September 1st, Saturday, Parody bookstore 3:30 pm It was difficult for Odessa not to cry out in rapture; she had to force herself to be quiet, or else risk exposure. She was naked, from head to toe, a beautiful ochre symbol of womanly fertility, covered only with sweat and occasionally the hands of her two partners. Gardenia was behind her, slightly more modest in her underwear, squeezing her breasts and kissing her back and neck. Robin was in front- or rather below, her clothes on but askew from fondling and tussling, on her hands and knees with her tongue inside paradise. Odessa long thought she was the kinkiest out of them all, but as it turned out, holding their threesome in the restricted back room of Parody bookstore was something even she blushed at. The thought of getting caught, or even being overheard by customers and employees, was just as exciting as the thought that Odessa would have these two beauties to herself- eventually. Her cell phone rang just before she hit orgasm. Damn. "Oh fuck, who could it be?" she murmured hazily. "You stay shiny, lover. We'll play to answer it," Gardenia said. She and Robin stuck their hands out at the same time, one forming "scissors" and the other forming "paper". "Guess it's my job," Kemper sighed as she broke off to answer the impatient device. Robin resumed cunnilingus but it wasn't the same without her partner in crime. "Who is it?" Odessa whispered. "Dunno. Hey, this is Odessa's phone. Milady's indisposed and she's asked me to be her answering machine. Leave your name and number at the honk." She squeezed a bicycle horn Robin always kept in the back (don't ask why, you don't want to know) and picked up pen and paper. "Uh-huh. ...Oh wow. So you're that detective she hired! I remember you! ...Seriously? You really think it's what's causing the problem? ...Oh shit. No, no, it's no problem. Just, uh...give us a minute, okay? We're, uh, unloading for inventory." "Fuck you!" Odessa giggled. "What's she saying?" "(She is here NOW!)" she hissed frantically. Robin stumbled and fell, and Odessa nearly did the same. "What?! Here? NOW?" "(That's what I said, dumb-ass!) Uhh, no, no, nothing's wrong. Just trying to direct and talk at the same time. ...Yeah, Robin and Odessa are here. Um- no, we're really not ready for you yet..." She gestured wildly to her companions and scrambled to assemble her clothes. "Just give us a second. ...No, feel free to browse. ...Yeah, we'll see you in a minute! ...Okay, bye!" She hung up and stared desperately at her cohorts. "We have two minutes!" "Fuck!" "We'll discuss that later! Put your clothes on!" Robin blurted. "Odessa should be the one meeting her!" Gardenia exclaimed as she buttoned up. "You're the one that hired her! Leave us out of it!" "She's your employee," Robin pointed. "It's your store!" Odessa hissed. Gardenia stumbled into her jeans and fell down. Odessa banged into the wall while adjusting her bra and knocked something over. Robin tripped over somebody's sock. They all froze as they heard someone knocking at the door. "You three all right back there? It sounds like you're reenacting a Three Stooges sketch." "No, we're fine!" Robin called. "We'll be out in a minute!" She stared gloomily at her companions and rubbed her sore bottom. "I told you we should have gone to my apartment." And people dream dreams that transcend time Held in the arms of a still sea As they looked up at the birds and clouds It set their ephemeral souls on fire on a thousand mornings I bet they're taking flight to where the light is headed Now is the time to launch your dreams Off into the frontier that is carrying boundless dreams Farther and farther, dive in the sky "Discoveries" Agatha Doyle was skimming over a copy of Watchmen when Gardenia, Odessa, and Robin slipped out of the back room, still a little disheveled and flustered but otherwise presentable. Agatha put the graphic novel down and smiled cheerfully. "Ah, finished? Everything all right?" "Sure, sure, everything's fine. Are you finished with your investigation already?" "Already? This was a tougher case than I anticipated. Oh, the hoops I had to jump through! But I managed to crack it! The tougher the case, the brighter I shine! Now are you sure you're all right? I heard a lot of banging, and your faces are all red and your clothes are messed up." "Uhh..." Robin was stuck for a moment but managed to come up with a plausible lie. "It's rough work, you know, and we're the only ones that- " Agatha interrupted her with an understanding smile. "Just say it's none of my business and leave it at that." "Oh. Uh, it's none of your business." "You didn't have