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It hurt too much.
Ever since Heidi had pointed out the article in the paper and asked do you think...? Percy has been avoiding the Blue Moon entirely. She knows it doesn't make any damn sense, because not going to the Saloon wasn't going to change what had happened out there, but... She just can't. She already keeps catching glimpses out of the corner of her eye and thinking she can see the blonde.
Knowing now that it was impossible... She can't do it.
But she's starving, and Owen is clearly cooking something new and interesting, and she's running dangerously low on pretty much everything food-wise at her workshop. She'll just have to suck it up.
... And she freezes as soon as she walks in, because for once, the blonde isn't a trick of the light.
Grace is standing next to one of the tables, taking an order like nothing at all has changed, laughing about sand in omelets. Grace, just as beautiful as the last time Percy had seen her, just as real and alive as ever. She can't breathe.
A moment later, Grace turns - and pauses as her eyes light on Persephone. "Hey Percy," she offers with a small smile. "Long time no see."
It takes her a moment to find her voice. "Grace...?"
"In the flesh." The smile widens a little. "Can I get you anything?" All Percy can do is dart forward and wrap her arms around Grace, hugging her as tightly and as close as she possibly can. She can hear the soft chuckle against her ear. "Good to see you too, beautiful. Let me put in this order and we can go talk somewhere, okay?"
It takes every ounce of willpower left in her for Percy to let go of Grace long enough for her to duck into the kitchen, tell Owen she's heading out for a bit, and then come back to Persephone, offering her a hand. "What-- where were-- how--"
"I'll explain, just not here. Come on." Percy takes Grace's hand and lets herself be led out of the Moon - but when Grace goes to walk toward the oasis, she shakes her head and tugs the opposite direction. "What?"
"I don't want to be out in public. We can talk at my place." It's like the fire is lit in her chest again. It had to be different now. If Grace was back, then... it had to mean something. Percy pulls Grace through the door and kicks it shut behind her. "They said you were dead." The words feel like acid on her tongue.
"I... am, in a way." Grace sits them both down on Persephone's couch and explains what had happened with the Duvos operation up north, and how she'd been given the opportunity to "retire" after the mission. Which meant she was free to come back to Sandrock... for good. "So you're stuck with me a little while longer now," Grace finishes with a smile.
Percy's mind is reeling. No more returned letters. No more excuses to not accept the damned heart knot. No more waiting, wishing, dreaming, begging. "I..." She swallows. "This is for real, right? You're back. Here, in Sandrock. No more ACI. No more secret identities."
Grace shakes her head. "All done with all of that. Just me and the Blue Moon now, babe. So, uh." Grace's smile turns a little sheepish. "If you still have that heart knot you've been trying to give me...?"
That's all Percy needs to hear. She grabs the collar of Grace's shirt and tugs her forward, meeting the blonde's lips with hers with a hunger she's been holding back for seasons now. She can hear Grace make a soft surprised sound into the kiss, but her lips tilt up in a smile and she returns it. Percy's fingers lace through Grace's hair, twisting and tangling, keeping the other woman as close to her as possible. She can feel Grace flick the tip of her tongue over Percy's lips, and Persephone takes the opening and runs with it, sliding her tongue along Grace's. None of it is enough; she needs to taste her more, feel her more, convince her mind once and for all that the woman in front of her is real.
Percy pulls back only to begin peppering Grace's neck and throat with kisses, and Grace laughs. "Someone's eager to see me."
"I want to do more than see you." The fire is coming back to her voice, the strong and forceful part of her personality that has been so dampened by the news of Grace's absence and "death" reawakening - and she can see that sentence hit Grace, sending a shiver across her skin. "I've waited all this time for you, Grace. I want you."
"I..." Her voice hitches as Percy nips at her shoulder, teeth pressing into her skin. "I noticed." Grace threads her fingers into Percy's hair, letting it loop around her fingers. "Peach, your hair is so long."
Persephone pushes the jacket off of Grace's shoulders, shifting to straddle her hips as she licks a line along Grace's collarbone. "You like it?" she murmurs against Grace's skin, Percy's hands sliding down Grace's arms until she can bring them back to her torso, pressed flat against the skin at her sides.
"You know I think you're gorgeous," Grace responds. "A little surprised at how much of a little firecracker you are, but still gorgeous."
