#got some fancy chocolate mousse that was probably way too expensive and comes in little glass cups

[two-calicos-in-a-trenchcoat]

Did NOT drink enough liquids today

My dad had the fuckin sous vide thing going and the sound it makes is TERRIBLE so I couldn't fuckin MOVE after I finished my latte

No thoughts

Just high pitched whirring noises

Which weren't improved by my tinnitus getting worse cuz of dehydration

[pajama-nerd]

Probably the most ambitious thing I've ever done in my life

This sunday (Halloween 2021), I will be presenting to a small group of my friends, a nine course meal.

Why?

Because fuck the bourgeoisie, that's why.

Seriously, though, it's very elitist, and I've always wanted to eat a multi-course meal, but it's always been way too expensive. My latent desire for this was so strong, I even put a fancy party into a D&D campaign simply so I could trot out an imaginary nine-course meal.

And one day I decided, 'y'know what? Fuck it. I'ma do this.'

And I'm friends with a bunch of enablers, so here we are.

Lemme tease you with some imagery, here.

For the hors d'oeuvres: Caviar and Creme Fraiche Tartlets

And we're heathens with uncultured palates, so we probably not going to be able to tell the difference between the $300 dollar an ounce stuff and the $25 a jar stuff, which is why we're only paying $25 for the fish eggs.

For the appetizer: Bruschetta

Simple, light, easy, still a little more exotic than our every day poor person tastes. I wish I could just...have bruschetta whenever. It's delicious.

Anyway, next up is the soup: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Never had it, but damn I'm looking forward to trying it.

And now the salad, and I got a little fancier here, I think:

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Stacked Salads

Not usually a big fan of watermelon, honestly. I like watermelon flavored things, but then of course, that's a concentrated flavor with lots of sugar, and then you have actual watermelon, and it's a watery let down with seeds. But I'm looking forward to this.

For the Fish (which in the D&D campaign was actually Hydra filet in Aioli Sauce arranged on the plate so that it looked like a Hydra):

Roasted Halibut with Garlic Sauce

(Not a great picture, but for some reason the photographer centered the picture on the salad? idk, the halibut was barely in frame and still manages to look delicious)

And now for the Main Course: Roast Hare with Raspberry Thyme Sauce on a bed of Rice with Roasted Delicata Squash and Lady Apples.

Now, this is a frankenstein recipe, because there are frankly not that many recipes for Roast Rabbit. The rabbit recipe itself doesn't come with a picture, because the recipe comes from like, ye olden homestead dayes. And the raspberry Thyme sauce I (thankfully) copied off of a chicken recipe that apparently no longer exists (thank goodness for foresight). And Rice is self explanatory, but!

It's gonna be delicious, y'all.

Then of course, the palate cleanser: I went with a Raspberry Sorbet

Before the dessert: Chocolate Toffee Mousse

Gorgeous.

And last but certainly not least, because aside from the fish and the rabbit, this was the most expensive thing on the whole menu:

For the Mignardise: An Elegant Apple Tart

Look at this. Look at it.

Is this not the most pretentious thing you've ever seen in your life?

I'm gonna make the fuck out of this thing.

Fuck you, rich people.

I'm touching your stuff.

[makesyoubrave]

Janis/ Regina- college roommates

This also kinda fills a prompt I got for Janis taking care of a sick Regina. 

Read on Ao3 here. 

[I didn't think there was a world in which they were like "yo let's be roommates" but I also couldn't bring myself to write something where it happened by chance so suspend your disbelief just a touch for that part.]

Regina George thinks that all her luck ran out a long time ago.

To backtrack; her senior year of high school had been quite the experience. No longer the top of the social food chain, permanently damaged from the bus incident, and becoming a new person. Suddenly she limped instead of strutted, smiled instead of sneered, and honestly cared about her friends and their lives. Weird.

She’d even become friends with Damian and more-than-civil with Janis. But when Janis comes running into school one day, waving a piece of paper above her head, and shouting that she got a full-ride to the Rhode Island School of Design, Regina pales.

Everyone hugs her and congratulated her and Regina plasters on a smile and is genuine when she tells Janis she’s really proud of her and her face softens at Janis’ big grin.

Then Karen pipes up “isn’t that where you’re going to school, Regina?”

