Chloe reached out her hand to Noelle’s, and tried to take it in her own. “Hey, uh, I know this is kind of a random time to say, but, uhm, I’ve definitely made up my mind on where I want to live. Uhm. Uh. Please don’t be mad at me.” Chloe did not quite realizing that what she was saying and how she was saying probably made the words more difficult to hear than they needed to be. “I just... I want to live with you, Elle, but I can’t be away from my family for too long. I think two weeks was pretty perfect. Would you hate me if I had to go back to London every few months?” There were no ill intentions in her words even though they sure came out in a stressful order. This was incredibly difficult for her to admit, though, and she had been stewing on saying something since she had gotten back. While she had dropped little hints like saying that she was so excited to move in with Noelle, it had never been anything so direct.
Written in collaboration by @chloevara and @icarialex
Who: Chloe Vara and Noelle Park
When: Saturday, February 27
Where: Chloe’s dad’s house (also lived 7 other people also live there) in Hounslow, London
What: Open house party for for friends and family the night before Chloe and Noelle are scheduled to fly back to Greece
Chloe stole a moment away from her family’s open house to sit on the toilet with the lid closed. She probably had somewhere between five and ten minutes before someone checked in to make sure she had not fallen in or something. It was not like she did not want to go back and enjoy the party- on the contrary, she enjoyed this more than just about anything else in the world. It had been nearly five years since she had seen these people, and it simultaneously felt like no time had passed at all, and that she had missed out on everything of importance.
She skimmed through the pictures that she had saved on her phone, stopping on one taken yesterday. Chloe’s cousin Nadine had met up Noelle and Chloe while they were dropping off Vi at school. Nadine had stolen Chloe’s phone, and taken a selfie. Noelle appeared to be watching Chloe with adoration while Chloe hugged Vi good-bye. Meanwhile, Nadine took up the bottom left quadrant of the photo with a peace sign. It was such a perfect picture, and Chloe wished that every day could be so perfect.
Zooming in on Noelle’s face, Chloe smiled softly. It had been a whirlwind two weeks, but it had been so, so worth it. She felt more alive than she had in months. And that was why it was agonizing for Chloe to admit what she wanted- no, needed to tell the most wonderful girlfriend that she ever had.
Opening up the web browser on her phone, Chloe scanned through the website that she had come back to about thirty times in secret over the past week. Looking over the site filled her with trepidation and relief. A weird combination, but that was what it was.
Someone knocked on the door to the WC, and Chloe rushed to get it. It was her dad’s fiancé Simon. Although she still did not know the guy well, she really liked him so far. It was weird that she did not know him better, but it was obvious that Simon made her dad more comfortable in a relationship than Chloe had ever seen him. “Sorry to keep you waiting. It’s all yours. I lost track of time,” she said, rubbing at her neck. Simon nodded, smiled, and mumbled his thanks.
Chloe moved down the hallway, and nearly crashed into Noelle. Without warning her, Chloe wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, burying her face in Noelle’s neck. “I have to- I’m sorry, I love you so much, but- I can’t-” This probably sounded like a break-up, but it wasn’t. She wanted to stay in this relationship more than anything. “I’m going to delay my trip back to Icaria by two weeks. Please don’t hate me. I- I’ve been looking at flights, and- I promise to come back to you, but I have to do this.”
Ten days ago, Noelle would have panicked at being left alone with so many people she didn’t know well, but to say the wild bunch had grown on her would be an understatement. They were all quirky, but oh so welcoming. Immediately the veterinarian was taken in as family, and even though she couldn’t put it into words, that fact made her more emotional than expected. It had been so long since she’d been in any type of family environment, and she’d bottled up any emotions about that fact very deep. She’d convinced herself that she didn’t miss it or desire one anymore. It also helped that her family environment wasn’t one she would miss.
Then, Chloe’s family smacked her square in the face. A family like theirs was one that she thought only lived in a sitcom. Yet, there it was bustling around her, and she would miss them when she returned back home.
Chloe throwing herself into Noelle’s arms wasn’t all that surprising anymore, but the words that spilled out as she did so were. A part of the veterinarian scolded herself for not thinking of the possibility, so she wouldn’t be taken by so much surprise. The woman didn’t enjoy being caught off guard by situations, and she usually was ready for just about any possibility. There was nothing to be done about it right then though, so she just closed her eyes for a brief moment to take in exactly what was being said to her.
Anxiety attempted to swell within her, but she stomped it down. The thoughts about how she’d just gotten Chloe back, the fear of the event planner wanting to stay even longer with her obviously wonderful family, and the questions about how they would work if that were the case were all placed within a small box that she’d unpack later. Right then, she put on a small smile and nodded. “I can’t hate you. That’s actually impossible for me to do,” she reassured first and foremost. “I understand why you want to stay longer. I can’t be upset at you for wanting more time with your family. It’s okay, Chlo.”
To Chloe’s credit, she didn’t cry, but she did refuse to look at Noelle’s face as these words were said. “Okay. Okay… That’s… Okay. I know you, uhm, might want to talk about other logistics. You’re the first person I’ve told,” Chloe said, still wrapping herself up into Noelle’s arms. “Except the entire internet. That knows I’m planning on booking this return flight. Do you want to, uhm, talk more about this now? Or later in our room?” She said this without thinking about it. ‘Our’ room as if Noelle belonged there too. Because she did. Chloe wanted Noelle anywhere that she was. But then Chloe was even more excited about her impending move into Noelle’s house. It was a lot to think about.
Worrying about her girlfriend was easier than paying any actual attention to her own feelings in that moment. Noelle refused to allow Chloe to feel guilty about wanting to stay, so she leaned forward and pressed a brief kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “You’re in the middle of a party with a bunch of people you love. It’s okay. It’s not like I won’t talk to you for two weeks,” she said as a way to reassure both her girlfriend and herself. A part of her wanted to say that she wished the woman had told her earlier if it was something playing on her mind for a while, but again it wasn’t the time or place. Plus, Noelle knew things had been hard since she’d returned from the kidnappings, so putting any more negativity on her girlfriend was something she was worried about. “I’ve got to go to our room in a little bit to make sure I’ve got everything packed, but I don’t want you fretting over this all night. I know you’re happy to be staying longer. It’s okay to be.”
Apparently, Chloe was not doing as good as she had hoped when it came to keeping tears out of her eyes. She still averted Noelle’s gaze to keep from completely melting down at this party which was supposed to be a happy gathering. Pulling back, she wiped at her mostly-dry eyes with her sleeve, and took Noelle’s hand. “Auntie Dani was planning on breaking out her baby pictures at some point. If you wanted to catch her, I think I’m ready to face them,” Chloe suggested, focusing on the here and now. It confused her how she could feel so happy, loved, and upset all at once, but here she was. Even admitting that she wanted to go home had not stopped Chloe from feeling way too much all at once. “Why don’t we do that, and then I can’t let you pack up?” Dani’s stash of baby pictures was much more secretive and unknown than Chloe’s dad’s. Chloe herself had only seen them in little batches. “It probably will only take two minutes because she never does too many?”
