Something's Definitely Different

[Riley Forrester]

Riley had to laugh at the face Zoe pulled, and grin as she swatted at Riley's poking hands playfully. Riley was glad that Zoe seemed to finally completely unwind from how tense she had been earlier. She mostly blamed the dress, seeing as that was the major thing that changed. Don't get her wrong, she still loved it and had to keep from staring at Zoe's legs-- No no no no, don't you dare right now.-- but she would've been fine with Zoe in anything. Even her pajamas.

Riley listened at the next bit, and once again she found Zoe's words melting her heart as easily as fire could melt an ice cube. Seriously, how does she do that? Riley wondered, but decided she didn't care. All she cared about at that moment was the girl in front of her. When Zoe squeezed her hand, Riley smiled warmly and squeezed it back, meeting Zoe's eyes. "I do. Every bit, piece, and part of her." She confirmed firmly. "Cause honestly, I don't think I could find anything not to like." She added sincerely.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe thought she noticed Riley's eyes raking her body. She hoped so. She hoped it wasn't her imagination. Riley had seen her with just a shirt and boxer shorts on, she'd seen her dressed cute, and now she was seeing Zoe when she put her all into making herself as enticing as possible. She wanted Riley to see her as sexy, as someone she'd want, and she hoped to ignite that feeling in a sort of permanent way, even as she kept saying her same words.

She felt the squeeze, heard the confirmation, and it warmed her. "Well, I'm quite thin," Zoe pointed out. "And horribly shy. I'm also dreadfully clingy and quite needy. Oh, and I've sent literally every girl I've loved to the hospital. But you already know all that," she gave Riley another warm smile, shifting slightly. She leaned over to whisper:

"I wore this dress for you, you know," before flushing, "so, um, it's, ah, okay if you... you want to look or...or something," no, no, no blushing, no going flame red: think sexy.

[Riley Forrester]

Riley chuckled as Zoe listed off the traits about herself, making Riley smirk a little. "Well I'm terribly cheesy, have a penchant for procrastinating when I have the urge to play my guitars, will normally put my foot in my mouth, and tend to worry about things way too much." Riley returned. But then Zoe was leaning forward, and Riley blinked. What is she....

Oh.

It took a second or two for the words to hit Riley. And when they did, it felt like all the blood went Riley's face in a rush, making her ears set on fire as well. Her brain short circuited for a second and she was rendered speechless although her mouth was parted slightly. After a few seconds passed Riley finally gulped and looked away. "Oh... Umm...." Was all she could manage. Holyfuckingshit Zoe. Holy shit.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe had to let out a smile, stopping just short of outright giggling, as Riley listed off her own "bad" traits. Really, she had to convince the girl that the cheesiness, as she kept insisting (first gift: thesaurus, seriously), was part of what made her so appealing. Of course, Zoe would wager that there were probably things that she did, maybe even things she'd just listed, that Riley would've claimed were precisely why she fell for her.

Maybe they'd get to talk about that later, assuming either of them could form words. Because had finally gotten the reaction from Riley that she wanted. That expression, a familiar redness that she just wasn't used to seeing on someone else, that gulp, the stammering, it all made Zoe feel elated. "It's okay, really," she insisted, giving Riley's hand another squeeze, "I'm your girlfriend, remember? That means I want you to---to look," and do other things, "but, um, not so much... other peo--"

and of course the waitress would pick just that time to arrive with their drinks. Zoe almost sprang away as if shocked, pulling her hand and putting it in her lap, like, she was a good little girl. The waitress just smiled and served the drinks, letting them know that food would be ready in a few moments.

[Riley Forrester]

Riley's brain was honestly going through a panic, and if she didn't know any better, she'd think little people were running around in it screaming. All while throwing images into Riley's mind that she really, really shouldn't be thinking about the girl next to her. Shit shit shit shiiiiiiiiit Zoe. Holy shit. Came the string of words that she could actually make out. Zoe was saying something too, insisting it was ok for Riley to look while giving her hand a squeeze. It snapped a bit of sense into Riley and she managed to meet Zoe's gaze, her mouth parting slightly as if she'd say something.

