• A Blackbird's Serenade •

"Home Is Wherever I'm With You"

Omniscient

With every breath anticipatingly shallow, Journee ambled up the steps she'd grown dearly fond of in the past year.

Carrying a black suitcase and duffle bag, the pants legs of her bell bottom jeans flapped a bit with every foot forward, and her hair blew past her shoulders and down her back in the soft late summer winds. Today's sun shined bright with hope, casting a glow onto her tanned skin as she shifted her brown sunglasses atop her head of thick hair.

Slipping her bottom lip between her teeth, she took a deep breath with a squeeze to the handle as her suitcase stood beside her, her carry on bag still hanging from her shoulder.

And with a frail inhale that subtly rose her chest, she raised a fist to gently knock, even though she had a key.

Seconds went by before she heard a voice that didn't exactly sound like her lover's, and before she could process it, the door swung open. Journee tried her best not to let her stomach drop when seeing a tall and broad man on the other side, staring back at her with a soft smile of surprise. Who the hell is this?? She thought anyway, trying her hardest not to jump to any conclusions.

Though before she could calmly ask, he stuck out his hand, eyeing her with a bit more intent.

"Hey there, I'm Louis Marshall, a friend of Tiana's. She should be comin from her room in just a second." His hand was still there as his eyes trailed her frame, for she hadn't said a word or moved a muscle. Noticing then, she hesitantly shook it, willing away her racing thoughts. "Um, what's your name? I assume you mean to come inside," he chuckled awkwardly, standing back a bit to make way for her.

Only, Journee found herself nothing but paused, her words still caught in her throat. "Y-Yes, I do," she released a breath she'd been apprehensively holding. "And my name's-"

All of a sudden, both their attentions whipped behind Marshall at the sound of glass shattering upon hitting the floor. Clad in dark red capris and a black linen top that tied at her torso, there stood Tiana, frozen in place with a single blink. Time had slowed to a stop the minute their gazes locked, and Tiana didn't believe herself to be breathing the moment her eyes fell upon her lover. A tightness grasped her chest as her lips then parted ever so slightly, allowing the name to fall from her lips, barely above a whisper.

"Journee..."

Feeling her breath caught hopelessly in her throat just the same at the sight before her, Journee drank in the woman's body subtly, as if trying to absorb her into memory all over again. Meeting her gaze, she managed a hushed response. "Hi Tee..."

Tiana could hardly focus on Marshall's words as he spoke with a glance between them, his brows furrowed in confusion as neither seemed able to respond. They found themselves captivated by one another, now in a different light than before. Journee's eyes marveled over the gentle cut of Tiana's muscles, seeming even more evident than they were before. Her hair was a bit longer now, the thick and defined curls voluminous while slicked into a low ponytail. And though Tiana couldn't help but notice the loss of weight in her lover, she observed a shift in Journee's appearance nonetheless. The woman was a sight past beauty. She was insubstantial...

Tears threatened to prickle Tiana's eyes as their eye contact lingered, neither of them having moved a single muscle, for the world seemed to be swiveling, yet standing beautifully still around them. As if they'd found themselves in the eye of a wondrous storm.

Both their breathing had grown fragile, meanwhile their eyes spoke a volume louder than any words ever could.

Watching the two women, and the scene before him, Marshall observed first in confusion, then in realization as he noted the look between them within the tense silence. Pursing his lips and nodding to himself, he went to retrieve his keys from the counter.