Baby pictures being brought out was not something she could miss. While she was new at the whole significant other thing, she knew that families showing them to the new girlfriend or boyfriend was a big deal. Skipping that wouldn’t just make Chloe upset, but it would also bring attention she didn’t want. Noelle wasn’t the person who liked to be surrounded when she was upset by things. She liked to handle it on her own, or at the most now, with Chloe. “If you’re ready to handle it, then I don’t think I could pass up the chance at seeing you tiny,” she said playfully. Just the idea of how cute Chloe must have been made her discomfort ease slightly. “Plus, I’ll want to spend as much time as I can with you now, and I wouldn’t dream of taking you away from everyone.” While admitting her fears wasn’t something she could do outright in that moment, she could hint towards how much she would miss her girlfriend. Her own anxiety flaring up concerned her. Perhaps she had been more affected by the disappearances than she thought, and everyone just appearing again didn’t fix it. That was without even touching the abandonment fears her parents instilled in her. That box she would rather burn if she could. “Anything else on your to do list for tonight?”
Of course Chloe wanted to spend as much time as possible with Noelle. Apart from toilet time, Chloe did not plan on spending much time apart between now and when the flight lifted off the next day. The flight that Chloe would not be on. This thought hurt enough that she had to blink back more tears. “I think I can get through it as long as I have you near me… even though you’re probably the reason the photos are being passed around to begin with,” she said, trying to take control of all of her loud and heartfelt emotions. Fighting a war with herself was not how she planned on spending her last evening with Noelle for two weeks (and after getting back only a couple months ago), but this was how it had to be. In two weeks, Chloe hoped to have all of that nasty homesickness buried for at least a little while longer. Getting to come back was a nice sort of promise to make to herself… but to come back to where? Chloe wished she knew. She tugged at Noelle’s hand in the direction of the rest of the party. “Nothing on the list except for doing our best to enjoy ourselves. And sleeping! But that can wait.”
The pictures were truly delightful, and Noelle made sure to kiss her girlfriend’s cheek or hand whenever she felt her getting too flustered. The veterinarian had tried to make sure that she didn’t show any signs of being upset. She laughed, talked, and made sure to give hugs goodbye when it was time for her to head to end. Their, no her, flight was for early in the morning, and she still had to do a last check before attempting to get some sleep. Although, she suspected the latter would be harder to come by.
Fortunately, Noelle was a pretty tidy person overall, and she could never leave packing to the last minute, so she had very little to put away. All she needed was a last sweep of the room before she moved towards the bathroom to get ready for bed. Her movements once in there were a little slower than normal. A part of her was actually startled about how she was weary about being apart from someone for two weeks. That’s not a connection she ever thought she would ever feel not that long ago. When she finally emerged, she sat on her side of the bed and sighed lightly. “Make sure to send me your flight details for when you’re coming back, okay? I can make sure I’m there to pick you up at the airport.” It wasn’t much, but she truthfully had zero idea where to start. She knew Chloe wanted to talk, but Noelle didn’t have the slightest clue what else to say since it was all pretty cut and dry.
Chloe nodded from her spot on the bed. She had already gotten through her part of the nighttime routine, and had been waiting for Noelle to finish up. The rest of the evening had been filled with little touches of anxiety-causing moments. Explaining to her dad that she would need to stay for longer had led to a very long dad hug. Wrapping herself up in a blanket, Chloe started speaking without really thinking too hard about it. “Of course I’ll send you the details. I can even add your email so that you get all the alerts that I do.” She was at least able to look into Noelle’s eyes again, but it still hurt horribly to think that she was only going to be able to see those through a screen for two weeks. “We’ve been doing so much every day here, and I loved that, but I- Sometimes I want to just have days where I don’t have to do anything but cook and have all of my family come home. I always feel so homesick, Elle.”
“That would be great,” she said quietly as she brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Noelle knew that Chloe missed home. She’d heard it multiple times in their time together. Still, something about the way her girlfriend was talking in that moment, but the veterinarian was too scared to voice it. It was so uncharacteristic of her, but she also wasn’t used to giving someone so much power to hurt her before. She knew Chloe would never do so intentionally, but if she decided that London was the only home she could ever see having, then what did it mean for them? The threat of the kidnappings was gone, so there wasn’t anything keeping her from going back home anymore. Her father’s safety had always been her priority. “I understand that,” she finally managed to get out. “I don’t like seeing you hurting. I’ve never seen you as happy as I have since we’ve been here. I just wish you talked to me about it more or sooner.” Maybe if they talked more, Noelle would know more what to expect. Instead, she was putting together jagged pieces of information and wondering if she and the rest of Icaria would ever be able to make Chloe truly happy.
“You are absolutely right,” Chloe said, curling herself further into the blanket. “I should have told you what I wanted. Truthfully, I always thought I would move back home after the danger from the disappearances was resolved. I didn’t think they would ever be, uhm, fixed. A lot has changed in the last year for me, uh, so it’s been more difficult to explain?” Her voice was a little muffled through the blanket. “I love you so much, but I have to figure out what being home means to me a little better now that I get the chance to have it back. I have been happier. And I’ve been so happy to have you with me.” She could not quite figure out how to say that she wanted to be here with Noelle and have her happily ever after, even though it was a little more complicated than that. “I’ve been wanting you to tell me things, and I haven’t been telling you enough.”
At Chloe’s words, Noelle felt her spine unconsciously straighten as she froze. Move back to London? How had that not been something they talked about? Chloe spoke about how much she wanted a serious relationship, and yet, that wasn’t something she felt the veterinarian needed to know. It hurt and confused the woman. “I’ve heard that I love you followed by a but is never a good thing,” she said as she rested her head against her knees. There were so many things she wanted to say, but what surprised her most was how sadness was the first emotion to come forward instead of anger. She was typically such a hot head, or well, zap head, but she didn’t feel the urge to hurt Chloe verbally or in any way. “Chlo, I just — how did you think I didn’t deserve to know that you had always imagined moving back here after the kidnappings? Or maybe didn’t deserve isn’t the word, but I just — what does that mean for us?” It wasn’t fair, but she’d feel like a petulant child if she voiced that out loud. Hadn’t she learned long ago that life rarely was? As moisture gathered in the back of her eyes, she turned her head away to face the opposite wall and took in a deep breath. Gods, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d cried in front of someone.
Chloe would have probably sworn if she was the kind of person that swore when things went wrong. But she wasn’t. So all she could think was, I’m an idiot. All of my teachers were right. I don’t deserve to be happy, and now I make everyone around me miserable. It was not exactly possible to curl further into herself and the blanket, but Chloe certainly tried. She had messed up so badly. Even though Ava had told her that she should tell Noelle this, the timing never quite seemed right. Every now and again, Chloe wondered when she should bring it up because she did owe it to Noelle. But she kept putting that off, telling herself that everything would work out fine. How exactly it would all be fine without admitting something important was up in the air, but she kept telling herself that. Which was lying. “Uhm. I- It, uh…” Words failed her completely. “In two weeks, uhm, I’m going to come back to you. Because I know I’ve never loved anybody else like I love you. It’s not an excuse, but I need these two weeks. I can… put off the two weeks for longer, but it means everything to me to- to be home again.” She was crying, but she always cried, so what was new about that?
