Tnets and Temptations
Can be a sequel to Arguments Can Be A Good Thing but can stand alone
Disclaimer: Characters are the creation of Jill Murphy
Summary: Imogen takes Constance tent shopping and Constance learns more than just an appreciation for tents. Rated T, this involves femmeslash, don't like it, don't read it, reviews are welcome good and bad though no flames please (y) Thanks ~ Q
This was torture of another kind. No matter how deeply she tried and how much she berated herself in a voice that sounded very much like Miss Cackle's she could not find the mental strength to stare at a piece of material held up with strings and metal and see just how exciting it all was. Even the fact that she was spending a whole day away from the castle with Imogen at her side did little to relax the tension that had wormed its way into a headache which rested between the back of her eyes.
"Come on Constance you thinking it's going to be torture is what's going to make it so unbearable," the laughter in her lover's voice softened the irritation that she had known where her thoughts had gone.
"Imogen I can assure you that there is no possible way that I could make this experience any worse," but she let herself be dragged into the shop and blanched as the smell of pine and nylon assaulted her senses. "I can think of a much better way to spend a weekend that would be ruined by a cold and small sleeping arrangement," she whispered into Imogen's ear, feeling her short hair tickle her cheek.
"I wonder if Miss Cackle knows just how far you will go to get out of a camping trip Miss Hardbroom, it is hardly deputy head teacher behaviour you know?" She winked at her and Constance felt herself blushing and looked down hoping that it would not be noticeable.
"Hey Imogen how are you babe?" a figure stepped towards them that Constance could only describe as the breeding between a tangerine and a pineapple, his orange skin seemed brighter with the shiny white t-shirt painted onto his body and his blond hair glared in the fluorescent lights as it spiked in all directions. She was almost too struck by his appearance to be alarmed by his words and the way he then lifted Imogen up into his arms. Almost.
"Hey I heard about you and Serge, that's rough. You know, if you need anybody I am always here to help." Constance was definitely hating tent shopping now.
"Aww that's sweet Rick but I think I'll be okay, anyway I'm here for some new tents for my girls…"
"Oh then you've come to the right place, we've got a new line in. 16 people tents with 4 compartments, we've had a lot of groups getting them so that they can all stick together." Imogen turned around to Constance and waved her to follow them as Rick dragged her off to inspect the new tents.
She was seething. Not only had that thing taken her Imogen away but Imogen had let him and not said anything about her being there with her, she'd practically ignored her. As much as Constance liked to believe that Imogen's feelings were true there was a niggling at the back of her mind that, unlike herself, Imogen had spent her past relationships with men and she often found herself wondering if Imogen had thought her decision through properly? What if this was just something exciting for her, something new for her to try out?
"Ah, you must be the famous Constance?" a voice boomed from her right making her jump before she quickly composed herself. As startling and abnormal as Rick had appeared to be, the woman before her was a sight that Constance was familiar with.
"I'm sorry, 'famous'?"
"Imogen's been talking about you for the past four years, every single time I saw her our conversation would always end up onto you, even when she was dating that moron Serge," she guffawed at her own remarks and Constance knew that she liked this woman. She was clearly as much a lover of sport as Imogen was but there was a warmth and maternal aura about her that reminded her of Miss Cackle though she shuddered at the thought of Miss Cackle in bike shorts. "The name's Emma, I work here and if I were you I wouldn't worry about Rick, his head's been under the sun too much, Imogen's smarter than that."
"That does not surprise me," there was a pause as she fiddled with a torch which when she turned the top one way it shone a light onto the floor and then turned off when it turned the other way. "So, she spoke about me often?" she still stared down at the floor.
"Oh yes, of course she thought it was because you were so frustrating but I take it from the fact that you're here that she's finally come to her senses."
Constance smiled as she looked back at Emma, "oh I think we both did."
"Good, now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go rescue that poor girl from that idiot."
