| Status | hiatus |
| Tags | cozy, d/s, f/f |
| Warnings | none |
Rachel comes awake slowly, blinking as the light of early morning falls across her face for the first time. She's warm and cozy underneath the heavy blankets and quilts, and Esther, still sleeping lightly, is curled up in her arms. There's nothing on earth worth getting out of this bed for, so Rachel pulls her girl a little closer, wrapping a possessive hand around her slave's soft sleeping restraints, and enjoys the sense of simple contentment and pleasure which is with her so often these days.
Time has no particular meaning or weight in this headspace, and Rachel holds her sleeping sub for however long she gets to. Eventually, Esther stirs slightly - just enough to turn herself over to face Rachel and bury her forehead in her Mistress' chest. Rachel smiles to herself, laying a hand on the back of Esther's head and stroking her gently. The morning quiet is broken only by the steady rise and fall of unworried breaths, and Rachel tilts her head slightly to lay a gentle kiss on the top of Esther's head. Her girl sighs happily in her arms, and a soft wash of affection rises in Rachel's chest.
A few minutes later, Esther stirs again, lifting her head to look up at Rachel. Rachel kisses her before she can say anything, then says:
Morning, pet. Sleep well?
Esther's eyes widen slightly, then she nods, then presses her forehead
against Rachel's chest again. Rachel gives her a thoughtful
look. Sleeping in later than usual and being a lot less talkative... she
kisses the top of her slave's head again, and in a quieter voice,
says: Is that you, sweet girl?
Esther nods again, and Rachel gives her an affectionate squeeze. It's
not common for Esther to wake up feeling small, so Rachel treasures
every time it happens. She uses the arm not currently holding Esther to
reach for the bedside table and manages (eventually) to find her girl's
special pink collar. She unclips Esther's usual black collar and
replaces it. There you go.
Esther makes a wordless happy sound, and a warm feeling gathers beneath Rachel's ribs. When she's feeling small, Esther's usual desire to get up and get going early in the morning is absent, and instead she prefers to just stay in bed and cuddle as much as she can. Rachel is all in favor of that sort of thing, but she's also well aware that if Esther doesn't get breakfast around the right time, she'll get tired and anxious, so it falls to her to make sure they both do eat in not too long.
She rolls onto her back and pulls Esther closer, so that her girl's head is resting on her chest. Still, she thinks to herself, she can definitely afford to spend a little while longer like this.
After they're both clean and dried, Rachel dresses Esther more
femininely than she usually would. A white fitted t-shirt over a very
plain bra accentuates the gentle curve of her waist, and pairs quite
nicely, in Rachel's opinion, with the pale red knee-length skirt over
light grey tights. She tugs a pink stretch of cloth into place over her
girl's hair, then kisses her forehead. Perfect.
Esther gives her a shy smile. Thank you, Mommy.
Now,
Rachel says. Breakfast?
Esther nods, so Rachel leads her into the kitchen. Small Esther prefers
cold cereal for breakfast, so Rachel digs out a box of multigrain
cheerios and a bowl. Pour yourself as much as you'd like,
she
says, while she starts the coffee. Esther obeys her, then Rachel pours a
small amount of milk over her cereal. Go sit,
Rachel says, then
carries the bowl over and sets it down in front of Esther with a small
spoon. She pours a glass of orange juice as well and sets that down too,
then turns to make three cups of coffee. While she waits for the water
to boil, she leans against the kitchen counter, watching Esther eat and
considering what to make for herself and Tabby. Esther seems to notice
her gaze and looks up at her, blushes, and looks away.
I like seeing you eat,
Rachel says. Esther wiggles happily in her
chair but says nothing.
Rachel decides she's not feeling too fancy today, so she puts a bagel in the toaster for herself. She puts the coffee on to brew, then looks out the window - the sky is a deep, clear dome of blue, with not a single cloud in the sky. A glance at the thermometer shows that it's 10C and already rising, so perfect outside weather. An idea comes to her.
Would you like to have a picnic today, sweetheart? We could go for a
walk together and find a nice spot to sit and eat.