Noelle took a deep breath and slowly released it. Making Chloe upset wasn’t her intention. She just — she didn’t understand. Out of the two of them, her girlfriend had always been the one to communicate well. The idea that she’d kept something so big out of their relationship just didn’t make much sense. “No,” she said with a. Shake of her head. “I don’t want you to put it off because all I’ll be doing is worrying about what you’ll decide when you do and walking on eggshells,” she admitted honestly. That amount of anxiety wouldn’t go well with her already hostile temperament. “What if being in Icaria won’t make you happy, Chlo? What am I —“ she started but stopped herself. Instead, she unwrapped her arms from around her legs and scooted closer towards her girlfriend. Fighting wasn’t how she wanted to spend their time together. “I love you. You’ve said it twice now, and I don’t want you to think I have stopped loving you or something else equally as doomsday. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how you feel after staying home longer.”
Chloe could voice her love every hour of every day, and still not feel like it was enough times. It was such an important truth to her, that it did not strike her as something stressful until Noelle pointed it out for this particular conversation. She reached out a hand when Noelle came closer, but did not quite uncurl from her blanket sphere. “Whatever happens here… That isn’t going to change the way I feel about you. I want to move in with you, and I want to share my life with you,” Chloe said, starting to cry even more when her feelings kicked into overdrive. She felt everything so strongly, it was like trying to stick a hand into the fire. The good warmth turned quickly into pain. There was no way that she could have everything she wanted at the same time, so she needed to get her head together. “Waiting is all we can do… I’ll tell you everything I’m feeling- as it happens, if you would like me to? All of the ideas I have. And feelings. I don’t want you to miss anything important, if it’ll help.”
At the sight of Chloe’s hand, Noelle reached for it without even thinking about it and intertwined their fingers. “And I want you happy and not feeling like you’re missing out on the place you really want to be when you’re with me,” she answered truthfully. Being selfish with Chloe wasn’t something she could allow herself to do. Long distance was something she truly didn’t believe worked, but she’d try it if it was necessary. The vet just wished she’d had more time to absorb everything and what it could mean before they put things into action. “I don’t want you worrying about me the whole time you’re here. You can’t split yourself in two, Chlo. If being here is what you need to figure things out, then I want you to do that. It won’t do either of us any good if you don’t know what you need.”
Chloe just about melted when their fingers intertwined, and she gave up on being in isolation. It was difficult to be far apart from Noelle for long when her girlfriend was right there. Chloe curled into Noelle’s shoulder, and hoped that she would not be pushed away. “I’ll worry about you no matter what. You know that, don’t you? I’ll talk to you every day at the very least- if you can make the time for me, and- and we can talk about feelings. And do whatever we can to get our happy ending.” She didn’t want to have to be sad anymore. She wanted to not be so out of touch with home, and feel fulfilled. And to be able to support her friends. It was a pretty substantial list, but she wanted to see how much of it she could get. “Cuddling into you is the best feeling in the world, though. I’m going to miss that.”
Feeling her girlfriend curl into her made Noelle feel better as she leaned her head against the one on her shoulder. “Make time for you,” she asked incredulously. “Chlo, you’re my girlfriend. I won’t ever squeeze you into my schedule. My schedule works around you.” Making Chloe feel second to anything wasn’t ever something that Noelle would do if she could help it. “I’ll be there for you, Chlo.” A small smile did form on the woman’s face at her girlfriend’s last words. They were just so Chloe. “You’ve turned me into someone who cuddles. I’ll let you know when I land tomorrow, and then we’ll just figure everything else out.” She sounded much more confident about it all than she felt, but there wasn’t much they could do that evening. Chloe needed to figure things out on her own. All Noelle could do was hope that it didn’t lead to them spending more time apart than together.
Chloe felt more tense than she wanted to be, but this was the best outcome that she could have asked for with what was known so far. “But make sure I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want me to, okay?” Her chest started to hurt, but she hoped that everything would end up working out. She did not think that she could take another heartbreak when everything had almost been so perfect. “I didn’t turn you into anything. Maybe you just wanted cuddles all along, but didn’t know how,” Chloe said, not wanting this to come off as teasing. It was an earnest belief. She pressed a kiss where she could reach (shoulder), and did her best to relax. While Chloe typically did not sleep that much, she hoped that the number would not drop down to zero this time. She was so in love and in so much mental anguish at the same time that it was difficult to get anything else done.
Chloe and Noelle are on a trip to visit Chloe’s family back in London for two weeks!! They’re having a great time, and Chloe’s grandpa has already provided his approval on the relationship. Grandpa is already bragging about how great Noelle is to his cousin/frenemy (who happens to be Nikhil’s grandfather).
For some more details on the Vara family, you can consult here. Family tree is... huge, so it’s taking a while to build, but here’s some helpful stuff on the fam mentioned by name: Mayur, Tara and Sanjit are Rachel’s kids. Rohan is Sonia’s son. Nadine is Chloe’s favorite cousin and she’s one of Ethan’s kids. Fun fact - Nadine has a huge crush on Finn Thompson ( @oceanic-finn ) after seeing one (1) picture of the guy and has a lot of questions for Noelle about him (watch out, Briar...?).
Chloe had left her dad in the Lunar Eclipse shop. She didn’t think it was a very good idea to follow him in there for a few reasons (namely, her respectful unease toward anything vaguely related to magic), and had not managed to convince him to maybe try a different store or go bother Anya or something. It was fine, though. She could keep herself occupied for an entire half hour on her own. Away from her dad’s presence (even if it was only by a block or two), Chloe had finally managed to stop crying long enough to take a sit on a bench and get some light Instagram browsing in. She looked up momentarily to spot Noelle nearby. And it was just at that moment that she came across a really weird-looking post from one of the people that she followed whose account seemed to have gone a little off-brand.
Pocketing her phone before it could be spotted and too many questions could come up, Chloe just started rambling. “Oh! Uhm. Hi. Lovely day, right? Or, well, I hope it’s a lovely one for you. I’m not sure how it’s been going because I’m not in your head. It would be really strange if I was in your head at this point. It’s probably dark in there anyway. Shutting up now.”
After they’d walked for a little while, Chloe pulled back the tarp to reveal the little clearing - the ellipse of trees had been carefully decorated with an array of fairy lights (powered by her trusty portable generator). There were a few layers of blankets spread over the ground, and semi-sheer fabric crossed above where heads went. There was a mysterious good-sized box, and a cooler next to one of the trees, and Chloe tapped at her phone to start playing peaceful, ambient music.. Of course there were candles, but they weren’t lit yet (for some reason everyone thought lit candles were a safety hazard. Oh well)
“I know it’s not much, Elle, but I just... wanted a place outside that’s not home where we can try to find a little peace... together. I don’t really have any plans tonight except this, so we can stay as long or as little as you want,” Chloe said, smiling uncertainly at Noelle. She leaned back against a tree, and just hoped this didn’t seem foolish or like she was trying too hard. “Temporary little oasis for the two of us, yeah?”
