Easing herself into a cooler calm wasn't very easy. Though she knew Alice was having a much harder time. Jessie just listened to words of emotions that left Alice. Was she worried frightened? Possibly. Jessie could tell at this point wrapped around all this different energy still laced the feel of not being sure. Alice wasn't the only one.

Jessie was a bit nervous far less then anything else she was feeling . After all what if this..all of this was just a dream..Jessie knew that was silly but a irrational idea but what if it was taken from her ? Letting out another almost pent up breath she calmed her mind. This wasn't about her, this was about the snowflake floating down. Finally it seemed as if shed gotten herself at an even temperature as the other only giving slightly more warmth for the other to enjoy as requested.

Her eyes opened not fully pink lashes covered some of her view as a question was asked. Love her ? Why did she love her ? Usually Jessie would ramble out a shy response but right now it seemed better to take a second to think. It was true Alice felt venerable, with that Jessie spoke. " I love you ."

Seems not all the rambling was finished giving only a brief chuckle and smile of amusement at her self she spoke again. " What I mean is.. I love your soul... I still am figuring out things...but .."

She stretched slightly as her mind began to work again gears starting to move as a heart pounded with the following words. " I believe we have been alone far to long my love . I think..some how we are more Alike then the normal eye may see, after all I saw those scares. Though yours and mime have different meanings there is still a story behind them, behind each one. Our curiosity leads us to want to more how we show it maybe different you watch from above I climb my way up but its the middle of which we meet that I love. The moments I see you chuckle or say jeez ever so kindly "

That lead to a slight chuckle of her own before that too calmed. " its how you dance its how you walk always with elegance but your willing to weather conditions or not slow your quicken pace for me that or I slow for you I haven't yet figured it out. How though you seem so guarded you've made your self free..at least to me ... Not in the terms you feel free but ..your not following the crowd your your own person weaving a beautiful web across everything you e walked you intangle people to want to know you better to speak to that mysterious person they once came across .. I have just made it closer thats all... I want to know each story you have and though you may not like it I want to protect you so that you do not have to live under ice all the time. I love...your spirit weather it is allowing me to see or not... The challenge the emotion it brings me ... I want every bit of it no matter the consequence. Your mysterious and yet for some reason you love a rambling sometimes foolish girl . Yet better then that you love a girl of which you care little of who she is. Yes you may love what makes her up but ...you do not care of what gender I take. You won't ever know what that makes me feel. "

Her words ended with a small kiss that teased the corner of the snowy lips of the other as her head laid again across her arm.

Alice listened quietly to Jessie's words, processing each through the snowy haze of her mind. Her soul wasn't the prettiest. Elegant and of a dazzling snow flurry on the outside, but raging with shards of ice and sin and sadistic tendencies inside. She was far from the angel her appearance often guided her to resemble. Her halo had been corrupted far too long ago. It rarely ever frustrated the spider, but for some reason, right now it did a little. For it made her feel undeserving of this warmth; this kindness. Even this strange new feeling of love and the fact she was actually loved by someone.

The brief kiss that came next brought the snowy girl from her thoughts. So that was why Jessie loved her, hm? Alice took yet another moment to think about what had been said, but not for too long, as to keep herself from once more slipping into the recesses of her mind.

"You are most unusual, Jessie McKnight." She let out finally, letting a slightly warmer hand now come up to rest on the pink haired girl's cheek. It was almost unnoticeable but there was the faintest of rare smiles on her ivory lips. "Loving someone who breaks hearts and even caused pain for you... I never thought it was possible for me to love, yet you managed to melt that layer of ice.
You made me realize that even a being of ice can be relatively warm..."

Like always, speaking even that much tired the widow. She paused and caressed the warmer cheek for a moment before continuing softly, "I, too, wish to protect you in any way I can.... I don't know why I let you get this close...but I-" There was another pause, and Alice spoke even quieter than before, her icy eyes glancing away a little, "--I don't regret it..."