to be so rude about it," she pouted. Her mood swung immediately to playful and she grinned, "Just kidding! So where do you want to hold this meeting? I've got a PowerPoint presentation if you have a projector." "There's that projector at the Lily Club, but it's not exactly private," Gardenia pointed. "I've got a projector in my office," Odessa offered. Agatha clapped her hands. "Wonderful! Since your business won't open until dark, we'll have plenty of space to ourselves. You lead and I'll follow." Robin left control of the store to Fausta, who had just gotten back from her game, and followed Odessa outside. Out and About was only a few blocks away, so they could walk and enjoy the sunny day. "I'll also need a large table if you've got one- to set up everything I collected along the way." "My desk should be good enough. Just a second..." Odessa plunged her hand into her purse and pulled out an elaborate keychain decorated with at least eight novelty items, including a plastic Catwoman, a shark tooth, and two "female" symbols interlocked. Once they were inside, the quartet took the elevator up to the third floor where Odessa cleaned off her desk and Kemper and Granveldt set up the projector. Agatha was busy powering one of her laptops up (she had three) and produced a flash drive, which she put all of her findings on. The entire setup took the better part of five minutes; Detective Doyle invited her clients to take a seat and enjoy the presentation. "It's too bad I forgot my Sherlock Holmes outfit," she exclaimed as she put a bubble-pipe in her mouth. "This presentation would've been a lot more effective if I had it- but we all make do. Now: please pay attention to the slide show. It's time you get your money's worth!" The trio was in for a treat. Agatha may have been an eccentric, but she was also rather brilliant, as many eccentrics are, and she clearly enjoyed her work. The woman had a lot of energy and ran around, jabbing and gesticulating like a Southern Baptist preacher as her discovery blossomed. What she found certainly answered a lot of questions concerning Felicity's behavior, but it also revealed a darker side to the girl. Gardenia began to understand why her employee acted the way she did, and felt deep sympathy for her. "First," Doyle said, blowing a few bubbles, "I must ask that you hold all questions for the end of my presentation. I work better when I'm not interrupted. My search began by listing all probable causes for Felicity Velur's actions. I eliminated her job, her school, and her team based on my observations, so then I turned to her family. Coach Parkin-Katajisto was kind enough to reveal- indirectly, of course- a suspicious attitude towards Felicity's father, Samuel, and this is where most of my focus was directed. Samuel Velur, a lawyer in his mid-forties, was emotionally abused by his father, who deprived Samuel of his one true dream and forced a lifestyle upon him that conflicted with his desires. To be blunt, the boy loved sports, but was confined to his studies almost all his life, until he turned into a jaded shell of his former self. Naturally this discipline paid off, but Samuel harbored such a deep resentment towards his father that he inadvertently took after him, forcing Felicity to abandon all else for the sport he was never able to play- namely football, or soccer- thus enabling him to live vicariously through his daughter. It's my professional opinion that most of Felicity's anguish comes from her father's unreasonable expectations for her. "Naturally, I didn't just wrap things up there and call it a day. You paid me good money and I never like to leave any stone unturned. Since Mr. Velur was a lawyer, I managed to skim through a few of his cases, and I've noticed he's actually arrested and sued a number of people who, in his twisted opinion, tried to inhibit his daughter from realizing her potential- mostly harmless soccer moms and dads who encouraged their kids more than he wanted them to. I even saw a few former coaches and players in the mix- the guy's wonderfully obsessive. Samuel and his wife Katherine have been divorced since Felicity was two, and she's never seen her or even received a letter from her mother since, except for a handful of Christmas and birthday cards. I contacted Katherine and learned that Samuel put a restraining order on her, forbidding her to contact Felicity, although the charges were trumped-up and I could see no legal reason to keep it. I also learned that Katherine has made multiple attempts to get in touch with her daughter- letters, phone calls, just motherly things like that, no harm done- and each