July 16, 2020 || After the Gazette reported Noelle’s best friend Ava missing, Chloe rushed over to Noelle’s to make sure that she was okay.
@icarialex
chloe
Chloe had shifted around other prior obligations as soon as she had heard the news (and it wasn't good news). She hadn't thought twice about it before going on autopilot, and showing up at Noelle's front door. It probably would have been wise to text first, but she put that thought out of mind as she knocked frantically and loudly on the door- enough for her knuckles to hurt. Would she answer?
noelle
The world was truly cruel was the conclusion Noelle had come to after sitting in her house, in the dark, crying. She never listened to that stupid radio show, but she’d decided to turn it on that morning to have background noise as she began stretching for her workout. It was then that she heard the news. Ava, her best friend, and for the longest time only confidant, was missing. How was that possible? Yes, she knew there were people that had been disappearing around the island, but she’d been naive. Like so many, she never thought it could affect her life. Now, she didn’t know what to do. Her hands were shaking with electricity vibrating on her fingertips as she let tears run down her face.
The loud banging on her door made her head snap up. Not caring about her appearance, Noelle moved slowly towards the door. If it was someone who she didn’t care to see, she could let out some of the agony currently coursing through her. When she opened the door though, her body went from it’s menacing stature that she held for appearance to one of vulnerability. Chloe. She should have known the sweet, caring woman would make her way over to check on her. “Chlo,” she whispered as she leaned her weight against the door to hold her up. She was suddenly feeling weaker and had the oddest urge to just bang her fists against anything to make the world listen to her pain. “I — I don’t know what to do,” she admitted.
chloe
Chloe knew sometimes that she absorbed others' emotive energy- not for any particularly magical reason, bit that was just how it was. It took all of her effort not to fall into am absolutely devastated state when she saw how Noelle reacted to her arrival. Or to the announcement that Ava was gone. There was a lot going on, clearly.
"Hey, I'm here," she said in a small voice, stepping forward and trying to help Noelle support her weight. "You sit down and drink some water is what you do." Not good to mention that tears were draining. "Let me help."
noelle
Leaning on someone in any sense was not Noelle’s forte. Truthfully, she’d never liked the idea of needing people before because if they left the pain felt would be devastating. That was never a risk she was interested in. Still, she found herself leaning against Chloe and kicking her door shut with her foot as she moved back into her home towards the couch. “I — you,” she started in between hiccups from crying. No one had ever seen her cry besides her mother when her grandmother died. This was all new, uncharted territory. “Don’t you have work? Or something? I don’t want to bother.” The last thing she wanted was to take her — Chloe away from something important. She had to pull it together. Life had to keep on moving. Weeping like a lost child wasn’t going to help anyone or fix anything. None of it would bring her friend back.
chloe
"All that really matter was a brunch meeting. I could do those in my sleep. You're what matters right now," Chloe said evenly, gesturing for Noelle to stay put while she unearthed a water bottle from her bag. She knew very well by now that Noelle was pretty bad at relying on other people, and had figured that insisting on results was the only way to accomplish any sort of help. Breathing carefully, she held out the water. "Your house was sparking. Will this be safe?"
noelle
This was the second time that Chloe had shown up when Noelle was in trouble, and that didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, it was becoming welcomed. It felt nice to have someone care about her so much, and that was one of the things the event planner had asked to be allowed to do. “Okay,” she replied after sniffling a little. Gods, she probably looked like a mess. When she heard her house was sparking, her eyes widened slightly as she looked at her hands. Thankfully, she’d been in enough of a right mind to not accidentally shock Chloe. Closing her eyes, she evened her breathing as much as she could to get better control over her turbulent emotions. “There,” she said after a few moments before accepting the water. “I can’t believe you came in here. I’d hate myself if I ever hurt you.”
chloe
Chloe bit down in her lip, now doing her best not to break into sympathetic tears. Ava (and everyone, really) disappearing was deeply disturbing to Chloe, but it had not quite shaken her yet. "I didn't think that you would hurt me either. Maybe I was just seeing things, though. Sometimes that happens." There was always going to be room for doubt when she had a tendency to jump to conclusions. "I'll always be there for you if you let me. Sometimes even when you don't explicitly let me. Directions aren't always clear. But do you want to talk? Sit? Be fed?"
noelle
“I doubt you were seeing things,” Noelle replied after swallowing a sip of water. “I’ve been known to do that before. I’m just happy you’re okay.” Showing care and concern for certain people came with the territory the closer someone got to Noelle. With her siblings she even initiated affections which was definitely weird when it first happened. As she thought about the words that were coursing through her mind, the vet bit her lip before saying, “I want you here. I didn’t even realize that I would until you were here, but I do.” One thing Ava had told her was to be more honest about her emotions, so she was trying. It was the least she could do, so when the woman came back, Noelle could say she actually listened for once. “Talking and sitting are good. I’m thankfully off today. I don’t think I’d do anyone much good at work right now,” she said as she slumped back against the couch and curled her legs beneath herself. “Thank you by the way.”
chloe
Rubbing one of her thumbs nervously, Chloe nodded a few times. "I'm fine. Today, uhm, is the one day that you don't need to worry after my feelings." Seeing Noelle (and her house, apparently) this rattled was disturbing.
She perched on her side of the sofa, and kept her tone level. "You're welcome. I couldn't stand the idea that you were alone." Chloe hadn't really imagined that Noelle would have stayed at work for long after hearing about what happened to one of her people, but Chloe was relieved all the same that there were no prior obligations. There weren't any big events to worry about today- just some prep meetings pushed until the next day and some people using the space. If Icaria Hall caught fire because she wasn't on hand, then she would take full responsibility. "So we can try talking. It's scary, so I'm afraid to broach the topic and say the wrong thing about your friend whom I don't know well."
noelle
Usually Noelle didn’t worry about many people, but that was becoming increasingly difficult to do when it came to the woman across from her. She was used to having concern for the well being of those that she cared about to an extent, but she was quickly finding that it was different with Chloe. “I’m finding it harder and harder to not worry about your feelings. It’s hard for me to be selfish around you,” she said with a small shrug. “Alone used to be my default setting. Then this really beautiful woman came into my life and starting turning things upside down,” she said with the tiniest smile she could muster. Her mind was okay with flirting, with being close because it allowed her to stay away from the dark corners in her head. Noelle couldn’t let her mind worry about whether or not Ava was okay. Her friend had to be. “It’s scary. This whole thing is terrifying, but I don’t think you’ll say the wrong thing, Chlo. Everything you do comes from a good place which is always a great start. I just — I can’t think she’s not okay. I need to know that she’s coming home because that brat got me used to having her in my life, and I’m not prepared to lose that.”
chloe
"This one of times that I want you to be very, very selfish. I'm giving you permission to be upset, and say uncomfortable things as long as they're not very mean to me." Chloe leaned in, not wanting to be too tempted into physical contact before they were done talking. While she was a touchy person, now was not the time to be tempted by compliments, in large part because she still wasn't confident she would say all the right things. All she could do was say what she believed. "I can't give you anything definite. And I feel bad for that. I think everything as a whole will end up okay. Somebody is going to get to the bottom of this and fix it. Maybe even my new centaur friend that we discovered did not fit very well through my door, and therefore could not become my new roommate." Chloe noticed that she was starting to cry now, but hoped it wasn't noticeable.
