A/N: Griffin and Faragonda end up buried in paperwork which, ironically, makes some feelings they have for each other emerge.
Faragonda glanced at the clock as she finished signing the last document in her pile. It was late. And it would've been even more so had Griffin not stayed to help her with all the paperwork the Council kept sending them after the incident with the Trix. They were looking for reasons to get rid of both of them and Saladin, too. The Council had never been thrilled about Griffin and her position as the Headmistress of Cloud Tower despite her competence–or probably because of it–and now that she and Saladin had backed her up and stopped them from destroying her career, they were being targeted as well. One wrong step was all it would take for the Council to replace them. It was a good thing they were watching each other's backs.
"Thank you for staying to help me," Faragonda said, a smile taking over her face at the sight of Griffin's expression as she filled out the last sheet from her pile. It was one of total concentration and besides being adorable–Griffin would throw a fit if she knew that she was thinking it so it was a good thing she was busy currently–it also made Faragonda appreciate Griffin's readiness to assist her even more. She would've had to stay up all night to finish the mountain of paperwork without the help. Not to mention that Griffin had her own work to attend to but she'd still stayed because their friendship had been revived and was once again at its strongest.
"It's the least I could do after everything we had to go through," Griffin said without looking up. She didn't add the "because of me" but it was in her tone, loud and clear, and it was like she pushed the pen she was holding between Faragonda's ribs, making it painful for her to breathe.
The witch was prone to blaming herself and trying to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders while also refusing any help offered to her. Faragonda had hoped that after they'd handled the whole mess with the Army of Decay together Griffin would let her in. And she had but she still insisted on carrying her guilt instead of allowing her to soothe it. She would try anyway but she didn't have enough air to speak.
"There, all finished," Griffin said as she slammed the last sheet of paper on top of the stack and threw her pen away dramatically, sending it flying through the room and flipping the mood on its head. "No magic needed for these monsters either, although it would've made things much easier and faster."
It would have indeed but the Council had made sure to make the paperwork magic proof. For protection from fabrication and tempering with the documentation was the official version. To make their lives miserable in retaliation for standing up to them was the truth. Which didn't leave them a choice but to commit hours to filling out pointless forms and such. Otherwise, Faragonda would've used some dark magic from the old days to save herself and Griffin numerous hours of writing resulting in back pain and headaches.
"There's even time for a cup of tea and whatever ridiculous game you'll think of this time," Griffin smiled at her as if she'd seen her need for something to brighten her mood and shed some light in the darkness gathered in her mind. "Just not Truth or Dare," Griffin scrunched her nose up in distaste but the smile was back soon as she conjured two cups of tea to back up her tempting offer.
Faragonda chuckled as she leaned back in her chair, relieved to straighten her back for the first time in what felt like forever. "I could kiss you right now," she spoke, the sentence rather breathy as she felt the pressure leave her body and her muscles relax.
"Could?" Griffin asked, the high-pitched sound of her voice and the feigned scandalized expression on her face forcing Faragonda to purse her lips as a measure to hold her laughter in. "Well, that's disappointing," Griffin looked away as she summoned a pout to take over her features.
"Are you sure you want me to kiss you?" Faragonda teased as she leaned forward again for effect, her body protesting against the action just like her mind protested against the notion of taking that game any further. She had to stop before she could trick herself into thinking that this was something more than just innocent joking around with her best friend. She'd be the one to burn herself with disappointment when she inevitably had to return to reality.
"Are you sure you could kiss me?" Griffin mirrored her movement, challenging playfully, but her bright golden eyes shined with desire that looked real and honest and then some. And they were so close that it would be a crime to ignore the intimacy of the moment.
Faragonda moved closer to the inviting warmth coming from Griffin and closed the space between them even more but the proximity wasn't suffocating and instead wrapped them in the freedom their friendship had always granted them. Freedom to be who you are and be loved for that and supported no matter what. It had always been the one thing that had given her the strength to keep going.
She took a deep breath, giving them both time to clear their heads and back out of it if they felt the need. But the only need she could feel was to be close to Griffin. As close as the fabric of existence would allow and then some.
She touched her lips to Griffin's slowly and gently when all she wanted was to hold on to her and never let go but she didn't want to force her into something she wasn't ready for or didn't want. So she left all the choices to her, afraid to even touch her, even if it would be like having her wings ripped off to feel her pull away.
