Author's Note: We're going to get into some more plot-like things next chapter, but this one's mostly just filler. With some fluffly sweetness, because I just love it so much. Please review, guys.
Helena had driven Claudia back to the bed and breakfast not long after she had presented Claudia with her gift. Claudia had absently noted in the car that the Warehouse still felt angry (furious, even), but that the bothered feeling in her gut that told her that the building desired Myka's presence had faded upon their exit. Claudia was quick to inform that the want had not been squashed, according to her 'feeling,' but it was significantly diminished in their absence.
As of now, Helena could merely speculate on why that could be, and her speculations were few in number. She hadn't ever known the Warehouse to behave in such a manner. However, the idea that more stress was about to fall on her lover's shoulders had her quickly determining to be at the inn when Myka arrived back to it.
But before they went inside, Claudia was determined to utilize her new toy, so Helena patiently leaned up against the side of her SUV and observed with a vigilant eye.
"What happens if you try to disassemble something not in parts?" Claudia mused.
"Everything has parts," Helena replied sagely. "Though, if the gun has been set to a level that does not coincide with an object's properties, I've found that there's often a combustive effect."
"No way! It blows stuff up?" Claudia bounced eagerly. "So, like, if I shot the sand…?"
"Best aim it over there, darling," Helena supposed, gesturing toward the barren bits of land that stretched away from the inn. "Level one will do nicely, I imagine."
She'd tampered with that particular gadget enough to know that distance was probably safest – at least while Claudia experimented and became comfortable handling the device.
While Claudia fiddled with the dial, Helena turned as she heard Savannah's truck rumble down the driveway. She raised her brow at the loud thumping that vibrated from the vehicle, and couldn't help a smile when Myka emerged from the driver's seat and offered Helena a frustrated roll of her eyes.
"Hello, darling," Helena greeted.
"Normal human company," Myka sighed, relieved. "How nice."
"I resent that!" Savannah shouted over the drumming noise from the car's speakers. "I'm normal, mostly! And admit it – you missed me, Mykey," she insisted.
"Turn it off, Savannah," Myka ordered, though fond exasperation seeped through her words, and Helena was certain that Savannah was correct; Myka had missed her cousin dearly.
"Dude, no way!" Claudia hissed adamantly. "It's Powerman 5000! You can't just turn it off."
Savannah leaned over from the passenger seat and turned the radio down before she slid from the vehicle. "Could you get any hotter?" She eyed Claudia with a grin and a playful wink. "All gun-toting and sharing my taste in music," she muttered, shaking her head to herself. "A woman after my own heart."
Claudia blushed beet red. "Why does everyone keep lesbian-ing me today?" She demanded. "Seriously! Straight!"
Helena laughed her amusement. "Be gentle with her, love," she advised Savannah. "She's had a trying morning."
Helena then shifted toward Myka to wrap her in a hug, and the soft sigh that breathed across her neck nearly undid her. Helena would never adjust to how easily this woman gave into her, or how she melted against Helena with every brushing touch. The evidence of Myka's love warmed her heart.
She pressed a kiss to her lover's temple, and murmured softly, "Did you have a nice time, darling?"
"Mm," Myka hummed tiredly. "But I'm drained. I might need a nap," she chuckled, embarrassed. "Savannah is just exhausting," she cast a teasing smile in her cousin's direction. "Also… Helena, why does Claudia have a gun?"
"It's my present!" Claudia declared excitedly. "Watch, Mykes! Ready?"
Claudia aimed the gun, and hollered a loud, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" And when her finger pulled the trigger, Helena proudly esteemed the flame that shot up from the desert about a mile's distance away.
Myka blinked, but Savannah tossed her sunglasses to the top of her head with eyebrows that shot into her hairline. "Hot," Myka's cousin announced on a whisper. "So hot."
But her comment went ignored.
"Claudia!" Myka admonished.
"HG made it!" Claudia charged defensively, indicating Helena's frame with a reckless point of her gun. "But it's freakin' sweet, right?"
"Helena," Myka chided, though the inventor was pleased to note that her tone was decidedly gentler.
Savannah reached to lower Claudia's hand, and, consequently, her weapon, and dramatically whispered, "I think you should probably shy away from pointing that at people, sweetheart. Especially that one. It might've worked out okay for Myka to hold a gun on her, but I don't get the feeling she tolerates that from too many people."
Helena reverted her attentions back to Myka and made a minute attempt to mask her pleased smirk. Indeed, she did not tolerate being held at gunpoint – Myka omitted, for obvious reasons.
"Oh, darling, she's having a bit of fun with a new plaything," Helena offered with a small smile. "Its actual purpose is to disassemble. The incineration is an unavoidable kink, I'm afraid. I have cautioned her to be watchful," she justified.
"Unavoidable kink?" Myka snorted. "The sand just caught fire, Helena. Artie's going to kill you, and then he's going to feed your chopped up pieces to Trailer for dinner."
"I'm certain that you would allow no such thing to occur," Helena soothed with a feathery kiss against her lover's cheek.
"Claude, please be careful. And don't let Artie see it," she added. "I like Helena a lot better when she's not dead," she finished dryly.
"Well, yeah…" Claudia mumbled, scratching her nose and clearly unsure if she'd managed to avoid getting into trouble.
"You would've flayed me alive if I tried that," Savannah huffed.
