The Second Date Wouldn't Measure Up

[Riley Forrester]

When Zoe started speaking, Riley had a feeling that this was it. This was the big thing she had sensed when they began the second date. So she listened to every word.

Riley had been right in the regards to Zoe's sister, but that didn't make the girl feel satisfied. It was still tragic what happened, the fact that Zoe had fled away because of it and felt so alone and in such dark spirits after that. She felt Zoe shift again and glanced down to meet her eyes at the mention of the newspapers and the poems. There was laughter, but not much humor in it, so Riley only stroked her girlfriend's hair slowly, toying with the strands between her fingers as Zoe went on.

Next she spoke of a girl named Devyn, who evidentially was a passionate girl and physical too. Zoe apparently felt like a part of her was messed up from how she forced herself to be more physical, and Riley could feel spots on her shirt growing damp. Glancing down, she used her thumb to wipe away the tears she saw, but kept listening with a tender expression. Devyn had been hospitalized after one particularly long kiss, and could've died from the way Zoe trailed off. No wonder she wants me to be careful. Riley thought as she continued stroking Zoe's hair slowly.

After that had been when the blog attacked and labeled her as the 'Lesbian Pikachu,' which had also made Zoe a target for mutant hate. She had been assigned a body guard and shot at within the cabin they had seen earlier. Riley's hand was then moved, taken down to press against Zoe where the scar remained. Then Zoe implied she might've killed a man and curled even tighter into Riley, gripping her shirt hard. Riley just kept her hands either stroking Zoe's hand or rubbing her back, encouraging her silently to go on.

There was the part about Devyn cheating that made Riley frown slightly, but she retained her silence. Devyn and Vera. Two people Zoe had claimed were friends yet did this to her. And then the mention of an Alice, who was also broken and whom things didn't work out with either. And then finally, Zoe stopped. Riley stayed silent for a few moments before shifting.

Her first line of action wasn't to kiss Zoe's lips. No, instead it was to place two tender kisses right under Zoe's eyes, licking away the tears from both. Only then did she kiss Zoe on the lips with all the tenderness, care, sympathy, affection, understanding, and just all around feeling she possibly could pour into one kiss. She let it linger, but did pull away and settle for hugging Zoe tightly and burying her face into Zoe's neck.

"Oh my God, Zoe..." Was what came first, the words soft as she continued soothingly stroking Zoe's hair and rubbing her back even with the blanket on. "You're so brave." She stated firmly. "I just..." There was a dry laugh with little to no humor in it. "That fact that you went through all this... this shit... and you've turned into this absolutely stunning person before me... Do you even realize how amazing that is? How amazing you are!? Zoe, I don't think I could've done half-- hell, a quarter of what you did and still stay so sweet and willing to look on the bright side of life like you are. But that's just it." Riley said as she leaned out to look at Riley, her own face full of tears. But not of sadness-- not entirely: they were tears of pride. Pride in Zoe.

"You went through all this stuff, and look at this... this... utterly stunning and spectacular result." She said before burying her head in Zoe's neck again as she hugged her close and tight. "You are so amazing and I don't think you full realize just how special you are." She said. Then she couldn't help but chuckle a little and squeeze Zoe. "I am so lucky. So very, very lucky to have found someone as brave and strong as you."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The words stopped, all let out. Then Riley pulled Zoe up slightly. A few kisses went under her eyes, nearly making Zoe shiver. She didn't understand, didn't quite comprehend why Riley would do that. The questions, so many of them, left as her lips touched her new girlfriend's. Zoe could feel every bit of emotion that the other girl poured into the expression, just, all of it, the understanding the affection, everything, lingering for a moment, long enough that Zoe swore she heard some numbness in Riley's voice when she finally spoke.

Brave, which she'd heard before, along with the amazing. Di had said that. Vera said it. Liz said it. Alice had said it, on some level. How much she'd lived through, and she saw the tears, wondering if she'd messed up somehow, then Riley clung tight to her. Mention of being special, not realizing it.