noelle
Noelle shook her head lightly in response to Chloe’s words. “There is never a good reason to be mean to you no matter the circumstance. I can’t say I’ll be perfect at that, but I don’t like taking my anger out on people who mean a lot to me. It’s not fair,” she explained quietly. Her voice was still dry, so she took another sip of water in the hopes that it would help. Her father always took his moods out on others. Actually, he placed all his feelings, expectations, and disappointments on someone’s back until it broke. “As amazing as you are, I don’t think any of us can give promises like that, but I hope you’re right. I’ve known her for about eight years now,” she began before Ava’s words once again rang through her mind. One of the last pieces of advice she’d gotten from her friend was to be honest about how their relationship started. Noelle didn’t know if it was the sorrow of Ava being gone, or her agreeing that it was the right thing to do, but she began talking. “We actually started as friends with benefits. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s not because it was something I wanted to keep a secret, but I honestly don’t even see it as significant. It ended years ago.”
chloe
Chloe shrugged. "I didn't say mean. Just selfish. Telling me about your feelings even though it seems uncomfortable and I won't really understand right away." She knew that she wasn't anything half as helpful as Ava (duh, therapist for a living), but she had to try. Chloe was taken aback at that last statement. It seemed a little out of left field, and even more uncomfortable than she had anticipated. She could not help but be a little jealous, but couldn't really fault Noelle for being friends with her ex... sleeping partner. When things weren't this messy, she tried to befriend her exes. Eight years, though... "Okay. Uhm. So feelings for her are one hundred percent platonic now? Or familial? Either is okay. Just... That is not what I expected." Chloe felt she had a right to be a little selfish for just a second and ask that question. Just because she was there to comfort Noelle did not mean that she could pretend that everything tangentially related to relationship health made sense.
noelle
A chuckle left Noelle’s lips because she couldn’t help it. She’d definitely listened to Chloe and made things uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s how she reacted to tragedy or sadness. The vet rambled and was much more open than she’d ever usually be comfortable with. “Ava told me I should tell you. It was one of the last pieces of advice she gave me because she knew I wouldn’t think to,” she explained sadly. The woman knew Noelle well. Not completely, but she knew her enough that she could guess how she’d react or feel about most things. “One hundred percent platonic. We haven’t been physical since we were in Thailand years ago. I’m new to this — building a relationship thing, but you should know you’re the only person I even wanted to try with. So, my feelings for you kind of dwarf those I’ve ever had for anyone else,” she said with a shrug. “We never wanted anything more. Being best friends is all we’ve ever wanted, and since Ava can see strings she knew mine didn’t lead to her in any color but friendship.” Hopefully that would provide comfort. While people could lie about their feelings and intentions, the strings that lied between people didn’t. Noelle didn’t see the point in lying though. That would just waste time for both people involved.
chloe
Chloe was a little baffled that this had never occurred to Noelle to mention before. She could understand it being uncomfortable about it but not ever bringing it up? "Noelle, I- uhm, at this point I really appreciate Ava, then. Uh. If you have any other friends that you want me to meet, could you give me a heads up beforehand if you've slept with them?" Chloe made a mental note that this went both ways, but thought it a small chance that she would do many fun hangs with any of her exes soon. Ulani wasn't exactly someone she was thrilled for Noelle to meet. "I'm not exactly upset. Confused, though. Anyway, it's more than a touch flattering to be the only one you've considered. Do you want to talk about anything else?"
noelle
“Oh well that won’t happen because she’s the only one, so you’re in the clear,” she answered numbly. A part of her wanted to ask if that was going to be with Ava going forward, but the words stopped in her throat. She was glad that Chloe wasn’t upset though. That was something that she didn’t know if she could handle right then. “I — I just want my friend back,” she said as she looked down at the hands on her lap. “She’s family. She was the first family I made when ties were cut with mine. How the hell could she go and get herself kidnapped? What was she doing,” she asked in frustration. How could she have gotten involved in something so dangerous and stupid? Nothing made sense. “We’re in trouble. I — what if something happened to you? I feel so helpless. What are we supposed to do?” Asking so many questions was not typically in her nature, but she couldn’t just act like she had all the answers. Not with this.
chloe
"And this really never occurr- Never mind. There's no replacing someone in your life that's so important to you. I don't know what she was doing. Hopefully being safe," Chloe sighed, trying to to think too hard about the details. Sometimes her imagination went a little wild in a distressing way. What was she even supposed to say? "Nothing so bad's happened to me ever really. I'm not sure if there's anything we can do unless you want to try honing our investigation skills. If it helps, I'm very, very good at finding threading needles." That did not probably help very much, no. Oh well.
noelle
“Nuh uh,” she said with a light shake of her head at the woman beside her. “Finish your thoughts, Chlo. I always want to hear them.” Noelle didn’t know what made the event planner so scared of of sharing her thoughts and feelings. Whatever it was, she wanted to kick it because no one should have to worry so much. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Am I supposed to just go back to normal and wait?” That seemed ridiculous, but she honestly couldn’t become some weird version of inspector freaking gadget. Plus, she didn’t even have the gadgets! Noelle would rock them if she did though. “Can you stay tonight? Or me with you? I just — you know what, it’s okay, I’ll be fine,” she said with a shake of her head. What was she doing? She never asked things like that. She didn’t do vulnerable.
chloe
"I'm still stuck on how you didn't think to tell me that you'd slept with your best friend who you'd talked up to me so much. I know that we're different people, but it's still strange," Chloe sighed, pulling her legs up to hug them. She bit down on the corner of her lip accidentally until it hurt. Bad choice, even if the pain was only momentary. "I don't know if there's any such thing as normal, or if there's a supposed to. But of course I'll stay over. I don't care whether or not you think you're fine. If you want me here, or you want to go to mine, then that's what will happen. Maybe we can cook together tonight. And I could wake up early in the morning and make you breakfast?"
noelle
Noelle’s brow furrowed at the comment, but not in a way that was upset. Truthfully, she was just trying to wrap her mind around her comment and find the best way to respond. “I know typically people keep that a secret for very shady reasons, but that’s not how I am. If I grow feelings for someone else, I’d tell you. If I didn’t want this, I’d tell you and respect that you’re the strong, independent woman with big feelings that you are who could handle it. I don’t tip toe. The only reason I didn’t mention it is because it’s so insignificant to my present which is you, but I see how it could upset you, and I’m sorry,” she said in more words than she’d used in months. “I think your rambling is contagious,” were her next words that were accompanied with a nudge of the woman’s legs with her foot. “Is this what you taking care of me is like? Because that sounds like everything and can get pretty addicting.”
chloe
"Okay.... Thanks for the explanation." Shifting her weight, Chloe considered the contents of the monologue. It alarmed her that Noelle might wind up with feelings for someone else. Was that possessive for someone that still seemed reluctant to take on the girlfriend monker? "Hey..." Chloe whimpered when she was nudged, not quite expecting that after being told that her tendency not to shut up was apparently spreading. At least she knew that she was being teased here. "Pretty much like that. I can't sleep very well. Or don't need to sleep much. It's unclear. Anyway, I have a lot of time in the morning to do things for you. I like certain chores..."
