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 Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:05 am
Aria -
She darted over to him, even though he waved to show he was ok, unsummoning Diwata as they went. On the one hand, it felt hella good to know that she was able to defeat him, now that they were on equal footing... Not because she wanted to beat him, but because it meant she really was getting better. On the other hand, there was a side of 'I just beat my boyfriend, is he ok, is he gonna be mad?'
Once she got to his side, she knelt on the grass besides him, gazing down quietly at him. She carefully reached down and brushed her fingers along his cheek, biting her lip when she heard him groaning. "If you need a hand up, once you're ready, of course, let me know, baby?" She knew how it could feel, going down that hard
She couldn't carry him home, however, which was one downside to this.
Pao -
He heard her hurried footsteps and could only imagine the worried look on her face, recalling that time he'd gone "missing" in Siberia for some number of hours. Smiling, he leaned into her touch, reaching up to rest his hand over hers, wincing as he did. "Just gimme a minute," he said, then paused and chuckled.
"Weren't or roles reversed the last time we sparred?" he asked, recalling his own worry at the time. They weren't dating yet so he wasn't able to do much for her by way of comfort, so now that it was his turn to lay flat on his back after losing a fight he was glad she didn't have such a restriction.
Aria -
"Take all the time you need, baby..." Her voice was gentle with her concern and care for him, and she turned her hand so that it held his, her other hand sliding to gently run through his hair, hoping it would help him relax, so that maybe his muscles would feel better, sooner, for his sake. When he chuckled, she found herself blinking, slowly, confused by it until he spoke.
Then she gave a soft laugh, a small smile on her face at his question. "Yes, we were. You got a damn good hit in, that time." She recalled his repeated offers to carry her, and his obvious concern for her well being, in that spar. It had been one of the things that had really cemented in her head that she loved him, despite trying not to deal with that, because that level of care was something that was not what she was used to.
Pao -
He hummed quietly, her hands in his hair as soothing as they always were whenever she did that. He brought her hand that he was holding to his lips, kissing the back of it before sighing. The aches were gradually ebbing away, thanks in no small part to the wards and the pure and simple fact that he was a hunter, and as much as he wanted to get up and go get cleaned up he had a feeling he'd just wind up teetering and tottering and potentially falling over again as soon as he got up on his feet.
"I did," he smirked, "you got a good bit of revenge this go-around." The Mist was smiling as he said it, bright and proud as he turned his head and looked straight at her. "How's it feel?"
Aria -
The small smile became a bigger one at the kiss, her concerns slowly ebbing away the more he showed he really was ok, and that he did not seem mad at all. She hoped he would be ready to stand soon, but she wasn't sure how long it would be before he was ready. It took some time, she knew that quite well, after a wallop like that... Though she suspected he'd hit her harder then she had hit him, in the end.
His words made her chuckle, but the pride in his smile... She bit her lip, for a moment, to control the urge to tear up. For years, no one had ever been proud of anything she had accomplished, to her knowledge. If anyone was, they never let her see it, and who would have been? Her teachers? Some of her bosses? She doubted it. Seeing that pride on her boyfriend's face really struck home to her, deep in her heart, how many things he had changed for her, once again. After a moment of self control, she replied. "It feels... good. Good to know I really am getting better, getting stronger."
Pao -
He wasn't entirely sure what to make of her expression when he saw it, but his gaze was loving and steady, his smile still bright and so full of pride to see her getting stronger and improving. When she finally spoke he nodded, giving her hand another kiss. "You are definitely getting better," he echoed, wincing ever so slightly as he recalled what it felt like to get whacked around by her weapon.
Not fun. But she was getting better and that was what mattered most to him, and why he agreed (eventually) to sparring with her.
After another minute or so he finally shifted and got himself up into a sitting position, still holding her hand. He was a little dizzy and there were still aches, but he was otherwise fine so he turned to her. "Think you can help me up, babe?"
Aria -
Every moment he looked at her with pride was a moment of both wonderful feelings and the overwhelming urge to close her eyes, because it was kind of hard to take. She didn't, though. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea. It just was an incredible feeling, like nothing else she knew, and it was going to take time to get used to knowing she could make someone proud of her. His words, though, made her smile a little brighter, though it dipped when he winced.
