Greetings everyone, surprise I'm not dead! Sorry I left you guys hanging for so long, but believe me it wasn't my fault. You know how it is, life is a roller coaster, sometimes you're high and sometimes you're low. Well, I've been stuck at rock bottom for the last month or so. I was cursed with a nasty soul crushing case of Writers Block so I couldn't write shit about anything! Then of course, there's the massive rampaging juggernaut of school work that's been kicking my ass big time lately. I am so fucking DONE with school already, I need summer to come RIGHT NOW! UGH I FUCKING HATE SCHOOL SO MUCH!
Soooo anyway, I decided to take an emergency break from fanfiction which has proven to be extremely helpful. I've finally broke free of Writers Block, though my freedom might have an expiration date and the vicious cycle will start all over again. I'm afraid that this is not the smutty story I've promised you guys(especially VastraJennyLove I'm so sorry) because I've hit a dead end with that story. I can assure you that I'll finish it someday, so please accept this fluffy oneshot instead because I've been sitting on this one for a while and had forgotten about it. A little re-polishing and it's now good to go!
Prompt: Vastra and Jenny go on a holiday picnic
On the occasion marking their third wedding anniversary, Vastra and Jenny decided to go on a holiday getaway. They travelled to a cozy little cottage that Vastra had bought located by the seaside on the eastern coast of England, where they were going to live in for one week, just the two them and the sea. No serial killers, no acid grenades, no Time Lords.
The weather was being agreeable, so Jenny and Vastra packed some food in a basket for a picnic at the beach. The sun was shining brightly, a cool wind was carried in from the ocean smelling faintly of sea salt, and the view of the water was just breathtaking. Such an idyllic scene struck Vastra with a sudden bout of artistic inspiration, which led to her convincing Jenny to pose for a painting. A real one this time, mind you.
Jenny looked like the ideal model for a painting, all dressed up in a flowing white sundress, matching hat adorned with flowers, and even a lace parasol to complete the ensemble.
Vastra had to go back to their cottage and retrieve the necessary easel, canvas, and supplies that they've brought along with them on the trip. Once everything had been set up, Jenny then assumed her designated position as a young, fair maiden taking a stroll at the beach while Vastra proceeded to capture the image on canvas. Neither of them spoke a word; the only sound that could be heard was that of the tidal waves crashing upon rocks in the background. A considerable amount of time passed before Vastra's muse began to grow tired of standing on pins and needles, causing her to vocalize her displeasure.
"Oi! How much longer is this going to take," exclaimed a rather impatient Jenny as she watched Vastra work from behind her easel several yards away. "It feels like I've been standing in this spot for eons!"
How ironic, actually, considering that ten years ago Jenny didn't have the faintest idea of what an eon was. Though when you've lived in the same house with a book collecting, prehistoric lizard woman and an extensive library at your disposal, you're bound to pick up some new vocabulary along the way.
"There's really no need to fret so, my dear,"came the Silurian's nonchalant reply without even looking up from the canvas. Although her face was hidden behind the canvas, Jenny could sense that Vastra was smirking at her expense. "We've only been here for half an hour, and I can assure you that it's almost done."
"Well, can you at least try painting just a bit faster over there? Any longer and I think my arms are going to fall off from holding this stupid parasol!"
Vastra, amused by her muse's melodramatic complaints, chuckled and responded with, "It's not my fault that your abnormally pale skin makes it very easy for you to get sunburned, is it? Now hush and be patient like a good little muse. Besides, darling, you can't rush perfection when it comes to creating art." She then paused to take a peek at Jenny and visually assessed her stance. "Lift it a little bit higher and tilt your head slightly to the right, if you please."
Jenny rolled her eyes in exasperation, but did as instructed. Nonetheless, that didn't stop her from mumbling under her breath, "Strax was right when he called you an overbearing and bossy lizard."
"I heard that, young lady!"
Jenny merely snorted indicating that she couldn't care less.
"And now for the finishing touch,"announced Vastra after a few more minutes and strokes of her paintbrush. "There, it's perfect! Jenny, darling, you can stop posing now and come take a look at this!"
Jenny certainly didn't need to be told twice, as she was all too happy to drop everything in order to run toward Vastra. She was relieved to finally have her blood coursing efficiently throughout her body again. Her arms were also stiff from having to hold the parasol aloft for so long, but flexing them proved to be quite helpful.
