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Violet does most of her sewing in the closet of the dinky little houseboat. It’s the only place on the river that’s cool enough to sit for long periods of time, hidden from the midsummer sun and decked out with a miniature fan thanks to Katya’s busy hands. She’s cushioned the bottom with leftover blankets from winter, the sides piled up with cushions so she can lean in her little closed space and mend whatever’s been torn this week.
Today’s agenda is Alaska’s denim jacket, which has been patched up three times according to the large mismatched squares of tartan and fleece. They work with what they have, and Alaska likes her clothes too much to venture out for many new ones. It’s not worth it at this point, not with the boat being so cosy.
It’s close to sunset, clear by the stirring in the insects at the shoreside. Violet’s been alone out in the middle of the water for most of the day; Katya’s working on getting the beaten up Ford Fiesta to start up, Alaska and Courtney are on an overnight run for supplies. The medicine’s running low, to the point where one cough has everyone prickly.
She elbows the door open once she’s secured her sewing needle back in its pin cushion, huffing as her limbs protest her standing. Staying cooped up in a closet isn’t an everyday thing, not with how her knees have been giving her hell.
The air is hot and still, too close to wear anything more than her loose sundress, her hair in a bun to keep it out of her face and off her skin. She sets her sewing kit back in the cabinet under the sink, traipsing up to the deck to spy for a moment.
Katya’s still at the bank of the river, half inside the back of the Ford. There’s a large wet patch on her left cheek, her denim shorts a deeper blue than they were in the morning. The backs of her thighs are almost definitely burned. More time to spend rubbing out of date after sun lotion into her skin.
“Babe!” Violet calls once she’s plonked herself into the lounge chair on the deck, laughing when Katya hits her head on the rim of the doorway. “Babe, come back before it’s dark. You’re gonna catch something.”
“I’m fine! I’m just finishing the seats, I’ll be five minutes!” Katya shouts, grinning wide when Violet waves her off. Like Violet would ever stop her from her passion projects. Last month’s refurbished dresser is a sweet little addition to their home.
It’s hard not to feel domestic, all things considered. End of the world, and here Violet is; sitting out at sundown, watching her girlfriend brush down the inside of a car. They’ll eat tonight, there’s a can of peaches that’s been waiting for an evening like this. Katya’s got that land she’s been working on just a few miles down the river. A couple of good months and she’ll be growing vegetables like nobody’s business.
“Think the girls’ll be safe by now?” she asks, even though neither of them can ever say for sure. They both know what’s happened before. The thoughts alone are enough to give Vi nightmares for weeks.
“Uh huh. Cosy in a big warm hospital bed,” Katya says from inside the car, shimmying so her legs poke out, giving Violet a visual on her. She’s tanned evenly at least. “Surrounded by band aids and witch hazel. They’ll be fine.”
She heaves herself out of the car with that, slinging a rucksack over her pink shoulder and nudging the door shut. Treasures, Violet thinks. That’s not a rucksack she’s seen before. “You done giving that car hell?”
The river is calm enough to wade through, the bed only a few feet deep for the most part, enough to walk most of the way. Katya takes a chance at tossing her new find to the boat, whooping when it lands just shy of Violet’s lounger.
“That car, Violet, is our key to greener pastures. If I can just get her running, we’ll be sweet,” Katya calls as she takes a few steps into the water, testing the slip of the rocks against her beaten up boots. She looks safe enough, if a little Bambi-esque.
“You didn’t fix the engine yet?” Violet asks, watching as Katya drags herself to the boat against the slow pull of the river. A leaf sticks to her waist, untouched until it’s lapped away by water.
Katya heaves herself up on board, her tank top clinging to her, her shorts sodden. The muscle definition she’s been working on is visible through the wet clutch. Violet pulls her close by her waist when she has her bearings, lifting the heavy fabric to kiss the slight dip of her waist. “Not yet. Need to find parts, I’ll have a look the next time I’m on a run. No rush.”
Her lack of urgency is a relief to Violet’s nerves. When Katya’s got something on her mind, it’s usually something that gets done in less than a week, come hell or high water. “We have this for now. And Alaska swears it’s getting safer in the city.”
“Uh huh. A car is a bonus, not a necessity. Put this baby on wheels, we’ll be just as powerful,” Katya teases, letting Violet guide her to sit at the edge of the lounger. She’s cool from the water. Even in the low light, Violet can see the burn at her nose, hiding behind her freckles. She tuts.
“You’re gonna peel. You shouldn’t be in the sun for so long, you’re gonna hurt yourself,” she scolds, combing her fingers through Katya’s hair, twirling a few strands around her fingertips. “My handywoman. What’s in the bag?”