Mhm,
says Esther, around a mouth full of cereal. Rachel sighs
happily, turns to pour a couple of cups of coffee, and sets them both on
the table. Well,
she says, in that case, after we're done
eating and we've cleaned up, you're going to help me make some
sandwiches and tea to bring. You can pick what kind of sandwiches,
she says, then has a sudden vision of a nutella-and-nothing-else lunch
and thinks better of it. Actually, no you can't, but you can suggest
something.
Esther giggles. Can we have PB&Js?
Rachel makes a show of looking like she's thinking hard about it, even
though she really isn't. Eventually she says: I suppose so... but I'm
going to bring some carrot sticks and cucumber slices as well, and I
want you to promise you'll eat some of those too, okay?
Yes, Mommy,
Esther replies - as Rachel expected she might, since
she's just suggested two of small-Esther's favorite snack foods. She
doesn't really have to bribe the girl to eat them at all, but it's fun
to pretend she is.
And we'll be bringing plenty of water, too,
Rachel goes
on. I'm going to make sure you're drinking enough.
Esther nods
her understanding, and Rachel's heart flutters as she sees the slightest
blush color her girl's cheekbones. God, she thinks. She might be the
luckiest woman alive.
A little while later, after both she and Esther are fed and Tabby's been
given a bagel and some coffee of her own at her desk, Rachel walks her
daughter through making a pair of messy but acceptable PB&Js while
Rachel slices up some fresh cucumbers and carrots from the garden for
snacks later. She packs a lunchbox for Esther and another for herself,
sneaking a couple of small candies into Esther's. There we go! Now,
go grab your backpack and we'll get ready to go.
Esther returns with her daypack, a small white backpack, and Rachel
gestures for her to sit on the couch. Do you remember what we bring
on hikes, sweetheart?
Esther looks a bit hesitant. Um... food, water, first aid kit...
She looks down at her backpack, as though trying to see through
it. That's three of them,
Rachel says, encouragingly. How
about... things to keep us warm and dry?
Esther brightens up. Oh!
My jacket and hat, and - ah, a space blanket and a thing to make fire.
Rachel comes over to her, hefting her own day pack, and sets it down on
the couch next to Esther. She crouches down facing her. Six for six
so far, hon. Do you remember the other four? How about something to help
us find our way home?
Ah! Maps? And the GPS?
Rachel nods. Yup, those are number seven. What about if it gets dark?
A flashlight?
Right! What about if it gets sunny?
Sunscreen!
Perfect so far. That's nine of our things - what's number ten? No
more hints, but maybe you can guess.
Um - more water?
You already said that one,
Rachel says, grinning. She leans
forward, gently taking Esther's collar with one hand. Keep thinking.
Esther shuts her eyes slowly, focusing. Rachel gently strokes the skin
of her girl's neck with her thumb, drawing a tiny contented sound out of
her. After a minute, Esther opens her eyes again. Knife!
Perfect! Excellent work, sweetheart. Now, let's go through our packs
together and make sure we both have all our things.
Esther nods, looking very pleased with herself, and starts pulling items out of her pack. Rachel does so as well, watching Esther to make sure the girl is doing it correctly. It's hardly necessary, since Esther is careful and disciplined even when she's feeling small, but it feels parental to her in a very satisfying and cozy way, so she does it anyway.
Esther announces that she has everything, and Rachel leans close to kiss
her forehead. Good girl. Here's your lunchbox, so find it a place in
your pack as well. Now, do you remember what else we always do before
we go on a hike?
We tell someone where we're going!
Yep,
Rachel says, scratching Esther's covered hair
affectionately. I'll go tell Tabby where we'll be and when we'll be
back. Get your boots on, go pee if you need to, and then we'll head out.
Yes, Mommy,
Esther says, standing up and shouldering her pack.
It's a short twenty-minute drive to the trailhead, which Esther spends singing along to one of Taylor Swift's newer albums and Rachel spends enjoying Esther doing that. Rachel pulls the truck off the road into the rough gravel parking area, waits for the song to finish, then kills the engine. Esther gives her a shy smile, and Rachel leans over to kiss her. Her girl tastes divine, and Rachel grabs for her collar to briefly pull her into a deeper embrace. When she lets go, Esther is flushed and audibly breathing hard. Rachel gives her a heated look, and Esther squirms in her seat, looking down at her own lap.
