[ she leans forward to briefly touch her forehead to his before getting up, rising to her feet so she can collect dinner. ]
I doubt anyone else is going to visit us this late.
[ unless jesper needed bail money. again. but indeed, it's the delivery person, and inej collects their food and tips the driver, returning to settle back on the couch, divvying up the containers. ]
I got you your pancakes with the grass.
[ lightly, as she passes over the scallion pancakes, the dig said with much affection as she continues to separate out the containers of rice and chicken. ]
[ Well, she has a point. His parents or maybe Jesper might, but they typically texted or called before they dropped in. They all knew he liked to be given a heads up.
She starts taking containers out and he helps arrange the napkins and utensils, accepting the scallion pancakes when she hands them over.
Or rather: the pancakes with the grass. ]
I'm never living that down, huh?
[ Though he laughs lightly, opening up his container and starting to dig in. Honestly, he's not sour over her reminding him– it had been a good night. A good memory. Even if it feels so strangely long ago. ]
Gonna tell your parents about the letter? [ He's sure they'll be thrilled. ]
[ she says with a grin, settling into her corner of the couch, tucking her feet underneath a stray throw blanket that she had been using earlier. she fishes out a fork from the bag, stirring her rice once. ]
And of course, but when they are awake. [ the time difference makes things a bit hard, sometimes, but her parents will be overjoyed when she calls them in the morning. ] I think Mama is going to be more excited over being in Ravka more than anything else.
[ over the moon, really. and, as she continues to stir her food: ]
She has been asking when we are coming back to visit.
[ Both of them settle in to eat; he props his feet up on the nearby ottoman. Which is slightly off to the side but he's currently too lazy and hungry to move it. His hands full, after all, with scallion pancakes.
Inej mentions she'll call her parents in the morning—it is rather late there, getting on towards midnight. They'll be excited to hear from her first thing in the morning. At least, first thing in Kerch. And he can imagine her mother will be thrilled to have her daughter back in the same country again, instead of in dreary Kerch. She frequently mentions how awful it must be that Inej doesn't get enough sun. Kaz agrees with her, though that is why they tend to go back and forth. ]
"We"? Or just you? [ He's still not totally certain Asena has warmed up to him. It feels like it's on again off again. ]
[ she places a particular emphasis on that, rolling her eyes a little at his request for clarification. asena hadn't exactly enjoyed the idea of kaz, but she's decided he's worth keeping around. inej is fairly certain the trial had something to do with it; her mother had been grateful kaz had been there to help, and to be supportive.
all the same, she shifts her leg a little to nudge his thigh with her foot, amused. ]
She has already started calling you her son in private.
[ inej had caught her chattering to a neighbor, the last she was in ravka. the slip had resulted in a lot of argument between the two of them, mostly in inej telling asena that she should tell kaz that, and asena telling inej to mind her own business. the two had left it at that, with jardani suggesting that maybe titles really don't mean that much anyway.
which leads inej to: ]
She enjoys when you visit, too. Even if she doesn't seem like she does.
[ She corrects him with emphasis and nudges his leg, which makes him hum—still a bit unconvinced. Asena doesn't seem to hate him anymore but he isn't sure she necessarily likes him. ]
Does she now? [ Well, that's interesting. He doubts Inej is just saying things to make him feel better, she's always been pretty frank about her relationship with her mother. And, well, her mother's relationship with him. Whatever that is, with this newest revelation. ]
She's always scrutinizing, like she's waiting for some proof it's a sham.
[ Obviously, he isn't deterred. But it is awkward. ]
[ understandably so, even if it is annoying. kerch robbed asena of her daughter, and she didn't want it to happen again. rebuilding trust would take a long time, but asena seems to have settled into the fact that kaz was not going to go anywhere, which may not be a bad thing.
so, as such, inej nudges his leg again, arching her eyebrows. ]
[ Ah, well, that is certainly true. And her mother has good reason to be protective—Kerch and its people didn't make a great impression with how Inej ended up while she was here. Obviously not everyone is Tante Heleen but the association stuck, especially after years of grief in not knowing what happened.
She just happened to transfer a lot of those negative feelings to him, seeing as he was from here. Thankfully some of that sourness has dropped away now that she's gotten to know him. Or possibly just come to terms with the fact that he isn't going anywhere. Still, she seems reticent about the positives. ]
Of course not. [ Inej please!!! ] You're stuck with me until you get bored.
