'Twas The Afternoon Before Christmas...!

[Arista]

On some level, deeper down, Gil had to have known she started this whole trip by bothering Dani, but ever since they first met in that ring earlier this very year, Gil knew she liked Dani, even if it might take Dani time to grow those same feelings, but here today she really felt that the connected, and maybe they even became friends...!

A simple "Merry Christmas" From Dani made Gil's heart melt, it made her entire holiday! And knowing that she scored on her gifts made her bubbly inside, even if someone wiser and more aware would say Dani might never where those panties...!

Gil, like so many other times today, took Dani by her hand and dragged her along for a ride she wouldn't soon forget...! But her new friend grew used to it, and even came alongside her with a smile on her face...! They came upon an older, somewhat worn-down looking machine, but still in usable condition, and one that would put the cap on this day...! "...Alright! Let's do it...!" Gil cheered, pumping her fist into the air before swinging past the curtain and sitting into the booth, waiting for Dani to follow along-side her!

It was small, and a little hot, a boxy display screen sat dead-center with an insert for the money to go in, and another slot next to it, probably where to pictures came out. "...Looks like this bad-boy hasn't been used in sometime, but let's see what kind of magic it can work...!" Gil slipped in her money, straightening up on the bench and becoming more comfortable. "...So, for our fir-" SNAP. The first picture clicked, unexpected, there wasn't really a timer, so you only knew the picture was being taken when it was...! "...Okay, four more, so, smile and hug...!" Gil embraced Dani, putting her cheek against her own, a wide grin plastered on her face before another: SNAP. "...Alright, and then, we'll do one of these...!" Gil crossed her arms and puffed her lips out, leaning her back against Dani's in a mock 'look-cool' pose! SNAP. "...Nice, your turn Dani, what do you want these next two to look like?" Gil handed the direction into the hands of the redheaded woman, figuring a model must have some great ideas for pictures...!

[CaptainL]

"Ah...this..?" As she followed Gil's lead and slipped inside the photo booth, Danielle raised an eyebrow, glancing back and forth at the accommodations. Her nose wrinkled at the thought of her being in something so run-down and filthy, and clearly below her station - but she was willing to put up with it for the sake of Gil. Of course, the mere thought that she would do something for Gil seemed absurd, but...it was Christmas, and the girl was clearly enjoying every minute of it. Even for Dani, the thought of ruining the holiday spirit for her was too cruel to even consider. She could put up with it, just this once.

Still, when the camera snapped on with no time for her to prepare, she narrowed her eyes in frustration, pouting and glancing aside. Whoever designed this contraption clearly had no idea of how photography was supposed to work - she wouldn't dare agree to any shoot on the spur of the moment; she needed time to prepare to ensure she would look her best! Anything subpar would simply be scandalous, and she retched a little thinking of how their first photo would turn out.

But if that was what she was dealing with...she supposed she had no choice when it came to the others. And for now, she might as well go along for the ride. She wrapped her arm around Gil's side as the two of them pulled in close, and while she never thought she would ever smile so freely so close to Gil...a grin broke over her face nonetheless, as easily and as freely as one of unvarnished happiness. So too, when it came time for the next one, Danielle fell into place, crossing her arms and placing her back against Gil as she faced the camera with an unmoving stare. These were far from the meticulous, carefully arranged shoots Danielle was used to, and yet, there was something about them that seemed so much more liberating. She wasn't putting her best foot forward to let her beauty shine. She was just goofing around. The shoots she was used to fed her ego and left her feeling like she was as high and mighty and unstoppable as she always hoped to be. But this time...she could just sit back and have fun with it, and the feeling it left her with was one she didn't realize how much she missed.

Now, Gil let her take over with arranging their photos, and Dani smirked a little wider, nodding her head. It was now time to show her genius at work. "Ah, yes, of course. Sit back and let the master do the work!" She turned to face Gil, reaching to take her hands and pushing against them to enter a test of strength pose, just as if they were in the ring again. She leaned her head in closer, clenching her teeth and narrowing her eyes - but she still had to bite at her lip to keep herself from giggling. If their first match was a contest of wills with Danielle intent on proving herself and keeping Gil down, this time, there was nothing more at stake then a bit of good-natured fun.

