Inappropriate like fucking.

"Mhm well, I think I can be fairly persuasive so I'm willing to take that bet." She reached out to lightly brushing her fingers along Gillian's neck before following it with a soft kiss. Gillian was right, she did have people who had her back and it was good to know that no matter who she was with or what she went through she'd have a support net to fall back on. "You like it," she mumbled before kissing her back, pulling her a little closer. "There is no one else," Dulcie said, making sure their eyes were meeting. "There never was anyone else," she added, a slow smile growing on her lips. "But we can't become girlfriends before we go on a date. I mean what kind of girl do you think I am?" She was sure Gillian could hear her heart racing but she tried to drown out the sound with another kiss, wrapping her arms around Gillian's shoulders. She pulled away after a moment, trying not to get carried away but she didn't move away from Gillian. "I mean...unless you want to still see other people, I could call that girl back from the party," she teased, brushing her nose against Gillian's. She was pretty sure they were on the same page, she wasn't going to waste time getting jealous about the idea of Gillian with other people.

"I'm not gonna crack. Good luck with that." Gillian wasn't trying to push Dulcie into the arms of anyone else but she'd told her the night they acknowledged their feelings that Dulcie could still explore, that she didn't want to hold her back if she herself wasn't fully ready to be full on girlfriends so she had to ask. "I wouldn't dream of disrespecting the kind of girl that you are, of course." Gillian was deliriously happy and in awe of Dulcie and how firm she could stand in her feelings, Gillian had always admired that. "I don't want or need to see anyone else. You're it." It still felt bizarre, being this intimate with Dulcie but it also felt a little less so every time they were. Still, Gillian was still terribly afraid of too much too fast so she kissed Dulcie one last time then separated herself and went to Dulcie's kitchen, raiding the pantry, "You have such bad snacks in here. This organic shit is for the birds."

"I will get my answer eventually," she teased, the idea that they had their whole lives ahead of them both filling her with joy and mild anxiety. What if all the time in the world was too much time? It was a silly thought and she realized that the minute she felt Gillian's fingers on the skin of her stomach. "Soul scissoring?" She let out a snort of a laugh because she could imagine Tahani saying that and it was incredibly accurate. "She should trademark that. Especially during pride month. She threatened you?" Dulcie pouted not because she was sad but because she was touched. She loved Gillian and they were best friends in so many ways but there would never be a replacement for Tahani and Odessa. They had taught her what unconditional love was and she was so much better for it. "I mean I had to go to a higher power. I can't help that they are incredibly powerful." Dulcie was sure her face was hot now, the words coming out of Gillian's mouth feeling surreal.

"That's what you think, but I'm pretty tough to crack. I could go to the grave with this information for all you know." The way they spoke now, with the optimism of time together, a guarantee of yet to be lived happy moments as a couple was overwhelming for Gillian but she had her head on straight and being overwhelmed adjusting was far preferable to losing Dulcie. "Yeah she did. I'm weirdly glad that she did. Just further confirmation that people have your back." The irony of Gillian being a lone wolf and yet constantly finding herself falling for girls with tight knit groups of friends was not lost on her, "You're corny as fuck." She told Dulcie before kissing her again, and gave a little resistance when Dulcie tried to wiggle out of her grip, but let her go right after, "Okay first week of July - it's a date. Consider it booked. Is that what you think of me as? You kind of sort of definite girlfriend? Does that mean you aren't seeing anyone else?"

"Just how many years are we talking here?" She was smiling again, buzzing with the idea that Gillian had been pushing down these feelings all along. "I'll talk to her," she promised, more for herself than Gillian. Tahani was one of the most important people in her life and would be forever. She didn't want to let something like this linger, especially when it seemed like she and Gillian were moving towards something serious. She wanted them to co-exist with joy and she figured it was time to forgive her best friend for something that hadn't been done maliciously. It's not like she couldn't understand why the two would be attracted to each other. If given the chance on either side Dulcie would have probably taken it. She bit her bottom lip as she watched Gillian move towards her, warmth already stirring in the pit of her stomach before she felt Gillian's lips on hers. She wrapped her arms around her, sighing contentedly against her lips as she kissed her back. "You're such a tease," he mumbled, pressing her forehead against Gillians. "Can't believe I'm about to get flown out for a first date. All that manifesting really worked. Well that and the etsy with I paid last year."

