Delphine sits nervously outside her thesis supervisor's office. She arrived home last night, and first thing this morning she finds herself waiting for Dr. Jean Villeneuve to arrive to work. She knows the man is usually early, impeccably punctual and precise.
She forces herself not to cry, not over Cosima, not over her possibly precarious position in the program. Dr. Leekie has either called him, or will. Once again, people will know. She will have shamed herself.
"Bonjour Delphine." Dr. Villeneuve greets her lightly.
"I'm sorry. I..." Delphine pauses, she does not want to apologize for loving Cosima, for having Cosima, "J'ai -"
"Dr. Leekie m'a dit." Dr. Villeneuve sighs, "Viens, on va prendre un café."
"Quoi?" Delphine blinks in disbelief, Leekie has told him... and he's taking her out for coffee?
Ten minutes later and he's led her to a nearby café, and went to collect their coffees. Delphine sits in disbelief as Dr. Villeneuve returns to their table, delicately placing two teacups of steaming coffee in front of her. He pauses, running a hand through his grayed hair before sitting down.
"J'ai..." Delphine starts, unsure of how to continue. She doesn't want to apologize for falling in love with Cosima, she cannot regret that. Her midday indiscretion, was a mistake, she rationalizes, but loving Cosima... How could that be wrong? They weren't hurting anyone. It wasn't like with Matthieu; Dr. St-Laurent had been married, had a family. Cosima had no husband... no children.
"In English." Dr. Villeneuve corrects her, "Better we are not overheard." His accent is thicker than hers, but his English is impeccable.
Delphine pauses, trying to find words for her actions, "I was having an... affair with-"
"Cosima. Dr. Leekie's TA." Dr. Villeneuve interrupts her, "An excellent student, but very... Elle est impertinente, tu sais? Too bold."
"Yes. She is." Delphine agrees with a smile, "We were caught together."
"Aldous already told me that." Dr. Villeneuve nods at her, completely formal, calm. How can he possibly be so calm?
"Have... have I lost my place in the master's program? Will I be permitted to finish?" Delphine asks, unable to hold that question back any longer. If she's not? Everything she's worked for for years will have been in vain. But if she's not... what is to stop her from following Cosima to the United States? Her mind spins with possibilities.
Jean eyes her across the table lowering his voice, "You are still the same Delphine I took on. The same Delphine who performed well above everyone else in class, in labs, on dig... As long as your work is good, and there are no more... indiscretions."
"How... why are you so calm?" Delphine bursts out suddenly, expecting far more trouble. What is happening here? What is going on?
"Sodomy laws were repealed in 1791 here, it is not a crime Delphine, worst charge they can give is indecent exposure." Dr. Villeneuve drops his voice lower, taking a sip of coffee, "And neither you nor I are criminals. Things are changing, Delphine, though many would see it as immoral, indecent."
"What?" Delphine shakes her head, stunned.
"You need to remember - keep it private, out of view, and no one will bother you." Dr. Villeneuve says quietly, "I expect to see you back in the lab on Monday, I will handle Aldous."
"Mais -" Delphine's head spins. Dr. Villeneuve was a bachelor, as far as she knew. Devoted to his work in physical anthropology, archeology... the study of ancient disease. Or...
"Non." Jean shakes his head, "On ne peut pas parler plus ici."
Early Friday morning, Delphine awakes to the buzz of the intercom. Not again, she groans into her pillow at the thought. Since her return, she's made the mistake of frequenting a café Rémy likes. The man will not leave her alone. She swears he's around each time she attempts to leave her apartment. He's tried to speak with her twice, an attempt to rekindle their relationship now that she's back. Delphine had had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from asking if he was just bored.
"Va chier Rémy!" She props herself up in bed to shout out her open window, it was early for Rémy to bother her, the sun wasn't even fully up yet.
But instead of seeing the indignant form of her ex, a small form leans out from the entrance to look up at her window on the second floor.
"Umm Delphine? Can you let me in?" Cosima looks tired, surrounded by bags.