SNAP.

Then came the final shot. Dani straightened herself back up, thinking on what she wanted to do to bring the session - and their night out - to a close. But soon enough, it came to her. "Well...promise me that nothing leaves this booth." Then, she looked up at the cameras, flashing a grin and holding up a pair of peace signs. The cameras wouldn't capture Danielle Degardin, the elite, cultured, glamorous model. They would only see a girl who was out to have fun and forget about her life for a while. But perhaps that was all she needed.

[Arista]

The two had come from very different lives, that much was clear just from simply looking at the pair, but as they hung-out, they found that they might have had a little more in-common than they may have thought! Gil wasn't from wealth, no, she didn't live a glamorous life-style, not even now that she was in the big leagues. She didn't change her way of living once her income increased, she just did the things she always dreamed of doing when she was little! Getting all the cute clothes she wanted, a nice pair of skates, stuffed animal to cuddle with at night! She never wanted a life of luxury, all she wanted was to have fun, and the only thing better than that, was having fun with a friend...!

The two took a couple of goofy photos, led by Gil, and one by the booth, the next two fell into the lap of a super-model, surely someone who would know how to command the camera...! The surprise 'photo-shoot' was not something Gil had any experience with, the most she had was mirror selfies, propping her camera up to try and get the best angle of her butt that she could, and that one time her dad got a picture of her falling into a public pool, other than that, Gil was a complete amateur...!

Dani made sure to keep in theme, funny poses, and just having fun! It was nice, their test of strength was a really battle, as both women grabbed hands and pressed their faces near one-another! And then finally, a pose of both Dani and Gil holding up peace-signs! Gil laughed after the final snap, while the machine made a loud buzzing sound, apparently printing-out the photos. "...That was great...! I'm glad to have these...!" Gil held her hand out, grabbing the photos, the were lower-quality, but nice enough, especially considering how archaic the machine looked. "...The only thing that leaves, is this...!" She waved the photo's around with a smile...! "...But, maybe there is one last thing...!" Gil let the suspense linger, as she motioned for Dani to lead the way out of the booth...!

[CaptainL]

For a moment, Danielle was able to forget everything. She was able to forget how little she cared for Gil, and everyone from the lowly walks of life she crawled from. She was even able to forget everything that had happened between the two of them up to this point - the humiliating defeat she had faced in her hand, being exposed in the ring by her and suffering a pinfall against someone so clearly beneath her in all regards; all the teasing she'd faced afterward to remind her of the indignity; even all the times Gil had been an annoyance since their paths crossed just a few hours ago. They were goofing around and having fun together - and perhaps, for now, that was all that mattered. In time, Danielle was going to regret ever getting herself involved in such foolishness. But for now, she didn't need to concern herself with it. For now, she could live for its own sake. Gil was eager to play along with her, meeting her prompts with an intensity that only she could, and the two of them were able to get lost in this private moment between them. Dani would never show this side of her to the outside world, but then, they wouldn't have to see - secluded away in their own little photo booth, all they had were each other.

At last, the last photos were taken, and the reel printed out into Gil's hands. Danielle leaned over her shoulder to watch them, her eyes lingering on each picture - and recalling every moment that the camera had captured. She felt her smile grow a little wider as she thought back on it. Sure, it was dumb, it was goofy...but, in its own way, it was fun.

Clearing her throat, Danielle sat up a little straighter in her seat. It had been fun while it lasted, but now, she reminded herself, it was time to put that aside and get back to the real world, where she was the dignified, confident, respectable woman she was. "Ah, well, then..." she said, "I suppose that clears things between us, non? I'll get going, then-"

She was getting up from her seat when Gil said something else that left things hanging, leaving her raising an eyebrow int thought. One last thing? Did she have anything else planned? Dani stayed where she was, turning her head back to look at Gil over her shoulder. "Hrm..?"

