Fic: A Convergence of Mythical Creatures (Dawn/Nina, PG-13)
Title: A Convergence of Mythical Creatures
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Dawn/Nina, others
Summary: What? Like you’re the first werewolf I’ve kissed?
Length: 2486 words
Author Note: Written for![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
jadedcynic, whose requests I seem to be stalking in femslash_minis.
A Convergence of Mythical Creatures
“You could have called, let me know you’d be late.”
Dawn fingered the stem of her glass, watching the swirl of the deep red liquid inside instead of her girlfriend’s face. She’d been sitting in the wrought iron chair on their balcony for hours now, watching as the Tuscan sun sunk lower and lower until it was a pink tinge beyond the red dome of the Duomo. Hours where she’d been sipping at the red wine her sister had brought with her from France as a kind of housewarming gift for them, even though they’d lived here together for almost a year. It would have been a perfectly nice way to spend the late afternoon and evening hours after a pretty crazy day at work if she hadn’t also been thinking (okay, obsessing) about Nina giving Buffy an artist’s tour of Florence.
Buffy didn’t even like art. Buffy liked shopping and killing things, not always in that order, and Dawn was pretty damn sure that Buffy also liked her girlfriend.
“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d worry, considering the company I was keeping,” Nina replied from the doorway with a laugh. “Ugh, I’m starving! Is there any antipasto left over from last night?”
Starving? Dawn knew for a certifiable fact that sex always made Nina hungry. They wouldn’t have… No, even Buffy didn’t move that fast. Did she?
“In the fridge,” Dawn answered stiffly, trying to keep her tone even but failing dismally.
Nina stepped out onto the balcony and laid her hands gently on Dawn’s bare shoulders. They were strong and soft everywhere but for a spot on her left index finger where her paintbrushes and pencils had left a tough callous. Dawn loved Nina’s hands. They did things to her she hadn’t known were possible and it was no wonder that they had been the subject of the first thoughts she’d had about Nina that weren’t exactly in the “just good friends” category.
They met when Nina contacted her about permission to sketch the Chimera bronze for some preliminary work she was doing on a series of modernized paintings of mythical creatures. Dawn had just begun her job as the assistant curator of the Archeological Museum in Florence and she was barraged with similar requests for more private access to their most famous piece, but something about Nina’s enthusiasm for the project and her knowledge of “mythical” creatures made Dawn agree to set up an appointment with her. Dawn was immediately attracted to Nina, although it was a couple months before she admitted it to either of them, and they quickly bonded over their California roots and their love of ancient artifacts. The more they talked the more Dawn wanted to confide that her fascination with Etruscan language and culture had developed after she’d started doing research for the real Chimera the gang had run across when Dawn was just an undergraduate. However, she’d tried to ease other friends and lovers into her world before to disastrous, “you belong in a mental institution you freak”, results and Dawn really didn’t want to lose Nina, even if it meant they could only be friends.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” Nina’s voice was soft and she moved one hand to trail over Dawn’s shoulder blade and up the bare sweep of her neck. The caress sent a tumble of sensation straight down Dawn’s spine, a slight tickle that bloomed right under her skin before spreading. She resisted the urge to shiver and stiffened instead, moving slightly away from Nina’s touch.
“If you’re going to leave me for her, I’d prefer you told me sooner rather than later,” she said, cold and emotionless even as her eyes brimmed with tears. She was glad her back was to Nina because she was sure that if Nina saw her tears, Dawn wouldn’t be able to hold back the flood that threatened to break loose in a torrent of sobs and bitter accusation.
“Wh…what? What are you talking about?” Nina stuttered, surprise making her voice rise in pitch until it was almost squeaky by the time she finished.
Dawn’s lips pursed and she gripped her knees so hard that her knuckles turned white. The nylon under her fingertips felt scratchy and she was hit with an inane urge to rip them off her legs. She hadn’t realized until now that she’d been so caught up in her worry about Buffy and Nina that she hadn’t even bothered to change out of her suit into more comfortable clothes. Taking a deep breath, she eased the death grip on her knees and forced herself to respond.