She found herself, once again, wishing that they had access to a bathtub. It really was sad, to her, that this place didn't even have one place to soak out the aches.
When he sat up, she shifted a little, ready to support him if he needed any assistance, but he seemed to be ok, so she settled back, ready to wait if he needed it. His question, however, had her smiling. "Anytime you need me to, love." She squeezed his hand, then carefully got herself up, before offering him her other hand. Once he took it, she gently pulled.
Pao -
With her help Rhys wobbled up to his feet and, when he felt he was stabled enough, pulled her into his arms, wrapping her up in a very warm and loving embrace for a little while. There was just something about her expression from earlier that, while he didn't feel it was enough to make him want to ask for some kind of a reason for it, made him want to remind her that he was there for her, and that she was safe with him.
"Really am proud of you," he said, chin settled on her shoulder. "Even though you kicked my a** just now."
Aria -
Seren was more then happy to hug him close and just rest in his arms. The feeling of him, the warmth and the strength, all were things that helped ground her, after that overwhelming feeling from before. His constant support, and love, was the best thing in the universe for helping her get over things, and she found herself smiling, thinking about how good he was at reading her, and guessing what she needed from him, even when she wasn't yet sure herself.
His words made her smile, a little bit wobbly again, but it was a smile nonetheless. "Thank you, baby. You fought hard, too."
Pao -
It was a while before he let her go with another gentle kiss on the forehead, smiling softly down at her. "So now that I'm standing, maybe we could get home? I...need to get cleaned up."
He gestured at his dirtied jacket and the general disarray of his clothes from the fight. As was always the case after a spar or a foray into the Haunted House, a shower was more definitely called for. And then a nap, if not a hot meal and then a nap. And then probably laundry, because their hunter coats were white of all things.
Aria -
"Mmm yeah, let's get you home. Will you be able to stand on your own, baby?" She asked, which was a fair concern in her mind. "I don't want you to fall in the shower and smack your head."
She glanced at his clothes, and hers. She was cleaner, since she had not gone sliding along the grass, but she was definitely sweaty and ready to wash herself. "Whatever you need, though, we can make it work."
Pao -
"I'll be fine," he said, though he draped his arm over her shoulders and maybe put a little bit of his weight on her as they started heading back to the dorms. "I can lean against the wall if anything, should be okay." He'd done it before when he was extra tired, granted he had no problems standing then.
"Shower, and then maybe nap before laundry? Any chance you gotta be somewhere after this though?"
Aria -
She tucked herself under his arm as he did that, in a way that would make it easier for her to support him as they walked. "All right, babe... Just promise me you'll be hella careful, ok? You took enough of a beating from me."
She walked alongside him, her arm going around his waist. Even filthy and exhausted, she found herself thinking he was gorgeous. "Mmm I was going to suggest you nap, while I do the laundry, but... you might not want to do that, huh?" She was thoughtful. "All right, we can definitely do it your way, but we need to get food too. Maybe sandwiches, make 'em and take 'em to go, have 'em while we do the laundry. And... I'll check, one second."
She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and carefully managed to get it on, one handed. She glanced at her duty schedule, and said "Yeah, dinner prep, but that's not for awhile. Like. A long while, it's only 10 am."
Pao -
"Promise," he grinned, leaning to give her a little kiss despite the very little bit of strain he felt from the effort. He didn't care, really, and kept right on smiling as they went along at a snail's pace for his sake.
Rhys thought on it for a moment as well, then said, "Shower, nap, then split up? I'll start the laundry, you can do the sandwiches and catch up?" It seemed like the most efficient way to get it done. When she mentioned her next assignment he nodded before checking his own as well, expression darkened a bit. "Pod-sitting," he muttered before shoving the phone back into his pocket. "Damn..."
"It's not 'til later though, so let's just take care of our stuff quick so we have time to rest up some more before heading out later. Cool?"
Aria -
She kissed him back, and then murmured "Good. They won't let me in there, after all, to carry you back out." She continued to support him, happy to go at whatever pace he needed her to go at, as long as he was ok.