noelle
Arching and eyebrow, Noelle lifted herself up from leaning against the back of the couch to lean over and lightly grab Chloe’s ankles. Lightly, she tugged on them to stretch the woman’s legs across her lap. “Do you feel better? If not, what can I do to make you feel better,” she asked genuinely. It was obvious that she would misstep a few times throughout this process because she was as elegant as a baby horse taking it’s first steps, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t work to correct them. “How’d I get a woman like you to like a grump like me,” she asked as she tilted her head to lean against her shoulder. It really didn’t make sense. “Hmm, can I bribe you to stay in bed longer and rest if I give you cuddles? I love breakfast, but I want you to take care of you too.” Noelle wasn’t a late sleeper anyway, so they’d rarely be in bed together past ten unless it was for very adult activities. “Also, I need to know these favorite chores of yours.”
chloe
Chloe let herself be moved around, although she did make a few mumbly noises through the process because she was not used to this sort of treatment. Also she hadn't really expected it either. "If you tell me what time you want to cuddle me, I can come back and cuddle you. You clearly overestimate how much sleep I get," Chloe said, wrapping her arms around Noelle's upper body affectionately. The idea of having to stay in bed waiting to cuddle made her anxious. What was she supposed to do with hours of stillness? "I like organizing things in general. Less scrubbing, more putting things back where they go or finding a better place for them to go."
noelle
“You’re silly,” she said affectionately when she realized how Chloe took her words. “I’m an early riser too. I usually can’t sleep past seven, but I may overestimate how much sleep you get. Just know that I might try to pull you back into bed when you go to move, but I’ll eventually let you go,” she said with a small shrug. Trying to hide how affectionate she could be at night was pointless. Plus, she knew it would make the other woman happy to know. Physical touch was a big part of who the event planner was, and she was finding that she enjoyed the warmth it brought her coming from Chloe. Noelle allowed herself to ease into Chloe’s embrace and let out a sigh. “Just promise you’ll tell me where you put stuff when you’re here.” If not, she’d be calling the woman to find things more often than necessary. “I feel guilty. I’m here being comforted by you, but should I feel comfort? But there’s nothing I can do but hope she’s okay. Is there a way you could lend me some of that optimism you always carry?”
chloe
Chloe could not help but giggle a little, wondering how everything had almost worked out too perfectly. "I usually sleep around four hours, six if I'm really messed up. I'm not sure how that aligns with you, but I can always come back around six-thirty to cuddle you." An invitation to cuddle was pretty difficult to turn down. "Noelle, you are allowed to be comforted. I didn't know your friend that well, but I know she wants you to be okay based on... Everything I know? You can keep me around to help but I can't make you think anything. That unfortunately is on you."
noelle
The woman’s eyes widened at the idea of only needing four hours of sleep. Back in college that was her usual, but now that she worked full time she definitely needed more like six or feel human. “I need what you need when you’re messed up usually,” she said with a small smile. “So I don’t know if I’ll fall asleep before you or wake up later, but whichever works. Although, if you ever want me up with you, there are certain wake up tactics that will work every time.” She was debating whether she should give away those secrets, or make Chloe work for them. After all, working to learn things was more fun. “You’re right. I just wish there was a way to know that she’s okay. But, thank you for rushing over here. You’re always here when I need you even before I ask you to be.”
chloe
Chloe nodded, wondering if she was missing out on something by not trying to sleep more. Oh well. At least it sounded like Noelle would keep her waiting for too long to keep her company. Having the dark hours of the morning to herself was nice, but they got lonely after dragging on for so long. "I'll come running whenever you ask me to. If I'm too much, just... let me know? I know I'm a lot, but I can't stand the idea of not trying to be there. I'm sure I'm not the only one that you can lean on, but I don't want there to be nobody for you to go to ever. Am I talking in circles? Sorry. But, I don't know, let me know if I'm too nosy."
noelle
“What makes you think you’re a lot,” she asked genuinely. Noelle knew she wasn’t kind to most people, but with the woman beside her she was different. There was a soft spot in her heart for Chloe, and she knew she’d be beyond pissed if anyone ever made her feel like anything was wrong with her. “I doubt I’m even close to scratching the surface on things Chloe Vara, but from what I’ve seen you’re pretty perfect. At least to me,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. Now that they were communicating better, and she didn’t have to guess why the event planner was always a bundle nerves. If Noelle asked a question, the woman was usually forthcoming now which was great. “Ask whatever you want, and be as nosey as you want. You’re one of a handful of people in the world who has that green light with me without fear of getting electrocuted. You should use it.”
chloe
A strange look crossed Chloe's face. "Most people? I've gotten broken up with before because of it. I come on really strong. But you seem to like that at least for now," she said, knitting her forehead as she dwelled on that conflicted expression. "Nobody's really perfect. You don't have to flatter me that much. I've been told all of my faults enough times. I know the good parts too, though, I think. I'm just not perfect." Chloe nibbled on her lip thoughtfully. "Do you... miss me when I'm not with you?"
noelle
“You don’t though,” she said with a furrowed brow. “At least with me you didn’t. In fact, you were hyper aware of what made me comfortable and put aside what you wanted until you were a tiny bundle of nerves that I poked to tell me what was wrong.” That was definitely not coming on strong. Noelle has experienced girls who came on strong. They barged in with expectations and dreams without even trying to see if two people really would work. Those people never had the patience to deal with Noelle and wait for her to open up when she was ready. “Also, no one is perfect which is why I corrected it at the end. You seem perfect to me which doesn’t mean I have lofty expectations. We will fight, probably cry, and yell, but that’s okay. I’ll probably still like you then,” she said with a shrug. She’d just need to cool down really. There were very few things that were on the list of unforgivables for her really. “I do,” she said with a nod. “I’ve actually been working on gathering the courage to say that to you, but every time I text it I feel like an absolute sap,” she said with a light laugh.
chloe
It wasn't difficult for her head to start spinning with possible explanations. Overcompensating, a misunderstanding, it would get worse later on... In her own head, Chloe wasn't going to easily agree that she was anything but too much. "I, uhm, am really not looking forward to fighting. I'm very bad at arguments. It's almost always laughable in hindsight." She still did not quite get what perfect was supposed to mean, but as long as she was on Noelle's good side... Hopefully if Noelle ever wanted to end things, it would be gentle. Chloe kept worrying at her lip, not really sure if it was a good or bad thing that she had not come on so strong this time around. "You know I don't mind sappy, right? Send me all of your sweet messages! Send me anything. I know it's not the same as Ava, but I will literally respond to anything." She wasn't kidding. Fielding strange messages was one of her favorites.