"Approximately none of your business amount of years. Yeah somewhere around there." Gillian answered slyly, truth be told she couldn't pin point a moment, it just became her reality at some point once she realized not having Dulcie in her world wasn't an option and she wasn't dumb enough to do something so destructive because she couldn't keep it in her pants. She told herself that there would always be other women for that, but for the companionship they provided each other, that was irreplaceable. "She's also really happy about it, says we've been soul scissoring, which I hate is actually funny as fuck. I even got threatened so that's pretty cool." As they weren't constantly physical, Gillian made their kissing count, flirting with sliding her hands underneath Dulcie's shirt, but (barely) restrained herself and instead held on to her hips lightly, "Bitch, you put a spell on me? That makes so much since considering you have me walking around like a crazy person. That being said, fuck it. Let me know when you're free and I'll book. You'll look amazing, fall even more in love with me. It'll be a whole vibe."

"You're being so... flowery," Tahani flourished her hand, given Gillian's mostly vague comments. "Us with a little more honesty? You sicken me in the best way. I didn't even know you had it in you to be sweet," she teased, clearly loving every second of this brand new information. Obviously she was glad Gillian had got her shit together, but mostly she was over the moon for Dulcie. She deserved to have everything she'd ever wanted and more, and if Gillian was one of those things then so be it. "Your foundation isn't solid yet? After all this time? Excuses, excuses," she sing-songed, tipsy and getting more giddy by the second. As if Gillian should have expected anything else when Tahani was a menace even when she was entirely sober. "You're what with her? I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that, it's so loud in here..." she grabbed Gillian's hands, pulling her in so there was no choice but to make eye contact, "I'm very proud of you. And I'm really glad I don't have to kill you and make it look like an accident to avenge you breaking Dulcie's heart. That would have sucked because I actually really like having you around."

Even though it admittedly felt good to be getting everything that was inside of her head out to someone safe, flowery was a bridge too far and Gillian shot Tahani a look that said as much. "Our foundation for friends is unshakeable sure, as more than that I don't know, I've loved a lot of girls and they've all gone away for one reason or the other, none of those reasons being me so I'm being very intentional." She rolled her eyes at Tahani's antics, "You're a fucking cartoon, you know that?" Gillian wasn't averse to physical contact so she didn't put up a fight when Tahini took her hands, (as if it would be a fight she'd win against an excitable Tahani). "Thanks…I guess. So did you know? How long she's been actually into me, like beyond just being attracted to me? I'm not an idiot, I knew that." It was true, Gillian being Dulcie's first time meant that the attraction had always been there, but Gillian had chemistry with most women so it didn't stand out. She could even admit to times where Dulcie probably was crushing on her, but Gillian for a long time truly had no idea Dulcie thought of her in that way, especially once she hit her self proclaimed 'hot girl' era. She knew how she felt, like she could see they would be good together but she also saw how all of her girlfriends left and Gillian had internalized that if she wanted Dulcie to stay a fleeting romance wasn't worth eroding their friendship over - only she never counted on the feelings on Dulcie's side to be more than fleeting, having sustained all of this time. "Please, I might have bought you'd hire a hitman, but you're not about to get your hands dirty. Too much effort and not enough time between your Vanity Fair shoot and when you have to relieve the babysitters, bitch."

"Ooh, see there's an idea because those ladies love drama... Hold up I just have to call Nixon about something completely unrelated," she jangled her purse as if she were looking for her phone. Gillian had been such an interesting addition to her life, a friend but also a challenge, someone who could absolutely keep up with her and kept her on her toes. While there had been that whole hiccup where they'd slept together, she was glad it hadn't ultimately ruined things for Dulcie. If it had, it might have been the first time she'd actually felt guilt. "Okay, bitch, wait..." Tahani was so serious she put her glass down, needing two hands available to be able to think properly. "This whole time you two have been like, spiritually scissoring and you still won't just, like, lock it down? What does taking it slow even mean? Then again, I'm probably not the best judge of that given my track record but– you haven't even been on a date yet?! Oh this is so good, I mean like, I could cum right now. Go on, go on, tell me more."