But then the waitress came and it seemed to startle Zoe back and give Riley a second to collect herself. Thoughts were still running rampant, but Riley had a way of dealing with those. Suddenly, a giant dinosaur came and just ate everything in her mind up in one, huge, satisfying chomp. It was a technique she had perfected long ago, and allowed her to breath a little easier to let her nod and smile at the waitress before the woman walked away.

Then her head was turning to Zoe, and she could feel her cheeks still warm from her blushing. She wanted to look. Oh god, did she want to look. But at the same time, Riley felt hesitant to just start ogling Zoe right then and there. It didn't seem respectful. She didn't want to treat Zoe like some sort of sexy object by just stripping her-- No no, bad wording. Stop.-- with her eyes. But then Zoe said she had wanted Riley to look. Wanted her to see because she had done this for Riley. It was so obvious the amount of effort Zoe had gone through for. Yet still, Riley hesitated. After a moment or two of biting her lip and looking away, she turned her gaze back to Zoe's. ""I.... Are you sure?" She asked, almost like asking permission

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The water came, the waitress came, that moment of awkwardness came. Zoe sat there, feeling the hem of her dress having ridden up slightly. She fought the urge to tug it, feeling like that would definitely send a mixed message after her stammered bit about wanting Riley to look at her. That was the point, right? Get Riley to see her as sexy, as someone she could lust after. That was the goal.

Mission accomplished, apparently.

Zoe felt the eyes and turned to look, smiling shyly, feeling warm and tingly all over yet again. She could see Riley nibbling, hesitating, finally meeting her gaze. Zoe took a breath, meeting Riley's eyes. She nodded, before adding softly: "I don't want to---to look sexy for anyone but you," she swallowed after she finished it, flushing again, realizing that there was a sort of commitment there. Definitely not something she could explain more than that, and she'd been lucky to manage that much.

[Riley Forrester]

There was a shy smile and a nod before the verbal consent was given. Riley could hear something of a commitment in the words there, saying Zoe only wanted to look sexy for Riley. The punky girl had to wonder just what she had done to deserve something-- no, someone so.... wonderful. Which was why Riley coded her eyes and exhaled, letting her head drop from a moment before she opened her eyes and allowed herself to actually look.

Riley started with Zoe's feet, slowly working her way up the other girl's legs and actually allowing herself to look and appreciate the bared pale skin. Riley slowly breathed in as she continued on, looking over the dress that clung to Zoe and really showed off her figure. Riley could feel her cheeks burning, but kept going, lingering at some spots for only a second longer before finally meeting Zoe's eyes. She held that gaze for a few seconds, exhaling slowly with all the air she had taken in.

"Wow, Zoe." Was All Riley could really say, and even that was breathless and a tad husky. Because seriously. Wow.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

She looked. Zoe couldn't help but tense as she felt Riley's eyes on her, looking her over, figuring her out. The feet, she started there for some reason. Zoe could swear she almost felt the gaze traveling upward. Did Riley realize that Zoe hadn't bared this much flesh for anyone since she'd found out she was a mutant? It meant being open, putting herself out there, proving that she wasn't afraid of herself, that she could trust. Riley had to know: Riley knew enough of Zoe to have already figured it out, so surely she had to know this, had to have figured it out, had to have. And her gaze kept going. the dress did bring out the best in Zoe: her complexion, her slender frame, everything. Then the wow.

No, not a wow.
A wow. Husky, breathless, wanting.

Zoe scooted forward again. She leaned in slightly. She kissed her girlfriend lightly on the cheek. "Just for you," she repeated, smiling shyly, moving some hair back before settling in. "You look very wow too, you know," she couldn't help but sound a bit teasing then. "I like the suit. Um," she licked her lips, but, well, this might make things a little more comfortable, or at least lighter: "You're not, not dressing up like that because I'm so feminine, right? Like, I don't--I know that some of us are---that they do that? I read up, and there are butches and femmes and all, but, well, I'd really just us be... us?" Zoe let out a sigh, feeling like she was making something complicated. So much for making it lighter.

