Time Warp: What's in a Name? (Penny)

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

2022

Lucy was grateful for so many things she had already. It wasn't just about Penny, as big a factor as she was in everything. Work kept her so busy. It kept her moving when she felt stagnant. It got her up when she felt like doing absolutely nothing with her time. She was also grateful that Dom wasn't just throwing her in the deep end and forcing her to travel to France all the time. Their secondary gallery was in New York. A fact that took the pressure off the Australian; Penny could come with her.

And she had family there, so that was good.

They'd just returned from the strangest dinner with the Blaise family in history. Stranger than the time Lucy first met them all those year ago. They were supposed to be, at the very least, trying to announce their engagement. But they already knew. Which just made things even more awkward. More awkward than the way Penny chose to tell them, which was really just in passing over dinner. Evidently, her brother had told them weeks ago, just days after it had happened.

An argument over it all ensued. Well, Lucy wouldn't call it an argument as much as it was a passive aggressive snarky British bitch fight. One where she stayed completely silent. This wasn't her forte.

It sure as hell wasn't how Serrano's argued.

At any rate, as much as Lucy liked the Blaise's - and really, she did - she was ridiculously glad she wasn't staying with them. Dom was putting her up in the usual overpriced hotel digs, and she wasn't about to complain. Even if she felt a little out of place there. Opening the door, Lucy tossed the allocated keys on the nearby counter and immediately started shrugging off her jacket. She breathed a heavy, exasperated sigh, finally feeling comfortable enough to do so.

"And you said Serrano's were mental." Lucy said idly, folding her jacket over her arm before tossing it towards the couch.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

...Well, that was exhausting.

Penelope let out a sigh as she walked into the hotel room. Immediately, she brought a hand to the bridge of her nose, massaging the area lightly with her fingers as a means to try and push out her headache.

She could understand why they would be upset, but her mother was stubborn, just as stubborn as Penny in a way. It was easy for them to butt heads over topics they didn't see eye to eye. And then Michael, lord was she going to have a talk with him.

Lucy's statement snapped the Brit out of her thoughts, and her eyes traveled across the ink manipulator as she slid her jacket off. Penny closed the door, taking a few steps towards her fiance, reaching out to grab her hand.

“They are,” she replied with a sigh; her expression hinted at an apology for the events that took place during dinner. “I never said my family wasn't, either.”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy instinctively squeezed her hand. She offered a half nod to the side at the mention of her own family. It wasn’t exactly a lie; Serrano’s were crazy in their own right. Passionate by nature. It reflected in the way they opted to fight. Things were thrown. Insults shouted. Passive aggressive was just not a colour they ever wore. After this long, Lucy was relatively used to Blaise family behaviour. But this was supposed to be different.

She took the mild apology offered to her anyway.

“Do all the British argue like bitches?” Lucy asked her, leaning in a touch. She was aware of the steady pressure on Penny’s shoulders. All too aware. “I still wouldn’t call that shit an argument.” Not that she was mad, per se. Her tone didn’t equivocate that. But she had been concerned for Penny all the same. Even if she knew her counterpart could handle a little fire, it still flared something in her Australian. “Thank god you bite.”

She couldn’t take a life living in the land of Passive Aggressiva.

Settling into the moment, Lucy raised a free hand and ran her fingers across the collar of Penny’s jacket. Her eyes traversed the line. Apologising for the way things happened wasn’t something she’d ever do. An apology only left the ink manipulator’s mouth on rare occasions. When required. Or deserved.

“It should’a been different.” Lucy said instead, even if she knew they weren’t the right words for that moment.

[1000th post! So glad to spend it with you, love.]

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny ran her thumb gently over Lucy’s, the Australian’s gesture was appreciated. Always. She briefly thought of Lucy’s family, all of them. A smile involuntarily tugged at the corner of her lips as she thought of their reaction to the news, especially Lucy’s father. That man.

The psychometrist raised her eyebrows at the question, amused despite her bitter mood. “Must I remind you that Britain sent all the spritely loud ones to your country?” It was the closest thing to a ‘yes’ that the Australian was going to get out of her.

This time, she couldn’t keep her smile from growing at added remark. She glanced up at Lucy, tugging her hand in an attempt to bring her in closer. “I know you like that I do.” She replied, biting into her lower lip lightly to hold back any signs of a grin. As Lucy’s gaze shifted, so did Penny’s, and she instead focused on the ink manipulator’s lips, already choosing to abandon the conversation of her dysfunctional family.

But she was brought back when Lucy spoke again, and her smile faded. She didn’t expect an apology of any kind from Lucy, nor did she want one. It was one of the many things she loved about her fiancé – the girl only apologized when she really meant it.

