The Fallen Ch. 01

Danni is still asleep so I extricate myself quickly but gently. She begins to rouse, but I'm no longer wrapped around her. She wakes, her eyelids fluttering open. I sit up, yawn, and stretch before looking over to her. Danni's ice blue eyes are watching me with an inscrutable look.

"What?" I ask innocently.

She turns on her side, puts her hands under her head, and continues gazing up at me as she smiles.

"What?" I repeat with a light chuckle as a slow smile spreads over my face.

"Nothing," Danni replies, her indecipherable look intact.

"Then up and at 'em!" I declare before climbing out of bed.

I stretch again luxuriously before telling Danni, "I'm gonna take a shower. There's cereal, pop tarts, or oatmeal in the cupboards if you want."

"Thanks," she nods.

She just lays in my bed with that smile painted on her lips. Her eyes follow me as I move to my closet and open it. I grab a towel and my bathrobe, then head toward the bathroom.

"Gonna lay in bed all day sleepyhead?" I tease playfully.

"As nice as that would be...no. I'll get up in a minute. I'm just...enjoying this."

"Okay," I say before disappearing into my bathroom.

There's no rush so I shower slowly, taking the time to shave my legs and armpits. I grab my small scissors from the shower caddy and trim down my "lady hair". Some women like to fully shave it, but I don't. Too many issues with razor burn. I do keep it neat and pretty, though.

I finish my morning hygiene and walk back into the kitchen ensconced in my bathrobe. One of the sticky notes from my fridge is stuck to a cupboard door with Danni's handwriting scrawled over it.

"Thanks for the pop tart. Going to shower. Let's walk to class together."

"Cool," I say to myself.

* * * * * *

The morning segment of the school day passes quickly. Danni and I have lunch with Chris, Thomas, and Chiaki again. I've never been a real foodie, but lunch is quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of the day. I get the sense that the trio were the three musketeers before Danni and I arrived on the scene. It really is wonderful how they've welcomed us so freely into the shelter of their little social clique.

It's hard to believe, but I actually feel like I've got friends now. Friendship. What a novel concept for me.

We're all laughing and chatting when I notice from several tables off Trina's eyes are shooting daggers our way. Chiaki is the first to notice my distracted look, and she glances over to see what has my attention. She gives the angry-looking Trina a languid smile and rubs one side of her nose with an extended middle finger.

Trina huffs imperiously and looks away.

Thomas notices the interaction and asks, "Chiaki, do you have to antagonize her?"

She giggles and looks over to say, "Well, no. I don'thaveto, but it's fun."

"I'm sure Trina is still pissed about yesterday," Chris says with a crooked grin.

"So, Chiaki," I pipe up, "why was that boy-toy of hers afraid of you?"

Chiaki shrugs and replies, "Dunno."

My brother laughs a bit and informs me, "Chiaki is just being modest."

"Oh?" Danni asks, her curiosity obvious.

Chris leans in toward the pretty blond, and with a low, conspiratorial tone he tells her, "Chiaki's a real bad ass."

Chiaki makes a dismissive noise. "Pffff...rumors and lies."

Thomas grins and says, "Lucky for you rumors is all it is. Otherwise you'd have been expelled by now."

"I admit nothing," Chiaki says and gives a villainous, B-movie laugh. "Mwa-ha-hah!"

Thomas, with an impish grin, says, "Which is probably for the best considering that one time you..."

"Don't you dare!" Chiaki grins back with a playful expression.

"...put on that..."

"Oh, that's it!" Chiaki says before she launches from her chair toward Thomas.

He's one step ahead of her, though, and she just misses grabbing him. They're both giggling maniacally like fools as Thomas leads Chiaki on a merry chase around our lunch table.

Danni and I look to each other with laughs of amusement.

It's good to see this side of Thomas, to see that he isn't always the straight-laced Mr. Serious.

* * * * * *

I find myself in Danni's room tonight as we do our homework. I'm surprised when I find out Danni has a little 32" TV and a laptop sitting on her breakfast bar. I hadn't noticed them...on that terrible, wonderful night. I'm glad I only busted her coffee maker and not an expensive piece of electronics.

I push those memories back, not wanting them to start replaying.

Our homework is soon finished. Danni asks if I'm hungry, I tell her I am, and this time she cooks us dinner. It's one of those meals that always seems to leave food stuck in your teeth no matter how carefully you chew.