attempt runs into a dead end, or so Katherine professes. It is therefore my opinion that Samuel Velur goes to great lengths to keep the two from speaking. "Now your anger is justified, and I understand how you feel, but you have to remember two things. First, Mr. Velur is not evil; he's simply a pathetic small-minded man with a psychotic, single-minded tendency to have his daughter live out his dream. He's oppressive and demanding, but he can't take all the blame. I'd say that at best, two-thirds of Felicity's problems are thanks to his interference. The rest of it, besides her own personal lack of confidence and inadequacy, belongs to one Melissa Kemp. This part was the most difficult to research, let me tell you, but I had a lot of fun. "I remembered my father telling me that you can always know what makes a person happy by what they spend their money on, so I went to Felicity's bank, flashed my badge, and took a peek into her checking account. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary until I noticed that on every Monday, Felicity withdraws fifty dollars cash, and has been doing so since May of this year. The frequency and precision of these withdrawals was a real red light to me. What could she be spending that on, I wondered. Why that day, and why that amount? Believe me you, it wasn't easy finding out. I knew I had to look through Felicity's property to find a clue, but luckily, I didn't have to obtain a search warrant: her roommate was quite cooperative once I told her what was going on. Your employee is lucky to have friends who care about her like that. "Even though Miss Beckett was unable to figure out what she was spending that money on, I got to the bottom of it! Felicity was putting that money in blank envelopes, sealing them, and leaving them at a certain location every Monday night. To figure this out, of course, I had to tail her, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything. Poor girl's been through enough. I kept watch over the envelope until I saw someone approach it and take it. It was a young woman, early twenties, fairly well-off from her outfit, but not too conspicuous. I followed her to her residence but didn't obtain a search warrant. Instead, I ran the address through a police database, found a name, then ran that name through. Apparently, Miss Kemp was suspected of being a serial blackmailer, but nobody could pick up enough solid evidence for an arrest. According to the reports, a certain woman matching her description befriends young men, or sometimes young women- usually the upper-class- and convinces them to engage in public sexual activity. The victim is later contacted by an unknown third party who claims to have photos of the encounter, and who threatens the victim with exposure unless they pay a weekly ransom. The days and amounts differ, but you have to admit it sounds suspicious. This is as far as I got. I couldn't obtain a search warrant for Miss Kemp's house- sorry. Anyway, in my professional opinion, if you put severe fatherly pressure, a lack of motherly contact, and a blackmailer together, you have the solution to your problem!!" Agatha took a moment to let this information sink in as she blew bubbles from her pipe. She could not have gotten a more stunned reaction if she had revealed her audience to be directly related, and she their common mother. "Of course, I'm still not satisfied," she murmured. "As I said, this is only the result of my studies, and the conclusion is largely based on opinion and circumstantial evidence. I can't prove that Samuel Velur is living his dream through his daughter, or that he has no good reason to keep her from contacting her mother, and the whole blackmail issue rests solely on the similarity with the previous unsolved cases. Melissa Kemp obviously had alibis for all those times when the photos were taken, and she supposedly receives the same ransom letter, so it could all be coincidence. Or, it could be that Felicity may very well be suffering through some unknown emotional complex that's beyond my expertise, and since I haven't consoled my psychologist friend, that still remains a possibility. But you have to admit there's room for possibilities anywhere. Well, you know her better than I do- perhaps. I haven't spoken with her yet, which I had planned to do if I ran out of options. I don't usually involve the person directly unless I feel it'll do some good, and based on her emotional situation, an interview would be in very bad taste. In any case, those are my findings and this is my opinion. It was a fun case, and hopefully I've done some good. If you ever need me