Agnes had spent the rest of her day in wonderment. Returning to her modest apartment (though she certainly deserved more), the former violinist found herself lying in bed, staring up at her ceiling, quietly toying with gold dragonfly necklace around her neck. With a small outtake of breath, several wasps flew out from the woman’s lips and hovered curiously around her. As a few set down, landing upon her nose, Agnes crinkled it with a grin, closing her eyes as the sensation of the six-legged beasts that the explores the contours of her face.

Looking into the blackness behind her eyes, Agnes sighed and just let her mind wander. She slipped back through the thick membranes, pulling out those little stitched together facts and thoughts of her life with Becca. There was so much that they had planned to do, wasn’t there? A home. Marriage. There was even talk of adopting as Agnes was uncertain if kids were even possible for her given her mutation. Honestly these were thoughts that kept her up late with worry, wondering if they would every find their happiness together. It seemed that she had every right to question Becca’s commitment to their future.

B**ch… she thought.

Then again, maybe she should commend the redheaded whore for her transgressions. After all, if it weren’t for her immoral nature and need to destroy every heart in her path, Agnes would have never been freed. She would have probably been married, shackled down in submission, as the Scottish trollop traipsed about, finding herself. Snort. More like finding herself in as many people’s beds as possible. That was not a future Agnes wanted, she knew that now. But she would make sure that Becca knew exactly what she did to those people she fooled.

For them, Agnes would toss the witch onto the pyre.

---

The Cherry on Top Dessert Bar had been a recent favorite of the two girls when they started to reconnect. Agnes had always had a sweet tooth and Becca loved to drink (go figure) so when they had discovered someplace that catered to both of their obsessions, it was a match made in heaven. The bar itself was rarely super packed, but there was enough foot traffic that made it a go-to destination for enough people to keep it afloat. Really, they had suspected that any day it would become way too hip for either of them to be able to enter, but Agnes was glad it was still somewhat secluded.

Agnes had arrived at the bar early, finding a nice, dark little corner for her to observe the goings on of the interior. Her eyes drifted over the scene, watching couples in booths, lone wolves out on the hunt, and cougars trying desperately to catch a young man (or woman’s) eye. Agnes herself had been approached a pair of times, but kindly she waved them off, stating that she was waiting for someone. Most seemed understanding, and those that didn’t immediately had to excuse themselves thanks to a suddenly stinging sensation in the crotch.

Her army ants were here most loyal protectors.

Feeling them creep back up her leg, crawling in through the seam in her calf, Agnes sighed as she took a sip from her Caramel Apple martini. The sweet sensation immediately coursed through her veins, making her smile in appreciation. The only other time she felt that sensation was when her eyes drifted up to notice that familiar stock of redhead creating a rather comfortable and revealing ensemble. It seemed that Becca decided to deck out for the evening. Oh, what were those nasty little plans in her head telling her? Naughty.

Agnes waited a few moments, enjoying the view from her hiding place. Only a few minutes passed before the insect queen removed herself from the booth and stood. She was dressed a bit more simply than she would have liked. The dress she wore was basic, really, a deep navy blue with a floral pattern of whites, reds, and oranges dotted throughout. She would have rathered something more revealing, but there were certain aspects of her old personality that she needed to fake, lest she cause suspicion in the woman. This dress would do nicely, though, especially since it had a rather deep neckline. Becca seemed to appreciate the clothed view before, why not something with a bit more...substance?

Her clutch in one hand and her drink in another, she sighed as she set her sapphire eyes directly on the redhead. She walked with intent until, as she drew closer, her steps became more soft and gentle. When she was next to the woman, she pretended to look elsewhere, as if seeking out her friend. When she turned, bumping into the Scot with her hip, she hopped and whipped around. Her smile was pure and innocent as she caught Becca’s mismatched eyes.

”Oh! There you are!” she grinned, covering her mouth in amusement. ”I thought I saw you.” She took a step back, pausing as she looked the woman up and down appreciatively. Her eyes looked somewhat embarrassed, almost as if she caught herself staring at Becca for far too long. Rude. A sheepish smile followed as she nodded. ”You look...you know...really good. Did you...get all dressed up just for me?”

A light (hope or amusement) shined in her eyes as she looked over the redhead. As she did so, she lifted her martini for a sip, some of the caramel that was drizzled around the ring, smearing her lips. Nonchalantly, her soft, pink tongue pushed out from between her lips and licked the dollop of caramel that was there. Agnes seemed to think nothing of the action, but hoped that Becca was overanalyzing it.

”Sorry,” she chuckled. ”I’m just making a mess of myself with this drink. Caramel gets absolutely everywhere.”

Rebecca spent some of her day reflecting on the days before her and Agnes were together. As distant a memory as it was, there was a time when they were just friends. The timid girl from the greenhouse was Rebecca’s best friend before they became something more and, even if Rebecca had the inklings of a crush growing early on, they were still everything friends should be to one another.

With all the history and baggage the two women had under their belts, Rebecca worried they would never be able to find that comfortable footing on the friendship level. They made an effort to be friends when Agnes and River were together, and it could not withstand the heat and emotion that pervaded their interactions.

