Timelined for current game date
Tessa lay on her stomach on her bed, her earphones stuck in her ears with the cord trailing down into her pocket. She was lazily thumbing through a small photo album, not very much concentrating on it.
Cessily tucked the lolly between her lips and knocked on the door to Tessa's room. "Hey, Tess, you there? It's me!"
Tess pulled one of the earbuds out and called out, "Come in!" She closed the photobook and swung her legs down to go to the door.
Opening the door, she peeked into the room and sent a smile towards Tessa. "Hey, girl." She entered and closed the door again. "How are you today?"
Tess rubbed her forehead. "Not the best, but not as bad as it was." She gave Cessily a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You?"
"I'm fine." Cessily stroked Tessa's shoulder and upper arm. "Nice to hear that you're feeling better." She sat down on the bed, put her bag down next to her and opened it. "Uhm... I have something for you."
Tess quirked an eyebrow. "Do you now?" She stuffed the cord and earbuds in her jeans pocket and sat down on the bed, moving the album to the desk to make room.
"Yep." She pulled out the package Sean had given to her. "Uhm... Sean gave this to me." She shrugged awkwardly and sighed. "I have no idea what it is, but he said that it's a Christmas present. You could open it whenever you want, though."
"Does it tick?" Tessa scooted back on the bed and took the package, shaking it lightly side to side. "Well, it's heavy, whatever it is."
"Yeah, I'm not so sure about this either." Cessily looked at Tessa, sucking on her lip. "He was quite upset."
Tessa shrugged carelessly. "Might as well open it. The suspense will make me crazy otherwise." She slit the tape holding the halves of the box together with her nails and let the bottom of it drop out onto the covers. She stared and blinked at it.
"A gun. Well that's interesting."
"Huh...?!" Cessily leaned over to have a closer look. "What...!? Oh my..." She wrinkled her nose. "A gun? What was he thinking there? Why would he give you a gun?"
"I really have no idea. It's a nice gun, don't get me wrong...but it's a bit of an odd gift." She picked it up and tested the feel of it in her hands. She giggled when she saw the etching on the back of the grip. "God bless the Israelis and their dependable technology."
Cessily made an odd face, a mixture of amusement, puzzlement and disgust. "Oh... well, at least you like it then. It's more than odd, if you ask me. Don't get me wrong. I just don't like guns very much."
Tessa couldn't stop laughing, but turned the gun around to show Cessily the back of the handle. "This gun was made before I think my dad was a sparkle in someone's eye." She nestled it back in its box and laid the top over it.
"So... it's kinda valuable?" She asked. "Mind you, I know next to nothing about guns."
"I have no clue. I don't generally shoot anything larger than a twenty-two caliber. There's just too much recoil in soemthing that big." She gestured to the box ,opening and closing her mouth several times. "I honestly don't know why he gave me this."
"Maybe he really wants you to kill him?" She suggested with a mischievous smirk. "OK... I guess that was kinda mean now, no?"
Tessa snorted once and covered her face with her hands, convulsing in laughter. "That was terrible. But funny."
Cessily giggled sheepishly. "Hey, well, he said mean things about you. So I'm entitled to be just a little mean once in a while, don't you think?"
Tessa cocked her head to the side. "What kind of mean things did he say about me to you?"
Cessily rolled her eyes at the memory. "He was very angry about what happened in the Danger Room, and he called you... I think the used the word tart - and bitch, too - yeah..." She sighed. "Everyone knows how much I despise violence, but I almost felt like slapping him there."
Tessa echoed her sigh and put her hands on Cessily's shoulders. "I don't want what anyone says about me to upset you, sweetheart. They're only words." She leaned forward and pulled Cess into a tight hug. "But thank you for sticking up for me. I appreciate it."
"Hey, don't mention it." She smiled as she hugged Tessa back. "I'll always stick up for you, and I want to be there for you. I know that it's not easy for you right now, and the last thing you need is someone making you upset."
Tessa swallowed thickly at that. "I still haven't talked with Remy about that. I can't bring myself to do it yet..." She rubbed her hand over the back of her neck.
"Yeah, I know that things like that are never easy." Cessily took Tessa's hand into her own. "But you should do it. Believe me, Remy won't be angry or hold a grudge if you say that you're sorry. Hey... if it would help you, I could come along?"
Tess hesitated answering for a second. "I'm not sure...I mean, I don't want to give the impression I'm a coward, but at the same time I really don't want to be alone in that situation." She rubbed her fingers over her mouth in thought. "I think I'd rather have you there than chicken out of talking to him."
"Ah, you're not a coward. I'm quite certain that no one here would ever think that of you." Cessily kissed Tessa's cheek. "And you can count on me."
Tess smiled and kissed Cessily back, rocking back on the pillow and putting the box with Sean's admittedly odd gift on the side table. She'd have to remind herself to talk with Xavier about that.
