Now that they were outside, Estelle could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. The same rythmic beating, and she could count the 125 beats in a minute to calm her down. So she did. Placing her free hand over her chest, counting along to each beat the best her drunken mind could. But instead of the usual 125, she came up with 137. It was higher than usual, but only due to her intense anxiety and adrenaline which was beginning to falter. Once it did, she'd feel the full pain of her injuries. The painful areas of skin, her head, her back. It would hit her like a freight train when she was sober, too. She glanced down as Viona's body moved, only to see a bright pair of rainbow socks.

Had this been any other occasion, she would've been giggling like a madwoman over seeing those. Now, though, she couldn't even manage a smile over it. Her narrow shoulders rolled back softly, trying her best to feel comfortable in some manner. Whenever Viona spoke, she paused and considered her words. She said the first thing that came to her drunken mind. "I think I just need you." Estelle spoke in a soft, quiet tone. As if she was afraid that raising her voice would just cause even more trouble. She never would've uttered those words sober. But she wasn't sober, and she didn't care. She just nodded at Viona's next words.

As Viona gently reached a hand to her neck, she immediately froze up. Even as her hair was gently moved and draped over one of her small shoulders, she couldn't help but feel her fear flooding back. She knew Viona was safe, and wanted to help. But she couldn't help herself. Estelle wondered what her injury looked like. Was it really bad? Or did it just bleed a lot? She'd have to figure out for herself later on. "I do need to thank you. If not you, then who else?" She muttered softly, feeling her fear fade just as quick as it came. Finally, she cracked a small smile at the gun comment. And then it immediately dropped hearing Viona's next words.

"..you're the first person who's helped me. I wish I could've helped you, too." She whispered softly, gently. Returning the little squeeze Viona gave her hand. Viona did not need to explain, or even say anything else. Estelle knew what she meant, even if she wish she didn't. It made her feel sick to her stomach. How could someone ever hurt Viona? How could they manage to even lay a finger on her? Her gaze shifted up to the taller woman, looking up at her like a meek little lamb. There were so many things she wanted to say, but she didn't. Words would not change anything.

Estelle continued to gaze up at Viona, studying her every little feature as she had time and time again. "I don't think I can see you as a bitch anymore after this." She gave a faint smile, then looked back down. Truly, she never did see Viona as a bitch. Sometimes the teasing was mean and went too far, but it never hurt her. It never made her think Viona was a mean person. She shifted her weight to her other foot, trying to steady herself the best she could. Her stomach was beginning to churn and it felt like she could just puke at any given moment.

"Stop apologizing, amour. You've done nothing wrong." Estelle's words were still slurred, but much more understandable. The way Viona admitted to only thinking about her in that moment was more than endearing to her. Someone actually cared about her enough to do something like that. And it felt so foreign to her. Estelle gazed up to the sky, letting out a quiet sigh. There were no stars here. She could never remember that they weren't here, and they never would be. She'd have to leave the city to be able to see them again, and even then, she'd never see them like she did back home.

Back home. It was an odd term, for she did not quite consider France her home anymore. Or maybe she did? It was a bad life there, but she felt herself missing it every day. Estelle missed her mom, her sister, her family. Her everything. If only they knew the true reason why she left. If only they knew what was going on behind closed doors. But Estelle could not break her dear mother's heart in that manner. She looked back down, but only when she felt Viona's hand to her cheek again. She leaned softly into the touch, letting her eyes flutter shut momentarily.

The only thing that opened them was the small buzz of Viona's phone, and the sound of a car. She allowed Viona to guide her over to the car and gently slide her in, ducking slightly to avoid hitting her already injured head. Estelle appreciated how Viona chose the middle seat next to her, allowing her to have comfort. Almost immediately, she moved herself as close as possible. Their shoulders touching, her head leaned against Viona's shoulder. Her hand was still clasped with Viona's, almost as if she was so afraid to let go of such a precious woman. "I will. And.. I'm sure you are." Estelle gave a slight smile, trying to cheer both of them up.