again, don't be shy! Say, can I invite some of my lady friends here later?" "Uh, sure," Odessa murmured, still reeling from everything she had seen and heard. Agatha squealed. "Perfect! They'll really get a kick out of it. I mean, I'm not a lesbian, but...who knows! Room for possibilities! Ciao!" Agatha's final disposition notwithstanding, the atmosphere in the room had gotten incredibly dark and heavy, like an ominous fog had settled. For Odessa and Robin, who only knew of Felicity through their common friend, this information was surprising, but not necessarily jarring. Gardenia, on the other hand, was floored, and sat with her mouth hung open as she ran everything through her head. Now her biggest problem was what to do with this knowledge, and how to go about breaking it to her employee. "Wow," she grunted, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes. "This is some seriously fucked-up shit." - Alice Hawthorne, Hobbies: puzzles, journal; right midfielder/reserve- Meanwhile, our unfortunate heroine was like a sailor whose ship had dashed against harsh emotional rocks and was now stranded on a desolate wasteland with slim chances for survival. Her father had caught up with her before she could leave the soccer field and gave her a piece of his mind that almost totally severed the thin cord of sanity that kept her from having a nervous breakdown. Also, Monday was pressing down on her, and that meant another fifty dollars donated to the mysterious lecher who hung over her head like a guillotine. Felicity was a wreck by the time she trudged into Lily for her afternoon shift, and not Nadia or Gardenia or anything else could lift her spirits. She would have to put everything aside, perhaps even homework and health itself, in preparation for the final game, merely a week away. And if she failed this time... If she failed, not only would the team be lost, but... She really planned on going through with it this time. No question about it. She would do it. Nothing would be there to stop her; she would see it through to the end. "Why is kittiez being sad?" Nadia called sympathetically. Felicity stared at her and almost shattered. She felt like running over to her and bawling on her shoulders- then she would let it all out and tell her- then she would kiss that beautiful woman and tell her she was madly in love- then they would make love- and then everything would be all right. She wanted that so badly that it felt like walking through a volcano as she stepped away. "None of your business. Just let me do my job." She did not hear Nadia's response. Gardenia, however, was a little more proactive, and stepped into the kitchen to confront her employee. She was still shaken but now filled with righteous determination. "Are you all right?" "I'm fine," she insisted. Kemper leaned against the wall. "Felicity, you know you can talk to me if there's a problem. For some odd reason, even though you keep pushing people away, Nadia and I both like you a lot, and it feels frustrating that- " "Just mind your own damned business." She accidentally dropped a plate, swore under her breath, and marched over to get a broom. Gardenia bent down and delicately picked up the bigger pieces; she looked up to see tears coming down Felicity's neck. The older woman threw the shards away and finally went for broke, wrapping loving arms around her friend and holding her there. That was the last straw: Felicity howled and sobbed with a lifetime of anguish behind her. "It's okay, honey, I'm here. You just do whatever you need to. Sssh. I won't tell anybody." They stayed in that embrace for quite a long time, silent, alone, a rock and a house built on sand, a patient and loving friend and her tragic companion, the clay now finally ready to be molded. "Can I stay at your place tonight?" Felicity whispered suddenly. "Sure, it's no problem. You want to go now?" "Is it...okay?" she whimpered. Gardenia nodded and gently kissed her cheek. "Sure. I'll give you a paid day off. Let's go this way." "Thank you," she whispered, clutching onto her hand firmly. Gardenia left a note for Lau and led Felicity out the back door so that nobody could see her pained expression. They got into Gardenia's car and took off, holding their silence for several blocks. Then, the chink in the dam finally opened, and Felicity started to speak. "Uh...I don't mean to impose...and I'm sorry for...making a scene." "It's all right. I still love ya. Besides, I've been meaning to invite you over anyway- well, you and everyone else. For a party, I mean. This just...uh, gives you the advantage." "Thanks," she murmured. "It's not like I've been