Morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and golden, catching dust motes that drifted in the stillness. Hazel was still half-asleep, her body curled against Ivy's, one leg hitched over Ivy's hip, her face buried in the curve of Ivy's neck. Warm. Soft. The even rhythm of her breathing.
Ivy's hand traced down Hazel's spine, slow and deliberate, fingertips following the dip of her lower back. Hazel made a small sound, not quite awake, and pressed closer. Her skin was warm from sleep, her hair still loose and tangled.
"Morning," Ivy whispered, her lips brushing Hazel's temple.
Hazel hummed, eyes still closed, but her hand found Ivy's hip, fingers curling into the fabric of the sheet between them. She pulled. Ivy let herself be pulled, shifting until she was half on top of Hazel, knee settling between her thighs.
"Too early," Hazel mumbled, but her hips rolled forward, finding pressure.
"It's almost eight."
"Too early for work." Hazel's eyes opened, hazy and green in the morning light. "Not too early for this." Her hand slid up Ivy's back, fingers threading into her hair, pulling her down into a kiss. Slow. Morning-soft. Hazel's lips parted, her tongue meeting Ivy's with a lazy heat that sharpened as she woke.
Ivy's hand slid between them, fingers finding Hazel already wet, the slick heat of her cunt easy and welcome. She pressed two fingers against her, not pushing in, just feeling the warmth of her, the way Hazel's breath caught and her hips pushed forward.
"Please," Hazel breathed against Ivy's mouth.
Ivy pushed in, slow, one finger, then two, Hazel's body opening around her, the wet slide of her cunt gripping tight. Hazel gasped into her mouth and arched up, her back bowing, her hand tightening in Ivy's hair.
"That." Hazel's voice was wrecked already. "Right there."
Ivy curled her fingers, finding the spot that made Hazel's whole body shudder, and she worked her slowly, the rhythm unhurried, each stroke drawing a soft moan from Hazel's throat. Ivy's mouth moved down, tongue tracing Hazel's collarbone, the hollow of her throat, the swell of her breast. She took Hazel's nipple into her mouth, sucking gently, then harder, feeling Hazel's hand press against the back of her head, holding her there.
"Yes," Hazel breathed. "Don't stop."
Ivy sucked, tongue circling, her fingers still moving inside Hazel, steady and deep. Hazel's breath came faster, her hips rocking into Ivy's hand, her fingers gripping Ivy's shoulder hard enough to leave marks. The bed creaked beneath them, the rhythm of it matching the wet sound of Ivy's fingers moving inside her.
"Ivy." Hazel's voice cracked. "I'm close."
Ivy lifted her head, mouth wet, eyes meeting Hazel's. "Come."
Hazel's orgasm hit her like a wave, her cunt clenching around Ivy's fingers, her body arching, a sharp gasp torn from her throat. Ivy worked her through it, slow and steady, feeling each pulse, watching Hazel's face twist in pleasure, the way her teeth sank into her lower lip.
When it passed, Hazel lay limp, chest heaving, her hand still tangled in Ivy's hair. She pulled Ivy up for another kiss, slow and grateful, tasting herself on Ivy's lips.
"Now you," Hazel whispered.
Ivy shook her head, smiling. "Later. We have time." She pulled her fingers out slowly, feeling Hazel's cunt grip one last time in protest. "Shower first."
Hazel groaned, but she was already laughing, soft and breathless. "Fine. But I'm holding you to later."
Ivy kissed her forehead and rolled out of bed, her body cool where the sheets had been warm. She crossed to the dresser, where a stack of deflated balloons sat beside a pump. She picked one — a deep sapphire blue, twenty-four inches — and began to work the pump.
Hazel watched from the bed, propped on her elbows, hair a wild tangle. "What are you doing?"
"Leaving you something for tonight." The balloon swelled as Ivy pumped, the latex stretching smooth and taut, the blue deepening as it grew. When it was firm but not hard — elastic, supple — she tied the neck with a quick, practiced twist. A perfect knot. She held it up, a drop of blue catching the morning light.
Hazel's breath caught. She sat up fully, the sheet pooling around her waist, her eyes fixed on the balloon. "For me?"
"For tonight." Ivy set it on the pillow beside Hazel, the blue bright against the white. "You can do whatever you want with it. Or we can do something together."
Hazel reached out, fingers brushing the latex. The surface was warm, smooth alive under her touch. "That's..." She looked up at Ivy, her eyes wet. "That's the prettiest one you've ever picked."
Ivy leaned down and kissed her, soft and warm. "You're the prettiest thing in this room."
Hazel laughed, a wet, happy sound, and pulled her into a proper kiss, deep and hungry. "I love you," she said against Ivy's mouth.
"I love you too." Ivy pulled back, smiling. "Now shower."
The bathroom filled with steam, the mirror fogging as the water ran hot. Ivy stepped in first, the spray hitting her shoulders, and Hazel followed, pressing close, her arms wrapping around Ivy from behind, her breasts pressing against Ivy's back. The water ran over them both, slick and warm.
