A Quiet Night
Disclaimer: Harrison owns everything. I own nothing.
It was a rare quiet night without pixies, werewolves, or vampires…well except for the one living across the hall from Rachel.
Ivy was making the pizza tonight while Rachel was flipping through some spell books. It had been a long week and Rachel guessed it must have shown because Ivy had waltzed into the kitchen at dinnertime, heading right for the oven to turn it on. Before Rachel could even fully rise to make their meal, Ivy used her vampire quickness to gently push Rachel back into the chair.
"I got it," she whispered her long fingers pressing on Rachel's shoulders to keep her seated.
After finishing with one of her books, Rachel rose, the chair scrapping across the floor. Ivy looked over her shoulder at Rachel, who pointed to the fridge with her empty water glass. Ivy turned back to the pizza dough without a word.
"Remember when you said I slept with anyone?" Ivy's voice rose while Rachel debated between a soda and water. Rachel froze shocked that Ivy would start to speak, as she tended to stay silent. It was interesting Ivy would choose to start such an intimate conversation. Rachel was the one who usually did it. Rachel and Ivy always seemed to get to confrontation points and Rachel just had to push the argument that extra mile.
"Yes," Rachel stated as neutrally as possible, on a whispered breath, knowing that Ivy could hear her all the same. Ivy tossed the extra cheese methodically over the pepperoni not looking at Rachel who still stood in front of the open refrigerator. "Do you remember me saying that blood and sex are not the same…" Ivy continued her voice so low that Rachel had to take a step near her to be able to hear Ivy's smooth, low voice. A voice Rachel knew better than her own. A voice that defended her, comforted her, needed her.
Rachel did not respond, but moved toward the counter next to Ivy, the refrigerator closing behind her. Once she got close enough she started to swing up…something she never could never do as smoothly as Ivy did. "I may have been wrong," Ivy murmured as if she was speaking to herself and Rachel was no longer in the room. Rachel was so stunned by the admission that she almost fell to the kitchen floor while trying to leverage herself to sit on the counter top.
"What do you mean?" Rachel finally spoke not noticing that Ivy had gently, carefully lifted her onto the counter. For the first time Rachel did not notice her vampire skills being used. It just seemed natural that Ivy would react before Rachel knew what had happened. Jenks did the same thing. Ivy put down the bag of shredded cheese that had been still held in one of her hands. She reached into the cabinet to get the pepper to avoid having to look into Rachel's open, caring, and breathtaking green eyes. It was the only thing that had ever taken her breath. Those eyes.
"Ivy," Rachel's eyes softened as she placed a hand on Ivy's wrist pulling her closer, "What do you mean?" Rachel whispered insistently. Ivy let out a slow breath and gently moved her arm so that it rested on the counter and Rachel removed her hand. Rachel had never seen Ivy look so nervous, so serious, or so beautiful. The warrior was sleeping. It was the woman who was talking. Rachel had never fully seen the woman. Ivy was always in such control. It was Rachel's turn for her breath to be taken away. Why had she never noticed the delicate amber flecks that sparkled in the chocolate brown of Ivy's eyes. What…were did that come from…? "Ivy," Rachel repeated more to clear her own confusing thoughts than to force Ivy to speak.
"I mean…" Ivy bent slightly leaning on the counter, which placed her closer to Rachel, "I mean that blood and sex aren't the same thing. For example, I may choose to give my body while taking blood, but I don't do it all the time…and…" Ivy trailed off starting to blush a little. Ivy quickly looked down trying to forget she had spoken, she went to grab the cheese to put the rest on the pizza. Rachel would not allow it…not when…Ivy had finally dropped some of her guard. Rachel grabbed Ivy's forearm and pulled her close…so close…she could feel Ivy's breath on her chest…the counter made her that much taller. Rachel had to suppress a small giggle she was finally taller than Ivy, granted she had the counter's help.
"Tell me," Rachel's voice was firm and she would not let go of Ivy but moving her hand so that it was resting behind Ivy's elbow. Ivy relaxed a fraction of an inch. She brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "For me blood and sex are separate because…I never really give myself…on one level I do have sex, the act, and take blood, but I don't ever…" Rachel's breathing had quickened to keep time with Ivy's rushing breath.
They had moved closer to one another. Ivy had relaxed, so her thighs and stomach were against the counter between Rachel's legs mainly because Rachel would not let go of her arm. Ivy placed her arms casually on the counter on either side of Rachel careful not to touch her. "What?" Rachel shifted running a finger under Ivy's chin as she looked down. "I have never made love. So I think what I meant was that making love and feeding are not that same thing. For me blood is a necessity that I really hate some days…and having sex," Ivy practically spit the word out, hating it, "makes doing something I hate bearable," her voice so quiet it took Rachel a second to register what Ivy had said.
