Joy of Joys

My girlfriend's big blue eyes stare at me as she processes the information. To be fair to her, I did just fuck her brains out, might take a minute to unscramble them. The important thing is that I'm so humble about it!

"A job?" She tries to confirm. Wow, I must be good, I've literally banged the concept of capitalism out of her head. I'm just so humble.

"Yeah, a job." I reply, unable to resist smiling. "A job!" I repeat in French, causing her to roll her eyes. She pulls me onto the bed and we lay our heads on the pillows. Elise insisted that we get more pillows after it became clear she wasn't leaving any time soon, right now I'm pretty grateful she did, damn this is comfy, but apparently she finds my boob comfier, as she moves her head to my chest.

"I know what a job is... I just thought you'd get a bit of time to rest when school ends, I don't want you exhausting yourself." Elise explains, tracing circles around my belly button with her finger. "I know what I said, but you shouldn't push yourself if it's not what you want."

She is the cutest. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about entering the workplace, my school life revolved around being ostracized, I'm not sure how I'll cope in a buttoned-up corporate organisation... But I'm also excited, no more judgement based on who I'm friends with, or how I look, just my work... So I guess it all comes down to if I can do it...

"I love you, but this isn't just for you, I need to prove to myself that I can accomplish it, you know? I've always been the damsel in distress, always saved by Rouge or Jasper, or you. This job sounds like something I can do, then I'd be able to give back. I want to make you proud of me." I admit, running my fingers through her hair.

Elise looks up to me and places a kiss on my cheek. "I'm always proud of you, if you want this then you'll get it. I believe in you." She sighs, resting her head on my chest again. Seems like this one's tuckered out, I leave my own kiss on the top of her head and lean over to turn out the light as she takes off her bra.

We don't sleep naked as much as anyone would expect, we're in a busy house after all, but I like when we do. Feeling my flesh against hers, her pulse in rhythm with mine, her scent in my nose. It all soothes me, puts me to sleep like a lullaby, sometimes I wonder if there's anything she can't do... I'll make sure to note it down if I figure it out.

*

"You know I'm meeting up with Trish tomorrow, I can't be around to dress you up for the interview." Rouge points out across the breakfast table. Elise had hopped in the shower before me this morning, meaning I'd come down to eat before I got ready for school. There's only a few days left, so the temptation to just pull a sicky is high, but I'd be bored without Elise and it's not like I have much to do now, other than revise for science with her and Rouge. "You'll need to look, you know, presentable, professional, confident, everything you're not?" She continues smarmily.

"I think I can figure out how to put on a blazer and tie my hair up, but I appreciate your concern." I respond with an equal level of sarcasm.

"One egg or two?" Camille's voice asks from the kitchen. She's insisted on cooking the last few days, says she misses the creativity of cooking. Oh yeah, I speak French now! I mean... Almost... A bit... okay, I'm passable at best, but I've worked really hard over the last six months, enough so that me and Camille can hold a reasonable conversation, if a bit basic.

"Two, please!" I reply in my new dialect. My sister's confused expression makes me realise she can't answer. "One for Rouge." I add, met by a laugh from Camille, who soon after emerges from the kitchen with eggs and toast on plates.

She places two down on the table then returns to retrieve the remainder from the kitchen. When she comes back in again she's accompanied by my mother, who smiles politely, joining us at the table. For her part, Camille's doubled down on learning English, but Elise tells me English is far harder to pick up, so her progress is limited, still, she listens intently when we're all together, trying to immerse herself in the language I assume.

"It surprises me your sister stopped at one, she struck me as an all night long girl!" Camille grins to me, taking a seat across from Mum.

Right, that's something I forgot to mention. So, when you can't understand what she's saying Camille comes across as formal, straight-laced, elegant, like an empress... She's not. She's got the dirtiest sense of humour I've ever heard, and I can only understand about half of it. It's made me realise that 'the talk' she gave Elise the night she caught us was more likely to have been gossiping than any kind of discipline.

Still, she's got the most amazing stories, protests in Paris, parties in Berlin, 'good times' in Amsterdam, she really did a lot of living before she settled down, and it's fascinating to hear all her adventures. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to live my simple life, but it definitely sounds like she spent a lot of years being anything but a housewife.

"What's the joke?" Rouge asks me, noticing my smirk.

I forcefully return to my resting face. "Oh, I don't think it translates, sort of a knock-knock joke?" I lie. "Anyway, what're your plans tomorrow?" I ask, deflecting the conversation off of me.

"Not sure, maybe get dinner or something, hang out at the den, nothing special." She answers nonchalantly.

Fucking.

They're going to be fucking.

A lot.

I cracked Rouge's code almost as soon as they got together, if she doesn't mention anything specific they're planning to do, they're having sex. She's just being tactful with Mum around. I would say around Camille as well, but... Firstly, Camille wouldn't understand what she was saying and secondly... Well, after one particularly noisy evening with Elise I'd gone to get a glass of water and bumped into her. She gave me a smile, a wink, a thumbs up, and said 'good job!' So I'd say she's liberated enough to not be worried about it.

It's probably a bad thing that being told I did a good job that night gave me an ego boost.

Finishing up her breakfast Mum finally speaks. "I've got to hurry to work, make sure you help Camille with the washing up." She orders us, messing up my hair as she passes me. Elise finally makes her appearance, bringing through her plate as she takes my now vacant seat. I've still got time to wash up and do my make-up, so probably a good idea, how would Elise go to school without a stunning figure such as mine on her arm?

I'm just so humble.