That was the truth. Quiet and whispered out, but still the truth even though she disliked admitting it. She didn't quite regret it. Not currently, at least. Sure, there was still uncertainty and the unfamiliarity of it all, but she had no clue how to love someone. She knew only how to break someone psychologically and emotionally. So this all was very new - almost perhaps a bit frighteningly so - just as she sure it was for Jessie. But maybe they could learn together. That would require the icy spider to defrost and open up more, of course, which would happen gradually over time if their love was sincere and true. In this new, foreign strain of dance, neither need be the guiding hand. It was purely cooperation. That was the skeletal minimum of what Alice knew how love worked. Would theirs last? That slightly unsettling pondering poisoned the others in her mind.

"Ah... Je me demande..." She mumbled quietly to herself, trying to brush away her thoughts.

Jessie listened carefully her eyes closing as the words slide into her like water across stone or sand seeping in slowly as to make more of an effect. Alice loved her, though there was uncertainty about it all Jessie wasn't surprised she could feel a bit of it as well. " protect me? "

Those words ..she knew she had said those very words but the only real person to protect her was her mother. Jessie found her self playing with her hair watching it as it came loose from the tie that held it. " Alice... I've never felt love ...at least not for a long time...we will protect one another learn together."

Looking at the snow white haired girl she smiled yes this was what she's needed for a very long time. She just hopes it lasts. Shaking away the start of lonely thoughts she spoke up about a phase that was spoken by the other. " what does that mean ? "

Time to start learning . What French did Alice speak now ?

"I have never felt love either, my dear."

That, too, was a truth, but a much more confident one. This was her first time ever, if this truly was love she felt. As for protecting one another, they could try and achieve it together. They both didn't know how to love either, though, perhaps with some cooperation, they could learn. Suddenly a questioned was asked Alice assumed was about the French she had spoke. "Je me demande?" She repeated quietly. "Ah, it means 'I wonder.'"

That's right. Jessie didn't know French. Much as Alice didn't know how to speak English all too correctly. Maybe they could exchange those fields of language expertise some time. Finally allowing her snowy lashes to flutter shut yet again, the widow parted her lips to speak again, "Jessie... May I ask if I could...request to learn English from you some time?"

It was kind of an embarrassing request for the spider, but she felt a bit better about it after remembering what the elderly man had said. English was a universal language after all, and it would be hard to get by not knowing it properly. Her body had warmed slightly now, although Alice noticed it little, for her mind had gotten ensnared in the frozen web of her thoughts.

I wonder. Jessie spoke those words in her head over and over again. It seems as though Alice had a lot on her mind as well. Yet Jessie wasn't worried not as much as before, after all they had both agreed this was all something that they would deal with together learn about and grow there love together. " Jee, me demand" (Je me demande.)

Ah she messed up , only fair the tomboy thought after all Alice had messed up speaking English . Speaking of English a request came from the other that was a tad surprising not that it was a bother to the pink haired girl rather she hadn't expected Alice to ask . Alice seemed to be a prideful young lady and so to ask for help wasn't expected. Jessie nodded then spoke. " of course, but only if you help me with French."

Though Jessie didn't need to learn for any other reason, she did want to learn the language her love grew up knowing. That for her was important besides it may be another way to become closer. Speaking of being close they still had dance to practice. " seems we will have two things to practice now. "

Alice bit her own lower lip in an attempt not to laugh at Jessie's attempt to repeat the French phrase. She was conscious not to apply too much pressure this time around as to not make herself bleed. Just as the widow's pronunciation of English was a bit rough, Jessie's appeared the same in the realm of French. It appeared as if they both would need to work on that.

Having successfully kept herself from laughing, she ceased biting her lip, the pressure having left only a slight indent. Jessie had agreed to the snowy spider's request, yet in return, she would have to offer help in learning French. A fair exchange. "Bien sûr, mon chéri. Of course, my darling." She echoed back, giving an approximate translation of the foreign words.

