Strawberries and Cream

When everything is going wrong

And you can't see the point of going on

Nothing in life is set in stone

There's nothing that can't be turned around

Nobody wants to be alone

Everybody wants to love someone

***

All the lights are out when she leaves her bedroom. No one sees her creep down the darkened hallway, and only one person hears her tap lightly on the door at the end of the hall. "Are you awake?"

There is a soft giggle before the door is pulled open. "What a silly question! Of course I am awake!" Her accent is slight but noticeable, the faintest spice in the unbearable sweetness of her voice. Before the other girl can reply, she is yanked into the room and kissed thoroughly. "I will forgive you, however," the accented voice purrs, "because you are so adorable in that nightgown."

"I think you would be even more adorable out of your nightgown," the first girl retorts, smiling and pressing a soft kiss to the second girl’s throat.

"So would you." The fingers that wind around her back to undo the buttons of her gown match the voice–oh-so-elegant, and oh-so-very-French. When the dress slips down to puddle at their feet, the French girl immediately buries her long, pale fingers in the other girl’s brilliantly red hair. "So beautiful," she murmurs, weaving her hands into the soft coppery strands.

"So are you," whispers the redhead, caught between amusement at her lover’s fascination with her hair and frustration at the obstinate ties of her nightgown. Eventually she gives up and backs away, moving behind the other girl to detangle the laces that bind her gown to her so stubbornly. "I hate this dress," she remarks in annoyance. "It’s conspiring to keep us apart."

The French girl laughs lazily. "All my other ones are being washed."

"Why wear one at all? You know I’m going to get it off you eventually."

"But then where is the challenge?"

The redhead makes no reply, instead pushing the girl’s heavy silver-blond hair out of the way and determinedly attacking the laces. Eventually the obdurate fastenings are forced to submit, and she kisses the nape of the blonde’s neck gently as a reward for her patience as she pushes the nightgown off her shoulders.

Her lips trail lightly down the swanlike neck and she traces a line between the shoulderblades with her tongue, leaving the creamy skin for the moment unmarked. "So gentle," remarks the blonde, turning. "I will not break, Ginny; you need not treat me as though I were fragile."

Ginny smiles slyly and pulls her lover into a kiss, her tongue lightly probing. The blonde opens her mouth without question, allowing Ginny access.

The kiss almost instants deepens, Ginny’s tongue relentlessly exploring every inch of the soft mouth so willingly surrendered to her. Their tongues meet and entangle, wrapping around each other briefly before Ginny moves on, touching the roof of the blonde’s mouth and enjoying the resulting moan. "So sweet, Gabby," Ginny purrs softly. "So easily seduced."

Gabrielle lifts a silver eyebrow in response, and runs her hands down the other girl’s sides, sighing in exasperation when Ginny squeals and shoves her hands away. "Stop it!"

"And how, exactly, am I to make love to you if I may not touch you?"

"It tickles!"

"You are so irritatingly sensitive," she mutters, but she obligingly places the offending appendages on her lover’s rear, avoiding the overly ticklish flesh of her sides and stomach. "Better?"

"Yes. Thank you." Ginny smiles and kisses her again, a more eloquent display of gratitude.

After the kiss is reluctantly broken, both girls step away from their abandoned nightgowns and relocate to Gabby’s bed, where they wrestle for position. Gabby wins, as she usually does, grinning down at her red-haired lover while she pins her to the bed by simple expedient of sitting on her thighs and holding her wrists above her head. "You look very cute," she informs Ginny, transferring both wrists into her left hand so that she can bury the other in Ginny’s mass of soft red hair. "All that pretty skin, and those adorable freckles." She bends to kiss her freckled nose, smiling. As she draws away, she traces a finger along the pale column of Ginny’s neck, over the collarbone to run along the edge of Ginny’s simple white lace bra.

"You look… beautiful," Ginny gasps as Gabby fastens her lips over the flickering pulse in her throat, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

"Thank you." She sits back to survey the damage and smirks. "I believe you will need a turtleneck tomorrow, Ginny love."

"If I have to suffer so do you," she growls in reply, and lunges forward, knocking Gabby on her back and biting her at the joining of neck to shoulder.

"I am already yours… there is no need to mark me, love."

Ginny grins. "But you taste so good."

"Oh?"

"Like that strawberry lotion you use."

"Strawberries, hmm?"

"Strawberries."

"Care for some cream?"

***

Behind closed doors and under stars

It doesn't matter where you are

Connect and choose to catch your eyes

Don't let a soulmate pass you by

Boys in the girl's room

Girls in the men's room

You free your mind in your androgyny