Dissent and Daffodils

Hazel woke up with a headache and looked around the unfamiliar room. The walls were white, and on her right side, there was a closet. In front of the bed, a table held a few books scattered across it. A portrait of a woman hung on the wall behind her. The room had two doors: one led to a balcony, and the other, as she guessed, led to a bathroom.

She sat up and drank water from the bottle on the side table. Glancing down, she noticed she was wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Confused and with her head throbbing, Hazel decided to leave the room.

Stepping into the living room, she noticed a TV mounted on the wall in front of a white sofa. Video games were strewn across the table in front of the sofa. A carpet covered the floor, and several pieces of art and sculptures adorned the space. The living room opened into a kitchen, where a dining table was placed near the counter.

The aroma of pancakes and coffee wafted through the air, accompanied by soft singing and the sounds of sizzling from the stove. Hazel smiled; it was Lilith. With her back to Hazel, Lilith was cooking, wearing a tank top and sweatpants while flipping pancakes. Lilith's biceps and her tattoos were prominently displayed. Hazel didn't know that Lilith had tattoos under her suits she usually wore.

Hazel approached and hugged Lilith from behind, resting her head on her back. For a moment, startled, Lilith soon relaxed into the embrace.

"Woke up, sleepyhead," she said. Hazel hummed in response without moving. Lilith slowly turned around and pulled Hazel close to her chest. "Do you have a headache?" she asked softly. Hazel nodded against her. "Why don't you freshen up while I finish making us breakfast? Eat something, take some painkillers, and then rest. It's the weekend anyway," Lilith suggested, nuzzling Hazel's hair. Hazel groaned but reluctantly agreed, prompting a chuckle from Lilith as she released her.

Shortly after, Hazel emerged from the bedroom with her hair tied in a messy bun. She took a seat at the table and bit into a pancake drizzled with syrup. Lilith smiled, pleased to watch Hazel enjoy her food.

As Hazel took her first bite, she almost moaned at the deliciousness. After doing a little happy dance, she glanced at Lilith, who had been watching her intently but now looked down at her plate. The only sign that Hazel's reaction had affected her was the redness creeping up to Lilith's ears. Hazel felt her cheeks warm at the sight. A comfortable silence settled between them, broken only by the gentle clinking of forks and knives.

"So, what happened last night? I don't remember anything after I had a martini," Hazel admitted. Lilith looked at her, smirking, and asked, "Nothing at all?"

Hazel gulped, sensing she was being teased. She avoided looking directly at Lilith, knowing she was waiting for a reaction.

"Not even how you complained about feeling hot as you unbuttoned your shirt?" Lilith paused, gauging Hazel's response. Hazel turned red and hid her face in her hands.

"Or how you struggled to pull off your fishnet stockings?" Lilith continued, her smile growing wider. When Hazel groaned into her hands, Lilith burst out laughing. Embarrassed, Hazel quickly placed her hand over Lilith's mouth to quiet her.

"Is there anything else I need to know?" Hazel asked, removing her hand once Lilith stopped laughing.

Lilith looked at her seriously and said, "You pulled me by my sweatshirt and asked me to kiss you." Hazel, cutting another bite of her pancake, asked, "And did you?"

Silence hung in the air, broken only by their breathing. Then Lilith replied, "No, I didn't." A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Hazel's face, but disappeared almost instantly.

However, Lilith noticed and pulled Hazel's chair closer with ease. Hazel squeaked in surprise and placed her hand on Lilith's chest.

"You were drunk, not in the right state to know what you were asking for. But if you still want it," Lilith let the words linger in the air. Hazel's eyes shifted between Lilith's lips and her eyes as she replied, "I want it."

Lilith moved closer, their lips just inches apart.

But just before their lips touched, a loud knock on the door interrupted the moment.