Alice still felt a bit embarrassed at having to have asked for help; just the action itself was a bit of a stab to her pride, yet one she could not really do much about. Still, she was curious as to why Jessie requested in exchange to learn French. It was a bit of a difficult language to learn, especially with all of the formal and informal and masculine and feminine words and phrases, but she would help her learn it if she wanted to. French would be the snow queen's language of choice if she were to be prompted to speak just one.

Two things? Oh, yes, their dance practice. Now that she thought about it, it had been quite a while since they had lasted danced. The last time had been at the Himeno mansion for the young aristocrat's parents. Then the bite had happened and strained their relationship and then Jessie had disappeared for a while. Of course, Alice had kept up her usual routinely practice on her end, but dancing with your own shadow or a phantom partner of just air and imagination could only help for so long after dancing with another person for an extended while.

"Whenever you would like to practice dancing again, just let me know." Alice was in no rush with it, and wanted to make sure everything was alright with Jessie before she even thought back to the aspect of practicing it. After all, if one of the dancers wasn't concentrating too well or not in the best of moods or conditions, it would be difficult to maintain an in-sync flow together. Besides, she genuinely cared about the pink-haired tomboy's well-being before anything else.

Jessie nodded as Alice had agreed to teaching her French she could help but blush. Darling, that nick name she couldn't get over , especially when it was spoken by the snow kitten her tone was iced yet much like the spiders touch it was gentle. And it only made Jessie shiver. Yet she focused or tried to when Alice spoke again so she did understand what Jessie meant when she spoke of two things to practice. Not only that but she was willing to practice when ever the pink haired girl was ready.

Thinking for a moment Jessie replied " other then some packing id love to practice, its been far to long and why not do it here after all we have a stage."

Thinking of her mothers stage in the back yard she caused a dreamy smile cross the tomboys face. She remembered all the fun they had on it. After all it wasn't like any other stage around.

Alice wanted to tease Jessie a little, having noticed the reaction that had been provoked from the endearing nickname. All she offered for right now was a ghost of a smirk and a soft, amused chuckle, keeping the reaction it had caused in mind. The pink haired girl's reactions never failed to amuse the icy spider. Closing her eyes for a moment, she pressed her chilled, still slightly tensed  body more securely against her dance partner's warmer one, finally having adjusted to her contrasting warmth a bit more. "Ce n'est pas si mal ... Vous êtes trop mignon, mon amour. Oui.. Trop mignon...Même si nous sommes deux filles ... Je vous chéris plus que tout autre fille." The ivory ballerina murmured in French to herself once more, the ghost of a smirk playing briefly on her frosted lips for the widow had no intent to translate what she had just said. Maybe it would be a bit difficult restraining herself.

So Jessie was up to practicing. Here, too. Alice wondered how practicing after so long would go, but her mind got distracted by something else. "Stage?" She asked softly.

Ah wait, Jessie's mother had also been a dancer. Of course there would be some sort of stage on the property somewhere. The thought of the talented woman made the widow ponder about what sort of memories; not the negative ones, but rather, the more positive ones, before the tragedy had transpired; the pink haired girl had had with her mother here. What sort of things had they done together? What happy memories had existed? Did exist? There had to still be some happy memories, even if the negative ones had the stronger impact. 

(French translation: This is not so bad... You are too cute, my love. Yes... Too cute... Even if we are two girls... I cherish you more than any other girl.) 

Jessie relaxed her body deeper into the soft being below her moving only slightly to adjust letting bare legs slide across the feathered blankets as she did this. Though this all tended slightly when she felt Alice cuddle I to her even more, if Alice only knew as Jessie's hole body became warmed and agents the cold of her partner caused hairs to stand on edge as well as goose bumps. Closing her eyes for a moment in hopes to stop another blush she opened them to a slighted look one that came off a tad flirtatious but more cutely in reflex her arms only pulled the girl close one fully wrapping around the girl the other laid across Alices upper back . The Tom boys own head laid upon the top of the others letting her finally reveal the hidden blush red as a apple she luckily out of site now.