She listened quietly to Viona and only spoke up again after a few moments. "I would like that. I just feel.. gross.." Estelle averted her gaze, staring down at her lap in shame. She hoped that Viona didn't mind her being so close. Her head nodded slowly and gently, and finally, she forced herself to look back up at Viona. Again, she was silent. She was trying to form a coherent thought in her head, figuring out how to word what she wanted. "I don't truly know you, but you're a good person. And.. I don't know if you don't like me or if you hate me. But you mean the world to me. And I just.. I just.." she let out a soft sigh, pausing her words, "I don't know. I wish I could offer you something. I wish I knew how to tell you that's it's not your fault." Her rambling continued, before she cut herself off.

It didn't take long before she started again, though. "Because it isn't your fault. You aren't responsible for me and I don't expect you to be. And I feel bad for ruining your night. And I'm sorry about your boots." She turned her head, pressing her forehead against Viona's shoulder. Viona smelled good, like some expensive perfume. "And you smell like home." She muttered the last part a bit more quietly, nuzzling her head closer into the taller woman. God, was she clingy. Her drunken rambles were far from over, as there was so much she didn't want to leave unsaid. It was only a matter of time before she figured out what to say next.

Estelle remained quiet, but the silence made her too uncomfortable. So, she started talking again to fill the silence. "I think you deserve the world, you know? I'm sorry for any mean thing I ever said to you." And it was in that moment that she realized her true feelings for Viona. She didn't hate her. She didn't dislike her. No, she liked her. Estelle wanted to be her friend. She wanted to have pointless conversations with her and she wanted to laugh to the point where she couldn't breathe with her.

Viona wasn't her rival anymore, at least not in her drunken mind. Sure, she would still race agaianst her, and she would still tease her with overly flirty things. But she wouldn't think of her as an enemy anymore. Rather, someone she could trust and feel safe and comfortable around. If only she'd known this sooner. Estelle couldn't stop herself as she snuggled in even closer, like a clingy little cat. It just wasn't close enough for her. Her forehead remained pressed to Viona's shoulder, but now their thighs and their sides were touching.

And it was in that moment that she realized Viona had a soft side.

Estelle allowed herself to relax fully, her muscles loosening up and her body becoming significantly less tense. It wasn't often that she got to just cuddle up so close to someone like this. Never in a million years did she think she'd be snuggling up next to her rival, drunk in the backseat of a car. She probably wouldn't remember this in the morning. But she'd remember Viona's kindness. She couldn't help but let her eyes slowly flutter shut, her head suddenly feeling heavy. Too tired, too comfortable to want to do anything but stay in the backseat forever. Viona felt comfortable, with a warm body and a pleasing, gentle scent that seemed to only make her sleepier. Estelle wondered what it'd feel like to be held by Viona, and if she'd ever get that privilege.

Truly, she didn't know that much about the woman next to her. She was mean and snappy and a damn good racer. But her personal life was a mystery. What did she do in her free time? Did she have any pets? Estelle opened her eyes again, gazing back up at Viona with those questions swirling in her mind. Well, she'd get to find some things out soon enough. A slightly genuine smile crept over her lips, her eyes meeting those sparkling emeralds as she felt a finger gently poke at her nose. "I don't know.." She responded with a gentle hum, feeling Viona's head shift and rest against hers now. Her scent was even more prominent, wrapping Estelle in a blanket of comfort.

"Yeah.. yeah." Estelle replied gently, though Viona's words resonated deeply with her. She'd finally realized her true, genuine feelings for Viona and it put her at ease. But in this moment, in the comforting darkness of the backseat, they were the only two in the world. And Viona meant everything to her. Unfortunately, sober Estelle would realize this and be forced to distance herself. No good things would come out of getting attached and obsessing over her rival. She just desperately hoped that Viona would realize that it wasn't her fault. "Drunk words are sober thoughts." She murmured, shifting her position slightly so her legs were off to the side, crossed gently at the ankles. A common phrase that she religiously believed in.