Griffin's hands closed in her blouse, pulling her closer and almost out of her chair, making her grab on to her and hold tight as Griffin's lips opened against hers and her tongue came out, seeking permission to enter her mouth.
Faragonda parted her lips to grant it and let Griffin lead as she let herself get carried away in the caresses of Griffin's tongue and the softness of her lips on hers. The kiss was hungry and needy, and desperate–as if they'd finally found the one piece they'd been missing and they were trying to make the most of the wholeness filling up their hearts before it could slip through their fingers–and it left her feeling light-headed. Though, that might have also been the lack of oxygen since they didn't pull away until it became life-threatening.
They parted, their chests rising and falling erratically and the sound of their harsh breaths filling the room, but Faragonda touched her forehead to Griffin's, looking to stay as close to her as possible. She also took Griffin's hands in hers when the witch let go of her clothing, thoughts of what her clinginess looked like probably flooding her mind now that the oxygen was coming back to her brain. There was no way Faragonda could find her too close, though, and she wanted to show her that.
Griffin closed her eyes and squeezed Faragonda's hands as if to make sure she was still there with her. "I..." she took a few more breaths–to calm her racing heart that Faragonda could hear or to gather her thoughts wasn't clear–before she spoke, "I'm scared." Her voice was quiet and this time it wasn't from the lack of air.
Faragonda pulled away to look at her and she could see the fear gripping at her throat. "I'm here," Faragonda said, suppressing the impulse to cup Griffin's cheek, for that would require her to pull one of her hands out of Griffin's and she feared that could plant feelings of abandonment in the witch. So she just held her hands and hoped her voice would have enough strength to get through to her friend.
"I'm scared I'll ruin everything between us," Griffin opened her eyes that had welled up with tears while her voice had disappeared, leaving only a whisper behind. "I can't live without you," she admitted, making Faragonda's heart skip a beat and her grip on Griffin loosened as she nearly melted at the words. "I can't do it again," Griffin said and the guilt in her eyes reflected in the water that was filling them had Faragonda's heart freeze into a hardened shell of pain that seemed impossible to break through by something as soft and light as her love for Griffin.
"I'm scared, too," Faragonda confessed, for she'd been haunted by the same thoughts ever since they'd mended their friendship. They hadn't spoken for years and even though it seemed like no time had passed at all between them as they still knew each other better than anyone else, she could still remember the coldness of those nights when she'd felt like she'd fall out of bed and disappear into the unforgiving blackness of the chasm that had opened between her and Griffin in place of the deep and intimate understanding they'd shared. She'd been haunted by that fear for too long for it to go away without leaving any traces on her heart. And the marks were still there ready to make themselves known the moment any uncertainty crawled over them and irritated them even in the slightest.
Griffin seemed to misread her words through the haze of guilt wrapped around her mind and her tears were ready to fall from her eyes the moment she flung herself over the edge of the cliff of blame she'd put herself on. Faragonda had to be careful not to be the one to push her over.
"We're together in this, though," she said as she pulled Griffin's hands closer and pressed them to her chest, hoping to draw her to safety. "And we know what we want." She did. And if the way Griffin had and was holding on to her was any indication, then she wanted the same. "We can make it happen. We can make sure we won't have to live without each other," she said, glad to see Griffin's eyes widening slightly as if to help the distress seep out of them faster and make space for new hope to fill them, chasing away the tears. "So what do you say?" she went for a smile but the nervousness had frozen her muscles and her lips couldn't quite make it. "Jump with me into the unknown?" She would offer Griffin a hand but she was already holding both of hers and she wouldn't let go if Griffin didn't ask her to.
"Yes," Griffin just barely managed to choke out through all the emotions that could be read in her eyes before she lunged forward and kissed her hard.
If the previous kiss had been needy, then this one was better described as passionate, both in giving and taking. It tasted like freedom–freedom from fear and freedom to be together–and neither of them could break away from it. It was liberating and Faragonda refused to let the uncomfortable position they were sitting in restrict them or get in their way.
She pulled Griffin out of her chair without breaking the kiss and let go of her hands to grasp at her hips and lift her on the desk. Griffin was light enough for Faragonda to not require any assistance from her magic but she still used it to move away the teacups that she barely remembered were there. The pile of paperwork wasn't so lucky, though, as they ended up pushing it over, the sheets falling all over the floor, but she could hardly be bothered with that when Griffin's arms were wrapped around her neck and grounded her in their cozy little bubble of love.