"It's about damn time, too!" Jenny's annoyance instantly disappeared as soon as she laid eyes on Vastra's latest masterpiece. "Oh...oh that is very beautiful, Vastra. Well done, sweetheart!" Jenny kissed her wife on the cheek and caressed her crests to show her appreciation.
The Silurian purred delightedly at the touch, and wrapped one arm around Jenny's waist, pulling her closer. "Well then, I am most glad that I married someone with such delectable taste in art. They say that each picture is worth a thousand words. I say that no word in existence will ever be enough to describe the peerless beauty that I see in you."
Vastra's eyes gleamed with ardent adoration for her wife, which emphasized the sincerity of her words.
"Aww, how very sentimental of you," teased Jenny, grinning and playfully elbowing Vastra. There was also a gleam in her eyes that matched Vastra's, to show that she did accept the compliment in all due seriousness. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've gone soft!"
Vastra sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck and sighed,"I suppose that years of living among your human society has, indeed, taken its toll on me. 'Soft'"-Her tongue rapidly flicked out for a brief second "-Not an appropriate word that's usually associated with my people's warriors."
Both of them then stared at Jenny's stomach when it released an unearthly growling noise that startled them.
"I don't know about you, but posing in one position for over an hour without food has sure taken a toll on my appetite,"remarked Jenny while patting her anxious tummy, causing Vastra to laugh.
Immediately following the loud warning given by Jenny's stomach, the couple then walked hand-in-hand toward the picnic blanket they have laid out across the sand. Sitting down, they then proceeded to unload the baskets' edible contents, which included a tea set, tiny triangle sandwiches, roasted pheasant, pickles, grapes, apples, and two servings of sherbet fancies. It also wouldn't be a proper celebration without a bottle of classic champagne, which Vastra carefully poured into two glasses.
"Vastra, do you think it was wise of us to leave Strax home alone?" Asked Jenny all of a sudden, sounding highly concerned. "Remember the last time we did that and had to install a new door, because our old one was demolished by one of of his blasted booby traps? I swear, having that thick-headed overgrown potato around the house is more of a safety hazard than anything else!"
"You don't have to worry about anything, Jenny, as I believe Strax has learned his lesson from that little mishap,"Vastra reassured her wife while handing her a glass of the fizzling champagne. "I had no idea that Sontarans were capable of turning white like that until you told him he was banned from eating sherbet fancies for a whole year!"
Indeed, Jenny had been that angry with Strax, and now the both of them were laughing at the distant memory.
"So enough about Strax," said Vastra in order to refocus their attention on more important matters, "Now is the time for us to celebrate three blissful years of our marriage, however unconventional it may be. Cheers, dearest!"
"Cheers!"
They completed the toast with a clink of their glasses, which were both drank empty within seconds.
"Well I'll be a rat's sister...we've actually been married for three whole years,"spoke Jenny to herself with a sense of disbelief. She had good reason to, considering that they are a homosexual inter species couple living in a conservative Victorian England.
There was a contented smile on Vastra's face when she replied, "That's an odd way of expressing it, but yes we have, and I'm confident that there will be many more to come."
"Not if you keep shedding and leaving scales everywhere!" Scoffed Jenny in mock disgust. "They're an absolute nightmare to clean after, you know."
That was one reason, anyway, and another being that Jenny found it extremely awkward having to explain to their visitors that the scales were part of Vastra's alleged "skin condition."
Vastra, clearly offended, stuck her tongue out and shot back with,"Since you just happened to mention that, then perhaps I can say the same about that mammalian nuisance you call hair! The amount of hair that falls off your head on a daily basis is rather alarming to say the least." She shook her head in a bemused fashion. "It's completely beyond me as to why you mammals insisted on growing so much of it in the first place!"
"Oh come on, Vastra, stop acting like you don't love my hair,"drawled an incredulous Jenny, as she flipped her hair to make a statement, "because you're not fooling anyone." Vastra knew that Jenny was right about that, since her adorable fascination with the human's hair wasn't exactly a well kept secret. "We humans need hair in order to stay warm when the weather gets cold. Didn't you read that in any of those fancy scientific books of yours? Maybe you Silurians should have figured out a way to grow hair of your own,"added Jenny while wearing teasing smirk. "So you wouldn't have to complain about being so damn cold all the time."
"Well, I admit, you do have a good point there," conceded Vastra somewhat begrudgingly. "Although, the prospect of reptiles growing hair is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of! I mean, what would I even look with hair?"
