lost in thought for a moment. "I wonder if a hundred years from now, women will still be using how they dress and style themselves to make political statements."

Shrugging, Alex wrapped her arms around May's shoulders, pulling her back for a small hug before releasing her. "So five days now we have a rendezvous with the Cherry Rose, so that I can give a report on how thousands of dollars and pounds sterling are not being misspent on the search for a floating castle that may only exist in the opium induced dreams of English poets. Afterwards, we have to pay a visit to Tengoku, where I am quite sure I'll offend the city's governor and prove an embarrassment to the Pinkerton Detective Agency," Alex remarked in a dry fashion. "And after that, we're heading to the part of the map that reads 'Here Be Dragons,' because we'll be doing some dragon hunting. So that give's us five days to give the Cloud Nine a proper shakedown. What's first on your itinerary?" Alex asked

 

[Lily_Wight]

May sighed contentedly as Alex hugged her from behind. After she was released from the hug, the shorter woman let her head loll back and rest on her partner's breast. She watched the sun set through eyes, half mast.

"What's first on your itinerary?" Alex asked.

"Mmmmmm." May hummed langourously as she thought. "I propose a scientific study: Adult females, and the effects of long term bathing." She laughed at her own joke.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"I think that would entail one of us having to get up now and again to get provisions from the galley," Alex chuckled.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, there was a brief green flash.

"Perfect," Alex murmured, slightly nudging the other woman so that the back of her head was nestled between both of Alex's breasts. "I know that at some point in the near future, we're going to have to emerge from all these bubbles, but for now, I'm enjoying living in the moment," Alex observed, as she wrapped her arms around May and enjoyed the comfort of having the younger woman leaning back into her.

 

[Lily_Wight]

"This moment is absolutely divine." May agreed. The pair rested in comfortable silence for a few moments, silent aside from the babbling bubbles, anyway.

May rolled ninety degrees, wrapping one arm around Alex's shapely waist, and resting her ear against the older woman's breast bone. She could hear a strong soothing heartbeat within. Her eyes drifted closed.

"Do you ever wonder about the future?" May asked dreamily.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Alex softly stroked May's hair, letting her fingers glide through it.

"My mother," Alex began, "had an absolute penchant for the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. She especially liked repeating one particular teaching of his." Alex closed her eyes as she repeated the quote. "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." She paused before adding, "If we're ready to take on today, we'll be ready to take on tomorrow."

 

[Lily_Wight]

"That explains a lot about you." May smiled wit her eyes closed. "You never seem to worry about anything."

She laughed a low lazy laugh.

"I wasn't asking because I am worried." She opened her eyes and looked up at Alex. "I was asking because, I've never thought about a future before."

Her face was serious as she chose her words.

"What do you think our life will be like in a few years?" May asked.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Well, there's preparing for the future, and there's worrying about the future," Alex said with a smile, using her finger to tap the tip of May's nose. "And I'm hesitant to predict the future, because I don't want to limit the future to my own limited imagination. Think about it." Alex shifted a little, running her hand up and down May's arm before returning it stroking May's hair. "We are floating hundreds of feet above the ground, relaxing in a warm bath while modern automation holds us in one position. I certainly couldn't have imagined anything like that a few years ago. I imagine we'll have adventures, friendship, all the things that are good in life. Beyond that, I'll wait for the page to turn to see what happens next."

 

[Lily_Wight]

"Life is truly unpredictable." May said, sounding far away. "Things can change so quickly, you learn not to form attachments." She seemed to come back to herself and nuzzled deeper into their embrace, turning to look up at her. "Well, I'm attached to you, Aleksandra Nicola Ginevra Tuttoilmondo."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Alex gave May another tight squeeze and kissed her on top of the head, "And I am very much attached to you, Mabel Cooper. And come what may, you will always have a place in my life, though I can't guarantee that we'll always have luxurious surrounding like this," she laughed, before kissing the top of May's head for a second time.

 

[Lily_Wight]

"I am happy here, on Cloud Nine." May said, her voice was a whisper. "But I could be just as happy sleeping on the streets, as long as you were with me."

She looked into the taller woman's eyes as she talked, but her free hand trailed down Alex's breast, caressing the skin until she found the nipple, which very gentle squeezed between her thumb and forefinger."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

The move caught Alex by surprise, as did the little jolt of pleasure that followed. Alex said nothing, but took May's hand off her breast and kissed her fingertips before releasing May's hand.

"I could ask you what you're doing, but I already know," Alex said softly, her hand stroking May's hair. "So why don't you tell me what you're feeling right now? And stay put while you're doing so," Alex added, firmly cradling May against her body.

 

[Lily_Wight]

"Ummm..." May stalled. "I feel nervous..." She was blushing. "I feel close to you... I feel my heart racing...I feel your skin..." She looked away and lowered her voice. "I feel like I want to be closer to you."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"You're closer to me than anyone in the world," Alex told May, holding the younger woman tighter and rocking slightly in the water.

"But that other thing," Alex continued, running her fingertips lightly across May's cheek. "That leads to complications. Which includes the possibility of hurting you, which is the last thing I ever want to do. And contrary to the fantasy of a number of men I've encountered, I don't allow myself to bedded on a whim." Alex sat up a little, forcing May to sit up as well. Turning May's head so that she could look her in the eye, Alex added, "You, though, would not be a whim. You're beautiful, spirited, intelligent, brave, adventurous...not to mention you have the cutest nose possible," Alex added, again affectionately tapping May's nose with her finger.

