Steal Some Covers, Share Some Skin

[Ellis Vaccari]

With years of conditioning, Ellis had something of a morning routine that rarely used to waver. She always woke up at the same time every day - seven in the morning, work or no - to the point where there was absolutely no need to set any kind of alarm. She didn't stay long in the comforts of her bedding, just long enough to come to her senses and register what she needed to do for the day. Then she got up, and she simply did; she existed in an orchestrated world full of remedial tasks to be completed. Work to be done.

That was, before she shared her bed in high school. And further in life.

Because the moment Samantha Frye became part of her life, she engulfed her usual routine and everything changed. She didn't struggle to get out of bed, but she often struggled to leave the Boston woman unless she had somewhere to be.

And there, on that particular Sunday, neither had anywhere to be. They simply were. The clouds that covered the morning sky were coloured to an off-white, threatening the fall of rain should the day progress as expected. It was the second thing Ellis had noticed when her eyes opened. The first would be her counterpart. Asleep, and sprawled out on her side. She couldn't help but smile; even in her sleep, Sam was still so very Sam.

She thought to get up; to make the love of her still-young life coffee, because the smell would surely draw her from her slumber. But the moment she decided to even try a move, she faltered through no effort of the officer beside her. She just didn't want to leave her.

But Ellis still moved, she simply didn't stray far. She slowly moved to sit up, reaching to collect her glasses, unfurl them, and put them on. The only other thing she collected was the book she was half reading the night before, which she bridged open between her fingers on one hand. The other fiddled with the hem of her shirt - which she technically borrowed from her counterpart - before extending towards Sam, filtering through the dark head of hair she adored so much with a slow, rhythmic movement.

[Samantha Vaccari]

Sam never fully adapted a regular sleeping schedule; she hardly struggled to wake up when she had to. School, work, or anything else that pulled her from the comfort of her bed, but on days off there’d never be an alarm set. She’d wake up whenever she naturally did, and it was never at a set time.

And it was always better waking up knowing she was there.

That morning, Sam was oblivious to the overcastted weather, or even the threat of rain that was called for. She was in a tangle of sheets, sprawled out on her side. A foot managed to find its way out from under the covers, draped halfway off the mattress.

Just as she was unaware of the weather, the sleeping officer didn’t register the way her counterpart shifted. At times, it took quite some effort to wake her, and a stirring body rarely seemed to pull her from unconsciousness so early in the morning.

Even as fingers brushed through her hair, the Boston woman hadn’t stirred for several minutes. On mornings such as these, waking up was a slow process. In time, however, she began to recognize the familiar touch – the same rhythmic movement as she had felt so many times before.

Still, she kept her eyes closed for a moment longer, her lip pulling up into something of a tired smile as she reached forward, fingers curling around her own shirt that her counterpart was sporting. Something of a groan passed her lips, but it was hardly disgruntled, and eventually she opened her eyes, and sparing a glance towards the woman she loved so dearly.

“Mornin’.”

[Ellis Vaccari]

True to form, Sam hadn't stirred for some time as Ellis split her attention between the attuned movements she made and the book she read. She tossed the occasional glance towards her counterpart, because it was hard not to look at her from time to time.

But eventually she did, and the small movements she offered were every indication she was stirring before the larger ones took form. Despite the potential interruption, the movement of the blonde's hand never ceased. Simply put, she just had to touch her. She only stopped when she felt a hand curl into the fabric she wore, but it was a falter in a step over a complete halt.

Glancing down, she took in the sight of the Boston woman's smile, and the look in her dark eyes as they eventually opened and greeted her. A small, lazy word. Raising her hand from her hair, she indicated towards herself with a single wave of her hand.

"Come closer."

[Samantha Vaccari]

Within the slow transition of awareness, Sam rolled her shoulders and tilted her neck forward, easing the stiffness from her muscles. An audible exhale passed her lips as she did so.

The smile she wore faltered as she felt Ellis raise her hand, the comforting movement of her fingers running through her hair interrupted. She raised her eyebrows, a threatening a look of discontent before she caught the way her counterpart motioned to herself.

And to which, Sam responded accordingly. Ellis didn’t have to ask, but the simple fact that she requested Sam to move closer brought the lazy smile back to her features. She inched forward, breaching the distance them as she wrapped an arm around her love, burying her face into the blonde’s side – against her own shirt. "Mmm."