With a "be right back" I go briefly to my room to brush and floss. It's late enough, so I decide to change into pajamas before returning to hang out. Once back in her room I see Danni has changed into jammies, too.

"Wanna watch a movie with me?" Danni asks hopefully.

"Sure," I nod. "What are we gonna watch?"

"I dunno. Why don't you pick?" she shrugs.

"Alright."

Danni turns on the TV and fires up her cute little pink laptop. There's some kind of cable connecting the two devices that ports the laptop's image over to the TV. I know, I know...as much of a sci-fi nerd as I am I should know the name of that cable. To poach a phrase from the Brits, I can't be arsed to remember.

Using the school's Wi-Fi, Danni opens up a web page to one of those streaming services, and we browse until I see something that could be interesting.

"That might be good," I point.

There's no couch in the room so Danni and I get comfortable on her bed, using pillows to prop us up against the wall. The movie starts with a lot of action. I'm normally not too into action movies, but this one is pretty good. One of the main characters is a powerful military jet controlled by an advanced artificial intelligence. Me gusta the sci-fi.

"I really enjoyed having lunch again with everyone...with you," Danni pipes up during a lull in the show's dialogue.

Normally it irritates the shit out of me when people talk during a movie, especially if I haven't seen it yet, but for some reason I'm fine with it when Danni does it. In fact, I find I'dratherhear her voice.

"Yeah, those three are really cool to hang with," I agree. "It makes me happy my brother's such a good guy. Thomas and Chiaki are great, too."

"Yeah," Danni nods with a smile, our short conversation ending as we go back to watching the movie.

A little while later I feel Danni's hand slip into mine, her fingers lacing together with mine. The touch startles me a bit and causes me to twitch lightly in surprise. I look over and see her gazing at me with that same, inscrutable look she this morning. I give Danni's hand a little squeeze to let her know I'm okay with the gesture. We both go back to watching the movie again.

Why is my heart beating faster?

"Thank you for reminding me how wonderful life can be," Danni speaks softly. "I'd forgotten and...well...thank you."

I turn to Danni again. She's staring straight ahead at the TV, but I can tell she's not really watching the movie as she puts her feelings into words. It's like she's staring at the TV because she wants to say everything on her mind before seeing my reaction.

"Something happened that night, Erykah. Not just when you..."

Danni trails off, struggling with her thoughts, but I can tell she's talking about the night I brought her back from the dead.

"You left something inside me, like a part of yourself, like there's this warm light that's always with me now. I can still feel it...feel you inside. I think...I think you'll always behere."

Danni touches a hand over her heart.

My eyes widen at the revelation as my heartbeat quickens again.

"When you're away my heartachesfor you," Danni reveals her deepest emotions in a whisper. "Do you...could you...ever...love me?"

She finally turns her ice blue eyes toward me, their depths holding a hopeful and optimistic gaze. This must have been so very hard for Danni. She's bared her soul and confessed what lies within even though I might reject her feelings.

Deep down I know there's been a strong connection between us since that night. I had believed she was only a very good friend, but her words make me wonder. I've never really thought aboutbeingwith another woman, but I don't find the thought repulsive now that Danni's eyes are telling me she wants more than my friendship.

Danni thanked me before for saving her life, but I don't think she knows, in a sense, she saved my life as well. After that night I changed for the better, becoming stronger and blossoming into someone who isn't afraid of the world anymore. At the very least I owe it to her to honestly examine the question.

Do I love Danni?

The logical part of my mind says 'no you just barely met her', but what has that piece of me ever granted but loneliness and isolation? I realize walling myself off like that didn't make me strong and independent...it only made me sad and alone in the end. I've always felt so different from those around me that I feared opening up...feared loving anyone.

Until Danni...

For the first time in my life I decide to listen to the little voice in my heart, that little whispering voice I've ignored for far too long. What is it saying?

Like a sonic boom bursting into a silent blue sky the answer strikes me and rattles my world. I suddenly understand, if not thehowthen thewhy.

Whydid I go into Danni's room that night?

I've asked myself that question a dozen times since then. My natural instincts should have been to walk away and preserve my quiet, lonely little world.

It wasn't some strange, unknowable force that pulled me in that night...it was Danni herself!