Now or never, I suppose. "Is it okay with you that I'm spending Christmas away?" She spoke in a rush.
Cessily blinked, somewhat surprised by the sudden change of topic. "I... I can't say that I'm not a little disappointed that we won't get to spend Christmas together. I was looking forward to that." She quickly gave Tessa a reassuring smile. "But now that I know how difficult this time is for you, I don't want to push you to something that would only cause you discomfort."
She shifted closer and put a hand on Tessa's knee. "So... I understand, and I'm OK with it. Hey, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself anyway if you'd feel miserable."
Tessa sucked in the corner of her bottom lip and rested her chin on her hands, her elbows on her thighs. "I don't want you to think I don't want to spend time with you, because I really do...but the more I think on it the more I don't think I could handle Christmas here. I'm just not that used to it yet."
"And I know you don't like Andreas, but..." She trailed off on a sigh. "I don't know. Christmas is a confusing holiday."
Cessily shifted over until she sat next to Tessa and put an arm around her, pulling her closer. "It's OK, love. Really, don't worry about it." She leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I was just a bit shocked as you told me the first time, because I didn't know why and thought that I was the reason. You know, you can really be honest with me. I'll understand."
"And like I said, I want you to be happy. So, if celebrating Christmas is too difficult for you just yet, then by all means don't."
Tessa blew her hair out of her face. "It's a whole lot different here than in Greece. Over there it was a church thing, you celebrated from Advent to Epiphany. But over here it's like no one does that anymore." She leaned her head next to Cessily's. "Kind of a culture shock."
"Hm, yes, I bet." Her free hand sought Tessa's and intertwined their fingers. "A lot of it is very commercialised here. But I believe that most people still feel the spirit and the meaning of it. They get together with their loved ones and celebrate harmony, love, peace and understanding. Besides, my family always went to church on Christmas."
"I'm really starting to think signing up for Father Wagner's language class will come in handy. I didn't really speak German all that well to begin with...but that's where the eidetic memory is useful." She brought hers and Cessily's entwined hands up and gave the silver one a soft kiss. "I never get bored here, at least."
"That is something that certainly happens here only very rarely - things getting boring." Cessily laughed and ruffled Tessa's hair with the arm she had around her shoulder.
Tessa giggled and rolled them over so she was sitting on Cessily's waist. She leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth, mussing her hair as well. She sat back and smiled, "Now we match."
"Awww... no fair!" Cessily giggled, grabbed the pillow and gave Tessa a playful swat with it. "Got you!" She grinned up at her. "And what are you going to do now?"
Tessa giggled as she was hit with the pillow and bent down to touch their foreheads together, twining both their hands again. "I don't know yet. But making it up as I go seems to be working out for the most part."
She tilted Cessily's face up and kissed her again, this time longer and a little more seriously. "I haven't ever met two people I love more than you and Japh...romantically speaking."
"And I feel the very same way about Japh and you." Cessily looked into Tessa's eyes with a serious expression. "I love you, Tessa Nikolic." She lifted her head up from the bed to return the kiss with the same passion.
"In fact, I have to admit I like where this is going." She showed a little wry smile. "You have no idea how long until Rogue comes back, do you?"
"Not the foggiest." Tessa's face sobered at the comment and she sat back. "She hasn't been sleeping in here since what happened in the gym. I haven't been sleeping much either, to think of it." She scooped her hair back and sighed.
"Hm... yes, I see." Cessily reached up to stroke Tessa's cheek. "Don't worry, love. It'll all work out. You'll see." She smiled. "Thinks will look much better after a heart-to-heart. And I'll be there to help you."
Tess rolled to her back and lay next to Cessily, her head resting on her shoulder. "I hope so." She felt something poke her hip and dug the photo album out to set it down next to her free hand.
Cessily cuddled against Tessa, the fingers of her hand playing over her belly. "Some nice memories?" She asked, smiling in the direction of the album.
"Pictures of my family. Mostly my brothers." She picked up the book and flipped to a picture of a young man that looked half asleep with earphones in. "My eldest brother. He's twenty seven." She pulled out the picture and smiled. "He says he wants to know all about the school."
"That's wonderful." Cessily rested her head on Tessa's chest and looked at the picture. "I think it's nice that your family wants to know about you. It's good to stay in touch. Even... even if it's not always easy." She smiled. "And having pictures is always worthwhile, even with an eidetic memory, don't you think?"
Tess nodded. "I like being able to look at the people I still love." She closed the book and put it on the nightstand on top of Sean's box, reaching up and tilting Cessily's head down to kiss her. "Still, I think there are a few things he'd rather not know about." She grinned as she kissed along the line of Cess' neck and down her collarbone.
"Mmm... yes." Cessily sighed at the touch of Tessa's lips. "There's nothing wrong with keeping some secrets." Her hand disappeared under Tessa's shirt, her fingers gliding over the smooth skin of her belly. "Especially the more risque ones."