Chloe Saunders was down in the relative privacy of Lyle House's basement, fuming. She couldn't believe the sheer bitchiness of Victoria Enright, one of two other female residents at Lyle house. Victoria was so cruel to Chloe, and why? Over a crush on Simon. Victoria couldn't stand the thought of the other girl moving in on what she considered "her territory." The whole affair was unbelievably stupid for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which was that Chloe didn't harbor any sort of romantic interest in Simon. In fact, Chloe identified herself as a lesbian, even if she was the only one who knew it.

That little fact was neither here nor there when it came to Victoria, no matter how hot Chloe did or didn't consider her.

But then, maybe it was very much here. Chloe knew that she herself was guilty of checking Tori out, more than just a few times. She couldn't help but notice the vulnerable expression on Tori's face when she thought no one was looking, or the way she would intently observe the world outside of Lyle house through the large, bay windows. Or the anger that would allow her to lose her hard-earned control so spectacularly. Sometimes, Chloe suspected that the defiant, acerbic armor that Tori projected was just that; a thing to be worn to protect herself from the kicks fate aimed her way. It made the brunette something of a riddle to Chloe, and that fascinated her. Victoria's elegantly lean body, silky cap of short dark hair, and absorbing, chocolate eyes were no deterrent to Chloe's blossoming feelings, either. At times, Chloe fleetingly thought her admiration might be reciprocated because she would catch Tori watching her from across the room with the same look Chloe could feel on her face when she watched Tori, a look of enigmatic puzzlement and possibilities. It sent warm tingles down Chloe's spine, which, given the girls' open animosity, only served to confuse her.

So, Chloe refused to acknowledge the real depth of her turmoil and instead allowed her temper to simmer as she sat, semi-hidden in a corner, and systematically shredded an unfortunate scrap of paper that had fallen victim to her ire. As she calmed down, she began to contemplate what she could do to make her life more pleasant at Lyle house.

What to do Chloe mulled I could just ignore her, but that wouldn't solve anything. I'd just be stuck in my current state. Oooh, maybe I could kill her. That would make everyone's lives better! Chloe found that she couldn't even entertain the thought. Hmmm, perhaps not. So what do I do?

Unbidden rose the image of herself kissing Tori, hands twining in her short, dark hair, tongues dancing , massaging each other. Her legs wrapping around Tori's waist as the taller girl lifted her onto the washer in this very basement...

No! Bad Chloe's brain! Chloe admonished herself, as she tried to banish the enticing mental image. Not very successfully, either. Once Chloe managed to more or less subdue her hormone-fueled train of thought, she realized the only sensible thing to do was to talk to Victoria and let her know the she wasn't interested in Simon. Chloe thought this might work; she need not even mention that she was a lesbian.

Steeling herself, Chloe stood and dusted off her jeans, preparing to go and have what would likely be a more than slightly awkward conversation with the attractive yet vicious Victoria Enright.

She was spared the need to go hunt down the object of her lust when the very girl walked into the basement, surprising them both.

Both girls stood there for a moment, completely still, waiting to see what the other wold do. Chloe was the first to break the uncertain silence.

"It's actually good that I ran into you," Chloe said, averting her eyes in embarrassment, though she wasn't sure why. Victoria looked, if possible, even more surprised, bordering on shocked, her naturally arched eyebrows raising, eyes widening slightly, mouth hanging slack, creating the sort of shocked expression one only sees on cartoon characters. Chloe thought that if she wasn't in such an awkward situation, she would probably have found it funny.

"Really?" Tori questioned, clearly shocked by this departure from their tormentor-tormented relationship.

"Well, yeah," Chloe said, unable to prevent a small, amused smile from briefly gracing her face, "I wanted to talk to you, to have a peace conference of sorts." Chloe briefly worried that Tori's jaw might dislocate if it dropped any further. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm not after Simon or anything like that, so you don't have to worry." Chloe paused, torn between hoping for and dreading some kind of response. When none was forthcoming, she added, "So, you can stop acting like a total bitch now. Or at least try."

Still not getting any answer, even after deliberately provoking Tori in the hope of at least an angry retort to re-establish the parameters of their relationship, Chloe gave up. She felt that she'd done all she could for this conversation, considering the lack of participation by Tori.