Now that they were both back in New York and committed to seeing what life was like without the other, Rebecca was grasping for ways to make that happen. History and habits were not on their side, and their raw sexual chemistry would only be exacerbated by Agnes’s new body, dripping with sex appeal. It was important for Rebecca to be on her best behavior because she did not want to push Agnes into a situation she did not want to be in, like she unfortunately did in the past.

A gentle bump of Rebecca’s hip stole her attention from her thoughts and her martini. Much to her delight, the offending hip belonged to none other than Agnes. She was looking great, but did Rebecca expect anything else? The style of the dress she wore was something she could see Agnes wearing back in the day, but the cut of the neckline provided a different view these days. Rebecca took her instinctual glance down as quickly as she could because, well, it was unavoidable. She just had to accept she was going to look down, confirm that yes, Agnes’s boobs were there, and move forward.

It was a good thing Agnes’s eyes were so captivating. Not that thoughts like that helped Rebecca’s case.

Agnes was quick with a kind compliment of her own that Rebecca was equally quick to dismiss. ”Hi Aggie! And nae, it’s jist a dress,” she downplayed. Rebecca was aware that the dress worked for her figure, particularly her hips, but it was not a crime to buy flattering clothing. ”Yer th’ ain lookin’ great tonight. Ah’m sure ye’ll be turnin’ heads aw night,” she replied with a smile. It was true; maybe it was a shallow assumption of the world, but Rebecca would be shocked if Agnes’s new look did not garner her male and female admirers wherever she went.

Taking a moment to sip her drink, Agnes ended up with a small blot of caramel on her lips, which was inevitable with a drink like the one she had. What was unexpected was the almost sensual way Agnes’s tongue carefully licked away the spot. It was unexpected and Rebecca found a small hitch in her breath that she chose to deal with by hastily taking a drink of her own cocktail.

It was hard to tell if Agnes knew what she was doing and, specifically, what she was doing to Rebecca. The things Agnes did seemed to perfect to attribute to happenstance, but it was Agnes. The woman was sexy and sweet and knew what Rebecca liked, but she was never the type to intentionally play the seductress. When they were together, Rebecca was probably the closer of the two to filling that role. Rebecca had to give her the benefit of the doubt. ”Caramel has 'at habit. Jist looves tae gie aw a' place,” she answered, her voice trailing off as another memory invaded her head. It never had the prominence of honey or chocolate, but caramel played a part in a few memories of its own.

”Maybe we should get a table?” she quickly asked, hoping to keep her mind in a pure, honorable place.

>>”Hi Aggie! And nae, it’s jist a dress...Yer th’ ain lookin’ great tonight. Ah’m sure ye’ll be turnin’ heads aw night,”

Agnes grinned from ear-to-ear as she tried to keep her shy demeanor. She shook her head, as if to dissuade the redhead from such impossible thoughts, but deep down she knew exactly how true it was. She had already received several longing looks since she had been in the bar, from men and women, both hoping to share a bed with her for the night. While Agnes had indeed been intrigued by several lovely ladies (the men could all collectively jump off a bridge), she had to keep her mind on the big prize -- Becca. There was no sense in spoiling that fun already, especially when she had the redhead on the hook already. She was just waiting for the right moment to reel her in.

With a humble smile, she just shook her head, making an awkward gesture towards herself. ”Oh please. People will just be turning their heads passed me to look at you.” She gave the other a teasing, warm smile as she closed the gap, making way for someone who was passing by. In doing so, she drew dangerously close to the other, but masked it under the guise of just being polite.

Using this opportunity, she grumbled about wayward caramel and subtly licked a splotch of it off of her lips. She saw the look that immediately overtook her ex-girlfriend’s eyes. The Scot quickly turned back to her own drink, seemingly wanting to distract herself from what she had just witnessed. It was cute but, ultimately, Agnes knew that the other couldn’t resist the momentary arousal she probably felt surge through her. Rebecca was as easy to read as a book with really large print.

The redhead tried to regain her composure and pass off the caramel incident as being as innocent as the old Agnes would have made it out to be...

>>”Caramel has 'at habit. Jist looves tae gie aw a' place,”

Whether Rebecca knew it or not, she did happen to tap into some powerful memories. While they made the insect queen retch a little, she remembered all the times that the pair of them had experimented with various kinds of sweet concoctions to add to their romantic interludes. Honey had been the go to, but in its absence, and out of curiosity, other ingredients, such as caramel, had been utilized. Needless to say, the both of them certainly had a sweet tooth and plenty of good times with the variety of forms it came in.

Almost as if trying to distract herself, Rebecca collected her drink and turned to face the interior of the bar. Agnes followed her gaze, and idea of what was going to be suggested already forming in her head. This wasn’t just a birthday get together, they had a lot of catching up to do and they needed at least some small amount of privacy so they could talk freely.

>>”Maybe we should get a table?”

With a nod of her head, Agnes took the lead, her fingers grazing across Rebecca’s wrist (just an old habit from when they would always hold hands, right?) as she moved passed her. An extra little sway of her now full hips, the brunette knew that Rebecca would follow her without needing to look back over her shoulder. When she arrived at the booth that she had already claimed earlier, Agnes slid into it without pause, crossing her legs under the desk, and eyeing the redhead. With another sweet smile, she gestured to the spot across from.