Regina pinks. Regina had applied early action to RISD and got in, but she was waiting to see if she’d gotten into SCAD or one of the other schools she’d applied to. RISD was her first choice but if one of the other school’s was going to offer her a bigger scholarship…

She’d decided about a week ago that she wanted RISD and she’d been talking the decision through with her parents. They’d agreed and she had told Karen (Michigan University) and Gretchen (Northwestern). She hadn’t wanted to tell Damian, Janis or Cady, because none of them had decided on a school or heard back from all their applications. But now it was out in the open.

“Yeah, um it is.”

Janis stares at her. “You’re going to RISD?”

“Yeah.”

Janis grins. “Damn, this is going to be wild.”

•••

Damian (who’s going to NYU) is the one who convinces them to room together. They’re both slightly intoxicated; drinking wine and watching romcoms just the three of them (Gretchen and Karen are at some party that Regina had declined an invitation to (which had honestly shocked them all), Cady and Aaron on a date) and he convinces them that it’ll be better if the two of them room together than it would be to try and get along with strangers. Plus, he argues, they’re friends now.

They sign up and apply and pick a room. When they wake up in the morning they regret it but it’s too late now so they’re stuck.

•••

Move in day is a little rough. The Sarkisian’s and the George’s haven’t interacted in years, but their parents are polite to one another. Janis and Regina worked it out so Regina would set up her side of the room in the morning and Janis would do hers in the afternoon.

When Janis and her parents arrive, Janis breathes out a sigh of relief. Regina’s side of the room is definitely pinker then Janis would ever allow her room to be, but it’s mostly white and gold with just a soft pink rug and dusty pink bedding. She’s put up fairy lights and some polaroids and she’s covered her desk surface in fake-marble adhesive panels. It’s very Regina.

Janis’ side of the room is a lot less black then Regina would have expected. When all is said and done Janis has put up a big black and white tapestry with gold tassels around it on the wall and her bedding may be black but most of the rest of her stuff is either a light teal or white. All in all it kind of works. When Janis’ parents leave to go move the car, Regina taps Janis on the shoulder and hands her a pillow. It’s black and gold and it says “I’m cooler than you” on it. Janis stares at her. (She puts it in pride of place on her bed)

Their dorm is small, though, and they refuse to make their beds bunk beds. Regina lofts her bed and sticks her dresser, storage bins, and desk under it. Janis keeps her bed at hip height and puts her desk at the head of the bed and her dresser slides underneath. Regina brought the coffee maker (some fancy thing that makes lattes and cappuccinos) and a tv that they put against the windows. Janis brought the fridge, two beanbags, and a fan.

By the end of the day, they’re all unpacked and ready for what orientation will bring. Janis calls Damian and Regina insists on talking to him; it warms Janis’ heart. By the end of the week, they’ve both made a few friends but they’re not afraid to admit they’re glad they came with someone they already knew.

•••

That's not to say that they always get along. Sometimes things get a little heated.

They fight. They scream. They don’t talk for days. And then, whoever was wrong (it’s usually Regina but not always) will buy the other dinner or cookies, or they’ll come home for class and the entire dorm will be completely cleaned.  

One time, after a particularly bad fight, Janis comes back from class and there’s chocolate mousse from that place they went to with Regina’s mom when she visited a month ago that made Janis blush when she had to choke back a moan. The chocolate mousse is ridiculously expensive and amazingly decadent and the restaurant isn’t very close so Janis’ is touched. Next to it is a sing rose. Janis double takes. It’s white and blue and black? which confuses Janis so she gets closer. She realizes it’s made of blown glass.

Janis is touched and wonders what poor kid Regina had to pay off or intimidate into making it.

It’s not until 11 pm when Regina is working at her desk and Janis is watching Netflix in bed when she remembers that Regina’s in a blown glass elective. The only light in the room is from Janis’ computer and Regina’s desk lamp. Janis stares at her.

Janis fakes having to pee and calls Damian. He rolls his eyes and tells Janis to calm down but as soon as he hangs up he squeals and freaks out to his roommate.

•••

It’s the beginning of October and Janis comes home from class, completely covered in paint and Regina’s trashed the room. She’s apparently getting ready for some party. It’s a Friday night and even after all these years when Janis opens the door and sees Regina in her skin-tight jeans and a low-cut crop top with a pink jacket she has to blink a bunch of times as her brain sort-of short-circuits.

