At first it had seemed like such a good idea. Rose and Anna, friends, then lovers, had agreed to live together while the city went into a lockdown because of the spread of a deadly virus. Initially, time together was fresh, new, it felt as though the world outside could not interfere with their happiness. But as the weeks wore on, the reality of living in a small, cramped apartment and dealing with the pressures of work, study and family began to show. A nasty argument broke out one morning as the pressure of being together for so long told. But the make-up sex had been great, and the two women vowed to learn from their row.
A week later, Rose and Anna had gradually worked out a new routine together. Conscious of both time and space, they both tried to keep a distance from each other during work hours. Anna had numerous video calls during the day, but headphones helped reduce the noise. Rose kept to her upper-level study; online lectures, reading and study calls with friends taking up a large part of her days. The two came together for lunchtime, then separated in the afternoon, Rose usually taking her hour exercise then. The nights were slow, time for binge watching tv, doom-scrolling the news and enjoying the comfortable silence between friends. The sexual intensity of their first few weeks together had lessened somewhat as the new reality of their situation took hold. Yet there was still an intimacy between the couple, holding hands while watching tv, trailing fingers across their backs as they passed each other in the kitchen, spooning in bed at night-time.
Anna had been working long hours, seemingly chained to the kitchen table and her laptop. By the end of the second week, Rose was conscious that she wasn't getting out of the flat enough to exercise. Not just for the physical exertion, but also to force a mental break from her work. As Rose stood making a cup of tea late one morning, she voiced her concerns to Anna.
"Hey, you've been working a lot this week, everything okay?"
Anna looked up at Rose, a little annoyed that her concentration had been disturbed.
"Yeah, fine...all fine," she responded curtly.
"Hmph, doesn't sound like it."
This time Anna closed her laptop and stared straight at Rose.
"Rose, I'm fine. Now if you don't mind, I have a lot of work to do. Why don't you run off and play with one of your DCF models or whatever it is you do upstairs."
'Hey, play nice, that was uncalled for. I'm only asking if you're all right." Rose moved around Anna and stood behind her. She began to knead her shoulder muscles as Anna put a hand to her forehead.
"Sorry, Rose, I didn't mean that. I'm just...you know..." The sentence hung in the air unfinished. Rose had bent over Anna and had begun to suck one of her ear lobes. Anna groaned as she felt the hot breath and Rose's teeth nipping at her ear.
"You were saying, Anna?" Rose whispered.
"Mmmm...I'm just, you know, God that feels great."
Anna closed her eyes and let the sensations wash over her. Rose reached around and began to gently squeeze Anna's breasts.
"Good to know. It sounds and feels like you need a bit of a release there, Anna,"
Rose continued whispering into her friend's ear.
"Hmmm. Let me...let me finish this one thing and I'll join you upstairs," replied Anna.
"Upstairs? Oh no, sweetheart, not yet. I mean an endorphin release. Sweat. Let's go for a walk. You need it, you've been cooped up in this flat for days."
Anna shook her head.
"That's because I have this crazy deadline, pandemic or not I have to meet it."
"Okay, but I still think you owe yourself a time out. Come for a walk with me. It'll be fun."
Anna pondered for a few seconds then gave a resigned shrug.
"Okay, you're right I guess. Let's go then."
Rose hugged her from behind and kissed her on the cheek.
"Great. And I have a treat for you that will make this even better."
Anna looked up at Rose, concerned at the smirk on the young woman's face.
"What are you up to?"
"Oh, nothing. Just a little toy action that I think you'll really enjoy."
Anna shook her head.
"So it's not spreadsheets you're playing with up there, it's toys?"
"Sometimes. Do you want to see?" Anna nodded. Rose held out a small, thumb shaped piece of silicone and gave it to her.
"And what is this?" asked Anna.
"It's a clit vibrator. Put it in your panties and turn it on, it's great. Makes a walk in the park fly by."
"So you've used this?"
"Mike gave it to me last birthday. One of his better ideas. And relax, it's clean. Not that you don't have an aversion to my pussy juice."
Anna gave a small smile.
"True." She turned the vibrator over in her hands. "So how do you turn this on?"
It was Rose's turn to smile at Anna.
"I turn it on. With this." She held up a small, coin sized remote control and pressed a button. Immediately, the vibrator began to buzz lightly.
Anna looked thoughtfully at Rose.
"So...your turn to control then?" Her lover nodded at her.
"Yes, but I'll only turn it on if you start talking about your work or something negative. Let's try to have some time together where we can just be and forget about what's stressing you."
Anna put her hand gently on Rose's neck and bent her head forward, kissing her
on the lips.
"My thoughtful friend. Thank you. Okay, let me get my running shoes on, and I guess I'll have to put this vibrator in. Give me a second will you." With that, Anna walked to the bathroom to get ready.
***
Ten minutes later and the young women were walking down City Road towards Victoria Park. It was a perfect Autumn day, cloudless azure blue skies with the sun warming in direct sunlight, cooler in the shadows. One of the saving graces of the lockdown so far had been the weather, dry sunny days compelling people to take their exercise, do their shopping and get out of the house for the time allotted.
As they walked into the park, Rose decided to give the vibrator a test run. She held the small remote in her hand and pressed the on button. Anna immediately turned to her with her mouth open, but no sound came. Rose turned the remote off and put her arms around her friend.
"How was that?" she whispered in her ear.
"Umm..." Anna swallowed. "Ah...caught me by surprise there. But nice, really nice. But I didn't talk about work?"
"Sorry, slip of the finger. Won't happen again." Rose looked at Anna and laughed.
"Yeah, right," Anna replied. "Let's get moving, shall we. I've only got an hour remember, deadlines..."