”Please. Sit.” She said, her voice so sweet that command utter could easily be missed. ”We have so much to catch up on.”

It was nice to see Agnes keeping a sense of modesty despite her transformation, even if she was completely off the mark underestimating herself. Rebecca was a looker, but she and Agnes always demanded comparable attention from the onlookers they passed. It was superficial, but there was something fun about being in a relationship where people envied her, envied her girlfriend, and envied their relationship.

Walking with the “new” Agnes, Rebecca was comfortable enough with herself to know the woman was a show-stealer, which made it all the sweeter when Agnes implied people would still look at the Scot first and foremost. Rebecca giggled at the thought. ”Maybe if they hae a thing fur freckles. Ur they hae a fear ay perfect hoorglass figures” Okay, that was toeing the line of flirting. Rebecca had to keep herself in check.

While Rebecca initially assumed she was the first to arrive to the bar, Agnes already had a table claimed for them and led the way. Passing across Becca’s body with plenty of familiarity, a delicate hand graced Becca’s freckled wrist and her heart skipped. She almost expected Agnes’s hand to find hers and she was prepared to be dragged along before she remembered that was something from their past. Incidental contact. That was all it was. Rebecca was making a concerted effort not to read into the little things Agnes did, but the brunette was starting to make that impossible.

Agnes took her seat first and encouraged Rebecca to follow suit. It did not feel like a command, even though, from a grammatical standpoint, it clearly was. Smiling in compliance, she Slid into her seat at the booth. Becca placed one hand on top of the other on the table and looked at her ex-girlfriend. Her friend. Once upon a time, her Agnes.

They definitely had plenty to catch up on. ”Nae kidding. Ye’ve left me waitin’ aw day! Ah’ve been dyin’ tae know whaur ye ended up settlin’ in fur yer New York hiatus. If ye say ye waur in Queens th’ whole time, Ah micht lose it.” Rebecca never tried to go against Agnes’s wishes and follow her, but she would have kicked herself for missing the girl if she was still in the same city for three months.

>>”Maybe if they hae a thing fur freckles. Ur they hae a fear ay perfect hoorglass figures”

That earned the Scot a smile. Not just the run-of-the-mill smile of thanks, but one that was mixed with a smoldering look, the flirtatious upturn of her lips, and just enough of a reveal of her perfect white teeth. It was the kind of look that made interested parties melt and, for everyone else, was akin to a predator sizing up its prey; it was a hunter’s smile. It was in that moment that a flash of the new and improved Agnes Nicholas came through, because it was a look that she wasn’t known for giving. However, given the evening and the fact that time had passed, it stood to reason that the smile could be easily looked over. Besides, there were far more enticing things to behold.

Returning to the table that she had claimed earlier in the evening, Agnes slid into the booth and ushered a command to her ex-lover, which she easily complied with.. Again, it would have been something completely out of character for her, but Rebecca seemed too distracted to really notice it. That was good, it just meant that Agnes could get in close enough to slip that knife between her ribs.

>>”Nae kidding. Ye’ve left me waitin’ aw day! Ah’ve been dyin’ tae know whaur ye ended up settlin’ in fur yer New York hiatus. If ye say ye waur in Queens th’ whole time, Ah micht lose it.”

She smiled sweetly. It seemed that Becca had been thinking about this meeting for the rest of the day after she had left. There was a sense of power in that, of knowing that she was nestled deeply within the redhead’s mind, and there was satisfaction in the knowledge that she made the other wait. At the revelation of that, Agnes couldn’t help the sultry yet innocent grin that she offered her. No comment was made, however, she wanted the Scot to dig herself deeper and deeper.

With an innocent shrug, Agnes took another sip of her martini as she started to recount her journey. ”I traveled around for a bit. Down the east coast.” She sighed. ”Then my car broke down in this little town in South Carolina. I was there for the last several months. Just...kind of fell in love with it.” She didn’t bring up working two jobs, the shitty apartment, or the fact that the Church had found her and made her a living sacrifice -- there was time enough for details later. ”It was a good break…” she continued. ”...but what about you?” she gave a playful pout as she started to run her index finger along the rim of her martini glass before lifting it up and sucking the caramel off. ”I admit, I was a little...surprised...I never heard from you.”

Agnes always had a beautiful smile. It was the kind of thing that lit up Rebecca’s days, once upon a time. There were different smiles, but they were all contagious and they all got to Rebecca in their own special way. The smile her hourglass comment earned was not something the redhead was counting on dealing with. It was a playful smile, but there was something hungry about it. What were Agnes’s intentions? Because she was shooting a tingling feeling through Rebecca’s lower body, all with a look. That was a dangerous degree of power and Agnes was always one of Rebecca’s only weaknesses.

They made it to a booth, suddenly shrinking down their space from a popular bar to a small microcosm between two people. Rebecca settled in, ready to know what Agnes was up to in her absence. It was not a very long story, but she could picture Agnes driving down the coast, stopping in little towns and quaint inns along the way overlooking the beaches. She ended up in South Carolina and fell in love with it, but it clearly did not stick. That part was curious.