She considered his suggestion on the division of duties, and then nodded slowly. "Yeah. Sounds like a good way to get things taken care of. Just tell me what kinda sandwich you want? Hot... well warm, by the time I get it to you... or cold... meat prefs, etc. I just want it to be what you want. I'm probably just gonna go salami, cheese and pickles myself." She blinked at his expression, and arched a brow. "Pod-sitting? Not fun, but it could be worse. Is it before, or after, dinner? How late you gotta stay, babe?"
She was already planning to make him dinner and bring it to him if he missed the meal.
Pao -
Rhys gave it a bit of thought but eventually shrugged his free shoulder, turning to her with a small, sort of shy smile. Maybe even a hint apologetic for what he was about to say. "Cold, but as for what kind...surprise me?" Quickly he leaned down to kiss her cheek before going on to explain at least a little bit. "I love everything you make for me, you know that, and I trust you so I mean...yeah."
He pulled his phone out again to double-check the times to make sure he got it right. "After dinner, ending in the early morning. Weirdest ********' shift times though, damn."
Aria -
Seren smiled up at him, amused that he felt at all shy or apologetic over his request. "All right, I'll see what I can do. I promise it won't be disgusting." She gave him a gentle squeeze, as they finally made it to the entrance to the dorms. "Not that I'd ever try to give you disgusting food, but you get my point." She knew he trusted her, which was one of the most important things to her. She had earned his trust.
She frowned at his work schedule. "Ughhhhh it's like they know I don't sleep as well without you, and want to make sure I get a crappy night, swear to god."
Pao -
Even in his state he still reached over and got the door for her, carefully untangling himself from her so they could get inside. He still found her hand before they slowly walked to their room though, and he sighed again. "Yeah, well at least it isn't overnight. Should be done by 2AM, so I'll be back kinda in the middle of the night."
That was, of course, barring nothing happened to keep him there any longer than he had to be.
Aria -
She smiled at him for opening the door, and continued the walk back. She was glad that he seemed to be able to walk without leaning on her, now, because it meant he was doing better, which was always a good thing in her mind. "Mmm... 2 am. Well, at least I'll get four hours of decent sleep, then." She sighed a little, but accepted it as what would be.
She hoped nothing exciting happened, no batteries needing changing or last minute awakenings.
Pao -
He dug his keys out of his pocket as they got closer to their room, nodding along before he wound up just sighing again. "Four hours..." He frowned at the idea that she wouldn't sleep well for most of the night, giving her hand a little squeeze as he wondered why they were so fond of giving him the weirdest shifts. Was it 'cause he was a Mist and filling in was in their job description?
"Four hours isn't enough, though," he finally said as he unlocked their door. "You can make up for it a little with this nap, maybe? Or maybe we could pass on the nap so you're a little more tired later tonight so you can sleep better?"
Aria -
She squeezed his hand in return, and smiled, a little, at his protective concern that he always displayed when it came to her. As ever, it left her feeling warm and safe inside, knowing her boyfriend was here and wanting the best for her. She tilted her head, thoughtfully, and shook it at the idea of skipping the nap. "I'll be ok, babe... I'll be able to sleep, it just won't be so restful. Once you're here, I'll get the real, deep sleep."
She paused, and caressed his hand gently. "Worst case scenario, I'll nap alot tomorrow, ok?" She leaned up and kissed him, then walked into their room, before gathering her shower things.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:52 pm
Pao -
Along with her words and reassurances, the kiss did bring him a little bit of added comfort. He still looked pretty down about it though, and went about gathering his shower things slowly. That was also partly because he was still a little achy, but every so often he still glanced over at Seren with worry in his eyes.
"Alright...if you're sure. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be here for the night so you can catch up that way, too."
Aria -
She saw how concerned he was and walked over once they both had their things, and pulled him into a tight, loving hug. "I'm sure, baby. One night of not the best sleep won't kill me. It's better then our return from London, where they had you on a full night at the Tower. I can manage, I promise." She leaned up and kissed his nose tip, then headed for the door.
"Come on, baby. Let's go get clean, so we can get back here and rest."
Pao -
He wrinkled his nose when she kissed it, laughing lightly while following her out of their room. "Alright," he finally let it go before locking the door behind them. "It is better than after London, you're right."
Rhys reached out and took her hand as they went, wondering when they would eventually have enough for their own place so these trips to the bathroom down the hall didn't need to be a thing anymore. They weren't bad, but sharing a bath or a shower just one room over was obviously the ideal option between the two.