My thrumming heart tells me a truth so essential, so basic, so fundamental that I'm stunned at it's simple beauty. True love is the energy, thepowercreated when two souls long to be together for eternity. When two souls have such a deep and abiding connection there is nothing that can keep them apart.

Not life.

Not death.

Not even time itself.

I've known Danni longer than a mere two days. I've known her for a long, long span of years because...

Because Danni is my soul mate!

Maybe I really am crazy, but if so I don't care anymore. I know with absolute certainty this isn't the first time we've met. Danni and I have known one another for many millennium.

Don't ask me how I know...I just do. I know this as surely as I know I must keep drawing breath to survive.

I turn from the reverie of my thoughts to focus on Danni again, and I can tell she's already reached the conclusion I only just discovered. As she stares so intensely into my eyes, Danni's breath quickens when she's sees the stunning epiphany written within me.

I inhale a shuddering breath as my heart is overwhelmed.

Of course I love her.

Our love for one another isn't a simple syllable to be uttered on a casual whim. It's a force of nature. Just as a comet circles the Sun I must gravitate toward her.

Any words I can think of are so incredibly inadequate. I have toshowher what is written in my heart of hearts. I feel as though I've been starving to death for a thousand years, and I've finally been offered sustenance. It's an undeniable need I couldn't stop even if I wanted.

I turn and climb atop Danni, straddling her hips as I reach out to place my palms gently against her cheeks. Leaning down I pause with our faces mere inches apart. I inhale the sweet scent of our shared longing. My heart pounds in my chest as if it wants to burst free and claim Danni for it's own.

Danni's hands reach up, her fingertips brushing gently against my cheeks. Her soft touch sends electric shivers tingling across my skin as we stare into each others' eyes. I see her soul and she sees mine.

What happens next is amazing and beautiful and meant to be.

I lean down and close my eyes as our lips meet in a gentle kiss. Her soft mouth works slowly against mine, giving rise to a passion in my breast I didn't know could exist. My body feels flushed with a pleasant heat, and I can feel myself becoming so very excited down below.

I've never been this turned on before in my entire life.

I want her so badly. I want her to know how badly I want her. I want her to know the empty place in my heart has been filled with her.

We shift a little in Danni's bed, and now I'm lying against her. The feeling of our full lengths pressing together has my senses lit afire as our kisses continue, their intensity building. Danni's tongue pokes into my mouth with a quick, probing little flicker.

I always thought french kissing was gross, but I quickly decide it isn't the same when it's happening to me. I give Danni my tongue in return, and soon we're both humming and moaning with hungry little animal noises of desire.

I don't think Danni has ever been with a woman before, and IknowI never have...heck, I've never been like this withanyonebefore. Kissing this way with her is mind-blowing, but I don't think either of us knows quite what to do next. This is new and unexplored territory for us both.

I decide to try and take the lead, even though I'm a bit clueless. I try to think about what I'd want Danni to do for me...to dotome.

With a brief twinge of regret I break our kiss and push myself back up, once more straddling Danni's hips. I unbutton my pajama top with a teasing slowness, my face pasted with what I swear is the biggest grin I've ever had.

Danni's eyes hold an utter adoration as she reaches out toward me. Her fingers swirl softly over my exposed belly and travel upward, in time with the slow reveal of my chest.

Her touch feels amazing as her hands move and pass over my petite breasts. I shiver with delight when her fingers give my hard little nipples a single, light pinch. I had no idea I could be so sensitive there.

As Danni's hands explore my skin I reach down and begin to undo her top as well, each tiny little snap of the buttons increasing my anticipation. Then her big and glorious globes are exposed for my eyes to enjoy. Like my own, her nipples stand at attention as if begging for my touch.

As much as I'd like to reach out and start toying with Danni's beautiful breasts, I start by slowly tracing my fingertips gently up her sides. I smile when I see Danni get goosebumps from it. She giggles lightly as my softly moving fingers near her armpits, her own arms reflexively pulling inward.

I give a mischievous grin and say, "Oh, is someone ticklish?"

My fingers do a quick shuffle over this sensitive area on her body, drawing a stronger giggle from Danni.

"Maybe...a little," she admits.