"Yeah, I mean I wouldn't say it like a fucking degenerate such as yourself, but we've been us…with a little more honesty between us." Part of what Gillian liked about being Tahani's friend was that while their relationship was born independent of Dulcie, they both had just as much love and affection of her so she knew talking to Tahani meant the woman had Dulcie's best interest in mind, which was a relief because that's what Gillian wanted too - yes, everyday that they walked towards their new and likely inevitable direction Gillian got more comfortable admitting how she felt, reassurance that the two of them wasn't a horrible idea felt nice. "Just like locking it down isn't…enough. This is important, I want to make sure the foundation is solid. And yeah, I don't want to get her pregnant, I can't dunk a basketball so I'd be a little fucked." She shrugged, "Like I said, slow and it means a pace that doesn't freak me out. I'm in love with her, you know? She isn't business as usual. If she's not endgame then I'm meant to be alone." Gillian ran her hand over her face to mask a frankly goofy smile, "That's so fucking weird to admit out loud. I spent a lot of time pushing all of this shit down and now it's just like...accept it or lose her." Gillian knew she probably sounded like an insane person and unlike Tahani had ever seen her, but the genie couldn't exactly go back inside the bottle.

As much as Tahani's eyes widened and head cocked to the side in shock at being called a has-been, she didn't entirely explode on Gillian. She'd learned her friends ways and while she wasn't entirely immune sometimes she could manage it. "Yeah well I'm also a hot model dating a basketball player so how about that for a cliche," she added with a tipsy little giggle. "You're actually an asshole and I can't believe you'd do this to me, the blondest person you know," she drew a finger down her cheek like a tear, ready to have to literally beg but it seemed Gillian was feeling generous. Given her slight level of intoxication it did take her a second to click on but when she did, oh did she light up. "Stop, shut up. No fucking way... I swear to god you better have a u-haul lined up because if you ever leave her I'll run your ass out of town oh my fucking god are you serious?" She paused for a breath, brows knit when she stopped to think, "Wait, how long are we talking?"

"It's a classic one, if you ever tie the knot that gay who runs the real housewives is going to be beating down your door." Tahani amused Gillian to no end, the girl was a force in a way that was very authentic to her, and for taking care of her kids the way she did Gillian already had nothing but fierce respect for her. Still, she wasn't above making her work for some gossip and she would have made her work even harder if she wasn't secretly dying to talk with someone about her feelings. She smirked and that smirk fought for dominance with a full on grin and lost. "I'm not going to ever leave her and I'm very serious. But it's also not a full on relationship or anything like that, not yet anyway. We're taking it very slow, really fucking slow. We only kissed, a really good fucking kiss and that was about 6 months ago. With maybe some more kissing here and there but I think I'm ready to ask her out on an official date."

Dulcie could feel her cheeks heating up, but this time from embarrassment. She and Gillian really knew how to ride a rollercoaster during their conversations. "It's fine it's just..something I don't like to think about. I mean no, Tahani is my best friend. I love her. And I don't know, you always feel a little territorial over your best friends. But in this case two of my best friends hooked up with each other and it just," she made a motion of her hands exploding. "I tried to get over it but like there's this little part of me that's insecure about it. And now I'm wondering if Tahani feels weird that I didn't tell her myself. I mean she's one of my biggest cheerleaders I just...stopped myself." She stretched out her legs so one of her feet was touching Gillian's leg, wanting the contact so she didn't feel like she was drifting away. "I guess it just takes time, you know? I mean Tahani is...Tahani, total babe. Who wouldn't want her?" She shook her head, not wanting to feel jealous of one of her greatest friends and she was confident in herself but there was always a part of her that would wonder if she was worth staying for. "I mean..." she started, a small smile growing on her lips. "It wouldn't hurt if you came over here and kissed me."