The conversation was turned to Rebecca with a question she knew might be asked, but she somehow doubted it would be. She started piecing together her answer when Agnes slowly and deliberately sucked the caramel from her index finger. It was a momentary setback that made her focus wobble. ”Huh? Oh, aye. Well, Ah guess Ah wanted tae give ye yer space,” she admitted, still unsure if she made the right choice. ”Ah thooght ye wanted time tae rediscowre yerself an' Ah did nae think havin' me aroond woods help ye dae 'at.”

Rebecca took a deep breath, because giving Agnes her time and space was not easy. She thought back to the conversations they had about how one of them should have stopped the other when Rebecca went to London, but the reasons felt different. Rebecca left because they had opportunities to pursue, but Agnes left because they were becoming a problem for one another. With that kind of motivation, it felt wrong to get in the way. ”Ye still huvnae said wa ye decided tae lae yer ain wee slice ay Carolina. Ah wisnae expectin...”

She thought about exactly what she wanted to say and how to say it before proceeding, because she was glad to see Agnes, but she was also confused. ”As happy as Ah am tae see ye, Ah didne know Ah woods be gettin' tae see ye again sae soon. Is everything alrecht?”

Agnes was toying with the redhead. When they first met earlier in the day, she made sure to act as innocently as possible, a means to getting herself within the redhead’s familiar graces. Now she was acting a bit more bold, not a lot, but teasing smiles and smacking caramel off her lips, all were just ploys, hints, at the woman that was bubbling under the surface. Was it just Becca’s imagination? Was she just seeing things that weren’t there because they had been separated for months? Agnes wanted to keep Becca off kilter and this was the best way to do it.

To further the uncertainty, Agnes brought up the question that would have been on the forefront of both their minds. The both of them had danced this dance before, dodging around issues and trying to not bring up difficult subjects for fear of ruining their night. But why beat around the bust when it was better to just grab it with both hands and get it out of the way. Besides, the sooner the heavier stuff was banished, the easier that Agnes could get on with the rest of her plans for the delectable redhead.

>>”Huh? Oh, aye. Well, Ah guess Ah wanted tae give ye yer space...Ah thooght ye wanted time tae rediscowre yerself an' Ah did nae think havin' me aroond woods help ye dae 'at.”

Becca was already unprepared, and the lick of the caramel had been just enough to toss her further off balance. Agnes enjoyed the fact that she had so much of her ex-lover’s attention (a first) but she actually was mildly curious what excuse the Scot would give her for not following. Again, she firmly believed that if Becca had loved her like she said, she would have followed. That was a mistake that they had made in the past and it seemed that there simply was not getting around it.

But, not wanting to appear like it still bothered her, Agnes offered a gentle sigh and a glimpse of the old Agnes rang through again as she tilted her head, offering Becca a very gentle smile and nodded her head. Softly she replied, ”Yeah. May...Maybe that was for the best.”

>>”Ye still huvnae said wa ye decided tae lae yer ain wee slice ay Carolina. Ah wisnae expectin...As happy as Ah am tae see ye, Ah didne know Ah woods be gettin' tae see ye again sae soon. Is everything alrecht?”

Agnes looked over Becca curiously. As much as she wanted to make it sound not insulting, it was actually pretty insulting. At least that was how the old Agnes would have felt. Becca masked the surprise of Agnes’ return by pretending to be worried for the young woman but the reality was that she didn’t care, did she? She was just hoping to get more playtime around the city before she had to contend with Agnes trying to win her back. Of course that really wasn’t Agnes full intention. While, yes, there were glimpses of a hungry look in her eyes, it was all a means to an end, nothing more.

Considering the question carefully, Agnes bit her lip softly in thought. Her sapphire eyes slowly lifted, catching the redhead’s mismatched. She took a careful breath before speaking. ”Becca…” she started. ”...I...I came back...because this is my home too.” Now she had to make sure she acted this as perfectly as possible. ”When you left the last time...I...I...could barely function. I left New York, pursued a new life, but deep down I knew this was my home but I was scared to be here because of you. But...now...this time...I don’t want to do that.” She took a calming breath. ”I. know that I screwed up. I got...too paranoid...I pushed you away...I...didn’t wait for you.” Her gaze locked onto Becca’s. ”But...for all my mistakes...I would really like for us to be able to live in the city we both love again. And after tonight…if you don’t want to see me again...I get it. I deserve that. I just...hope that you’ll be okay with me staying this time.”

It was hard to know what to expect with Agnes because their dynamic, while familiar, was not the same. Change was scary, but it was not always bad. Once upon a time, Agnes would not have addressed the elephant in the room and they would have acted like the question was not weighing down on both of them. It was an uncomfortable thing to talk about, but talking meant they could be more honest with one another and restart their friendship on the right foot.

The truth was Rebecca wanted to respect Agnes’s wishes because Agnes was right. They treated themselves like a destined couple, but they were ignoring how that mentality was hurting them. It hurt to say, but learning to be happy apart might have been the best choice for them.

As much as Rebecca’s decision not to follow Agnes was debatably the right choice, questioning Agnes’s decision to return was the wrong one. Agnes looked offended at the implication and challenged her, reminding her that New York was her home. It was not Rebecca’s intent to imply Agnes did not belong in New York, but that was how the message was received. Agnes had fled the city after Rebecca went to London, but that was the past. They were older, smarter, and hopefully more mature. Agnes wanted to stay in her city and she wanted to coexist with Rebecca. When she suggested Rebecca would not want to see her again, it nearly broke her heart.

