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With her approach, Oz's nose stuck out towards Teddy, sniffing the air around her. A short answer was followed by even shorter reassurance that Natalie struggled to believe so easily. If anything, her animals proved her to be right. The German Shepherd found its way over towards them, looking up at the lawyer with a similar look Natalie held.
"That must have been very hard." Though Natalie wasn't one to call someone out, she still couldn't help herself with the statement. She couldn't imagine loosing a parent already. "Is that part if why you moved here?"
Briefly, her dogs pulled her attention away from the lawyer as they came in, tails wagging. The smaller of the two was already standing on her hind legs. Natalie humored her and picked her up with a scoop of her arms.
It wasn't enough to keep her from hearing the past tense in her counterpart's response. Dark eyes were quick to turn back towards Teddy, filling with sympathy. "I'm so sorry."
And just like that, she was taking steps back to her, dog still in arms. "How long has it been?"
Dark eyes were fixated on the clever hands working to cover Teddy's form up, though that hardly meant she wasn't paying attention. It was interesting to think about the lawyer in university. It seemed so fitting of her to go to someplace like Cambridge, and the way she spoke of it only made it moreso.
It was sweet. How proud she was of it, and how proud her father seemed to be, too. "Are you two close?" Slow steps took her backwards as she reached for the door, drawing it open and letting two very excited dogs barge into the bedroom.
Really, her question was never intended to be taken seriously, but somehow the lawyer offered what sounded like a genuine response. It dragged a little laugh out of Natalie as she shook her head. "I couldn't. There must be a reason you've kept it so long." Though, that wouldn't prevent her from borrowing it now that she'd put it on once. Without bright eyes on her, she brought the collar up to her nose, guessing correctly that it smelled like her.
Her own gaze lingered on Teddy's form, especially as it came near to dress herself as well. The urge to reach out was overwhelming, but she did her best to keep her hands to herself for the time being. "Did you enjoy university?"
There was something to be said about the article that seemed so out of place compared to the rest of the lawyer's wardrobe. It was well loved, and judging by the university crest, likely to be years old. Natalie couldn't help the way she was drawn to it.
A small smile formed on her lips as was granted permission and she pulled it over her head and down her torso. She flattened the material against her stomach before lifting her hands up to drag her hair out from under the collar. "What do you think? Can I pull off the Cambridge look?" She asked jokingly.
It was like a weight had been added to her body when she pushed herself up. Toned arms shouldn't have been matched with resistance, but she selfishly wished to stay under the covers with the lawyer all morning. Responsibilities called to them though, and she was lucky to still have her counterpart there as it was.
She said off the edge of the bed, dark eyes fixed on the closet rather than daring to turn and look back. Securing the first article, Natalie stepped into it, with a pair of sweatpants to follow. Without her gaze fixated on Teddy, however, it settled on the small portion or her closet that was given to her. Fingers curled around fabric that caught her eye, and she pulled it off the hanger and finally turned, revealing the university sweatshirt. "Mind if I wear this?"
It was easy to find humor in the way they acted, if only because Natalie had never found someone so completely intoxicating. Obsessed was the perfect word to describe her inability to stay away from the lawyer for too long. And now, as they both agreed they needed to get up, there was a struggle in actually doing so.
"Alright." She breathed, like they could do with a warning of the soon to come distance. But she still kissed her first. Drawn out for as long as she could before she finally pressed her palms to the bedding and slowly hauled herself upright.
Every sound and move made by the lawyer was intoxicating. Natalie took it all in, giving into her own selfish nature of just adorning those details about her. Clever lips pressed to the curve of her neck before she finally eased herself up to catch her eyes. There was something about just being able to look at her that made her breath stall in her throat.
"We should get up." Natalie repeated after a few spare moments, but her voice was low and humor etched its way into her tone to match the curve of her lips.
At the very least, there were a few short tasks that needed to be done that morning, all of which were put to the wayside when she was kissed like that. And if it weren't enough to drag Natalie's mind away from any sort of responsibility, there was the phrase she offered. In a minute. She'd heard it before and knew it was exactly the sort of encouragement the trainer needed to know she was making the right move. That Teddy's desire to stay in the comfort of bed was just as high as her own.
