Author's note: Wow! Less than a week between updates! What is happening?! After all the lovely feedback from the last chapter, I wanted to get a new one out quickly. It's a little shorter, but there wasn't really anymore that I wanted to add to it. Thanks again for all your wonderful comments and support of this story! Also, big thanks to havuhadanosejob on tumblr for translating some French stuff for me.
When Cosima began to regain consciousness, the first thing she became aware of was the very naked body pressed very closely against her own.
The second thing she became aware of was the feeling of a steady breath against her neck.
The third thing she became aware of was the way a pair of arms were wrapped loosely around her body.
Cosima slowly opened her eyes to see Delphine curled up next to her, head resting on Cosima's shoulder, still sleeping peacefully.
Cosima just looked at Delphine for a while, appreciating her natural beauty while she was unconscious and unaware of Cosima's wandering gaze. Delphine's brow was furrowed, just a little, as though she were thinking hard about something, and her lips were slightly parted to let her breath escape from between them. Cosima could feel Delphine's chest rise and fall against her with every breath she took. She marveled in the way Delphine's hair was gracefully strewn across the pillows. Cosima sighed contentedly; Delphine was so beautiful. She could get used to waking up like this.
Cosima couldn't help herself from scooting her face closer to Delphine's and bumping their noses together, before placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Delphine hummed softly as her eyes fluttered open, blinking away the sleep. "Mmm, Cosima?" she asked sleepily.
"Hey there, beautiful," Cosima said as she smiled and kissed her again. Delphine's arms tightened around her as she kissed back. They moved lazily, both content with just the light brush of lips and tongue and not desperately in need of more.
Their kisses gradually slowed, and eventually ended with Cosima giving Delphine little pecks on her lips and cheeks. Delphine giggled and scrunched up her face, pushing Cosima away playfully. "What time is it?" she asked, still sleepy.
"Hm, I dunno," Cosima hummed, and pressed her lips to Delphine's once more.
Delphine pushed Cosima away and sat up straight, suddenly wide awake. "Cosima, what time is it?"
"What?" Cosima asked, thrown off by the sudden mood change. "I don't know, why?" Delphine just stared at her until she figured it out. "Oh, shit," Cosima muttered, her eyes growing wide. "Your curfew. Shit!" Cosima jumped out of bed and fumbled through the clothes on the ground, fishing in her skirt pocket for her phone. When she found it, she checked the time on the screen. "Fuck!"
"Cosima, what time is it?" Delphine asked, worried.
Cosima looked at Delphine and pressed her lips together nervously. "It's 5:30."
"In the morning?" Delphine asked. Cosima nodded. "Merde!" She followed Cosima out of bed and started gathering her clothes from the ground. She spoke while she pulled on her underwear and her dress quickly. "J'y crois pas! C'est pas possible! Pourquoi on s'est endormies? Comment j'ai pu m'endormir?! Mes parents vont me tuer! Putain, non, je vais me faire incendier!"
Cosima also put on her clothes swiftly, but when Delphine started rambling in French, she came over and put her hands on Delphine's upper arms, rubbing her soothingly, trying to calm her down. "Hey, hey," Cosima started. "Baby, I don't know what you're saying. It's ok, everything's going to be fine."
"You don't know that!" Delphine said.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Cosima said. "But if we just explain to them that we accidentally fell asleep they should understand, right?"
"And do you want to explain to them why we fell asleep?"
Cosima's face paled. "Not really."
Delphine looked at her pointedly and continued to search the ground even though she was already fully clothed. "Where the fuck is my phone?!"
"I think you left that downstairs," Cosima replied.
Delphine sighed and stormed out of the room, and Cosima followed right behind her. When she found Delphine again in the living room, she was looking at her phone.
"I have twelve missed calls from my parents!" Delphine gasped. "I am going to be in so much trouble!"
"Hey, I'm sorry," Cosima muttered, looking down. She couldn't help but feel like it was her fault they fell asleep, and now Delphine was upset.
Delphine noticed the change in Cosima's attitude and sighed. "It's not your fault."
Cosima shrugged. "But it kind of is," she said. "I just wanted us to have a good night but then I messed everything up and now you're upset and your parents are probably going to hate me."
"Hey, it's just as much my fault as it is yours," Delphine said. "They can hate both of us." She stepped up to Cosima and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, hugging her tightly. "And I did have a good time," she added.
Cosima leaned back to look at Delphine and smiled. "Yeah?"
Delphine nodded. "Oui," she said, and kissed her.
"I really am sorry, though," Cosima said after they broke apart.
"I know," Delphine said. "Let me call my parents so they know what happened, and then you'll probably have to take me home."
Cosima nodded, and Delphine stepped to the other side of the room to make her phone call.
"Hello, maman?" Delphine said after a moment. "Yes, I am fine. I'm so sorry, we were watching a movie and just fell asleep, and my phone was in a different room. Yes, Cosima can take me home now. I'm really sorry! Ok. Ok, I will see you soon. Bye."
Delphine hung up the phone and took a deep breath.
"Well?" Cosima asked. "Did she sound mad?"
Delphine shook her head. "Not really, but sometimes it's hard to tell when she's angry. And she's usually angry."
Cosima gulped. "I guess I should get you home quick then."
"That would probably be best," Delphine agreed.
Cosima drove to Delphine's house in silence, both girls too nervous to even say anything to each other. Cosima fidgeted anxiously and her fingers twitched, so Delphine reached across the gap between their seats to grab her hand. Cosima looked over at her and offered a small smile. Delphine squeezed her hand and continued to hold on the rest of the drive. When they arrived at Delphine's house, neither of them made any move to let go.
"I could go in with you?" Cosima offered. "So you don't have to face the music alone."
