Title: A Study in Curiosity and Satisfaction
Author: Lady Victory aka Vita Wong
Fandom/Pairing: Guiding Light, Blake/Doris
Rating: PG-13 (possibly NC-17 later)
Spoilers: Uh, just... no, I don't think so... maybe if you don't actually watch the show?
Summary: Blake is curious and Doris is at the right place at the right time.
Disclaimer: Not mine, not now, not ever, otherwise it would be different...
AN: Got stuck in my head, and I could't get it out any other way. Part 1 of 3.
AN2: Thanks to wonkots42 for beta-ing this wackiness. She is total fried gold. Love ya! Any remaining mistakes are mine. Also, comments are, indeed, love...

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Blake Marler was not, by any means, inexperienced in the ways of sex. Truly, to read and produce the texts that she did, one couldn’t afford to be naive to the ways of the flesh, even some of the more… unconventional practices. That being so, she had never even considered the possibility of two women together; not in her writing, not in her extensive – for research purposes of course – reading, and certainly not in her personal life. Not to say that she was, in any way, disgusted or put out by the thought of two consenting adult women enjoying each others’ company… it just hadn’t entered her sphere of consciousness. That is, until she had realized her new assistant was a member of the Sapphic Sisterhood; Blake had Googled ‘lesbians’ and ‘lesbian culture’ as soon as she had a moment alone.

Blake, being Blake, had quickly grown bored with the political and pride information, and had, like a true professional woman, started searching for the kink. Anything and everything she could gander, Blake Marler was nothing if not thorough. Websites full of pictures, stories, and videos galore, even a few sites with something called ‘femslash’; Blake would have to go back to those, intrigued at the pairings, particularly in the ‘Facts of Life,’ fandom… And if she didn’t know any better, she would think some of those crazy, right-wingers were on point: it was like a disease. Now that she had seen it, seen exactly what they did with each other, she had been wondering, and she couldn’t turn it off.

In the past, every woman Blake had happened upon was looked over and assessed as either enemy or ally, friend or foe, hindrance or asset. But now, the adjectives had changed with her awakened perspective. Hellcat and firecracker had replaced foe and asset, as had sensual and tender. Every woman that passed the strawberry blonde was a new opportunity to wonder, to imagine, and she found herself tilting her head often, eyes following shapely hips and legs as they walked on by. What color underwear was she wearing? Did she like to be on top, bottom, or lying adjacent? Screamer, moaner, or silent climax? Fingers, tongue, or…

“Gah!” Blake exclaimed, blinking rapidly as her thoughts got away from her again. It had been three days since she had tried to satisfy her cat-like curiosity in the lavender lifestyle (God, she was constantly thinking in lesbian-isms now), and she had found herself drifting at the most random moments. To make it worse, her Writer’s Hand was beginning to tingle…

Blake crankily took a sip of her piping hot coffee, scalding her mouth. With an almost Zen calmness, she put down the ceramic mug and cradled her face in her warm hands. “Ow…” Since when where women so… everywhere?! Tall ones, short ones, thin, curvy, dark, light, curly and straight haired... And wearing such enticing clothing? Honestly! And, damn it if she didn’t want to know what all the fuss was about, first hand; she was tired of this second-hand research! Blake Marler wanted to be a primary source of information on the subject. She wanted to taste, and touch, and smell, and experience… and if she didn’t scratch that particular itch soon, she was sure that she would die. That’s what really killed the cat, she decided, wanting and not having.

“Are you all right?” a soft, female, voice asked, snapping Blake back to reality. Dear Lord, they were everywhere! Looking up, she was greeted by the sight of concerned if bemused blue eyes.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be needing my taste buds to cast a vote,” the smaller woman quipped, eyes widening when she realized the multiple possible meanings for her words. But, this was Doris Wolfe, for crying out loud. She was as straight as an arrow, there was no danger of a mistaken come on. The brunette in question merely quirked an eyebrow and took a seat across the table from the frazzled publisher, an expectant look on her face. “I’m fine, I’m fine, I just…” she trailed off, knowing she was about three seconds from spilling her guts to the Mayor of her fair town. The same Mayor who had, just months earlier, made it very clear what she thought on the subject of woman on woman loving.

“I couldn’t help but notice,” Doris said conversationally, deceptively casually, “that you were staring, quite intently, at my ass.” A bomb could have dropped, Blake wouldn’t have perceived it at all.

They stared at each other for long moments, neither speaking, one smirking; the other, panicking. Blake was aware that, around them, the other unsuspecting patrons of Company were eating, laughing, talking, and carrying on with their lives. She, however, was frozen, like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. So when her mouth began to talk honestly, she wasn’t cognizant enough to censor it. “Actually, I wasn’t staring at your ass, I was staring at your cleavage.” Shiiiit. The eyebrow climbed higher, and the Mayor smiled, white teeth flashing briefly. “I mean!” Crap, crap, crap! “Ugh, look, something came up recently, someone, I can’t say who, came out to me. And, and you know me, I like to be up on the information, so I looked up some things, and… I mean, come on, don’t you ever wonder? Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

Suddenly, crystal blue eyes darkened, and Doris’ mouth turned down, ever so slightly. As chatty as Blake was, she was just as adept at observing people, and she knew pain when she saw it, no matter how well concealed. Reaching across the table, she took the other woman’s hand in her own, squeezing it gently. “No, Blake; I’ve never been curious.” Was the reply, but the smaller woman wasn’t listening to the words, she was hearing the tone they rode on. Then it was gone, and Blake’s hand was empty and strangely cold.

“Doris, I… do you want to get out of here?” The smaller woman blurted, eyes widening as she said the words. The Mayor looked startled, but recovered quickly and smiled her wolf’s smile.

“Why Blake Marler, are you coming onto me?” she purred, and the blonde gulped. “You know what they say curiosity did to the cat…”

“What? No, wait a second, that’s not-I mean, I think it’s, I mean, we…” Growling in frustration, Blake rolled her eyes at herself and stopped trying to speak. And then, Doris Wolfe did something Blake wouldn’t have expected: she laughed. Not a cruel, mocking snigger, or an empty politician’s chuckle, but a full on, eyes shut, head tilted back belly laugh. It lasted just a few seconds before the other woman reined herself in, small chortles escaping her lips.

It was maybe the most genuine sound the publisher could remember coming from the other woman, and it roused butterflies in her stomach. Careful Blake, she warned herself, forcing herself to breathe evenly. It’s just curiosity… “I’m done with my coffee, and in need of some company,” she tried again, smiling her most winning smile, making sure to bat her eyelashes and tilt her head and look up shyly through them. She saw the brunette gulp, and she mentally patted herself on the back. Yup, she still had it. And, this could kill two birds – or cats, as it were – with one stone. Get the scoop on the Mayor, and scratch that itch…