“It should have been.” Penny lifted her hand, fingers running lightly along Lucy’s jaw line before speaking again. “They’re happy though.” Although there was an argument, she knew that her parents were glad for the couple. They were just too British to let Penny get away with informing them the way she had.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy raised her eyebrows, stifling an amused grin at the notion of her proposed convict heritage. Always with the history, this woman. “Dunno how the Watson clan missed the boat.” She replied in time, the knowledge of Penny’s British family still fresh in her mind.

Of course she fell in time, moving herself a little closer when Penny requested it of her. She always did.

Her dark eyes flicked their gaze towards her mouth instantly, taking in every detail that was the way her teeth sunk down into her bottom lip. She felt her breath rise in her throat, her gaze turning back to her eyes as soon as she could tear it away. Her eyes narrowed. She was being unfair.

Lucy let her fingers trail up the collar of her jacket again, this time brushing past the material and tracing across her collar bone. An involuntary smile caught the ink manipulator’s mouth as her fingertips ran across her counterpart’s skin. She’d had the most relevant conversation with Penny’s dad only a few hours ago, but she was acutely aware that her Brit didn’t know about it. So she tried to quell the smile she wore as quickly as she could.

“I know.” She stated as fact, finally glancing back towards her eyes again. Her voice was low. Quiet. She knew she sounded distracted, but something about the whole ordeal made this woman before her that much more enrapturing. “I’m not worried.”

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

“Your huge family had taken up all the space on the last boat.” Penny replied, her amusement shining in her eyes. History jokes were one of her favorite forms of humor, and she was thankful that Lucy played along with it.

Penny didn’t miss Lucy glancing down at her lips, and her heart raced at the response. She released her lip, letting the corners of her lips rise into a smirk. She liked the reminder that she could still make her counterpart feel the same way she did.

As she felt familiar fingers trail across her collarbone, Penny held her breath a moment, not even aware that she was doing so. She let go of Lucy’s hand only long enough to slide the jacket off of her shoulders. Penny set it down neatly, glancing at Lucy, completely oblivious as to the reason behind her fiancé’s smile.

The simple fact that Lucy wasn’t worried put an immediate calming effect on Penny. The Brit leaned in, sliding her arms to rest comfortably around Lucy’s waist. “You should. My mother and Michael are going to want to plan everything.”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

There was always – always – something about a smirk on Penny’s lips that drove the Australian towards a breaking point. She was a little grateful to have looked away before the sight alone encompassed her completely.

Once her hand was free, she instinctively reached up, running her hands underneath the material of her jacket to encourage it off her shoulders. Of course she settled it neatly. Lucy didn’t discourage the usual act. But she did exhale a heavy sigh when it was finally out of her way.

“I don’t care what they plan.” Lucy said anyway, her tone slightly exasperated. Brushing her counterpart’s hair aside, Lucy leaned in and pressed her lips deftly to the nape of her neck. “I’ll fly to British-land. I’ll wear the whitest, stupidest looking dress. Hell, I’ll support a dry wedding if I have to.” She replied, the words leaving her mouth and pouring over her skin; “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny slipped her hands under the fabric of Lucy’s shirt, her nails running lightly along the Australian’s sides. It was so easy to get caught up in her.

The feeling of Lucy’s lips against her neck caused the Brit to let out a slow, uneven breath. Unconsciously, she tilted her head, giving easier access to her fiancé.

It felt almost impossible to keep focused on the conversation at hand. Penny closed her eyes, trying her hardest to take in what the Australian had to say, but Lucy’s breath against her skin was one hell of a distraction.

The took in another breath, trying to compose herself as she ran a hand up Lucy’s back before curling her fingers around the dark hair. “I don’t want you to have to do anything,” she started slowly, honestly despite how distracted she felt, “I just want you.” She'd rather have Lucy in paint splattered skinny jeans than a dress that the ink manipulator didn't want to wear.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Her breath faltered slightly when Lucy felt familiar nails run across her skin. The way her counterpart’s breath faltered just as erratically tugged a momentary smile out of the Australian. She trailed her parted lips across her skin gently, her breath unconsciously heavy.

Lucy’s hands traversed the line of her body, grazing across her form and finding comfort in the small of her back. Her fingers curled in the fabric of her dress momentarily. Instinctively. But they unfurled moments later, wrapping around her entirely. Drawing her in.

She understood the sentiment entirely. And she knew her words hadn’t been lost on the psychometrist. At the very least, she knew it was understood that she’d do anything for her.

“You have me.” Lucy interjected quietly, pausing for a breath, “You always did.”

She fought the overwhelming urge to give in as her teeth momentarily sunk into her ear lobe. She retracted with a sliver of distance to speak into her ear again; “You know you always will.”