[Ellis Vaccari]

Of course, Ellis watched the way Sam moved in the mornings. There was almost something fluid about the seemingly disjointed way she stretched out. She couldn't help but stare at the movements of her counterpart's shoulder blades as she did so; reddened lines faded over night, but the ache was residual. She felt her fingers twitch with the thought to reach out - to draw across the exposed skin she was offering as the sheets fell off her shoulders like second nature - but she resisted. At least for now.

Instead, she sunk her teeth into her lower lip. She'd seen her only hours ago. She was wearing the very thing that left the Boston woman so exposed.

But it was one of the reasons she beckoned her to come closer. Only a few minutes to consciousness and Ellis was already unhappy with the minimal distance she'd provided. The smile she wore dragged something of a genuine one onto the blonde's expression.

And she settled into the almost overwhelming contact with relative ease, her fingertips trailing the arm now draped across her own form for a few strides before she traversed past her shoulder and settled her palm between her shoulder blades.

"You can go back to sleep," Ellis said lightly, though she really hoped she wouldn't; "I'm not going anywhere."

[Samantha Vaccari]

She crinkled her nose at the idea of falling back asleep; Sam did have a habit of doing so on her days off, but when she was up, the Boston woman had no interest in doing so. Still, she didn’t move from the comfort her love’s side. “Nah.” She mumbled against the fabric, waiting a few beats before pushing a hand into the mattress and easing upward.

The officer was completely oblivious to the way in which her eyes traveled her form in the mornings. Normally, she would catch such acts; even the smallest of movements would be noticed, but so early in morning, Sam missed them. And thus, she never thought twice as to how the sheets fell from her shoulders and settled at her waist as she pushed herself up.

There were far more important matters to pay attention to than herself, after all.

Now that she was level with Ellis, the officer leaned forward and lightly kissed the blonde. "I'm up."

[Ellis Vaccari]

The single response given to her forced the hint of a smile to catch at the corner of her mouth. Ellis was silently grateful for the decision, and as Sam seemed to settle into staying where she was with her, she dragged her attention back to the book in her hand. 

But the moment she moved, the surprised act hauled the blonde's gaze back to where her attention had never really left. As Sam drawled herself up and let the sheets pool at her waist, Ellis flicked her gaze down as she moved her hand to lose it in her hair at the bridge of her neck. It was the perfect time to let her gaze wander without the threat of being caught. Then again, there was absolutely nothing wrong with being caught.

Still, she closed her eyes to reciprocate the way this woman chose to kiss her, and she felt the definite decision offered on a light breath.

"You're being very distracting." Ellis explained, allowing her lips to graze those of her counterpart.

[Samantha Vaccari]

Sam, if anything, loved capturing her counterpart’s attention. Something was enthralling about the way Ellis pulled her gaze from her book. Even if she was unaware of just how the blonde looked at her, she still caught on that she was being a distraction for her love.

Her fingertips traced upward along the line of Ellis’s arm before she settled her palm to the technician’s cheek. It was impossible to ignore just how gently Ellis reciprocated the kiss.

“Am I?” Sam asked, feigned innocence lazily lining her tone. The corner of her mouth pulled upward against Ellis’s lips. “Should I let you read?” Her gaze flicked to the book in her counterpart’s hand before she closed her eyes again and offered another light kiss.

Sam was sure she knew the answer, but she still desperately wanted to hear it from her.

[Ellis Vaccari]

Sam's response was, honestly, everything Ellis expected it to be, right down to the tone of voice she chose. Regardless of her drowsy state, she knew the Boston woman well enough to know that she liked being a distraction. And she liked knowing it, too. She even half expected the question, but not enough to stop the evident frown her mouth took on at the idea.

And it was difficult, because she didn't want to answer the question. But the question deserved a definite answer. Especially when she was kissing her in such a way, which she again reciprocated. Her hand trailed down the line of her neck slowly, fingertips grazing along to her shoulder before down a touch to her collarbone.

She took a breath.

"Possibly." She replied, lightly. After all, the question was should she, which had little to do with what Ellis genuinely wanted her to do. And so she quickly thought to reason with her; "I don't think distance would make you any less distracting."

[Samantha Vaccari]

With such proximity, Sam could physically feel the way her counterpart’s lips pulled into a frown. Really, it was all the answer she needed, but in the same she knew it wouldn’t be the only one offered. There was always bound to be something more definitive than a physical cue with her counterpart, and Sam loved that.

Another kiss was delicately placed to the corner of Ellis’s mouth, and again to her cheek as Sam tilted her head forward a touch, resting her forehead against the technician’s temple.

She closed her eyes while familiar fingers tracked across her shoulder and collarbone. She was being hypocritical. She was incredibly distracting. The Boston woman exhaled slowly.