[ He loosely wraps his fingers around her ankle, the one she's been nudging him with, sliding his thumb along her leg. Just a small bit of affection because she's too far to kiss. Not really that far but he doesn't want to disrupt their dinner containers. ]
[ she pauses, at that, watching his thumb gently run around her shin. something about his comment bugs at her slightly. she isn't entire sure why, at first, until she runs it through her head again. ]
Do you think I would get bored of you?
[ she wouldn't, obviously. it's hard to envision her life without him, now. she's certain he's who she's supposed to be with for the rest of her life. being with anyone else is out of the question. she isn't complete, without him. ]
No. [ It doesn't come out strong, especially when he follows it up. ] Not often.
[ This wasn't the conversation he wanted to have. Nor was it something he wanted to bring up. But he had said it without thinking. Or perhaps thinking too hard. Sometimes the difference was a hair.
It's not like he thinks she's particular prone to boredom or even wandering loyalties. And it isn't one of his louder anxieties, the ones he's used to working through. Those persistent worries he's gotten in check. This one is more of a creeping, lingering thought at the edges. On rare occasions, it sinks its claws in, usually keeping him awake in the middle of the night when all of his bad traits come into perfectly clarity. As though the universe has poured a bucket of ice water across his nerves.
He isn't an easy person, after all. Argumentative, stubborn, and on more than one occasion: emotionally unavailable. To top it off, he'll never walk right. Which hasn't bothered her and isn't something he necessarily worries about. But. It's there.
What it all comes to is this: he's afraid of fucking it up. ]
[ she watches his face carefully, eyes scanning his features in a moment before she shifts her legs, gently tugging her ankle free from his fingers as she sets the containers aside.
why he has doubts, inej has no idea. it mystifies her, when he thinks he isn't good enough for her. if anything, it's the complete opposite, in her mind. she invited a whirlwind of trouble, into his life. she had essentially turned his family upside down. and he was still here.
so inej scoots closer on the couch, so she can take his face gently in her hands. ]
There will never be anyone else.
[ she murmurs, leaning forward to kiss him gently, the touch brief before she pulls away with a warm smile, running her thumbs over his cheeks. ]
[ There's a pinched expression on his face as she pulls her ankle carefully out of his grip. Now that the lid is off on the worries, they're running rampant, the thorn of insecurity sharp in his chest. It's fighting as he tries to just breathe and get it under control. Acknowledge the thoughts and dismiss them with the reality.
She's here, with him, and has been for a while now. He doesn't see that changing, despite the niggling doubt that's trying to convince him otherwise. More of it is erased as she cups his face, the touch so familiar and frankly, welcome amidst the swirl of negative thoughts. ]
I—yeah. [ He loosely grasps her wrists, thumbs settled on the backs of her hands as he gives her a frail smile. ] Who would make fun of me for grass pancakes?
[ as she presses her forehead to his briefly, eyes bright. she dislikes that frail smile, though. something is still clinging to him, and she can tell that whatever nasty voice in his head is telling him she could leave is still speaking. ]
If you asked me to marry you, right now, I would say yes.
[ she says it easily, pulling away so she can look at him, earnest. ]
And before you allow this -- [ and she shifts upwards, to press her lips against his forehead in a kiss ] -- to run rampant and drive you into a panic, you do not need to ask me anything, ever. But I am staying at your side regardless.
[ anxiety be damned. there is no one else, but him. which should feel scary, or daunting, but instead, inej just feels warm. centered, focused, and whole. ]
[ Bit by bit, it's reassuring. Or rather, it's something to focus on instead of the swirling negative thoughts. Which sort of amounts to the same thing, because she keeps talking and it gets him out of his head.
And well, the surprise of her statement is enough to bring his mind to a halt. The shock definitely shows on his face, eyebrows climbing up towards his hairline. It's not a bad thing, certainly not. Once it really sinks in, a slow flush works its way onto the tips of his ears. There's a flash of a distracting thought: Inej in a wedding dress, and that's doing wonders to wave away the anxiety.
Most of it anyway. Since she is right, there's the start of a fresh wave of nerves because that's commitment, which he isn't necessarily afraid of. But it's also planning and things he hasn't done or thought of for more than an idle moment. Taking a slow breath in, he loops his arm around her middle, tugging her in a bit for a hug. ]
Okay. [ He can believe her, in this moment. And hopefully it will stick, despite the curling doubts that occasionally make themselves known. They've been mostly dispelled–her admission had been a lot. ]
Have I said I love you today?