“Buffy’s been flirting with you since about 2.3 seconds after she met you and then you jump at the chance to spend the day together without me. So don’t play dumb because I’m sure as hell not going to.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Buffy is, as we speak, in her hotel room with the man she’s in love with,” Nina snorted, her tone annoyed and clearly indicating she thought Dawn must be joking. The hand that was still resting on Dawn’s shoulder loosened a little and Dawn took the opportunity to shrug it off as she swiveled her head to shoot Nina a look of incredulous disbelief.
“Yeah, a man she just happened to steal from me. I’ve lived with Buffy all my life—I think I know when she’s flirting. She has some kind of thing for things that go ‘grrr’ and you’re pretty much her type.”
She watched Nina’s face drain of color and immediately regretted her outburst.
“I’m not a thing.”
Dawn winced at the hurt that infused the stiffly spoken words. In the beginning, when their attraction to one another had become too intense to avoid any longer, Nina had brought Dawn back to her apartment and taken her down the hall to a room she’d never been inside. It was three days before the full moon and Nina haltingly explained to Dawn that werewolves were, in fact, real and that in another night Nina would have to lock herself in the cage that took up most of the room until the moon waned again. Dawn regarded her with stunned silence, completely unprepared for the revelation and kicking herself for missing the signs. Mistaking the silence for rejection, Nina seemed to shrink in on herself and she turned toward the door, mumbling something about understanding that Dawn was justifiably freaked. Dawn found herself grabbing Nina, spinning her around, and kissing her for the first time. The kiss started as a slow exploration, the thrill of soft lips meeting soft lips for the first time and the electricity of warm tongue in a mouth that tasted cool like peppermint causing a combustion that had them both breathing a little hard when they parted. At Nina’s dazed look of confusion, Dawn’s joy bubbled over and she laughed, full and loud as a smile spread across her face. What? Like you’re the first werewolf I’ve kissed? Suddenly it hadn’t been so difficult to explain her own origins.
“I’m sorry, baby, you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Dawn rushed to apologize as she stood and turned to close the distance between them. Kicking off her heels so she was closer to her lover’s height, Dawn met Nina’s hazel eyes that had turned an almost icy shade of grey. “I just. . . I only meant that you’re gorgeous and you just happen to be supernaturally fast and strong 3 days every month. Those two factors seem to do it for my sister and I’m kind of aware of the affect she has on people.”
The iciness melted a little and a look of understanding passed over Nina’s features. She shook her head and grabbed Dawn’s hand, lacing their fingers loosely together before she began absently twisting the antique diamond and sapphire ring she’d given Dawn on their one year anniversary.
“Not on me, Dawn. No affect other than I like her, as the sister of my girlfriend, a hell of a lot more than I thought I would considering everything. Between you and Angel, she’s been set up in my mind as more a mythical creature than any other I’ve ever studied. I mean, I get where this is coming from but you are so far out of this dimension on this. Buffy loves Oz and even if she didn’t, I’m hardly her type. For one, I don’t have a penis. Secondly… well, I think point one pretty much covers my argument. Have you ever known Buffy to be attracted to a woman?”
Dawn opened her mouth to inform Nina that yes, she had, but closed it again as grief over their loss of Faith five years ago washed through her. She wouldn’t bring up Buffy’s off and on relationship with Faith in a fight—somehow it seemed too sacred for that and besides, Dawn wasn’t even supposed to know about it. No one was.
It had been nearly three years after Faith was killed before Buffy had allowed herself to start living fully again. At the time Dawn was in her graduate program studying ancient Roman and Greek cultures, living on her own for the first time in her life and she’d been excited about everything she was learning and doing. One night she’d gone with some friends to a local wine bar and run into Oz playing an acoustic show with his band. He was as cute as ever and they’d gone out a few times.
