Pulling an All-Nighter

[The Cedar Witch]

Astrid was in motion as soon as the locations were given, glad to keep her hands busy.  Each flush of color that crossed Siobhan's face had a contagious effect on her own cheeks.  Definitly keep getting Those Signals...right?  What else would the blushing be about!  Still, if Siobhan were planning to attend classes anything like that would be entirely inappropriate...right?  Ugh, why did she have to be so damn pretty--and sweet! 

Her hands moved mechanically, pulling out the plates, mugs, and cutlery, stacking them all together for easier transportation.  "Uh, I mean,"  Astrid turned back toward Siobhan, her eyes sliding from the dining table to the chairs they'd just moved out of there.  And hardly sat in.  She laughed.  "We've got chairs in here already but uh,"  she brought the stack of dishes to the cooking area and set the plates out for the omelets.  "Dining table's probably more relaxing?"  She stumbled over things to say, realizing that soon they'd be eating together in a way that felt incredibly more intimate: at a dining table--and this was basically Siobhan's house, after all.  Wasn't it?

[Seragil]

Siobhán kept her back to Astrid as she carefully poured the gently bubbling brew into a ceramic tea pot that she pulled from the overhead cupboards. Although her back was turned, she was highly aware of every move Astrid made around her, becoming flustered and feeling over heated whenever Astrid came close. She placed the omelets on the plates and looked up, catching Astrid's eyes and realized they were both nervous and feeling awkward which in turn made her feel guilty. She didn’t want this to turn into something awkward and unpleasant or something Astrid would end up regretting doing.

Her eyes flicked from the living room and the intimate setting of the small table and it’s few remaining chairs, dim lighting and the view of her moon kissed garden, then to the kitchen counter and its casual setting of the obvious out of place chairs and the open space and easy air of the kitchen around them.

“I, I think I would love to sit at my dining table and share a meal with you” She began hesitantly, her voice now a little breathy and soft with her nervousness at admitting how she felt. “But I don’t think tonight, this moment, would be right for either of us.” She returned her gaze to Astrid's, her eyes filled with a silent apology and hopeful understanding. She was attracted to Astrid, very much so, but she felt what was building between them was so very fragile yet and needed time to breath and grow before it formed into whatever it turned into.

Her eyes flicked towards the barely used chairs again as an easy smile curled the corners of her mouth upwards, mirroring Astrid’s earlier laughter. “And you’re right, the chairs are right there already.” She returned her eyes to Astrid, Her smile dipping a little as her eyes darkened slightly with uncertainty. Had she ruined this? “Would you so terribly mind if we sat here?”

[The Cedar Witch]

Astrid watched Siobhán look between the two options, wondering what was going on in her mind but too nervous to ask.  Her hesitation as she began to speak made Astrid's heart race.  The blushing came full force and there was nothing to be done to stop it.  Okay, so that was out in the open now.  Definitely mutual "something" going on.  There was a tightening in her throat as Siobhán said this wasn't the right moment, and a wave of guilt came over her.  The returning humor dampened it ever so slightly, but Astrid was still feeling bad.

Hopefully she hadn't made Siobhán uncomfortable.

"Of course not," her face contorted with worry.  She rushed to arrange the cutlery and chairs so they had a little breathing room.  "Thank you for inviting me into your kitchen to share a meal,"  she said softly, looking rather guilty.  "I... I hope I haven't imposed or..."  She slid into a chair, unsure of how to finish the sentence.  "I wasn't trying to...make this...I mean..."  She sighed with frustration.  "You're just so beautiful and kind I can't--  I'm sorry, this is inappropriate of me."  She pressed her hand against her forehead and exhaled a sigh through her nose. 

Why did she even open her mouth?

[Seragil]

Siobhan watched in stunned shock as Astrid hurried around setting cutlery and arranging chairs. This level of awkwardness was not good for either of them and causing a guest to feel this uncomfortable; especially a guest she had invited here, and one who she had been stealing glances at ever since she walked through the front doors, was totally unacceptable.

Her first instinct was to rush to Astrid’s side, take her hands into hers and apologize, to try and reassure her, to tell her it was all okay, to explain. Which, she realized,  would only make things a thousand times more awkward and really ruin the evening.