[ The words are murmured against her hairline, his cheek pressed to her hair. Saying those words in the beginning had been terrifying. And to some degree, still is. Even with years of being with Sofia and Tomassen, he's always been reluctant to say how he feels. It's too exposed, vulnerable. Things that had gotten him and Jordie in trouble.
But she deserves to hear it and know it. And sometimes, it's overwhelming enough he can't keep it in, as it is now. ]
[ he all but tugs her back into his lap, and inej allows herself to get comfortable, soaking in the comfort and the feeling of his arms around her waist. ]
Once or twice.
[ she says quietly, resting her head easily against him, tucking herself a bit more comfortably underneath his chin. he tends to be more reserved with his verbal displays of affection, and inej knows part of the reason why. but he shows it in other ways that she understands. it fills her with a ridiculous amount of joy, when he finds her hand to hold while they wait in line for a movie, or when he absently plays with her hair without realizing it.
his love language is different, and still developing. so is hers. she's more than willing to be patient. ]
Feel better?
[ she asks after a moment, letting her fingers run along the sleeve of his shirt, smoothing out a wrinkle that was no doubt caused by her. ]
[ He's glad she's letting him tug her closer. Something about her weight and physical proximity puts him at ease. Such a strange thing to think because for so long he hadn't wanted to be touched at all. It's always a bit startling, in the back of his mind, how far he's come to want something like this. ]
Well, I love you. [ Because she could always use another verbal reminder. They sit like that for a bit, her head tucked under his chin as he physically reminds himself to relax. The tension slowly bleeds out of his shoulders as she fiddles with his sleeve. ]
Yeah.
[ There's still a small swirl of bad thoughts but they're not actively spiraling. Easy to dismiss, instead of being full blown panic or anxiousness. He gives her a squeeze with the arm looped around her middle before letting her go so she could get back to her dinner. ]
Too bad this isn't conducive to eating.
[ Not enough space for movement. But, he supposes, they'll have time to be close after. ]
[ she can feel him relax, and while part of her feels slightly bad for causing him to feel anxious, she knows dragging the thoughts out of his head helps. at least then she can help him navigate them, instead of letting them fester inside his head, making their way throughout his body to settle in his heart.
he is right, though, in that they can't exactly eat dinner with her sitting on him like that. she isn't quite ready to move, though, tilting her head back to press her lips against his jaw. ]
It isn't, no.
[ somewhat ruefully, pressing a final kiss to where his jawline meets his neck, sighing to herself as she shifts to move, sliding herself back onto the couch proper, and off of his lap.
she does keep her legs mostly in his lap, though, as she tilts backwards to collect her food. ]
And I love you, too.
[ she adds, scooping up a forkful of rice, with a warm smile in his direction. the sooner she finishes eating, the sooner she can return to sitting in his lap. or whatever else he has planned for the evening. ]
[ If he weren't so hungry, he'd be tempted to just let dinner go by the wayside for a bit, to follow up on the kisses she gives him. And to hold her a little longer. But they both need their meal, especially as he always gets told he eats like a bird.
He'd disagree, but that's because he's seen Lizabeta eat when she's on a tear.
They pick up where they left off with just a bit of conversation peppered between. He asks how she wants to answer the organization and potentially when, so they at least have some timeframe to pitch for a later meeting. When they finish up, he cleans up the containers, sticking leftovers in the fridge. He stops briefly on the way to the bedroom by Lizabeta's cage, giving her little head pats before draping her night time sheet over, letting her start her rest.
In the bedroom, he feels a bit more tension leak away as he undoes his tie and vest, mentally dropping his work day in the process. ]
Still up for trying something different? [ And well, to be made up to. Because he did tease her earlier. ]
[ he is very attached to that little bird, as he volunteers to get her ready for bed. inej lets him, drifting into their room as she gets ready for bed . . . of sorts, anyway. she undoes her hair and is about to find pajamas when he comes into the room, undoing his tie and asking her the question.
ah, right. his grand idea. ]
Hmmm...
[ it's a drawn out noise, thoughtful as she crosses the room, lazily looping her arms around his waist . . . only so she could untuck his shirt a bit. being helpful, as she smooths her hands down his sides to rest against his hips. ]
[ She's already got her hair down as he starts to undress and he admires the motion of it as she comes over. It catches a bit of the light from the table lamp and he's tempted to run his fingers through it.
