This Clever Love Won't Tire

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Note: Takes place immediately after "You're Doing What...?"

Penelope watched as Carleigh walked out of the common room, she raised her eyebrows at the bag of flour in Lucy's arms and put her cup of tea to her lips. Although Carleigh seemed like a perfectly nice person, she was very thankful the blonde was gone, even if Lucy was intending on having breakfast with her.

Possibly because Penny had every intention of keeping the Australian in bed for the better part of the morning.

She placed the cup down, the corner of her lip pulling up into a smile as she took the necessary steps to her counterpart, reaching out to begin fixing the buttons of her shirt. “You said you wouldn't be long.” Penny said as lightly as she could, briefly glancing upwards to try and catch Lucy's gaze.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

With Carleigh gone, Lucy settled for looking at the sack of flour in her arms. She hooked the thing against her forearm - a lion for a lion - as her fingers curled around the base. Briefly, she contemplated what she could do with it now. Where she should leave it. Was she really supposed to take it everywhere? Would Carleigh like her a bit more if she had a face, or was that really just beyond weird?

These were the important life questions, but none of them were given the time of day. Because Penny had made her way over, and her hands were expertly shifting the buttons she wore.

Only then did she realise how wrong a few of them were.

"Doesn't take me long to get ready." Lucy reasoned, but she also knew that Penny knew that well enough. She glanced up finally with a curious expression, because her eyes could only linger on the fact that she was still wearing her shirt for so long.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny very well did know how little time Lucy needed to get ready. The Brit needed plenty of it in order to start her day properly, and it still amazed her how easily Lucy could simply roll out of bed and get out of the door within minutes. Then again, Lucy Serrano somehow made the impossible probable.

As she finished the last button with precision, Penny kept hold of the bottom of Lucy's shirt. Her fingers curled into the material as she lightly pulled on it in an attempt to bring the Australian inward. Even if she was holding a marked up sack of flour, it did little to deter Penny away from her.

It was almost cute how she somehow cared for the inanimate object, although Penny would never admit to thinking so.

“The bed was getting cold.” She stated, raising her eyebrows.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

The moment Penny willed it of her, Lucy leaned in towards her. Even if she was holding a project that was evidently important for school, she could do so with one hand with simple precision. She reached forward and rested her palm against the psychometrist's waist, her fingertips idly drawing along the fabric. Fabric she knew perfectly well.

What else she knew was that something was going on. Ever since she'd stepped out of the ink manipulator's room, there'd been something.

She'd said what she said with purpose.

"You missed me?" Lucy denoted, the corner of her mouth pulling into a grin. Yet she phrased it as a question, intent on getting an answer.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny caught the way the ink manipulator's lips pulled into a grin, her own pressing into a hard line in response. Although Lucy had only been gone for minutes, Penny had missed her. She wasn't supposed to be the first out of bed.

And the psychometrist knew that her counterpart was looking for an answer. She phrased it just to hear Penny respond, and she knew that. Still, Penny refused to give the other her satisfaction, and instead pulled Lucy inward further, matching the movement as she leaned in and kissed her.

Penny drew the kiss out, savoring it as she finally pulled her hands away from the material of Lucy's shirt, bringing them upward to tuck under the collar instead. When the Brit eventually did pull away, she kept herself close, lips brushing across Lucy's cheek before she reached her ear and kissing it lightly.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy's hand followed the curves of her counterpart's form, settling on the small of her back as she added light pressure. In the moment where she moved in close, she encouraged Penny to do the same despite the fact that she knew she needed no encouragement at all.

And she kissed her in return, finding the nature of it incredibly distracting. The slow, enticing nature almost forced the ink manipulator to lose the grip she had on her.

When Penny moved to leave a kiss against her ear, Lucy considered just dropping the thing she carried then and there. But there was a sliver of doubt in the back of her mind; the fact that Carleigh'd probably be rightfully pissed if Lucy dropped and subsequently broke the baby she'd just handed to her.

So she exhaled, her fingers curling around her all important baby. "That a yes?" The Australian breathed, trying not to see so distracted by her actions.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

That last thing on Penny's mind was the sack of flour her counterpart held. Baby or not, it wasn't important. She held the Brit's attention completely. As she felt a familiar hand on the small of her back, Penny allowed herself to be eased inward. The encouragement wasn't needed, but she appreciated it regardless, knowing that was what she wanted.

Her fingers traced idly between the Australian's shoulder blades as she smiled against her counterpart's cheek. The way Lucy exhaled wasn't lost on the Brit, nor was the way she seemed distracted. Still, she didn't respond to her counterpart verbally.

Instead slowly kissed ink manipulator's neck, sure that she could feel her shifting pulse under her lips. A hand trailed upward, resting on Lucy's shoulder as she lightly pressed against it.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Again, Lucy got no answer. And still, that fact seemed to surprise her. She half assumed Penny was verbally ignoring her in favour of other, more evidently pressing matters. But if nothing else, Lucy knew that when Penelope Blaise wanted something from her, she got it. It was simply easier to give in.

