A Love Like Religion

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Six in the morning. All it took was the soft buzz of her phone against the bedside table to wake Penelope Blaise. An outstretched hand turned off the alarm, sore muscles wishing to stretch with the reach, but an arm around her form secured her to the bed, just as it did every morning. Just as it would every morning. With it came the regret of trying to untangle herself from the sheets; from her. There was never a day that made it easy to leave Lucy Serrano behind in bed, but she had little choice.

Especially today. Penny turned back to Lucy, dark eyes squeezing shut as she did her best to roll her shoulders, but it wasn't look before she looked again. As many days as she's woken up to the sight, she couldn't help it. Dark locks scattered across her pillow, the way she slept with some newfound innocence that, when awake, would likely be denied.

She had to get up, if not more quietly than she usually did. Two busy schedules could make days hard, but they were always harder when one had the day off while the other didn't. A test for her first class, and Penny absolutely could not miss it. The professor stressed that there was no making up for absence. Yet she had the day to do as she wished, and Penny knew better than anyone just how little Lucy cared about a missed class.

Worse, Penny knew exactly how persuasive Lucy was.

Her fingers trailed along the ink manipulator's arm before gently taking hold of her wrist; just enough to ease it away from her own form. And surprisingly, the sleeping form moved willingly. Or, at least, without much of a fight, and Penny had to be thankful for the fact. But the distance meant Lucy was more likely to wake. She had to be quick, she had to-

Thinking she was in the clear, Penny had turned her back to Lucy, lifting the sheets in order to climb out of their bed before that familiar arm made its way back to her form. Immediately, she turned towards the Australian, unsure if she was awake or just reaching for her out of a sleeping habit.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy Serrano notoriously hated waking up early. If she could get away with avoiding it, she absolutely would. She had had over a year to get used to Penny's different schedule on a daily basis, and for the most part it was worked well for her. She might have stirred every so often uncontrollably, and once or twice she could be completely drawn from slumber, but in most instances she settled simply enough. Unfortunately for Penny, today was not one of those simple days.

Because ever since they had moved in together, it was impossible to ignore the magnetic way she felt drawn in in just about every moment.

Her hand had been eased away and at first she didn't have the capacity to fight it. But her attention was drawn as she found herself pulled to consciousness. As such, her hand was quick enough to cirle around her counterpart's waist again.

Yet, her eyes remained closed. She didn't even manage a smile as she instinctively drew herself in closer as opposed to trying to drag Penny inward. The breath she didn't know she was holding slowly passed her lips on a comfortable exhale against her skin.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

If Lucy wore any sign of consciousness at all, Penny couldn't see it. As far as she could tell, the Australian was still sleeping soundly despite the way she moved. Although there was still the problem that Lucy kept a tight hold on the psychometrist. The arm around her waist had successfully put a stop in her plans to get up and out of bed, and Penny let out a sigh at just how easily her counterpart could hold her in place. How, even while sleeping, she could force the rate of her heart to skyrocket.

Again, she tried to reach for Lucy's wrist, but she had yet to try to move it. Instead, the Brit twisted herself as best she could, bending down to press her lips against the ink manipulator's hair. And there she lingered, each muscle aching to fight the way she needed to eventually pull away.

It would have been so easy to slump back into bed. To allow Lucy to pull herself even closer than she already had and just lay there while she slept. The thought crossed her mind; it almost always did in those moments, but responsibility still took hold of the Brit who cared far too much about her classes.

Another kiss to Lucy's hair, and she let out a pained exhale before trying to lift her arm again.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

With her hand secure enough aound Penny's waist, Lucy seemed to settle quickly; easily. After all, in her barely conscious state, everything was back in order. She had successfully procured the warmth of the second body that really should have stayed with her in the first place. What was the point of a day off without her counterpart to keep her company?

A hand took hold of her wrist, but it seemed fine. It wasn't until forced movement found her again that the ink manipulator felt drawn from sleep entirely. A disgruntled sound passed her lips, muffled by the fact that it felt difficult to actually form decent words, if any at all. Her hand tightened again, this time with a little more effort, And she tilted her head to work to catch her lips lightly.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penny practically winced as Lucy's arm tightened even more around her form, although not from physical pain. The pain that came from trying to leave her counterpart was much harder to deal with, especially now that Lucy was actively working to make it more difficult. It rarely took much to work Penny up, so easy for the Australian now she somehow could even manage it on an unconscious level.

And of course, she gave in, if only slightly. Lucy's disgruntled mumbled were put to a pause with the catch of her lips. Gentle as the contact was, Penny could feel the tiredness her counterpart felt behind the act, but she had still moved for it all the same, and in turn, Penny reciprocated.

