Aria
She followed him and settled into his lap, sitting so that she could rest her head on his shoulder, eyes closing in comfort. "That's kind of what I thought. This is much better."

She considered, and nodded. "That sounds awesome. I'd love to try Indian food." She makes a soft, content sound, and just rests like that against him for the rest of the ride, then got up and guided them back to the apartment and inside. She looked around at it, a fond expression on her face, and set the bag with the other duffle and the books on the couch, next to Gigantosaurus, and then noticed a pamphlet of Take Out Place menus set out for renters of the place to use.

Pao
The ride was comfortable, all snuggled up with her. Once they got home and set everything down, he took her hand and led her over to the sofa, nabbing one of the pamphlets along the way. "I don't think I've ever had Indian food now that I think of it," he murmured as he flopped onto the couch, gently tugging her down to him.

"Hopefully we'll find something good." He handed her the pamphlet then, but didn't really give her a chance to look it over because he was already leaning in for a kiss.

Aria
She had been peering at the pamphlets when he snagged her hand. "Mmm? Oh, me either. I'm curious about it, though. I bet it's good." She followed him back to the couch, and beams a little as he pulled her to him, and she snuggled in close, taking the pamphlet from him.

She managed to get it open at least, before he initiated a kiss, and with a chuckle, she leaned to meet him, her free arm sliding around him as lowered the pamphlet. After a moment or two, she broke the kiss, but kept her lips close to his as she murmured "Not hungry for food, yet, hmmm?"

Pao
"Nope, just want you right now..." he murmured before closing what little gap there was between their lips. It was slow, his desire made plain as he deepened the kiss, a hand snaking around her waist while the other settled on her leg.

Aria
She shivered, and set the menu pamphlet to the side, where it wouldn't get damaged, and shifted to focus fully on him, her eyes soft and happy. She kissed him back and slipped her other arm around him now, letting him take the lead for the moment.

Pao
For a moment, in his mind, time stopped and all he could focus on, all he wanted to focus on was Seren. The woman he loved was in his arms that moment, and after pausing for a breath he gradually shifted them, letting her slip down onto the sofa while he hovered close above her.

He was vaguely aware of having to draw the line if things got a little too hot and heavy, but for now they were nowhere near it so he let himself indulge in her.

Aria
She kept her arms around him, trusting him to not let things go too far, though ready to stop things if necessary. Beyond that, all she cared about was being here, in this quiet moment, knowing that there was nothing in the world for them to worry about except each other. She sighed with joy, and whispered "I love you, Rhys."

Pao
"Love you, too, Seren," he whispered back, eyes settling on hers, full of the love that he had for her. And he held her gaze a moment, lifting a hand to brush aside some stray strands of hair before he caressed her cheek. "So much...still blows my mind, honestly, but I've never been happier than I am when I'm with you."

Aria
Her blue eyes were focused on his green ones, shining with the joy she felt that he was in her life, and love for him. She reached with one hand, and began to comb her fingers through his hair, a smile of pure contentment on her face. "Being with you is the best thing that ever happened to me, and it amazes me it happened... In all the best possible ways."

Pao
Rhys smiled, soft and warm. He closed his eyes at the feel of her fingers through his hair, the gesture drawing him down closer to her. "Same, love," he whispered, eyes opening just a bit. Enough that their eyes met, which made him smile a little bit wider.

He kissed her again, just once, soft and sweet. "Before we keep going, maybe we can order first? From some place that delivers...'cause I don't really wanna stop..."

Aria
She liked that he enjoyed it when her hands were in his hair... She liked it to, his hair was soft and smooth, and it felt nice. She kissed him back, and sighed when he broke it... then chuckled at his words. "Mmm might have been easier if we'd done that before, but yeah, good idea."

She reached for the menu, not looking away from him until it was between them, and popped it back open, then turned it at an angle they could both at least, sort of, see it. She looked over the options, then said "Maybe some of these... samosas? And some chicken tikka masala? I've heard of that one. Do you have any requests?" She considered the menu with curiosity, then looked up at him. There was water in the apartment, so they didn't need any beverages, but if he wanted something else, they could get it.