evicted or anything, and Kasumi hasn't raised any issues... It's just..." "You need a change of scenery," Gardenia guessed. "I understand. We all feel that way. I myself am only home about half the time- the other half I'm either at Robin's or Odessa's." Felicity took a deep breath and gradually calmed down. She wiped the last of her tears away and took a shuddering sigh. The comfort of crying was a better salve than she could've hoped for; already she was feeling much better. "My, uh, father really let me have it for screwing up the game yesterday," she said numbly. "He said that if I mess up this next one...it's pretty much over. He's disowning me and cutting me off from my allowance." "I watched that game, Felicity. I cheered as loud as I could- me and Robin and Odessa. I don't think Pele himself could've done better. Does your father always press you with unreasonable expectations?" "Ever since I was four," she nodded. Gardenia's heart caught in her throat, and she stared at the road ahead in horror, almost completely missing a green light. Four?! So Felicity had been living under these conditions for fifteen years?! Either she must've been the most resilient person on Earth, or else almost completely sucked dry, like a raisin left to fester in the sun. "How do you live with it?" she demanded to know. Felicity gave a depressing shrug. "I guess I just keep delving deeper into soccer and hope that he's pleased." "Felicity, you don't have to put up with that crap!" Gardenia exclaimed. "Just tell that bastard off and be done with it! For God's sake, woman, you're nineteen years old! You don't live under his roof now! You don't have to obey his rules! Fuck his expectations! Fuck his demands! Do your own thing!" "Do you really think it's that easy?!" she bellowed. Gardenia was alarmed at her outburst, but glad her friend was finally showing some emotional behavior. Felicity calmed down quite suddenly and even chuckled. "You know how they tame baby elephants at the circus? They tie them up next to the biggest, heaviest stake they can find, and no matter how much the elephant struggles, it can't break free. Sooner or later she understands that it's impossible to break out, and gives up. Now some last longer than others, sure, but they're all broken in the end. As the elephant grows up, that stake gets smaller and smaller, until it's only a tiny little thing in the ground. People wonder why she doesn't do anything, why she doesn't try to run. But the elephant remembers, and even though she's at that stage where she could break free...she just can't. It's the saddest thing in the world." Gardenia finally arrived at her house, a quaint condo with a pool out back and plenty of room for visitors. She didn't say a word until both she and Felicity stepped out of the car- then, she took her friend by the head and stared deep into her eyes with loving conviction. "You're not an elephant, Felicity. A jackass, maybe, but not an elephant. Get that through your skull. Come inside- I have some things I need to tell you." - Shannon Threal, Hobbies: xylophone, wrestling, truck-driving; stopper- Considering that, for almost all of her life, Felicity had been screwed over in one way or another, she took everything Gardenia said rather well. "Son of a bitch," she whispered, looking pale and haggard on the couch. Gardenia smiled and touched her forehead with a cold can of beer. "I know. It's fucked-up shit, isn't it? Here, have one: it'll make you feel better." "I can't drink this!" Felicity exclaimed as she took it. "I'm still underage, remember?" "Yeah, but you're in my house, and as a consenting party, I say it's all right. I'll be driving you home tomorrow anyway, so what are you worried about?" Felicity tried to put her worries aside and popped the top. She had never imbibed before- her father damned alcohol as one of society's greatest vices- but today was a day for breaking precedents, and so she put it to her lips. "Um, you may want to sip at it first. I'm not sure if we have the same tastes, but that's the only beer I have with me." "You could always steal some from work," Felicity smirked. "No way!" Gardenia exclaimed, grinning faintly. "That's for the customers; this stuff is for me and my friends. Do you like it?" She took a sip and was surprised by how sweet it was. She had known people who reeked of nasty-smelling beer and didn't expect this to be so pleasant- so much for trying new things. She took a bigger gulp, but was careful to savor it. It was a marvelous way for her to be introduced to the sauce, and she would always cherish it, insignificant though it was. "It's good," she