"Lucy," she tried softly against the Australian's lips. Her fingers found the line of Lucy's hair, brushing back a few chaotic strands. "I need to get up."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

When familiar lips grazed her own, Lucy was quick to smile at the connection, lazy as it seemed from her own perspective. Her mind was still working to try and catch up with the moment, and either way she found herself far too wrapped in the presence of her very much awake love to care for the news that she had to leave. Of course Lucy knew what day it was; Penny had told her about it a few times already, both before and even up to the night before now. Penny always took classes and their tests seriously, and this was no exception.

Except now she was living with the ink manipulator in a place they shared. A bed wasn't quite so easy to leave behind when Lucy did her best to keep her there. What was the point in having a day off if she were to spend it all on her own? Penny seemed to be doing her best to try and sell the point that she absolutely needed to leave.

But for Lucy, those words didn't matter. They couldn't deter the way she lightly kissed her lips again, taking advantage of the closeness that Penny had yet to manage to drag herself out of. "Not right away." She denoted lightly, a slight dazed colour to her tone of voice. Though shemightn't have been completely awake, she was certai that this was something she could argue correctly.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

A lazy connection found, Penny could still feel the way Lucy smiled against her lips. Tired, yet still determined to keep the pyschometrist close. It wasn't fair, because although the back of her mind was quick to come up with an argument to Lucy's defense, she hadn't spoken it. Instead, Penny lingered within the closeness. What was supposed to be an easy start to the day had already turned against her, but she wasn't complaining.

Because who was she to deny Lucy when she evidently needed it? Penny drew herself closer, drawing her fingertips out of dark tangles and to her shoulder, down to where she pressed her palm between her shoulder blades and eased herself in.

"Five minutes." Penny stated, although now facing away from her night stand, she couldn't rightfully tell the time. More, it was an insurance that she wasn't giving in. As the boss, she gave into Lucy's will, but only on her own terms. She had to leave for her test, no matter how hard she tried.

The problem was, however, Penny knew how persuasive her counterpart was. She knew that giving in now was the first and worst move she could possibly make in the long run. Yet as she pressed her lips against Lucy's again, she had little regret over the decision.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy had fully expected Penny to find the means to dissipate from her arm without much more stress. Like it could be so easy to sever the connection Lucy was relatively desperate to keep. But a slight twist in her form seemed to be bringing her in over letting her argue her way away. Even then, she expressed some kind of barrier while still giving in at the same time; there was a time frame, and even the mere mention of it had Lucy grinning with a feat of accomplishment.

Time was taken away from her given the way she looked, and Lucy was as quick as she could be to reciprocate the newfound connection her counterpart was intent on making, Now, she could think of nothing worse than to let her slip away with five minutes passing.

"How long'll you be gone?" Lucy asked her, though she hardly seemed interested in the question or the answer. Despite how she seemed to register that Penny had every intention of leaving, she still worked to bring herself closer in the next moment, intertwining their legs together with a move of her own in order to keep her just a little more secure.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Although the newfound proximity kept Penny from seeing it, she could feel the grin Lucy wore against her own lips. Smugness always looked a little too good on the ink manipulator, and Penny thought briefly that she should remind Lucy that she didn't win. At least, not entirely. The Australian might have gotten her to stay in bed for a few more minutes, but it was exactly that; once the time was up, she had to get up and start her day.

"My final class of the day ends at three." Penny replied, unaware her counterpart had no interest in an answer. It was one of her longer school days, making the thought of leaving that much more difficult. As difficult as thinking to deny the way Lucy's limbs tangled expertly with her own.

"I have an important test today." She reminded Lucy, in case within the dozen times she had told the ink manipulator, she had somehow forgotten. With the behavior she found herself faced with, Penny was sure it had conveniently slipped her mind. "In my first class." Yet even as she spoke, she was inching even closer to the already close Australian.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Despite how disinterested Lucy seemed in the expression of her love's proposed day away, she really was inclined to listen. She knew all these things already; an important test so early in the day that Penny was sure she couldn't miss. For the ink manipulator, however, she was well aware of how such things could be compensated for. After all, surely her counterpart had the record and the prior grades to cover such a loss.

Selfish? Entirely, but that kind of behaviour wasn't exactly one sided. There were certain things that could be missed, Lucy was sure.

With a leg expertly configured between hers, Lucy had the means to drag herself through that distance Penny was inching through. Dark locks spilled across from one pillow to another now shared, lips finding the curve of her neck with a sense of feigned innocence. She hadn't moved to apply pressure yet, but the contact was well and truly there.