[Riley Forrester]

She knew this was special. It was obvious how special this whole thing was. Seriously. After all Riley had learned about Zoe, she could tell the girl had really gone all out for this. For Riley. Recognizing it filled Riley with warmth even as her heart was hammering and her mind was in a turmoil from actually letting herself look. And that wasn't all it seemed.

Zoe scooted forward, and the distance between them drew shorter. There was leaning, and a light kiss to Riley's heated cheek. She was so sensitive to everything Zoe did at the moment. Noticing every little thing she did. It was like looking had flipped some sort of hyper switch off in Riley and she was still running on that mode. There was assurance that this was all just for Riley, which only made her blush anew as she watched Zoe smile and tuck some hair away.

Then Zoe was telling Riley she looked wow too, which only made Riley chuckle a little. But then there was a licking of lips, and Riley had to pull her eyes back up to Zoe's as she continued. The girl's next words helped bring Riley out of her hyper state mostly because Riley realized what Zoe was saying. She was worried that Riley was dressing like a man for her. Blinking, Riley shook her head. Oh! No!" She assured the girl. "I just don't like dresses all that much. Suits look a lot better on me while dresses..." Riley trailed off as she looked at Zoe's dress for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "Dresses definitely look better on you." She stated with a slight smile.

"But I swear I'm not doing this cause you're so feminine or something. It's just.... me." Riley said with a shrug, rubbing the back of her neck. "I just feel more comfortable in these. I mean... if you want to see me in a dress sometime... I could try it." She offered slowly. She really didn't like dresses,but for Zoe... she could manage.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The assurances nearly made Zoe sigh with relief. She really didn't want to fall into any designed role just because of her sexuality or anything like that. It wasn't some faux man she was looking for anyway, even if she did admit to appreciating androgyny (you only had to look at her history to realize that most of those that drew her were either exotic, androgynous, or some combination thereof). "You do fill that suit out very well," Zoe admitted, running her eyes over her girlfriend, appreciating all the subtlety in her appearance.

Just her: "That's fine, really," Zoe insisted. "You don't have to. I mean, I would like to see you in a dress sometime," she let out a slight giggle. "Maybe I should wear a suit for you too?" She could at least picture it: she'd look quite professional. She even had a pants suit too: one of the donations had come from a relatively well off woman who'd insisted that every girl "needed a good suit."

"You do know you're pretty though, right?" Zoe asked, straightening to look into her girlfriend's eyes. "I mean, yes, you're, um, sexy because you care and you're a musician. Who doesn't like musicians?" she smiled and flushed. "But, you're also, well, I can see your soft parts, like, in your face," she ran her hand along Riley's face before flushing. "I'm sorry: I'm messing all this up, aren't I? I just like you a lot, so things just get... jumbled," she let out a laugh, lowering her head for a moment. She moved some hair aside as she looked up. "I guess you know what that's like..."

[Riley Forrester]

At the compliment, Riley did chuckle a little, calming down a bit more gradually from the state Zoe had put her in. Although the appreciative run over Zoe did with her eyes definitely made Riley blush a little more. But then they were on the topic of wearing a dress, and Riley had to admit she was a tiny bit relieved that Zoe wasn't forcing her to wear a dress. Although, she never would think Zoe would force her to do anything really. Which was why when Zoe said she really would want to see Riley in one, and even put a suit on in return, Riley smiled and chuckled a little. "That sounds like it could be fun." Riley stated with a nod. "I'd be up for it."

But then Zoe was straightening and meeting Riley's eyes, insisting that the punky girl was pretty too. It made Riley flush a bit more, especially when Zoe insisted that she was also sexy and a musician. The Musician part made her chuckle a little despite her blushing, although the next part did make her heart soar when Zoe commented on her soft parts and gently touched the punky girl's face. Oh Zoe... You're the sweetest thing I've ever met. Riley thought with a warm and fond smile as Zoe apologized.

