On My Feet and Staggering

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Note: In tandem with ...Ladies

With her attention primarily procured to her phone, the ink manipulator was far too focused on her own complaints to care much for the others around her. Her mood had been constantly soured with the lack of the psychometrist's presence. Especially when she still had no idea when she was getting back.

[Redcoat: Come be gay with me in Gaymont again]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny was one to rarely use her phone, however she found herself on it quite often now that distance was such a huge factor between herself and one Lucy Serrano. It surprised her family, but nobody question it, at least not out loud. The youngest Blaise still kept her manners; never using it during dinner or while in the middle of conversations, but for the most part, her phone was always within reach.

Shopping with her mother was supposed to be simple. It never was. And this particular trip to the mall proved as such, so when she heard the now familiar beep of her phone, she immediately checked it.

Unfortunately, her mother had also turned to look at Penelope. Eyebrows immediately furrowed together, lips pressing into a hard line at the single line her counterpart sent her. Somewhere within its contents was actually quite a sweet message, but Penny struggled to get to that particular point.

[Lucy Serrano: Are you even aware of how offensive that sounds?]

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Amused, as she almost always was by the reactions Penny gave her, Lucy bypassed the immediate attention of her roommates. She knew she likely should have paid more attention to them - she was going to be living with them for at least the next year - but she didn't.

Though really, she should have realised that Penny might have been curious about them, too. After all, she practically lived there too.

[Redcoat: Are you saying you don't want to be gay with me? Cause that's what we've been doing, love]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Be gay. It only further confused Penny’s logical mind. In theory, she was regardless of location. What did that even mean?

“Nothing.” Penny replied as her mother asked what she was doing. She glanced up briefly from her phone, eyeing the dress her mother was suggesting. “I don’t think that color suits me.” Really, she hated shopping with her mother. Anna Blaise had the impression that it was some sort of bonding time; the most bonding the two Blaise women could do, at least. It wasn’t so much the case.

[Lucy Serrano: That statement doesn’t make sense.]

She crinkled her nose before deciding to send another message.

[Lucy Serrano: But yes, I do miss you.]

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Penny took forever to send a message. At least, she did when compared to Lucy's general swiftness with a technological device. But even she wasn't usually this slow, so the Australian quickly denoted that she must have been with someone.

Being missed was something she was still getting used to. But simply repeating it felt a little cheap.

[Redcoat: It'd make sense if you were here. I'd totally show you]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny put her phone in her bag after sending her text, but within seconds it beeped with a message notification. How did Lucy text so fast? Even I'd she was better with technology than the Brit, she didn't understand how quickly Lucy could put out a message.

Despite how much she wanted to check her phone again, her mother offered another suggestion. Three, actually. She pursed her lips. "I really don't need any new clothes." She reached into her bag, ignoring her mother's curious expression.

[Lucy Serrano: No, it doesn't make sense. I doubt my location can be a determining factor in your logic.]

She looked up to the head of the Blaise family. "Let's go to the bookstore."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy pursed her lips in disinterest at the message provided. She knew Penny didn't exactly connect the dots in the way the ink manipulator's mind did, but that was just lazy.

Absence made the heart grow fonder. The memories, brighter. The distance, paining.

[Redcoat: Jesus, Blaise. It's been well over a fortnight]

But it wasn't enough. And as quickly as she could, she continued on.

[Redcoat: I'm saying I'd really like to fuck you, so yeah your geographical location fucks that up a bit]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

This time, Penny made no attempt to put her phone away. She knew she'd only take it back out within minutes. Her lips pressed into a hardened line at the message. She was well aware how long she'd been from the ink manipulator.

And as a second message came in she felt heat rise in her cheeks, and she unconsciously bit into her lip in an attempt to stop the sharp breath she wanted yo take.

[Lucy Serrano: Talking about it doesn't help the situation. That's unfair.]

It was the most she could contribute to the conversation. As she dragged her gaze from the screen, she caught her mother looking at her expectantly. It was only then did Penelope realize that she had said something. "I'm sorry, what?"

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Unfair. Truly, Lucy knew what that felt like. To be here without her meant every little thing she'd been in contact with served as a memory. Talking about the connotations of their physical relationship wasn't the only memories the ink manipulator struggled with, but it was fairly prominent.

And it was the definite choice to get a reaction to.

[Redcoat: Did you not want to know that? It's fucked trying to sleep in my bed when all I think about is what it's like to have you in it]

[Redcoat: Starkers in the sheets you get yourself all wrapped up in]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

“I’m fine.” Penny replied to her mother, a thumb running along the edge of her phone. She felt the tension building in her jaw, anything to try and better hide her flustered expression behind a polite smile.

[Lucy Serrano: I never said that.]

Because Penny couldn’t deny that she missed the physical aspects of their relationship. It had been just over two weeks since she had last been with Lucy Serrano – in any way – and that fact didn’t settle well with the Brit.

It was just as impossible to not think of the way her form felt as it was to sleep without her by Penny’s side.

[Lucy Serrano: You’re not being funny.]

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

[Redcoat: Nah, I'm being factual]

Alright, so Lucy was also being a little funny. At least by her own standards; for her own amusement entirely. She knew the Brit wouldn't see the humour here, and that was fine. It would have been that much better if she were able to actually see her response, but she had a fair idea of what it would be.

After all, Penny could never handle the subject quite the way Lucy did.

[Redcoat: I bet you miss the sparrows, huh]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Factual. Penny’s nose crinkled at the word. Because, trying to be factual or not, Penny knew she was still finding amusement out of this.

[Lucy Serrano: I miss all of you.]

Sparrows included. But that didn’t mean she wanted to talk about it.

[Lucy Serrano: Are you ready for classes to start?]

She was barely registering what her mother was saying, but Penny could recognize the irritation lining her tone. “That’s fine. I can go there tomorrow.”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy quickly denoted that Penny's answer was able to be boiled down to a yes. Damn, she thought maybe if the physical interaction was missing, she wouldn't struggle quite so much. But then, it was one of the things Lucy had to admit that she loved so much about her psychometric counterpart.

[Redcoat: Yup. I'm all geared up for this year's sex talk. Which I guess you don't have to go to]

At this, the ink manipulator frowned. Damn, it was going to be so much more fun if she had to go. But Lucy could compensate. She was great at doing that.

[Redcoat: Which is cool. I'll let you know what he says when I ask how virgins can be so good at banging with no experience]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

They were headed home, thank goodness. Penelope wasn’t sure if she could handle the ongoing conversation with her counterpart in a private setting, let alone a public one. And as she settled in the passenger seat of her mother’s car, she again felt heat rise to her cheeks, dark eyes widening at the messages on her phone.

[Lucy Serrano: Don’t you dare.]

She took in a frustrated breath.

[Lucy Serrano: That’s not even a legitimate question.]

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy Serrano's all important response was definitely not what Penny was asking about when she referred to school, and the ink manipulator knew that. She also knew that Penny knew she was grinning about all this. How could she not be? The Brit's hostility was at an all time high, and that reading was solely through digital messages.

[Redcoat: How's it not legit? I'm so damn curious, and it's not like you'll ever tell me]

[Redcoat: Beginner's luck? Decent guessing? What're you reading that's giving you so much intel?]