"I'm lucky," Zoe insisted, her arms going around Riley. "I never would've made it this far without so many people loving and supporting me. Devyn, Vera, Mr. Spencer, Dr. Campbell, Maelea, Liz, Di, Alice, and now you. If it weren't for all of you, I'd probably be--be worse than a wreck," Zoe sniffed, giving Riley another hug. "I think I still am, really," Zoe swallowed, feeling the tears coming again. "That's why, Riley, this is our second date. Who pours out like this on that? There has to be something wrong with me. But all I really want is for someone like you to want me, and that just seems so pathetic and sad," Zoe sniffed, curling slightly. "I keep, I keep clinging to people, and I'm clinging to you and I just---I---I don't know, really. I really just---I really want to be with you. Can you just... can you just tell me you want me? Just for a bit? And then we don't have to do anything else and I'll understand if you just want to leave me alone and take back being my girlfriend, really," Zoe curled a little more, taking a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm her fluttering heart.

[Riley Forrester]

They ended up holding each other as Zoe insisted that she was lucky for all her friends, and for Riley too. That she would be a wreck without them-- or worse-- and that she figured she already was a wreck. Riley only shook her head on that, disbelieving that Zoe could possibly be a wreck. How could she when the girl before her was so right for Riley? But then Zoe was insisting she was pathetic and sad just for wanting Riley to want her. Then she almost broke down, wanting to hear it. Wanting to hear Riley say she wanted her and then she could leave even she wanted. Riley's heart, already melted so many times that second date, melted again and she scooped Zoe into a fierce hug.

"I do want you Zoe. I. want. you. I want you so badly it hurts. I don't know how much more my heart can take I've already poured it out so much." She said with a laugh that was only half humor. "It's not pathetic and it's not sad. And you're not broken, Zoe. You're not. You can't be. Not when you seem so right. When this feels so right." She stated, hugging and cuddling the girl.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Another hug, a tight embrace that pressed Zoe tight against the other girl. Surely something had happened here to set her up with Riley, more than just random chance, some twist of fate that had dropped this absolutely wonderful human being into Zoe's proximity. Just hearing that, actually hearing the need from it, hearing the truth. Zoe knew then, with some certainty, that she'd found someone else she could let into her life, someone who fit into her so well.

Zoe shifted, moving up slightly to look into Riley's eyes. "I'm going to kiss you," she said, her voice soft, "until you can't feel your lips," Zoe reached up to move aside her hair for a moment, before making sure that Riley understood that her statement was part threat, part promise, part warning. She hesitated, then leaned in, once again drawing Riley's lips against hers, while her body pressed against the girl.

This was not a kiss you gave a second date. It wasn't a kiss that most people got on their third dates or beyond. It was part needy: demanding affection and attention. Part giving: showing that there was love and affection to have. Part adoring, part lusting, part wanting, part surrendering, and Zoe did lean in, moving her lips, knowing her power would spread through Riley's, almost testing to make sure that the other girl would, could pull away before something worse happened. Because there wasn't much room for error: after lips came tongue, then throat, and throat had severe problems.

[Riley Forrester]

This is my girl friend. Riley thought as she hugged the girl. I don't think it's hit me yet. She decided. Then there was a shift, and Riley was staring directly into Zoe's eyes again. She was going to kiss her. She was going to kiss Riley until she was numb. Oh. Was all that Riley's brain could register. It was a warning and a promise, and Riley could only nod her head before Zoe's lips were on her and all Riley could do was react.

It was sheer bliss, and Riley couldn't stop her hands from wrapping around Zoe and pulling her closer, groaning just a little at the emotions rolling through with the kiss. She answered the needs Zoe's kiss demanded, and took the gifts it gave. Even with the numbness creeping in, Riley held on, understanding that warning and yet wishing she could ignore it. But as the numbness eventually started overtaking her tongue as well, Riley pulled back, panting a little from the whole thing. She didn't speak, because Zoe wouldn't have been able to understand her most likely. But she did managed to smile and hug Zoe to her tightly, completely filled with affection.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Kissing always felt good when it was with someone who cared about you. Zoe knew that even before she'd leaned down to give Riley this one. But she could count on one hand the number of kisses that felt quite this good. Were this a moment she could take a picture of, doubtless Zoe would have, because it was definitely one that she wanted to immortalize forever and then some.

