Work Text:
“You know,” Zani grumbled in her signature, not unkind way, “I would have thought the Order’s closets would be a bit bigger than this.”
Normally, Phoebe would agree. Phoebe would have, normally, also playfully argued that Zani was taller than the average Ragunnesi, so she can’t really be talking. Phoebe would also shuffle around awkwardly when she realised what kind of thoughts she’d had about Zani’s height, and what she'd wished Zani would do about it. Phoebe would do many things, if she weren’t presently in said closet, with Zani, where they were facing each other, arms and legs wrapped around the other in places she would rather not think about right now. But she was, and so all she could muster was a very intelligent “guh”.
Sentinel save her.
It had been a perfectly pleasant morning, too. She was just heading to her chambers from the prayer hall when she’d caught Zani coming back from the Order’s library, the one open to the public.
This was a regular occurrence, and it was the best part of Phoebe’s morning, twice every week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Twice a week, Zani would visit her at the Cathedral and they’d find each other in the corridors outside her room, and talk about nothing and everything. Zani always cited her regular excuse (“You know how it is, Phoebe. Weekly Montelli library assignment,” so she would chuckle) even though Phoebe knew the Montellis had stopped asking that of Zani after their botched joint expedition to the vault. And Phoebe let her, of course.
For why would Phoebe deny her? Especially when, if she timed herself right, they would run into each other exactly outside of her chambers. And it was always so easy to say, oh, since we’re here anyways, would you like to come in, Miss Zani?
And Zani hadn't refused once.
Over time, Phoebe thought she’d gotten rather good at timing herself. Except that one time, when there had been a crying child at the altar that Phoebe had to soothe, she had run a minute late to their usual rendezvous. But before she could think she had missed her, she’d turned the corner and Zani had been there, all awkward and fidgety. Waiting. For her. Phoebe had smiled about it the entire day.
This had been one such pleasant morning. She’d found Zani right outside her room, leaning on a closet opposite her door, waving at her as Phoebe approached. Had Zani stopped pretending she just happened to be in the same spot? Phoebe hoped so.
“Good morning, Miss Zani,” Phoebe smiled, “Fancy running into you here! A fortunate coincidence, indeed!”
Zani rolled her eyes good naturedly. “Yes yes, good morning to you too Miss Acolyte. Sentinel’s blessings and whatever you say.”
“You could try to be more mindful of your manners towards the Sentinel when under Their roof, Miss Zani,” Phoebe huffed, giving Zani’s forehead a soft poke with her staff. Zani didn’t move, or bat it away. She just took it, her smile growing indulgent, and Phoebe’s heart did that thing again where it tells her to keep going, do more, touch her more, tease her more, caress her cheek, pull her tie down. She shushed it with practiced efficiency.
But it had been getting more difficult lately, and Phoebe had increasingly allowed it to get away with some of the less daring thoughts. Which was probably why she said: “Perhaps you ought to let yourself in next time, Miss Zani. Wouldn’t want you getting tired of standing around if I were to be late.”
Phoebe felt herself grow warm over what tumbled out of her mouth, already stuttering to take it back, even if she had meant every word, but Zani silenced her thoughts with a laugh. “Hmm, I guess I will. Maybe even-”
She would have loved to continue listening to whatever Zani was saying, but she could suddenly hear Lenore coming round the corner, and her entire body moved into action before she could form a thought.
Now, she liked Lenore well enough. She was quite sweet, and the poor girl seemed to be having some troubles with her faith, not unlike what Phoebe felt when she learned of the Order’s underhanded dealings, back in the vault. But love for her fellow acolyte aside, she didn’t really trust Lenore to not… misinterpret her… relationship with Zani. Knowing her, she would get quite overenthusiastic about the whole thing, and most likely make a scene, perhaps leading to Zani getting ostensibly banned from the Order library. And Phoebe hardly wanted to stop seeing Zani over some measly misunderstanding. That was all she was thinking, really. So she pulled Zani into the closet ( why not just into her room which was right there, she did not know ), and Zani, dear Zani, had asked no questions and immediately shut the door, quiet and efficient. Right before Phoebe could realise, much less tell her, that these particular closets opened only from the outside, and tended to lock themselves. So now…
She just panicked! And now she was here, with Zani, cramped in this closet. Of course they had to be facing each other. Of course Zani’s arm, curled around her to close the door safely, had ended up beneath her ghosting beneath her top. Of course.
“Um.”
“Does this thing not have a latch on the inside? Oh dear.” Zani sighed.
“T-there’s-” Phoebe gulped, “a small latch on the lower edge of the d-door. It should open this closet. Can you…?”
Zani hummed. “It’s a bit far for my tail to reach.” Her breath ghosted across Phoebe’s lips, Phoebe was going to die- “I’ll have to shuffle us down slowly. Hold on, okay?”