noelle
“If you were looking forward to fighting I’d be a little worried,” she replied. Even she, who was considered a confrontational person, wouldn’t look forward to a a fight with her person. Noelle was getting closer to being okay with the word girlfriend in her mind which was good progress. “Unless you’re looking up to the making up after. But, it’ll be alright. I usually just need to walk away to cool down so I don’t say anything hurtful, but I’ll come back.” Walking away was almost a given if things got too heated. She’d done that with most people, and since she hated the idea of hurting Chloe, she was sure she’d react the same. “I’m glad you’re not Ava because I like Chloe. Plus, I didn’t send Ava sappy, sweet messages,” she said with a light laugh. “This is just a you thing. Ava and I spend half of our time making fun of each other. Totally different. But, I do miss you when I’m not with you. It’s a new feeling. One I’m not sure how to navigate because I worry about wanting you around too much,” she said honestly. That was something she’d get annoyed about with other women, and there she was contemplating asking Chloe over after a night at work. Totally weird, but it was nice too.
chloe
Chloe made another face- a grimace this time. "No, uhm, that's okay. I don't really look terribly forward to make-up sex. Because something upsetting had to come before it." It just didn't sound like a good idea. "Well I don't know exactly what you talk about with your friends! I don't look at your phone. I only know my dad's passcode because he makes me help him set up technology. Even though he knows better..." She shook her head in disapproval. Sometimes her dad was so ridiculous; it wasn't as if he was even computer illiterate. Anyway, she was getting very sidetracked. "I want you to want me around. And for it to feel a little different than with your friends. That's sort of why I asked. If it's weird, I'm really sorry, but when you're not there I miss how it feels to have you holding my hand or smiling at me because you think I did something cute. Can't make you stop worrying, but I don't think it's a bad thing to miss me. We can talk about new feelings whenever you want. Nothing would really make me happier than to know you want me around, honestly."
noelle
There were very few people in the world that were as wholesome as Chloe. The woman wasn’t naive, but she was just inherently good. “What makes you feel better after fights?” Noelle wanted to know because after the dust settled she wanted to be able to take care of Chloe. The woman did such a good job taking care of her, that she wanted to reciprocate the gesture. Well, as best as she could. “Oh you could look at my phone,” she said with a shrug. “I leave it around all the time. I’ve gotten better at having it near me for you, but yeah I don’t care much about that thing. People in my life would probably appreciate it if you answered when it rings,” she said with a chuckle. Noelle was horrible at keeping up with her cell. If people wanted to reach her, they were usually better physically finding her. “It’s not weird,” she reassured. “Before I feared someone feeling things for me the way you do because I had never wanted for someone to become a fixture in my life. Reciprocating those feelings weren’t something I ever did until you,” she explained. It was always interesting trying to have someone understand how she used to look at relationships. Very few people understood her pessimism towards them, but there she was trying one. “I thought about asking you over or heading over to you twice this week after work, so I definitely want you around. You’re really nice and warm to be around, both literally and figuratively,” she teased at the end.
chloe
Chloe shifted in her seat, and tried to think about what made her feel better after a fight. Before she could think too much, she explained, "More interested in apologies and cuddling. Maybe some time apart so that I can process what I'm feeling while baking. I stress bake. Do you ever stress cook?" Chloe also morning baked, event baked, and bored baked. There were a lot of excuses to put feelings into dough or decorating. "I- Your phone is private. I don't want to dig around even if you say it's okay." She was nosy enough as is without a time-stamped record of phone calls and internet search history. "If you miss me, I'm just a text away to keep you warm and snuggly, okay? I'll never judge you about that. I'm trying really, really hard not to overwhelm you at this stage, though." Chloe was afraid that this maybe-relationship was going to end like all the other ones, with this one closing before it even began. "And I'm here for you tonight, okay?"
noelle
A smile formed on the vet’s face at the mention of Chloe processing things via baking. At least after fights when they fixed things there would be delicious baked goods to eat. “I do stress cook,” she said with a nod. “And clean. But good to know. After cooling down, cuddles and apologies. Got it.” That would be easy enough to remember at least. Jealousy was a nasty thing, and she knew it was even harder for people who are naturally nosey. Still, Chloe turned it down which was sweet in a way. “Well, can I count on you to ask me if you’re curious about something? Don’t let it fester. I’m pretty sure that makes worrying worse.” Noelle didn’t care what the problem. While she could be mean, the woman never made fun of the feelings of others. That was a type of cruel she didn’t mess with. “Just out of curiosity, if you didn’t hold back right now, how would you act? I mean, I’m guessing you got hurt rather badly before, and that’s made you think that things that are so naturally you are bad for relationships, but I kind of want to know. I want to know because maybe, just maybe, I’ll think differently than whoever has hurt you.” It wasn’t so out of the realm of possibility. After all, Chloe got Noelle to feel things she never had before, so she had to be special. Plus, she’d already passed the point of wanting to run from those feelings, and instead was at the place of being scared to lose the person making her feel things. “I’m glad you’re here.”
chloe
"Uh huh. I'm still usually crying at that point." Chloe was relieved that Noelle understood to some degree how she worked through things. While she didn't stress-clean very much, she did like to stress-organize, which was similar. Chloe nodded at the request, and shifted in her seat. She didn't really know what could prompt questions, but she didn't think this would be a very fun thought game. "It's- it's not their fault. If I- It's just easier to not tell you what I'm thinking at all times. But if I wasn't holding back? You wouldn't be able to get me to shut up. I can barely make up my mind on the best of days. I'd be a lot more affectionate. Probably more than you'd be okay with. We wouldn't be here right now because I wouldn't have slept with you more than once because I'd have told you that I want a relationship. So you would have turned me down. I'd send texts every night. Talked about- I'd have talked about..." Chloe was finding it incredibly difficult to stay calm about this. She was sure that Noelle would be okay or on the same page about some parts, but they came bundled up with 'too fast' words. "I would have told you where I wanted a relationship to go instead of stopping at how I want it to begin. Because- because I don't think the seriousness of my feelings should be gauged on how big the wedding is supposed to be. And I'd tell you all about my feelings for you without stopping before it sounds like too much."
noelle
“Crying is part of your process,” she said with a shrug. “You have so many feelings in that pretty body of yours that sometimes you’ve gotta cry. I get that. I electrocute things, you cry,” she said with a shrug and a smile. Different ways of coping, but still an external outbursts that were a way of trying to lessen the amount of emotions whirling beneath the surface. Noelle took her time to digest everything Chloe was saying. The woman was right in the sense that if she hadn’t held back they most likely wouldn’t be where they were which made her realize something really important. “You’re right. If you’d rambled all this after we first slept together, we wouldn’t be here right now, but that’s my baggage. I’d have missed out on an amazing woman, so while part of me is glad you held off, I’m also sad. I’m sad that I wasn’t mature and open enough to start having feelings for you being completely yourself.” Noelle had been told that one day she’d feel the way she was describing. She used to think people were just dumb, hopeless romantics that couldn’t accept her being happy alone, but they were right. Eventually, she’d find someone that would make her think maybe. “I like your cuddles, kisses, and hand holding, so your affection should be okay. I’m not tending up anymore, and I initiate it because I want to be touching you. Weddings are over rated. I’m not someone who cares about them either way, so I understand you there. But just, you accept me completely. You deal with me being a grump, meaner than you understand, and very slow on progress emotionally. So, let me accept you,” she asked with a tilt of her head. It wasn’t fair that Noelle had the freedom of not having to worry, but Chloe did.