I love her cute giggle, but I'm not going to ruin the moment by turning this into a tickle-fest. My hands move upward, and I run my fingers through her short and pretty blonde hair. I lean down to plant a soft kiss against her lips, then her cheek, then her chin. My kisses dwell on her neck for a bit, drawing soft sighs of excitement from Danni.

With my kisses I move downward eagerly as I begin exploring my lover's chest. I cup both of Danni's breasts, her flesh feeling so big and soft and pliable in my hands. One hand's fingers pinch and tease at her nipple and trace light circles around her sensitive areola as my mouth and tongue begin doing the same with her other boob.

My own excitement is rising, and I'm enjoying this discovery as I find all of the most sensitive spots in Danni's erogenous zones. She gasps in delight as my lips begin sucking, and her fingers clutch my hair reflexively. I can tell I'm driving Danni absolutely wild with my foreplay.

Who'd have guessed I'd be a natural at this stuff?

I keep going until I'm certain Danni is overflowing with desire. I don't let up until I'm sure all her inhibitions have evaporated. I want to make sure she's ready - mind, heart, and body - before I escalate things.

I know that moment has come when Danni is practically writhing at my touch and she utters a low, earthy moan.

"Oh, Erykah..."

I look up into Danni's gorgeous, ice blue eyes and give her a look like a lion stalking it's prey. My lips brush against her belly and leave a trail of kisses as I move myself farther down the bed. Danni opens her legs to make room as I do.

I slip the fingers of both hands under the waistband of her silky panties and ask, "Do you want me?"

Danni lifts her hips from the bed and mutters softly, "Yes oh god yes!"

I slide off her pajama bottoms and panties, tossing them to the ground, and marvel at how she's just as beautiful down here as she is up there. Danni spreads her legs for me with a desirous and impatient look on her angelic face.

I bask in the glory of her most private of places and feel giddy and light-headed at the excitement of her showing it to me. As I lie down and get comfortable I can see Danni is glistening with a sexy sheen. I inhale the enticing aroma of her passion, my hot breath brushing over it. I learn blond is her natural color as I gaze at the cute tufts of neatly trimmed hair around her aroused sex.

I resist simply diving in, and instead I indulge in more teasing foreplay. I kiss and lick along her inner thighs, moving closer and closer to where she really wants me. I kiss and suck briefly at the mound of flesh above her opening.

Danni gives a low moan as she grabs my hair.

"Erykah," she breaths in a needy whisper.

It's obvious she can barely take it anymore, so I finally give her what her body is craving.

My lips press against her inner lips in a quick kiss before I begin running my tongue up and down her slit with slow, sweeping strokes.

Danni's moans intensify and become interspersed with light, quick giggles.

I was worried I would find the taste of Danni's pussy to be gross or a turn-off for me, but it's the exact opposite. It's like nothing I've had before, and I quickly decide Ilovethis taste. I want more of it.

I have to experiment a little as my lips and tongue lick and suck, but I soon find what drives Danni crazy the most is when I suck directly on her clit. With my lips pressed down firmly against her flesh, I suck it in and out between my lips with strong pressure as my tongue flickers against her stiff nub.

Danni's hips are grinding against my face, and she's panting with low, quiet moans. I decide to up the ante. My middle finger slips easily into her warm, steamy tunnel, and the fingers of my other hand begin massaging the fleshy mound above her pussy. While still sucking against her clit, I start pumping in and out with the finger inside her, using light, upward pressure against her trembling walls.

"Oooooh god!" Danni moans as she props herself up on her elbows to watch me.

Her whole lower body is practically shaking, and I can feel her insides clamp down tightly against my finger. I keep sucking and pushing that finger in and out with a "come hither" motion.

"Ahhhhh!" Danni groans out softly as she throws her head back and cums.

I don't let up as I continue to suck her clit and tickle inside her.

"Oh god oh god oh god," she mutters, slowly inching backward with each exhalation as if her body can't handle the overload of pleasure I'm giving it.

The wall behind us soon prevents Danni's slow retreat, and my orgasmic torture continues.

"Oh god Erykah oh fuck fuuuuck mmmmmmMMMMM!"

She starts to giggle uncontrollably like a maniac, her non-stop orgasm melting her down into a quivering puddle.

* * * * * *

A while later Danni and I cuddle together, her arms around me and my head against her chest. I knew after that earth-shattering orgasm I'd given her she'd need some time to recover.