The Silurian was immensely proud of her head crests, which gave her a regal and distinguished appearance, so naturally she would be against the idea of covering them up under a large lump of hair.
All joking aside now, Jenny gazed directly into Vastra's blue eyes and answered, "Like the most beautiful, magnificent creature in the entire world. Then again, you already are in my eyes and that will never ever change."
Vastra's expression was unreadable and she was at a loss for words, having been stunned by Jenny's high praises. She have, of course, received plenty of them from Jenny throughout the years, but they never failed to make her heart skip a beat or her cheeks to turn warm. Vastra was flooded with so much joy in that moment, causing her to lean forward and capture Jenny's lips in a tender kiss. They somehow managed to pour three year's worth, ten in total that they've known each other, of love, trust, loyalty, and devotion into that one kiss. Both of their bodies trembled under the sheer force of their surging passion.
"I love you,"Proclaimed a breathless Vastra once they've pulled apart, gently stroking Jenny's face.
Jenny returned the sentiment and proceeded to snuggle even closer against the Silurian. She rested her head on Vastra's chest just above her heartbeat, as Vastra encircled her arms around Jenny. Jenny giggled when Vasra, unsurprisingly, began playing with a dark strand of her hair, twirling it around with her fingers. They were at peace like that, simply enjoying each other's company while also helping themselves to the meal they brought. Even the golden sun seemed to bless their union by casting its splendid rays upon them.
Jenny plopped a plump grape into her mouth. "Vastra?"
"Hmm?"
"When did you first realized that you love me?" Jenny's eyes then shot upward, looking expectantly at Vastra for an answer.
The Silurian tapped her chin in contemplation and answered, "As far as I can recall...I would say that it was during that one time when I barged into your room, and accidentally caught you in the process of changing your clothes."
"Oh…," was all that Jenny managed to say as she suddenly remembered that particular incident. Her cheeks were blooming crimson from embarrassment, which made Vastra laugh. "You really ought to learn how to knock before entering someone's room."
Another hearty laugh came from Vastra before she replied, "Yes, you're absolutely correct, my dear, because that certainly would have spared us from those extremely awkward few days of walking on eggshells around each other afterward." Clearing her throat, Vastra then adopted a more serious tone. "However, I think that I've always been in love with you from the very first moment we met, though it took me almost a lifetime to figure it out. Goddess knows I tried to fight against those feelings, but in the end they proved to be far too powerful beyond my control. So I only continued to fall further from there, and before I even realized it, I had you pinned down underneath me, wriggling around like a frightened little mouse."
"Well, how else is someone supposed to react when they suddenly find themselves trapped in the grip a lizard woman who eats human flesh on a regular basis?" Exclaimed Jenny, which resulted in her wife erupting into laughter yet again. She crossly punched Vastra in the arm. "Oi! Don't you dare laugh at me, you daft lizard!"
"I'm sorry for laughing, my darling, I truly am! Though in my defense, you were looking positively delectable with your sweat slicked skin, rosy red cheeks, and those trousers and waistcoat that fit oh so well on your body's slender form…" A pointed look from Jenny warned Vastra that she was getting carried away. Upon closer inspection, one could have noticed how the Silurian's scales turned a shade darker as she tried to apologize, "Um...err, please excuse me for getting off topic. The most important thing I'm trying to say, is that I could not have chosen a more perfect mate to share the rest of my life with."
Her words seemed to appease Jenny, whose demeanor instantly softened into a beaming smile, and she was rewarded with another sweet kiss.
"Daft lizard."
"Hairy ape."
Being a Silurian warrior, it never once crossed Vastra's mind that she would end up falling in love with and then marrying a human. Whether it was destiny, fate, or sheer luck that brought these two together, the answer might never be known for certain. One thing that Vastra does know for a fact, is that Jenny is a precious diamond among the countless humans that she had encountered over the years since being awoken in London. All that really mattered was the present; and now that she was holding Jenny in her arms as they listened to the rhythm of the tides rising and falling, Vastra concluded that there was nowhere else in the entire universe that she would rather be than right here. Three years of marriage seems like nothing compared to what's waiting ahead for them in the future.
Before I forget, I would like to inform you guys that I've changed my username and am now officially known as The-Fluff-Master! Why I did that you might ask? *Shrugs like Vastra in Deep Breath* Art? Hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter that's way overdue and don't still hate me! If you still hate me, then good news, I have another chapter already written and ready to go! Gonna post it tomorrow so keep an eye out for it.
Please leave a review because I've really missed receiving those lately =P