Time Warp: To Lean On

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

It had been the first and only great thing Lucy could think of to say. To call her out - not simply by her name, but by the name only the ink manipulator was legislated to use - felt like the most pressing course of action. To remind her that she was that person in both her own life and the lives of those she held so close; the only other people in their home.

She felt the way Penny tilted her head back, how it practically rested against her shoulder. A slight shift of her own head and it was the most she could get a look at her. A small lean in and she brushed the tip of her nose against her cheek lightly.

"Shut up," She offered, though she kept her tone incredibly light; completely stripped of any potentially negative notes she could have so easily lined it with if she'd wanted to offer it in a cold way. She worked her hands out from beneath her wife's gently, immediately pressing palms to the backs of her hands instead in order to settle them against the curve of her stomach. Some stability in a harsher moment, "You're not the judge of whether you suck or don't suck at this. I am." Which may very well have been the point to the entire situation; how difficult it was for her to let go.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Parted lips pressed together as Penny was told to shut up. Lightness in her wife's tone was enough to prove that she shouldn't argue the fact. They were both currently in a heightened emotional state, but bringing that out on a pregnant woman wasn't exactly the best move Penny could have made. So she - for once - followed instruction, the only audible sound coming from the psychometrist was that of her breathing.

But as Lucy continued, Penny continued to struggle with keeping herself quiet. To not argue how obvious it felt that she thought she sucked at this. Although speaking for her wife was hardly something of a smart idea, Penny still humored it in the back of her head as she felt familiar hands fall over her own. Spreading her fingers, she allowed Lucy's to fall into the grooves of her own with a squeeze.

But instead her lips remained pressed shut as she let out a quiet sigh. It wasn't easy trying not to argue, and her clenched jaw was a clear sign of that. Even the brush of Lucy's nose against her skin did little to ease away the tension, despite how it did drag another breath from the Brit.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy was almost positive she'd catch some kind of argument. That was the way their relationship often worked; even when she tried to steal the floor to talk, Penny would respond if she was against that Lucy was saying. It was clear from that minor interaction they'd had that Penny was bordering on a cycle of self-depreciation from the ink manipulator's own attitude.

Really, she only had herself to blame.

"I'm saying you don't." Lucy finally continued, shaking off the surprise she felt from being able to speak as clearly as she could. "If you've gotta learn one thing, it's that you gotta listen to me." It was a crucial point to try and get across as lightly as she was. Hands pressed to hands pressed to the curve of her stomach, as if to remind her that this was far more inclusive now; "Everything I feel is like, ten times as valid as it used to be. Even when it's wrong."

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

The curve of Lucy's stomach was a constant reminder as to the change within their lives. For someone who had lived so many years in a static state, change was always something terrifying, but in this case it was in the best of ways. Still, she faltered without familiar patterns. Without knowing how her wife would react in any given moment - or to know that she herself had to adapt in order to better provide for her needs. Not knowing how to do so was admittedly more irksome than anything else.

Because despite Lucy's words, she felt like she did.

Penny took another breath in an attempt to clear her mind. To take in every word Lucy had to offer. It was strange to feel on the receiving end of such clear minded thinking when her counterpart was the hormone driven individual speaking. "But what if I'm the one that's wrong?" She questioned back, feeling the need to argue overtake the desire to remain quiet. "I didn't realize it was making you sick - I just thought you didn't like the taste. What if there's more mistakes like that? What if I'm not helping at all?"

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy thought to fight for some kind of eye contact. To let Penny go enough to press to her shoulders and force her to turn. But as they stood, it proved far easier to be honest. To have her be honest. After all, it was no secret how defining eye contact could be. How much of a deterrent it could become.

But she was still Lucy, and an argument was still an argument, opinions augmented by an incubator status. "If you think that then - and I'm about to swear here - you're being really fucking stupid." She explained, as bluntly as she could manage in such a moment.

"It's not like I told you and you ignored it." Lucy pointed out. It mightn't have been the right thing to keep from the person who scheduled everything about her pregnancy better than she herself ever could, but it was still a fact. "Stop it, love. Seriously; since when does Penny Blaise ever toy with the idea that she's wrong?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

For once, Penny was almost thankful to hear a curse slip from her wife's mouth. The sense of familiarity was almost overwhelming. She'd been doing well to keep tight lips, especially around their son. The break in that system was practically refreshing, even with the attached warning. Still, like clockwork, Penny felt the tension shoot through her expression as her nose crinkled.