Aria -
"Do you not like me kissing your nose, babe?" She asked, curiously. She had noticed how he always did that little wrinkle when she did it, so she was curious if it bothered him. If it did, she would stop doing it, though she kind of hoped not.
Her fingers twined happily with his, glad to have him here, even if they were about to separate again, too, because the showers were pretty close. She did look forwards to the day they had a private space of their own. It would be wonderful to not have to worry about putting something on, just to get dressed. At the door of the bathroom, she leaned up, kissed him, then disappeared inside.
She got back to their room in the usual amount of time, and slid into one of his nightshirts, then slipped onto the bed.
Pao -
"No, I like it," he replied, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Just feels...different?" He smiled at that, leaning into the kiss before they parted ways.
He slipped back into the room a little while after her, a thermos and two mugs in his hand. When he saw her on the bed he gave a bright smile as he walked over and set the stuff down on the nightstand before sitting just beside her. "My shirts always look better on you, babe."
Aria -
She was glad to know he did not object to the nose kisses, and thus would keep doing it. It just was something that felt oddly comfortable and comforting to do.
When he returned after her, which had been a surprise, she smiled up at him, and glanced at what he had brought with him, a curious expression on her face. His words, though, made her smile again, her cheeks a little pink. "I like how they look on you, myself, but I like how they feel on me, so as long as we're both happy, I think it's all good."
Pao -
"How they feel on you?" he asked as he leaned toward her, brows up as his expression turned curious. "Not sure I follow, babe, but," and he kissed her before leaning back, "like you said, as long as we're both happy."
With that he gestured to the thermos. "Made some tea, thought it'd help us relax a little better. Want some?"
Aria -
"Yeah, they're super comfy..." She paused, and enjoyed the kiss, a soft smile on her face. "And because they're yours, it just feels like..." She frowned, and then said "You know, I don't really know how to phrase this. How strange." She looked lost in thought for a moment, trying to work out the right words.
Then he mentioned the tea, and her eyes focused back on him, and she gave him a bright smile. "Yes, babe, that would be lovely!"
Pao -
He gave an amused huff and was already halfway to pouring her a cup when she finally said 'yes'. "Careful, it's hot," he said as he handed it to her, though that didn't stop him from leaning in for yet another kiss.
"You were saying?"
Aria -
She accepted both the cup, and the kiss, her eyes closing as she enjoyed the warmth in her hands, and on her lips. She sighed when he asked her to continue. "I'm just not sure how to say it... other then maybe it makes me feel closer to you? Especially on nights when you're not here, or going to be in late."
She was frowning, a little, though, like she didn't feel this was entirely accurate but couldn't find the right words for it.
Pao -
While pouring his own cup he listened, curious and mildly fascinated by the idea. It wasn't the first time he heard it but it still was something he couldn't fully understand. He didn't feel the need to question the reasoning behind it all--if it made those nights alone easier for her then he was happy to let her use whatever was in his closet--but it was interesting.
He turned to her finally, amused by the frown and feeling the need to make it go away. So he kissed her again, mindful of their mugs. "If it makes sense to you that's all that matters, babe. You know I hug your pillow when you do your overnights, right?"
Aria -
She kissed him back, and smiled up at him, before blowing on the tea for a little, then taking a sip. At his question, she nodded, her smile getting a little larger. "I do know... I've walked in on you like that, and it always reminds me of the night we first watched movies together... Both times I left, you nodded off and had snagged my pillow to cuddle while you were asleep."
She sounded amused by that, and reached up to caress his cheek. "And I used to do that with yours, before we got GiGa. Now, you've probably noticed, I snuggle him, and use your pillow to sleep on during those nights. It makes it a little easier."
Pao -
His cheeks warmed a bit, and not because the tea he started sipping was hot. "That was a good night," he said as he lowered the mug. "We should do it again sometime, more scary movies you gotta see." Though he said it as casually as he could so she didn't feel pressured to sit through a series of those movies again for his sake.
He leaned into her caress, gazing lovingly at her as he nodded to confirm that he did notice. "Just glad there are things around that help you on those nights."