"You would never have had that thing to begin with, so whether I would've skinned you or not is a nonissue," Myka replied pointedly.
"Yeah, yeah," Savannah dismissed with a waving motion of her hand.
"Come, darling," Helena said, parting from Myka's embrace and touching a hand to the small of her back. "Claudia and I have a matter to discuss with you."
Myka groaned. "As much fun as that sounds," she remarked weakly, "do you think it can wait? I really need to lay down."
Helena frowned. "Are you alright, Myka?" She inquired caringly, pressing a tender hand against Myka's forehead. "You're warm, love."
"Just tired," Myka assured. "And a little bit of a headache, but nothing serious."
"She's been like that all morning," Savannah informed, striding away from Claudia's side and concernedly approaching Myka's, instead. "We should probably get her to bed, right?"
Helena agreed, but scrupulously evaluated her lover for any further indications of illness or injury. "You haven't been in contact with any artifacts since Chicago, yes?"
"Helena," Myka smiled warmly, "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well, remember?"
"Mm," Helena hummed skeptically. "Then sleep you shall, darling," she decided. "Come. I'll lay with you, hm?"
"Yes, please," Myka breathed her gratification. "That sounds spectacular."
"She gets especially cuddly when she doesn't feel well," Savannah said. "You should probably prepare yourself for that. And you, honey…" she began, rounding on Claudia. "You keep that neat little trinket away from my truck," she finished strictly. "Mykey bought it for me and it's one of my favorite things. No blasting it to pieces, pretty please."
"Aye aye, Captain," Claudia replied, straightening her stance and offering a salute with a wide grin. "Gotta go play with the Farnsworth, anyway."
"Claudia, no," Myka denied the idea swiftly. "Artie hates when you mess with the Farnsworth."
"Yeah, but – "
"No," Myka said again, firmly, sparing a withering glance in Claudia's direction.
"She means it, doll," Savannah told Claudia. "I know that tone. I've suffered it way too many times not to know what it means. Also, what's a Farnsworth?" Savannah asked, intrigue evident in her tone and the curious tilt of her head.
"Communication device," Myka explained briefly. "It's like FaceTime, pretty much, but the picture comes in black and white, and you can only contact other Farnsworths."
"She can right it when she's finished, my love," Helena endeavored. "If not by her own skill – in which I have the utmost confidence – then by the reassembling button at the base of the handle."
"Dude, what?" Claudia inquired, lifting the gun and finding the blue button that Helena spoke of. "Suh-weet," she chimed in a singsong voice. "So much less work."
"You gave her a disassembling ray, and forgot to mention the reassembling button?" Myka arched her brow upward. "Helena," she said again, though the admonishment that filtered through her name indicated that no words were intended to follow.
"I've mentioned it just now, darling," Helena grinned abruptly.
"You're lucky you're so charming," Myka muttered and rolled her eyes, but she leaned into Helena again, and Helena could feel her body dip with exhaustion.
"I am privileged with many things, Myka," Helena whispered softly, breathing into Myka's hair. "My charm is a gift – but it pales in comparison to how fortunate I am to be graced with your affections."
"Sweet talker," Myka mumbled, but Helena could feel her mouth widen into a smile against her neck.
"I'm not all talk, you know," Helena replied fondly, reflexively tucking Myka's hair behind her ear.
Myka purred contentment against her flesh, and Helena had little doubt that her lover was recalling the same memory that she had played on with her response; their exchange was very similar to another, a week before, when Helena had fumbled over her words to express the profound emotions that she carried for the secret service agent so pliantly folded in her arms.
"You two are sickeningly sweet," Savannah derided, but Helena could see her mouth itching into a smile, so she refrained from voicing the diminishing retort that was hot on her tongue.
"I'll take the sweet and snuggly over the sex talk any day of the week," Claudia frowned. "HG just doesn't stop with that crap."
"Like I need another reason to admire H.G. Wells," Savannah grinned, shaking her head.
Helena could feel Myka's eyelashes fluttering against her skin. "Let's get you to bed, darling," Helena said softly, guiding Myka through the door.
Claudia and Savannah parted to the living room after Savannah snagged the grocery bags from the car, while Helena ushered Myka up the stairs. She observed from her position against the wall as Myka moved to find a soft pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt, and when she'd changed into them, Helena could regard her with nothing but pure adoration.
Because Myka was adorable.
And when her lover fell into bed, Helena shifted to lie beside her. It was scarcely two seconds before Myka moved to rest her head overtop of Helena's breast, and she swung a leg over Helena's to bring herself fully against her. Then she draped her arm over Helena's waist, and hugged her side tightly.
Helena's brow lifted, because she had felt Myka cuddle (and she was rather fond of it), but this was of a different nature entirely. Helena felt a bit like prey to a serpent. It was simultaneously delicious and endearing.
"Sorry," Myka sighed, though she made no effort to move.
"Your apology is neither wanted nor warranted, darling," Helena soothed, her fingers drifting through curly locks of dark, glorious hair.
"I'm going to sleep now," Myka informed her quietly. "You can hit me or something if you need to move."
"I'm quite content where I am, my love," Helena whispered, brushing a kiss to the crown of Myka's head. "Sleep. I shall be here when you wake."
"Okay. Love you," Myka yawned blearily.
"And I, you, darling," Helena promised. "Always."