Then Buffy had breezed into town for a “short visit” and it wasn’t long before Oz broke things off with Dawn in that infuriating Oz-way that made it impossible for her to be infuriated. It wasn’t like it was all serious anyway, but it was still a blow to Dawn’s ego and she hadn’t really spoken to Buffy much over the last couple of years because of it. Finishing her master’s degree and then starting her position in the museum had occupied her time and now that Buffy was traveling almost nonstop with Oz, it had been even easier to drift apart. But the jealousy and hurt had gradually lessened each time she listened to Buffy’s apologies, and more, the happiness in her voice every time she cautiously spoke about her life with Oz. So when Dawn had confided about her relationship with another werewolf, who was, incidentally, also a woman, and Buffy hesitantly offered to visit with Oz so that he and Nina could talk about controlling the wolf, Dawn agreed. She missed her sister and wanted her to meet Nina. She also thought she was over the Oz-stealage, but one day of unsupervised interaction with Nina later and Dawn realized she still hadn’t completely forgiven Buffy.
To say that jealousy had reared its ugly head was a massive understatement.
“Buffy loves you, honey, and she wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt you” Nina continued softly when Dawn didn’t answer. Dawn quirked her eyebrow and opened her mouth but Nina cut off the retort with a quick kiss. “Ok, yes, she did get involved with your kind-of boyfriend while he was still dating you but doesn’t it make you feel better at all to know that what they have together is really special and that neither of them ever wanted to hurt you?” She raised the hand that wasn’t entwined with Dawn’s and traced a finger along Dawn’s jaw line. “And more importantly, I love you. I’m not going to leave you and I would never hurt you that way. Never.”
The anger and jealousy drained out in an instant and Dawn was left feeling intensely embarrassed about her outburst. All of the tension that had been gluing every muscle in her body in a rigid line faded away and Dawn’s long legs felt like jelly. She leaned into Nina, burying her face in the juncture between Nina’s neck and shoulder, and let the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening out.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as Nina’s arms went around her. “I don’t know what possessed me… actually, I kind of wish I could say I was possessed but this was all me and my freaky abandonment neuroses. I’m so in love with you and the thought of losing you is terrifying.” Dawn paused as a horrifying memory from her past popped into her head. “Just be glad I didn’t make any wishes to a stranger today.”
Nina laughed as she rubbed her palm in small, soothing circles on Dawn’s back. “Yeah. As much as I’d love to be forced to spend long lazy days in bed with you, we might have some trouble when the full moon comes around. I think I’ll need more time practicing those meditations that Oz taught me before you make any wishes to a vengeance demon.”
Dawn giggled through her tears and pulled away to wipe them from her face. “Do you forgive me for being crazy jealous woman?”
Nina cocked her head to the side and regarded Dawn with mock seriousness before relaxing her face into a smile. “Of course. Now, come inside and change into something more comfortable while I throw some dinner together. I wasn’t kidding about being hungry.”
The sudden growling of her stomach reminded Dawn that she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and she grabbed her discarded heels before following Nina through the doors that led from the terrace to their living room. Dawn paused in the threshold, remembering her earlier fear concerning Nina’s hunger.
“Really, what did you guys do all day? I know Buffy did not spend almost 8 hours appreciating the greatness of Florentine art,” she smirked, dropping her shoes on the plush rug that covered the cold tile floor and reaching up to release her shoulder-length hair from its chignon.
“She lasted about 3 hours before her eyes glazed over and the drool became too plentiful to ignore. We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, which, speaking of…” Nina’s smile turned almost predatory as she picked up a miniscule bag she’d dropped just inside the door and dangled it from her index finger. “…I’ve got the “something comfortable” you’re going to slip into right here.”
Dawn’s heart fluttered in her chest and her mouth quirked up in a half smile that she knew drove Nina wild. She tried not to think too much about her girlfriend shopping for lingerie with her older sister and instead concentrated on the look on Nina’s face.
“I’m pretty sure that anything that comes in a bag this small will not meet the definition of comfortable,” she drawled as she plucked it off of Nina’s finger and opened it to peak inside. The little scrap of blue silk inside was going to leave very little to the imagination.
Which, given where Dawn’s imagination had taken her so far today, was probably a good thing.