Which...nothing is really stopping him, aside from it being a strange angle to do it at. And he is a bit distracted by her hands untucking his shirt and then settling on his hips. ]
I want to get you off. [ Somehow he manages that without going bright red. That isn't to say he's completely free of color–there's a faint bit on his cheeks.
But it's out there, for her decide whether she wants to try it or not. They've made some attempts in the past, but both of their issues have cropped up. Usually hers first, when she feels his fingers. ]
And I have an idea that might work for both of us.
[ He isn't going to tell her the kind of research he ended up doing for this. That's just too much. ]
[ the bluntness causes her eyebrows to raise, just a little. not offended or put off by the statement, but surprised that he's so straight forward. though maybe she shouldn't be. he tends to just spit it out when he's nervous.
her fingers tug the end of his shirt a bit before her fingers move to the buttons, lazily unbuttoning a button at a time. ]
Do you?
[ she's curious, truthfully, on what he's come up with that would manage to avoid upsetting either of them. though, by the time she's finished unbuttoning his shirt, inej curls her fingers into the fabric, tugging him a bit closer with a slight grin. ]
Show me.
[ if it fails, it fails. she's long since learned that nothing ventured means nothing gained. ]
[ Okay, maybe that had been a little forward. Sort of normal, because he does fluster a bit when they start talking about more intimate things.
But it's better if she's more mentally prepared for what might be coming. They've both figured out real surprises in the bedroom just don't work for them.
She seems to be thinking it over, unbuttoning his shirt methodically as she does. It builds a sense of anticipation. Even if she doesn't agree, he wants so badly to kiss her. He will, in a moment, when he won't be interrupting her thoughts. ]
Okay. [ A grin lights up his face and he curls an arm around her middle, easily picking her up to set her on the edge of the bed. And then he's leaning in to press a soft kiss to her mouth, one hand cupped against the side of her neck. ]
[ the grin causes her to completely buy into whatever idea he is considering, and she's about to push herself up onto her toes for a kiss when he lifts her up. a laugh escapes, muffled against his lips as her hands find the edge of the bed to catch her balance. ]
Eager.
[ she murmurs, shifting to curl her fingers into his shirt again, returning to kiss him again, shifting her lips to the corner of his mouth so she can speak. ]
You are going to have to tell me what to do.
[ she sounds amused, at the thought, sliding her hands into his shirt to touch skin, fingers tracing down his chest. ]
[ Eager? Definitely. He smiles into the kiss when she laughs, the sound making him warm all over. ]
Yeah, yeah. [ It'll be weird, directing, but they're not going to get very far without him saying anything. ] Take your bottoms off and lie back.
[ Sounds so risqué. Whenever she relinquishes her hold on his shirt, he shrugs it off and joins her on the bed, kissing her cheek partly from nerves but mostly from affection. ]
[ well, he does instruct her a little bit, which only tugs at her curiosity. she removes her hands from his shirt (a bit reluctantly, though he does get rid of it fairly quickly after). she turns her attention to her own clothes, pushing the leggings she had been wearing off of her hips easily, though she leaves her underwear. for now, anyway.
she suspects whatever he has in mind will require their removal, but some things inej likes having him do.
she turns her head into the kiss on her cheek slightly, a slight grin appearing before she lets herself fall back on the bed, a comfortable sigh escaping. he truly always had such a comfortable bed. ]
Alright.
[ easy enough, reaching out to trace a finger down his arm, amused. not used to taking direction from him, particularly in this area. ]
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no subject
Date: 2020-12-15 01:00 am (UTC)I doubt anyone else is going to visit us this late.
[ unless jesper needed bail money. again. but indeed, it's the delivery person, and inej collects their food and tips the driver, returning to settle back on the couch, divvying up the containers. ]
I got you your pancakes with the grass.
[ lightly, as she passes over the scallion pancakes, the dig said with much affection as she continues to separate out the containers of rice and chicken. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-15 01:52 am (UTC)She starts taking containers out and he helps arrange the napkins and utensils, accepting the scallion pancakes when she hands them over.
Or rather: the pancakes with the grass. ]
I'm never living that down, huh?