Constance began to meander through the rows of camping equipment, occasionally stopping to stare at some object which she could not work out its purpose for. She soon was walking between tents after tents and found one in black and purple and couldn't help but laugh at how appropriate the colours would be for the school. She blanched at realising that, although her opinions for tent picking was based on colour, she was still thinking about tents when she wasn't being made to. Imogen had had too much of an impact on her that was for sure.
She stared down at the card that was attached to the tent and was shocked to see that it could hold two people; there was no possible way other than through a shrinking potion that two people would fit into that tent along with sleeping bags. Still not understanding it she crawled into the tent and tried to get her mind around it. She was not the average height so she expected at least her feet to stick out of the end but there was still room. It would however be a snug fit to have two people in as there was only a small amount of room on either side of her.
"What are you puzzling over?"
Constance startled once more, "you know I don't think this tent shopping is good for one's health, that's the second time someone has done that to me."
"Well maybe now you'll rethink it when you decide to sneak up on Mildred and company." Imogen began to crawl through the 'door' and soon was lying nose to nose with Constance. "Emma said you seemed sad."
They had started to do this more often, the talking about each other's feelings and while it was still something she struggled with she could tell by the look in Imogen's eyes that there was nothing to worry about. Constance made a noncommittal hum and continued to stare up at the ceiling of the tent.
"You know, you may be able to fool the girls that you are above everything but I think someone's jealous" the last part came out as a soft sing song causing Constance to laugh despite herself.
"Well can you blame me, I look albino compared to him and while I'm sure my intellect would be able to squash his as well as how impressed you are by my magic" Imogen shook her head "and don't pretend you're not Miss Drill, you still have that little gasp every time I-"
"Everytime you what? Miss Hardbroom?" they were now nose to nose and each was becoming dizzy over the other's close proximity.
"I was going to say every time I appear out of thin air, or remove some danger caused by Mildred and company. I can't begin to fathom what the smirk is about Miss Drill." Imogen giggled against the dark-haired woman's shoulder and while she found peace in the embrace she couldn't ignore the tension that continued to be set in her lover.
"You still haven't told me."
"Told you what?"
"What else it is that you're jealous of? Besides Rick's ability to look like he was conceived by Tony the Tiger and _?
Constance laughed at the references she understood for once. "Well, it's, it's just. Oh I can't have this discussion and here of all places Imogen. Let's just go home."
"No." Imogen said firmly, she pulled down Constance as she'd made to leave the tent. With the momentum she soon found herself above her lover and marvelled at her ability to control the seemingly always in control HB.
"Imogen," Constance pleaded her eyes looking up to the blonde woman clearly in distress. It wasn't often that she let anyone see her upset. The way the younger woman's eyes softened above her amazed her. Their silent conversation as she begged to be let off the hook but Imogen remained firm. Not pushing forward but certainly not pulling away.
"Am I enough?" Small. It was not a word one often equated to the great Constance Hardbroom but there it was. Her voice, her face, her whole body seemed so small as her fears seemed to slip out of her lips in those three small words. Imogen looked lost for a moment, overcome by a need to protect the woman beneath her from whatever it was that was causing her this pain.
"Enough? Why wouldn't you be enough?"
"Because, I'm not, I'm mean you're. You've always been with-" The words hung between them, Constance not even breathing to break the silence.
Imogen's lips pressed lightly against the trembling ones beneath her. She felt a slight pressure against her own then moved back. "You are more than enough Constance Hardbroom. You're everything I always wanted and everything I never knew I needed." Constance stared back up at her with wide, glistening eyes. She brought a shaking hand up to stroke through the blonde's short hair before pulling her back to her lips. Their mouths met in a soft caress and a shiver seemed to pass from one woman to the other as Constance's tongue swept over her lower lip.
"You were asking how one keeps warm in these tents? Allow me to show you," Imogen spoke softly with a smirk gracing her feature. Her eyes darkened as she melted into Constance.
"Imogen! Imogen!" shouted a low voice from beyond the tent.
"Get us out of here now," whispered the blonde.
"Yes Miss Drill."