A/N: Yes, it is in fact me rising from the dead for the nth time – but this time I actually have something to post, what a concept! Long-awaited Aliya/Stella part 2. (Follows First Date). Don’t think it’s my best work, but here it is anyway. Enjoy!
“Hey, don’t you have to get ready?”
Aliya gave her roommate a side glance, biting the inside of her lip. Of course she needed to get ready. She was simply doing her best to stay calm and relaxed until the last possible moment. “In a minute,” she replied, pretending to watch the NatGeo special playing on tv, trying not to think about Stella.
“You like her, I love it,” Caroline teased. Aliya just blushed and shrugged. Duh. “You do! Quit stalling, Ali, you’re going to be late.”
Aliya rolled her eyes but grudgingly stood, knowing she was right. “Fine. But it’s not a big deal, it’s just brunch.” At least that was what she’d been telling herself over and over, in the hopes that it might lessen her nerves. It… wasn’t working. She couldn’t forgive herself for screwing up the first date, for running away because of a stupid stomachache. (But that stomachache, ugh that stomachache… she’d nearly gotten sick the next morning.) So really, in truth this was a lot more than brunch. This was her chance to redeem herself — and she was terrified of screwing it up.
Caroline seemed to hear her thoughts. “It’s not ‘just brunch’. It’s your second date! Show me what you’re wearing.”
That was one way to motivate Aliya — there was no way was she going to let Caroline critique her outfit. The self-criticism was more than enough, thanks very much. “Alright, I’m going!” She darted into her bedroom, catching Caroline’s smile as the door swung shut.
The brunch spot Stella had chosen was crowded when Aliya arrived, reminding her of why she never went to brunch. It was a holiday Monday, and apparently everyone who wasn’t working was taking full advantage. Seeing no sign of Stella, she found a spot to wait, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. Had their first date really been just three days ago? Despite her nerves, maybe it was good that they were meeting again so soon, before too much time elapsed… a legitimate chance at a second impression, maybe. She sighed, unbuttoning her coat and distracting herself by watching people coming and going. She could smell food cooking, and promised herself that this time she would eat a normal, non-bellyache-inducing portion.
Several minutes passed. Aliya checked the time; Stella was late, no message. She was about to text Caroline (what if she doesn’t come?) when Stella suddenly appeared, stepping hurriedly through the door and scanning the crowd, eyes landing on Aliya.
Immediately she could tell that something was off. Stella looked… tense. Stunning — in all black, with red lipstick and drop earrings — but tense. She swallowed, automatically assuming this was her fault. Was it because of what happened Friday night? Or maybe she’d said something weird when they were texting? Or maybe Stella didn’t like her hair, braided like this? Or maybe—
“I love your hair,” Stella said as she moved toward her, voice just loud enough to be heard over the crowd. Her smile softened her features for a moment, giving Aliya space to breathe.
Well, at least it’s not the hair… Holy hell, she’s so beautiful. “Thank you. You look really nice.” Was that okay to say? Did she sound too eager?
Stella just smiled again, making brief eye contact before being jostled by other diners. Aliya’s eyes were entirely too easy to get lost in, and her lips… “So do you. I’m sorry I’m late, let me check in.”
Maybe she was just tense because she was late? Even so, Aliya struggled to shake the oh god, what did I do feeling as the host led them to a table being cleared near the windows. As they shed their coats she tried to quiet her nerves, noting in a forced-casual tone, “It seems like this place is really popular.”
Stella studied her, the blue in her eyes striking against her black outfit. “A friend recommended it a while back. Apparently it’s good.” She tilted her head without breaking her gaze, smiling as Aliya settled into her chair. “It’s lovely to see you again.”
Aliya blushed, noticing her mouth was dry. “Thanks for, um, wanting to see me again.” She smiled back shyly, biting her lip without thinking.
Stella’s laugh was soft and bright, yet short-lived as she noticed Aliya’s confusion. “Sorry, I just… you amuse me, that’s all.”
Oh. Is that a… good thing? Uncertain, Aliya picked up her napkin. “What do you mean?”
“The suggestion that I might not have wanted to see you again was so…” Stella trailed off, her smile fading. “I like you, Aliya.”
Aliya’s breath caught. Well, sure, part of her brain had assumed as much, considering Stella’s obvious (still puzzling) interest in her. But the other parts worried she was just a curiosity to this gorgeous, quadrilingual PhD overachiever - so for Stella to openly admit that, now, here… Aliya swallowed, trying to process. She could hear her heartbeat thudding in her ears. I like you too, Stella…
Before she could respond, a waiter arrived to fill their water glasses, and Stella changed the subject.
Despite the chaos of the restaurant Aliya found herself relaxing as they slipped into pleasant conversation. God, it was just so easy to talk to her… even with that red lipstick distracting her, constantly pulling Aliya’s eyes down to Stella’s lips, the memory of their kisses sending warmth through her body. But just as she was beginning to think the tension she’d noticed earlier had been entirely in her head, Stella shifted in her chair and winced. It was a slight wince, barely there and then gone, but Aliya noticed.
