She nods, putting the books aside so she can take Ulla's hand, fingers slipping between hers with a light squeeze. "It's smart, I think, to be scared of feeling that strongly," she says, words no louder than it takes to cross the inches between them. "I promise, I'll listen to you when you're scared."
Ulla isn't always good at being kind when she's afraid. For proof,
just look at how she acted when Taylor cornered her after that breach. But
she doesn't want to hurt Taylor, and she thinks it's a good sign that she
managed to go talk things through with Warren rather than blindly lashing
out, this time around. She can try to carve out that sort of space for
herself when she needs it. So she just nods and squeezes Taylor's hand in
return, with a soft, "Thank you."
She shifts the arm around Taylor's shoulders so she can bury her free hand
in the other woman's curls, cradling the back of her head. "Do you want to
stay here tonight? I have blankets, and I'd like the company."
It isn't just that she knows Taylor would rather not sleep alone. She has
no experience with any other parts of a relationship, but she knows she
likes this. It was the only thing she did have, with Signy. Nights
curled in bed together, holding hands, legs intertwined, laughing and
talking till late into the night.
There are burn scars in her hair, tight skin at the nape of her neck. Taylor exhales quietly when Ulla touches them, tilting her head back against that hand. It feels good, anyone holding right there.
"I'd love to stay. You don't mind sleeping like this?" She touches one of Ulla's legs, just a light brush.
Ulla shakes her head, smiling. "Not at all. Transformations hurt,
and they're hardly worth doing unless I plan on staying in one shape for
more than a day. I once spent three months in human form, in my own world.
Here, I usually miss the water after a week or two and change back."
A pause, and then she adds, "If I spend more time in human form than I have
been lately, it isn't entirely because of you, or this. I'd stopped
changing when the button appeared in the warden lounge. Because it would
kill me if I were mid-transformation when it was pressed. But I don't have
to worry about that anymore, and I like having legs some of the time."
"Oh," the invitation surprises her, and she's not sure what to do with it.
She never expects to see her own family again. The closest she has these
days is Warren, who feels more like a part of her heart than anything else.
But she's met Kiryu before, and he and Trixie matter to Taylor. It
doesn't even occur to her to say no. "Of course. I'd like that. He showed
me how to use the karaoke machines awhile ago, you know, but since I can't
read, I just chose songs at random and invented nonsense lyrics for them."
She smiles, with a breath of a laugh. "Wish I'd been there for that. I... I've been working on listening for singing, with the bugs. It's harder than understanding speech, they don't have the same sensitivities for pitch. But I want to."
That startles a laugh from her, "That's sweet. Let me know if I can
help." If they need practice, it's not as if there's any shortage of times
Ulla is singing.
"And if you ever want me to, I could try karaoke again. We should do it
soon, though, before I learn to read and ruin the challenge." After that,
it would be a different sort of challenge.
"Mm, if this reading lesson is anything to go by, we have time." It's certainly not a complaint, since Taylor takes the opportunity to be the one to lean in for another kiss.
"I do promise to pay attention to the lesson next time," Ulla promises,
smiling against Taylor's lips. "Instead of getting caught up in the way
your mouth moves as you read."
Taylor is adorable when she blushes, and Ulla watches her reaction
intently.
And then throws her head back and laughs. "I don't think we'll have to go
that far. I do have some small amount of willpower." But not
tonight. They seem to have abandoned any attempt at reading lessons, which
means she's free to keep kissing Taylor.
Taylor's willpower is feeling pretty small at the moment too, but she has enough to set the book aside safely now, so she can use both hands to cup Ulla's face as she tastes that laugh.
Ulla kisses Taylor one more time, then stays close, foreheads resting
against each other, as she asks, "Do you want to help me get the grotto set
up? And is there anything you need? I wasn't planning on a guest tonight."
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Ulla isn't always good at being kind when she's afraid. For proof, just look at how she acted when Taylor cornered her after that breach. But she doesn't want to hurt Taylor, and she thinks it's a good sign that she managed to go talk things through with Warren rather than blindly lashing out, this time around. She can try to carve out that sort of space for herself when she needs it. So she just nods and squeezes Taylor's hand in return, with a soft, "Thank you."
She shifts the arm around Taylor's shoulders so she can bury her free hand in the other woman's curls, cradling the back of her head. "Do you want to stay here tonight? I have blankets, and I'd like the company."
It isn't just that she knows Taylor would rather not sleep alone. She has no experience with any other parts of a relationship, but she knows she likes this. It was the only thing she did have, with Signy. Nights curled in bed together, holding hands, legs intertwined, laughing and talking till late into the night.
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"I'd love to stay. You don't mind sleeping like this?" She touches one of Ulla's legs, just a light brush.
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Ulla shakes her head, smiling. "Not at all. Transformations hurt, and they're hardly worth doing unless I plan on staying in one shape for more than a day. I once spent three months in human form, in my own world. Here, I usually miss the water after a week or two and change back."
A pause, and then she adds, "If I spend more time in human form than I have been lately, it isn't entirely because of you, or this. I'd stopped changing when the button appeared in the warden lounge. Because it would kill me if I were mid-transformation when it was pressed. But I don't have to worry about that anymore, and I like having legs some of the time."
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"Maybe while you have legs, you'd like to come eat some night with Dad and Trixie and me?"
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"Oh," the invitation surprises her, and she's not sure what to do with it. She never expects to see her own family again. The closest she has these days is Warren, who feels more like a part of her heart than anything else.
But she's met Kiryu before, and he and Trixie matter to Taylor. It doesn't even occur to her to say no. "Of course. I'd like that. He showed me how to use the karaoke machines awhile ago, you know, but since I can't read, I just chose songs at random and invented nonsense lyrics for them."
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That startles a laugh from her, "That's sweet. Let me know if I can help." If they need practice, it's not as if there's any shortage of times Ulla is singing.
"And if you ever want me to, I could try karaoke again. We should do it soon, though, before I learn to read and ruin the challenge." After that, it would be a different sort of challenge.
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"I do promise to pay attention to the lesson next time," Ulla promises, smiling against Taylor's lips. "Instead of getting caught up in the way your mouth moves as you read."
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"If that continues to be a problem," her mouth goes on without her help. "I do own a mask."
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Taylor is adorable when she blushes, and Ulla watches her reaction intently.
And then throws her head back and laughs. "I don't think we'll have to go that far. I do have some small amount of willpower." But not tonight. They seem to have abandoned any attempt at reading lessons, which means she's free to keep kissing Taylor.
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Ulla kisses Taylor one more time, then stays close, foreheads resting against each other, as she asks, "Do you want to help me get the grotto set up? And is there anything you need? I wasn't planning on a guest tonight."