"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet." Percy's eyes glint up at Grace, and she slides her fingers under the hem of Grace's top. Percy can hear Grace's breath catch in her throat as she lets her fingers curve over Grace's breasts, cool against Grace's rapidly warming skin. "I've wanted to do this for seasons now," she purrs into Grace's ear.
"I..." Grace can't find the rest of that sentence before Percy flicks her thumbs over Grace's nipples and wrenches a low moan from the blonde's throat. "Shit."
"I want to hear my name in your mouth," Percy continues, rolling Grace's nipples between her thumbs and index fingers, getting another groan from her. "I want to taste every inch of your body. I want you to come so hard for me you forget your name and lose your voice." Her teeth catch an earlobe and nip, lick, kiss. "I fucking want you."
Grace bites her lip, trying to catch her breath. "Persephone, I... fuck." Her fingers curl into Percy's hair, holding tight.
"With pleasure." Percy pulls both hands up, bringing Grace's top along with them and tosses it to the side, forcing Grace to let go of Percy's hair so she can get it off her arm. Before Grace can react any further, Percy slides down Grace's leg to kneel in front of her, leaning in to catch one rapidly stiffening nipple in her mouth as her hand finds the other. Her tongue laves over Grace's skin, circling the areola before spiraling back in to the nub at the center.
Grace's head tilts back, her fingers finding Percy's hair again. "Light, I don't know why I made you wait anymore."
With a soft pop, Percy pulls back just a breath from Grace's breast. "Anticipation is the best seasoning. And you had better believe I'm devouring you."
All Grace can manage is a whimper. "Percy..." Her back arches, pressing close to Percy as the redhead's teeth and tongue find her breast again. Percy said she wanted to taste every inch of Grace's body, and she's well on her way to achieving it. She pulls back just a little, pressing a line of kisses across Grace's chest until she can take the other nipple into her mouth, but now her free hand slides along Grace's torso and over to her knee, so Percy can slide her fingers up the inside of Grace's thigh. That gets another choked whine from Grace. "Shit, sugar..."
Percy just hums against Grace's skin, tracing along the other thigh for just a moment before pushing it to the side, spreading Grace's legs further apart. Her fingers trace up again, and this time don't stop as they brush up against Grace's mound, and the blonde groans. Percy leans back up to nip at Grace's ear again. "Already so wet for me?"
"You're not the only one who's wanted this," she responds, breathless. Her hips press against Percy's hand, but Percy just clicks her teeth.
"No. You're always the one in control. Always the one with one or two up on everyone. Now it's my turn." She drags a finger along the length of Grace's underwear, pulling a moan from her.
"S-... Starting to feel a little overdressed," Grace manages, her fingers plucking at the strap of Percy's top. "Don't I g-- get to see you too, beautiful?"
"Maybe. If you're good." Percy's hands slide up Grace's thighs again and up to her waist - and in one sharp tug, pulls off both skirt and panties, as Grace squeaks in surprise. Percy tosses them aside and settles between Grace's legs, looking up at her, jade green eyes dark with lust. "Just a little taste first..."
"Perc-- aaah..." The word dissolves into a throaty moan as Persephone drags her tongue up Grace's slit, pushing in just deep enough to brush against her clit before pulling back again. "Fuck, Percy, please..." Persephone leans back and hooks her fingers into her own top, pulling it up and over her head before letting the fabric fall to the side. Grace holds out a hand, beckoning Persephone closer, and the redhead obliges, leaning in so that she can press a kiss to Grace's lips as the blonde's hand finds Percy's chest. Persephone doesn't hold still long enough for Grace to get much of a hold on her though, as she stands up enough to shimmy out of her shorts, leaving both women just in their boots. "Light, you're beautiful," Grace says softly, pulling her fingers through a lock of fire red hair as Percy kneels back down again.
Percy just smiles. "Right back at ya, lovely." She traces her fingers along Grace's mound, watching the other woman's eyes flutter shut as she takes a shuddering breath in. Percy lets her hand rest for just a second, pulling her index and ring fingers apart to spread Grace's lips just enough to let the air get to her clit, then swipes her middle finger up the glistening slit, circling the nub at the top. The moan is strangled as it forces its way up Grace's throat. Percy doesn't give her a beat to recover; she strokes deeper this time, curling her finger as she goes.