answered warmly. She had a peaceful, solemn look on her face that Gardenia had never seen before; very few people had. It was the look of a person who had abandoned their burdens and now felt light enough to fly. It was the look of the traveler who had finally reached their destination; the artist after completing their masterpiece; the slave after finding their freedom. It was, quite simply, Relief in its most absolute form, blessed of all emotions and one of the few where abundance is no vice. "Good. How are you holding up? I hope you're not mad that we hired a private eye to snoop around." "A little," she sighed, "but your intentions were good. I was at my wit's end concerning that blackmailer. I can't be certain that it's actually Melissa doing that, but my woman's intuition says it is. As for why my father doesn't want me getting in touch with mom...well, I can't really prove that either, but someday I'll confront him." "Anytime soon?" Felicity shook her head. "Father or no father, I want to focus on this game. But...now that I've heard all this, I want to stop these destructive habits of mine. I want to start playing for me, not for him. I want to break away from the stake he's planted into the ground. I want to be friends with people and not...worry about how god-damned good I am at some fucking stupid sport!!" The beer might have been more effective than Gardenia had planned, or maybe Felicity was just a lightweight and got tipsy after one can- or perhaps, more interestingly still, this was her true personality come to surface at last. The vulgarity was surprising, but not nearly as surprising as Gardenia's cheer. She never thought that hearing someone swear so casually and boldly could have such a positive effect on her. Felicity laughed and emptied her can. "Good stuff!" she exclaimed, her face brightening even more. Well, okay, maybe she was just a lightweight. But Gardenia still loved her. "You look like you've had enough!" she giggled. Felicity nodded gaily. "It's the mark of discipline to know when to quit. I don't feel very tipsy, but there's definitely a buzz. Don't offer me anymore until tomorrow, okay?" "Will do," Gardenia grinned, finishing her own drink. What an adorable person!- and all it took to bring her out was a beer, a shoulder to cry on, several startling revelations, and someone to listen. Kemper could handle her alcohol a little better than her friend, but her next few questions were still motivated by a light-headedness. "So, Melissa Kemp, huh? Did you two really...?" "Oh yeah," Felicity groaned, "we went all the way. She wasn't even my first." "Really!!" "No," she beamed. "This girl named Lilly, when I was seventeen, she... She was my first. We had been friends for five years and I...oh wow, I fell for her like a rock. The happiest day of my life was when we made love...but then we got caught, and she got grounded, and they moved away... And there aren't enough beers in the world that could get me to tell you what my father did to me!" "Oh my god..." Gardenia gasped quietly and drew close to hug her; Felicity was crying again. They were not tears of desperation, thankfully- just tears brought up by bittersweet memories. "Um...so...your first time was with...a girl." "Yeah," she whispered, smiling feebly. "The truth is that I'm a lesbian and I have been since...what, sixteen? Fifteen? Maybe even earlier than that." "I'll be damned," Kemper whispered. "You hide it really well." "Right. I'm so deep in the fucking closet, I'm touching asbestos." "But you told me just now. Uh, never mind." "Does it count?" Felicity asked, smiling thinly. Gardenia nodded lovingly and kissed her forehead. Apparently her intervention was all that was needed to get the ball rolling. The dam had broken completely and now everything it had held back was gushing out smoothly and freely, washing the world away. Felicity hugged her but pulled away quickly, standing up and taking a deep breath. Gardenia feared she had crossed the line, but that was not the case: her guess simply had to use the restroom. "Uh, which way to the bathroom?" "Down that little hallway, straight on." Felicity hurried in while Gardenia started cleaning up. She put the cans in a recycle bin, straightened up the couch, and looked through her cabinets for something to eat. She usually just took leftovers from Lily home with her, since she wasn't good at cooking, but now her stores were empty, and so was her stomach. There was fruit, vegetables, more beer, and condiments in the fridge; there were only frozen dinners and some cheesecake in the freezer. Gardenia sighed and wondered if Felicity