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 Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:35 pm
Misha's touch was gentle and Brian found himself moving his head slightly to allow the woman more space to wander. When her finger disappeared, he simply settled it back into a comfortable position. His gaze had not once left Misha's face.
"Alright," he said, "I'll keep that in mind. You're always welcome to come find me, for whatever you like." Well, that was a dangerous offer. Misha undoubtedly wanted a number of things at any one time. Perhaps he should have been more specific? Mostly, though, he didn't care. Let her come. He knew that he enjoyed her company.
All of a sudden Misha curled up close and Brian involuntarily wrapped an arm around her and held her close. He stroked the back of her shoulder with his thumb. "Don't be sorry, it's fine." Misha did, after all, only have a shawl on for warmth.
"Do you want to head back?" Of course he would walk her back to her dorm.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:14 pm
"Do I want to?" Misha looked up and smiled sweetly. "Not really. Should I? Probably." She cupped the side of his face. "We both probably should get some sleep." A brief thought flickered across her mind at the phrase, mostly involving the size of the beds in the dorm and the strength in the arm holding her close. After studying Brian's face for a moment longer, though, she dismissed it. Sleep, honest to goodness sleep, was needed - no matter the temptation. "We haven't gotten much sleep, I guess, in the past couple of days." There. That was as much as she would willingly acknowledge the Bird Thing or the fact that she was burning the candle at both ends in an attempt to avoid thinking about it. Misha leaned forward a bit to brush a brief, chaste kiss over Brian's mouth. "So bedtime for us," she whispered. Then she drew away and, as carefully and gracefully as she could manage, stood. She dusted sand off her jeans, both knees and butt, and hiked her shawl back over her shoulders again. She smiled down at him sweetly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:32 pm
Brian nodded and smiled. Yeah, he wasn't really all that keen on going to bed either, but they should. They always had tomorrow or... well. When he got back from work. It was a shame he couldn't simply leave and come back every day. He was pretty sure he was going to miss this place.
After all of this, though, finally, Misha had at least made mention of their trial with the birds on the mountain. It was a start. He wasn't about to push it, though.
The kiss was a breath of cool air on a hot night and his smile broadened.
"Let me get my shoes," he said, and was less concerned with getting up gracefully than getting up quickly. He began down toe beach in his bare feet, jogging through the sand in the direction of his sneakers. He found them and put them on, barely caring how he tied them, and turned to come back to Misha. He'd have sand in his shoes, but there were much worse things.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:45 pm
He was going to walk her back. How adorably chivalrous! Misha's smile shone brightly even in the fading light and she immediately put out an expectant hand for his. "I'm kind of spoiled. My dorm is just up there."
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:53 pm
Brian jogged back with ease and reached out to take Misha's hand before he was fully by her side.
"Spoiled?" Brian asked. Because the dorm was close, or because he was holding her hand? He was pretty sure it was the former, but the latter was more flattering. He smiled regardless and started off toward the Aphrodite dorm. He'd made it a point to figure out where everything was in his first few days, before the incident in the Alps.
"Mine's just down there," he said, pointing further down the beach where he had come from. As it turned out, the side of the Aphrodite dorm faced the back of the Zeus dorm.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:08 pm
"Hmm, nice and close," she observed. There was no hiding the delight in her smile at the coincidence. The walk back to the Aphrodite dorm took almost no time at all and Misha felt honest disappointment when they stood at the door. She turned to face him, her hand still in his, and sighed dramatically. "Well, I guess this is goodnight, Brian." Her eyes sparkled in the porch lantern. "I'd invite you in for a drink but I don't have anything on hand."
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:14 pm
The walk back was easy at Misha's side. He was unwilling to let her hand go just yet and she seemed as if she didn't mind when she turned to wish him good night. He nodded, his torso even bowing slightly.
"The thought is appreciated," he said, and then gave a little laugh. "Goodnight, Misha." He stepped in, bent, and kissed her on the cheekbone. His hand squeezed hers and shook it slightly as he wrestled with himself to let go. He finally did.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:22 pm
She let him go with reluctance, somehow managing to hide both her disappointment and her amusement at his own hesitation for release. Suddenly, Misha went up on her toes and pressed a matching kiss to his cheek. "I hope you have very sweet dreams," she replied. "And I'll see you soon." One final smile for him, and then she slipped through the door and into her dorm. It would be lonely, she reflected, and she probably was not going to sleep but... She felt good. Light and happy and so very charmed. Spoiled indeed. Brian was the most lovely, sweet surprise of the day. She couldn't wait to see him again.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:26 pm
"You too," Brian replied. The spot on his cheek that Misha had kissed still felt warm. He smiled and walked backward, waving to Misha, and then turned to head back to his own dorm with his hands in his hoodie pockets. He was smiling the whole way. Something about Misha made him so giddy!
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