"Okey-dokey, then," Chloe said, biting her lower lip unconsciously, "I guess that's it so I'm just gonna...go." Chloe finally tore her light blue eyes away from the strange staring contest and made to climb the narrow staircase to the rest of the house.

Tori threw out an arm to stop her as Chloe attempted to leave. "Your not into Simon?" she queried, her expression and tone still not that of Chloe's tormentor and nemesis. Now her eyebrows were slightly knit in confusion, her full, lush-looking lips parted slightly, "Why?"

Chloe met Tori's curious gaze with her own, and whatever lie she had planned to tell died on her lips. For some unfathomable reason, she couldn't lie to Tori then. Maybe it had something to do with the look of openness with a hint of something that looked suspiciously like hope. "Well, because," Chloe replied, praying she wouldn't regret this, "I'm a lesbian."

Chloe had only a split second to bask in the sensation of finally having told someone the truth before she was pulled into a fiery, unexpected kiss. Chloe stiffened with surprise before returning the kiss with an enthusiasm neither girl anticipated. Tori held Chloe tightly against her body, one hand on the shorter girl's waist, the other tangled in her gleaming red-gold hair. Chloe stood on her toes and pulled herself up by locking both hands on the back of Tori's neck. Tori lightly traced her tongue along Chloe's lower lip, causing the necromancer to gasp lightly, almost more of a exhalation. The noise was inordinately enticing, and Tori found herself lifting Chloe to sit on the washer, the better to reach her. Chloe pressed herself more tightly against Tori, pulling her closer by wrapping her legs around the darker girl's slim waist. Now their tongues writhed in each others' mouths, intertwining and rubbing against each other in a hungry clash of passion.

Chloe was struck by the similarities between her earlier fantasy and her current situation. Maybe I'm psychic she thought giddily, as she bit Tori right on her lush lower lip. Pulling back slightly, Chloe moved to kiss up and down Tori's neck and collar bone, making sure to nip when she reached likely-seeming points. She was rewarded with a quiet grunt as Tori's long-fingered hands began to explore under her shirt.

Chloe decided she'd had it with shirts altogether and quickly unbuttoned Tori's before carelessly tossing it on the floor. To Chloe's delight, the other girl had neglected to don a bra that day, and Chloe could see the wonderfully erect nipples. Chloe grinned wickedly before slowly and deliberately taking the nipple between her teeth and licking it. Tori groaned, becoming more than a little wet at the delicious sensation. Chloe's hands repositioned themselves one at the small of Tori's back, the other massaging Tori's other boob, tweaking the nipple. Chloe reveled in the sounds Tori was making, knowing that she was the cause of those gasps interspersed with the occasional moan. She could feel Tori's need for release building as well she could feel the heat mounting between her own legs.

She moved her hand from the small of her back to the front of Tori's jeans and quickly unfastened and unzipped them. Chloe took a moment to appreciate the sight of the mostly naked girl in front of her, excepting the very wet, lacy, black thong. "Lay down on your back," Chloe breathed against Tori's ear before biting the lobe. The girl shuddered once before hurriedly obeying.

By the time Tori was situated, Chloe had stripped off her shirt and pants and hopped down from the washer. She positioned herself between Tori's legs, smiling appreciatively at the sight of the extremely aroused girl before her. Chloe bit her lip to resist the temptation to lick them lecherously. She resumed her oral assault on the brunette's breasts, while teasingly running her fingers in a tantalizingly slow circuit up Tori's soft inner thigh, caressing the slick edges of her labia before going down the other thigh and then doing it all over again. Tori's breaths came hard and fast; Chloe could feel that they were both beginning to lose control.

Now Chloe slipped her index and middle finger inside Tori, just barely, testing the metaphorical and physical waters; the pun caused her to smile against the other girl's skin. Tori moaned, bucking her hips, desperate for Chloe to quit teasing and touch her already!

"Fine, impatient," Chloe said, chuckling seductively. She began to lightly trace Tori's clit, enjoying the noticeable increase in the pitch and length of her lover's moans as she stroked and circled the sensitive bundle of red-hot nerves. Then she eased two fingers inside Tori's core, allowing her a moment to adjust to feeling. Tori made a noise that was halfway between a gasp and an eep.

It was so cute, Chloe made a mental note to tease her mercilessly about it later.