wouldn't mind getting a pizza. She was flipping through the phone book when her guest emerged from the bathroom. "Hey, I'm thinking about ordering a pizza. You in the mood for deep dish or thin crust?" "Um...is there a difference?" "Well, there's Old Chicago pizza, which has deep dish, and Donatos, which has thin crust. They are equidistant and do not charge for delivery." "Deep dish," Felicity said, feeling a little more sober. "Could you also get Hawaiian pizza?" "You mean with pineapples?" Gardenia made a face: she hated pineapples. But, she wasn't the guest of honor, and after everything she had been through, Felicity deserved to be spoiled. "Sure," she sighed, "anything you like. But do you mind if we order half-and-half? Pineapples make me sick." "Four slices is plenty," Felicity relented. "Cool, just gimme a sec. Hey, why don't you look around for a movie you want to watch? Oh, that reminds me, I have to call Lau and tell her I won't be able to make it. Just pick whichever one you like!" As Gardenia busied herself with two phone calls, Felicity discovered her hostess's collection and browsed through it. It was an unusual combination of pop culture (such as science-fiction, spaghetti westerns, anime, and Disney films) and lesbian features, both independent and mainstream. It ended up being a toss-up between Kurosawa's Throne of Blood, Bend It Like Beckham (her favorite), and Queen's Coffin, a lesbian erotica by Rio Rasmovanok. "So what'd ya find?" Gardenia said as she peered over Felicity's shoulder. She glanced at them all and smiled. "Hey, you've got great taste! Toshiro Mifune, Keira Knightley, and lovely Miss Rio! We should invite Nadia to watch a few of these! I'll bet she's a fan." "I might have heard something to that effect," Felicity answered, feeling a pang of regret at the mention of her name. Through her own senseless cowardice and inhibitions, she had missed out on one of the greatest opportunities ever given to her. But such is life. "So is everything all right at the Club?" "Yeah, Lau and Robin have it covered. They're playing The Goonies and Red Dragon, if you were wondering." "Both excellent films. And the pizza?" "Twenty minutes. Feel free to nab anything from the fridge; I'll get the plates. I guess we could watch all three if you want." "Nah," she said, putting aside her favorite for the two films she had never seen. She picked up Queen's Coffin and felt her stomach flip in approval. "Let's watch this in celebration of my unofficial coming-out." "Good choice. It's pretty sexy." Gardenia cleared her coffee table, set up plates and coasters, and invited Felicity to snuggle in and make herself comfortable. Her couch was spacious, warm, and sinfully comfortable; you felt like you could sleep on it very naturally. She didn't start the movie yet: they watched cartoons until the pizza came. Even though Gardenia was seven years older than Felicity, it turned out her tastes were very childish- but there was nothing wrong with that, and Felicity was actually envious of her playfulness. The cartoon was about halfway over when the pizza came; the two women inhaled its rich scent anxiously and placed it on the table. Soon they settled in together and witnessed a beautiful love story unfolding. There were no literal queens in the story, but it did seem like one of the main characters was trapped inside a coffin. Rio was careful to put male characters in a good light in her films, and several even ended up being fairly heroic by the end, but the story ultimately revolved around the tormented heroine and her loving companion. Felicity's ears burned and she itched a little in a "compromising area"; the love scenes left her panting and breathless. The two heroines could have easily passed as lovers in real life; she was surprised to learn from her hostess that one of them, a "Rio regular", was actually straight. It was late and dark outside once the film ended, but nowhere near bedtime. Gardenia invited her guest to watch another movie (the pizza had long been obliterated), but Felicity had had enough: one more would ruin the moment. She asked if she could go swimming; Gardenia said yes; she then asked (quite flustered) if she could go skinny dipping; Gardenia grinned and insisted. "Seriously? You don't mind?" "Mind?! Hell, I'll join you!" Felicity turned bright red and backed off, but Gardenia's intentions were pure. "I won't do anything funny, Velur, I promise. I love you but not in that way." Gardenia undressed first to relax her guest, and gradually slipped in, wincing a little. Even though she had assurance, Felicity was still breathing hard as she took her