As soon as Regina sees Janis just staring and standing in the door she rolls her eyes.

"I'll pick it all up as soon as I finish getting ready.”

Janis doesn’t necessarily believe her but she just shrugs and leaps onto her bed. She can wait to get settled in for the night until Regina leaves for her party.

She’s sprawled out on her bed when she realizes Regina’s been staring at her. She pops one eye open and looks up to see Regina with a glint in her eye. Reflexively she bolts up.

“I don’t know what you’re about to say, but the answer is already no!.”

“Janis…”

“No! No! NO!”

“Will you calm down?” Regina rolls her eyes and Janis stops (but only because she wants to).

“I just wanted to know if you wanted to come to this party tonight…”

Janis’ jaw drops. “Why would I want to come to one of your dumb parties?”

Regina looks taken aback. “Firstly, the parties I go to aren’t even the weird wild ones. Secondly, you sit in here every-fucking Friday, I think getting out would be good for you. Find somebody hot, drink a little, let your hair down.” Janis just rolls her eyes, but she’s also chewing on her bottom lip, which Regina knows means she’s thinking about it. “And lastly, I thought we were friends now?”

Janis starts and whips her head towards Regina. She looks her in the eye and see’s sincerity. It makes her feel kinda bad.

“I don’t really know what to wear.”

Regina’s grin is feral.

•••

Janis shows up to the party in pretty much what she always wears but Regina’s “refined it” as she said.

Instead of her big heavy jacket, she put Janis in one of her own lighter-weight and better-fitting black leather jackets. Janis is loathe to admit that she actually really likes it. Regina grins and tells her to keep it. Janis stares at her. (“You know I’ll probably just paint it and shit…” “If I wasn’t ok with that why would I have offered you keep it? I think your jackets are cool, they could just fit you better.”) Janis stares at her more.

When Janis goes to do her makeup, Regina slaps the eyeliner out of her hand and sits Janis down at Regina’s desk. She spins the chair around so Janis is facing her and giggles softly (“I’ve always wanted to do your makeup”) Janis stares at her.

When she spins Janis back around Janis is kinda pissed. Pissed because she doesn’t hate it. She’s wearing a lot less eyeliner than usual, but her eyeshadow is dark and blended really well and gives her that dramatic look without being as heavy. Regina grins and spins her back around, refusing to let Janis put on her regular lipstick and instead presents a purple-nude. Janis hates that she likes that too.

Regina insists on taking a picture of her (Janis flips off the camera) and sends it to the North Shore Squad group chat.

Cady calls them because she’s laughing so hard; tell’s Janis she finally got made over by the plastics. Janis hangs up on her and Regina cackles.

Gretchen sends a long paragraph gushing over how nice Janis’ bone-structure. She sends a picture of something for them to try next time and although Regina rolls her eyes Janis see’s the smile she’s trying to hide.

Karen sends about a million emojis that mostly encompass the hearts and a bunch of thumbs up but she’s thrown some fried shrimp and some dogs in there for reasons no one can try to guess.

Damian face-times them in the middle of a skin-care routine and gushes with Regina over how great Janis looks. Janis groans and stomps around in the background, but she pays very close attention to what they’re saying about her hair and the way the eyeshadow softens her “gorgeous” eyes.  

•••

Janis’ biggest fear is that when they get to the party Regina will just desert her, but she’s also resigned herself to that fact and decided she’s just gonna say fuck it. Maybe she’ll meet someone hot or someone interesting. Or both.

She’s shocked when the door to the house party opens and Regina grabs her hand and leads her through the crowd. Janis is pissed to say almost everyone at this party is hot. Some in the Regina-duh way and others in their own “I’m confident in the way I am but also have really pretty eyes” kinda way.

Regina drags her to the kitchen.

“You don’t like, have to drink or anything, and they don’t usually let like the gross pervs in, but don’t like…” she looks at Janis seriously, “don’t lose track of your drink. And if you do, get a fucking new one.”

Janis hasn’t been to a lot of big parties like this but she’s not a stranger to alcohol. She’s expecting Regina to give her something sweet and fruity and gross but when she asks for a drink and Regina hands her a solo cup, it’s an old-fashioned and Janis grins. Regina winks, grabs her hand again, and pulls her back into the other room.