[ Though he laughs lightly, opening up his container and starting to dig in. Honestly, he's not sour over her reminding him– it had been a good night. A good memory. Even if it feels so strangely long ago. ]
Gonna tell your parents about the letter? [ He's sure they'll be thrilled. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-15 02:41 am (UTC)[ she says with a grin, settling into her corner of the couch, tucking her feet underneath a stray throw blanket that she had been using earlier. she fishes out a fork from the bag, stirring her rice once. ]
And of course, but when they are awake. [ the time difference makes things a bit hard, sometimes, but her parents will be overjoyed when she calls them in the morning. ] I think Mama is going to be more excited over being in Ravka more than anything else.
[ over the moon, really. and, as she continues to stir her food: ]
She has been asking when we are coming back to visit.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-15 03:09 pm (UTC)Inej mentions she'll call her parents in the morning—it is rather late there, getting on towards midnight. They'll be excited to hear from her first thing in the morning. At least, first thing in Kerch. And he can imagine her mother will be thrilled to have her daughter back in the same country again, instead of in dreary Kerch. She frequently mentions how awful it must be that Inej doesn't get enough sun. Kaz agrees with her, though that is why they tend to go back and forth. ]
"We"? Or just you? [ He's still not totally certain Asena has warmed up to him. It feels like it's on again off again. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-15 09:19 pm (UTC)[ she places a particular emphasis on that, rolling her eyes a little at his request for clarification. asena hadn't exactly enjoyed the idea of kaz, but she's decided he's worth keeping around. inej is fairly certain the trial had something to do with it; her mother had been grateful kaz had been there to help, and to be supportive.
all the same, she shifts her leg a little to nudge his thigh with her foot, amused. ]
She has already started calling you her son in private.
[ inej had caught her chattering to a neighbor, the last she was in ravka. the slip had resulted in a lot of argument between the two of them, mostly in inej telling asena that she should tell kaz that, and asena telling inej to mind her own business. the two had left it at that, with jardani suggesting that maybe titles really don't mean that much anyway.
which leads inej to: ]
She enjoys when you visit, too. Even if she doesn't seem like she does.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-17 01:44 am (UTC)Does she now? [ Well, that's interesting. He doubts Inej is just saying things to make him feel better, she's always been pretty frank about her relationship with her mother. And, well, her mother's relationship with him. Whatever that is, with this newest revelation. ]
She's always scrutinizing, like she's waiting for some proof it's a sham.
[ Obviously, he isn't deterred. But it is awkward. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-17 05:09 pm (UTC)[ understandably so, even if it is annoying. kerch robbed asena of her daughter, and she didn't want it to happen again. rebuilding trust would take a long time, but asena seems to have settled into the fact that kaz was not going to go anywhere, which may not be a bad thing.
so, as such, inej nudges his leg again, arching her eyebrows. ]
Is it a sham?
[ seeing as he's being dramatic over nothing. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 01:19 am (UTC)She just happened to transfer a lot of those negative feelings to him, seeing as he was from here. Thankfully some of that sourness has dropped away now that she's gotten to know him. Or possibly just come to terms with the fact that he isn't going anywhere. Still, she seems reticent about the positives. ]
Of course not. [ Inej please!!! ] You're stuck with me until you get bored.
[ He loosely wraps his fingers around her ankle, the one she's been nudging him with, sliding his thumb along her leg. Just a small bit of affection because she's too far to kiss. Not really that far but he doesn't want to disrupt their dinner containers. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 02:02 am (UTC)Do you think I would get bored of you?
[ she wouldn't, obviously. it's hard to envision her life without him, now. she's certain he's who she's supposed to be with for the rest of her life. being with anyone else is out of the question. she isn't complete, without him. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 02:20 am (UTC)[ This wasn't the conversation he wanted to have. Nor was it something he wanted to bring up. But he had said it without thinking. Or perhaps thinking too hard. Sometimes the difference was a hair.
It's not like he thinks she's particular prone to boredom or even wandering loyalties. And it isn't one of his louder anxieties, the ones he's used to working through. Those persistent worries he's gotten in check. This one is more of a creeping, lingering thought at the edges. On rare occasions, it sinks its claws in, usually keeping him awake in the middle of the night when all of his bad traits come into perfectly clarity. As though the universe has poured a bucket of ice water across his nerves.
He isn't an easy person, after all. Argumentative, stubborn, and on more than one occasion: emotionally unavailable. To top it off, he'll never walk right. Which hasn't bothered her and isn't something he necessarily worries about. But. It's there.