"That sucks." She replied, cleverly enough on a short exhale before she pressed a small kiss against her skin.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

In the psychometrist's mind, there was no way she would have been forgiven for missing a test. Despite a perfect attendance and grade in all of her classes, it was against the rules. The law was put in place with a reason, and a precise mind couldn't comprehend the thought of abandoning class and getting away with it. She couldn't humor an outcome without consequence, but Lucy was making it significantly harder to keep a clear mind as it was.

She fell into the form that came closer, losing a short breath with the closing contact. Five minutes - less now, but how was she supposed manage to pull herself away now that she was tangled so perfectly with her counterpart? When lips found the curve of her neck, forcing her to swallow hard as her eyes squeezed shut tightly.

Parted lips went to comfort the Australian - or herself - and point out how she would be back here as quickly as possible. The moment her final class ended, she'd find her way back to Lucy. Words were useless to pass her lips, however, when familiar ones applied such intent pressure against her neck. A sharp breath bubbled in her chest as she squeezed her legs around the one that was between them. She had to leave, but the tilt of her neck to allow her more space spoke against the thought. "It does."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy closed her eyes, finding familiar comfort in remaining so wrapped in her counterpart's presence. Thoughts of Penny leaving in under five minutes were quick to dissipate from her mind now that she managed to catch and keep her. Smaller instances reminded her that Penny didn't want to leave; that she simply felt obligated to due to the usual fact of the importance of school work. Really, she should have known better by now. Or at the very least, she should have expected how little Lucy would care over a test in the morning.

Because she was getting every signal that she should remain attentive. Parted lips pressed themselves against her skin again now that she was tilting her head and granting excess space.

On the third point, she couldn't help but linger within her own proximity, even as she exhaled an amused breath to the very idea that Penny was agreeing with her. A hand worked slow to skim across her waist slowly, fingertips brushing her skin before curling around her hip, as if to further secure how close she had to stay.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Breathing became increasingly harder, shorter. A tell Penny had absolutely no control over, only growing worse with every passing second Lucy pressed her lips against her neck. The lingering presence of such intimacy pushed exactly the right buttons. It was infuriating as it was intoxicating to melt so easily under her touch. To move with the hands on her hips, pushing against the ink manipulator without any space left between them to compromise.

Her own nails found Lucy's skin with ease, dragging across it as she took another wavering breath. Encouragement in the purest of forms, contradicting the parting of her lips. "Lucy." The name that always seemed to pass her lips in the form of a warning. How she tried despite how little it seemed to work.

Because no matter what she said, there was no denying the rapid beat of her pulse, nor the way she kept her head back, allowing Lucy to stay put, and by proxy, herself too. "I can't."

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

The shift in her love's breathing was something Lucy couldn't help but pay attention to. It was the kind of detail that dragged her attention in completely, the very thing that could haul her tired mind further from its haze. She felt the way Penny breached that final strain of distance to leave nothing behind, and with a body pressed against her own she had to wonder just how the psychometrist planned to leave in nothing but a few minute's time.

And really, her own name sounded so perfect, stressed with a warning or not. She knew she made it difficult. That was the point.

In turn, Lucy was sure she could feel the newer rhythm of her counterpart's pulse through her lips against her neck. The obvious rush didn't fit with the statement Penny had offered to her. The ink manipulator hummed again, this time with a feigned sense of caring. Or perhaps, to pretend like she was genuinely taking the thought on. Her hand shifted along the length of her form slowly, across her shoulder and against her jaw. Reeling herself back a touch, she worked to turn her head; to press her lips against hers for a few lingering seconds.

"You can't what?" She finally asked, the tip of her nose brushing against hers.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Despite the innocent way Lucy hummed, Penny believed little of it was genuine thought for the situation at hand. Time was up by then, she was sure, but that did little to make the psychometrist move away. Rather, she felt familiar lips find her own and how her own mentality was slipping, if it was ever in a stable state in the first place. Much like the offbeat of her pulse, getting something so naturally exhilarating back to normal wasn't an option.

Which made the question posed to her all that more difficult to answer. She found Lucy's mouth again, finally making her own forward move to kiss the ink manipulator. From the turn of events, there was no doubt she was thrown off guard by Lucy's conscious presence, but she still placed precision behind the pressure of her lips, even if it only made matters that much worse.

"I can't miss this test." Penny tried again, reworking her original statement towards something that more appropriately passed her lips. At first, her mind had gone somewhere else entirely, but voicing that? Hardly an option for someone like Penelope Blaise, even if she was sure Lucy knew it.