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny bit her lip, this time involuntarily, to keep herself from making any noises. Her nails ran slightly harder down Lucy’s back as she sucked in another shaking breath. Lucy always did this.

As she felt Lucy’s teeth sink into hear earlobe, Penny couldn’t stop the soft groan that escaped her lips. She tilted her head, forcing herself to face Lucy right on. “I love you.”

She opened her mouth to speak again, but found words failing her. The Brit had a bachelors and masters degree in English, but she couldn’t find a word that would could possibly explain exactly how much she meant to her. How much she trusted her. Loved her. How absolutely mad Lucy made her.

Penny leaned forward, pressing her lips to Lucy’s.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy allowed her to reel back, despite the moment where her lips tried to follow the familiar sensation of her neck. She pulled back too, enough to catch her eyes. Something about the proximity and the chosen words seemed to halt Lucy in her tracks.

Her gaze flicked down to her parted lips before back to her eyes. Her dark eyes emitted confusion. She wanted to continue on; to adorn her beloved with every emotion she had – every practice she knew. She’d traverse every contour of her skin in the same fashion if it proved how much she wanted to remain with her. How much conviction was behind everything she said.

But she settled for the kiss on her mouth instead. Like Novocaine, it numbed Lucy’s senses to the very fibres of her being. And just like that, she had every ounce of power again.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

It didn’t take long for Penny to be completely caught up by Lucy. It never did. She wasn’t even sure if there was a time where she wasn’t caught up in the Australian.

She shifted slightly as they stood before lead Lucy up against the nearest table. Without missing a beat, the Brit slid her arms down to Lucy’s waist, pushing her up and onto the table. Her own breathing was getting heavier as she glanced up to catch Lucy's gaze.

Penny pulled back slightly, but only enough to start a light trail of kisses down Lucy's jaw before reaching the nape of her neck. Her hands traveled teasingly up Lucy’s thighs before settling on the ink manipulator’s belt. She gave it a light tug in attempt to unbuckle it as she gently bit down on where Lucy's shoulder and neck met.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy let herself be lead. Moved. Guided. Pushed. She always did. Anything required of her, she offered. So long as the only daughter of the Blaise family wished it so.

She caught her eyes for the briefest of moments they were offered.

As exhausting as the whole ordeal had been, Lucy was incredibly grateful to have Penny. As much as she wanted to comfort her, she couldn’t find the means to turn this back around and regain her strength. So she threw her head back and exhaled her held breath on an involuntary moan. Because damn her subtleties. Damn the way she could drive a situation so easily. And Damn the way she could render the eldest Serrano breathless.

“Listen,” Lucy breathed, though she had nothing left. She raised her hands and pressed them against her shoulders, drawling her fingertips across to her neck and into her hair. Her fingers curled within her hair, “I-”

Lucy turned her head back down, biting down on her bottom lip when she felt her biting down on her shoulder. She really couldn’t- Why was she still trying to talk?

“-Everything.” Lucy managed, trying to gather her attention enough, “With you. I want everything.”

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny smirked against Lucy’s neck as she heard Lucy breath out a moan – she loved knowing she could get such a reaction out of Lucy. Knowing that she could drive the Australian as mad as she did Penny.

The Brit ran her hands up Lucy’s side, pulling the material of her tank top up as Lucy started to speak. She was listening, really, but it was hard to focus with the world’s biggest distraction breathing heavily in front of her.

It was impossible to stop.

Penny continued to leave light kisses along Lucy’s skin; first at her collarbone, then making her way up the Australian’s neck, along her jaw line. “You know you have me, love. Everything.” She breathed into the Australian’s ear, lips grazing it as she spoke before finally sinking her teeth into Lucy’s earlobe. Two could play that game.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy was acutely aware that she was losing this. There was little she could do to stop her once she got like this. Penny knew that. They both did.

By proxy, it was impossible to resist.

Even though she knew she shouldn’t have, she still craned her neck anyway, hooking her hands around her hair and drawling it out of her way. Anything to make the moment – the trail of adoring kisses – last longer. Each breath she exhaled was weighted, impossible to control.

The confirmation whispered into her ear forced the Australian’s next breath to catch in her throat, only for her to lose it moments later to an unconscious groan when she bit her again. She couldn’t help herself. She didn’t know why she bothered trying.

“I mean it-” She tried anyway, turning her head and kissing her with as much intention as she was pouring into the ink manipulator’s skin. “Marriage. Memories.” Raising her hands, she pressed them to her cheeks lightly, her legs wrapping the waist of her love and keeping her steady. “Life.” Kissing her again, Lucy pulled back to rest her forehead against hers; “Kids.”

Each breath she tried to take forced her shoulders to rise and fall, her form desperate for a decent hit of oxygen. But she kissed her again anyway, even if her lungs burned for it; “All of it.”