She gets up out of bed as if in a dream, buzzes Cosima into the building. Cosima here? That is why she had left her address. But... Cosima actually came? Is this just a stop before her flight home? Does Cosima intend to stay? No... it couldn't be.
"How?" Delphine opens her door, watches Cosima's eyes drop down her body.
"Your address." Cosima holds up a torn piece of paper, "I had to rip the 'Je t'aime' off to give this to the taxi driver. Sorry."
She gathers Cosima into her arms, kissing her cheeks, her lips, her forehead. Cosima is sweaty from the train ride, still wearing her backpack and hauling her tent.
"I'm so happy, so happy you came." Delphine tells her, continuing to lay enthusiastic kisses all over Cosima's face. She can tell Cosima is trying to tell her something, to speak but she lets her.
"Hey... just let me put my things down, okay?" Cosima smiles back at her, moving to remove her back pack, her sweater. She watches Cosima look around her tiny apartment.
"Alright." Delphine nods, wishing she had made more effort to clean up. There are dishes in her sink, and she has barely taken care of herself since returning home a couple days ago.
"One bedroom?"
"Not even, my bed, my couch, my kitchen, my bathroom." Delphine answers, pointing around her home, lastly pointing at the one door inside the apartment.
"So like a bachelor apartment. It's cute." Cosima glances around again, "I... just... just come here." Cosima's arms are shaking as she moves to pull her in to hold her.
"Cosima." She sighs into a warm mouth as it swallows her sounds. She's still not used to leaning down to kiss Cosima, or anything about Cosima.
"Are you okay?" Cosima breaks the case sniffling slightly, "What happened with..."
"Nothing. Nothing. I'm fine." Delphine reassures her, tugging her back into kiss. Cosima in her apartment, Cosima in her life. Would it even work? Could they fit together outside of the world of the dig?
"Why so soon? Isn't there one more day?" Delphine breaks the kiss, pulling Cosima back by the shoulders.
"I left yesterday. Not much left to do, you know? Besides... Leekie isn't my advisor." Cosima shrugs off her concern, "It will be fine."
"You sure?"
"Dr. Villeneuve...does he know?" Cosima's eyes search her face, trying to decipher what has happened in their brief separation.
"Don't worry about him. I'm still in the program." Delphine smiles genuinely, before she remembers, that is what will separate the two of them.
"Good." Cosima manages a nod before her lips are captured again. Cosima gasps and then groans as she teases her bottom lip with her tongue, followed by her teeth.
Her hands go to undress Cosima, working buttons, then fabric off her shoulders.
Cosima yields to her hands, eyes closing, a low groan emerging from her lips, eyes shutting slowly as she sways slightly.
"Are you too tired?" Delphine asks softly, kissing at a soft neck.
Cosima shakes her head, "No."
"Bon." Delphine tells her with a little laugh, pulling her nightgown up and over her head, letting it fall somewhere behind her on the wooden floor.
"Oh... Delphine... come here." Cosima hauls her back in, "I don't want to sleep. We only have a couple days."
"A couple days?" Delphine's brow furrows, the furious arousal building in her body suddenly tempered. She crosses her arms in front
"Yeah. I switched my flight to fly out of Paris on Sunday... cause... I had to see you again. I had to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?" Delphine repeats. Of course it is, it's the only thing that makes sense. Continue with their plans for graduate school.
"Well... yeah... I mean I would never ask you to give up your grad school - assuming that they haven't, you know, kicked you out. I mean, we've only, we've only known each other a few weeks." Cosima looks pained at least, Delphine theorizes... but does she feel this? Could she make her feel it? Feel the overwhelming love that threatens to consume her? Blotting out nearly everything else?
"But... we could... We could try..." Delphine stops herself, "I could come to the states, after I'm done... and-"
"Delphine, that is going to take two years." Cosima exclaims, "It's not fair to you... Or to me. I mean... let's just enjoy this for... what are you doing?" She remarks at Delphine drops down to her knees, uncrossing her arms as she does so.