--End
Requests: Italian food, Buffy flirting with Nina, sapphire ring
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Dawn/Nina, others
Summary: What? Like you’re the first werewolf I’ve kissed?
Length: 2486 words
Author Note: Written for
jadedcynic, whose requests I seem to be stalking in femslash_minis. A Convergence of Mythical Creatures
“You could have called, let me know you’d be late.”
Dawn fingered the stem of her glass, watching the swirl of the deep red liquid inside instead of her girlfriend’s face. She’d been sitting in the wrought iron chair on their balcony for hours now, watching as the Tuscan sun sunk lower and lower until it was a pink tinge beyond the red dome of the Duomo. Hours where she’d been sipping at the red wine her sister had brought with her from France as a kind of housewarming gift for them, even though they’d lived here together for almost a year. It would have been a perfectly nice way to spend the late afternoon and evening hours after a pretty crazy day at work if she hadn’t also been thinking (okay, obsessing) about Nina giving Buffy an artist’s tour of Florence.
Buffy didn’t even like art. Buffy liked shopping and killing things, not always in that order, and Dawn was pretty damn sure that Buffy also liked her girlfriend.
“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d worry, considering the company I was keeping,” Nina replied from the doorway with a laugh. “Ugh, I’m starving! Is there any antipasto left over from last night?”
Starving? Dawn knew for a certifiable fact that sex always made Nina hungry. They wouldn’t have… No, even Buffy didn’t move that fast. Did she?
“In the fridge,” Dawn answered stiffly, trying to keep her tone even but failing dismally.
Nina stepped out onto the balcony and laid her hands gently on Dawn’s bare shoulders. They were strong and soft everywhere but for a spot on her left index finger where her paintbrushes and pencils had left a tough callous. Dawn loved Nina’s hands. They did things to her she hadn’t known were possible and it was no wonder that they had been the subject of the first thoughts she’d had about Nina that weren’t exactly in the “just good friends” category.
They met when Nina contacted her about permission to sketch the Chimera bronze for some preliminary work she was doing on a series of modernized paintings of mythical creatures. Dawn had just begun her job as the assistant curator of the Archeological Museum in Florence and she was barraged with similar requests for more private access to their most famous piece, but something about Nina’s enthusiasm for the project and her knowledge of “mythical” creatures made Dawn agree to set up an appointment with her. Dawn was immediately attracted to Nina, although it was a couple months before she admitted it to either of them, and they quickly bonded over their California roots and their love of ancient artifacts. The more they talked the more Dawn wanted to confide that her fascination with Etruscan language and culture had developed after she’d started doing research for the real Chimera the gang had run across when Dawn was just an undergraduate. However, she’d tried to ease other friends and lovers into her world before to disastrous, “you belong in a mental institution you freak”, results and Dawn really didn’t want to lose Nina, even if it meant they could only be friends.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” Nina’s voice was soft and she moved one hand to trail over Dawn’s shoulder blade and up the bare sweep of her neck. The caress sent a tumble of sensation straight down Dawn’s spine, a slight tickle that bloomed right under her skin before spreading. She resisted the urge to shiver and stiffened instead, moving slightly away from Nina’s touch.
“If you’re going to leave me for her, I’d prefer you told me sooner rather than later,” she said, cold and emotionless even as her eyes brimmed with tears. She was glad her back was to Nina because she was sure that if Nina saw her tears, Dawn wouldn’t be able to hold back the flood that threatened to break loose in a torrent of sobs and bitter accusation.
“Wh…what? What are you talking about?” Nina stuttered, surprise making her voice rise in pitch until it was almost squeaky by the time she finished.
Dawn’s lips pursed and she gripped her knees so hard that her knuckles turned white. The nylon under her fingertips felt scratchy and she was hit with an inane urge to rip them off her legs. She hadn’t realized until now that she’d been so caught up in her worry about Buffy and Nina that she hadn’t even bothered to change out of her suit into more comfortable clothes. Taking a deep breath, she eased the death grip on her knees and forced herself to respond.