They stand around and lots of people come up to Regina. Some of them Regina greets warmly and introduces to Janis. Others elicit a brush off. This one dude, Mark, comes up and Regina makes eye contact with Janis and rolls her eyes and sighs before greeting him. Regina isn’t as much of a bitch as she used to be, but she barely speaks to Mark, keeping her attention on Janis and he gets the hint.

“He was the nude model for one of our figure drawing lessons and he thinks he’s the fucking shit.” She sips her drink, “he’s really not.”

Janis snorts.

When their drinks are empty Regina grabs her hand, leads her back into the kitchen where she gets rid of their cups and offers Janis a shot. Janis grins and they down some vodka before the song changes and Regina kind-of-squeals. She grabs Janis by the hand and runs to the dance-floor.

Before Janis can finish thinking that this whole Regina-holding-her-hand thing is like a lot, Regina’s all up in her space dancing. Janis doesn’t really care what people think of her, hasn’t for years, but that doesn’t mean she’s completely comfortable in this situation. Regina ducks her head to make eye-contact with Janis and her eyes and her smile are warm when she leans in. Janis just stares. Regina’s mouth is incredibly close to Janis’ ear when she chuckles “Don’t worry, just don’t think about it.”

Janis is a weirdo. She knows that she owns it. But when she starts dancing in her own way she expects Regina to roll her eyes and tell her to stop or to try something different. But Regina just throws her head back laughing and dances with her. It’s kind-of intoxicating.

They’re like three songs in when a big buff dude comes up behind Regina and starts dancing against her. She stiffens, turns around, and sets him with a glare that could crumble someone much bigger and stronger than him. So he puts his hands up and backs off.

They go through about five more guys until it seems that everyone understands she’s not interested. But then out of the corner of Janis’ eye, she see’s a tall, thin, muscular brunette in a button up, shiny silver shoes and a leather jacket start making her way through the crowd. Janis tries to give her warning eyes, not wanting this girl to face the humiliation of Regina, but when she starts dancing with Regina the blonde stiffens as she has with all the guys, looks over her shoulder and then she grins. She swivels her head back to Janis and makes direct eye contact as she leans back into the girl. Janis just stares.

•••

Janis needs a break and she starts to head off the dance floor. Regina looks a little put-out but goes to follow her. Janis turns around and smiles honestly “No worries, I’m just gonna get some water and take a break, I’ll be right over there.” Regina grins at her and grabs her hand and leans in so Janis can hear her. “Call me if you need anything.”

Janis thinks that’s sweet and smiles but answers back, “I’m ok Regina, enjoy your night.”

•••

Janis ends up hitting it off with this girl named Felicity who’s an animation major and tall, lithe, and has short, strawberry-blonde hair. When Felicity leaves at 2 am she slips Janis her number.

Janis turns around and scopes out the crowd for Regina. She finds her in a very dark corner, being pushed into the wall by the girl she was dancing with before. The girl must be going at Regina’s neck with some fervor because Regina’s eyes are glassed over when she makes eye contact with Janis across the room. Janis gestures to her phone and then waves a goodnight.

Regina pulls away from the girl, Jessie, and pulls out her phone.

*Janis 2:13AM: Mica from my intro class is gonna walk home with me.*Janis 2:13AM: Stay safe and don’t walk home alone.*Janis 2:14AM: Also, if you bring her back to our place I will literally murder you. *Janis 2:14AM: *kissy face emoji*

Regina laughs really hard.

•••

They don’t talk about it, Janis figures that they’re past it all enough to not have to make a big deal out of Regina apparently being into girls, but the more she gets to now Jessie, the more it bugs her. She calls Damian to tell him and it takes him approximately twenty minutes to calm down.

“I STAN ONE QUEEN” he shouts into the phone before he hangs up. Janis is glad that Regina and Damian are friends but she feels a little betrayed. He calls her the next evening and apologizes and helps her work her lasting feelings about it all.

•••

Jessie and Regina are fuck-buddies and they don’t last for long. But once Jessie happens it’s like Regina’s settled into it and suddenly there’s a parade of people.