Pao
"No," he said softly, smiling still. He barely even looked at the menu, really, his eyes never leaving her as she listed what she wanted. He adjusted a bit to pull his phone out and handed it to her, suddenly thinking of an order for himself. "Maybe their best-selling curry, just medium spicy?"

Aria
She laughs softly, and dials the number, leaning up to kiss his cheek while it rings. When they answer, she says "Yeah, I'd like to place an order... Yes..." She notices a convenient sticker with the address of the apartment on the menu, and reads it to them, then says "Can we get an order of samosas... Oh 4 in that? Perfect... Your best selling curry, medium spicy... And a chicken tikka masala. Make it as spicy as you would eat it, please?" There was some murmuring, and she says "Yeah! By card, please... Oh you have Square? Ok. We'll see your driver when they get here. Thanks!"

She hangs his phone up, and puts it, and the menu, on the side table, then slides her arms back around Rhys, murmuring "45 minutes... We have some time to kill, yeah?" She pulls him gently down for another kiss, eyes soft and happy.

Pao
He watched her as she ordered, expression as loving and full of admiration as it always was when he had his eyes on her. When she set everything down and told him the wait time he grinned as she pulled him down. "Perfect," he managed to say before they kissed again.

It was so easy to get lost in moments with her like this, and that was exactly what happened whenever their lips met, whenever they took a breath and he caught a glimpse of her eyes and all the love there was in them. He parted his lips against hers at some point, wanting to draw her in and deepen the kiss.

Aria
She ignored time, and reality, beyond the reality of them, here together. Her fingers twined through his hair as they kissed, and when she felt his lips part, she made a soft sound of happiness, and parted her own, tongue softly sliding along his lower lip, caressing, before slipping into his mouth, tasting him.

She got lost in the kiss, completely, and her eyes drifted closed, after a while, as she began to focus on the sensations of the kiss, and of feeling him so close to her.

Pao
She had every bit of his focus, the sensations of her kiss and of her touch and simply her presence the only things he really noticed. His body gradually warmed, his heartbeat picked up in pace as the kisses intensified, the more he tasted her the more his need for her drove him closer to that line...

Until finally he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. "Babe..." he murmured, eyes closed and brows furrowed.

Aria
She sighed as he broke the kiss, hearing his reactions, and knowing what was up. "Yeah... I know, love. I understand." She leaned up, carefully, to kiss him on his forehead, between his furrowing brows, then lay back. "We have to stop. And besides, dinner will be here soon, yeah? Good reason to stop." Her hand dropped from his hair, and she gazed up at him with all the love and understanding in her eyes that she could show, trying to be as supportive as she could be.

She didn't blame him, ever, after all, and she wanted him to know she would be there through this, at his side, no matter what.

Pao
"Yeah..." he answered softly with a nod. For a second after she kissed his forehead he considered testing his boundaries again, considered asking her if they could maybe keep going. Whenever he hit that line his heart always sank into his stomach, and although he knew she understood it really just...sucked.

"Sorry..." he managed, eyes finally open again. He also managed a small smile despite what he was feeling, and what he was fighting down. "You need a second?"

Aria
She watched him, eyes focused on his face, keeping that love and understanding foremost, because that's what she thought he needed right now. She didn't move, her lips curved in a smile of calm and she murmured "Mmm I can manage." She didn't comment that she might want some alone time later, but was between her and her. She wasn't going to torment him by telling him, that would be cruel.

She considered and added "But perhaps a small bathroom break might be good...?"

Pao
True enough, the love and understanding he saw in her eyes helped calm him down and kept him from being too upset about this yet again. "If you're sure," he replied, then leaned down for one more kiss, one full of love and gratitude for her understanding.

He got up slowly and helped her up as well, though not quite onto his lap...

"Bathroom break then, you go ahead. I'm good for now."

Aria
"I'm sure, babe..." She gave him a small kiss, and disappeared to the bathroom, thinking he perhaps should have taken the first run. She returned in a bit, looking like she'd taken some time to freshen up, and settled onto the couch next to him, smiling at him, as she pulled out her phone.

