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[Ellie half-laughs, reaches out for Riley's hand on her leg, takes it. Squeezes it and holds on. They've held hands a couple of times, usually with the excuse of them leading each other somewhere, but this is the first time in a while that she's held her hand just to hold it.]

Yeah.

... you were really cool, back there.

[She doesn't follow it with a joke, or some little comment about even Riley having her moments. Instead it feels like the first time they fought Infected together, the first time Ellie hugged her. Too serious, too close to home to brush it off.]

Thanks.

[Holding Ellie's hand is nice. Enough so that she doesn't want to miss out on any part of it. For that reason, she frees her hand a moment to pull off that fingerless glove. It reveals her bite but now they can hold hands without it in the way and she takes Ellie's hand back in hers.

It's silly but it makes her feel good.]

Hey, I've got your back.

[She bites her lip then adds on one more thing.]

You're my girl and I'm your knight, remember?

So fucking cliche.

[Ellie mumbles it into her collar, grasps her hand again. Though she can feel the scar tissue of the bite, and the reminder stings a bit, she's fiercely happy that Riley doesn't hide it from her.]

If you start calling me your damsel in distress I'm seriously going to punch you.

[Or bite her. From this position, Riley's neck is fairly close, and she'd probably get a good jump out of her.]

You'd be the worst damsel ever. I already know that.

[It's called the first time they met and she took down bullies for Ellie. So much for that thank you. Well, she doesn't hold it against her. Why would she?]

Can't say damsels are my type either.

I could be anything I damn well wanted. Even if I wanted to be Lady Swearsalot.

[Ellie snickers against her, then pulls back to grin.]

Oh, you have a type? I gotta hear this.

Lady Swearsalot? Okay, you know what? That is going to be one of my nicknames for you. It's decided.

[Too late to go back now. Oh and she's not saying what her type is. Nope.]]

I didn't say I wanted to be Lady Swearsalot-

[Goddamnit. She grumbles and nudges her, looks pointedly up at the stars.]

You didn't answer my question.

You seriously want to know what my type is?

[Really, Ellie? Have you looked in a mirror?]

Let's see.

[Ellie reaches out, extends her fingers and waves her hand slowly through the air, like she's framing it for her.]

"Brick Master"?

Oh. What about, "kicks my ass at everything (except sometimes waterguns)"?

[Riley gives her a look.]

Bitch, please. I so kick your ass at everything.

Whoa, Riley, I was being general.

[... and Ellie so rarely gets one over on Riley, she's playing this one to the hilt.]

[Riley just smiles and then looks away.]

...I wasn't.

[It knocks the smile off Ellie's face, and she feels her heart give a leap, like it's trying to climb right out of her chest.

Whoa. Whoafuck. Okay.

She has to remind herself to suck in a breath, and her cheeks feel hot. Her mouth works, and she blurts it out, almost stuttering.]

Mine is you.

I mean-

I.

Oh god dammit.

[Smooth, Ellie.]

Edited 2014-03-28 08:18 (UTC)

[Damn is she glad it's dark outside. It helps to hide the blush on her dark skin because wow...fuck. And she thought she was being the bold one?

Holy shit, she has to find words now. Right.

Words are hard.]

I guess that works out for us...

[What? That sounds stupid. Good job. Okay, take two.]

...that our types are each other.

[That was not fixing that, Riley.

Yeah. Really glad it's dark.]

[... fuck. And here Riley's the smooth one. Ellie opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Instead, she shuts it and laces their fingers together, clearing her throat as she straightens up.]

D'you...

[It's hard to breathe again, in a way that has nothing to do with her injured lungs. It comes out in a breathless half-laugh, then leaks away into a thoughtful, warm silence.]

Mind if I tell people that I'm- [She searches for the word, the phrase. All the titles seem so freaking archaic and weird. Eventually she settles on something that fits. Something Riley's always called her, which takes on a new meaning now.]

-your girl?

[Okay so maybe that wasn't as dumb as it sounded to her. Then again, it's probably not too hard to sound smooth to someone who doesn't know much about this either. Benefits to not know what the fuck they're doing, she guesses?

Still, Ellie asks that and her hand squeezes the one she's holding. Holy shit, this is real. Ellie is her girl. All the other words or tiles or whatever the hell they are just don't work but that one thing she's always called Ellie is just...

Fuck, it's perfect.]

Yeah. I don't mind.

[She looks over at her then actually gets bold enough to be the one to give Ellie a kiss. Riley just thinks it feels sort of...right. Like it's a good moment or something.]

I'll tell them you're my girl too.

[Sure she already does but now it'll really mean something new and special.]

[The kiss leaves her tingly and a little speechless. Every now and again they sneak them. Little bits of intimacy, a touch that didn't have to happen, always feeling like they're getting away with something.

This kiss is a little different. Ellie can't put her finger on it, but it tastes like everything that's been missing.]

Okay.

[The whisper comes out half-giddy, and it feels like the smile's going to break her face. She leans in to kiss her again, and this time it isn't short. It's a heady feeling, knowing she has not just permission, but the sole permission to be doing this.]

[She feels like she's drunk. That kind of buzz where everything in the world is just really fucking amazing. Why? It doesn't matter why so long as it is. And damn is it ever.

Riley is just so...so...happy. Yeah, that's it. She's just really fucking happy.

And she's down for going on with this kiss. Sure it's just like a lingering press of lips without it getting...in depth but it's perfect. Because it's Ellie. And it's them. And it's...

Yeah. Really fucking happy.]

[It still blows Ellie completely away that this is happening, that this thing -- the her and Riley together thing -- is real. There are still moments when she kisses her that she wants to pinch herself directly after.

Just to make sure.

Because not only is it real, but Riley's alive. And here. And holy shit, there's no way Ellie's losing her again. She's warm and solid, and going nowhere. And before Ellie can think about it, she moves closer, grips the shoulder of her shirt to hold on, like she might disappear if she doesn't.]

[Ellie clings to her and for a moment Riley's sure her heart just stops. Her girl doesn't have to say anything for her to really get what that emotion is. It's one she's felt before and it's not long before she twists herself enough to wrap her arms around Ellie to hold her close.

This is real. They have a chance for that life together here. This is the kind of thing they'd hoped to figure out together on their own but had never been able to due to the Infected.

She's alive, Ellie's her girl, they're kissing.

They can be happy here...

Holding her tight, she just lets all of that sink in.]

[By the time the kiss ends, they're both breathless and wrapped up together, and Ellie feels like somebody two blocks away must be able to hear her heart pounding.

She hadn't expected it to feel so good.]

... holy shit.

[Rather than pull away, she rests her forehead against Riley's shoulder, taking a few seconds to try and put herself back together again.]

Wow.

Heh. Yeah.

[What else is there to say? Riley certainly can't cover it better than that. Just...wow.]

Maaaaaaybe we should come up here together more often.

[Okay maybe she can think of something to add.]

Sh'yeah, maybe?

[Still a little breathless, Ellie cracks up, looking up at the stars, at her.]

... great view.

[This is probably the cheesiest thing she's ever said but she's so not looking at the stars when she says:]

Yeah. Great view.

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