Zani had ended up propped diagonally across the closet and through Phoebe’s legs, so Phoebe was currently, to forego pointless euphemisms, riding her knee. And every time Zani now tried to shift them down, she rode up and down her knee a little more, and oh, Phoebe begged, hoped, prayed, to the Sentinel, to all the other Sentinels, to anyone at all who would listen that Zani couldn’t sense her wildly beating heart, couldn’t hear her ragged breath, couldn’t feel her-…
Zani shifted again, and it’s all Phoebe could do to not make a noise she would regret. “Zani,” she managed weakly, and Zani stopped.
“Are you alright, Phoebe?” Zani whispered, concern bleeding into her voice.
No. I need- “I-I’m okay. I’m- umh...” How in the world was she supposed to phrase “Please kiss me right now I'm going to die otherwise” without sounding like an absolute lunatic?
“Ah. Let me,” she let go of Phoebe’s waist ( God, the way she misses it immediately, she needs to repent ) and tried to reach down behind her, to no avail.
“I’m stuck like this.” Zani sighed, and her breath tickled Phoebe’s forehead. “Hold on.”
It’s all the warning Phoebe had before Zani bent her knees, bringing herself down, closer to the floor of the closet. Which was wonderful and all, but it also made Phoebe lose her footing, and she slid up Zani’s thigh all the way into her lap. At that, Phoebe gave up any semblance of control she had over herself, and a moan ripped itself out of her throat.
“Mmgh~!”
…
…Well then. She had lived a good, pious life, one lived without regrets as far as she could, and if the Sentinel Imperator would be so kind, Phoebe would like to die now, please.
“...Phoebe?”
Revered Sentinel, please allow no more delay in this matter. Phoebe would like to die as soon as possible, there’s no point in even showing her face to the world anymore.
“Phoebe, look at me. Please?”
What was taking so long? Was the Lord busy with paperwork? Phoebe could help if they would just hurry up and-
A soft touch, gentle and hesitant, broke Phoebe out of her spiral, and she blinked. Zani's thumb was caressing her lip and Zani was looking at her, and oh how she was looking…
Suddenly Phoebe didn't care so much anymore. What was she worried about again?
“Zani…?”
Zani remained quiet for a moment, before she asked, “May I?” And Phoebe knew, of course she knew, what she was asking for, what they both wanted, and it took everything Phoebe had to not throw herself against Zani's shy, growing smile. She settled for a hoarse, “Please” as she closed her eyes, feeling Zani close the distance.
The kiss was chaste, gentle, almost too gentle. Phoebe nearly groaned in frustration. “Maybe we should talk about this-” Zani began, already moving away, but Phoebe was dealing with none of that. “Later.” She grunted, tugging on Zani's tie (Oh Sentinel, how she'd always wanted to do that) , and crashed their lips together.
The second kiss was much messier, their teeth clacked more than once, and Phoebe only had a vague idea of how kissing worked from the romcoms she'd snatched a look at when she was younger, but God it felt good.
There were no fireworks in the quiet closet, but thrills shot up Phoebe’s spine anyway, leaving her tingly and gasping for breath. Distantly, she could feel Zani’s gloved hand caressing her nape, and Zani’s jaw under her own fingertips. Her lungs burned, but she held on, she needed more, longer, if she could have this forever more…
It was Zani who pushed them apart again, and they both heaved a gulp of air. Phoebe may or may not have started seeing dark spots. “My goodness, Phoebe… you… really wanted that… huh?” She grinned. “We should get out of this closet right now, I think. Wouldn’t want our beloved acolyte to faint of asphyxiation.”
Phoebe was hardly listening, dazed. How had she gone without this for so long? She nearly leans in again, but Zani leans back and clicks the latch open, and the fresh air rushes through Phoebe's system, clearing her head a bit. She blinks.
“I don't think I'll ever look at a closet quite the same way again,” she mutters, petting her lip. Still buzzing softly from the feeling of that kiss. A fleeting reminder of what just happened, of the sudden change in their… relationship. A small smile fights its way onto Phoebe's expression at that, as Zani stands up and stretches with a groan.
“You're telling me. Maybe I should bring some flowers to it as thanks.” Phoebe looks up at that, and sees Zani with that stupid, stupid smirk of hers on that beautiful face, and Phoebe sighs in resignation. I still want to kiss her. Oh great Sentinel, I want to keep kissing her.
She huffs, reaching for Zani's tie and tugging it ( Goodness that would never get old) towards her room. “I hope you have nowhere to be for a while, Miss Zani.” And as she pulls her inside and shuts the door behind herself, Zani's genuine, eager smile is nearly blinding as she leans closer, closer, as close as they can physically be.
“Oh, I'm sure they'll manage. I have better things to do.”