Regina’s usually really good about not bringing them back to their dorm but sometimes Janis comes home from the studio really late and finds a silk scarf on their door (Regina refuses to use socks) and she has to crash with one of her other friends. It doesn’t happen often enough for Janis to truly have any grounds to complain, but over time she gets home and see’s that goddamn red scarf on her door her blood boils.

One time, Regina forgets the scarf. Or maybe it’s that her and her newest conquest just got home, because Janis opens the door and Regina’s pushed up against the supports of her bed, pressed incredibly close to a girl that Janis recognizes from one of her classes - Frankie, Janis thinks - and Frankie’s hands are in Regina’s back pockets, and Regina’s moaning and her top is on the ground and she’s wearing a white floral bra and Janis stares, mouth open for a few seconds before she slams the door and bolts.

She comes home the next evening and Regina’s not there, but the room is clean and Janis’ usual order from their favorite Chinese place is on her bed, still warm.

•••

Regina might have a lot of girls but that isn’t to say Janis is living like an old maid. By the time their first year is over and it’s time for them to go home for summer break, Janis has been on plenty of dates, dated a girl named Quinn for most of second semester and even dated that dude from her intro class for about a month before she realized he was seeing a girl from his portraiture class at the same time.

When she tells Regina why they broke up, Regina stands up from her desk, looks Janis dead in the eye and Janis stares as Regina slowly transform into Junior-Year-Regina. Her jaw sets, her mouth purses, her eyes go hard, her posture becomes impossibly straighter and she sucks on her front teeth and puts her hands on her hips.

It makes Janis feel a lot of things.

Janis slides off her bed and panicked-ly waves in Regina’s face.

“Hey, hey, no-no-no. We’re not going back there ok!?”

Regina’s face softens at Janis’ panicked look and she takes a step forward and pats Janis on the cheek.

“I”ll be back in an hour, call Damian and clear some space on your bed.” Janis looks skeptical. “What kinda ice-cream do you want?” Janis stares and then grins.

Regina struts out of the room.

•••

She comes back a little over an hour later and she looks smug. She toes off her shoes and grabs the pint of ice cream out of the bag she’s carrying. She grabs two spoons and climbs into Janis’ bed. Janis shoots her a questioning look.

“Stop worrying and eat your ice cream.”

Janis decides to listen.

•••

She sees Mica the next day and he looks sheepish and small in a way he never has before. He apologizes honestly and profusely but Janis just smirks and walks away. Let him stew for a little, she thinks.

A week later she asks Regina what she did and Regina says all she did was tell the girl from the portraiture class what he did. Janis stares at her and Regina rolls her eyes. “I may have also got all up in his face and told him if he ever did it again that I’d castrate him.” Regina shrugs nonchalantly and Janis bursts into laughter. When she finally calms down, wiping her eyes she thinks that maybe she should talk to Regina about how that’s not a really cool thing to threaten someone, but then she thinks about how it might actually make Mica think about the consequences of his actions and she just smiles at a very smug Regina.

•••

They go home for summer break and, unlike winter break when Regina flew directly to Florida, they drive together. Regina drives most of the way and Janis puts her feet on the dashboard and although it looks like it physically pains her, Regina says nothing. Janis buys them lunch and then offers to drive the second half. Regina sits primly in the passenger seat until Janis flicks her and tells her to stop being a brat. Maybe to prove a point or maybe for a different reason, Regina stares at Janis as she puts both her feet on the dash and reclines her seat back.

Regina will never admit that Janis is the one who wins because she actually really enjoys relaxing. She likes to pretend it doesn’t exist, but the lasting pain from the bus really gets to her sometimes. So far she’s been able to hide it pretty well from Janis but she’s unsure how much longer that will last for.

•••

They hang out over break, of course, the North Shore Squad does a lot together, catching up and hanging out. But every night Regina looks around her big room and feels scared and sad and alone. Janis does too.

It’s the day after Fourth of July when all of Janis’ family had been in her house the night before and the house is so quiet and she cracks and she finds herself calling Regina.

“Janis? Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, it’s just…” she chuckles awkwardly, “it’s really quiet here.”

Regina’s brain gives her a million ways to make fun of that but she’s too soft now, she thinks because she just says; “Yeah, same… I miss you.”

Janis is silent and Regina balks. “I mean I miss having someone in the room, I got so used to it and it’s like… wow now I’m all alone and it’s just really foreign, like-“

Janis interrupts her. “I miss you too, Regina.”