Gillian made sure she really listened to what Dulcie was admitting to her, a simple 'it wasn't that deep and didn't mean anything beyond sex for either of them' wouldn't be helpful or put Dulcie at ease. From the sounds of it, it wasn't something Gillian could even fix in an instant unless she finally cracked the formula for time travel. "Would it help if I pointed out the obvious being she isn't the one I've to varying degrees of success suppressing feelings for years? But like you said it takes time and I don't want her in the most respectful way possible because I consider her a friend. As far as how she feels about you not telling her, I don't know, but I don't think it's anything that couldn't be worked out with a conversation if there's anything to work out at all." Gillian felt relief flood her body when a smile returned to Dulcie. "Oh yeah well if it'll help then I guess I could…" Gillian snaked her way up to Dulcie and teased the girl, hovering her lips over Dulcie's, moving ever so slightly closer and then further away until she finally let their lips touch and she kissed the girl long and slow.

"Oh no he's definitely still my favorite. You're just a very close second." The smile she had a moment ago fell slightly as Gillian told her she had told Tahani. There were a million thoughts running through her head. The first being how Tahani must have felt hearing it from Gill and not her. Second the fact that they were hanging out a cocktail party. Dulcie knew logically that not only was Tahani way in love but that she cared about Dulcie. Still, it picked at a deep insecurity inside of her and she pulled away slightly. "I mean no it's good she knows I just..should have probably told her myself. I guess," she paused and groaned, knowing she had to be honest. That's what they promised. "I still get jealous about the fact that you two hooked up. And not just jealous of her but jealous of you too," she admitted. "You're both so important to me and it's just, when it happened it really fucked with me a little bit. I wanted so badly to be cool about it but you know me, when have I ever been cool about anything?"

Being so enamored with Dulcie's smiling it was immediately noticed when her smile fell. She had stepped in it, she knew that but was caught off guard because if anything she thought Dulcie would be happy that she got along with one of her best friends. Dulcie pulling away from her made Gillian inwardly panic that she'd done the wrong thing like she crossed some sacred friend line but then Dulcie clarified and Gillian saw that it was worse, "Oh…" It was all she could say for a moment while she listened intently, "I didn't know it fucked with you, I'm sorry." She didn't regret per se hooking up when she did, grateful of the results that came about, but had she'd known more about how Dulcie still felt about her and that it would screw with her she probably would have made a different choice that first night. "Do you have some kind of lingering…anything for her or am I wrong about that part." If she had a thing for Tahani, that was news to Gillian, but she'd deal with that if it was part of this whole thing. She wasn't so obtuse though that she didn't know the bulk had to do with the two of them, "If I knew it would hurt you I would have never gone there. What can I do to ease your not cool about it feelings?"

"Okay well that's rude. I want you to be like one of those cartoons with heart eyes. Very dramatic." She was sure her cheeks were flush, just the feeling of being under her gaze enough to make her blush. But being flirted with? Being desired by Gillian? It was like a surge of electricity was running through her. She let out a laugh and covered her face. "You're probably right but I'm okay with that. Easier than spreading the word myself. What about you? Have you told anyone besides Arc?" She poked Gillian's side slightly but she was curious. The thought of Gillian telling someone about her made her chest feel warm.

"Yeah, that's what I'm known for, drama." If Dulcie wanted heart eyes she need only look at Gillian when she got bashful, because the older girl's eyes never failed to fill with adoration, adoration that she was no longer hiding how cute she found Dulcie when she got bashful and or giddy. "Oh Arc doesn't know. I'm still figuring out how to break the news that he was never actually your favorite in the apartment, it's gonna break his heart." She joked then gave Dulcie a real answer, "I went to some cocktail party thing with Tahani the other day and told her about it. Part of me figured she would know already but turns out I beat you to it."

"I am thinking about what I'm gonna wear. It's our first date, I want to make sure your eyes are popping out of your head the minute you see me." She knew that Gillian would indeed have everything handled and Dulcie was letting herself be romanced as opposed to trying to control every aspect of it. Gillian was one of the few people she could let go with like that and it required a lot of trust. Fortunately, they had that in boatloads between them. "Odessa. I was with her the day after we first kissed. She could tell I was giddy. And Chuck because he's like a fucking dog he could smell it on me somehow." She laughed as she remembered the conversation. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell more of her friends it was just that she was enjoying it just being them right now. Well that and she liked to not think about Tahani and Gillian hooking up but she wasn't going to say that out loud. "Oh and I guess Chase because nothing is a secret between him and Oddie and he's always encouraging me to go find a date."