Her nose crinkled against her love’s cheek at the response, and before she could correct her own question, Ellis continued. Her answer brought something of a satisfied grin to Sam’s lips.

But, as Sam usually did, she got ahead of herself. “I dunno,” she drew away a couple of inches, “Maybe it’d help.” She leaned in again, because it was impossible to do otherwise, and whispered against the blonde’s ear; “I don’t want to distract you, love.” Oh, but she did.

[Ellis Vaccari]

Ellis felt the all important exhale against her cheek as deftly as she registered the way Sam had just kissed it. It was impossible to focus on anything else but the little reactions she gave. Because she knew she couldn't help them, and that made them that much more enthralling.

She tried to draw away, and Ellis felt her eyes widen a touch as she applied quick pressure to her counterpart's shoulder. But she was back within moments, her words and her breath against the blonde's ear.

It was hypocritical. And a massive contradiction. And it was unfair. So she closed the book she held. She settled it beside her before reaching for the frame of her glasses to drag them up through her hair. As much as she could have argued the lie Sam told her, she managed to resist the overwhelming urge.

Because slowly, she reached out towards her, fingertips grazing along the exposed line of her chest and stomach until the folds of the sheets stopped her.

"You're not wearing anything." Ellis finally pointed out. Verbally, at least.

[Samantha Vaccari]

Sam had already been making the move to lean in again, but that didn’t prevent her from feeling the pressure put against her shoulder. It made her smirk against the blonde’s ear, even more so when the book closed.

She parted her lips, intent on throwing a comment about Ellis and her commitment to reading, but that quickly faltered when she felt familiar fingers track down her form. It forced the brunette to take in a staggering breath as she pressed her palm harder against the bed.

Sam wasn’t sure what was worse; that her love was teasing her so, or that she stopped at material at her waist. “I am.” Sam replied as lightly as she could, however it was evident in the way that she pressed her lips into a hardened line that there was hardly anything light about it. “And you closed your book.”

[Ellis Vaccari]

Really, it was impossible to maintain any kind of definite composure when she was able to touch her the way she did, let alone the reaction she gave. The way her breath wavered before Ellis had stopped was every indication that she didn't have much to be so smug about, either.

But that hardly mattered in that moment. It was the furthest thought from the blonde's mind. "I did." She replied, not even bothering to spare a glance at the book she discarded. But it wasn't enough of an explanation, and so she paused long enough to let her nails track the lowest line of her exposed skin before she stopped.

"Because I want you to come closer." Ellis reasoned, curling her hand into the material between them and shifting it aside, "I told you that already."

She didn't look. She didn't need to, but she did want to. Still, she didn't. Not again. Not yet. Her other hand applied more pressure to the Boston woman's shoulder as she tried to offer more encouragement.

"You're not close enough." Ellis added lightly. Though there was nothing light about her expression, either.

[Samantha Vaccari]

Sam should have expected such a response from the woman she loved, but regardless, hearing the blonde say such forced the Boston woman’s pulse to kick in her throat. She hadn’t minded the way the sheets were pulled aside, but it meant everything that she chose to do so.

Really, Ellis could have requested Sam do anything, and the officer would have complied without question. Sam did agree with the blonde; she wasn’t close enough. The light encouragement was more than enough to make her push herself from the bed, closing the distance between herself and her counterpart by shifting to her lap.

Unlike her counterpart, Sam couldn’t resist her urge to look, dark eyes casting downward, focusing on how her own shirt looked so good hanging from her frame. She let out the breath she held, resting her forearm on Ellis’s shoulder as her other hand moved to push strands of blonde hair from her face. “Better?”

[Ellis Vaccari]

It was always so much better when Ellis didn't feel the need to spell things out so openly. Leaving certain aspects to the Boston woman's imagination was a trait she'd learned to stretch to, and so the physical request in tandem with verbal hints were more than enough. She watched the way she moved, how she breached that barely minimal distance between them completely. How close she was, now.

The hand at her shoulder smoothed across her skin, denouncing the pressure she'd only just offered in order to be a little more delicate. All the while, her dark eyes remained attuned to her face. How she dropped her gaze, caught by the material Ellis was wearing.

The singular worded question forced her to raise her eyebrows once; "Yes." It was definitely better.

"Don't you think it suits me?" She asked. Her hands dropped to the officer's thighs, palms pressed against her skin as she trailed up to her hips. With the slow movement, she drew herself up slightly, her back straightening a little more. Anything to bring her just that little bit closer. "The shirt, I mean," She added, her eyes lowering to glance at the curve of her neck instead, "It seems to be distracting for you."