The Magpie Emporium, Monday [10/02]

[giveittoyoursister]

When Vi first opened the store she hadn't actually realised what kind of week it was.

Look, in her defence, it wasn't like was an entirely out of the ordinary thing for them to almost make each other late for work or classes. Only after she'd finished running through her opening checklist did she realise she was starting to feel warm.

After checking the heater to make sure it hadn't mysteriously broken again, Saffron, and finding it hadn't, she realised she was also getting...twitchy, and looking towards the door every time it opened.

It was sometime between when she started shadow boxing to burn off extra energy and when she had to eject several of the gremlins from the games room that it clicked.

Comments

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Hi. Ice cream," Steph said in a strained voice when she did show up between classes, an absolutely massive container from Chilly Boulder practically hugged to her chest. She was trying to be responsible here and not just suggest that they should kick all the customers out, close for the day week day, and go home, okay?

That might be more of a challenge after her afternoon class, granted.

[giveittoyoursister]

"Hey," Vi replied, definitely not looking at the ice cream as her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

Look, that she hadn't already kicked all the customers out was a testament to her professionalism.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Okay day so far?" Steph asked, biting her lip when she happened to glance up just in time to see Vi's tongue flick out. "Nobody getting too... weird?"

Don't mind her hugging the ice cream a little harder, Vi. She appreciated your professionalism! Really!

[giveittoyoursister]

"Had to have word with the gremlins," Vi said as she leaned back against the counter, less casually and more so she had something to grip so she didn't fling herself at Steph. "Otherwise no.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Did she have to look so good leaning back against the counter like that, though? Steph made a frustrated noise and went around to the other side of the counter before putting the ice cream down and sliding a spoon carefully across to Vi.

"I'm not asking about the gremlins," she decided. "Missed you."

It was a gross understatement.

[giveittoyoursister]

"Yeah, you don't wanna do that." Vi picked up the spoon, absently rubbing her thumb over the bowl. "Missed you too."

Was it better or worse now that she knew the exact noise Steph would make if she hauled her across the counter for a kiss and more, far more?

Yes.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Definitely yes, because Steph could picture the exact look on Vi's face before she reached over the counter to haul her over and it had a lot to do with the way her face was suddenly very flushed.

"I got, like, twenty-five random scoops," she told Vi, arms crossed tightly over her chest so she wouldn't start just running her fingers through Vi's hair. "Thought we could try a little bit of everything. Could get us through the day?"

This might be adorably optimistic.

[giveittoyoursister]

It was extremely optimistic, lucky Vi also thought she was extremely adorable.

"I'm always down to try new things with you," she said, digging her spoon into the ice cream and offering it to Steph.

[drumsticksandd20s]

But did being adorable dissuade Vi from wanting to kiss her?

"Always down to try things with you again, too," Steph said, trying and failing to keep her fingers from brushing against Vi's as she took the spoon. She tried not to look at her, but couldn't help flicking a brief glance at her face as she dug into a shockingly pink scoop of sorbet. "Some things just taste too good to not enjoy them again, right?"

[giveittoyoursister]

Not in the slightest.

Vi's eyes were locked on Steph's mouth as she replied "There's some things I'll never get enough of."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Nor did it dissuade Steph from wanting (badly) to be kissed.

Steph glanced down at the spoonful of sorbet, then briefly up at Vi's hair, and chuckled.

"This looks familiar," she said, and honestly she didn't mean to stick her tongue out and start lapping it off the spoon in tiny bits. For reasons, her brain just seemed to be telling her mouth to do that.

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi somehow managed not to groan as she watched Steph.

"Looks like you're enjoying yourself," she said, voice throaty, eyes never leaving her for a moment.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"It's pretty sweet," Steph said, and popped the spoon into her mouth for a moment as if the cold of the sorbet against her tongue would help her cool down a little bit. (It did not.) She pulled the now-empty spoon back out with an audible pop and handed it back to Vi.

"Not the best thing I've ever had in my mouth though."

[giveittoyoursister]

The brush of Vi's fingers against Steph's as she took the spoon was anything but accidental. "It's not," she asked as she scooped her own spoonful of pink sorbet and slid it into her mouth.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph tsked and shook her head with an exaggeratedly sad look that lasted until it was her turn to focus intently on Vi's mouth.

"How soon we forget, hmm? Damn. Guess I'll have to remind you again later."

Just... maybe not for lunch this time. Their afternoons would either be miserable or utterly unproductive.

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi slowly slid the spoon back out of her mouth and licked her lips again. "I need that reminder as soon as I get home."

She wanted it much sooner, but the ice cream would melt if she got that.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Better get dinner on your way home then, because the second you come through the door? It's on, babe."

Steph made a frustrated noise and dug a hand into her hair.

"God, I want to kiss you so bad right now but if I do..."

[giveittoyoursister]

"Yeah, but I don't want to ruin my appetite," Vi said, digging into the ice cream and coming up with another flavour for Steph to try.

"I know." Did Vi's tone suggest she wasn't even going to hold out the projected length of Steph's afternoon class before closing the store and heading back to their her place? Yes.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"But refrigerators and microwaves do exist," Steph pointed out, holding Vi's gaze as she leaned forward to take the spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. She took her time eating it, eyes drifting shut for a moment as she sighed with pleasure. "So we can eat afterward."

Because they were going to need the fuel.

She smiled slightly as she reached for the spoon, more as an excuse to touch Vi again than anything else. "Why do I get the feeling you'll be home sooner than anticipated?"

[giveittoyoursister]

"You got a preference on what I grab?"

They were going to burn through so many calories this week.

Vi traced her fingers along Steph's wrist, unwilling to give up the contact. "I don't know what gives you that impression." Apart from everything about her right now.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Something with a lot of carbs, probably," Steph said, her breath catching slightly at Vi's touch in a way that ought to have been embarrassing, but she couldn't care less this week. "And the less cleanup, the better."

They pretty much had a ready-made game plan for these occasions, which was both impressive and sad.

"Everybody is visibly distracted today. When I went to Chilly Boulder, there was nobody behind the counter for like ten minutes until the employees came out of the back room all rumpled and red-faced. Hell, I saw squirrels getting it on in the park," she said with a grimace at that last bit because god, she wished she could unsee it. "It's one of those weeks. I know how this goes."

Maybe some of the customers would start making out on a table and they'd have a convenient excuse to close up?

[giveittoyoursister]

"Sounds like a pizza night then," Vi said, biting her lip as she watched Steph. And probably a leftover pizza morning and next couple of days.

"Doesn't make it any easier."

That would depend entirely on how much of a damper the gremlins had been.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"You're a genius and I love you," Steph told her, and for the record it was taking all her willpower to not just drop the spoon and curl her fingers around Vi's forearm right now. "Get like... two, will you? And at least three orders of potato wedges. And it'll suck, but we'll make it through the next few hours."

Sure, finger foods tended to get all over your, well, fingers. But that was just an excuse to clean them off for each other.

Please, with this crowd? There were probably at least three people who'd found the gremlins the opposite of a damper.

[giveittoyoursister]

"Whatever my girl wants," Vi said, eyeing Steph's fingers like she was picturing exactly where she wanted them. "Love you too."

And they would be the first three tossed out when Vi finally gave in to the impulse to close.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph grinned at her, although her expression was something close to pained, and scooped up a spoonful of something that had chocolate chunks in it.

"There's also the fried rice I made in class, but I dropped that off at home before I came."

Ahem.

She'd also taken a cold shower, but it didn't seem to be helping much.