[Arista]

Such a moment shared was something that would stick with Gil for a long while, really, it was something she may never forget...! Gil saw these kinds of experiences as ones that could only be shared with close friends, and even since day one, when Gil had pulled Dani's shorts down and sat on her, she felt close to her, and not only literally...! Maybe Dani didn't feel the same way she did, and until just now, Dani probably hadn't seen Gil in any sort of positive light, but the opposite was true for Gil, she could only ever see Dani in such a light! She knew the woman, deep-down, wasn't a bad person, maybe on the surface one would look at her and see all her flaws, but that was too easy, Gil saw someone she cared about, and wanted to be friends with.

Gil had motioned for Dani to clear the path out into the crowd, but Gil's offer of one last thing kept Dani still, and so Gil improvised with her plan...! "...Okay, just, stay still, sit there and... Close your eyes...!" Gil waited until she obliged and then would slap the photo's against the wall of the booth, then rustled through her bag. "...Come on, I know it's in here somewhere... Let's see... Aha...!" A click of a pen and the a bit of scribbling...! "...Keep those eyes closed now...!" Gil glanced back at the red-headed French-woman...!

Gil clicked the pen shut and tossed it back into her bag, zipping it back up and readying herself to go. "...Hold out your hands...!" Gil would then place the photo into her hands, the pictures facing up, then crawled over her lap, lingering over for a moment, her face was less than a foot away from Dani's. She snickered for a moment, then spoke. "...Merry Christmas, Dani...!" She leaned in and gave her a kiss on the nose, then brushed the curtain aside, and by the time Dani would look out, she was lost amongst the crowd. Leaving Dani only with a set of picture, writing on the back that read; 'Let's be friends!' and then Gil's phone number.

[CaptainL]

Gil had shown the depths of her heart that night, in her first-ever match in LAW. Danielle had done quite a bit to garner the scorn of wrestling fans, with her aloof nature, her disdain for those she perceived as beneath her, and her utter inability to owe up for her lack of talent. But for one reason or another, Gil hadn't seen that in her. Gil had only seen someone she wanted to get to know better, and who she viewed as a friend. Perhaps that was something only someone as good-natured and as trusting as Gil could have done. But it shone through brighter than ever tonight, when the brunette was willing to extend a hand to Danielle to put aside any differences and enjoy Christmas shopping together. And, for one reason or another, Danielle had gone along with it. She felt like an utter fool; she felt like if the news got out it would be even more embarrassing than being exposed at Gil's hands had been. But...as long as it was just the two of them, maybe it would be all right.

"All right, all right..." Danielle nodded to Gil, sitting back against her seat. If it had been coming from anyone else, Dani would surely have expected to be sucker-punched when she averted her gaze - if not even worse, given Gil's propensity for smothers. But she knew that Gil would never even think of doing anything so underhanded. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and that heart was a bleeding one. After all she had seen tonight, Dani had no reason to doubt the girl. She calmly folded her hands on her knees as she closed her eyes, awaiting whatever Gil had to show her.

She waited, the gears in her mind turning with questions as to what Gil had in store to surprise her with. When she asked her to present her hands, she obediently turned them over to hold her palms toward her companion. There, she felt something settle in her hands - and shortly thereafter, the soft, ticklish sensation of a kiss against her nose. Not a mocking one, but one that spoke to Gil's respect for her, in spite of everything.

A blush flashed across Dani's cheeks, and the corners of her lips worked themselves upward into the slightest hint of a smile. Her eyes fluttered open, but when she turned to look back at the source of the sound, Gil was long gone. "I..." The Frenchwoman tried to call out to her, but she soon realized it was no use - Gil was already far away.

All she had left was the photos in her hand - along with Gil's number and her offer of friendship. As she looked them over, her face softened, and she nodded her head in agreement. No one else needed to know what was going on in her personal life, after all - and if Gil was willing to do all of this for her, and to spend a night like the one they'd had tonight, she really could find it in her heart to be friends. She would stash the photos away in her bags soon enough, disappearing into the night without ever speaking of this to anyone. But for now, she was willing to sit in the photo booth a little longer, reflecting on the kindness she'd been shown.