"Do you? I'll try and remember that." Estelle chuckled softly, feeling her anxiety melting away. She could never truly bring herself to throw real or mean insults at Viona no matter what. She just didn't have it in her. The pain was beginning to set in now, her head pounding and the harsh stinging being the only thing she felt. The smell of her own blood was filling her nose and making her feel queasy. Estelle didn't mind blood until it came to her own. It was gross and made her panic. She pressed a little closer into Viona, if that was even possible at this point. Close wasn't close enough. But it would have to do for now.

Estelle could feel Viona leaning in, too. Her affection was reciprocated and it seemed to brighten her mood. She wouldn't forget about what happened for a long while, but for now, this was an improvement. The second she was alone, though, it would be hell on earth. Viona's next words made her pause completely, slowly shifting her head upwards. "..you don't?" Her voice was soft with shock, those big eyes of her full of disbelief. It was always a thought in the back of head that perhaps Viona didn't like her, and she stuck with that ever since then. To find out it wasn't true was a huge relief, to say the least. And the next words made her even more shocked. Viona looked forward to seeing her? What a huge fucking surprise.

Estelle couldn't say she always felt the same. Sometimes, she dreaded seeing Viona. It wasn't that she didn't like her, it was just she felt horribly intimidated. "Adorable." She responded with one of her soft giggles, keeping it as quiet as possible. The scary, intimidating woman was reduced to something much softer in her eyes now. And she could appreciate that a whole lot more. Her breathing had calmed down considerably, her chest now rising and falling at a normal pace. She wasn't scared anymore. Just humiliated and embarrassed. All she wanted was to scrub her skin raw until the drain swirled with her blood, and even then she wouldn't stop. She could still feel his fingers on every area he touched, lingering like a shadow of smoke. It was horrifying.

Her gaze shifted out the window as Viona announced they were almost there. It was one of the much nicer areas of the city, making her wonder just how Viona truly lived. She watched the streets pass, eyes following every single building until it faded from view. "Mm.." She gave a little noise in response, feeling Viona's thumb softly rubbing along the back of her hand. Viona was so gentle and it was almost odd to ber. She expected the taller woman to be more assertive, not so soft and gentle. Viona continued to surprise her with every move she made. She barely registered that they were out of the car, heading into one of the buildings. Her hand was still tightly clasped with Viona's, and she was stumbling over her own feet.

"I'm okay." Estelle nodded, still attempting to regain her balance, but ultimately failing. She hadn't fallen yet but she knew it'd be coming if she didn't stop for a moment. Once they were in the elevator, she immediately relaxed and allowed herself to lean against the wall for some support. "Yeah? I could use a long, long sleep.." Estelle muttered, glancing around the elevator and listening to the calming music. She was nervous. Too nervous for her own good. It still surprised her that Viona would so willingly invite her into her own personal space, her home.

She glanced down, the smallest of smiles crossing her face as she saw Viona's socks again. It was funny to see such a well put together woman standing there in dirty rainbow socks. One the doors opened, she was yet again being led out by Viona. Estelle swayed softly in place as Viona fiddled with her key, trying to unlock a door. And the second the door swung open, and she saw inside, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little bit. Holy fucking shit. She knew Viona was rich, but not THAT rich. It was too much for her small drunk mind to comprehend. She almost felt like it was wrong of her to even take a small step inside, scared of getting anything bloody or dirty.

When Viona dropped her hand, Estelle instinctively reached for it, feeling very much scared now. In an unfamiliar place, taken aback by all the grand things. The impressive size, the windows that showed the lively city, even the furniture. She hoped to god that Viona never had the chance to see where she lived after seeing this. Forcing herself to move, she obeyed Viona and cautiously made her way to the couch. When she sat down, she held her weight and sat neatly upright and folded her hands in her lap. Much too afraid to even make an indent in the cushion. Was this really how the other half lived? As Viona vanished somewhere in the condo, Estelle felt horribly out of place. She didn't belong here, she knew that much for sure.

Viona's return was signaled by the soft padding of feet, causing Estelle to turn her head in that direction. Her foot bounced nervously, her breathing growing slightly more uneven. Being in such a lovely, unfamiliar place was too much for her drunken mind. The couch dipped slightly as Viona plopped next to her, causing her to shift a little bit. The TV turning on startled her even more, earning a shocked inhale and a small jump. Her gaze turned back to Viona, eyes wide and curious. "Okay.." She muttered as Viona patted the space between them, indicating for her to turn and move closer. So she did.