"While we have some time, I'm gonna start researching the whole Ikea thing, and other potential furniture options." She began to browse, leaning back onto the couch, her eyes a little focused as she worked on the details of what she was doing. She mmm'd softly as she browsed, bookmarking pages and looking lost in planning.

Pao
While she was gone he was able to calm himself down and sort of just slumped back into the couch. The fact that he was the one responsible for cockblocking himself was...irritating, to say the least, but he didn't see any point in forcing the issue and ruining their night. So he took some deep breaths and relaxed, and then he grabbed his phone from off the table to go back to researching ways he could surprise her.

He smiled back when she returned and, once she settled, he adjusted himself and lay down, using her lap as a pillow. "We getting our bed there too, or did you want one of those special type mattresses?"

Aria
She looked down, a small smile on her face when he settled himself like that. She reached down to caress his cheek, not too heavily, just enough to say 'I love you' silently, as she sat. His question had her lifting her brows a bit. "Well, I mean... I honestly have never had a mattress better than the one we have at home, so I have no real reason to worry about needing a fancier mattress. I suspect the Ikea ones will be fine, as long as they have a king size."

She paused, and considered, then added "Unless you want to get a California king. It's 4 inches less wide, but it's also four inches longer." She glanced down him, along the length of his body. "I was thinking you might want the extra leg room, babe."

Pao
He leaned into her touch, smiling softly. It was such a comforting, loving gesture, never failing to remind him how she felt for him.

"Oo...yeah," he said, brows raised when she mentioned the California king. "We're almost always snuggled up anyway, so less wide isn't a big loss." And then he smiled brightly up at her. "Thank you, baby, for always thinkin' of me."

Aria
She smiled a little and said "Of course, love. Your comfort is important to me, after all. I can fit on either, with comfort and ease, but you're just a touch taller." She said that last bit in a loving, and teasing, tone. She did a quick search. "However, looks like we'll have to go other places for that. Ikea doesn't seem to carry Cali King. Silly of them, but we can manage without them."

She looked thoughtful as she considered that. "So we'll have to work out how to get big shipments in. I wonder if that Marcus guy I've seen on the Hunter Twitter might be willing to, for a small fee, take packages like that. I have to assume he has access to a nearby portal, since I think, from what he's said, he's in a long term site?"

Pao
"A touch?" He knew she was teasing, and he honestly found it adorable, which was why in retaliation he turned his head and gave her hand a kiss.

"We can ask around, sure," he nodded. Figuring out logistics for a secret, island-based operation was always so...complicated. "Best do that before we order?" There was a pause before he added, "Oh, or we could do one of those...mattresses that come shipped in a box that inflates once you open and roll it out?"

Aria
She laughs and caresses his lip in response to the kiss, then sighs, a satisfied sound. "Oh yes, just a touch. A mere smidgeon." She jokes, her tone purely silly at this point.

Seren nods her head, and said "Yeah. Hopefully there's arrangements for large purchases like that. And... I didn't just mean the mattress, babe. Ikea doesn't even have bedframes in the right size for a Cali King... And since we need to order a frame, we might as well get a real mattress while we're at it."

Pao
Her laugh had him beaming up at her, the joking getting more of a chuckle out of him and he kissed her hand again, though he didn't pile on.

"Oh," he blinked, not realizing that Ikea wouldn't have anything for a Cali King. "Well alright, whatever we need. So we definitely gotta ask around, then. But the rest of what we need's gonna be at Ikea?"

Aria
She smiles a little, and then gently draws her hand back, not letting this go too much further for the moment. It did feel quite nice, after all.

"I think so. They only seem to have one reclining chair option... So we'll have to do more research on that, but... We have some time, after all." She smiled a little, and started to say "So how..." When the bell to the apartment rang. "Oh! I think the food has arrived, babe!" She couldn't exactly go get the door, however, with his head in her lap... not without dumping him on the floor, and that would be rude and not acceptable in her eyes at all.

Pao
When the bell rang Rhys glanced toward the door first, not quite glaring but not too thrilled at the timing. Still, for the sake of the food still being warm when they opened everything up, he got up off of her and handed her his wallet. "You get the food, I'll set the table."