Eventually it had to end, and it did with Riley pulling back. More than slightly breathless (and more than a little flushed), Zoe looked down at her girlfriend. For several heartbeats, cold fear seeped in. Had it gone on too long? Had she done too much? Then those lips twisted into a smile, and Zoe felt the warmth tossing aside the cold, redoubling as Riley pulled her in for a tight hug.

"It helps some if you move them," Zoe said, looking up at the lips again. "Um," she flushed, "just, you know, sort of, work them? A little?" Zoe flushed and smiled, lowering her hand and looking extremely bashful. "We should probably do a bit more exploring: I want to take a few pictures," she looked up at the tree. "Plus, um, I don't---I don't want to walk back if it's dark.." she had to blush at that, but she hoped that given what she'd just explained, Riley would understand.

[Riley Forrester]

There was panic that was soon replaced once Riley hugged her, which made her panic flood away and Riley grin widely. Apparently it would help for Riley to move them. Which made sense, although Riley did catch Zoe staring at her lips again and then flushing, which made the punky girl grin. At the bashful smile, Riley just playfully poked her in the nose and chuckled, smiling up at the girl.

There was the mention of taking pictures that Riley understood, especially considering the one Zoe had taken the first date. She also mentioned getting back before dark, which Riley understood and nodded for to show she understood. So then she sat up, Zoe on her and all, and grinned, still not sure if she could properly talk yet. However, she motioned to Zoe's camera with a smile.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The grin made Zoe smile in response, but at least Riley looked good. She actually looked real good, which was part of the problem. This was not at all helped by the fact that the other girl also happened to have just kissed Zoe long enough to make the Brit nearly forget her own name.

But Zoe really did want the pictures and Riley did seem to be on board. So Zoe pushed to her feet, dusted herself off, and walked back over to the camera. She spent a few moments readying it again, hands flying across the familiar controls. "This is the camera I brought with me," she said, looking over at Riley. "The, ah, the digital one is one that my parents sent me for last Christmas..." she trailed off for a bit before adjusting the camera again.

Then she looked around for a bit before just honing in on Riley. No warning, no nothing else, just Zoe pretty well just insta-snapping the photo and smiling a little impishly at her girlfriend.

[Riley Forrester]

Riley followed Zoe as she got up, dusting the grass off the back of her as she went. Then Zoe turned to Riley and explained that this was the camera she took with her. Riley blinked in surprise and observed it. So this is it? Huh. It must be important to Zoe. Riley though with a smile before looking around as well.

Except then she heard a click and looked over at Zoe to find her smiling a little impishly. Did she just...? Oh she totally did. Riley thought as she grinned in return and walked over to her to suddenly scoop Zoe up in her arms princess style. "You sneaky girl." She teased, making sure to form the words well as she suddenly threw Zoe up into the air and then caught her, grinning mischievously

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Yes, definitely important; Zoe would likely go on at length about it, even mentioning how it had accidentally gotten broken and how she'd scrimped and saved for months before being able to afford repairs for it (during which time the digital camera had appeared). It was, put simply, Zoe's most prized possession.

And click. Then Zoe was smiling. "Wait, wait!" she said as Riley scooped her up. She let out a little yell and then flailed slightly at being thrown. Her arms went to grab hold tight of the camera, so that when Riley caught her, Zoe had wrapped most of her frail, light body around the machine, holding it snugly against her. She looked up at Riley, already looking apologetic, flushing as she looked down at the camera. "I ah, don't want it, um, damaged... again," she explained, shifting slightly, hoping Riley understood the very specific reason she looked uncomfortable. That she happened to be curled around said camera probably helped though.

[Riley Forrester]

Zoe looked panicked when Riley threw her, and it was obvious she was worried about the camera. Her revenge taken-- and the fact that Riley would feel terrible if she hurt something so important to Zoe-- Riley gently put Zoe down with an apologetic smile of her own. "Sorry." She apologized. Shoot Riley. You just became girlfriends. Don't mess it up on the same damn day! Her brain instructed furiously. She didn't want to displease Zoe in any way, for fear the girl would break up with her because of how terribly corny she was.

