Okay so here's a fun fact: The octopus fact mentioned in this chapter is something I saw on TV when I was 6 and has for some weird reason stuck with me since then... it may not even be a true fact because 13 years is a long time to remember something accurately... but there you go.
Anyway yea, enjoy the chapter and tell me what you thought!
-.-.-.-
Cosima was sunshine and Cosima was joy. Cosima was the kind of person whose enthusiasm for life should be bottled or at the very least be put on a pedestal to admire. Before they'd really known one another Delphine had presumed it was her work persona – a veil she threw over herself for better tips and more satisfied customers.
That, as it turned out, wasn't the case at all though. Cosima lived everyday amazed by each individual aspect of the world around them, and there were times Delphine found herself genuinely envious of the way she could show the same amount of enthusiasm for a patch of flowers as she could for the rotations of the earth.
Her envy never lasted though; two seconds with Cosima and she found it almost impossible to feel anything negative. Even when holding her hand while they walked through the city Delphine felt like she was absorbing some fraction of that joy through osmosis alone. She was smiling more, laughing more, thinking more, and even learning more in spite of all the books and documentaries she'd watched growing up.
"Like, did you know that because they don't have a skeleton octopuses can fit through something as small as a keyhole, like even the big ones, like the five or six meter ones." One hand gestured widely while the other sat calm and wrapped in Delphine's fingers.
"I did not know that," she admitted, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips at the way Cosima's entire expression glowed with her seemingly endless knowledge.
Today they were in a small park not far from the university. It wasn't a particularly nice day though Delphine was sure even if there had been a downpour she'd have gone on the walk when Cosima suggested it that morning. She liked walking with her and watching the way the grooves in the bark of a tree could lead her to a conversation about Greek mythology or how the eroded banks of the river running next to the trail could take her down a path that ended in octopus and other deep sea creatures.
Really she just liked watching the way Cosima's mind worked and the way it could link seemingly random facts into a tale so captivating Delphine wouldn't mind if she spoke forever. She found it an odd thing to be attracted to – a mind. While none of her previous boyfriends had been by any means stupid or ignorant it had never been for their views on the world she'd dated them. Their bodies, yes, and often their humour or their ability to hold conversation was an important factor, though never their actual mind or the way the linked together the workings of the universe around them.
Cosima was different however, and not just because she was a woman. She was different because although Cosima was beautiful – and in fact Delphine was quite sure Cosima had ruined all other types of beauty for her – and although Cosima had an unparalleled sense of humour and unrivalled ability to create conversation it was what was inside her head that Delphine had fallen for first.
Initially it had been the ways she'd so candidly talked about scientific fields Delphine had a passion for. Then it had been her knack for pointing things out and filling Delphine in on the odd titbits of information she had on them; geeky things that most people would be embarrassed about knowing while Cosima just seemed confident. Eventually it had just spiralled to the point they were at now, where each word that left Cosima's mouth was an opiate, raw and addictive yet strikingly beautiful.
"Dude." Cosima was grinning at her unabashed yet curious. "You're staring."
"I am?" Delphine didn't quite have it in her to be embarrassed, but feigned it all the same.
"God, checking me out while I try to teach you a little about marine biology…" She shook her head and glared playfully. "You French have no appreciation… just no appreciation what so-"
Delphine's lips enveloped her words in a sweet kiss, pressing hard against her protests until both women were giggling into one another's mouths. Then they stood for a moment with their foreheads pressed together and one of Delphine's hands still grasping Cosima's while the other stroked her cheek.
"No appreciation," Cosima muttered finally, breaking the quite moment they'd both been enjoying.
"You are such…" Delphine paused; she knew there was an exact phrase, she just couldn't quite place it. "What's that term you use a lot…"
"Perfect… smokn' hot… cute… hella cute…"
"A pain in the ass," Delphine remembered finally, her words silencing her girlfriend. "You are such a pain in the ass."
"I prefer it when you call me cheeky," Cosima huffed, throwing a bemused look in Delphine's direction.
"Sometimes ma Cherie, cheeky does not nearly cover it." Then she tugged on Cosima's arm to start them into motion again. "Now come on, you have to work in an hour, we need to go."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Cosima groaned, begrudgingly catching up to Delphine's pace. "I swear, someday I'm going to quit and just spend all my time with you."
"University is starting in a month Cosima," Delphine reminded her. "You'll be stopping work then to work on your dissertation."
"Yea, but then I'll have science to focus on and you'll still feel all neglected," she warned her.