And what Lucy had to say was true. Rarely one to ever admit she was wrong, Penny let go of the breath she held. Eyes squeezed shut again as she waited a spare beat before taking a chance to move. They only opened when she turned herself, dark eyes colliding with those equally so.

"Never." She admitted, despite the fact that it was a lie. The answer was, in fact, rarely, that moment included. Still, even when wrong, she hated giving into the fact. Having moved her hands in her turn, she placed them back on the curve of Lucy's stomach, thumbs making therapeutic movements. She leaned forward, lips brushing against hers lightly. "Please tell me." She continued lightly. "I want to know so I know to stop."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Without fail, Lucy eased the pressure away from her hands as she felt the way Penny wanted to move. Far be it for her to really have the capacity to keep her pressed between herself and the counter, anyway. But there was relief to be found in actually being able to catch her eyes.

Lucy knew as well as her counterpart that there were times where she did in fact feel like she was wrong. They were moments where the ink manipulator didn't dare call her out on a fact. To bolster the self-assurance Penny wore seemed like the smartest route to take. It was safe. It was smart. And it was completely necessary.

Especially when it worked. Or at the very least, it seemed to. The response she gave in tandem with the hands to her own body were enough to drag a smile to the slightly distressed features of the Australian now underneath her eyes. She reciprocated the lighter tones of the kiss she received without much effort, either. It'd only been minutes, but that didn't mean she didn't grow to miss the contact.

"I can try." She replied, knowing it wasn't the most perfect response to give. But surely, she could attest that it was the best Lucy could offer.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Eye contact wasn't supposed to be hard to find, yet after having avoiding it, Penny quickly felt the weight of Lucy's gaze as their eyes collided. Her thumbs still worked to maintain some type of rhythm as Lucy spoke. Although it was no guarantee, hearing that her wife would try was enough to satisfy the Brit. Trying was something - a start. Something she herself needed to do as well from her side of things.

When her hands finally did move, they fall loosely at Lucy's hips. With the new curve her wife's stomach had taken, it was impossible to get quite as close as they usually could, but she tried nonetheless, stepping to the side to press herself against the ink manipulator.

"Thank you." She offered, rarely one to give those words away. In this instance, it felt needed. The tip of her nose brushed against Lucy's shoulder lightly as she ducked her head down, inching towards the line of her neck.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy waited for what felt like it would be the inevitable; another argument spurned by her inability to accept something as she likely should have. Penny could have so easily taken what she'd said and run with it. And how it would have forced a cycle of repetition would have been as taxing as it was usual.

But she didn't. Rather, she accepted it for what it was, and that fact forced Lucy's eyes to widen instinctively. She didn't like to seem surprised by the warmer notions of a vote of thanks, but she couldn't help it. She'd likely never get used to it, but this was different. This had nothing to do with that usual difficulty.

Penny was closer now. As close as she could be. Lucy took a breath as she felt the small brush of her counterpart's nose against her shoulder. The trajectory she took was completely second nature, slow as it was, and the moment there was contact against her neck she felt the way it tilted to compensate for the movement. To ask for it without ever letting the words leave her mouth.

Because she had something else to say instead; "Didn't do anything."

And thanks were still thanks to Lucy Serrano.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny rarely offered words of thanks; it rarely suited the Brit who was practically impossible to please. Were it anyone but her wife, it would have been an entirely different story. But it was Lucy Serrano, and she was trying. Working with the Brit who was just as difficult as pregnancy made the Australian. That was more than Penny could have asked for.

The tilt of Lucy's neck was exactly the encouragement she needed. The sort that made her lose sight of any shocked expression Lucy might have worn as she moved to place light kisses against the newly exposed line of her neck.

"You did." Penny argued, although her tone was hardly aggressive as her hand moved to the small of Lucy's back, pulling her in closer if it were actually possible. Her lips pressed to the base of her jaw, then again to her ear as her voice dropped. She went to speak, yet words failed her as she pressed her forehead to Lucy's temple, exhaling the exhaustion she felt before she kissed her cheek. Then again to her neck. Because she had put their son to bed for his nap for a reason. "I love you."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

True to form, Lucy knew that the tilt of her neck would be enough to bring her wife in closer. Slow trails worked in tandem with the heated tones of her breath, leaving the most obvious track. It didn't take much sense to figure out just what she was calling for. She thought to argue with the response Penny gave, but as she parted her lips to talk absolutely nothing filled the air.