”Aggie…” she began, genuinely trying to pick the most honest words to answer such an emotional offering. ”Ah’d ne'er teel ye tae lae th' city. Thes place is yoors as much as it's mine; e'en mair.” Agnes was the one who grew up on the streets of New York, while Rebecca was still playing football on the fields of Paisley. She would never claim that Agnes belonged anywhere else. ”It soonded loch ye waur happy in Sooth Carolina, but yoo're reit. Ye shoods be happy haur. Ah want ye tae be haur, an' ay coorse Ah want tae see ye again efter tonecht.”

It could be complicated, but Rebecca wanted Agnes in her life. It was the scope of how they would be in each other’s lives that mattered. ”Ah jist…”

“Good evening, ladies,” interrupted the enthusiastic young man who would be their server for the night. The service was quick for the night and Rebecca was willing to chalk that up to two attractive women sharing one table. Rebecca wanted to dismiss the man quickly, but she had not looked over the menu when more important things were metaphorically on the table. She surveyed the offerings and went with the first thing that sounded unique and tasty: The Caramel Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sorbet. If Cherry on Top wanted to sell a varied, unique selection of desserts, Rebecca was going to indulge in something new every visit.

The man took both their orders and left, returning Rebecca to the matter at hand, which was… okay, it’d come back to her in a second. ’Ah’m sorry, between him an’ ‘at dress oan ye, Ah guess Ah’m a wee bit distracted taenicht. Whaur waur we?”

Agnes wasn’t going to beat around the bush all night. She needed to keep Becca off kilter and the best way to do that was to be direct about certain things. In the past, it was common for them to not bring up the elephants in the room because, doing so, would always lead to some kind of misery. Both girls were so ridiculously happy, or tried to be, that they didn’t want to taint their time together by speaking of things that would ruin the moment. Of course, the downside of that was that nothing was ever resolved. Now Agnes wanted to tackle the question upfront.

The answer she received was...adequate, she guessed, but Beeca seemed quick to steer the conversation back towards her, inquiring as to why she was even back in New York. Anyone would have been insulted by that but rather than reach across the table and slap the redhead, Agnes took a decidedly different approach. Biting her lip, she frowned as she looked down at the table top, as if collecting her thoughts, then proceeded inform the woman of whatever B.S. story she could come up with.

This was her home. They had already ran away from one another once before, so why repeat that? They could both be mature adults and occupy the same place, or at least that was what she feigned wanting. Of course Agnes couldn’t help but play the victim here, offering a little jab towards the redhead about insinuating that she was not wanted in the city. It wasn’t true, of course, Becca never made her feel like that, but guilt was something that the Scot looked to drape herself in -- so why not take advantage of it?
>>”Ah’d ne'er teel ye tae lae th' city. Thes place is yoors as much as it's mine; e'en mair...It soonded loch ye waur happy in Sooth Carolina, but yoo're reit. Ye shoods be happy haur. Ah want ye tae be haur, an' ay coorse Ah want tae see ye again efter tonecht.”

She smiled a sweet smile. Becca was quickly trying to make amends for whatever perceived insult she had inflicted upon the brunette. She wanted her to be in the city, she wanted her to be happy. Of course the only happiness that Agnes sought was making the Scot’s world crumble around her, but one step at a time. Even at the notion of continuing to see one another after tonight, Agnes offered a small bite of her lower lip and looked down at the table. If she could blush on cue, she would have, but instead she had to make do with looking somewhat embarrassed at the request.

>> ”Ah jist…”

>>“Good evening, ladies,”

Curse the interruption. Agnes looked up at the gentleman who had intervened. He was just the waiter but still, behind her smile was the most scathing look in her eyes, not enough for Becca to see, but just enough to make the waiter feel somewhat uncomfortable. Becca quickly looked at the menu, picking something that sounded extravagant and sweet, and then turned the question to her. A glance at the menu and Agnes decided upon the apple pie tacos, for more reason than them just being tasty sounding. With orders collected, the waiter slipped away, leaving Agnes to turn back to the redhead.

>> ’Ah’m sorry, between him an’ ‘at dress oan ye, Ah guess Ah’m a wee bit distracted taenicht. Whaur waur we?”

The dress really did look amazing on her, Agnes had to agree, but it was even sweeter that Becca seemed so distracted by it. With a sip of her drink she crossed her arms under her chest, making them just a little more pronounced as she tilted her head in thought. Her tongue licking across the corner of her lips, Agnes looked away before she snapped her fingers and turned back to Becca, smiling.

”Oh, we were just discussing…” a slight smile. ”...you wanting to see more of me?” So much “accidental” innuendo, so little time...

Seeing Agnes again was something wonderful that Rebecca did not expect, but she could not shake the feeling that things were different. There was the obvious; Agnes had transformed into a pin-up model seemingly overnight. It was not just the shallow, though; something about interacting with her ex-girlfriend felt different to Rebecca. Things used to be so easy, but talking to Agnes carried a new tension. The tension of saying the right thing, the tension of a new dynamic they still had to feel out, and looming sexual tension. The latter was not new, as they always had unquestionable sexual chemistry, but the way it was hitting Rebecca felt different.