Is she in pain? Is it more of the PMS from Friday? Aliya stopped herself from spiraling down that rabbit hole — Stella would tell her if there was a problem. Right?
Setting aside her concerns, she had almost managed to forget them entirely when their food arrived — an omelette for her and a half sandwich with soup for Stella. A glance at Stella found her looking… pale. Aliya bit her tongue, hard enough to keep herself from blurting out ‘are you okay’. Instead, she watched as Stella took a drink of water, wondering if the slight tremble in her hand was real or just her eyes playing tricks on her.
Aliya had finished just over half of her omelette when Stella put down her soup spoon, taking what looked to be a pained sip of water. She’d barely touched her sandwich. In a strange mirror of what had happened on their first date, this time it was Stella who rose suddenly from the table. “I’ll be right back,” she said with a forced smile, stepping away toward the bathrooms.
“Oh…” Aliya murmured, the word immediately lost to the din of the room. Her leg twitched, head turning to watch Stella navigate the room - she wanted to follow her, wanted to help if something was wrong… and there was something wrong, she knew that now. But it didn’t seem right to bother her. And so Aliya stayed put, eyes wandering to Stella’s barely-eaten food. Suddenly she was no longer hungry.
Stella leaned against the wall in the bathroom, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath before unzipping her bag and digging around for the Aleve she always carried with her. Her head was pounding, stomach sore and cramping as her period struggled to begin. This was not how she’d wanted this date to go.
She needed to eat, convince her stomach to settle. Of course, all she really wanted to do was go home and lay down, but it was too late for that. She swallowed two pills dry, wincing as she felt another cramp, hand moving to her lower belly. Breathe… She stared at her reflection in the small mirror, trying to ignore the exhaustion in her eyes and gather the strength to return to the table. Is this how Aliya had felt on Friday? Ugh, she wished it on no one. She should have cancelled — Aliya deserved better than this.
After a minute or two Stella collected herself and returned to the dining room, apologizing for her sudden disappearance. Anxious, Aliya studied her closely. To save her the question, Stella added, “I’m okay, Aliya.”
Aliya blanched, mortified her concern was so obvious. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“No apology needed,” Stella interrupted, forcing herself to pick up her sandwich. The prospect of eating more of it was extremely unappealing. “Just my period, that’s all.”
Aliya swallowed, somewhat relieved that her suspicions had been confirmed. “Oh,” she said, looking down at her lap and nervously touching her hair. “I’m sorry.” How bloated is she…
“It’s not your fault,” Stella said between bites, giving her a small smile. “Just… trying to convince myself to eat.”
Aliya nodded sympathetically, all too familiar with the feeling. “Take your time.”
Ten minutes later, Stella had reached her limit, stomach growing more and more queasy with every bite. Wordlessly she pushed her plate forward and settled back into her chair, desperate to be horizontal. Aliya was talking about 1840s art in Spain, something Stella was genuinely interested in but found herself having trouble paying attention to. She felt too warm, her head pounding.
Incapable of ignoring Stella’s obvious discomfort, Aliya signaled for the check. She was worried, mostly for Stella but selfishly also for herself - was this the end of the date? She hoped not, wondering if she could persuade Stella to let her accompany her home. Doubtful, if she’s feeling sick…
When the check was paid they headed outside, pausing on the sidewalk as Aliya pretended to search for her phone. She was stalling, trying to see if Stella looked any better now that they were in the cold air. Unclear…
Stella caught Aliya stealing looks at her and ran a hand through her hair, swallowing against rising nausea. She was beginning to wonder if this was just her period giving her trouble, or something worse. Regardless, despite how she felt she didn’t relish the idea of abandoning Aliya so soon - certainly this had not been the date either of them had expected.
“Do you want to come to my place for a little while?” Aliya asked suddenly, surprising them both.
Stella felt her heart rate jump. She very much wanted to see Aliya’s home, and all of the art she likely kept there. But if her stomach continued to bother her, she worried it would just turn into a repeat of Friday, reversed. She did not relish the idea of being ill around this woman she was so fond of, and yet…
“Yes,” she answered, sounding much calmer than she felt.
Aliya smiled through nerves, amazed her impulsive idea had worked. “It’s just a ten minute walk, is that okay?”
Stella nodded. “Lead the way.”
Aliya did her best to carry the conversation on the way to her apartment. Stella was quiet, attempting conversation but struggling to sustain it — it was easy to read her body language, the nausea obvious. After a few minutes Aliya quickened their pace, eager to help Stella inside where she could sit and relax. But when they finally reached their destination, Aliya felt a sudden urge to turn around.
She could not help but compare her building to Stella’s, noticing every single flaw, small things she barely noticed on a normal day — broken door handle, dirt on the carpet, creak of the stairs, spiderwebs in the hallway. She was regretting the invitation with every step. But it was too late now.