Hands couldn't help the way they moved, fingers idly playing into the fabric of her counterpart's dress for the simple fact that she didn't know what else to do. She was desperate to provide ample encouragement, and she had never been the type to remain still for any reason.

Penny had always been affectionate in her own way. It was the kind of behaviour most people didn't seem to think she was capable of, but such closeness was something Lucy was completely used to. But just because she recognised it didn't mean it didn't work wonders to maintain the upbeat rhythm of her heart. The need to breathe properly was paramount, but so definitely out of reach. "I love you." Lucy countered, palms pressed to her back instead.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

The fingers that played with the material of her dress did wonders to hold Penny's attention. Lips still remained pressed to Lucy's neck, finding quick comfort in the connection they made. A heated breath dusted her skin at the confession of love. She'd heard it hundreds of times by then, but it never failed to push her pulse a little faster. To bring the psychometrist in closer with the help of loving hands to her back.

Although moving closer, Penny still kept herself close to the counter, even though it proved to be less stabilizing than her pregnant wife. Small kisses left a slow trail down the length of Lucy's neck, finding her shoulder as she lingered there, holding for a few beats longer than necessary as she simply breathed.

There was reason why she stopped, she was sure. Finding the words to express such was never easy for the Brit, however. "I want to do everything to make this better for you." She explained, voice dropping despite how they were in the privacy of their own home. "I know it's hard."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

When Lucy felt the need to fight further, the one thing that could work to calm her was the way in which her wife reacted. She had gone from arguing with Lucy - which she still rightly loved to do - to a much quieter, more gentle routine. It was the side of her counterpart few ever saw, if anyone but the ink manipulator ever truly had. Her intention seemed to momentarily dwindle away, side stepped to reach for something more imperative instead.

With a small tilt of her head, she leaned it against hers. Anything to build towards an easy reconnection. The last thing she wanted to do was lose her now.

"I know you know," Lucy replied. She'd heard those words before, and while they could easily be annoying when spoken with the usual smug sensation, this time it felt different. It sounded different, like the voice of reason over anything else. "You know I trust you." She added, a hand reaching up to run fingers into the back of her hair instinctively.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Speaking was always harder for Penny than it was her wife. Physicality was always an easier road to take. One more expressive than words could be, so taking the time to stop and talk spoke for itself. It was worth the internal struggle to find the best statement to offer Lucy. To pause for moments to say it.

Still with her lips to the Australian's shoulder, they pulled up a fraction at contact. Already close to Lucy, another connection still did wonders to encourage the psychometrist, just as the perfect response she was given had been.

"Good." Penny replied, knowing it was so much more than that. Applied pressure to Lucy's shoulder brought on another slow burning kiss. "I know." She added, feeling the need to stress the trust between them. Because regardless of the struggle her pregnant wife could create, she still listened to every word of advice in the end. That level of trust was almost unfathomable, yet here she stood right in front of the Brit.

With her eyes closed and a familiar set of fingers in her hair, her arms worked a loose hold around Lucy, finding comfort in the embrace.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Penny had been through the personal difficulty of carrying a child before. The thought was one never far from Lucy's mind; Penny rarely let it leave the immediate air in moments where Lucy thought she might need evident control. Despite how frustrating it could be, it didn't mean the Australian didn't trust her judgement for most things regarding the subject. There was always weight to be thrown into the fact that she very much did trust her counterpart.

It was always known, she knew, but it never hurt to remind her.

And it was better when she said she knew. The prior argument still left her own mind burning bright, but sweeter words worked wonders to deter that negativity.

Before she could consider what to say next, she was drawn into something more comforting. Those arms worked to draw Lucy into the most perfect hold, like the light pressure would interlock with those early niceties and completely distract the ink manipulator. She couldn't spare a thought for the way Penny had upset her; instead, she pressed herself in as close as she possibly could, resting her forehead against her shoulder for stability. If nothing else, she was certainly adept at providing that.