Hecate's eyes widened a little at the number of people in the room as she walked into the staff holiday party. She was late, having been putting off coming down for the social event until she felt she couldn't any longer. Parties were generally not her thing, even when they were just with her colleagues, which it appeared this party was not. Her eyes met Pippa's almost immediately across the room, and the blonde witch practically flitted over. How she moved like that, Hecate would honestly never know.
"Hiccup, darling. I was starting to worry you were not coming, though Dimity assured me that you always come to put an appearance in." She pecked the taller witch on the cheek. Hecate reddened slightly.
"I was unaware you were coming to the…Cackle's holiday party, Pippa." She said, almost formally, regretting it almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth. "Though of course, you are welcome."
"Ada invited me, and a few of my staff" she waved her hand, indicating a few other witches and one wizard, chatting with Dimity. "After all that mess with the council, we thought we should all get to know one another better. You're all invited to ours next week, didn't she tell you?"
"It must have slipped her mind." Hecate said dryly. Rather, she'd likely assumed she would be uninterested. Which ordinarily…she would be. Except, Pippa. Pippa, who she'd recently gotten back into contact with after 30 years. Pippa, who she now, middle-aged and fully aware that she was a lesbian, recognized that she'd been in love with as a teenager (something she hadn't understood at the time), and who was still the most beautiful witch she had ever seen, even if she did insist on wearing pink most of the time. Pippa, who was currently wearing a red dress that was revealing more of her body than Hecate had seen in years.
As if she noticed Hecate looking at her dress, she leaned in. "I wore it just for you."
Hecate almost swallowed her tongue.
"I know how you dislike pink, darling. Red is at least a little better, no?" She winked. "Come now, let's go get you a drink. I've already had three, this punch is delicious." She grabbed Hecate's hand and pulled her over to the refreshments table, where she got her a glass of punch and grabbed a biscuit for herself.
Hecate had one sip of the punch and realized Pippa was likely rather drunk already, if she'd had three.
Ada walked over at that moment to greet her deputy.
"Hello Hecate, glad you joined us."
Pippa pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for inviting us, Ada, I'm having such a lovely time."
"She has had three glasses of punch." Hecate remarked. "I might be a bit careful, it seems Miss Tapioca may have had a heavy hand today."
"Oh, you." Pippa bopped her on the nose. "I'm just fine, just enjoying myself is all. I'm going to go see if I can get Miss Bat to play something a bit more upbeat." She took another large gulp of her punch and moved away briefly to speak to Miss Bat.
Ada eyed her as she walked away slightly unsteadily. "You know, I did offer that they could stay here tonight. She declined, but perhaps…you could suggest it again if she doesn't sober up. Drinking and flying is not recommended, you know."
"I don't know what's gotten into her, Ada, honestly. I'll speak to her."
"Oh, she's quite all right, we're all adults and there's nothing wrong with a little witch's brew, I just don't want her to get injured."
Pippa came wandering back, and Ada took her leave.
"Pip, do you want to maybe…go for a walk, or something?" Hecate suggested. Her cup was running low and she really didn't think she should have another.
"You know, there is a part of the castle I've been curious to see." She said, a grin coming over her face.
"Oh, what's that?" Hecate started trying to think what part she hadn't seen yet.
Pippa leaned in to her ear. "Your chambers." She slipped her hand into Hecate's. "I know I normally hate it when you transfer me somewhere, darling, but perhaps I could make an exception, I don't feel like walking."
Hecate just stared at her for a moment. Did she mean…certainly not. Cautiously she flicked her fingers into a fist, and they reappeared in her sitting area.
Pippa took in the room around her. "Oh, it's so very you, Hecate." It was of course very tidy, nothing out of place. A small sofa sat next to a fireplace, a few bookshelves, a desk. In an alcove was a bed with dark bedding on it. She pulled Hecate towards the sofa to a seated position. Hecate's head was spinning a bit, how much of that punch had she had again?
Pippa was still holding her glass in her other hand, and she tipped it back, finishing it, before setting it on the table next to the sofa. The table was on the other end from where she was, so she had to lean over Hecate to do this. On her way back over, she paused slightly, then to Hecate's immense shock, flung her leg over her lap as well so that she was straddling her.
"Pippa, what are you…"
Pippa put her finger over Hecate's lips to quiet her. "If you want me to stop, of course, I will, at once, but I don't think you mind, do you."
Her fingers moved up to the top of her head, and started gently unpinning Hecate's bun. The dark witch was not entirely certain what was going on but Pippa was right, she really did not mind. So she just watched, wordlessly, as Pippa concentrated on letting her hair loose. It tumbled down around her body.
"Oh, it is so long. I couldn't tell." She ran her fingers through it, all the way to the bottom, almost in wonder.
Hecate was struggling to breathe normally.
After she had thoroughly undone her hair, and arranged it in waves around her shoulders, Pippa's eyes left her hair and met Hecate's again.
"You look beautiful." She said softly. She leaned in and before Hecate really knew what was happening (though really, hadn't she thought this might be happening for the past few minutes?) Pippa's soft lips were on her own. Pippa. Was kissing her. Luckily her brain caught up with what was happening fast enough to kiss back.
Then Pippa was pulling back, and leaned in to rest her head on Hecate's shoulder.
"I have wanted to do that for ages." She admitted.