[X] Kiss the girl back, disregard the doubts, officially start dating. Girlfriend get.
Grey eyes regarded her.
At this distance, Taylor could track as the pair of pupils scanned over her face, darting in micro-expressions, looking for something, analyzing, trying to compile and figure out what was going on with her. A frenetic energy seemed to drive them on, each and every frame of time making the energy behind it greater.
They reached a conclusion, one that the intelligence behind the eyes did not like.
"I did not go t-"
One of her hands rose up, two fingers angling Nikki's chin before she leaned forward, and pressed her lips against Nikki's.
When Nikki had kissed her, her thoughts had raced, just a myriad of disparate thoughts had flooded through her. This time, it was different. Perhaps it was the lack of surprise or the fact she was the one doing it, but instead of tensing up, or whatever Taylor had expected, tension seemed to melt away. A calm.
She didn't know how else to describe it. It wasn't even a full calm, but there was no heart racing or anything akin to that. Just a steady press of warm and wet against her lips.
Not that Nikki was anything less than enthusiastic, hands that had been resting lightly on her forearms slowly slid up hers until they crossed behind her back, and tugged her closer.
Then the calm started to fall away.
After a few more seconds, the sensation left Taylor as she once again was being studied by grey eyes.
There was less of a rabid motion to them now.
"I enjoyed that greatly." Nikki noted softly, voice laced with a mix of curiosity and an almost clinical interest.
One of her hands removed itself from Taylor, and Nikki felt her own lips. "Yes." Her hand eased itself to rest on Taylor's lower back, warm and like steel with its firmness – no softness to be found. "I would like to kiss you again."
An amused snort escaped from Taylor as she was pulled into her new and terrible fate.
Of course, some middle schoolers barging into the booth about a minute later stopped them short, but it did nothing to stop the upwards quirk to her lips nor the deep ball of emotions bubbling up in her, buoying her.
Evening passed into night.
Night passed into day.
The shadow watched as the girl went home with a pep to her step, her time with her paramour having brought her some amount of joy.
A joy that seemed to bemuse her father.
The next day the girl seemed to have an extra sprout of energy to her as she went about her day in the center of learning.
The birdgirl seemed to soak in the affection like a sponge while the cripple observed with quiet happiness and coy teasing.
However, when her paramour, who was making a rather moronic face, had suggested going out for another time, the girl's expression had dropped and she had made an apology or three and said she was busy.
The birdgirl was crestfallen but seemed understanding much to the girl's relief.
It was some time later that she entered one of the public metal transportation tubes going to her destination…
[] North (Docks, Trainyard & Boat Graveyard) [Taylor went there a week ago and got into a knock down, drag out fight with the Merchants.] {Merchants} <Low intensity fighting, ???>
[] Northwest (Trainyard & Docks South) [Taylor went there three weeks ago and had an encounter with ABB's second in command, Kage] {ABB} <Medium to high intensity fighting; secondary location to main area, ???>
[] West (Docks South) {Coil} <Low to no fighting, ???>
[] Center (Downtown & Boardwalk) [Taylor went there two weekends ago and stopped a mugging.] {New Wave, Protectorate} <No fighting, ???>
[] Southwest (Commercial District & Downtown South) {E88} <Medium to low intensity skirmishing, ???>
[] South (Downtown South) {E88} <High intensity fighting, main area, ???> [Taylor went there a few nights ago, the giant fought some neo-nazis]
[] Southeast (Downtown Coast) {ABB} <High intensity fighting, main area, ???>
Author's note: ITS FINALLY OVER, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Yes. Anyways, posting rates should increase now. I should get another chapter out this weekend or thereabouts.
Please vote and… well, discuss would be hoping for a bit much for this, but I can dream!