Aria -
"Yeah, it was." Well, mostly, she found herself thinking. As long as they avoided the clowns, and him accidentally startling her, things should be good. No more accidental awkward wake ups, that was for sure. "Yeah, all right. We can do it again sometime, I don't mind. There's a lot of movies we gotta see, though, on that computer of yours."
She kept sipping, then added "Thank you again for making the tea, baby. It's the perfect choice for a day like this." She finished her cup off, and set it to the side, then lay down on the bed, resting her head in his lap while he drank his.
Pao -
"There are a lot of movies on that hard drive," he agreed with a nod. "Majority aren't scary movies, so good for quiet nights in." At her thanks he smiled softly, "You're welcome, baby, and I thought so, too." He lounged a bit when she settled her head on his lap, sipping slowly at his tea. He wasn't much for tea but it really was helping this time.
He glanced down at her for a second before reaching over and caressing her cheek with the back of his hand, just admiring her for the moment with a gentle smile.
Aria -
"Yeah. We definitely should watch more of those." She waited for him to finish his tea and put his cup down before continuing. The caress on her cheek made her smile brightly up at him, comfortable and content. Tea, relaxing with her boyfriend, and just being here in their room, together, in general, was a wonderful thing.
Once he set the cup down, however, she said, in a teasing tone, "Perhaps we should watch some of that surprising collection of yours at some point together. Might give us some ideas on new things to try."
Pao -
It was good that he finished his tea before she said that else he might have snorted some of it up in his surprise at her suggestion. Instead he squinted down at her, a little smirk on his face as he pinched her cheek gently. "Been lookin' through my stuff, huh?" he pushed back a little.
"Would be a fun way of learning some new stuff, but is it one of those 'do as we watch' type of things or...?"
Aria -
She laughed at the cheek pinch, and batted his hand, a brow raised. "I'll remind you I noticed it that first night we watched movies together, you silly man. I didn't forget what a big folder it was." She paused, and sighed, then blushed a little. "I... did look, when I had a chance, later, to see what you were into... Not because I wanted to snoop but..." She covered her eyes, her smile dropping. "I was hoping to find a hint I had even the slightest chance. If I saw something like, I dunno, 'Asian beauties' or whatever, it would have been a clue." She sat up, and curled around her knees, suddenly feeling bad she had done that.
Not because she didn't want to know, but because she had snooped, even if it wasn't her intent. "I just... was so convinced I had no chance that looking for anything that would say I did was kind of... an act of desperation." Her head dropped, her eyes closed. "I'm sorry I did it, I just..."
She couldn't even respond to his second question, because now she felt terrible, and guilty.
Pao -
He was smiling at first, at the way she laughed and the way she blushed and just her general expression. But as her mood changed his smile gradually flattened out, and by the time she apologized he sighed and sat up, scooting just enough so he could wrap his arms around her and pull her closer so he could press a gentle, very loving kiss to her lips. "C'mon now," he murmured before giving her another kiss.
"You were curious, it's not a big deal to me. It doesn't make me trust you or love you any less--I've got nothin'' to hide from you now anyway. You know that, right?"
Aria -
She turned to face him as he pulled her close, and the kiss her closing her eyes tight, trying not to leak tears because she still felt guilty. She slipped her arms around him, and the second kiss was returned with a hint of desperation for a moment.
His words had her shuddering a little in relief and she pressed her head gently against his. "I still feel bad, because I invaded your privacy. I was curious, and desperate, but... if you were mad at me for it, I'd understand. But thank you, baby, for not being mad." She gave him a wobbly smile and nodded carefully. "I know... I do know that. It just, when you mentioned me lookin' through your stuff, it suddenly occurred to me that it had been rude."
Pao -
He reached up to hold her face very gently in his hands, thumbs caressing her cheeks as he closed his eyes, a small smile on his face. That she was considerate enough now for something she did so long ago was amazing to him, really, and when she finished he couldn't help but kiss her again, picking up from her desperation earlier and happily lingering for a moment.
"I was kidding, love," he murmured as he finally broke the kiss. "Guess my jokes need a little fine-tuning? Didn't mean to make you feel guilty about anything, baby."