Ears lurked much like a pups as would in French were spoken pink sunset eyes peered down at the porcelain face below seeing a fait smirk that danced across the others lips Jessie knew very well she won't get to know what the phrase meant. So this is how we are going to play. Parting her lips she spoke in English making sure her tone was nonchalant but playful shrugging playfully she made sure her eyes met her partners " - You're terrible , but you know that to well you make my heart pound my little kitten but two can play this game. Dont you know I know all your spots now my little snowflake - "

Smirking back she carefully cuddled her head between the shoulder and head of her snowy kitten. Feeling as white locks of hair brushed across her cheek her tilted her head just enough to reach her target moving her other arm only enough to raise her slightly above the other girl she let her lips lower to the target letting the kiss end her tongue glide up between the others shoulder blades before her body relaxed back to how it was before only pausing to whisper in Japanese now " Fair is fair."

Her head lay back now . Happy with her come back she grinned slightly pleased to have been able to build the confidence needed. Secretly she was a flustered mess but that isn't the point now is it ? Then the words of the stage came up . " Ah yes in the back yard we have one, you'll get to see tomorrow morning. "

She kept her reply short for two reasons she wanted to enjoy their game that and she didn't want to miss the others reaction.

The dancer chuckled, amused by Jessie's reactions and actions. The warmth and ice seemed to be blending into a gradual mix of the two now. She wondered just how much the silly girl was blushing. The thought made her chuckle again; the playful stream of English that followed next, even more so. Alice understood most of it and only mirrored the smirk that flittered onto the other's face. The action that followed, however, was not one she quite expected. Alice moaned softly and struggled to conceal a vulnerable shudder, having not been able to stifle to in time. Darn that girl, she was right. She'd found all the widow 's weak spots. Much quicker than the prideful girl would have liked, too. But that didn't mean she could be easily defeated yet. No, she wouldn't lose at her own game.

A stage in the backyard. Just as she had thought, there was one on the property. "Alright." Again she wondered how practice would go, but yet again her mind lapsed into a different trail of thought. Fair was fair, wasn't it? Why, it was only fair that she got Jessie back now, right? Alice wriggled out of her partner's arms a little so she could have slightly more mobility and moved her frosted hands atop the girl's shoulders. Then, without warning, the dancer shifted her position so that she was on top of her partner now, letting her frosty legs rest on either side of Jessie's. She relocated her hands once more; guiding one to the warmer cheek while the other still whisked over her shoulder. Her lips teasingly ghosted over her neck then lips, not quite lingering long enough or establishing enough contact to initiate a kiss. The widow was utilizing her temptress nature. "You ah tarraba suu, dar~ring." (You are terrible too, dar~ling.) She teased in poor English, keeping her snowy voice low and alluring as to veil her terrible pronunciation of English. Pronunciation would certainly be a struggle for her to overcome. The desire for something more than just their playful flirtatious game once again arose in the spider, but she brushed it away promptly. It was a bit too early for that. Not to mention, all of this was still very new to the both of them. And she wasn't sure if Jessie was quite ready yet. The icy spider was content with settling with their game. She didn't want to rush anything, after all.

Smirking still, she continued to tease the tomboy, doing nothing more than gently and briefly brushing her lips against hers in hopes to see what reaction would be provoked. She was sort of challenging the girl, really. Jessie had been so bold; but could she really continue to keep that up? If she wanted a full kiss from the temptress, she would either have to strike up another bout of confidence and go for it herself, or beg for one - Alice was interested in seeing whichever option would be elicited. Even if no reaction was provoked, it wouldn't be much of a loss to the snow queen. She enjoyed teasing Jessie anyways, whether verbally or something more like this.

A soft moan left the snowy spirits lips pink eyes watched happily almost as a inner fight crossed the others eyes, knowing very well that the snowflake before her was trying to cover herself with ice as fast as it melted. Poor girl ,although Jessie hoped that shed be able to see Alices softer side so to speak the side she new was being hidden.