Katya oohs at her prompt, lifting it by the little handle and tugging the zippers apart, revealing a pile of silver and gold trinkets atop neatly folded clothes. It’s been months since Violet’s found anything new worth keeping, the smooth baby pink of a barely there slip making her heart thrum. Katya’s found a little pirate ship disguised as an ugly green car.
“Oh, babe,” Violet whispers, purring as Katya pulls her into a smooth kiss, her wet palm against the side of her neck, cradling where a bruise has been blooming. “You didn’t have to. We should be-”
“Shh, enough of that. My girl deserves new things,” Katya shakes her head, smiling when Violet’s eyes stray back to the collection of jewellery. “They’re not much, but they’re new. Go look, magpie.”
It’s a real little haul, something to be proud of. Violet feels half crazy holding onto things like this, as if things will ever be next to normal enough for her to put on a pair of heels and a close fitting dress. But she’s chanced it a few times in the quiet of the late evening, with Katya sprawled across the bed in one of her own treasured garments.
Violet’s especially glad of Katya’s wardrobe. It was a relief, after three months of stashing her custom dresses full of jewels, to find Katya’s second bag half full of the best of her collection. They’re both a little selfish, at least. She would have cried if she never saw Katya in her flouncy red dress again. Not to mention all the hand sequined delights she’s made over the years.
“You’re keeping some of these for yourself,” Violet pushes, lifting a particularly sparkly necklace and holding it against Katya’s throat. “You need more stuff! I can’t be the only magpie!”
“You only want me to say they’re mine so you can borrow them,” Katya hums, snorting when Violet doesn’t deny it. It’s Katya’s cushions that are piled up in the closet, her blankets. Katya’s things are a safe haven. Comforting. “I found something extra special. Close your eyes, gimme your hands.”
Violet lowers the necklace to rest in her lap, doing as she’s asked and waiting patiently. There’s a few more zipper noises, regretfully not from Katya’s shorts. Unless she’s started wearing bangles on her dick.
“Babe,” Violet says after a lot of rummaging, just one more moment away from cracking an eye open. The wet denim moves from against her knee, the boat rocking with Katya’s movements. “Is this something I should be worried about?”
“Why would you be worried, angel?” Katya’s voice is smooth, if a little further away, lower down. Violet pinches her brows, huffing a laugh when cool fingertips smooth over them. “Don’t be worried. I’m here. Open your eyes.”
Katya’s beside the lounger on one knee, and Violet’s heart warms. Her cheeks are pink, she’s placing a ring in the centre of Violet’s palm. “Katya,” she whispers, it looks just like the one she prized back at home. “Babe, this is so sweet…”
“I found it a few weeks ago on a run. I wanted to wait until we were alone, you know?” Katya says softly, pressing a kiss to Violet’s free hand. “It’s not the same, I know. But it looks close enough, and it means the same.”
“God, you’re too much,” Violet laughs softly, squeezing Katya’s hand and giving the ring back. The ruby set in the centre twinkles. She pushes away the thought of who it might’ve belonged to. “Go ahead, mama. Do the honours.”
“You sure you’re not against being my wife yet?” Katya teases, sliding the little silver band onto Violet’s ring finger slowly. “You can always say no. God won’t mind.”
“You sure you wanna be mine?” Violet pushes back, laughing when Katya shoots her a very serious look. “God won’t mind!”
Katya sits her damp ass back down on the lounger, the scrape of denim against Violet’s thigh making her shudder. “Don’t you dare. God would smite me,” she warns, grinning when Violet giggles, pressing close. “Not wanting to be your wife. I have a brain, and a heart. Are you tapped?”
They share a kiss, lazy and messy, Katya’s hands resting just under Violet’s breasts. She thumbs over her nipples when Violet moans quietly, pinching and rolling them between her fingertips. It makes her miss her piercings, just for a moment. She remembers Katya’s habit of tugging just enough to make her shake.
“Can we go to the bedroom?” Violet asks softly, there’s fresh batteries in the lamps and she wants to see all of Katya, if only to chastise her sunburned skin. She moves a hand over Katya’s ass, squeezing and kneading until she rolls her hips. “Come on, I don’t wanna fuck out here. Not enough room.”
Katya hums, dragging her lips over Violet’s jaw and straddling one of her thighs. “What gives you the idea we’re fucking tonight?” she teases, her eyes full of mischief. Violet’s left hand rests over her zipper, stroking where she’s visibly hard. “Maybe I’m thinking about fixing up that Ford.”
“Yeah?” Violet purrs, lying back and sighing contentedly as Katya rolls her hips against her hand. “Got a thing for motors now? We can fuck in your sexy new whip when it’s all fixed up.”