"My eyes pop out of my head when I see you now. I've just got a really good poker face, Hernandez." The line between sincerity and flirting was extremely close together; the only difference between this and her usual shameless flirting was that instead of attempting to get a reaction of sorts she was more so embracing the newfound luxury of honesty she was allowing herself to have. "Dulcie, should we maybe tell congress? If Chuck knows then all the gays in Rosewood do." She was joking of course, she didn't have a desire to stifle whoever Dulcie wanted to tell, she herself was an island and the only person she told was Tahini which could be not quite a conflict of interest, but a little messy. Still, Gillian didn't trust a lot of people but the mother of two became one of the few plus she cared about Dulcie just as much as she did, which Gillian saw as an upside and a safe place.

"Yes, you did that. And you know that," Dulcie replied, her cheeks even hotter now. For Dulcie it was like she was living a dream she didn't want to wake up from. She was in the timeline where Gillian knew about her feelings and not only was she still here but she felt the same. It was everything she had ever wanted and she was still nervous to wrap her arms around it all. But that wasn't going to stop her from trying. "We would look good on South Beach. Gillian..." she let out a dramatic gasp but moved closer to her on the ouch. "Are you asking me on a date?" She put her hands under her chin and smiled. "Because if you are then I would totally say yes to having our first date be in Miami while we're both wearing super hot outfits. And yeah, I think moving slow is whatever feels good for us." She reached out to gently brush her fingers along the inside of Gillian's forearm. She was usually better about keeping her distance but the idea of a Miami vacation with Gillian had her feeling giddy, her mind already racing with what outfits she would pack and if she should buy some new pieces just for the trip, her inner Tahani already knowing she'd have to bring a bigger bag. "I mean of course, that's if you're asking me on a date. Totally hypothetical."

"Yeah I know that. But confirmation is important, is it not." Gillian said in her typical cocky yet oh so frustratingly charming tone that melted Dulcie like butter. Still, if there were an upper hand to be had, Gillian lost it when Dulcie called her out on what she was trying to do. She rolled her eyes, but was actively fighting back a smile even as she swatted Dulcie's hand though she relished in them under her chin, "Yeah, well fuck it, I am asking you out on a first date. Long overdue so I guess we can call it taking it slow." Gill glanced down at Dulcie's fingers but made no move for her to stop the physical contact. "And you're thinking about what you're gonna wear aren't you? It's cool though, focus on that and I have everything else handled." She hesitated, but bravery had worked in her favor so far, so Gillian figured she should keep it going, "That feels good, you touching me like that. Who knows about...?" She gestured between the two of them.

"Your mistake, I love complaining," Tahani grinned back, raising her glass before taking a drink. "To be fair they couldn't get me for anything more than the entire internet already had been," she shrugged. It wasn't like it hadn't been general knowledge back then anyway, that Kit had done a runner and left her to handle her pregnancy alone. It hadn't made any difference if it was the gossip blog or TMZ airing her dirty laundry. "Why do I have to give you anything? What kind of friend withholds gossip? I'm really starting to rethink this relationship, Gillian."

"You're right, you're kind of boring when you think about it. Hot straight girl has a baby, the nation is shocked, news on this developing story at 11. How does it feel being a has been?" Gillian poked fun at Tahini knowing what buttons to push to at least attempt to get a rise out of her; sometimes it worked, sometimes that mom zen just can't be penetrated. She shrugged at her friend's question even though they both knew whatever Gillian was sitting on the model wanted, so Gillian played cool as she shipped her drink, "A calculated one, I guess." She smirked and dangled the carrot a little lower, "It involves Dulcie...would you like to guess?"

"Oh? Gonna be catching some flights this summer?" This was the first summer in a long time that Dulcie wasn't working extra hard. She had opted not to apply for any fellowships or study trips. She wanted to enjoy her summer, be there for her nibblings, spend time with her parents and hopefully, explore what it was like to be around Gillian now that they were being more honest about their feelings. She thought about their kisses everyday and wondered just how much longer she'd be able to stop herself from wanting to be even closer. It didn't help when Gillian winked at her and she blushed, knowing that it was really for her and not just an afterthought of an action. "Cheers," she replied, her cheeks hot as she kept Gillian's gaze for a moment longer before looking back at whatever she had put on the TV. "But no, my plans are to just be around for whatever I can. You want to go somewhere? Because I'd love to find myself on a beach with you."