He grinned then, and offered her a hand up. Once she was on her feet he went about his work, grabbing plates, cups, and the bottled water provided for them in the refrigerator and set the table as he usually did.

Aria
She laughed and took his wallet, then his hand. She headed for the door, and smiled in a friendly way at the bored looking woman standing with their food. She made the payment, reminded once again how much he trusts her... He just handed her his wallet, after all... and then takes the food. She waited for the woman to leave, to be polite, then locked the door, and headed to the little dining area.

She smiled warmly at him, and gets out the food, setting the curry besides one plate, the tikka besides another, then divided the samosa between the two plates, before settling down. "Mmm this looks good, and smells even better.."

Pao
He settled down after she set out the food, their chairs set up so that they were beside each other. "It does," he agreed, opening up his curry and taking a deep breath.

His stomach grumbled as a result, and he coughed, a hint of pink on his cheeks. "Let's dig in? Didn't realize how hungry I was..."

Aria
She mmm'd softly, enjoying the way the scent got stronger when he opened the box, and leaned to kiss his cheek, before picking up a samosa, examining it with intense curiosity. The triangle-ish shaped pocket was intriguing to her, and she broke it open to see what was inside.

Then she heard his stomach grumble, and she gave him a small smile. "I was amazed at the look on your face, honestly, babe, when the bell rang. I've never seen you look so unhappy about the arrival of food." She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment, pressing against him in an attempt at an armless hug, since her hands were full of the two samosa pieces, and she didn't want to get grease on him. After a moment, she straightened up, and took a bite, then made an "Mmm!" sound of happiness.

Pao
He watched her break open the samosa with an equal amount of interest, his stomach grumbling again when the aroma reached him. He picked up his spoon, then snorted and shrugged at her words. "I was comfortable, and moments with you versus food? I'd take you any day."

The armless hug was met with a smile, and he scooped out the curry onto his plate before grabbing a samosa for himself. "Good?" he asked, though didn't wait for an answer and took a bite for himself. His brows went up, expression clearly pleased as the food answered his question for her.

Aria
She swallowed her bite, and gave him that bright, happy smile that she gave, like when he'd first told her he'd gotten her a gift. She knew how much he loved food, and while she knew, very much knew, he loved her... Knowing he'd pick time spent with her over eating just felt really good. Strange as that thought might be, it meant a lot to her..

She nodded at his question, and laughed at his quick move to eat some himself. She kept chowing down on the samosa, enjoying the spiced potato and veggie filling, her eyes crinkled up in her pleasure. Indian food was clearly a hit for her, so far. Then again, they'd gotten lucky, nothing they'd had this trip was anything but wonderful.

Pao
There was no hope for the curry lasting more than a few minutes given how good it tasted, though he did pause and take swigs of water because it was spicier than he originally expected. "You want some, babe? It's ********' good. Didn't think there was any other kinda curry I'd like as much as I like Thai curry, so I'm pretty impressed."

He slowed down a bit to chow on the samosa as well, nodding his approval and taking another bite of it before moving back to his curry.

Aria
The moment he offered, she stole a bite, and gave a happy 'mmm!' about it as well. She'd put the chicken tikka masala on her plate, once she'd finished that first samosa, and was making her way through it. "This Tikka Masala is super good... I'd offer you a bite, but it's really spicy. I love it, but... it makes your curry seem quite mild, babe..."

She snagged her second samosa, and nibbled it between bites of her tikka. Despite loving how hot it was, by the end, her eyes were watering a little... But she looked blissfully happy.

Pao
"Mm...too spicy, gotta pass," he said between bites. It was good she snagged a bite when she did, because shortly after and he was already through his curry and working on the last samosa. He slowed down though, because he was mostly full and was also almost done with his water.

"Indian was a great choice, babe," he said after his final bite. "As always, damn."

Aria
She took more time than he did to finish, as usual, and she gave him a side smile, while working on her food at his comment. "Mmmm there's so many kinds of food I want to try. Dai would talk about the things he got to eat when he went on trips, and always lamented that I didn't get to try them too... I sort of kept a mental list. Indian was definitely on there." She paused to sip some water, a distant expression on her face.