Moving directly in front of Viona, her back to the taller woman. She moved to pull her hair out of the way and pull it over a shoulder so it was now over her chest. Estelle was trembling slightly, and her shoulder twitched on occasion out of nervousness, and the fact she was cold, oddly enough. "It's just us. I'm not sure who you're trying to impress.." She responded softly, her shoulders becoming tense and rigid. Estelle was trying her best to calm down here. So, she began to carefully look around, thinking about her former questions in her head. Did Viona have any pets? From the looks of it, it didn't seem like it. Maybe if she did, it was hiding in another room or something.

"That.. actually sounds really nice," she murmured, pausing only to consider another question, "but I don't think I'm fit to shower right now. I can hardly stand." She glanced down as she felt the little nudge of Viona's leg. Estelle could hardly stand, and her words were still horribly slurred albeit more understandable than they were before.

Once Estelle had been cleaned up, she opted to take a shower. With much needed assistance from Viona, she found herself gazing at neatly folded clothes on the counter of the guest bathroom. The sweet smelling flannel that Viona was wearing, a pair of pajama shorts a little too big for her. Her hands were braced on the counter, staring intently at herself in the mirror. She looked awful. Her usually soft and silky hair was tangled and matted with blood at the ends. Her mascara and eyeliner was streaked down her cheeks. Small smears of blood still here and there from her carelessly wiping it on herself. Worse, her clothes were stained. Those stars in her blue eyes were dulled, like a broken spirit. She could see the red marks on her skin that were already forming bruises.

Estelle carefully undressed herself, this time making a full examination of herself. Her bloodied clothes were left discarded on the floor as she took a careful step towards the shower, wobbly and uncertain. God, did she hope she didn't fall. The last thing she wanted was to have to call for help while she was fully naked and on the floor. The shower was already turned on, everything neatly placed and easily accessible for her. She heeded Viona's advice and sat herself down on the shower bench, leaning her head back against the shower wall. What a night. Drunk and naked in Viona's bathroom. What more could she possibly endure?

Estelle closed her eyes, feeling infinitely better as she felt the hot water washing over her aching body. She was feeling sick and queasy, thankful she'd made it to the shower in time before she would inevitably hurl. After a short amount of time, she mustered up the strength to reach out for the wash cloth and the soap she was provided with. It smelled good, not like Viona's perfume, but more delicate and flowery. She was careful and gentle as she cleaned herself up, trying to avoid causing herself more pain. And then came time to wash her hair. That was going to be the biggest struggle tonight.

Her hair was long, and now matted and tangled. Trying to detangle it sober was already enough of a chore. She shampooed it twice, attempting to get a majority of the blood out. And while the conditioner was in, she used her fingers to gingerly brush it out, wincing everytime she hit a particularly rough tangle. Eventually, though, she'd miraculously managed to free herself of any tangles. It didn't take her that long to finish cleaning herself up, but there was another thing on her mind. Viona was bloody, too. She needed tending to. Estelle carefully took one of the unused washcloths, wetting it and wringing it so it wasn't dripping water. She shut off the shower, taking a deep breath before she reached for the towel and wrapped it around herself.

It was soft, fuzzy, and felt like heaven on her skin. Everything around her was warm and comfortable, including the floor tile that Viona had mentioned. She thoroughly dried herself off before she was now faced with the task of getting dressed. Estelle took the clothes, and carefully sat down on the closed lid of the toilet, taking a deep breath. It was embarrassing that such a simple task could be so daunting. She made the choice not to bother with her undergarments, not wanting to put something back on that reminded her of the negative things early tonight. Estelle started with the flannel, which she hadn't expected to be so long now that it was untied.

