Jacinda's eyes widened slightly as Tenzin's hand closed over hers, the way her face seemed to relax, the squeeze of her fingers. Her black eyes held mystery, though, and she felt...a draw.
Her other hand began to rise, almost to gently brush stray silky black behind her ear, the slight tickle of fingertips, but her heart pounded too much. Instead, it faltered, only to touch Tenzin's other arm, to lightly trace the sinuous colored lines that were tactility imperceptible from her skin.
It was just a brush and yet everything felt loud. And she was scared. She swallowed and broke eye contact for a moment, trying to understand this woman, to push passed the barriers that separated them.
She was reserved, but Jacinda had been with her long enough to pick up on her body language- at least a bit. Her hands said one thing, her eyes another, the seriousness with how she sat versus the set of her face. Maybe. Or maybe she was just imagining it. Jacinda looked into her eyes and somehow, she could just feel the woman's hesitation, despite the slow flex of fingers. Jacinda looked down at the hand.
It could mean anything. A friend reassuring but setting boundaries. A sister giving comfort. A woman unhesitatingly considering what Jacinda realized she was offering. Realized and pondered.
And in that moment, Jacinda stood on a cliff. And she was unsure what to do. How to proceed. As before, it had snuck up on her once again. Only this time, the cracks had widened. The freedom was greater. Her world had opened, these last few months, far bigger than she imagined.
A step...she looked up again at Tenzin for a moment before smiling, small, really, one corner only curving up. Her heart thundered. "Stumbling into this house was the best thing to ever happen to me." she whispered, swallowing, trying to find the words to say what had only just dawned on her.
So inscruitible, hidden and protected behind that black, a barrier Jacinda desperately wanted to see past, craved to see beyond. She took a breath and jumped. "I would like to know who you are," was all that came out. That, and a gentle hesitant brush to her cheek. A touch to the woman's temple. "Here."
She froze, waiting.
Her other hand began to rise, almost to gently brush stray silky black behind her ear, the slight tickle of fingertips, but her heart pounded too much. Instead, it faltered, only to touch Tenzin's other arm, to lightly trace the sinuous colored lines that were tactility imperceptible from her skin.
It was just a brush and yet everything felt loud. And she was scared. She swallowed and broke eye contact for a moment, trying to understand this woman, to push passed the barriers that separated them.
She was reserved, but Jacinda had been with her long enough to pick up on her body language- at least a bit. Her hands said one thing, her eyes another, the seriousness with how she sat versus the set of her face. Maybe. Or maybe she was just imagining it. Jacinda looked into her eyes and somehow, she could just feel the woman's hesitation, despite the slow flex of fingers. Jacinda looked down at the hand.
It could mean anything. A friend reassuring but setting boundaries. A sister giving comfort. A woman unhesitatingly considering what Jacinda realized she was offering. Realized and pondered.
And in that moment, Jacinda stood on a cliff. And she was unsure what to do. How to proceed. As before, it had snuck up on her once again. Only this time, the cracks had widened. The freedom was greater. Her world had opened, these last few months, far bigger than she imagined.
A step...she looked up again at Tenzin for a moment before smiling, small, really, one corner only curving up. Her heart thundered. "Stumbling into this house was the best thing to ever happen to me." she whispered, swallowing, trying to find the words to say what had only just dawned on her.
So inscruitible, hidden and protected behind that black, a barrier Jacinda desperately wanted to see past, craved to see beyond. She took a breath and jumped. "I would like to know who you are," was all that came out. That, and a gentle hesitant brush to her cheek. A touch to the woman's temple. "Here."
She froze, waiting.