Aria -
She closed her eyes too, at the feeling of his fingers on her face, taking more comfort from that touch. He was always so gentle, so careful with her. Sometimes she wondered if he saw her like a china doll, with how much care he took for her wellbeing. She didn't mind, of course, indeed she loved how much care he put into how he treated her. It reminded her she was always, always safe with him, because he never wanted to hurt her.
The next kiss was met, and enjoyed, and she relaxed further from it. When he started to speak, her eyes opened again so that she could focus on him, and his words. "You didn't know, though, that I had done that." She gave him a quick kiss. "So it's not your fault, after all. I'm the one who did it." She gave him another little kiss, then gently pulled away to lay back down, head in his lap again. She had been so comfortable up to the moment her guilt was revealed, so she wanted that back. "And as for your question, before I got guilty... I figure it's 'watch and see what we like, then explore after.'" She paused, and then said thoughtfully "Of course if things get a little too exciting, shall we say, we can always pause..."
Pao -
When she pulled away he was tempted to stop her and just pull her into his arms so they could lie back together, but kept himself from doing so and instead just happily looked down at her. There was a bit of relief in his eyes from seeing that the guilt didn't last very long, and as she spoke he reached over to brush his fingers through her hair.
"Some of that stuff is pretty racey," he commented, thinking on the portion that he had seen. "Haven't seen it all 'cause not all of it's my thing. I told you my partner at the Mexico outpost just sold that to me, right?"
Aria -
She smiled as he touched her hair, eyes bright as ever at the sensations it gave her. Her hand slid up to caress his cheek, as she continued to relax from that admission and the guilty feelings. He was always so good at taking things and making her feel better about them. She closed her eyes again, losing herself in the comfort.
"Mmm I bet. I mean, it's porn. Racey probably doesn't quite cover it." She said, sounding amused but unsurprised by it. "Why not delete the stuff you're not into?" She then paused, her brows coming together over her closed eyes as she considered this. "How do you know if you haven't seen it, though?" She sounded honestly confused. "And... Um. You mentioned you'd bought it off another hunter, but not specifically who."
Pao -
He smiled at her touch, turning his head to press a kiss to her palm before going back to focus on her hair. "I've seen up to at least the first racy scene for the ones I know I'm not into," he admitted, calm despite how warm his ears were suddenly becoming. "And I don't delete 'em in case my taste changes, I guess?"
Before he knew it he was giving her a little head massage as he thought about that a little more. "And now that I've got you, maybe some of that stuff is your cup o' coffee. Feel free to watch if I'm away." He was grinning then, obviously teasing.
Aria -
She sighed softly at the kiss, her smile getting brighter. "Well, all right, I can see how that would make sense. And maybe now that you've got someone you actively want to explore some of this stuff with, you might find that could happen, yeah." She shrugged a little. "Might not, too. We'll see."
The massaging had her making a soft, happy sigh, and melted against his thigh a little. His words, though, had her half frowning at the thought. "Yeah, I mean... I definitely would miss you in a lot of ways if you were off for some duty, and... might need somethin' to help stave off the frustration without you." She pouted a little, though.
Pao -
Her pout was met with a little chuckle, and he leaned down to give her a little kiss. "Or you could hold onto 'em 'til I get back and we could just spend a long night in," he suggested as he sat back up and continued the massage. "Whatever works best for you, baby." He kept himself from adding "as long as it doesn't involve another guy" because he knew her and trusted her enough to not do anything like that, but despite himself the thought did cross his mind.
"In any case, hopefully neither of us'll get sent off for a long-term assignment somewhere anytime soon, so let's not think about that."
Aria -
She mm'd at the kiss and enjoyed his massaging fingers, happy at the feeling of him touching her in even that innocent way. "Mmm long night in would happen anyways. Self gratification is no substitute for the real deal, and even less of a substitute for the real deal with you." She had no idea he had had that thought, and would have looked a little hurt if she had, because even if he trusted her, it would make her wonder what she had done that made him think that. "You make me feel good in ways I never thought I ever could."
His next sentence had her lips curving up into another smile. "Yeah... that sounds like a good plan. And..." She gently shifted up and off his lap, then moved to her usual position next to him, eyes half opening. "Let's get that nap in, before I fall asleep on your lap."
