Honest Hearts [Jacquine, Arayda]

Jacquine gave a thoughtful look wondering if it was possible to have too many children. Maybe Arayda was correct about that subject.

'That is true but they loved you still, did they not?' Jacquine asked, holding up the bottle of whiskey in sunlight seeing the colour brighten, spinning the contents to make a mini whirlpool.

Arayda gripped at the edge of the table.

"...Yeah," She admitted, not all that keen about answering Jacquine's question. It meant she had to hear it clear as day which she felt absolutely unnecessary.

She fluttered her eyes shut and yawned.

"I'm going back to my room."

'Have I upset you?' Jacquine asked, concerned with Arayda suddenly wanting to leave.

Jacquine held the bottle out to Arayda, she had no need of it and was not allowed to drink it anyway. Jacquine tried smiling as she gave it to her, attempting to conceal her concern.

'You may have it back' Jacquine said.

She worries too much.

Arayda shook her head, before ruffling the head of hair on the other woman.

"Not at all," she clarified, taking the bottle from Jacquine's hand. Lethargy was kicking in and she had no particular intent to down the rest of the bottle right. "Just... sleepy."

A sigh of relief escaped Jacquine's mouth as her head was ruffled. She wouldn't lie about saying she didn't enjoy it, in fact she found it very comforting.

But still she did not want to end their time together. Jacquine was enjoying Arayda's company and would like to spend more time with her. She ate the rest of her cake swiftly before turning to Arayda.

'Would you like me to accompany you' she asked politely. 'We could talk more, if you wish'

The girl wanted to escort her to her bedroom? She looked at her hands, which seemed to not have blurred out in her vision just yet.

She glanced back at Jacquine who seemed eager to continue conversation.

"Up to you," Shrugging, she then got out of her seat and led herself to her bedroom, expecting the girl to follow with. Normally she would have otherwise shooed her off, but she wasn't in any mood to talk.

That's what you get for mixing alcohol and irregular sleep.

She couldn't even remember when she last got some shut eye.

Jacquine nodded with a smile following Arayda with a small skip in her step. She couldn't help but notice how Arayda always kept her hair in a ponytail. A small part of her wanted to play with it in between her fingers.

'Madam Arayda, do you ever let your hair down?' She asked out curiosity 'It is always in a ponytail, I have never seen you without it'

"What? Yeah." Jacquine was full of questions it seemed and Arayda didn't know where they were coming from.

Arayda reached for her ponytail, threading her fingers through her jet-black locks. Eventually she hooked her index finger into the hair-band, she let her hair down with a shake of her head, strands settling past her shoulders. She was going to take it down by the time she reached her room after all.

"Oh, and don't call me Madam any more. It's annoying."

Watching in slight awe as Arayda removed the hair-band from her pony tail. She felt almost mesmerized seeing the display before the finish. Jacquine thought that she looked much better with her hair down than up and it was longer than she thought.

'You look so magnifique and beautiful, Mada-' Jacquine began before catching herself 'A..Arayda'

She couldn't help but struggle without saying "Madam" as doing so was completely foreign to her. She looked at Aradya and her hair a small idea forming in her mind.

'A..Arayda...May I braid your hair?' Jacquine asked, almost bashful.

Arayda wanted sleep. Badly.

She winced, rubbing at her tired eyes as she approached her bedroom door. While she would have tolerated the request had it been earlier, she really needed the shut-eye.

"I-I need to sleep."

'Oh, I am sorry' Jacquine said apologetically 'Forgive me, it was selfish of me to ask'

With that she walked to Arayda leaning her forehead close to Arayda's so that they both touching.

'Goodnight, please sleep well.' Jacquine said as she broke the connection of their foreheads.

Arayda stared at Jacquine, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck when her foreheads were no longer touching.

"Sorry," she apologised roughly, before heading into her room. "Good night, Jacquine."

She really didn't mean to shut off the girl like that. (Although she did find it bizarre that they'd touch foreheads, her exhaustion not allowing her to think about it too much.) Closing the door behind her, she took slow steps to her bed before throwing herself on the mattress head-first.

Eyes shut, she let sleep take her immediately to be undisturbed for many hours.

Jacquine waited until Arayda's bedroom door was fully closed when it was she turned around and walked back into the kitchen, realising both she and Arayda left their Plates on the table.

As she walked back towards the kitchen she felt a sense of achievement from her interaction with Arayda. Jacquine felt closer to her now, if only a tiny bit. With that thought Jacquine's lips formed into a smile as she happily hummed a little tune.

Maybe she will allow me to braid her hair next time.