The sky is a brazen orange, broken up by thick grey clouds. It hasn’t rained in weeks, the idea of it a tentative thrill. Katya hums quietly, looking over her wordlessly.
“What are you thinking?”
“I love you,” Katya murmurs, shifting again to catch Violet’s lips in a kiss, more tender this time, patient. All the time in the world to be in love. It’s just them and the water. “I love you so much. You’re so wonderful, you know?”
She moves back before Violet can return the adoration, starry eyed and holding her left hand, thumb running over her ring. It fits well, she’s sure Katya’s done something to make sure of that. She’s crafty.
The air’s cooling by now, if only a little. Katya tugs Violet a little, grinning when she doesn’t move a muscle. “Come on, with those bedroom eyes. First night alone in over a month, we gotta make the most of it,” she purrs, grabbing the still half open backpack as an afterthought when Violet swings her legs off the lounger. “Been so long since we last had a night off. Might have to walk me through the steps.”
Violet shoves at her, giggling when Katya gasps like she’s been scorned. “It still works, I heard you in the bathroom last night you horny fuck,” she laughs, wrapping her arms around Katya’s waist and walking alongside her back into the little houseboat. It’s awkward, but she likes it. “Can I look at your sunburn first?”
“What, so you can tell me off?” Katya hums, sitting at the dinette and pulling Violet into her lap. “It’s not too bad. I did my best to stay out of the sun.”
The light clicks on, buzzing as it powers itself up. It’s a new one, Katya found it in an old supply store off the beaten track (which Violet had given her hell for, because it was a stupid idea). Her nose isn’t too bad when she really looks, just in need of a little aloe. Worth it to get a good look at the constellation of little light brown flecks across her bridge and her cheeks.
“Uh huh. Thank you. Can I see your thighs?” Violet asks, kissing Katya quickly when she purses her lips. They could both do with a dip into the balm stash. She hops up on the table, almost knocking a half empty bottle of water as she shimmies to get comfy. “Jesus.”
“Careful,” Katya says softly, more worry in her tone than teasing. She kneels up, bending herself over the back of the cushioned seat so Violet can peer down at her pinked thighs. One, two fingertips press over her flesh, white for just a moment when she pulls away, not long enough to be a concern. “Got a good view?”
Katya wiggles her hips, peeking back to grin at Violet when she laughs. “Almost as good as the view I give you, mama,” she teases, pushing Katya’s ill fitting tank top up past the high waist of her shorts, brushing her fingers over the damp lace of her bralette. “Can we please go to the bedroom now?”
Her voice is more desperate than she wanted, by the look on Katya’s face she can tell why. “You trying to skip the magic, honey?” she purrs, swivelling on her knees to plant her hands either side of Violet’s hips. Her hiking boots scrape against the seating, there’s going to be dirt to clean off before Alaska and Courtney get back. Katya rests a hand against Violet’s inner thigh, the side of her palm against her pussy. “Hey there, hot stuff.”
“If you don’t take me to the bedroom right now-”
Two fingers slip beneath the thin fabric of Violet’s sundress, stroking over the cotton of her panties idly, muscle memory. Her hips twitch. “Remember my last birthday?” Katya murmurs, resting her cheek against Violet’s bare knee, dreamy and calm. “Made a nice big mess over this counter. Tried a hand at breaking it, huh.”
Violet leans back, props herself up on the sides of her palms and watches through heavy lidded eyes as Katya dips her middle finger beyond the edge of her underwear. “We’re not repeating that,” she hums, moving to hook her left leg over Katya’s shoulder. “Almost busted your nose, remember?”
“Which means we need to try harder next time,” Katya grins, giggling when Violet squints at her. She strokes over Violet’s pussy slowly, up and then down, spreading her slickness. “God, I love your pussy.”
Violet tilts her hips lightly when Katya rests the pad of her finger over her entrance, rubbing in slow, lazy circles. “Please, can we go to the bedroom?” Violet begs, her breath hitching when Katya thumbs her clit over her panties. “My back hurts like this.”
It’s a lie, and they both know it. But Katya pulls her hand back, knows when enough is enough. “Poor sweetheart,” she coos, pressing a kiss to the side of Violet’s knee and scooting her way out from the dinette. Violet’s leg is still on her shoulder, pivoting when Katya turns around the little table. “Want me to carry you? Since you’re suffering so much.”
She picks Violet up after rearranging her legs to wrap around her waist, which lasts all of three seconds when they start kissing. Katya’s arms shake, moving to rest at her waist once she’s got both feet on the ground again. They’re both in need of each other, really. Violet nips at Katya’s bottom lip, resting back against the table and tangling her fingers at the roots of Katya’s sun bleached hair.
