Warning: Breathplay and possibly slight dub-con girl!kissing
Notes: Title and quote are from William Browne's poem The Sirens' Song
Perfumes far sweeter than the best
Which make the Phoenix' urn and nest.
Fear not your ships,
Nor any to oppose you save our lips;
Emma slowly kicked her feet, feeling the cool water change it's course to move around her. Not that it would even have a course if it wasn't for her movement. She tossed her hair back, relishing in the caress of sunshine on her face. Her hands and thighs were burning slightly from the heated concrete surrounding the pool but not enough to make her consider moving. The white high heels she had been wearing lay abandoned, carelessly tossed aside, as though they weren't worth more than certain people's entire wardrobes combined. Her skirt was hitched up higher around her thighs than decency should allow, even for Emma, so as to prevent it getting wet as she dangled her legs in the water. It wouldn't do to be walking around in a see through skirt after all. It was situations like this that made Emma think that perhaps she ought to invest in a few outfits in another colour.
xxx
Closing her eyes against the bright sunlight, she considered going inside for a pair of sunglasses. And maybe some sun block, the last thing she wanted was to get sun burnt. Not even Emma looked good when she was all red and peeling. But the heat of the day combined with the chilled water of the pool felt too good to move, just yet anyway. She thought her diamond form would protect her from UV rays, but it would also rob her of the sensations that made being here so enjoyable.
She felt a shadow fall over her, blocking out the light. Suppressing a groan of annoyance, but not shielding the thought of it, Emma opened her eyes. Jean stood above her, glaring down at Emma.
"What are you doing here?" Jean asked, sounding irritated. She had a towel wrapped around her body and her feet were bare.
"Just enjoying the day, darling." Emma replied calmly, ignoring Jean's annoyance.
"Do you plan ahead, to make sure that you're always where I want to be?"
"Don't be silly, dear." Emma said, keeping her tone casual but mentally rolling her eyes. "Not everyone's world revolves around you."
"Too bad anyone's world has to involve you." Jean muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't you have some innocent children to corrupt or something?"
"I don't have any classes for another hour. And I resent that insinuation, Jean. I'll have you know, I take my job very seriously." Emma said, giving Jean her patented Ice Queen glare. She tried to block the memories of Genosha flying through her head. The students she couldn't save. Jean obviously caught a glimpse of the images in Emma's mind, she glanced quickly at the ground and started to open her mouth, then changed her mind and closed it.
"If my presence irritates you so, you're welcome to go elsewhere." Emma said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen between them as though it had never happened.
"No." Jean replied, any traces of commiseration replaced by the much more familiar dislike. Emma wondered what it said about them that they were more comfortable with hating each other than empathizing.
"Suit yourself." Emma stretched her body out, legs straightening in the water then relaxing. She closed her eyes pointedly and tried to reach the same state of relaxation she had felt before Jean's unwanted interruption.
xxx
Emma's eyes snapped open as she heard a loud splash and felt several droplets of water hit her face. The white towel that Jean had been wearing lay crumpled on the ground, half on top of Emma's shoes. Jean was half way down the length of the pool by the time Emma's eyes fell on her and Emma couldn't help admiring her body. Long and lean, slender, toned muscles propelling Jean forward through the water. Even though Emma hadn't seen Jean's descent into the pool she knew that it would have been a graceful dive. She watched Jean turn around when she came to the concrete wall and start back towards her, irrationally wishing that Jean had swum into it and not bothering to conceal the thought. Jean dived under, gliding along the bottom of the pool, long red hair streaming out behind her and Emma found herself thinking of The Little Mermaid. Wasn't that a lovely parallel. Jean, the perfect little underwater princess and Emma, the evil witch, plotting against Jean and her "true love". And of course Scott, the oblivious Prince Charming. Emma shook her head, smiling with dark amusement. She would rather like for Jean turn into sea foam.
xxx
"Something funny, Frost?" Jean asked, partially emerging, treading water in front of where Emma sat.
"Only to those of us with a sense of humour." Emma replied distractedly, still half in her thoughts. Before she had a chance to react, Jean's hand wrapped firmly around her ankle, pulling hard. Emma found herself tumbling into the water, luckily there was no one behind or she would have almost certainly flashed them her panties. The hot concrete scraped against the skin on the backs of her thighs. She stood up in the pool, spitting out water and pushing sodden blond hair out of her face.
