Chapter 9: To Those Who Wait

As promised, the upstairs bathroom of the Lilcamp household held an old tub, supported by the all too real looking feet of some monster the toes of which in wicked looking talons that held the whole thing up rather than threatened anyone with any physical harm.

The rest of the bathroom, however, was fairly normal by most people's standards, and would have been considered Spartan by the standards of Misty's three siblings. Most of the brightly lit, tiled floored room looked as it had since the house was built, with the only renovations being the installation of an overhead shower with curtain and the modifications necessary to make the room usable by Vivian.

The water in the tub was pleasantly warm as the couple stepped into it before sitting down and letting themselves sink into the liquids soothing embrace.

"This is nice," mused Misty, stretching out her legs to entwine them with Miranda's as she relaxed, her face looking flushed from the heat.

"It's gone beyond that," added Miranda, feeling a smile cross her lips as she rested her head against a rolled up towel she'd put on the edge of the tub for that purpose, "But you know, this is the first real, actual bath I've had since we hit Cerulean. Showers are fine and all, but I've missed being able to truly immerse myself."

"And this time I'm here, so no one's going just barge in and try to seduce you, now are they?" commented Misty teasingly, her toe running up Miranda's side in an attempt to tickle her before breaking the surface.

Miranda's body twitched instinctively in response to the sudden playful attack. "Goodness, I hope not!" she laughed, her arms moving to protect her sides.

"Hm. I guess anyone else would have to stand in line, or something," her lover chuckled, glancing at the closed and locked door half-suspiciously, "Only one person at a time is aloud to seduce MY Miranda, I'm afraid."

"And even then, it's a very short list," the woman added, leaning forward to dunk her head and thoroughly wet the mass of now sweaty tangles she referred to as her hair.

"You know what this is like?" pondered Misty as the courier came up for air, pushing her dark twisting locks back over her shoulders.

"Like the first time we met?" inferred Miranda slyly.

"Yeah, like that time you took me to the hot springs. Remember that?"

"Oh! How could I forget!" laughed Miranda, leaning her head back again and sighing reminiscently, "I thought I was going to die..."

"Seriously?" replied Misty with amusement.

Miranda nodded. "It took a great deal of willpower and listening to my conscience not to take advantage of you that day..." she confessed, glancing away and looking a little embarrassed by the admission.

"Too bad you didn't," her lover teased.

"Well, it's not like a part of me didn't want to," continued Miranda, glancing up as she felt Misty's legs slide against her own, the warm soapy water causing a particularly pleasant friction, "But for one thing, I'd lulled you to sleep. Not my intention, by they way. And if you'd known the things that I wanted to do that day, you'd probably would have dropped me like a stone..."

"Perhaps," Misty pondered for a moment before sliding forward, "but if I knew you then as well as I know you now, then no, I wouldn't have."

Miranda smiled as Misty turned herself around in the spacious bathtub and carefully slid into Miranda's lap. "Was it like this?" she inquired, leaning back just enough to touch Miranda's breasts and purposely shuffling a bit to tease the woman before leaning back the rest of the way, "With your arms around me, and I, thinking of nothing but how nice, and sweet you were to help out a stranger in distress, so oblivious to your dark designs?"

For a moment, Miranda felt a little guilty, but as Misty leaned her head back upon the courier's shoulder and ran her soft lips over Miranda's neck as she spoke, the feeling quickly dissipated.

"I'd hardly call my feelings for you 'dark designs', my love," she chuckled, closing her eyes and concentrating on the feeling of Misty's body against her own, trying to recapture the moment, "It was just that I was so enthralled by that quality you have. That beauty that transcends the physical, that even were I blind I could still have see it."

"I think I sense some 'dark designs'," Misty teased as Miranda turned her head to kiss her.

"On your part, perhaps," the courier teased, "But I think you know me well enough to know my true intentions."

"Rather," replied Misty, her voice something of a purr as she teasingly kissed Miranda's chin, "Infact, seeing as I do know you so well, why don't you tell me about that time? About all those unspeakable deeds that you wanted to perform upon your helpless victim, but were held back by your own morality and virtue."

Miranda felt a pleasant chill run down her spine as her body reacted of its own volition to her lover's words, making her feel more than very alive for one long moment. "You shouldn't tease me so, my love," replied Miranda once she'd composed herself, "It's not polite..."

"Miri, my love, have I ever teased you?"

"Not intentionally," Miranda replied slyly.

"Then tell me," urged Misty, her voice taking on a pleading quality that caused Miranda's heart to nearly melt as she saw the hunger in her lover's sea green eyes, "Show me what you had in mind, let me feel you caress me as though it were that day. Let me feel your lips upon my neck as though it were for the first time... Make love to me, my dearest Miri. Please, show me what I missed out on that day. Don't make me wait another half a year to find out..."

All that Miranda could do, was press her lips against Misty's as her arms went about her beloved in a futile attempt to express her love, and to pour her passion into her lover.

"Show me," whispered Misty breathlessly, her head leaning back against Miranda's shoulder once more, her hands grasping Miranda's and moving them to her breasts so that her lover might touch them, and her eyes reflecting a sudden need that even Miranda's words would have difficulty expressing.

"There will never be a day, my love," whispered Miranda, playfully nibbling her lover's ear as her fingers relieved the aching need of Misty's bosom, "when I find myself able to deny you such a simple request."

Miranda sighed contentedly, closing her eyes and blocking out all but the sound of Misty's voice and the feel of her lover's skin against her own as the warm, soothing water surrounded them.

"That's good..." murmured Misty contentedly, stretching her legs out and sliding down slightly.