They stay intertwined for a while, until Violet’s kiss drunk and lightheaded, and Katya’s lips are deep pink and swollen. “We should’ve eaten,” Violet whispers, laughing when Katya gawks at her timing. “We’re not gonna eat after sex!”
“We’re not gonna eat just before sex, either!” Katya nudges her hip, backing up and reaching on her tiptoes to open the lock on the cabinet. “What’re you after, babe? Oh my god, do we have that pineapple still?”
“Peaches,” Violet hums, wrapping her arms around Katya’s waist and kissing her slender shoulder. She rests, feeling Katya’s muscles moving beneath her cheek as she pulls bottles of water from the cabinet, cooing when her fingers close around a tin of apricot halves. “No.”
“Are we on an apricot ban?” Katya hums, setting it down on the counter and reaching back up. Violet nods wordlessly, dipping her hand under Katya’s tank again and stroking over her belly, trailing over her ribs. She needs to put on weight, they all do. They’re all a bunch of lanky, hormonal bitches, especially in this weather. If they can just find somewhere to dock for over a handful of days, they can find some shade to lie in.
A can being set on the counter brings Violet out of her yearning for a thick patch of grass. “Peaches for my peach,” Katya says softly, Violet can hear the smile in her tone. “Now, or later?”
“Later,” Violet decides, lifting Katya’s tank top up and over her head, letting it land with a wet flop on the kitchen flood. Katya turns in her arms, purring when Violet kisses along her jaw, down to her neck. “I need you inside me.”
“Yeah?” Katya grins, biting her bottom lip and gazing over Violet, not making any motion to move toward the bedroom. “You can’t wait much longer?”
“Oh my god,” Violet groans, turning to stomp down the wooden stairs and not stopping when Katya laughs loudly. “Come on, come fuck me!”
The living room is mercifully cool, still half tidied after Courtney’s insistence of coming home to something that isn’t a ‘post tornado pig sty’ led to a half assed cleaning job. There are still blankets out that really are serving no purpose other than harassment, folded neatly and flung over the back of the couch, where they’ll stay until someone can be bothered to sort through the ottoman.
Violet can hear Katya pattering around up in the kitchen, most likely hunting for a tin opener, or lube. They’re running majorly low on lube, they’ve been out of condoms for a month. No Plan B at the end of civilization. The pull out and pray method is their best bet.
She settles into bed once she’s poked at the stove a little, there’s enough coal and wood in there to last them a good while if it gets too cold (which it won’t, but she can dream). The bedroom isn’t so much a bedroom as it is a bed behind a curtain, packed full of bags of clothes and emergency supplies. The jokes about it being a suffocation hazard are a little too real recently.
“Did you die up there or something?” she calls, grabbing two bags full of bandages and expelling them from their little love nest, then another full of bottles of water. Katya’s footsteps get further away, then closer as she descends the stairs barefoot, a bottle in hand. “Where did you get that?”
“Don’t tell on me, but I’ve been stealing,” Katya whispers, giggling when Violet reaches up to snatch the Merlot from her grasp. “Found it in that farm house, had a wine cellar tucked away. I figured we could celebrate our re-engagement.”
“You’re cute,” Violet says softly, easing the bottle open and pulling Katya into a kiss, resting it between her thighs. “So cute. I love you so much.”
Katya hops up onto the bed, letting Violet peel her shorts off before they can soak the sheets. “I love you,” she hums, taking the Merlot and sipping from the bottle, groaning when Violet strokes over her length through her panties. She’s still hard, sweet orange cotton darkened where she’s been leaking. “God. Violet.”
Violet palms over her dick, until she’s rocking slowly into her hand, setting the bottle back down on the bed. It’s a cruel tactic, distracting her with preventing spillage to stop her teasing, but it works. “You wanna stop playing mean now?” she asks, barely above a breath. Katya hums, dips to kiss Violet after she’s drank a few mouthfuls of wine. She tastes sweet. She’s definitely broken into the apricots. “Touch me.”
Warm hands lift her sundress up, swift as Katya drops it to the floor with a flick of her wrist, pressing hot, wet kisses to Violet’s breasts, until her nipples are stiff and all too sensitive. She lays back against the pillows, tangling a hand in Katya’s hair and tugging lightly. “The Merlot’s gonna fall,” Katya murmurs, neither of them moving to save it from landing atop one of the bags. “Did you get a new tattoo?”
“You fucking idiot,” Violet rolls her eyes, moaning when Katya rubs her through her panties. “Babe. What are we doing about protection?”