"So if we did something together, became closer," Alex continued, leaning back into the water and pulling May with her, "I'd want to make sure that we stay as close as we are now. Because you mean the world to me, and I don't want to give that up."

 

[Lily_Wight]

May listened to her partner with wrapped attention. At first she had felt like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, but Alex had laid her feelings bare, and as usual, the older woman put May at ease.

"I admit, I have been feeling confused about this, about us." May said searching for the perfect words. "I love how close we are now, and you are closer to ME than anyone in the world." She beamed as she spoke, but her expression turned more contemplative.

"We share everything in our lives, Alex." May said. "And I really would hate to damage what we have, but doesn't it feel, to you, like we have one more thing to share with each other?"

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Let's get out of the tub to continue this talk," Alex said, standing up and drawing May as well. "And no, that's not me feeling uncomfortable being undressed around you now. That's me saying the water is getting cold. I'm perfectly willing to continue this discussion au naturel, provided we towel off first and don't drip water all over our living quarters."

 

[Lily_Wight]

May agreed with her suggestion. The water was cooling, raising goose flesh on both women as they toweled each other off as casually as they would have before the tense conversation started.

May wrapped her long hair in a towel, but didn't dress any further as she climbed onto their bed. It was a giant four poster with very plush bedding. She must have been a sight, the diminutive naked women with her hair up in a towel on top of the covers, because Alex smiled as she approached the bed inspite of the mood in the room.

May waited to see what Alex would say or do next, starting to worry about the outcome of the discussion again.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"It's a little cool at this altitude to dressed as we are," Alex said, sitting on the bed next to May as Alex finished drying her own hair. "Would you like to snuggle under the blankets while we talk?"

 

[Lily_Wight]

It was an awkward task, climbing under the covers she sat on top of, but she was happy to do it. Her little rear pointed up in the air as she burrowed under the decorative throw pillows to peal back the comforter and slide inside.

May didn't see Alex's expression as she watched, but once the covers were free Alex drew them back and climbed in.
May snuggled into their embrace as Alex settled the covers over them.

"What are you thinking?" May asked. It wasn't an unusual question from her, but she was especially curious about its answer.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"I'm thinking you're a very beautiful young woman," Alex began, pressing her nose to May's, "And I'm thinking I'm very lucky to have you in my life. And I'm wondering what you think will happen if we make love. We'll still be the best of friends afterwards, but what do you want to happen? Would you be comfortable being physically intimate with just me?" Alex asked as she brushed her fingertips lightly across May's cheek.

 

[Lily_Wight]

"I think you are the most beautiful, most kind person I have ever met, and I am the lucky one." May said keeping her nose and forehead pressed to Alex's. "I don't know what I thought would happen if we made love." She blushed and closed her eyes, but didn't pull away. "I've never felt this way about anyone in my life, not as a friend and not as more. I don't know what I'm doing, but I know, I think, I want to do it with you." She opened her eyes again. "I don't know how to answer your last question." She laughed. "I've never even considered making love to another person, but if you arent conformable with it being just us, I suppose I could be ok with inviting more people into our bed."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Alex's mouth popped open, snapped shut, popped open again and shut once more. She found herself turning red, and she couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not laughing at you, May, I'm laughing at myself. I've been trying my best not to be flustered by this whole situation, but you caught me out at last."

Catching her breath, she continued. "I very much do not wish to invite anyone else to a bed we share. I'm one of those people who wants to share a life with the person she shares a bed with. So I would be hoping for exclusivity. I don't want to own you, but if we are together, I would rather not share you either." Alex paused a moment, before adding, "I've only been with two other people before, and both times I was hoping that they were something that would become more permanent. Which is a lot for you to have to take in, I admit," Alex leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly against May's, "But that's where my mind is."

 

[Lily_Wight]

May leaned in, wanting more from the brush of lips, but Alex pulled back after the briefest contact.

"Didn't know that." May said honestly. "I kind of thought that most people were like the ladies I grew up with, sharing their beds but not their lives."

"I never wanted to live like them, I still dont." She said, almost talking to herself more than Alex. "I guess I didn't learn as much about intimacy as I though." Her eyes were unfocused as she reflected on her upbringing.

"I think I understand your question, and I think I understand it's gravity" She said focusing again on Alex."I don't want to answer flippantly." May said as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Alex's ear. "But, I can't fathom of a future where my feelings for you do anything but grow in their ferocity."

"I owe you my life, in more than one sense of the word." May said, tears welling up in her eyes. "I understand that I am a naive stray, and I may not truly comprehend what it is to love romantically, but I'd be willing to find out with you."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"And I hope you understand," Alex said, giving May a lingering kiss, "That I am far from perfect. I have failed and I will fail again. And at some point in the future, I will do something to hurt you. Not intentionally, but I will." There was a very somber look on Alex's face when she said that. "But that's part of friendship and part of love too. Knowing that people aren't perfect, but loving them anyway. Maybe even loving them more for their imperfections and frailty."

 

[Lily_Wight]

May closed her eyes when Alex kissed her. They had shared many kisses, but this one was different somehow. She nodded pretending to understand that Alex wasn't perfect, and was fallible, but deep down, she couldn't believe it.

"Is that why you love me?" May asked, completely missing the point. "Imperfections and frailty."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"There is no such thing as a perfect person," Alex replied, ducking further under the covers so she could place a kiss over May's heart. "But I think there is that person out there who can make our lives feel more perfect," she added, moving up to again be nose to nose with May. "And you have made my life feel more perfect."