"But this is what you want, right?" Delphine reaching to remove Cosima's pants, kissing just above the band of her white cotton undergarments. Pleasing Cosima... she thinks, leaning in to rest her nose against the fabric, steadying her hands as they tug loose linen down tanned legs.
"Oh god..." Cosima looks down, "You're...you're going to."
"Do you want it?" Delphine offers with lidded eyes and sweet voice, looking up at the brunette again, "I'll do it. I want to please you. I want you to be satisfied."
Cosima murmurs back, stroking messy curls, "Delphine, you don't have to."
"Mais... je t'aime." She lets fingers stroke along Cosima's hip, laying another teasing kiss against her belly.
"Come on," Cosima pulls her to her feet, "This isn't a no... but I'm all sweaty and gross, let's shower."
Delphine points, watching Cosima finish disrobing quickly, before making for the bathroom. The brunette stops twice, once to put her glasses safely on the table, and again to admire the clawfoot tub, the elegance of it.
"Fancy." Cosima remarks, turning on the water before switching the water to shower head.
"Here, let me." Delphine guides Cosima out of the way, setting the water temperature and testing it before standing back.
Cosima clambers in under the spray, groaning softly, "Oh, I missed warm water..."
"Mmm." Delphine hums back happily, a hand going to close the shower curtain before Cosima's strong hand grips her own, pulling her in to step carefully into the tub and closes the shower curtain behind her. She doesn't shower with other people, but... Cosima is small, small enough to fit in here with her.
The warm steam fills the shower in minutes, Cosima already begun rinsing herself off, her wet hair sticking to her skin. She means to wash Cosima, quickly soaping her hands and running them up her sides, washing under her arms, her ribs, her back.
With soap rinsing off as quickly as it is applied, she dips her head to a wet neck, pulling the smaller girl in back to front. Cosima's ass pressing back against her, as she pauses from washing.
Delphine's hands are merely roaming now, admiring water slick skin, she pauses to cup a breast in her hand, letting an already hard nipple slide against the sensitive skin of her palm. She moans at the feeling, kissing Cosima's neck more passionately.
"Are you going to take me like this?" Cosima asks, leaning back into her.
A low guttural moan is her only response as she drops her free hand lower, fingers eagerly seeking slick swollen flesh.
It's lying in bed after, playing with Cosima's damp hair, brushing it off her face, out of her eyes that she worries again.
She sings to her softly, Cosima not understanding the words "Et c'est pas fini,
c'est rien qu'un début. Le vrai soleil on l'a pas encore vu et jusqu' aujoud'hui
on a rien vécu..."
"What are you singing? What does it mean?" Cosima tries in a teasing voice.
"La grande extase on l'a pas encore vu. Non c'est pas fini. C'est rien qu'un début
Mais c'est le plus beau des commencement..." Delphine trails off wistfully.
"What is it?"
"A song. Et c'est pas fini..." Delphine pauses before singing again, stroking Cosima's cheeks, her still-damp hair.
"It sounds... romantic." Cosima guesses correctly with a grin.
"It is... mon amour," Delphine tries the pet name, it feels right. Cosima is her love. Her lover.
"Are you going to keep singing to me? Is this like a lullaby? Cause I don't need too much help. I was tired when I got here... then the shower." Cosima raises her eyebrows, beaming again. Has she forgotten? How can she forget that she's leaving?
"I don't want you to go." Delphine mumbles into Cosima's neck, her voice breaks despite herself. She can't hold this in, tears threatening to run down her cheeks.
"I know. I know." Cosima sighs in response, "Should I have just done home? Would that have been easier for you?"
"No... never..." Delphine assures her through her tears, she kisses Cosima again, letting the tears fall. She teases at her lip with her tongue until she's granted access to Cosima's mouth, until Cosima sucks on her tongue, making her falter.
She kisses down, with intent, sucking at Cosima's throat, shifting to move her whole body down. She's aware of the tears still streaking down her face, but she doesn't stop. Not kissing, not grasping at Cosima's bare skin. The brunette still smells of sex, she presses her face just below her navel to inhale deeply.
