AN: Here's the third and final chapter of What Have We Done?. I'm extremely thankful for everyone who read this and commented, or sent feedback. As always, thank you for reading, and please don't hesitate to send any constructive criticism my way!
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With careful steps forward they began dating.
Lilian was the one to point out how odd it felt, to be doing things backwards. First they slept together, now they were actually going out and learning something about one another. Katie had simply rolled her eyes and ruffled Lilian's hair.
After nearly three months of dating, they went on their first group date with a couple of Katie's friends. Friends that knew who Lilian was, but not the entire history. To say Lilian was nervous was a massive understatement. She fidgeted so violently on the drive to the restaurant that Katie offered to call the whole thing off. Lilian was able to pull herself together and they made it through dinner without a hitch. And a week later when Lilian had some of her gym friends over to meet Katie, they were so accepting and open to them that Lilian cried after they left.
Of course, not everyone was okay with their relationship, and both lost a few friends over it.
True to her word, Katie never left Lilian's side, and they dealt with any fallout together. Lilian even brought Katie to her work's fourth of July barbeque, no longer worried over what might happen, since they'd already shared their truth with anyone who needed to know.
Before long, the summer ended and as cooler weather blew in, Katie noticed a pronounced quietness in Lilian. At first this wasn't alarming. Lilian was naturally quiet - still water runs deep and all that. The closer the end of the year came, however, the more Katie caught Lilian staring off into space, chewing her lip or fidgeting her fingers.
"Babe, you're extra quiet tonight. Everything okay?" Katie dropped next to Lilian on the couch, tucking some of Lilian's hair over her shoulder.
"Mostly. Just stressing over breaking the news to mom and dad." Lilian pulled Katie's legs into her lap and began massaging her calves to distract herself.
"Oh, Christ, thank you." Katie flopped back onto the couch, arms tossed above her head. She basked in the focused pressure Lilian was using on her tight muscles, sighing in contentment.
"Mom and dad will be fine. We'll approach them the same way we have everyone else, and if that's the end of things with our parents, then so be it. We'll have backup holiday plans just in case." Katie looked along her body, watching Lilian process this.
"When did you become the smart one?" Lilian eventually asked with a smile.
Katie raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I haven't always been the smart one, and simply played dumb to let you feel superior?"
Lilian gasped in mock outrage, pinching her thigh playfully. "How dare you. Just for that I won't be sharing the ice cream."
Katie stilled, narrowing her eyes at Lilian. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. An entire carton of delicious, creamy, butter pecan ice cream. All for me." Lilian moaned happily, the rich rumble fanning the heat that was always simmering deep in Katie's belly.
"Rude." Katie pulled her legs away from Lilian's hands, unsurprised when her ankle was captured, long fingers wrapping around.
"You're rude. Calling me dumb. The very idea." Lilian didn't hide the smile tugging at her lips when she pulled Katie into her lap, dropping a quick kiss to her forehead.
Katie pouted for a minute, arms crossing over her chest. She ignored the patient look Lilian was giving her, clearly waiting.
"M'sorry."
"Hmm?" Lilian asked, turning her head and touching her own ear.
"I'm sorry for being rude. You're very intelligent." Katie couldn't quite keep a sarcastic inflection from her tone, and unfortunately for her, Lilian caught it right away.
"You're such a little shit sometimes."
"You love me anyways." Katie reminded her, a slow smile spreading across her face.
Lilian matched her smile, warm hands slipping inside her shirt. "I do."
Warmed by the simple affirmation, Katie rested her forehead against Lillian's. "Lucky me." She met Lilian halfway for a soft kiss. "I love you, too."
They kissed around smiles and tender words until Lilian secured her hands under Katie and stood, carefully navigating towards the bedroom, ignoring Katie's mumbled suggestion to turn out the lights. A knee on the mattress, Lilian gently laid Katie out, pulling away to look at her for a moment.
"What?" Katie asked, worried she had food in her hair or something on her face.
"You're beautiful." Lilian settled over her, already kissing a lazy path down her neck while sure hands bunched her tee upwards.
Fighting the blush burning her cheeks, Katie helped Lilian with her shirt, flinging it away blindly when warm palms cupped her breasts. Rough, calloused fingers plucked and twisted at her nipples. Katie bit back a gasp and made short work of the buttons on Lilian's flannel, tugging the opened halves over her shoulders. Luckily, Lilian took the hint and sat back to shrug out of it, then went the extra step and swept off the white tee she'd worn underneath.
Sitting up, Katie unzipped Lilian's sports bra and greedily cupped her breasts, going straight for her nipples and sucking with firm suction. She switched from one to the other, then contented herself with leaving light pink marks from her teeth anywhere she could reach.
A firm hand in her hair pulled her away, halfway through leaving a red hickey on the round curve of Lilian's right breast.