“Buffy’s been flirting with you since about 2.3 seconds after she met you and then you jump at the chance to spend the day together without me. So don’t play dumb because I’m sure as hell not going to.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Buffy is, as we speak, in her hotel room with the man she’s in love with,” Nina snorted, her tone annoyed and clearly indicating she thought Dawn must be joking. The hand that was still resting on Dawn’s shoulder loosened a little and Dawn took the opportunity to shrug it off as she swiveled her head to shoot Nina a look of incredulous disbelief.
“Yeah, a man she just happened to steal from me. I’ve lived with Buffy all my life—I think I know when she’s flirting. She has some kind of thing for things that go ‘grrr’ and you’re pretty much her type.”
She watched Nina’s face drain of color and immediately regretted her outburst.
“I’m not a thing.”
Dawn winced at the hurt that infused the stiffly spoken words. In the beginning, when their attraction to one another had become too intense to avoid any longer, Nina had brought Dawn back to her apartment and taken her down the hall to a room she’d never been inside. It was three days before the full moon and Nina haltingly explained to Dawn that werewolves were, in fact, real and that in another night Nina would have to lock herself in the cage that took up most of the room until the moon waned again. Dawn regarded her with stunned silence, completely unprepared for the revelation and kicking herself for missing the signs. Mistaking the silence for rejection, Nina seemed to shrink in on herself and she turned toward the door, mumbling something about understanding that Dawn was justifiably freaked. Dawn found herself grabbing Nina, spinning her around, and kissing her for the first time. The kiss started as a slow exploration, the thrill of soft lips meeting soft lips for the first time and the electricity of warm tongue in a mouth that tasted cool like peppermint causing a combustion that had them both breathing a little hard when they parted. At Nina’s dazed look of confusion, Dawn’s joy bubbled over and she laughed, full and loud as a smile spread across her face. What? Like you’re the first werewolf I’ve kissed? Suddenly it hadn’t been so difficult to explain her own origins.
“I’m sorry, baby, you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Dawn rushed to apologize as she stood and turned to close the distance between them. Kicking off her heels so she was closer to her lover’s height, Dawn met Nina’s hazel eyes that had turned an almost icy shade of grey. “I just. . . I only meant that you’re gorgeous and you just happen to be supernaturally fast and strong 3 days every month. Those two factors seem to do it for my sister and I’m kind of aware of the affect she has on people.”
The iciness melted a little and a look of understanding passed over Nina’s features. She shook her head and grabbed Dawn’s hand, lacing their fingers loosely together before she began absently twisting the antique diamond and sapphire ring she’d given Dawn on their one year anniversary.
“Not on me, Dawn. No affect other than I like her, as the sister of my girlfriend, a hell of a lot more than I thought I would considering everything. Between you and Angel, she’s been set up in my mind as more a mythical creature than any other I’ve ever studied. I mean, I get where this is coming from but you are so far out of this dimension on this. Buffy loves Oz and even if she didn’t, I’m hardly her type. For one, I don’t have a penis. Secondly… well, I think point one pretty much covers my argument. Have you ever known Buffy to be attracted to a woman?”
Dawn opened her mouth to inform Nina that yes, she had, but closed it again as grief over their loss of Faith five years ago washed through her. She wouldn’t bring up Buffy’s off and on relationship with Faith in a fight—somehow it seemed too sacred for that and besides, Dawn wasn’t even supposed to know about it. No one was.
It had been nearly three years after Faith was killed before Buffy had allowed herself to start living fully again. At the time Dawn was in her graduate program studying ancient Roman and Greek cultures, living on her own for the first time in her life and she’d been excited about everything she was learning and doing. One night she’d gone with some friends to a local wine bar and run into Oz playing an acoustic show with his band. He was as cute as ever and they’d gone out a few times.