She was being careful with her phrasing, not mentioning them, just the person who cared and mattered. "But yeah, it means there's lots of things I want to try... And this was an incredible start to it, this weekend and all the stuff we've tried." She finished her food, looking thoughtful, then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Not sure I'd have gotten up the courage to go places like London all alone. Another thing you've helped me do, babe."

Pao
Talk of the past caused his smile to falter a bit, if only because it reminded him of how much they hurt her by so blatantly mistreating her and at the same time treating their son like a prince. He finished up his water just as she kissed his cheek, sighing softly. "We'll go down that list, baby," he said quietly, eyes meeting hers. "Make sure you get to try everything you want to. That's a promise, alright?"

Aria
Her eyes widened and she hugged him tight. She hadn't expected him to make that promise, figuring they'd try things as they got the chance. Once again, he reminded her of how much he loved her, and it just amazed her that she got so lucky with this man, this man who gave her so much of himself. She rested her head on his shoulder and murmured "You are the best, babe. I love you so much."

Pao
He turned and hugged her tight, kissing her forehead when she rested her head on his shoulder. "Love you, too," came his simple reply. And he did, more than he thought he could love anyone, which was such a shock to him only because it meant that he also trusted her, and he never imagined ever trusting anyone other than himself with anything. "So write that list down so we've got a reference?"

He chuckled, resting his head against hers for a long moment before nodding toward the table. "So tonight I was thinking of takin' a cold shower," he said, "so I'll do dishes and you can go take a hot bath?"

Aria
She smiled a little and snuggled into him, sighing a little in happiness. "I'll try to get one made, yeah... That... Yeah." She didn't have words for it, really, not at this moment, but the way his care for her made her feel was a bright, warm heat in the core of her.

His words regarding the cold shower had her lifting her head, and studying him for a long moment. She slowly stood, and kissed his cheek, murmuring "Unless it gives you problems to do so... you should allow yourself some... self relaxation sometimes. I hope you do, for your sake." She then said, in a more normal tone, "However, I will take you up on that offer... I appreciate it, love."

Pao
He couldn't help laughing lightly, and he nodded. "I do, in the shower, babe." He hugged her gently, kissing her forehead again. "But again, thanks for thinkin' of me. To be honest, I wanna help you with that kinda thing in the meantime, but you said...yeah..."

He let it trail off there and sighed. "So yeah, go grab that bath. Lemme know when you're done?"

Aria
She blushed some and gave him another kiss and murmured "I want to do that with you, but... there's so many temptations there. I don't want to make this harder on you. I love you, and want this to be as painless as it can be, for something I know that hurts." She sighed and smiled, adding "I wanted to make sure, since you were talking about a cold shower." She gave his hand a squeeze, then slipped off to the bath.

She took some time, making sure to fully relax, then slipped out and dried off. She came out and said "Done, babe. I'm going to go get changed, and into bed." She gave him a warm smile, and disappeared into the bedroom.

Pao
"I know," he murmured, not wanting to argue. It hurt one way or the other so he was of the belief that helping her wouldn't make it any worse for him, but it wasn't something he wanted to force. She was right too, after all. So when she slipped away he used the time alone to shove the frustration away while doing the dishes and getting everything cleaned up so they didn't need to rush and clean things in the morning.

When she told him the bathroom was free he went to take that shower, changing his mind from cold shower to warm shower to help him relax as much as possible. When he was out he quickly toweled off and wrapped the towel around his waist, brushed his teeth and then headed to the bedroom.

"So what're the plans for tomorrow again, babe?" he asked as he headed for the dresser.

Aria
She was wearing one of his shirts tonight, and in bed, smiling in a warm and welcoming way when he came in the door. "Mmm sleep in some, get up, dress, pack up, and grab food to eat, then head to the Portal pick up spot." She watched him, admiring how beautiful he was, and how much she enjoyed getting to be the lucky girl who got to see all of this.

It was amazing and wonderful, and she reveled in these moments of admiring her boyfriend. "Any preferences on places to grab a meal? I saw there was a local chain called 'Pret a Manger' that supposedly makes some pretty good stuff, and on the healthier side. I figured it'd be a decent option."