What it all comes to is this: he's afraid of fucking it up. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 02:28 am (UTC)why he has doubts, inej has no idea. it mystifies her, when he thinks he isn't good enough for her. if anything, it's the complete opposite, in her mind. she invited a whirlwind of trouble, into his life. she had essentially turned his family upside down. and he was still here.
so inej scoots closer on the couch, so she can take his face gently in her hands. ]
There will never be anyone else.
[ she murmurs, leaning forward to kiss him gently, the touch brief before she pulls away with a warm smile, running her thumbs over his cheeks. ]
Understand?
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 02:50 am (UTC)She's here, with him, and has been for a while now. He doesn't see that changing, despite the niggling doubt that's trying to convince him otherwise. More of it is erased as she cups his face, the touch so familiar and frankly, welcome amidst the swirl of negative thoughts. ]
I—yeah. [ He loosely grasps her wrists, thumbs settled on the backs of her hands as he gives her a frail smile. ] Who would make fun of me for grass pancakes?
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 05:28 pm (UTC)[ as she presses her forehead to his briefly, eyes bright. she dislikes that frail smile, though. something is still clinging to him, and she can tell that whatever nasty voice in his head is telling him she could leave is still speaking. ]
If you asked me to marry you, right now, I would say yes.
[ she says it easily, pulling away so she can look at him, earnest. ]
And before you allow this -- [ and she shifts upwards, to press her lips against his forehead in a kiss ] -- to run rampant and drive you into a panic, you do not need to ask me anything, ever. But I am staying at your side regardless.
[ anxiety be damned. there is no one else, but him. which should feel scary, or daunting, but instead, inej just feels warm. centered, focused, and whole. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 03:42 am (UTC)And well, the surprise of her statement is enough to bring his mind to a halt. The shock definitely shows on his face, eyebrows climbing up towards his hairline. It's not a bad thing, certainly not. Once it really sinks in, a slow flush works its way onto the tips of his ears. There's a flash of a distracting thought: Inej in a wedding dress, and that's doing wonders to wave away the anxiety.
Most of it anyway. Since she is right, there's the start of a fresh wave of nerves because that's commitment, which he isn't necessarily afraid of. But it's also planning and things he hasn't done or thought of for more than an idle moment. Taking a slow breath in, he loops his arm around her middle, tugging her in a bit for a hug. ]
Okay. [ He can believe her, in this moment. And hopefully it will stick, despite the curling doubts that occasionally make themselves known. They've been mostly dispelled–her admission had been a lot. ]
Have I said I love you today?
[ The words are murmured against her hairline, his cheek pressed to her hair. Saying those words in the beginning had been terrifying. And to some degree, still is. Even with years of being with Sofia and Tomassen, he's always been reluctant to say how he feels. It's too exposed, vulnerable. Things that had gotten him and Jordie in trouble.
But she deserves to hear it and know it. And sometimes, it's overwhelming enough he can't keep it in, as it is now. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 03:27 pm (UTC)Once or twice.
[ she says quietly, resting her head easily against him, tucking herself a bit more comfortably underneath his chin. he tends to be more reserved with his verbal displays of affection, and inej knows part of the reason why. but he shows it in other ways that she understands. it fills her with a ridiculous amount of joy, when he finds her hand to hold while they wait in line for a movie, or when he absently plays with her hair without realizing it.
his love language is different, and still developing. so is hers. she's more than willing to be patient. ]
Feel better?
[ she asks after a moment, letting her fingers run along the sleeve of his shirt, smoothing out a wrinkle that was no doubt caused by her. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 07:25 pm (UTC)Well, I love you. [ Because she could always use another verbal reminder. They sit like that for a bit, her head tucked under his chin as he physically reminds himself to relax. The tension slowly bleeds out of his shoulders as she fiddles with his sleeve. ]
Yeah.
[ There's still a small swirl of bad thoughts but they're not actively spiraling. Easy to dismiss, instead of being full blown panic or anxiousness. He gives her a squeeze with the arm looped around her middle before letting her go so she could get back to her dinner. ]
Too bad this isn't conducive to eating.
[ Not enough space for movement. But, he supposes, they'll have time to be close after. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 10:11 pm (UTC)he is right, though, in that they can't exactly eat dinner with her sitting on him like that. she isn't quite ready to move, though, tilting her head back to press her lips against his jaw. ]
It isn't, no.