They fall asleep with the line still connected, though they don’t say anything else, just content to know that someone is kind-of there.

•••

When it comes time to pick where they’re living the next year Janis decides there’s no way in hell she’s living in a dorm again. She thinks it’s going to be really weird not living with Regina until Regina texts her and straight-up asks if she wants to live with her again. Janis probably wouldn’t admit it but she appreciate’s Regina’s straight-forwardness. Apparently, Regina’s found a little two bedroom town-house really close to campus. Janis grins and agrees.

Their new house is gorgeous (at least in their eyes) and it’s really nice to have their own rooms, though they still spend plenty of time together. However, Regina’s escapades seem to have tripled. And having her own room means Regina brings more girls back to the house. They’re never really loud enough for Janis to hear them (what with the bathroom in-between their rooms) but when Janis comes home and see’s a foreign pair of shoes on the mat, she usually spends the night with one of her friends, a feeling deep in the pit of her stomach.

Janis has made friends with the people from that first party and when they throw another one in November, Janis and Regina get ready for another one very similar to the first time, but it’s colder now and fall so Janis insists upon wearing flannel. Regina concedes that but has to wrestle a beanie from Janis’ hands.

Regina ends up leaving at like 11 pm with some leggy brunette in a backward baseball cap and Janis is fuming. A fucking baseball cap? Janis finds the nearest eligible person (tries to not process that the girl is blonde and athletic and wearing pink shoes), pushes the girl against the wall and kisses the snot out of her. Ten minutes later, Janis leaves with her. She just walks the girl home and then she fumes some more.  

The fuming lasts for two days until she comes back from class early and notices Regina’s home. She’s supposed to be in class so Janis walks towards her room, sees the door open and then enters to see Regina lying in bed, crying.

“Regina! What’s wrong?”

Regina seems to short-circuit. She’s silent for a little too long. “Nothing, nothing I’m fine.” She goes to sit up, and Janis thinks her face might crack with the severity with which it is scrunched up in pain. She manages to swing her legs over the edge of the bed, and sit up before she can’t make it any farther.

Janis just stares at her.

Regina deflates. “I couldn’t get out of bed this morning. I tried and my legs buckled and it took me an hour to get myself back up into bed.”

Janis’ eyes are huge and she looks confused. Then her face softens.

“It’s from the bus, isn’t it?”

Regina starts crying again. “It just happens sometimes, the residual effects of it and all that, sometimes my body just can’t keep going.”

Janis steps in-between Regina’s legs and hugs her. She pulls Regina farther off the bed a little so that she can properly hug her and tries not to think about it. She holds her really tight but tries not to put too much pressure into it at the same time. After a few seconds, Regina hugs her back and Janis holds her as Regina cries and cries. After a few minutes Regina seems to not be able to hold herself sitting anymore and Janis helps her lie back down, runs to her room and digs under her bed to get the heating pad she keeps there and plugs it in. She tucks it under Regina’s back and grabs a towel and wets it in the bathroom, coming back and wiping Regina’s face down, tear-stained and blotchy.

She stares at Regina, with her eyes closed laying there in obviously a lot of pain and something inside Janis breaks. She climbs into bed with Regina and Regina curls into her and Janis holds her as she cries herself to sleep.

As soon as she thinks Regina is out enough, Janis slips out of her grasp, slips out into the hall and calls Damian.

•••

Once she admits to Damian that she has feelings for Regina, everything gets harder. Once Regina recovers from her bout of pain she’s back on top of her game and Janis can’t stand watching her flirt with, hold hands with or make out with this slew of girls. More and more come back to the house.

Regina and her still hang-out a lot. They do their homework together. They sit in Janis’ bed and watch TV when they don’t feel like going out. Regina comes to Janis’ art presentations and Janis looks over Regina’s compositions.

Two weeks before winter break Regina comes home and tells Janis that she’s absolutely in love with her sculpture class and she thinks she’s either going to get a dual-degree in that and fashion, or she’s going to completely change her major. Once they get back, and over the course of the first two months, Janis see’s Regina’s life change as she delves into her passion. She has much more enthusiasm for her school work and besides that, all the working with her hands is giving Regina’s already toned arms (that girl is up at 6 three days a week and in the gym) even more tone.