"I do not feel neglected," Delphine snorted. "I feel very lucky to be dating someone that gives me so much attention, and I know I will feel just as lucky when we're at university."
"You'll not be saying that when I roll off you after we have sex and open up my laptop to work on my thesis instead of cuddle you." Delphine outright laughed at this comment, for the thought of Cosima wanting to do anything but cuddle after they slept together was absurd to say the least.
"I am sure we'll have no issue there."
-.-.-.-
Delphine still came in everyday for her lunch when Cosima worked – excluding of course the day after their first night together, when Cosima had insisted the mocking they'd both receive wouldn't be worth the half hour or so they got to see one another for.
In the two weeks since then however the taunting had eased off somewhat, and it was moderately safe for Delphine to set foot in the café door without Sarah's singsong "oooh Cosima there's your girlfriend" ringing in her ears. Not that she minded; it was after all a small price to pay.
Today when she came in she went to her usual spot, and as usual Cosima appeared within minutes with a menu for her to browse through. Today however there was something distinctly different about Cosima's demeanour, she seemed a lot graver than usual.
"What is wrong?" She bypassed formalities and got straight to the point.
"Remember when I said we could do something really cool together this weekend because I had the entire weekend off?" Cosima groaned while passing over the menu.
"Oui… I do," Delphine nodded, waiting expectantly for the bad news that was sure to follow.
"Well." Cosima drew out the word as she rung her fingers together and a self-depreciating smile spread across her face. "Sarah and Cal kinda needed a babysitter, apparently Mrs. S is out of town visiting some Carlton dude and I kinda totally forgot I'd promised you we'd do something so I just like instantly jumped at the chance to hang out with Kira for a few hours because like dude, she's such a cute freaking kid… and I mean Sarah said she doesn't care if you're there too y'know, it's only for a few hours… but if you don't want to I totally get it, cos like kids can kinda be…"
Delphine was sure if Cosima spoke much longer she'd pass out from lack of oxygen, and decided to save her the embarrassment of collapsing at work. "I would love to help you look after Kira."
"Really?" Cosima's hands stopped mid motion and she looked down at Delphine. "Because I mean I know it's not gonna be nearly as romantic as what we'd originally planned for Saturday night but like Kira is a really good kid and she's like seven so there's no need to worry about like diapers or any of that gross kinda business it's just a simple…"
"Cosima," Delphine cut her off again before she started off on another tangent. "I already agreed, there's no need to convince me."
"Right, yea… cool," Cosima nodded quickly then stopped for a moment, then added: "You're sure you don't mind?"
"You can even take her to my apartment for the evening," Delphine reassured her. "I mean if you want… but I am closer and my apartment has a spare room Kira could sleep in if Sarah and Cal are going to be back late?"
Cosima's entire face lit up at the suggestion and Delphine knew it had been the right move. "Yes, oh my god yea totally, I mean I'll obvs need to run it by Sarah and all that jazz, but totally, totally, that'd be awesome," she nodded enthusiastically. "Wow, I'm so glad you're not super pissed at me right now."
"Do not worry ma Cherie, it takes a lot more than babysitting to annoy me," she reassured the American. "I mean if anything it would be the way you insisted on playing that minecraft game when we're watching movies," she added teasingly.
"I keep telling you, let me show you how it works and you'll be just as addicted!" Cosima huffed.
"Mmm, if you say so." Delphine brushed off the suggestion. "I'm ready to order by the way."
-.-.-.-
Cosima was due to arrive with Kira any minute, and just as well too because Delphine had just managed to end the skype call with her parents – not that she didn't want them to know about Cosima, she just didn't want them to know about her and Cosima. Eventually they'd probably find out, and eventually she wouldn't mind so much, just right now while she was between countries and their relationship was so new, it was something she could really do without.
So thankfully she closed down her skype window, and after a quick glance at the clock on her laptop, logged into her emails, figuring she had a few minutes before Cosima got here. Most was junk which she promptly deleted, one was from her older brother asking her how things were going which she made a mental note to reply to the next day, and a few from University of Minnesota regarding her PhD programme.
Finally there was an email from two days ago that caught Delphine's attention just as she was about to sign out. She clicked to open it and when she did her heart stilled for a moment as her eyes scanned over the page. Eventually she sat back in her chair, head spinning from what she'd just read.
She needed time to process, needed time to figure out what the email meant for her. She didn't have that time right now though; right now her buzzer was signalling the arrival of Cosima and Kira and drawing her away from the cloud of thoughts in her mind.
"Pas maintenant," she whispered. "Pas maintenant." Then she shut down the lid of her laptop and stood to answer the door.