Riley took the girl's hands in her own-- after almost instinctively helping Zoe move a strand from her face-- and ran her thumbs over the back of Zoe's, smiling. "I definitely do." She confirmed, chuckling.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe had to giggle back as Riley chuckled. "You know you don't have to agree to everything I suggest, right? I already like you," she had to say. For some reason though, she really didn't think that Riley was just agreeing to make Zoe happy, or because she thought it was what Zoe wanted to hear. The two were just compatible with one another, knew what they wanted and what they needed. It was such a nice feeling and a different sort of nice than dating Devyn or Alice had been.

Riley's hand met hers, that smile warming her. Zoe felt the hand going up to her ear, brushing back hair, nearly connecting with her earrings. The gesture made Zoe flush again. She almost wanted to stretch her neck slightly, show off the newly pierced ears: something else she'd done for Riley. But, well, Zoe was fairly certain that she'd at least monopolized the last several moments at the very least.

"Well, would you listen to us?" she said, letting out another laugh. "I do think we like each other very much, Miss Forrester," she smiled warmly at her date.

[Riley Forrester]

Riley laughed at Zoe's little remark, and ended up grinning at her. "Then stop making suggestions that I already agree with!" She teased. "But seriously. It's easy to say yes because it's stuff I've already kinda said 'ok' to in my head. you know?" Riley stated before shaking her head and chuckling. "If that makes sense." She added with a bit of a smirk. And it was true. She wasn't just doing this to please Zoe or something. Honestly, she was already ok with all the things she agreed to. They just really.... fit. Like a puzzle..... Wow, that was a terrible analogy. You sound so sappy. Her brain stated.

However, Riley was focused on Zoe again, watching her flush a little as she moved her hair back. She loved doing that. It was just... It was special for Riley. And this time it brought a focus to Zoe's ears when the hair was out of the way. "Wow. I love your earrings. Were your ears always pierced though?" Riley asked, reaching one hand out to lightly touch the ear and jewelry before retracting her hand back down to once again hold Zoe's.

Riley laughed with Zoe at her little end question and then just had to lean forward and plant a brief kiss on Zoe's lips before leaning back and grinning at her. "Why, Ms. Wallerstein, I thought that was quiet obvious from the very start."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The agreeing business just had Zoe smiling again, glad to hear that they just kept meshing up with one another. And while what Riley said about already agreeing did seem a little strange, at the same time Zoe could understand what she meant. In many ways it just felt as if they'd already decided all this and linked up with one another. They fit, as Riley's mind was so keen to say.

And then she noticed! "I got them pierced!" Zoe nearly squealed, eyes dancing with delight again. "Since we keep playing with my hair and all, I wanted, um, well, I..." she fidgeted, "wanted to look pretty for you," she admitted, knowing that this went along almost too well with the sexy dress and all. Still, she supposed she should let Riley know. There was a kiss in there, one that warmed her and took away more doubt.

"Miss Wallerstein-Smythe," she corrected, sounding quite British as she tapped her girlfriend on the arm. "It's very important for me that you use the full name, even if it is a mouthful. See, Smythe is my step-mother's name. When she married my father, we all agreed to change our names to this, to show that we matched and we're something new. We used to be the Wallerstein family and the Smythe family, but then they married and we became the Wallerstein-Smythes," Zoe nodded, feeling quite confident in this part of her identity, at the least, even if she hadn't talked to any other Wallerstein-Smythes in some time.

[Riley Forrester]

Zoe seemed so excited. It's soooooo cute. Riley though, grinning at the sheer excitement and joy on the other girl's face. But then there was fidgeting and the admission that Zoe had done this for Riley. All to look pretty for her. Seriously, Riley' heart was going to melt and rest in Riley's toes by the end of the night. All of this? And just forRiley? She had no idea what made Zoe see her as something worth all this. But just the fact that Zoe had done all this just for her made Riley's expression tender and forced her to plant another swift but very affectionate kiss not he girl's lips. "Thank you." She said sincerely. "You didn't have to go all out like this but.... Thank you Zoe" She said, squeezing the girl's hands.

Riley bit back a chuckle at how proper Zoe had gotten, but smiled and listened as Zoe explained her last name and what it did for the family. When she finished, Riley smiled and nodded herself. "Forgive me, Ms. Wallerstein-Smythe, but what I said still stands." She stated with a grin. "I believe my feelings were quite obvious from the start."