Then Chloe began to pump her fingers in and out, eliciting moans in time to her pace. Chloe dragged herself up Tori's torso, and engaged her with a sizzling kiss, swallowing the taller girl's arousing sounds. Chloe could feel herself nearing her climax and decided to pick up the pace; she wanted to see Tori's face when she came.

She moved faster and faster, stimulating Tori's clit with her thumb in addition to the finger-fucking. She feel the heat building, building, building...then, with what felt to Tori like a river bursting its dam, she climaxed. Wave after wave rolled deliciously through her body as Chloe did her best to gently bring her down from the high, slowing her manic pumping and decorating Tori's abdomen with light kisses.

Chloe slid up next to her lover's side and wrapped her arms around her, tenderly kissing the spot behind her earlobe before snuggling up against her, patiently waiting for her to finish enjoying her orgasm before Chloe could get the relief she longed for.

Tori looked at Chloe, her gaze somehow simultaneously grateful and accusing. "You've done this before," Tori said.

Chloe beamed at the indirect praise. "No, instinct and luck," she replied cheerfully.

To remind Tori about her own need for release, Chloe began to kiss hungrily along Tori's jaw. Tori laughed, understanding the hint. She rolled on top of Chloe, swapping their previous positions, and kissed her deeply and sensually, ending with a sharp bite to the strawberry blond's lip. Chloe, already excited by their recent activities, gasped and began to breathe quickly. Tori ran her hands roughly up and down Chloe's torso, leaving almost painful tingling sensations in her wake. One long-fingered hand smoothly traced the beautiful series of subtle curves down to Chloe's almost ludicrously wet folds. Chloe whimpered as she strained to get Tori's fingers where she needed them. Tori quirked a grin, before unceremoniously shoving two digits inside Chloe's ready opening, making the shorter girl's light blue eyes roll and causing her to groan loudly. Then Tori began to move her fingers in and out at a tortuously slow pace.

"Tori!" Chloe growled, "Quit playing! Fuck me already!" Deciding her lover was not to be toyed with at the moment, Tori began to move rapidly, putting her thumb to work on Chloe's clit, much as Chloe had done to her. Then she stopped and removed her hand entirely, prompting Chloe to nearly scream with frustration. Tori smiled, unperturbed by the death glare she was now receiving. "I had an idea," she murmured and lowered herself gracefully until her mouth was positioned scant millimeters from Chloe's core.

Before Chloe had to much time to think, Tori swiftly inserted her tongue in the velvety opening her fingers had previously occupied. She ran her tongue up and down Chloe's slit, gently flicking the other girl's painfully throbbing clit. Chloe was by now reduced to a quivering pile of nerves, and bucked her hips, desperate for the friction that would cause her relief. Tori lavished her mouth's attention on Chloe's clit, while resuming her finger-fucking. Chloe was panting and moaning, teetering on the edge of her climax. Then Tori wrapped her lips around Chloe's clit and sucked hard.

Chloe muffled a scream against her hand as she fell into her orgasm. Tori held and stroked Chloe as she lay helpless in the powerful spasms that ran through her body. After several long, blissful minutes lying curled together on the floor of the basement, Chloe turned to Tori and cleared her throat self-consciously.

"Not that I object to what just happened," Chloe began, "But I have to ask...Why?" "Why did I just jump your bones, you mean?" Tori said half-teasing, half-serious. Chloe gave a lopsided grin, "Yeah, that."

Tori took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering. "Well, it was a couple of things. Before you came to Lyle House, I thought I liked Simon. He was funny and kind. And cute. You know, in a guy way." Chloe giggled.

Tori smiled before continuing, "But then you showed up, and all I could think was 'Oh. Hotcutegirl. Wait. Lesbian tendency? I don't have lesbian tendencies.' So, I spent most of the last few weeks in confusion, and mad at you for being the cause. Unfair, I know. Lately, I'd just kind of accepted the idea that I could be attracted to other girls, and then you told me that you were a lesbian, which completely blew my mind. I pretty much thought you were straight. You gave me an opening and I took it without planning to, and here we are."

Chloe digested this explanation briefly. "I guess that makes sense," she replied, smiling slightly. "So," Chloe said casually, "I'm guessing this means that we're good? That our little peace conference went well?"

Tori giggled, smiling broadly. "Yes," she answered lightly kissing Chloe's lips, "Far better than expected."