The interruption from their waiter was inconvenient, but Rebecca wondered if she could use it to reset things. The way she asked Agnes about her return did not go over well and Rebecca did not want to let defensiveness and conflict into their conversation. The last time she did that, Agnes left her a goodbye letter.

Agnes took Rebecca’s attempt to regather herself and quell their tension by reminding Rebecca exactly where they had been in their conversation. The way Agnes chose her words sent a pulse through parts of Rebecca’s body. The more it happened, the harder it was to think all the sweet verbal torment was unintentional.

As tempting as it was to sink into Agnes’s words and honeysuckle scent, Rebecca had to stick to her guns. ”Reit. Ah dae. Want tae keep seein' ye. It's jist... as great as thes has aw bin, Ah still think ye waur reit. Ah need tae figure mahself it withit slidin’ back intae a relationship.”

Rebecca reviewed the sentence before realizing how much she was jumping the gun in the name of caution. ”Ah’m nae tryin' tae be presumptuoos. We jist hae... habits. Ah wanted tae be clear an’ honest up front.” If they let all the rules go unspoken, who was to say they did not end up back together in a week?

The flirtation was fun but she knew that she had to draw back some of it. As much as she wanted to start taking apart the adulterous redhead, she needed to bide her time. Like a spider, she had to keep spinning her web with more and more intricacy until the plump little red fly couldn’t fly between the strands anymore. This was a long game that she was playing at and she needed to make sure that Becca suffered. The only way that she was going to do that was with one tiny step at a time.

Her words, the double meaning they could have possibly held, knocked the redhead off balance. She seemed to struggle to find her place in their conversation again. The interruption by the waiter was in no way the respite that Rebecca was seemingly hoping that it was as Agnes was quick to pick up where she left off. Now she was smiling innocently, taking another sip of her drink, watching as the redhead composed herself.

>> ”Reit. Ah dae. Want tae keep seein' ye. It's jist... as great as thes has aw bin, Ah still think ye waur reit. Ah need tae figure mahself it withit slidin’ back intae a relationship.”

Agnes’ face was expressionless except for a small, simple smile as she watched the young Scot trying to regain her composure after their conversation. As much as she wanted to keeps things on a friendly basis, Agnes knew she had her interested. The comments in the yoga studio, the facts that she couldn’t keep her eyes off of her in this dress, all of it just showed the insect queen was still deeply rooted in the redhead’s psyche. That was all she needed -- for now.

>>”Ah’m nae tryin' tae be presumptuoos. We jist hae... habits. Ah wanted tae be clear an’ honest up front.”

”Duly noted,” Agnes said with a small breath. She then sat back in her seat, one leg crossing over the other as she continued to look over the redhead with that small, sad, almost pitying (in the right light and this wasn’t the right light) smile. ”Honey, I...didn’t come back for you.” She said as gently as she could. She waited for a second before continuing. ”This isn’t my first day back. Hell, it isn’t my first few weeks back,” she said soothingly, almost as if she were letting Scot down gently. ”I came back to my city and...like I told you...I’ve been trying to discover a bit more about myself. The fact that we ran into one another…” she took a breath and offered the smallest of shrugs. ”That...was really by chance.”

She tilted her head, sapphire eyes watching the other, delving deeping into her expression, reading everything from her posture, to her facial ticks, to trying to imagine what she could possibly say next. This was really just far too much fun but she knew she had to rein herself in or she was going to lose the other to embarrassment rather than an over abundance of sexual chemistry. So, after a pause, she breathed a steadying sigh and sat up a bit straight. And if it happened to make her chest protrude a tiny bit...so be it.

”Listen, Becca,” she started gently. She reached out, her hand resting upon the other’s. ”I know we have a history. And we both still have a lot to figure out. And what we had was…amazing, but...I didn’t come out to tonight to try and win back a girlfriend. I came out to regain a friend.” she offered her a soft smile. ”I think we owe each other a chance at that.”

As Rebecca laid out what she was hoping to have with Agnes now that she was back, she focused on Agnes’s eyes. She was looking for some reaction or sign that Agnes was on the same page, but the face was unreadable. It was still a new face, so the little things Rebecca always recognized were no longer there. All she could do was make her case and hope for the best.

Taking a relaxed position, Agnes acknowledged Rebecca before quickly reminding the redhead that she was not back in New York looking to run back into each other’s arms. The comment left Rebecca feeling embarrassed for coming across so arrogant. ”Ah know…” she mumbled before Agnes continued.

Not only was Agnes not back in New York for her, she had been back in New York. Maybe it was Agnes’s choice to go to a yoga class they once both took together, but in the back of her mind, Rebecca could not shake the preposterous idea that the choice was intentional. It made Rebecca feel silly for jumping to conclusions, but it was nice to know they were at least on the same page. Her cheeks were still pink, but she smiled, reassured enough to lay down her concerns about their dessert rendezvous.

When Agnes straightened up, Rebecca felt the need to follow suit. Her eyes drifted south for a moment at Agnes’s shift, but they quickly returned to the gorgeous blue eyes she still recognized. They were going to be friends, which was everything Rebecca was hoping for. Her smile brightened, and things finally felt less complicated. ”You’re reit. Ah’m sorry fur putting words in yer mooth, thaur.” It was such a pretty mouth.