That was all forgotten soon as there game continued though far more unexpectedly then even she had thought. Soon she was straddled Jessie could feel her back fully hit the bedding a weight soon lay upon her torso unconsciously the tomboy let her bare legs bend as to give support to the others back. Sunset eyes blinked looking at Alice but a face wasn't looking back at her . Rather lips were gliding around the pink haired girls body this caused her to shiver. This was truly check mate.

Shifting under the girl the fabric that still held to Jessie's body shifted with each move. At least there was fabric between them thought the tomboy she was actually happy for she hadn't a clue what this would have been with out that fabric. This thought was quickly shaken away after all she was already apple red. Taking a breath in her eyes could help but shift in obedience as her breath left her lips snakingly. " Al-Alice ... "

Biting her lip eyes finally looked to the snowy kitten . Taking the hand that lay upon her cheek she took it to her own lips kissing it lightly. " pay attention... With you I am a puddle... You are my amore. "

Amore that was love right ? Ugh her mind was all fuzzy.

The widow had taken the throne in their flirtatious game once more. It seemed like such an easy, effortless thing to gain - truthfully, it was, to the young temptress - but unlike all the games she played with prey in the past, those wins had been nothing but things to exhaust; they had been meaningless. But with Jessie, however, it didn't feel meaningless to the spider. No, this was a game of chess that, even though it called for little beforehand strategic planning, that the predatory girl actually enjoyed. It was a strange feeling. Because unlike the other pointless games she had played, this was a girl whom she actually felt something for while she played and worked her paralyzing charms.

Alice watched and enjoyed all of Jessie's reactions, finding the way the tomboy blushed and how she spoke adorable. Snowflake lashes fluttered mischievously over the glistening icy pools. A single chuckle rolled off her smirking lips at the words that were spoken. It seemed like Jessie was no match for her. The snowy spider was finding it increasingly difficult to control herself. This wasn't her usual prey - Jessie wasn't quite prey to the spider, but rather, now, someone much more special. Had Jessie been nothing but a normal vessel of prey, the spider wouldn't have been so gentle or hesitant with her own corrosive desire. Darn that sinful desire.

"And you, mine, mon chéri.." She echoed back softly in response. It felt strange, saying that, but that was quickly dismissed as the spider began slipping into the clutches of her desire. Shifting her lips back to Jessie's, she hesitated for a moment; almost as if she was about to contact an open flame; before allowing warm and cold to clash in a passionate kiss. Frosted fingers laced with the pink haired girl's on one hand; the other hand drew back to just hover over the warmer skin as it glided away gradually from the tomboy's shoulder to flutter along the side of her neck then along her collarbone. Ah, this wasn't good... She had to stop herself before she did anything without permission.

Having ran out of air, the spider broke the kiss gradually, guiding her lips now close to her girlfriend's ear. The roaming hand had come to a rest only a little bit below where the girl's collarbones met and Alice struggled with herself to keep it there. Her own will and mind weren't all too synced with her actions at the moment. She had to make sure Jessie was even alright with any of this first. How to ask... "...Are you scared, my dear?" The dancer inquired in a soft whisper. It was an indirect way of inquiring in the widow's own mysterious way, but it wasn't too hard to figure out what she was attempting to imply if permission was granted. Frozen orbs gazed into the ever-interesting mixed pink ones as she waited for an answer.

The room had faded so light just shown on them white snow laced its self around them, when did this happen ? Jessie's eyes blinked she summed it up to her mental escape she only could focus on them. As the movements continued it was harder for her to keep her own walls up shed never felt so venerable, yet some how with her...that was alright.