Riley was blushing a bit, but just looked at Zoe and then the tree. "So what do you want to take pictures of?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"It's fine, really!" Zoe said, nodding and smiling. "I don't mind it: it's, just, um,' she held up the camera, trying to make it clear yet again that it wasn't her that she was really all that worried about. if it was one thing that Zoe had learned, it was that she could certainly bounce back from quite a bit. Riley let her down gently and Zoe smoothed her clothes and hair for a moment. This latter ended up taking a bit more as Zoe fought to get some of the curls free of her face.

Then she noticed Riley moving and she had to let out a slight laugh. "You?" Zoe said. Sh moved forward slightly, looking. "I've already got, um, one of you with the fox, which was adorable," Zoe looked down at the camera, tilting it to try and see how many pictures she had left. Still a few: advantage of the professional piece of equipment. It may be well used, but that didn't make it any less well-built.

Zoe looked up, studying Riley for a few moments. There were several ideas, but a few weren't pictures that she should probably be taking, and a few required Riley's guitar. "Well, I'd like to get some of just," Zoe moved forward, "like, your natural reaction to the tree? Just, well, it's going to be posed, but sort of, your expressing how you felt about it?" Zoe chewed her cheek, moving forward and looking around. "Also maybe something involving a more contemplative look. You're so striking whenever you're focused: it just draws out all the angles in your face and makes you that much more intriguing," Zoe chewed her cheek, looking around again for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin.

[Riley Forrester]

Zoe assured Riley that it was fine, which did manage to calm Riley a little and make her smile in relief. She nodded when Zoe held up the camera, understanding it's importance to the girl. Think first next time you dolt. Her brain instructed sternly. But then it refocused as Zoe answered her question with a slight laugh. And her response made Riley blush but also chuckle a little. She still wasn't sure why people seemed to enjoy taking photos of her. Seriously. Maybe it's some sort of running inside joke the photography club has going on. Riley internally mused.

Then there was a moment where Zoe just stared at Riley, and the punky girl couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face. It was kind of funny for Zoe to just be staring at her like that, and Riley couldn't help but say "See something you like?" teasingly before chuckling and shaking her head. "Sorry, too hard to resist." She explained before glancing up at the tree. Her natural emotions? That wasn't hard at all. She was awed, in ever sense of the word. When she looked at it, it seriously looked like something out of a fantasy tale. It made Riley smile faintly just at the idea of it all.

Then Riley glanced at Zoe and raised an eyebrow, but smiled at the compliment all the same with a slight blush. "Thanks, Zoe. And focused? Huh..." Riley tried thinking on what she could try getting focused on. Then she looked up at the tree and had an idea. "Well, I would need to focus to climb this tree's roots. Would that work?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The tease had Zoe flushing. "Well, yes, my girlfriend," she replied, giving Riley a shy smile before again turning back to the tree. There was just something magical in the thing's appearance, especially when mixed with what had happened. Yes, Zoe definitely wanted to capture this on film, to get it out there to preserve for ever.

Zoe nodded at the thanks, entering her artistic focus mode now as she studied the tree closely, walking around it. "yes, that should work," she said, sizing up the impressive tree, nodding slightly. "It's, um, like I said: try to do what you want to do, what would come naturally for a moment. Then I can start posing you from there."

Were Zoe a little less focused on her art, she might have noticed the slight comedy in her statement, but as it was, she was far too concerned with getting into the right position and carefully looking over the whole scene.

[Riley Forrester]

My girlfriend. Just that simple statement alone was enough to warm Riley, and the shy little smile that followed certainly made her beam. This was real. They really were official. The fact was enough to make Riley just watch Zoe for a time as the girl looked at the tree, Riley smiling softly and affectionately as she watched the girl move abut the tree and speak. Apparently Riley's idea was sound, because Zoe wanted her to do what she wanted to. The last bit did make Riley chuckle a little since the words sort of contradicted themselves.

But Riley was curious now, and Zoe did want those pics. So Riley stretched before finding a lower root to climb up on as she balanced herself. This is actually pretty fun. She acknowledged with a small smile before making her way up higher with the roots. She had guessed correctly: she had to focus to make sure she stepped in the right places and climbed.