Focus, girl.

”Ah’m excited tae have ye back in New York and Ah think maybe friends is the reit step fur us here. Ah think we can handle that this time,” she joked lightly, remembering how their last attempt at friendship went. They were so friendly, they ended up tearing clothes from each other’s bodies and falling into bed for…

Okay, seriously, Rebecca could do this. Agnes was hot, but she was always hot. Ignoring the fact that she had not once in her life resisted Agnes, she felt confident it was in her power. She and Agnes shared the same intentions, so there was no reason for anything to get complicated. ”Sae ye’ve been back.” It was crazy to think Agnes was in the city for weeks without Rebecca noticing her. It was a big city, but for some reason, Rebecca thought she would sense her presence or something. It was dumb, but after so many years, it felt like there should have been some sixth sense.

”Ur ye gang back tae th’ Philharmonic? And… er, this is weird tae ask, bit… whaur did things end up wi’ River? We ne’er talked abit it.” Agnes vanished with her last message, so Rebecca always assumed she came clean to River before her departure, but she was never sure. River never sought her out to smack her across the face, so there was still some room for doubt.

There was some sense of satisfaction in the squashing of whatever fantasy was playing in Rebecca’s head. Of course she would be arrogant enough to think that the sole reason for Agnes’ return had been to win the redhead back. Her entire world had always been so self-centered that it didn’t surprise the the insect queen in the slightest. While, yes, Agnes would seduce and rip the Scot’s heart from her chest, the fact of the matter was that she would pierce and jab at the woman’s self-assurances every chance she got, however subtle. After all, the deadliest knife is the one you don’t see coming.

Becca seemed to deflate a little at the knowledge that Agnes had been here longer than she thought. She may have thought that it was just that day or that she had gone specifically to “run into” Becca. While some of that was true, the intent behind her actions was all wrong. That was a lesson the redhead would learn soon enough.

>>”Ah know…You’re reit. Ah’m sorry fur putting words in yer mooth, thaur.”

She gave her a sweet smile. She caught Becca staring, but at what? Her eyes? Her nose? Her perfect full lips? She already had a inkling that she was getting under Becca’s skin but it was a truth that seemed to be getting truer by the minute. Agnes took a delightful pleasure in this but paused, not wanting to let her glee show as she instead tried to appear sympathetic and maybe even just a little smug (trick of the light, surely) at Becca’s predicament.

>>”Ah’m excited tae have ye back in New York and Ah think maybe friends is the reit step fur us here. Ah think we can handle that this time,”

”Me too,” Agnes said with a gentle nod of her head. Despite their insistence that “friendship” would be the priority here, subtlest hint of a wicked sparkled flared in Agnes’ eyes. Friends had benefits, didn’t they? Surely someone as experienced as Becca would remember that.

Taking up her drink, another sip was taken, the effects the alcohol swirling about her senses felt nice and welcome. As she pulled some hair from over her shoulder, exposing her long, sun-kissed neck, Agnes tilted her head, almost inviting the redhead’s lips to partake of just a small taste. One taste didn’t mean they couldn’t still just be friends, right? Oh well, it was a good thing, for Becca, there was a wooden table between the both of them.

>>”Sae ye’ve been back..Ur ye gang back tae th’ Philharmonic? And… er, this is weird tae ask, bit… whaur did things end up wi’ River? We ne’er talked abit it.”

Agnes took a second to let the questions sink in. They were playing catch up, after all. But it was a good thing that these were not aspects of her life that she needed to lie about.

”No,” she said with a slight shake of her head. ”I’m...taking a break from music for right now. Honestly...I...I don’t want to be in the spotlight right now.” She sighed a little before she perked up. ”But I am working at a florist shop in town. Petal Pushers? In the Bronx? I figured I could use a change.” Before moving onto the next one she took a steadying breath. Deep down she didn’t give two licks about River, but she figured she should at least mime disappointment. ”I actually broke up with River. After...you know…we came back. Came clean about everything. She...took it about as well as you’d expect.” She shrugged defeatedly. ”So right now I’m just as free as a little bird, I guess.” Another second as she sipped her drink, watching Becca’s face with subtly scrutiny. ”You? How many hearts have you broken these days?”

Besides mine. … B***h.

It was not necessarily that Rebecca thought Agnes would return to New York to throw herself at her former love, but in the past, intent was not always the be all end all in those decisions. They tried being friends and they tried staying away from each other and both times, they failed. Rebecca was worried if they were not clear about their expectations, they would end up exactly where they always did. As warm and inviting as that sounded, they had fallen apart enough times to realize theirs was a doomed love.

Rebecca still felt a touch of embarrassment for being called out. Maybe she was being assumptive when it came to Agnes’s feelings and intentions. The insect queen was developing a new life for herself and maybe she finally had the closure necessary to leave their relationship as part of the past. Rebecca hoped she could do the same.

It would be easier if Agnes could stop being gorgeous for all of five minutes so Becca could clear her head. All the muscle memory was still there; the desire to kiss Agnes’s neck when she exposed it, the need to respond to the head tilt with her lips, and the realization that the table between them was probably her self-restraint’s saving grace.