"This?" giggled Miranda as her hands cupped her lover's breasts before moving their widely spaced fingers teasingly towards Misty's nipples, "Or what I said?"

"Does it matter?" she inquired, inhaling slowly and purposefully through her mouth as Miranda's lips traced their way down her neck.

"Kinda," the courier replied, gently holding Misty's nipples between two fingers as the others touched the trainer's bosom carefully until she wished Miranda wouldn't tease her so.

"Mmm, then both," Misty sighed, bringing her hands up to cover Miranda's just as the woman slid them down, out of the way, chuckling to herself, "Oh! Miri-!"

"Yes?" inquired Miranda, the pleading sound in her lover's voice giving her chills as she brought her hands up to cover Misty's in the same fashion.

"N-nothing..."

Miranda smiled as she opened her eyes, watching as her fingers directed Misty's hands upon her beloved's bosom, causing Misty to gasp in surprise, and immediately blush as her body quivered in reaction.

"Nothing, dear?" Miranda asked slyly, moving one of Misty's willing hands downward across her stomach. "Is there something wrong? Something you'd like to tell me?"

Misty laughed quietly, her breathing becoming ragged as she opened her eyes and peered down beneath the water to where Miranda was guiding her hand lower. "No," she said simply, swallowing hard as her pulse raced and she found herself bending up her knees in anticipation, "No, it's alright."

"Good," said Miranda, her tone mildly serious as her fingers linked through Misty's before reaching their goal, "Because I don't want to do anything to you that you don't like."

"You've yet to," admitted Misty, giving Miranda's fingers a reassuring squeeze before pulling her lover's hand lower and switching hand places.

Miranda smiled as Misty moved her head to look up at her, the look of love and affection in her lover's eyes making her body shiver. "You know," she said, kissing Misty lightly upon the lips as she felt Misty's fingers coax her own downward until Miranda's fingers were running lightly across the smooth, soft skin of Misty's labia, "This place feels like home again when I hold you."

"Any place can feel like home to me when you do," finished Misty, her gaze a little unfocused as the feeling of Miranda's wonderfully gentle fingers drawing their way back and forth across her womanhood sent slow waves of sensation through her, each seeming to crash gently against the walls of her mind, slowly eroding her defenses until she found it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

For her part, Miranda let Misty's hand guide her movements, preferring to savor the moment. The feeling of her lover lying naked against her was both comforting and enticing, and Miranda found it amusing that Misty continued to touch herself as her hand left her breast, intent on simply holding her for time.

"Do you love me?" she whispered in a quiet, teasing tone into Misty's ear once her body had begun shake, and Misty's hand no longer guided Miranda's but simply clung to it almost desperately, as her breathing came in long ragged gasps.

"Huh? Wha-?" asked Misty, her mind only half grasping the words as her voice went up an octave as it always did when she reached the brink of ecstasy.

"Do you love me?" Miranda repeated, middle finger carefully teasing the line between Misty's labia as her lover opened her eyes and stared down at Miranda's hand.

"Y-yes..." she panted, Misty's voice taking on a desperate tone as the unceasing friction gave her a pleasant numbness.

"Yes what?" Miranda teased in amusement, kissing Misty's neck repeatedly as her lover's grip tightened about her hand and she felt her own body's need asserting itself in a most frustrating manner.

"Yes, Yes I..." began Misty, watching as Miranda lifted her hand slightly, and moved her thumb to where it just rested above her clit, "I- I-!"

"You, you?" inquired Miranda, her voice full of mischief as she could almost feel the anticipation radiating off her lover.

"I love you!" Misty all but squeaked as she gritted her teeth in and attempt to keep her voice down as her lover's thumb moved slightly and touched her now aching clit.

Miranda giggled in satisfaction as the slow rotations of her thumb against Misty's clit sent Misty over the edge. With a half-startled and quickly cut off exclamation, she arched her back as much as she could, holding the inviting pose for several moments as her body shook from the exertion of not crying out.

"Right there?" Miranda teased, never growing wary of the ever-growing variety of quiet exclamations her lover made at the point of ecstasy, especially when there was a danger of being overheard.

Misty's response was incoherent as she collapsed back down upon Miranda, splashing water everywhere, but not caring. Then, as the feeling subsided, and she floated down through the beautiful layers of rapture she passed through only to find Miranda's arms wrapped about her protectively, Misty smiled with renewed desire.

Without a word, except for the surprised laugh Miranda made, Misty quickly rolled over and straddled Miranda, her hands placed firmly upon the courier's breasts as she pressed her lips against the Miranda's without invitation.

'So delightfully insatiable," the courier mused contentedly, as Misty's tongue seemed intent on making Miranda's mouth its new home and her hands ran about her body as though desperately seeking out a lost artifact.

It was then, as Miranda's arms moved to encircle her lover that she heard the odd gurgling noise of the tub draining, and the unpleasant coolness of the air touching her slowly exposed skin.

"Wha-?" she managed to stammer around Misty's hungry kisses.

"Can't hold my breath that long," her lover replied, sliding her body downward over Miranda's as her lips descended, following the waterline with kisses until Miranda felt Misty's hands push at her thighs and Misty's tongue suddenly buried hungrily between them.

Miranda laughed, sliding up a little to give Misty more room as she tried to find space in the suddenly crowded tub. "Hold on," the courier told her in an amused tone, struggling to stand as Misty grabbed at her legs, kissing and licking them teasingly as she tried to reach Miranda's womanhood, "This isn't quite meant for that!"

"I... don't... care," Misty replied as Miranda managed to scramble out of the tub, her tone almost predatory as she leaned over the edge, her soaking wet hair falling over her face but not quite obscuring her almost feral smile.