Estelle gently slipped her arms into the sleeves, taking her time to button it up. She knew she was taking too long, but there wasn't much else she could do. She left the top few buttons undone, wanting to allow for air in the event she got too warm. The shorts were considerably easier, only requiring her to stand a little and step into them. Her towel and clothes were placed into the hamper in the bathroom, hopefully to be remembered at some point before she left. Now, Estelle carefully approached the sink again. She reached out and used one hand to wipe away some of the steam on the mirror, examining herself. She looked so much better now, although she felt fairly insecure now.

Bare faced, wet hair, in clothes that weren't hers. She slowly glanced down at the flannel, grabbing it by the collar and pulling it up a little to take a little inhale. It smelled like Viona's perfume, mingled with her sweat and the faintest smell of booze. An odd combination, but she didn't mind. It made her feel safe and cared for. Estelle picked the washcloth she'd dampened back up, took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door. She flicked off the lights, and attempted to remember how she'd got here from the couch. It didn't take too long before the couch came into view, as well as Viona sprawled on it in new clothing.

Estelle made her way over, sitting down with a soft huff. "Come here, pretty girl." She murmured softly, not waiting for Viona's reaction. Instead, she moved closer to her and leaned down over her, washcloth in hand. Her other hand went to Viona's jaw, gently holding it as she stroked her thumb along her cheekbone. She was only returning the favor now. She leaned in close, gingerly wiping at Viona's bloody lip with the washcloth. Every stroke was slow and deliberate. Next, she moved to her cheek. It wasn't bloody, but she decided it still needed cleaning. Estelle sat back up, reaching down into the coffee table for that same ointment that Viona used on her.

She applied a little to her finger, then leaned back down and took hold of Viona's jaw again. She gently swiped her finger over the split lip, rubbing a little to ensure it was all coated. "You have such a pretty face. I'm sure you know. But I don't know if I've ever told you." Estelle whispered softly, pulling her hands and her head back. She still had another thing to do. Viona was angled just right, allowing her to access her lower back where she'd accidentally smeared blood earlier. She brought the washcloth down, cleaning that entire area to ensure there was no blood remaining. The whole thing was oddly intimate, the way Estelle was leaned over her but not quite touching her. The thought hadn't crossed her mind, though. She was just too worried about Viona.

It was truly only then when she'd noticed the light from the TV reflecting on Viona's face, and the quiet voices coming from it. She turned her head, and sure enough, one of those cheesy Hallmark movies was playing. So, the Big Bad Viona really did like sappy shit like that. Estelle set the washcloth down on the coffee table, examining Viona for a moment. Once she was satisfied, she made the choice to do something she considered particularly bold. With the way Viona was laying, it gave her the perfect opportunity. Estelle slowly place both hands on Viona's thighs, sliding them down gently to her knees. She gently spread her legs apart, every movement conscious and deliberate. In her drunk mind, nothing about this was weird.

Once they were widened enough for her liking, Estelle carefully lowered herself again, this time placing her body between Viona's legs. It was not something she would've done sober in a million years, not so confidently. With her chest down, she slowly laid her entire body atop Viona's. Her hips were placed softly on Viona's stomach, thighs between Viona's thighs with room to spare. Her chest was on her ribcage, and finally, her chin was rested on Viona's chest. Her arms found their way to her shoulders, hands gently curling around the back of her neck. Estelle gazed into Viona's eyes in such a soft way, now considerably more innocent looking now that she didn't have a smidge of makeup on. "You know, you're not as scary as you think you are." Estelle whispered softly, one finger gently stroking along the nape of Viona's neck. "You can't keep me out forever. I'll find a way in." Every word was laced with a deeper undertone, even if she didn't mean for them to be.

Viona's body was warm and soft beneath hers. Her full weight was pressed down on her, but Estelle wasn't heavy enough for it to hurt. At least she hoped so. "Maybe your tactics work on men. But you've never dealt with a woman so insistent on understanding you, have you? There's no scaring me off." Her finger continued to stroke its way down, finding the base of Viona's neck now. It wasn't meant in any sort of way. Just a way for her to fidget with her hands. "You can try and you can try again. But when I want something, I get it." Her words were a soft, breathy whisper, spoken in such an intimate tone. It was just her drunken mind, really. Or was it?