"Yeah, I think I will. I'm trying to allow myself good things right now. I'm on a roll with it." Gillian made no attempt to hide the very obvious implication that Dulcie herself was that good thing. It often replayed in her mind how they declared that they were in love with one another and Gillian's world didn't implode. She wouldn't say that she still didn't have one eye on waiting for that other shoe to drop but what boiled over that night had been something of a lesson. That didn't mean she was jumping into a full on relationship, she still needed slow and to feel like she was being careful with the relationship between them, one that was sacred and precious - she didn't think she could survive a life without Dulcie in it in some capacity. Well, she probably could but she was sure it would be miserable. Their confession didn't mean they were girlfriends, they could do whatever they wanted, but Gillian didn't want anyone else; they would only be distractions as she was well aware of where her heart was and past denying it. "You're blushing. Did I do that?" Gill smirked, knowing full well she did. "Yeah, I want to go somewhere, a couple of guys I work with are big fans of Miami. We'd look good on South Beach. I have a few restaurant recs too so going together and eating food in a fancy place could be…a thing we do. Could be our first date. Or something like it. Maybe we could do that and still be moving slow, right?"

"I know I was actually speechless the first time I got here. Ever since my mom has gotten an amazon and etsy account it's been like...insane around here. But I guess I should really feel loved. Kind of never imagined this," she admitted and pointed around. To think she had once been afraid to come out. It seemed like another life now. "I am drinking, it's pride month ever, I don't have meetings until the afternoon tomorrow. And my mom's fridge is full of leftovers so I'm in a pretty great mood." That and Dulcie had been thinking about inviting Gillian over all day. Things between them had been sweet, not weird but definitely filled with some nerves. It felt like uncharted territory for Dulcie. "You know I thought about waiting but then I decided I missed you so," she shrugged, not seeing the harm in being honest. "I told you, Etsy. She's not playing around." Dulcie grabbed them both a drink and led them over to the couch, handing Gillian her drink before she fell back onto the cushions. "What were you doing when I texted you, anyway?"

"No you really should. You were terrified of telling your folks and depriving them of doing all of this." Gillian was happy that Dulcie's coming out worked out so well for her and on top of the revelation bringing her and her family closer, it also gave Gillian the closest thing she ever had to a family so in that, she was doubly grateful. "Sounds like the beginning of a good night then." It was still a little mind blowing how they were just being honest with their thoughts and feelings about one another. It felt foreign as it was suppressed for so long but also it was liberating in a way they were both still getting used to, "Yeah we basically said the same thing." Gillian sat on the couch next to Dulcie and took one of the drinks, thanking her with a wink. An upside to the new dynamic they were forging was at least that when she flirted with Dulcie she got to see the entirety of Dulcie's reaction to it. "I was working, nothing too exciting. I was ready to be done with it. I'm looking forward to this summer. I'm making real money now you know? I want to do something with it, experience some cool shit, some of which I'll experience with you, hopefully. I don't even know if you have any real plans for the summer yet. Cheers." Gillian clicked her drink against Dulcie's then took a sip not breaking eye contact because even if she wasn't having sex a this current time in her life, she didn't want to risk 7 years of bad sex once she did resume.

"She insisted on decorating for Pride Month this year. She says it should be just like how we celebrate any other holiday." Dulcie couldn't hold in her laughter as she motioned around at the rainbow decorations in her parents' house. They were out for the night, so she had decided to raid their fridge and lie out on their couch. But after an hour there she had found herself inviting Gillian over and hoping she wasn't already busy. "You want something to drink?" @itsgillianstupid

"Damn, this...may be the most concentrated amount of rainbows I have ever seen in my life, dude. Your folks are 1 of 1." In a way, Gillian was grateful for the assault on her senses that was the inside of the Hernandez household because being around Dulcie was different now. She wasn't tortured or anything, just very aware of her feelings for her best friend which made her nervous of fucking something up. "If you're drinking then yeah I'll take whatever you've got but if not I'm cool. I was expecting to get the hang out text in two days when Love Island drops. Guess you just can't get enough of me though. Is that a Marsha P. Johnson needlepoint?"