[ somewhat ruefully, pressing a final kiss to where his jawline meets his neck, sighing to herself as she shifts to move, sliding herself back onto the couch proper, and off of his lap.
she does keep her legs mostly in his lap, though, as she tilts backwards to collect her food. ]
And I love you, too.
[ she adds, scooping up a forkful of rice, with a warm smile in his direction. the sooner she finishes eating, the sooner she can return to sitting in his lap. or whatever else he has planned for the evening. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-20 06:23 pm (UTC)He'd disagree, but that's because he's seen Lizabeta eat when she's on a tear.
They pick up where they left off with just a bit of conversation peppered between. He asks how she wants to answer the organization and potentially when, so they at least have some timeframe to pitch for a later meeting. When they finish up, he cleans up the containers, sticking leftovers in the fridge. He stops briefly on the way to the bedroom by Lizabeta's cage, giving her little head pats before draping her night time sheet over, letting her start her rest.
In the bedroom, he feels a bit more tension leak away as he undoes his tie and vest, mentally dropping his work day in the process. ]
Still up for trying something different? [ And well, to be made up to. Because he did tease her earlier. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-12-20 08:20 pm (UTC)ah, right. his grand idea. ]
Hmmm...
[ it's a drawn out noise, thoughtful as she crosses the room, lazily looping her arms around his waist . . . only so she could untuck his shirt a bit. being helpful, as she smooths her hands down his sides to rest against his hips. ]
What did you have in mind?
no subject
Date: 2020-12-20 11:17 pm (UTC)Which...nothing is really stopping him, aside from it being a strange angle to do it at. And he is a bit distracted by her hands untucking his shirt and then settling on his hips. ]
I want to get you off. [ Somehow he manages that without going bright red. That isn't to say he's completely free of color–there's a faint bit on his cheeks.
But it's out there, for her decide whether she wants to try it or not. They've made some attempts in the past, but both of their issues have cropped up. Usually hers first, when she feels his fingers. ]
And I have an idea that might work for both of us.
[ He isn't going to tell her the kind of research he ended up doing for this. That's just too much. ]
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Date: 2020-12-20 11:56 pm (UTC)her fingers tug the end of his shirt a bit before her fingers move to the buttons, lazily unbuttoning a button at a time. ]
Do you?
[ she's curious, truthfully, on what he's come up with that would manage to avoid upsetting either of them. though, by the time she's finished unbuttoning his shirt, inej curls her fingers into the fabric, tugging him a bit closer with a slight grin. ]
Show me.
[ if it fails, it fails. she's long since learned that nothing ventured means nothing gained. ]
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Date: 2020-12-21 12:09 am (UTC)But it's better if she's more mentally prepared for what might be coming. They've both figured out real surprises in the bedroom just don't work for them.
She seems to be thinking it over, unbuttoning his shirt methodically as she does. It builds a sense of anticipation. Even if she doesn't agree, he wants so badly to kiss her. He will, in a moment, when he won't be interrupting her thoughts. ]
Okay. [ A grin lights up his face and he curls an arm around her middle, easily picking her up to set her on the edge of the bed. And then he's leaning in to press a soft kiss to her mouth, one hand cupped against the side of her neck. ]
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Date: 2020-12-21 12:28 am (UTC)Eager.
[ she murmurs, shifting to curl her fingers into his shirt again, returning to kiss him again, shifting her lips to the corner of his mouth so she can speak. ]
You are going to have to tell me what to do.
[ she sounds amused, at the thought, sliding her hands into his shirt to touch skin, fingers tracing down his chest. ]
Are you up for that?
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Date: 2020-12-21 01:24 am (UTC)Yeah, yeah. [ It'll be weird, directing, but they're not going to get very far without him saying anything. ] Take your bottoms off and lie back.
[ Sounds so risqué. Whenever she relinquishes her hold on his shirt, he shrugs it off and joins her on the bed, kissing her cheek partly from nerves but mostly from affection. ]
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Date: 2020-12-21 02:28 am (UTC)she suspects whatever he has in mind will require their removal, but some things inej likes having him do.
she turns her head into the kiss on her cheek slightly, a slight grin appearing before she lets herself fall back on the bed, a comfortable sigh escaping. he truly always had such a comfortable bed. ]
Alright.
[ easy enough, reaching out to trace a finger down his arm, amused. not used to taking direction from him, particularly in this area. ]
What next?
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