Delphine smiled. "As much as I appreciate that, I think you coming in with me might do more harm than good right now."
"Of course," Cosima sighed and pursed her lips.
"Hey," Delphine said, squeezing her hand again. "As soon as they're finished with me I will call you, ok?"
Cosima nodded and did her best to smile. She leaned in to give Delphine a brief kiss. "Good luck," she said.
"Thanks," Delphine said, and got out of the car. She walked up the driveway to the front door, then turned around to give Cosima one last wave before going inside. Cosima saluted and gave her a thumbs up. Despite the circumstances, Delphine felt herself giggle. She blew a kiss, and then went inside.
Delphine's parents were waiting for her in the living room.
"Do you want to explain yourself?" her father asked.
"I'm sorry," Delphine said. "We were watching a movie and fell asleep and I didn't hear my phone. It's not Cosima's fault, please don't blame her."
"You never missed curfew before you started spending time with this girl," her mother added.
"I never had a curfew before because I never went out before!" Delphine said.
"Whoever's fault it is," her father interrupted, "something needs to be done so this doesn't happen again."
"It won't," Delphine said. "I promise!"
"You can't promise that, Delphine," he said.
"I know, but—"
"You're grounded," he said. "No more hanging out with Cosima, and no more phone."
Delphine just nodded, knowing it would be useless to argue. "How long?"
"Your mother and I will talk about it. But for now, hand over your phone and go to your room."
"Can I just call Cosima really quickly to tell her—"
"Delphine."
Reluctantly, Delphine gave her phone over to her father and ran up the stairs to her room. She closed the door and fell into bed, hoping that this wouldn't last for too long. She already missed Cosima. Spending the night with Cosima had given Delphine a taste of something she hadn't realized she so desperately wanted.
Delphine wanted to wake up every morning wrapped in Cosima's embrace, whispering to each other and trading lazy kisses. Before she had fully woken up and realized she missed her curfew, Delphine was the happiest she could remember being, and it's all because of Cosima.
Delphine was worried because she had no way of telling her girlfriend that she was grounded. She hoped that Cosima would be understanding of her indefinite lack of contact with her. Delphine sighed and grabbed one of her pillows, hugging it close to her body, wishing that it was Cosima in her arms instead.
When Cosima got home, she didn't go back to sleep. She paced around her house, impatiently waiting for a call or a text from Delphine. She just needed something so she could know what was happening.
When only an hour had passed, Cosima tried not to let herself worry. It was possible Delphine was still being lectured by her parents, or maybe she had just forgotten. It was fine. Delphine would call her.
But soon, that hour turned into two, which turned into four, which turned into eight, and eventually it was Saturday evening and Cosima hadn't heard so much as a syllable from Delphine since she dropped her off that morning.
She tried calling Delphine's phone, but it went straight to voicemail. She was starting to get worried.
Cosima warmed up some leftover pizza in the microwave for dinner so she wouldn't starve when her phone started ringing. She accidentally broke a glass and knocked over a chair as she bounded to the living room to answer it. When she looked at the caller ID to see that it was just Sarah, she frowned.
"What do you want, Sarah?" Cosima said, irritated.
"Yeesh, Cos, who stuck what up your arse?"
"I'm not in the mood, Sarah. What is it?"
"Oh shit, did Frenchie break up with you?" Sarah asked.
"No!" Cosima answered immediately. "At least, I don't think so. She kinda got in trouble with her folks and she hasn't called me since."
"Damn," Sarah said. "You know what you need?"
"What?"
"To get shit faced," Sarah replied. "With me and Fee. Tonight. Come with us! That's why I called anyway."
"I don't know, Sarah…"
"Come oooon! It'll be fun! And Cal's driving so we don't have to worry!"
Cosima sighed. She looked at the clock. It was already 8, and the odds of Delphine actually calling were continually shrinking. And she'd been driving Delphine the last few parties they went to, so Cosima was craving a fun night out. "What the hell," she muttered. "Fine, I'll go."
Sarah let out a whoop of excitement. "Awesome! We'll pick you up in like an hour, yeah?"
"Sounds good, Sar. See you then."
"Later, Cos."
They hung up the phone and Cosima went up to her room to get ready. She applied heavy makeup, perfecting the smoky eyes, and picked out a short dress and some tights to wear.
An hour later, almost on the dot, Cosima heard a horn honk from outside her house, revealing the presence of Cal, some senior that had a thing for Sarah, towing Sarah and Felix along with him.
Cosima glanced at her phone, but ultimately decided to leave it behind so she could just let loose tonight, without worrying about it. She bolted down the stairs and out the door empty handed to join her friends in the car.
She hadn't even been in the car a full minute when Felix said, "So, I hear you're having lady troubles?"
Cosima groaned. "Felix, I don't want to talk about it."
"Yeah!" Sarah piped up from the passenger seat, clearly already at least a little bit drunk. "No mentioning the French goddess, tonight is Cosima's distraction! We're gonna have fun!"
"Thanks, Sarah," Cosima laughed. "And thanks, Cal, for the ride."
"Don't worry about it," Cal said. "Glad to help."
When they arrived at the party, the music was already blaring and the front lawn was already trashed. So were the people. Cosima looked around at the atmosphere: the dancing, grinding, making out. The last party she was at, Delphine was with her. She thought of Delphine trying her first drink, Delphine's body pressed up against hers as they danced, Delphine kissing the breath out of her… Cosima wished Delphine was here with her again.
Felix noticed Cosima's mood turn somber, so he quickly pulled her into the kitchen. "Let's get you a drink!" he said. He poured her a cup of beer, which she downed quickly and handed it over for Felix to refill.
By the sixth drink, Cosima had forgotten why she was so upset in the first place.