She took a deep breath and pushed her own emotional awkwardness aside. Now was not the time to give in to her insecurities and ineptness because of her virginity. She was a grown ass woman for crying out loud, not a bumbling sixteen-year-old teenager. So, she took another deep breath, straightened her spine and put on her big girl panties.

“Firstly,” she said as she grabbed the plates with the omelets and carried them over to where Astrid had set the seating and cutlery, moving slowly but with surety “You’re not imposing.”  she grabbed the pot of brew next and placed that between their plates of food before taking her own seat “and you certainly haven’t done anything inappropriate.” She ducked her head so as to catch Astrid’s eyes with her own amethyst colored ones that gleamed with an earnest sincerity.

“ I think you’re gorgeous and alluring and mysterious and I have been surreptitiously sneaking glances at you ever since you walked through the café doors." She blinked slowly, wishing that she had better control of her facial expressions and bodily reactions, knowing full well her cheeks were once again starting to turn a pale pink as she continued speaking "And then I interrupted you from your studies because I couldn’t not come over and speak to you and then I lured you into my kitchen with the bribery of food.” She smiled playfully with wry amusement as she picked up her fork and broke up her omelet. “Which is inappropriate, as you entered these premises as a customer, but, I don’t care, and I am unapologetic, because I am beyond glad and honored that you accepted to come share a meal with me.” By the time she had finished her cheeks were bright red and she couldn’t quiet meet Astrid’s gaze. “ and I also admit that I am hoping that this is the beginning of a really good friendship, but…” This time she did look at Astrid and her eyes glinted with a mischievous, flirtatious gleam as she smiled at her dinner guest. “I am also really interested in where it may all eventually lead.” She sucked and bit her lip slightly as a a touch of doubt and uncertainty entered her eyes “ if, I mean…if that’s what you want too…like, friendship and…stuff”

[The Cedar Witch]

Astrid blinked, slowly processing what Siobhan had said.  Alluring and mysterious?  She took an internal inventory before coming to the conclusion that mysterious was pretty much the look she had going for her lately--though it was funny to hear it so plainly stated.  The alluring bit though, that was something else.  She always thought she came off more...unapproachable?  Then again, it wasn't as if Siobhan was an ordinary person.

Nevermind being called gorgeous by someone who embodied the very word.

She snickered at Siobhan's version of how the night progressed and at the notion of being lured into the kitchen with the promise of food--which was really only half of it. 

To top it all of, Siobhan had very clearly indicated a desire to be friends--and then some (maybe).  It was hard to contain the excited flutter in her stomach, and Astrid focused her attention on prodding the omelet with her fork.  After a moment had passed, she started to laugh; starting slow, bursting past tightly pressed lips, and growing into a hearty chuckle as she covered her face with a hand.

"Okay--sorry, I'm not laughing at you."  When she finally removed her hand from her reddened face, she managed to make some eye contact and attempt to continue with sincerity--but her expression broke into silliness again.  Smiling, she shook her head.  "This has got to be the weirdest way I've ever made a friend or--"  she stopped herself, blushing in full force, and continued to speak slowly so she didn't stammer.  "I would love to get to know you better.  I haven't had the chance to make too many friends yet."

After she finished, Astrid finally placed a bite of omelet onto her tongue.  It was simple but absolutely divine, and her eyes closed to savor it.  "This is so good."  Granted, being hungry was a serious flavor enhancer--but it was a genuinely delicious omelet.

[Seragil]

Siobhàn tensed slightly when Astrid started laughing, fully expecting Astrid to reject her, growing up in a small country town had taught her to expect it as she had always been the outsider, judged as too strange, too different, to ever be accepted or belong.

As Astrid spoke though she slowly relaxed, her tension seeping away as a slow but brilliant smile formed on her lips and her face began to light up with joy.
Astrid actually liked her,

Astrid with the cool tattoos that smelled of pennies and power and had an aura of self confidence and cloaked her in mystery and who’s eyes were bedazzling with her intelligence,  thought she, Siobhàn Williams, a café owner from hicksville was pretty and kind and someone worth getting to know.

As Astrid  took her first bite of her omelette Siobhàn poured the brew, first into Astrid's mug and then into her own.

“I’m glad you like it.” She said with a bright smile, her eyes alight with happiness and more then a little flirtation as she raised her mug for a toast. “To weirdness, new friendships and…getting to know each other more.”