shoes, socks, and accessories off. Gardenia grinned at her and turned around, even submerging so she would have the most privacy. Once Felicity was in, she burst back out and flung water everywhere, an unearthly creature radiating with starlit beauty, naked and stunning, as unashamed as the original Mother. Naturally Felicity had to put her in her place and dunked her several times. - Arina Essylt, Hobbies: self-image, philosophy, reading; team psychologist/reserve- It was finally late enough to sleep when both women quit their playing and emerged from the pool, one considerably less shy about herself than before. They dressed and dried each other off, chatting quietly and intimately. Naturally one of their discussions turned to Felicity's newfound self-expression, and where those energies might be directed. "So...is there anyone you're just burning with passion for? And don't tell me you don't, because I know you steal glances at work when you think nobody is watching." "You caught me," she grumbled cheerfully. Felicity smiled softly at her new friend and finally confessed with her mouth what she had yearned to say for a long time now: "Actually, I was in love with Nadia." "Aaah, I knew it!!" she exclaimed joyfully. "So that wasn't just a one-way street! And...okay, I guess I can understand why you never jumped her bones, but...well, shoot, it's almost too late now. She and that British girl, uh...Lisa-something..." "Elisa." "Right. Those two are too damn adorable together. You missed out on that one." "Yeah," she sighed, looking melancholy but content at the same time. "It's okay. At least now I can try and be friends with her. Maybe someone else will be even better for me." "Any ideas?" Felicity smiled, but couldn't really think of anybody special. But that sometimes has its advantages. At least her options were wide open now. "Not yet. But you'll be the first to know." "I'll hold you to that. Anyway, don't feel shy about talking to me about your problems from now on. I might be your boss on paper but I'd much rather be your friend. And feel free to come over anytime you like! Speaking of which, about our sleeping arrangements... You want I should take the couch?" "I don't want to force you out of your own bed." "I don't mind. You are my guest, after all. Besides, it's pretty comfy." "Maybe we..." Felicity took a breath and revised her thoughts. "Let's take a look at it first. How big is it?" "What are you getting at?" Gardenia asked, smiling mischievously. The bed was sufficiently big enough for both of them, so there seemed no issue to discuss: they would share it. "Are you sure?" she whispered. Felicity nodded solemnly. "I feel like holding somebody." "Okay then," she smiled softly. "I can't sleep in my jeans or my bra, but if it's a problem..." "No, it's okay." She smiled giddily- it had been far too long since she had cuddled next to someone she loved and trusted- and she never did it with anyone whom she shared a purer love towards, where sex was as far removed as greed and despair- so it was something to treasure. Felicity took her jeans off as well (neither of them wore their bras after swimming) and climbed into the bed, digging deep beneath the sheets. Gardenia removed her glasses and joined her; she was achingly beautiful in the soft nightlight. As they settled in, Felicity reached out and brushed against her face, and felt loving lips touch her forehead as she was turned around and embraced from behind. The next day, Leena had to rub her eyes to make sure they weren't deceiving her. Felicity had always been one of the best and had distinguished herself as an exemplary player, even among the elite, but today something was significantly altered. What appeared to be the same young woman they had always known turned out to be someone completely different; even casual or indifferent observers could tell. Nadia saw the change at once and was stunned as her teammate and supposed friend arrived at practice, late, humming the opening movement of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, and smiling, no less. There was a glow about her that shined out and told everyone that this was no longer Felicity, but some other entity, literally a completely different person with them on the field. She still played magnificently but now her skills were sharpened by an expression of utmost joy, and she even laughed, even when she made a mistake. It was both beautiful and unsettling. "All right then," Leena said stiffly as she tried to make some notes. "I'm not sure what's going on, but it looks like progress to me."
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