"Tu sens bonne." Delphine groans, letting her nose dip to touch dark curls.
"We... don't have to... not if you're crying..." Cosima catches her by the shoulder for a minute, "It's... it's just one thing, Delphine. I like lots of things. You can please me other ways... and you just did..."
"Je t'aime." She repeats, as if it's enough of an answer, moving to kneel between soft thighs.
Cosima's sex is swollen, glistening and her tongue darts out to taste. It's sweeter than she expected, tangier too. She's tasted herself on Cosima's lips, Cosima's tongue... but this is better. So much better. She muffles a low whimper.
"Are you okay?" Cosima asks breathily, fingers already gently playing with her hair.
"Mmm." She hums affirmatively, flicking her tongue firmly, enjoying the noises that follow. Cosima's noises. Cosima's pleasure. She's still sensitive from her first orgasm, it shouldn't take much, Delphine realizes pressing in closer, using her lips as well.
Cosima guides her head into place, "There. Like that... a little more... Yes. Yes."
It's a little awkward, Delphine acknowledges, having to adjust to breathe, nose buried in curls, Cosima's hips jerking up into her face. But the feel and taste.. and Cosima's sounds... have her own body tightening rapidly, begging for its own release.
Cosima's sounds are familiar, building towards climax as her hips twitch up harder with her gentle ministrations, gentle sucking lips and curious tongue, tight and quivering, until finally Cosima collapses back into the mattress, heavy breathing and low moans.
"Delphine... oh my god... Delphine."
"I like your taste." Delphine sighs finally, moving up Cosima's body, mouth and chin slick with Cosima's pleasure. She adjusts her legs to rub her own needy sex against a willing thigh.
"Oh... you're so wet from... from..." Cosima's words are lost in a groan as she presses her leg upwards to intensify the contact.
"Touch me. I need you." Delphine demands, Cosima grabs for her with two strong arms, kissing her, moaning loudly as she tastes herself.
"Your turn." Cosima announces, flipping her over, quickly kissing down her own body.
Delphine lets herself get lost, in Cosima's touch, in flesh and pleasure and taste.
Cosima wakes alone in an unfamiliar bed. Sunlight is streaming in from the window above the bed, she blinks slowly. She's more comfortable than she can recall being in days. The light in here is perfect, Cosima thinks sleepily, for photographs.
"Delphine?" Cosima sits up, blankets falling around her waist as she gets up and glances around. She should take more pictures of Delphine, her camera isn't completely inaccessible. She has photos of her certainly, in Rome, on site, at Ostia Antica... but that isn't quite the photo she wants now.
A note sits on the side table. Delphine's handwriting. She's gone to get food, and wine.
Cosima smiles and lays back in bed, another day of this will be bliss. She doesn't bother dressing, and soon enough a beaming Delphine reappears, navigating the door and key, as best she can with a large brown bag clasped against her.
"What's in there?" She stands up, uncaring that she's naked, though maybe they should close some of the curtains.
"Pastry. Cheese. Bread. Fruit. Wine. Truffles." Delphine grins, setting down the bag on the table, "Are you hungry? I can make us dinner, or...we can just eat what I've bought.
"Oh..." An idea blooming in her mind. Delphine naked, with a glass of wine. Eating truffles and pastry in this apartment. Her eyes slide down Delphine's now clothed body with a groan. She looks amazing, clad in a loose skirt and blouse, more formal than she'd ever seen her look on site.
"What?" Delphine's hands go to her blouse, "You want me to get undressed?" The blonde reads her well, but that's not quite what she had in mind.
"I want to take pictures of you." Cosima clarifies.
"Okay." Delphine nods, "Like this?" She smiles back.
"Naked." Cosima responds, "Naked, eating and drinking wine."
"Seriously?" Delphine laughs, ducking her head as she does so.
"Yes. If you're okay with it that is."
Delphine seems to consider for a moment, "Yes."
Before she says another word, Delphine's fingers are working buttons, shedding her garments as she digs for her camera.