Then Buffy had breezed into town for a “short visit” and it wasn’t long before Oz broke things off with Dawn in that infuriating Oz-way that made it impossible for her to be infuriated. It wasn’t like it was all serious anyway, but it was still a blow to Dawn’s ego and she hadn’t really spoken to Buffy much over the last couple of years because of it. Finishing her master’s degree and then starting her position in the museum had occupied her time and now that Buffy was traveling almost nonstop with Oz, it had been even easier to drift apart. But the jealousy and hurt had gradually lessened each time she listened to Buffy’s apologies, and more, the happiness in her voice every time she cautiously spoke about her life with Oz. So when Dawn had confided about her relationship with another werewolf, who was, incidentally, also a woman, and Buffy hesitantly offered to visit with Oz so that he and Nina could talk about controlling the wolf, Dawn agreed. She missed her sister and wanted her to meet Nina. She also thought she was over the Oz-stealage, but one day of unsupervised interaction with Nina later and Dawn realized she still hadn’t completely forgiven Buffy.
To say that jealousy had reared its ugly head was a massive understatement.
“Buffy loves you, honey, and she wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt you” Nina continued softly when Dawn didn’t answer. Dawn quirked her eyebrow and opened her mouth but Nina cut off the retort with a quick kiss. “Ok, yes, she did get involved with your kind-of boyfriend while he was still dating you but doesn’t it make you feel better at all to know that what they have together is really special and that neither of them ever wanted to hurt you?” She raised the hand that wasn’t entwined with Dawn’s and traced a finger along Dawn’s jaw line. “And more importantly, I love you. I’m not going to leave you and I would never hurt you that way. Never.”
The anger and jealousy drained out in an instant and Dawn was left feeling intensely embarrassed about her outburst. All of the tension that had been gluing every muscle in her body in a rigid line faded away and Dawn’s long legs felt like jelly. She leaned into Nina, burying her face in the juncture between Nina’s neck and shoulder, and let the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening out.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as Nina’s arms went around her. “I don’t know what possessed me… actually, I kind of wish I could say I was possessed but this was all me and my freaky abandonment neuroses. I’m so in love with you and the thought of losing you is terrifying.” Dawn paused as a horrifying memory from her past popped into her head. “Just be glad I didn’t make any wishes to a stranger today.”
Nina laughed as she rubbed her palm in small, soothing circles on Dawn’s back. “Yeah. As much as I’d love to be forced to spend long lazy days in bed with you, we might have some trouble when the full moon comes around. I think I’ll need more time practicing those meditations that Oz taught me before you make any wishes to a vengeance demon.”
Dawn giggled through her tears and pulled away to wipe them from her face. “Do you forgive me for being crazy jealous woman?”
Nina cocked her head to the side and regarded Dawn with mock seriousness before relaxing her face into a smile. “Of course. Now, come inside and change into something more comfortable while I throw some dinner together. I wasn’t kidding about being hungry.”
The sudden growling of her stomach reminded Dawn that she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and she grabbed her discarded heels before following Nina through the doors that led from the terrace to their living room. Dawn paused in the threshold, remembering her earlier fear concerning Nina’s hunger.
“Really, what did you guys do all day? I know Buffy did not spend almost 8 hours appreciating the greatness of Florentine art,” she smirked, dropping her shoes on the plush rug that covered the cold tile floor and reaching up to release her shoulder-length hair from its chignon.
“She lasted about 3 hours before her eyes glazed over and the drool became too plentiful to ignore. We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, which, speaking of…” Nina’s smile turned almost predatory as she picked up a miniscule bag she’d dropped just inside the door and dangled it from her index finger. “…I’ve got the “something comfortable” you’re going to slip into right here.”
Dawn’s heart fluttered in her chest and her mouth quirked up in a half smile that she knew drove Nina wild. She tried not to think too much about her girlfriend shopping for lingerie with her older sister and instead concentrated on the look on Nina’s face.
“I’m pretty sure that anything that comes in a bag this small will not meet the definition of comfortable,” she drawled as she plucked it off of Nina’s finger and opened it to peak inside. The little scrap of blue silk inside was going to leave very little to the imagination.
Which, given where Dawn’s imagination had taken her so far today, was probably a good thing.
--End
Requests: Italian food, Buffy flirting with Nina, sapphire ring
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