As they climbed the stairs — of course her building didn’t have an elevator — Aliya prayed that her neighbor would not be home and cooking whatever it was that so often smelled like rotten garbage. Fortunately, judging by the stale but non-offensive air in the stairwell, he was not. They had almost reached her floor when the creaking behind her stopped suddenly, Aliya turning to find Stella leaning against the wall, face strikingly pale, hand near her mouth. “Stella?” She skipped back down a few steps, heart pounding.
“I’m…” Stella swallowed hard, hands trembling.
Oh my god, she’s going to throw up. Emotions swirling, Aliya forced herself to focus. “It’s just a few more stairs, okay?” She extended her hand. Silently Stella took it, following her up to the landing.
Aliya tried to keep her nerves from showing as she unlocked her apartment door, knowing Caroline was at work but checking for signs of life just in case. The living room was quiet — cluttered and messy, but quiet. She released a held breath, turning to check on Stella.
Stella didn’t need to see the worry on Aliya’s face to know that she was properly ill. Her stomach was churning, body trembling as she fought to keep down the bile threatening at the back of her throat. Oh god… Wasting no time, she headed toward the bathroom, fingers shaking as she unbuttoned her coat.
Aliya locked the door and followed Stella, flipping on the bathroom light and praying no cockroaches had chosen to appear while she was gone. Quickly she slipped Stella’s coat from her shoulders, turning to place it on a chair.
When she turned back, she half expected to find a closed door. Instead she found Stella crouched by the toilet, dry heaving. Aliya felt an unmistakable flutter in her stomach, sudden warmth between her thighs. No, this wasn’t hot. It wasn’t. (Ugh, but it was…) Aliya rushed to her side, sweeping Stella’s beautiful hair up and away from her neck. “It’s okay,” she said softly, trying to soothe without crossing a line. Just don’t touch her belly…
Stella burped and started to cough — wet, strangled coughs that sounded extremely sick. She was shaking properly now, wishing she could ask Aliya to leave but mostly just desperate to get the inevitable over with. After a few moments the coughs gave way to a gag, Stella choking on saliva that she spat into the water, one hand gripping the porcelain.
Aliya nearly shuddered, watching Stella’s shoulders heave painfully until her stomach finally contracted, sending undigested food and sour liquid into the toilet. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit… She swallowed arousal mixed with panic, waiting to see if Stella would vomit again. But she just shook her head, coughing and reaching for tissue to dab at her mouth and nose.
Her body was trembling as she stood to rinse her mouth, bending over the sink and bringing palmfuls of water to her lips. “I’m… sorry, Aliya. I should go home,” she murmured, exhausted and embarrassed, turning toward the door with a hand over her stomach.
“No,” Aliya responded, quiet but firm. “You’re sick, you can’t… you need to rest. My roommate’s out until tonight.”
Stella winced and looked at her, illness clouding her eyes, traces of lipstick smudged on her mouth. She’s too kind. Slowly she nodded, accepting the offer without a word. I need to lie down…
“Sorry it’s so messy, I… didn’t plan for guests,” Aliya apologized as they returned to the cluttered living room. “You can have my bedroom, here…” She walked toward the closed door, throwing it open and feeling a rush of relief at the reminder of the previous weekend’s cleaning spree. No dust or old paint brushes, at least.
“It’s lovely,” Stella said, blearily acknowledging Aliya’s art on the walls as she sank onto the bed, holding her stomach. It ached now, nausea dull but hovering. “Thank you,” she added, attempting a weak smile. “I’m sorry for this. It’s not— this isn’t the date I had in mind.”
Oh, Stella… Aliya joined her on the bed, placing one hand gently on her shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re sick,” she said softly. Her eyes drifted down to Stella’s stomach, seeing it properly for the first time all day — unsurprisingly, she looked even more bloated than Friday. “Is there anything I can do?”
Stay, Stella wanted to say, the thought catching her off-guard. She had never been comfortable with others seeing her weak or vulnerable, and yet there was something about Aliya that made her crave her company. She’s probably quite good at care-taking… But no, it was too early for that; she could not possibly ask Aliya to lay with her, risk her getting ill. She swallowed her thoughts, shaking her head slightly. “Just going to lay down,” she murmured, eyes catching on Aliya’s lips and lingering before looking away.
Wishing she could rub Stella’s belly but wanting to respect her wishes, Aliya nodded, rising from the bed. “I’ll get you some water and a bin.” Stella nodded and curled up on her side, both hands pressed to her stomach. As soon as Aliya left she could unbutton her pants, take them off…
Quickly Aliya returned with the promised glass of water and a blanket, moving her room’s bin closer to the bed. “If you need anything I’ll be in the living room, okay?” In a moment of boldness she laid the blanket over Stella and reached out to stroke her hair gently - a surprisingly intimate gesture, Stella’s eyes falling shut. After a few moments Aliya had to force herself to stop, pulling back before she could make Stella uncomfortable.
Do it again, Stella wanted to say. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I’ll be here when you wake up,” Aliya replied softly, turning off the overhead light. She paused, taking one last look at Stella curled up on the bed before slipping out through the door.
It would not be long before Stella called for her.
(TBC, eventually hopefully)