chloe
"Should I invest in some good insulated gloves?" Chloe asked seriously. The hazard level wasn't known to her. Chloe was not entirely sure whether crying and electrocution were particularly effective techniques... She was still pretty worried if Noelle's electronics would be okay. It wasn't... Fun to hear that everything had only worked out because of her pain, but Chloe had more or less known. She was still trying to figure out what the correct level of no-filter was. "I only want to get married if my dad's there and there's no party or ceremony. I know, sounds weird for me to say it. Weddings are the only party I refuse to plan. They're always some kind of disaster. Also I always cry at them even when I don't know the couple." Sighing dramatically, Chloe shifted her position so that she was even more on top. "You're progressing very well, I promise. It's sort of difficult not to be weak when you keep getting sweeter. I don't really understand how that happens, but I won't complain."
noelle
If Noelle ever let her electricity get out of control to the point that she hurt Chloe, the vet would never forgive herself. She had worked hard to make sure her anger didn’t get her to that place. “No, I won’t hurt you with my power. That’s an easy promise for me to make.” Trees, random patches of sand, and soda cans are another story. They aren’t safe along with certain very annoying humans. “That doesn’t sound weird,” she said with confusion lacing her tone. “I mean, I’m not going to lie and say I’ve spent loads of time thinking of my perfect wedding, but I’ve never seen the point of the big ones. The loads of money, huge guest list, and all the complications is rather unnecessary to me. You’re taking a day that’s meant to celebrate love and turning it into stress.” When Chloe moved to cuddle closer, Noelle maneuvered her arm so she could wrap it around the woman and have it rest on her hip. “Are you happy? I mean, are you really happy or just being patient in hopes of being happy? Because as much as I like you, I don’t want you to be unhappy.”
chloe
"I trust that you won't," Chloe said, confident enough to accept this promise. Her own powers were a non-issue at this point when it came to control, but they were also not especially powerful or dangerous. Noelle's didn't seem especially built for safety, but the conviction meant something. "I wouldn't have expected you to have a dream wedding in mind, but I think people expect that from me." Chloe made another weird, exasperated noise, and just kept lessening personal space. "I'm happy that you like me after all, and that it doesn't seem like a horrible burden for you to meet me halfway. I'm happy with trapa- Not trapezoid. Trepidation. I want to build something that lasts with you. If that's okay?"
noelle
“Just because you’re an event planner for a living,” she asked curiously. “That’s silly. Sure you love your job, but that also means you know more about what goes into it than anyone else. If anyone was to caution against it, I guess I’d see them as someone in your position. That’s just me though.” Noelle didn’t see things with hopeless romantic glasses on. She didn’t understand the women that spent their days fantasizing about their big wedding. To her the thing that should have the move attention devoted to it would be the relationship being celebrated by the wedding. “That’s okay,” she said before placing a kiss on Chloe’s cheek. “Is it okay for us to just veg out watching a movie or show until dinner? I’m sure we can scrounge something up together with what’s in my kitchen.”
chloe
"Probably... But I'm really, really not a wedding planner! It's on my website that I don't do weddings. Everyone who dates me should read my website before going any further..." Chloe looked up in alarm. "Have you read up on my website yet? I- Never mind. That can wait." She didn't want to derail everything too far when she was supposed to be here to be comforting and patient. "Yeah. yes. Of course... Is it bad that I want to watch that silly Disney + movie for Christmas that has your name and Anna Kendrick? I haven't seen it before, but I've been sort of curious what your face will be like when we watch it... Sorry. If."
noelle
Noelle had no idea that rambling could be such a cute habit, but there she was smiling at Chloe as she talked a mile a minute. “I’ve read your website,” she said honestly to answer the question the woman obviously had pop into her mind. It went with the flow of conversation after all, and even though she wasn’t someone that could plan past girlfriend yet, she did know that was important to know. “And just so you know, not wanting a big wedding isn’t a deal breaker for anything. I wouldn’t care. It’s a piece of paper that doesn’t really change anything. People put way too much emphasis on it really.” It was seen as such a big milestone even though it rarely changed things anymore. Decades ago people didn’t move into together until marriage, and in some cases didn’t have sex either, so she understood it being seen as a big step. Now though, that wasn’t the case. “You want to watch Noelle,” she asked with a small laugh. “Sure, Chlo. The remote should be on the TV stand next to you. I know moving will be such a struggle since I make a very comfortable pillow,” she teased.
chloe
"Oh!!" By this point, Chloe was kicking herself. Of course Noelle was just that thorough. It made her breath get stutter for a moment at how much she liked being paid attention even while not present. Everything was almost too clandestine at this point, and she just hoped that Noelle didn't change her mind about wanting the too-big wedding if things progressed further. "Yeah, I want to watch Noelle. I always want to watch Noelle." Based on her goofy little grin, it was pretty apparent that Chloe was pleased with herself for that comment. "You're the best pillow I could have asked for, but I'm here for you today, so I'll be good and get the remote." Chloe shifted her position so she could press an affectionate but careless kiss to Noelle's chin, and then scrambled off to get the remote. Since this was not a terrible burden of a distance, she was not away for long before taking up more of Noelle's personal space once again while working to get the television on. "Basically whatever you want is yours today, okay? Okay. Buckle in for your Christmas movie."
noelle
The joke was so corny, but it was so adorable coming from Chloe. “You’re so cute, and I’m surprised you’re not tired of watching yet. You have access whenever you want to,” she replied and for once didn’t lace it in innuendo. Their time together was becoming about more than sex, and the veterinarian found herself appreciating it just as much. When Chloe settled back in against Noelle, she easily got comfortable. Cuddling was something she was quickly getting used to with the woman. Plus, it felt nice to make Chloe so happy. the woman thrived off of physical touch. “I just want you, so I’m good. Christmas in July is a thing, so let’s do this.”
Voicemail for Chloe: Hey Chloe, it’s Noelle. I’m calling you to say that while I’m really happy you were the person to win a date with me at the auction. I didn’t really want anyone else to. Anyway, I still want to give you your space to come up the questions you want to ask when you’re ready, so let me know when you want to have the date? I’m still planning it for us, don’t worry. But, yes that’s it. Oh and I — is it selfish to say I hope it’s not too long? You probably think that’s silly. Bye.
Chloe was already about halfway to becoming a gay puddle when she first realized that she had a voicemail from Noelle. But by the end of hearing that? Well, it was probably by dumb luck that she didn't start crying (they would have been happy tears!) while on her break at work. She knew that she needed to get a real move on this list.
Elle Park bids $400 on Chloe Vara. “Please tell me I get bonus points for getting your last name right? Also, I hope this helps with the name confusion with my brother.”
“Oh, thank you so much...?” Chloe was already really confused by the names coming through on this bidding thing. First her name was changing (not that she would have said anything), and now this. Okay, so who was El- Oh, okay. “It does help. I’m capable of a lot in six hours, though, so...” She had no idea what kind of party that Noelle (Elle?) would need that required six entire hours for when that would likely be the maximum number of attendees.