For her part, Rachel struggles internally with the idea of simply ravishing Esther here and now by the side of a deserted rural road, or (even more appealingly) simply turning around, heading home, and taking her slavegirl back to bed. She really does want to hike, though, and she's supposed to be the one with good impulse control here. She sighs, strokes one of Esther's cheeks with a couple of fingers, then turns and hops out of the truck before she can be further tempted. Esther hops out as well, shoulders her pack, and comes over to lean against Rachel, obviously craving more touch. She's irresistible and Rachel pulls her into a loose hug while she speaks.
We're out hiking,
she says, and I fall over and hit my head on
a rock. I'm not waking up. What should you do?
Esther tenses. Are you going to fall and hit your head?
Rachel squeezes her. We're imagining, sweetheart, so that just in
case it really happens, you know what to do. I'm not planning on falling.
Esther sighs, clearly uncomfortable. Um. I... get the satphone from
your pack and I call the number on the side. Then I... get my first aid
kit, and...
Rachel prompts her: Head injury?
Right! Stabilize your spine and wait for help.
Rachel nods. Right. And when the medics ask where you are, you tell them...
On the trail between Route 73 and Creighton Pond.
Perfect, good girl.
Rachel gives Esther a final squeeze, then
lets go of her. Shall we?
Rachel starts walking northward, with Esther a few paces behind her. The morning air is crisp and cool, with a light breeze, and she couldn't really imagine better conditions for a hike. Her pack is light and comfortable on her shoulders, and she smiles, enjoying the meditative quiet of just walking. She glances back at Esther and notices that her girl seems a little bit preoccupied.
Everything alright, hon?
Esther is quiet for a long moment, then says: I don't like when you
ask me questions like... that, about you getting hurt or dying.
Rachel stops and turns to face her sub. I know, sweet girl. I don't
like thinking about it either, and I know it's uncomfortable. You know
why I asked it, right?
Esther sighs. I know, Mommy. You want to make sure I'll be okay even
if you aren't here to help me. I just - I don't like imagining it.
Rachel takes a couple of steps back down the trail and hugs
her. Well,
she says, how about we stop thinking about it,
then? Get your binoculars out and let's see if we can identify a few
birds while we're walking.
Ooh!
Esther's mood lifts instantly, and she digs around in her
pack for her binoculars. I wonder if we'll get to see any ducks.
Rachel smiles. This time of year? I bet we will.
The trail to Creighton Pond is a gentle uphill, first through lightly wooded farmlands and then through a gradually denser and denser forest. It's an easy hike and the trail, while not well marked or particularly well kept, is straightforward to follow. The morning warms up nicely, the sun shines, and Rachel feels herself profoundly at ease with the world.
For her part, Esther chatters excitedly about - well, everything. Her smaller self doesn't get much time out in the world, since she usually only comes out when she's feeling very safe, which (for her) generally means being at home. Rachel lets herself dwell on the fact that this wonderful, special girl trusts Rachel enough to be herself, and a warm glow wraps around her heart. Esther is talking animatedly about the bedtime story Rachel's been reading to her recently, and that reminds Rachel of how profoundly good it feels to read to her girl, and soon she's so overcome with emotion that she simply stops in her tracks, turns, and wordlessly hugs Esther. Esther hugs her back.
Is everything okay?
Way more than okay, sweet girl. Way more than okay. I just wanted to
hug you.
Esther smiles. I like your hugs.
Rachel holds her for another minute, silently enjoying the setting and the company and this profound feeling of peace and rightness. When she finally lets go, she realizes they're only fifteen minutes' walk from Creighton Pond, and her stomach reminds her that they've been hiking for a couple of hours, so both she and Esther can definitely use some food.
She leads Esther down the rest of the trail to the pond in companionable quiet. In short order, the woods open up, revealing the deep blue waters of the pond, sparkling in the late morning sun. Rachel scans the shore, smiling when they appear to have the place to themselves. She finds a comfortable, grassy area down by the edge of the water, puts her pack down there, and unrolls their picnic blanket. Esther puts her own pack down carefully next to Rachel's, then sits down on the blanket, drawing her knees up to her chest.
Oof.
Rachel smiles at her, pulling her pack open to find her own packed
lunch. Sore legs?
Esther nods. I'm glad we're sitting.
She looks around and
suddenly spots a family of ducks placidly floating in the water. Ooh!
Rachel glances up. What are they?