And she'd be right. The Australian felt the way her heart rate shifted drastically as she felt familiar lips pressed against her neck. It was unfair. She was being unfair.

So she didn't make a move to step back when Penny added pressure to her shoulder, as difficult as that was. But she didn't move away, either.

Not straight away. "Did you need me to do something?" Lucy asked, having little intention of keeping her mouth shut. Still, she already couldn't control her breathing. And she definitely couldn't control the grin she wore; "Before I go?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

As Lucy spoke again, Penny couldn't help but to let out a slow exhale. Of course the Australian wouldn't just accept things and had to keep talking. Lighty, she offered another kiss to Lucy's neck before drawing away. Even if she spoke as if she were oblivious, her breathing gave everything away. That grin, more so.

That grin that Lucy Serrano wore so well.

Penny's gaze lingered on her lips for a few moments longer than necessary before she glanced upward to catch the ink manipulator's dark eyes. She kept the pressure on her shoulder, if anything, adding to it lightly as she pressed herself against Lucy. “Yes.”

It was all she was going to give. At least for now.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Trying to maintain composure was difficult as it was when Penny acted like this. Feeling the seal of another kiss against her neck. The kind that easily pushed her over the edge. The last thing Lucy had said was barely manageable, and so the moment the psychometrist pressed herself against the ink manipulator, she was fairly certain there was nothing left she could say. Whatever she wanted, Lucy was probably going to comply with.

Because she caught the way her eyes lingered on her mouth, and it caused her to sink her teeth into her lower lip involuntarily. Really unfair.

Lucy dropped her jaw to speak - to specifically ask her what she needed - but no words words passed her lips as she tried. All she offered was a audible exhale as she stepped back with the added pressure, keeping her hand steady in order to keep her close. To draw her in.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

As Lucy’s composure continued to falter, Penny couldn’t help but to grin. Something about Lucy Serrano struggling was just satisfying. However, Penny herself faltered as she caught the way Lucy bit into her lower lip. She inhaled slowly, trying to hide the way it wavered.

Penny followed her counterpart’s movement with ease, stepping when she did, moving in as she was eased closer. Anything to keep the distance between them to a bare minimum.

However, after a few steps, but Brit came to a stop. “Unless…” Her fingers curled into the material of Lucy’s shirt as she did so. “You’d rather go get breakfast.” Her eyebrows twitched upward. “I understand.”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

It was gratifying to know that Penny was moving with her. Until she wasn't.

Lucy's eyes widened involuntarily when she realised she'd stopped moving, and a step later she did the same. There was that distance - the very thing she was trying her best to avoid. And now, for whatever reason, she'd put it in place. But nevertheless, it wasn't lost on Lucy that she was still holding on.

The explanation she offered hit Lucy at full force; the false offer she was sure carried a little touch of hidden smugness somewhere amidst it all. Because she knew the answer. Lucy knew she knew.

Without a verbal response, the ink manipulator made a point of stepping through the allocated distance between them. Adding pressure with her hand, she leaned in to catch her lips in a short, purposeful kiss. Because there was unfair, and then there was just torture.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny very well did know the answer, but that did little to stop her from asking it. Every now and then, the Australian needed her own tactics turned on her. She knew why the ink manipulator did such things, because seeing her reaction was brilliant.

It was impossible to stop the smugness from taking over Penny’s features. The way her expression change – the way her eyes widened – it was too good.

And as Lucy kissed her, Penny reciprocated the action. Because could never deny Lucy. It was impossible. With as short lived as the kiss was, Penny easily found herself wanting more. It hadn’t taken her long to understand why Lucy hated such little contact.

“Is that a yes?” She asked, repeating her counterpart’s words back at her.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

At this point, Lucy hardly cared to argue or respond to the smug tones of her expression. She begrudgingly knew when she faltered, and what that meant for her.

So when she kissed her back, she rightly figured that whatever this was was over. But she didn't get the chance to start stepping back again, because she spoke such familiar words. She turned a statement back on her with clear cut intention. Lucy initially thought to point out that she hated her. Her second thought was to mention how bloody cruel she was.

"Does it feel like a yes to you," The ink manipulator paused for an important, imperative breath, "Penny?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Despite her counterpart choosing not to argue, or even respond, Penny couldn’t help to remain smug. Lucy’s lack of answer was, if anything, admittance in itself. She faltered, and it was great.

It wouldn’t have surprised the Brit to be told Lucy hated her, nor would it if she called her cruel. However, she didn’t.

But what she did offer threw the psychometrist. The way she took in a breath. How her accent wrapped around that particular nickname. Penelope was often called a lot of things by the ink manipulator, but it was still a bit of a rarity to be referred to her by her actual name, in any form.

She tried to not let herself get caught up in the fact, instead using the moment to bridge the minimal distance between them and kiss her.