Even if she let out a little humored breath, it was lost in the way she moved forward and kissed her again, or how her hands moved with defined purpose.
There was certainly humor in the explanation given; really, it didn't give Natalie any more interest in picking up a romance novel, but at least she learned she wasn't missing out on anything by avoiding them. A lack of character was the quickest way for her to set down a book. It was difficult to invest in a flat character - or one that was impossible to relate to. Though, she couldn't blame those who did enjoy the genre. Clearly, it had some sort of following, whether it was for those who read them for humor like the blonde, or otherwise.
Natalie hadn't expected to be asked why she preferred the subject that she offered an answer on. It dragged a thoughtful hum to her lips as they pressed together. "I suppose it's because it's not so far removed from how we live, but it offers a little bit of the extraordinary." She settled with as an answer, her shoulders raising up and down with a little shrug.
Reciprocating pressure against her lips was exactly the motive to keep her quiet and closer. It was far too easy to give into physicality when it was so willingly taken and given. It was affectionate. Purposeful. And even when she felt short on breath, she tried to maintain that connection until her lungs desperately cried for oxygen. And in that moment, there was reason. Something that Natalie couldn't entirely argue with, but quickly realized she didn't have to when Teddy found her lips again.
"We should," she even managed to agree between kisses, like there was something in being on the same level of understanding, despite the way her hands found Teddy's thighs.
It was easy to become enveloped with physicality, and although Natalie never willingly liked distance, there was something else entirely in the way she was looked back at. A single word response was perfect in its own way; accepting of the descriptor that Natalie easily labeled the lawyer with. Wonderful. She almost wanted to say it again. Though other words crept forward in her mind, and she felt the way her lips parted as if she could actually voice them. Her tongue ran over the length of her bottom lip, briefly humoring the thought.
And silence came forth, because surely that was better. Natalie leaned down to press against Teddy again, taking in the form perfectly flesh against her own as she kissed her.
With her new book firmly in hand, there wasn't reason to find another title just yet, especially if she wanted to get a good chunk in before Friday evening. Though that didn't stop the trainer from still browsing; she still had plenty of time before she had to make her way to the academy for her workday, and the company she had found was pleasant within itself. Her answer drew a nod out of Natalie; the current book they were reading must have made her happy, given Agatha Christie's specialty in the genre.
It was a surprise to hear her expand on romance novels, and Natalie couldn't help the way she laughed at the explanation given. It was so honest. "I've admittedly never dived into romance novels." At least, not the kind she assumed Josie was talking about. It had never piked her interest, and she wondered now that if it had anything to do with her recent realization in life. "I've always wondered if they were as bad as I assumed they were."
A laugh did nothing to dishearten the trainer. She knew well enough that it wasn't a solid argument, but she let it settle regardless. Because humor found its way into her own breath as she learned that Teddy had decided this the prior night, and somehow that seemed so like her. She was almost mathematical in her approach, but what stood out the most to Natalie was that she had hours to change her mind - to convince herself that it was her duty to go into the firm. Yet there she was, staying. If Natalie ever knew what an ego felt like, it must have been exactly like this.
She pushed herself up, enough to try and catch those bright eyes she adored. Even without the aid of acute sight, she was sure it was obvious that Natalie was appreciative of those words. Of her decision. "You are wonderful." She breathed.
And like that, it was decided. Natalie gave a small smile and nod, and suddenly the woman disappeared. Briefly, she thought to follow her, but instead she settled where she was, eyes landing back on the titles as she scanned through them, hands settling against her jeans while waiting. Though it wasn't long before the blonde returned with the book in question. "Thank you so much." Her eyes lit up as she took it, looking at the cover image and thumbing through the pages a little bit.
Natalie's nose scrunched as she gave time to the question asked of her. She never really realized that she settled on a particular genre, but she quickly reviewed some of her favorite titles in her mind, seeing it she could find a pattern within itself. "I suppose I enjoy a little bit of surrealism, but it can be tied to a number of things." She hadn't considered how difficult it was to pinpoint an exact genre. "You seem like quite the avid reader; what do you enjoy?"