"This is nice," Hazel murmured, her lips against Ivy's shoulder blade. "Starting the day like this."
Ivy turned in her arms, water streaming down her face, her hands finding Hazel's hips. "It could be every day."
Hazel looked at her for a long moment, water beading on her lashes. "Yeah?"
Ivy nodded. "Yeah."
Hazel kissed her, slow and deep, the water running between them, their bodies pressed together, slick and warm. Ivy's hand slid down Hazel's stomach, through the wet curls, finding her cunt again. Hazel gasped into her mouth and spread her legs, a small, eager sound.
"I told you I'd take care of it later," Ivy whispered, her fingers teasing, circling Hazel's clit without quite touching it.
"Later is now." Hazel's voice was desperate. "Please."
Ivy pressed one finger inside her, slow, feeling the heat of her, the way Hazel's body opened and gripped. The water made everything slick, the slide easy and deep. Ivy added a second finger, working her slowly, her thumb finding Hazel's clit, pressing in small, deliberate circles.
Hazel's head fell back, water streaming over her throat, her hands gripping Ivy's shoulders for balance. "Yes. Fuck."
Ivy's fingers moved deeper, faster, the wet sound of it filling the shower. Her thumb pressed harder, circling, and Hazel's breath came in short, broken gasps, her hips rocking into Ivy's hand.
"Look at me," Ivy said.
Hazel's eyes opened, green and hazy, meeting Ivy's. The eye contact was too much, too intimate, and Hazel's orgasm hit her like a wave, her cunt clenching around Ivy's fingers, a cry torn from her throat that echoed off the tile. Ivy held her through it, fingers still, feeling each pulse, watching Hazel's face twist in pleasure, the water running over them both.
When it passed, Hazel sagged against her, boneless and trembling. "I'm going to be late for work," she mumbled into Ivy's shoulder.
Ivy laughed, pulling her fingers out slowly, rinsing them under the spray. "Worth it?"
"Always."
They washed in companionable silence, trading the soap, pressing kisses to wet shoulders and necks, the intimacy unhurried. Ivy washed Hazel's hair, fingers working through the curls, and Hazel leaned into her touch, eyes closed, a soft smile on her lips.
When they finally stepped out, towels wrapped around them, the bathroom was thick with steam and the smell of soap. Ivy dried her hair with a rough towel, glasses fogged, while Hazel stood at the mirror, combing through her damp curls with her fingers.
"I'm going to get dressed," Ivy said, pressing a kiss to Hazel's bare shoulder. "Meet you in the kitchen?"
"Five minutes." Hazel caught her hand, brought it to her lips, kissed her knuckles. "I love you."
Ivy smiled, slow and warm. "I love you too."
She dressed in her room — loose linen trousers, a soft cream sweater, her hair still damp and curling at the ends. Her glasses were still fogged, so she wiped them on her sleeve, then made her way to the living room.
Pebbles was already awake, standing in her box, her small head angled as she watched Ivy approach. The duck tilted her head, one eye fixed on her, then the other, a slow, deliberate assessment.
"Good morning," Ivy said, her voice soft.
Pebbles made a small sound — a quiet, questioning quack — and waddled to the edge of her box.
"Hungry?" Ivy opened the cabinet, found the bag of duck feed they'd bought yesterday, and poured some into a small bowl. She filled another bowl with water and set both on the floor near the box. "There you go."
Pebbles eyed her for a long moment, then waddled to the bowl and began to eat, her beak making small clicking sounds against the ceramic.
Hazel emerged a few minutes later, dressed in a soft pink blouse and a flowing cream skirt, her hair still damp but tamed into loose waves. She crossed to Ivy and wrapped her arms around her from behind, chin resting on her shoulder. "You fed her."
"She was hungry."
Pebbles looked up from her bowl, bits of feed stuck to her beak. She regarded them both with the flat, unreadable stare only a duck can manage.
"She's judging us," Hazel said, laughing.
"Definitely." Ivy turned in Hazel's arms, her hands finding Hazel's waist. "Ready?"
"Almost." Hazel tilted her head, kissed her softly. "Now I'm ready."
They grabbed their bags — Ivy's leather messenger, Hazel's canvas tote — and paused at the door. Hazel looked back at the apartment, at the blue balloon resting on the pillow, at Pebbles already settled back in her box, at the morning light falling across the floor.
"I don't want to leave," she said, her voice small.
Ivy took her hand, squeezed it. "We'll be back before you know it."
Hazel nodded, and they stepped out the door, closing it behind them. The lock clicked, and they stood in the hallway, hand in hand, the echo of a perfect morning following them into the day.
Inside, Pebbles watched the closed door, her small head tilted. She waddled to the water bowl, took a drink, then settled back into her box, fluffing her feathers. The apartment was quiet, warm, full of sunlight. The blue balloon swayed gently on the pillow, gleaming like a promise.
Humans were strange creatures. But this home was nice.