Pao
"Mm..." he mused out loud at the option she provided while digging through his clothes. He dropped the towel as soon as he got his underwear and slipped into it, then his pajama bottoms, but when he couldn't find his shirt he looked over at her, about to ask about it when he saw that she was, in fact, wearing it. And he huffed in amusement.

"Looks better on you, babe," he commented, closing the dresser and deciding he could forego the shirt for one night. He slipped into bed beside her, greeting his girlfriend with a soft and ever so loving kiss before starting to settle in for the night. "As for breakfast...healthy sounds good. We should try it. Are we gonna have all of our stuff with us when we go?"

Aria
She gave him an innocent smile initially, and laughed, holding her arms out to him. "It looks so comfy, I wanted to try it... And it is." She didn't comment that it smelled faintly of him, in a way that she found comforting. She suspected if he was gone overnight for some mission in the near future, she'd probably wear it just to have the feeling of him in some way. "But I'm glad you think it looks good on me." Her smile was soft and loving now.

His question on their stuff had her tapping her chin. "Well, we can either get up earlier, go grab stuff to eat, then come back and check out... Less sleep in time that way... Or get a little more sleep, and haul everything with us to the restaurant site. I'm ok either way... You did mention sleeping in, though."

Pao
"Comfy?" he raised a brow in question, amusement clear in his expression. "I mean if it is for you, awesome. I just never thought about it I guess." It was just a shirt, after all, and he had a dozen more just like it. As she explained their options he snuggled in beside her, taking her hand and leading it so her arm wrapped around him. He slipped his own around her after that, considering the options presented to him.

"Gigantosaurus is probably the only thing we'll have trouble with if we haul everything to the restaurant. We'd need a table for three..."

Aria
She shrugged a bit. "Comfy, yes. Soft, just a little worn in, in the right ways, and given our size difference, loose. I like it. I might borrow it again in the future, if it doesn't bother you." She was amused by the way he guided her into the snuggle, like she wouldn't have done it on her own. She cuddled a little closer, and rested her head against him with a soft sigh of comfort and relaxation. She felt the most complete in these moments.

"Mmmm true, GiSa is a big beastie. Hmm but still, it's kind of between a restaurant and a cafe, I think. Semi prepped foods and stuff, but made fresh daily from what I read? And since it's a Thursday, most of the office worker crowd will probably have come and gone. So I'm ok with either option."

Pao
"Doesn't bother me," replied the brunette as he started nuzzling in, like he loved to do. It was the most comfortable position for him, helped relax him and make him feel...whole, in a sense. "You can wear 'em whenever you want, baby."

Again he considered the option and eventually sighed as he came to a decision. "Sleeping in..." he murmured, smiling. "Let's sleep in, just haul everything to the place."

Aria
She beamed in pleasure and kissed his neck, with a happy murmur. "Thanks, babe. I appreciate that." She chuckled and said "I'd say the same to you but I don't think you'd find my nightshirts and other pjs comfy." She cuddled in closer, arms a little tighter, but not uncomfortably so.

"Sounds good to me. Ten am good for an alarm? Gives us time to pack and be out on time, and still get food and be to the portal on time."

Pao
The kiss sent a pleasant shiver down his spine, and he chuckled at the idea of going to bed in her clothes. "If I had to pick I'd probably just go to bed naked," he said, "that way I don't stretch out your clothes."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, a very contented sigh escaping him when she cuddled in closer. "Ten sounds good, yeah..."

Aria
"I wouldn't mind that but I think that should really wait." She said, softly amused. Frankly, she enjoyed the sight of him nude but didn't want to risk morning awkwardness. She sighed some, not worried about it too much, though. Life was wonderful, and things were making their way slowly in an even better direction.

"Mmm all right." She reached over to the bedside table, where she'd set her phone, and set the alarm, then cuddled up, eyes drifting close. "Mmm."

Pao
"I know, just sayin'," he sighed, content with the way things were now. They would press forward, slowly but surely, he knew that they would. When she finished setting the alarm he settled quietly beside her, the last time he would adjust himself before falling asleep.

"Love you, baby," he murmured before finally drifting off into a peaceful sleep.