Pao -
He smiled at that, trying not to wonder and compare himself to those from her previous relationship. He'd asked once before and it wasn't fair, even then, to have her compare. They had a different dynamic, after all."You do the same for me, love. Honestly didn't think I'd ever be with anyone 'cause of my issues, so am glad to hear you say that."
He happily welcomed her back to his side, chuckling as he nodded. "Works for me."
Aria -
She snuggled into him, and said "Considering how little experience you had before we got together... you really are very clever, and very skilled, at what we do together." She kissed him softly, and sighed happily. "I can't believe I found a man who is sweet, kind, loving, gorgeous, smart, and incredible in bed to boot." He was like a... pentafecta? It didn't work as well as trifecta, but it was close enough for her.
She shifted a little, and put her head in it's place on his shoulder, her eyes closing again as she settled in. "Good, cause you had me close to napping there and while your lap is comfy... the way I was half off the bed to do that, I'd have been stiff and uncomfortable when I woke."
Pao -
He hummed quietly into the kiss, silently taking her compliments with only a blush to show that he acknowledged them. "Not sure 'smart' belongs in there, babe," he did comment, "but the rest is cake to be when I'm thinkin' about you." He paused then, squinting a little bit. "The last one is only somethin' only you would know though, so I can't say anything about that."
He gave her a little room to shift and find her favorite spot before he did the same, nuzzling into her hair as he loved to do. "I could have massaged it outta you, though?" he offered, eyes finally closing.
Aria -
She laughed a little and said "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You're smarter than you think you are. As for the rest... Well you're gorgeous without effort." She gave him a smile of amusement. "And... that makes me feel good." She paused, and grinned a little. "It's nice to have that secret all to myself. I'm not one for locker room talk, so nobody but me gets to know how incredible you are, in more ways than the obvious."
She sighed, slowly relaxing enough to drift off into their nap. "And mmm... yeah but... why make it... necessary when I can..." She yawned, just a little. "sleep so much... better like this?"
Pao -
He still had his doubts about that but he let it go, just glad to know that she saw him in such a light. "Probably always gonna be that way," he murmured as they both started drifting off after yawning as well.
"Fair enough...but you know...I'm always happy to be your...private masseur...right?"
Aria -
"Yeah... I know. 's mutual, love." She murmured, and then slowly drifted off. It was a good nap, and when she woke, she found herself carefully stretching so as not to wake him up, but she was smiling brightly at how good it felt to lay in his arms.
She was already pondering what kind of sandwiches to make, because they were her next task, once she got dressed, but for the moment, she was not going to run off to do it. She had no urge to move, honestly, even knowing they had things that needed doing before work shifts.
Pao -
Maybe it had something to do with having been the one to fall flat on his a** this time, but Rhys didn't wake until a while after she did. He was glad to find that she was still in his arms and, smiling, hugged her tight for a moment simply because he could and he wanted to. It always felt so good to have her close, just like this.
"Been up long?" he murmured, still sounding half asleep.
Aria -
"A bit." She said, smiling up at him, and she leaned up to give him a soft kiss, hugging him back. "But that's more then fine. You're cozy and comfortable to snuggle with, babe, so I was perfectly happy to just relax in your arms." She shifted a little, not pulling away, just preventing any limbs from falling asleep.
She was more than content to lay there, watching him, until he was ready to move.
Pao -
He very happily returned the kiss, chuckling at her words as he shifted a bit for the same reason. "Good to know...sucks we can't be here all day, though." At that point he buried his face in her hair again for a moment, building up the drive to actually get out of bed. "So it was laundry for me, and you'll catch up with food?" he doubled-checked their plans as he glanced over his shoulder at their hampers.
"How much time have we got left?"
Aria -
She sighed and said "I know, but we gotta get stuff done. We gotta be responsible. Sadly." She smiled at the feeling of his face in her hair, loving how he always did that. It made her feel like he was seeking out comfort in her, and she could provide it just by being there. "Yeah, that's the plan. Any preferences on the sandwiches? Not gonna do anything hot, since it might cool off before you get to it."
His next question had her grabbing her phone and looking. "Mmm looks like we slept for two hours so... we got four hours before I have to head in for dinner prep."
Pao -
The smell and feel of her hair was soothing for him, and it was indeed a comfort that he could only find with her. "Four hours," he murmured, eyes closing for a second as he finally started to pull away from her, but not before one more kiss. "Alright, that's plenty of time but better sooner than later," he went on to say as he got out of bed and stretched himself out a bit.
