Red Disposition

Stella waits a few minutes and realises that’s it. There wasn’t a just kidding in there. Beatrix meant that.

She taps her fingers against her screen, just a random assortment of numbers and letters as she tries to bring her thoughts and feelings together.

She hits backspace until it's blank once more. Would she like to do that? To lean against Beatrix’s desk, flirting with her as she works?

The answer is dreadfully apparent to her. She certainly wouldn’t mind it.

She types her answer. ‘Are you working right now?’

Beatrix is quick to respond. ‘Yes.’

With little thought, she rises from her chair, waving her suitemates goodbye as she hurries down the hall to her destination. Some things just couldn’t be said over a text message. With a few sharp turns down each hall, she arrives at Beatrix’s office, tapping her knuckle against the door twice until she hears a faint, ‘Enter,’ come from within.

Beatrix looks painfully amused, tapping her pen against the desk. ‘I didn’t know princesses ran.’

Stella huffs. ‘It was a brisk walk.’

‘Sure,’ Beatrix drawls, resting her pen on the desk. A smirk forms on her face. ‘So what brings you to my office? Need a favour or something?’

Stella bites her lip. She shouldn’t be doubtful now. She’s the Princess of Solaria, what’s one girl in the face of something like that? She was perfectly rational and walked at an ordinary pace to this office, as a princess should.

Stella moves to Beatrix’s side and offers out her hand. ‘Walk with me?’

Beatrix’s smirk falls at Stella’s question, her face softer, her smile kinder. ‘Where to?’ She asks, indulging the request as she places her hand in Stella’s, letting Stella her pull her out of her chair.

When Beatrix doesn’t let go of her hand, Stella takes it as a good sign and offers no answer. ‘Shall we?’

Beatrix squeezes her hand. ‘Lead the way, princess.’

It’s perhaps the shortest and longest walk Stella has ever taken to get to her destination. She finds herself very aware of Beatrix’s presence, especially of the way her arm seems to brush against Stella’s own with each turn they take.

Eventually, they arrive at the greenhouse. Stella tugs at Beatrix’s arm and shuts the door behind them, surprised but infinitely grateful to find it empty. Perhaps it was the time of day. She hadn’t even checked the time before making her decision.

Beatrix lets go of Stella’s hand. She walks around the greenhouse, grazing her fingertips across the top of a few of the plants. ‘The greenhouse? A bit on the nose don’t you think?’

Stella huffs. Why is this so hard? She rubs her thumb as she looks for words. ‘We can go somewhere else if you’re not fond of here.’

Beatrix’s teasing seems to stop when she hears those words. She’s at Stella’s side in an instant, reaching for her hands and stopping her nervous fidgeting. ‘Are you, ah,’ she rubs Stella’s hand, a faint pink on her cheeks, ‘Are you alright?’

Is she alright? Absolutely not. This girl, her supposed enemy was hardly her enemy at all. Her mind was filled with their texts, their shared laughter, and their teasing as they discussed the most recent man’s attempt to enter their lives.

That wasn’t all of it. There was another part to this that had her feeling more than the kinship of joint experience and friendship with Beatrix. She keeps her eyes on Beatrix as she lifts their joined hands, placing a kiss on top of them.

‘I’m far from it,’ she whispers.

Beatrix flushes but doesn’t pull away, ‘What’s got the princesses’ panties all tied up?’

Stella rolls her eyes at the jab. It seems words weren’t going to answer this. She pulls Beatrix’s hands to her chest and leans down. She watches as Beatrix’s eyes drift shut when she gets closer. It was more than enough of an answer for her.

She bridges the distance, pressing her lips against Beatrix’s.

Beatrix doesn’t pull away but doesn’t move her lips either. For a moment Stella wonders if just like Sky, she had started to terribly misread their relationship. She doesn’t have to dwell on those thoughts for long. Soon enough, Beatrix is returning the kiss.

Their lips melt against each other and Stella can’t help the sigh that escapes her as Beatrix pushes a little harder against her.

She releases Beatrix’s hands and wraps her own around Beatrix’s waist, keeping her in place. Each press she gives and receives in turn has her yearning for more. She only pulls away with a heavy breath when she hears her name slip from Beatrix’s lips.

‘Yes?’ she questions, opening her eyes to meet Beatrix’s

‘I’m going to need you to do that again and again for the foreseeable future.’ Beatrix runs her hand down Stella’s cheek in a way that has her mouth opening slightly. ‘I really don’t think my text prepared me for this.’

Stella matches Beatrix’s action, relishing in the way her eyes closed briefly. ‘Nor did I.’

Beatrix groans before schooling her features. ‘This does not mean I will join your little club, nor be friends with any of them.’

‘How dare I consider the possibility?’ Stella teases, tilting up Beatrix’s chin. ‘Would I be wrong to invoke my princess powers for such a cause?’

Beatrix rolls her eyes, a fond smile on her lips, ‘Positively dreadful.’

‘Very well,’ Stella hums, running a finger down Beatrix’s cheek, pausing her path when the tip of it rests against Beatrix’s lower lip. ‘Could I persuade you to reconsider?’

Beatrix glares at her. It’s anything but threatening when her cheeks are matching the colour of her hair. ‘Enlighten me.’