Then something else shot threw her as lips met passion? Yes that was there but this was much more she began to let her own soft pink lips join in the dancing that was happening one hand helplessly laying across the snowy sheets of the bed whilst the other managed its way to hold the snowy spirits side. This action could be saw as a confident move but for the tomboy it was a touch to male sure this wasn't a dream. Heart pounding as she felt a icy touch glide across her body feeling as her hair was played with she couldn't help but squirm ever so slightly. The first thought of many tried to gain its way into her mind ' is my hair really that long now ? ' she tried to glance but lost as the kiss slowed to a stop a webbed string that still held there lips together broke as she could feel Alices lips close to ear now .

" Are you scared my dear?"

Her eyes widen only more at those words. " sc-scared ? "

She responded, darn why was her mouth so dry licking her own lips she peered at white locks of hair only being able to see a shadow a out line of her girlfriends face. Was she scared? Closing her eyes she thought for a moment gripping her partners bare side once more to make sure this was real . " Not with you..."

Ah but what about her own worry ...after all all this was making Jessie quite warm " I just don't want burn you.."

The hands that lay across the bed hand now clutched the sheet.

Snowy skin tensed slightly under the warmth of the hand that now held to her side. Her whole chilled body was a bit tense as usual, but that was something the spider could care less about right now for her snowy mind was focused solely on Jessie. The girl she had trapped in her frozen web. No, no, trapped wasn't the right word. Granted, the widow had the tomboy in a vulnerable position at the moment, but her signature web wasn't focused on ensnaring her target. No, her web merely existed for support right now; to keep the two from falling from its fragile silken haven. Not that they would, unless a wrong move was made.

So Jessie wasn't scared. Or, at least she had claimed she wasn't. Even in the face of the widow's true predatory side. Or maybe she was afraid but just didn't want Alice to worry. Alice certainly didn't want to hurt her. Not again. Neither did she wish to scare her. But with the epitome of her predatory nature corroding past her ice, she was a bit concerned. Because this side of her was a prominent part of her true nature. The suppressed characteristic that she had kept tame during all the other lengths of their game. Was Jessie really alright with her like this? With the true nature of the ivory arachnid? The troubling thoughts swirled restlessly in the blizzard of Alice's mind.

The last thing that was said elicited a slight chuckle from the snowy dancer. Now that she thought about it, Jessie's body temperature had increased. As so had Alice's slightly. Too much heat or warmth - internal or external - would put the albino girl at a risk of fainting, but this wouldn't manage to do quite that, if only make her slightly lightheaded. Which she already kind of was but for a different reason. "Even if it burns, I cannot feel the pain. I enjoy your warmth, my dear, despite being of ice myself... And I want to feel even more of it... For if you combine fire and ice, you create not chaos, but, rather, a heavenly blend -- steam."

Shifting a little, Alice once again moved, this time pressing a soft but longing kiss to the tomboy's warm neck. She caught herself and pulled back slightly once more, having to fight with herself to keep her own actions under supervised control. "What do you say, my darling...," she continued in a softer tone, "...would you like to create steam with me?"

If any of this - the request, the widow's actions - was crossing a line, she would stop. It would be difficult now that her predatory switch had been flipped and her mind had drifted off slightly into autopilot, but she didn't want to force Jessie into doing something if she wasn't ready or wasn't comfortable with it just yet.

Her body arched slightly with the kiss that was laid onto her neck. " steam?"

She just about whispered out. Blinking her eyes open again she moved slightly letting her self sit up her torso arched to still hold the others weight what little their was. As arms bent to hold them both up she felt as pink hair creased her back and shoulders shed not realized it had fallen from the ribbon. Looking into icy eyes her own pink ones narrowed calmly looking threw lashes much like her partner did so offer she leaned forward.

The space between them was so little it didn't take long to grasp the others cool lips between her own tugging at the lower one was she pulled away then proceeded to deeper then pulled away again she spoke leaving there faces only inches apart. " I think id like to make steam. "

Her cheeks where flushed but she didn't care right now she was in the moment but there was one last thing to let Alice know as she titled her head to have her lips kiss the jaw bone near the girls ear before speaking. " Jessica--"

Her cool breath trickled out as she finished speaking " You may call me Jessica."

Her words left is a husked whisper .