Rachel was stunned. She had never thought that Ivy was so torn about what she was. Rachel always thought it was her perceptions of what Ivy was that bothered Ivy. Yes, Kist had told her Ivy hated what she was…but to never let go…No wonder she was wound so tight…stayed in control…it was part of how she cooped with having to feed. Ivy continued, unable to stop the words now that Rachel was listening, "So I think what I have been trying to tell you is that feeding and the act of sex are the same, but taking and giving blood is an act of love. It can only be done with love," Ivy sighed starting to move away from Rachel, now that her confession was out. She stopped when she felt Rachel's hand running up and down her back in a soothing gesture.
"You're telling me, you've never made love, not even with Skimmer?" Rachel's jaw tightened she hard on Skimmer's name, she thought she might loose a tooth, but her hand continued to sooth Ivy.
"Never," Ivy mumbled shyly, "I think that is why I could never articulate what I meant about blood," Ivy finally looked up at Rachel, speaking very matter of fact. "How can someone as great as you never have had that kind of…happiness, openness with someone…not even with Kisten?" Rachel wondered openly, her thoughts jumping around. Suddenly she noticed the strong muscles in Ivy's back under her hand…hands…when had she started hugging Ivy with both arms…?
Ivy's eyes were slits, as if the feel of Rachel's hands overwhelmed her. On Kisten's name Ivy murmured, "Are you telling me you have given yourself wholly to anyone, even with Kisten?" Ivy's eyes open and unguarded as they looked into Rachel's green ones. Rachel swallowed and squirmed a little, uncomfortable with answering. Ivy merely raised an eyebrow and waited. Rachel took a moment to think. Had she ever truly given herself? Had she ever trusted someone to do that with?
"No," Rachel replied her hands resting on Ivy's shoulders. They looked at each other, finally seeing each other…and a little bit of themselves in each other. "I told you we were not that different," Ivy whispered in Rachel's ear before she, once more, went to gently pull herself away.
Rachel felt her move and her brain jarred out of its stasis. Rachel didn't stop to think she just pulled Ivy back and kissed her on the soft spot just below her ear, right on the vampire spot of affection. Involuntarily, Ivy's hands moved to hold Rachel's thighs. Her arms had been lying still on the counter on either side of Rachel, so as not to invade her space. Ivy looked at Rachel when she had slowly pulled back from her neck. Ivy slowly, painfully slow, leaned forward and kissed Rachel just below her ear. Rachel tilted her head, exposing her neck, even as Ivy slowly backed away, Rachel's scent filling her lungs.
Rachel realized her hands were now in Ivy's hair. It really was as silky and soft, as she had imagined all that time ago.
Ivy and Rachel just looked at each other.
"What…?" Ivy began when her words and breath were cut off by Rachel's lips covering her mouth. Rachel was kissing her. Ivy stayed still not wanting to react. This had to be Rachel trying to show she understood Ivy. Maybe Rachel had taken too much brimstone. Maybe she had skipped her coffee today.
Ivy started to pull away, not wanting to destroy their friendship because Rachel was shocked or feeling vulnerable. It was as if Rachel realized what Ivy was going to do because quicker than a vampire living or dead, Rachel wrapped her arms and legs around Ivy tugging her closer.
Rachel finally broke the kiss, taking a much-needed breath. Why had she denied it? She knew. She had always known, especially when Al had scared her not with Ivy taking her blood, but Ivy being as she was now, just herself. Rachel had denied it. Pushed it away because she was shallow, confused, and afraid. She did not want to believe that she could feel for Ivy…that she could love Ivy….
"What are you doing?" Ivy's shocked voice reached Rachel's ears. Rachel could tell she was scared of this all being some alcohol or drug induced situation.
Rachel softly placed her fingers on Ivy's lips, silencing her. "I'm letting you know I care."
"Why now?" Ivy's eyes were pleading as she used her vampire quickness to move back to her computer and chair…away from Rachel.
"I don't know…" Rachel began getting off of the counter. She grabbed her glass and went back to the fridge. After filling her glass Rachel busied herself by putting some herbs on top of the pizza.
"That's okay." Rachel heard Ivy say as she bent down to put the pizza in the oven. After setting the oven timer, Rachel sat back down in her chair…the room fell into a calm silence. She tried to focus on her spell books while Ivy tapped away at her keyboard. Eventually, Rachel got caught up in a complicated spell for shield protection. She didn't notice that Ivy's typing had stopped, until she felt a whoosh of air and glanced up.
Ivy was putting plates and napkins on the table. "I care too." Ivy whispered, her vampire movements elegant, as she went to pour more soda into Rachel's nearly empty glass.