"Per-cy-!" Grace's voice breaks on the name, her hands clenching into fists, tugging on Persephone's hair as she pulls the redhead closer to her.
Percy just lifts her hand to her own lips and slips that same middle finger into her mouth, giving Grace a moan of her own as she licks the slick off her finger. "Mmmm... Light, you taste good." Still damp, Percy slips her finger between Grace's folds and pushes, the other woman's body already hot and wet for her. "And you feel even better," she purrs, leaning in to press a kiss to the V of her hips.
Grace whines, rocking her hips into Percy's hand. "Please," she manages to whisper.
"Please what?" Percy tilts her head, tendrils of long red hair falling over her shoulder to rest on her breasts and Grace's thigh. "I want to hear you." She pulls the finger back most of the way out, and then pushes in again, deeper this time, curling against her walls.
"Fuck, Perce..." She struggles to pull in a full breath. "More - please, I want more."
"More... what." Percy leans in, flicking her tongue over Grace's breast.
Grace whines, her back arching again. "Fuck me; Light, fuck me harder. I need you inside me."
"Mmhmm." Persephone shifts, and when she pushes forward this time, she's added her ring finger - and Grace moans. Percy begins to find a rhythm, pulling back, pushing in, curling and twisting her fingers inside her lover. "You need me, hm?" She pulls her fingers back, prompting a keening whine from Grace, but then plunges the same two fingers into herself, wrenching her own moan from her throat.
"Please... please." Grace is all but panting, trying to catch her breath.
Percy doesn't give her a chance. Thrusting her fingers into her own pussy, she leans in and presses her tongue into Grace, still letting the groans fall from her lips as she laps at anything and everything her tongue can reach, pushing in and out, teasing and sucking at her clit, tracing circles as she goes. As Persephone hears Grace's breathing begin to hitch, she pulls back just enough so that she can focus her tongue's efforts on the blonde's clit - and plunge the three fingers of her free hand deep into Grace.
Grace all but shrieks. "Persephone!" She can't help but buck back against Percy's hand, and the redhead just lets Grace push her fingers further in, setting the pace faster and faster.
Percy's gasping for air herself, the hand between her own legs not moving any slower. "That's it," she gasps. "Just like that, gorgeous. Beg me."
"Fuck - Percy, Persephone, please please..." Her voice fades into whines.
"You want to come for me, don't you?"
"Yes, fuck yes please."
"You want to hear me come for you?"
"Fuck Percy, yes."
"Say my name again."
"P- ... Pers..."
"All of it." Her fingers curl on each thrust, and Grace whimpers.
"Fuck... I'm... I'm..." Persephone can feel Grace's thighs tensing, the edge of the orgasm inching closer.
"Say. My. Name." She takes Grace's clit in her mouth again and sucks, moving both of her hands now as fast and as hard as she can, though between all the sensations she can feel her rhythm getting erratic. Luckily, she doesn't need to keep it up for long.
"Persephone!" Grace's voice cracks on her name as the orgasm crashes into her, her body tightening on Percy's hand deep inside her, thighs tight against her. A twist of her hand, a curl of her fingers--and Percy falls right after her, feeling the cum warm on her hand. Both her hands, for that matter. She carefully eases her fingers out of Grace, gentle licks catching whatever her hand didn't, and reveling in the shivers she can feel run through Grace as the aftershocks spark up.
Percy's careful to lick her hand clean, but as she eases her other hand out of herself with a whimper of her own, she can see one of Grace's hands enter her peripheral vision, motioning her up. Percy looks at Grace, who just flicks her tongue at the redhead. Percy smiles softly and brings her hand up to Grace's lips, trying to bite back the moan as she feels Grace take her fingers in her mouth.
Once they're both about as cleaned up as they can be, and have caught their breath, Percy leans in again to press a soft kiss to Grace's neck. "I love you. You know that, right?"
"Peach, I hope so." Grace manages a small laugh, but the smile she gets after is genuine. "I know. I love you too. Next time? You're the one getting eaten alive."
"We'll see about that." Percy winks, and as Grace leans in to kiss her, that final puzzle piece that's been missing from her heart neatly slots into place.