"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" She demanded, glaring furiously at Jean, who stood beside her.
"It was funny to those of us with a sense of humour." Jean said with a giggle, smug superiority lying just beneath the surface.
"That's very mature, Jean." Emma said, as haughtily she could be whilst standing fully dressed in a swimming pool. "Finally I understand what Scott sees in you. It's the scintillating wit."
Jean's whole face darkened at the mention of Scott's name, and Emma was sure she saw fire flash in the depths of Jean's eyes. Emma raised her chin defiantly, refusing to be intimidated. Jean took a step closer, so they were almost touching. Emma hated that she had to look up to meet Jean's eyes.
"You. Don't. Get. To. Talk. About. Him." Jean said, her voice dangerously quiet. Emma forced herself to laugh derisively.
Darling, don't worry. It's not talking I want to do. Jean's hands closed around her throat before Emma even finished the thought, nails digging sharply into her flesh. Emma's own hand flew to her neck instinctively, clutching at Jean's fingers. Emma saw the fire behind Jean's eyes flare up as she was forced down, water in her eyes blurring her vision as she was held under. Spots danced in front of Emma's vision, water rushing up her nose and Jean wasn't relenting. Emma knew she could easily just turn into diamond and get out of Jean's grip. She wondered vaguely why she didn't.
xxx
Emma was pulled roughly to the surface, Jean's hand around her throat loosened, she didn't quite release her but Emma could breathe now. She coughed harshly, leaning heavily against the side of the pool and looking resentfully up at Jean. Emma barely had time to get her breath back before Jean lips closed roughly over her own, kissing her forcefully and pinning Emma between Jean's body and the side of the pool. Jean's kiss reminded Emma of the concrete, rough and scorching. Jean's lips seemed to burn into Emma's. It was painful, but she didn't want to break the contact. The hand that was still resting on Emma's neck tightened slightly, again. Two of Jean's fingers pressed against Emma's pulse. Emma felt angry that Jean could no doubt feel how fast her heart was racing.
xxx
Jean's free hand slid down Emma's body, nails catching against the wet fabric of Emma's shirt, raising it slightly. Fingers moved smoothly up Emma's stomach, the hand coming to cup one of Emma's breasts, thumb teasing a nipple already erect from the cold water, twisting it hard. Emma arched involuntarily against Jean, shivers running through her body as Jean gave the same treatment to the other nipple, the hand on her neck gradually tightening. Emma ran her hand down Jean's side, feeling the curves of her body through the tight black one piece she wore. Jean caught her wrist in a tight grip, forcing it away from herself and breaking the kiss.
xxx
Jean stepped back from Emma hurriedly. She looked angry, though whether it was with Emma or with herself Emma couldn't tell. She thought that perhaps it was a little of both. Emma was still leaning against the side, holding onto the rail with one hand for support. She suddenly felt horribly exposed standing there, unable to trust her own legs just yet, looking ridiculous in soaking wet, white silk. Totally see through white silk, she noted, looking down at herself. Emma crossed her arms over her chest and squared her shoulders, a mimic of Jean's exact posture, in a futile attempt at dignity.
"I - We should probably get out of here." Jean said finally, wading passed Emma without looking at her and pulling herself up onto the ground beside the pool.
"How the hell am I supposed to get to my room like this without someone seeing me?" Emma demanded, gesturing down her body and trying not to look pointedly at Jean's towel.
"That's your problem." Jean muttered, picking up said towel and wrapping it around herself as Emma climbed out of the pool. "It's not like anyone's going to see much more than usual, anyway."
xxx
Jean turned her back and stalked away, Emma could tell she wanted to get away from there fast, but was trying not to look like she was in a hurry. She didn't spare so much as a backwards glance at Emma, standing behind her with her high heels dangling loosely from one hand. Emma glared at her retreating back. How dare Jean leave her like this, exposed to the point where she may as well be naked, angry, red nail marks on her neck that were starting to sting and wet in more ways than one.
xxx
She began walking back towards the mansion, hoping like hell that the hallways would be empty. She clutched her heels to her chest, still not bothering to put them on despite the burn of the ground on her feet. She glanced back at the pool, and almost sighed. How fucking typical, even though Jean's element was, by all rights, fire, she still managed to out do Emma in it's opposite.