The fourth time Janis finds herself staring at them she realizes something’s gotta give soon.

•••

That day comes sooner than Janis thinks it’s going to. They’re at a party and Janis and Regina are on the dance-floor. Janis is just the far side of buzzed but Regina hasn’t really been drinking. With every party, Janis gets more and more comfortable with the scene and the bass is pounding at this party. Regina grabs Janis’ hands, nothing out of the ordinary, but then suddenly Regina’s spinning around and placing Janis’ hands on her hips. She backs up into Janis and flips her hair all to one side, smirking back at Janis. Janis just stares at her but then she smirks too and pulls Regina closer.

A song and a half later and Janis realizes what’s happening and kind-of bolts. She uses the excuse that she needs to use the bathroom and splashes cold water on her face. It sobers her and makes her realize she’s ready to go for what she wants. She heads back to the dance-floor with vigor but when she enters the room and makes eye-contact with Regina, Janis has been replaced by some girl with auburn hair and a jean jacket. Janis just stares.

Regina is looking right in her eye but she’s dancing with the girl with the auburn hair. Janis can’t stand the sight of it, so she bolts.

It’s mid-March and it’s still cold and Janis forgot her coat but she can’t even care. She doesn’t even feel the cold. She’s probably five steps from the front door when it slams behind her and she hears someone running up behind her.

“Janis!” It’s Regina so Janis steels herself and turns around.

Regina is holding Janis’ jacket. She hands it to Janis. Regina herself didn’t bring a coat, she often doesn’t. Regina’s eyes are open and she’s shivering in the cold. Janis hates her soft gay heart. She sighs and steps forward and slings her jacket over Regina’s shoulders. Regina sort-of buries into it and smiles up at Janis. Janis stares at her and then realizes how close they are. She goes to take a step backward but Regina grabs her by the elbows and pulls her even closer. Regina isn’t smiling anymore, she looks a bit exasperated.

“Janis, what do you want?”

Janis just stares at her.

“Because people aren’t mind-readers. And I might be awesome and better than most people, but I did not gain that particular power.” Regina looks so earnest. “So you have to tell me what you want.”

Janis stares into Regina’s blue eyes, shining in the darkness and she shakes her head at herself.

She grabs Regina, sliding her left hand to Regina’s jaw and the right to the spot where Regina’s neck and head meet and pulls her towards her. She pulls Regina off-balance and Regina steadies herself by putting her hands on Janis’ hip bones. They’re inches apart and Janis growls out; “I want you”. She waits just long enough to see Regina start to smile before she presses their lips together.

As soon as their lips touch, Regina pulls her in until they’re pressed flush against each other. Janis tries not to be overwhelmed, but Regina from a distance was intoxicating, and now… Janis isn’t sure if she’ll ever come down from this particular high.

The kiss deepens and Regina moans and Janis pulls her even closer and then Regina growls and digs her fingers into Janis’ back and Janis grabs at her own jacket around Regina’s shoulders and backs the blonde into the telephone pole a few feet away and presses into her.

Regina pulls back after a moment and looks Janis in the eyes.

“I was wondering how long it was going to take for that to work.” She’s smirking and she’s got all the attitude she retained that Janis secretly loves but all the softness she’s gained that makes Janis melt. But her words shock Janis. Janis stares at her.

“I’ve been wanting you to do that for months.”

“But you just said… you have to go for what you want.”

“Janis, a little more than two years ago I was the girl who ruined your entire life. I could see in your eyes what you wanted, but you needed to realize it for yourself and then make the choice to trust me.” Regina seems… nervous. “And I realize that this could have been a heat-of-the-moment decision and while it will kill me to give you up now I’ve had a taste of what could be,” here she grins and pulls Janis closer to her, but then she stops and pulls back, “I need you to be sure that this is really what you want, because I know it might seem like my ‘schtick’ but I’m not planning on being casual with you Ja-“

Janis shuts her up by dragging her back into a kiss. She pulls Regina to her and slides her hands down to her ass and presses Regina against her. Regina wraps her arms around Janis’ neck; Janis’ jacket slips off of Regina’s shoulders but neither of them notices. Regina threads her fingers through Janis’ hair and slips her leg in-between Janis’.

She pulls back just enough to whisper her demand into Janis’ ear. “Take me home, Janis. Take me home now.”