Much to Rebecca’s surprise, Agnes was stepping away from the Philharmonic. It made sense when she thought about it; after the incident with the Hive Queen, music was a trigger for Agnes. If she was making a better life for herself, she would want to avoid reintroducing that trouble into her life.

Speaking of trouble, River was out of the picture. It sounded like the conflict Rebecca expected, but Agnes was handling it gracefully. A free little bird, in her words. It was a fresh start and Rebecca was glad to hear it. ”Soonds loch a new life fer ye. Ah’m glad. Ye aways had a way wi’ plants.” Rebecca would never forget the first time they met in the greenhouse or the day they confessed their love for the first time. So many of their memories were framed by flowers and leaves.

Agnes was not the only one establishing a new life for herself and she was curious about Rebecca’s new love life. Even if it was the kind of question she heard when Nessa entered the picture, it still felt odd off Agnes’s lips. ”Nae broken hearts. Ah’m thinkin’ a break frae relationships is lang overdue. Ah’m apparently nae very guid at them,” she admitted with a weak laugh. ”Fur noo, Ah think light an’ casual’s aw Ah got. Better ‘at way.”

It was hard to admit that she had given up on love when she was talking to the only person she ever loved. The way things ended with Vanessa and Agnes made it clear that Rebecca and real relationships got along like oil and water. She was embracing something more casual than romance, but it was important to keep things vague. They were getting off on a better foot and invoking Gawain’s name around Agnes often had less than stellar results.

Rather than focus on love, which was a touchy subject with Agnes, Rebecca had a curiosity thoughts of music had unearthed. With Agnes away, there was always a concern in the back of her mind and, while evidence seemed to suggest things were fine, Becca needed to give herself peace of mind. ”Sae ye’ve been away… but it’s been guid? Ye havenae had any… episodes? Hive Queen episodes?” Agnes could take care of herself, but the Hive Queen was still a new, scary problem bubbling just beneath Agnes’s surface.

>>”Soonds loch a new life fer ye. Ah’m glad. Ye aways had a way wi’ plants.”

Agnes shared a sweet smile with the other woman. It was true, Agnes always had a bit of a green thumb. Maybe it was because she could come to an understanding with her insects and those around. It was an ability that allowed the plants and greenery to thrive without risk of being eaten alive by various bugs. On top of that, it was a big change when compared to her last job, working as a violinist for the philharmonic. The music had a rather...different effect on her these days so it was best to stay away from it. In the meantime, working for the florist helped to pad her bank account which was starting to see the effects of her months without music-based work.

Still, it wasn’t as if she were suffering. She didn’t need the high lifestyle, not yet anyways. For now, it was amazing what a wink and a pouty kiss could get out.

With that out of the way, Agnes again wasted no time getting into the meat of their catch up -- who else had Rebecca been bed hopping with? She was sure that the number was numerous as a natural disaster like her ex couldn’t conceive of being without a counterpart of utterly demolish for too long. So who had been on her list? Women? Men? Was there a trail of heartless bodies now led in her wake? She was certain that Becca would admit to some but not all, she thought too highly of herself to allow such slander to exist in the ether for too long.

>>”Nae broken hearts. Ah’m thinkin’ a break frae relationships is lang overdue. Ah’m apparently nae very guid at them...Fur noo, Ah think light an’ casual’s aw Ah got. Better ‘at way.”

Agnes face was expressionless for a moment. It wasn’t that she was touched or moved by the statement, it was more that she was trying to keep herself from blurting out ”You ****ing think so?!” and thus ruining her chances at getting in deeper into the woman’s life. Rather Agnes just seemed contemplative, not denying her words, nor was she confirming them. Instead, the violinist picked up her drink for another sip and took a soft, careful sip. It was only a moment before her crystalline eyes turned back to the Scot’s.

”You don’t suck at them…” she finally said. Her eyes sparkled with a bit of affection as she offered the other a genuine seeming smile. Reaching across the table, she gently took Becca’s hand and caressed it. ”...we just sucked at being in a relationship together. But maybe it’s a good thing we discovered now, you know, rather than later.” she gave her hand a soft pat. ”I would have hated to have stood in your way.” She released the Scot’s hand, leaned back a little, arching her back, and sighed. ”Besides, I’m doing the same thing. Casual certainly does seem to have far less problems attached.” She shrugged innocently, eyeing her ex. ”It’s more fun.”

Agnes hadn’t really had any relationships when she first left New York. She was actually trying to find herself, to make a dent in the world that didn’t include the freckle-nosed redhead. But, since her metamorphosis, she had to admit that the attention that she garnered and the libdo that seemed to pour through her on overdrive was certainly something she was going to take advantage of.

>>”Sae ye’ve been away… but it’s been guid? Ye havenae had any… episodes? Hive Queen episodes?”

A short smile on her lips, one that could be viewed as either annoyed, sly, or uncaring, Agnes merely shook her head, taking another sip of her drink. ”No,” she said gently. ”She is...attached to my stress levels. And, thankfully, I’ve been pretty stress-free since I left New York.” Her blue eyes looked about, peering at the darkened nooks and crannies of the establishment. ”I admit, there is a bit of trepidation being back, but, I think I have her under control.” She smirked, her expression melting back into a more playful one. ”After all, how many times can my life be threatened before it gets boring?”