Katya’s fingers pause, she looks sheepish. “Fuck. I can-… we can just like, do each other, if you want?” she offers, snorting when Violet squints. “Like, mutual masturbation. Or I can-”
“We’re having sex, babe, I just wanna know if you have a stash going at all,” Violet hums, clamping her legs around Katya’s waist and smirking up at her. “Come on, mama. If I have to wait for much longer, I’m gonna scream.”
She reaches up, pulling Katya into a kiss as she rolls her hips down, reaching down to knead her ass through her panties. They’re both naked in a matter of moments, even if Katya’s bralette almost comes apart at the seam with their haste. “Love it when you threaten me,” Katya purrs, squawking when Violet smacks her thigh sharply. “Ow!”
“It’s a promise. If you’re not in me in the next two minutes, I’m gonna scream loud enough for Ginger to hear us,” Violet warns her, spitting in her palm and wrapping her hand around Katya’s dick, moving with her hips. “Guttural. I’ve been practising.”
“That’s only impressive if she’s alive. That bitch is haunting my ass if she’s passed on,” Katya says through gritted teeth, those perfect pearly white teeth that make Violet sick. She swears Katya’s hiding her fucking Crest Whitestrips to this day, it’s not normal. “Babe.”
“What?”
“Can’t fuck you if your hand’s still on my dick. Unless you really wanna push the boat out tonight.”
Violet takes her hand back like she’s been scalded, flushing down to her chest as Katya ghosts her fingers over her labia, pressing one, then two inside her, curling them slowly. “God, Kat,” Violet whispers, pulling her closer and drawing a pert nipple into her mouth, hollowing her cheeks until Katya whines.
“You want it?” Katya pants, easing a third finger inside Violet and settling closer, so their breasts are pressed against each other. She’s hot, her breath tickling against Violet’s neck as she gets comfortable to listen. “You want me, babe?”
Her thumb nudges against Violet’s clit, making her gasp and dig her nails into Katya’s side, whimpering like she’s been waiting for years. It feels close to that. Katya’s fingers work her open, making her tremble. “Please, god, baby,” she hisses, tilting her head back against the pillows, kissing the sharp slope of Katya’s jaw. “Fuck me. Please, Kat.”
Katya complies after a few more moments, easing her fingers out and replacing them with her dick just a few moments later, sharing a gasp as she rolls her hips. “Oh, god,” she breathes, pushing further when Violet grabs a handful of toned ass and guides her. “I missed your pussy, babe, fuck.”
Violet laughs loudly against her shoulder, tenting her legs and tilting just a little, until Katya’s positioning is just perfect. “Just like that, fuck,” she huffs, her vision blurring when Katya rolls her hips into her thrusts. There’s no rush. They have time, all the time in the world. “God, I love you. I love you, Katya, I love you so much.”
She can tell when Katya’s close, in how her breathing is shallow and close, her eyes starry and glossy and sweet. “Vi,” she sighs around a kiss, her hips stuttering, hands trembling. “Violet, babe, you want me to-”
“No,” Violet shakes her head, keeping her pulled close as she bottoms out, mewls like a cat in heat as she clings to the edge. “No, come inside me. I want you to come in me, Katya.”
Katya curses as she shakes through her orgasm, a tear spills over and down her cheek. “Oh my god,” she laughs breathlessly when Violet kisses it away, nudging her hips until she’s too soft to bother. Her fingers tremble as she circles over Violet’s pussy, directionless and clumsy, but she comes in a matter of moments with how hard Katya’s breathing, her tongue hot against her throat. “Crazy.”
“Shut up,” Violet scolds, digging her nails into Katya’s side and twitching hard when she gets overstimulated, gasping every third or fourth circle of her fingers. “How long has it been? We finished in like, a minute.”
“We’re old,” Katya hums as she rolls to Violet’s side, sucking her fingers clean. “It’s been over two months, I think.”
“Get out!”
Katya snorts, presses a kiss to Violet’s shoulder, clings to her hip. “Maybe three. I’ve lost track of the days. I think we might be in September right now.”
“Doesn’t matter. I love you.”
Violet wakes at sunrise to crumpled bedsheets, the bottle of Merlot tucked safely between spare pillows and a few bags full of clothes. The water is calm, she peeks outside to see ripples lap against the river bank, lazy and serene.
She finds Katya asleep upstairs, draped over her little captain’s armchair in one of her old cardigans, the green and blue one that almost reaches the floor. Her hands are tucked to her chest, clasping Violet’s old ring box like it’s a lifeline. The sky is warm and pink, the sun peers from over the horizon. She sets up to make breakfast, leaving Katya to rest a while longer.