"As for sandwiches...I dunno. Ham and cheese or somethin' like that?"
Aria -
She smiled and nodded. "We have time to do what we need. Not enough snuggling time if you ask me, but we'll make it work." She kissed him back, then got up, sighing and stretching, before moving to change into day wear clothing. "Still, four hours of your time is always worth it."
She nodded at his suggestion, and once she was dressed, made sure the hampers were sorted neatly to make his job easier, then gave him one more kiss. After that, she slipped away to go make their lunch.
Pao -
"Four hours of yours beyond worth it, babe," he chuckled as he got dressed as well, and soon enough was out the door shortly after her.
He was sitting on top of one of the dryers not being used, the steady hum of washers in the background surprisingly meditative as he worked through his current Dresden file. Occasionally he would look over at the door in hopes of Seren's arrival, but each time only had him sigh and go back to his book.
Aria -
His words had a small fire in her heart as she worked on the meal. She had found the best bread in the kitchen that she could get her hands on, and put together a nice thick sandwich for each of them. She found some chips, and dug out the last batch of chocolate chip cookies she'd made. She then grabbed a jug of water, and some cups. She put everything on a tray, and headed for the laundry room. "Hey babe!"
Pao -
As soon as she got there though, he looked over at her with the brightest of smiles and, after marking his spot, hopped off the dryer to welcome her properly with a kiss. "Hey," he greeted while taking the water and cups off her hands. "Thanks for making lunch, baby."
He gestured over to the little table that was set up probably for the task of folding. "That works, right?"
Aria -
She gave him a soft kiss, and smiled at him, amused that he took the things off the tray. She settled the rest of the meal on the table, and then pulled some of the stools kept in the room for those who wanted to wait over. She settled herself on one, then beamed at him lovingly. "You're welcome, gorgeous. And it works just fine."
She leaned back against the wall, watching her lover with a warm smile. "More than fine, indeed."
Pao -
He settled himself on the other stool and poured them each a cup of water before making a grab for one of the sandwiches, noting her words and her look and blinked at her, smile wide and amused. "Somethin' on my face, love?"
Aria -
"Not at all, my dear." She gave him a bright smile. "I'm just admiring a beautiful view, Rhys." She picked up her sandwich, taking a small bite. After chewing and swallowing, she added "Thank you for pouring me the water, love." She slid a foot under the table to rest against his, not in anything more then a gentle touch, since her hands were full.
Pao -
"I should say the same," he grinned after washing down a bite with some water. "And no problem." His expression softened at her gentle touch, and he went back to his sandwich for a moment. When he was about halfway he washed down his last bite again and looked over at Seren.
"Babe, got a question for you. I'm just curious so don't read too much into it, but is there anything about me that you would wanna change?"
Aria -
She smiled at his words, cheeks a touch pink, and continued to eat her sandwich, enjoying the contact with her handsome man. She was taking a sip of her water when he asked that question, and she blinked, slowly, trying to think if there was anything she would change. Finally, she set her cup down, and tilted her head, lost in thought.
It took a few minutes, but finally she said "Your self confidence on some things, mainly. I wish, for your sake, you were more confident in yourself. Like with cooking. Maybe the friend thing..." She looked at him with earnest, soft eyes. "I just wish you were comfortable, having people you called friends more. I worry that when I'm busy, you're lonely." She dusted some crumbs off of her hand, then brushed a lock of hair back. "What about you? Do you have anything you wish you could change about me?"
Pao -
He listened calmly, occasionally sipping his water but otherwise totally focused on her. Her answer wasn't one he totally expected, if only because he always viewed himself as a rather confident guy...though now that she said it she maybe did have a point. "Not lonely," he smiled, a bit lopsided as he gave it some thought, "just sorta go back to how things were for me before you came along?" And he couldn't remember actually feeling lonely before, if only because he normally kept himself too busy to feel a whole lot of anything.
"As for you...." he took a few minutes as well before taking another sip of water. "Mostly just want you to completely erase everything your parents got you to believe about yourself. I tell you how I see you as a person but sometimes I feel like it doesn't always hit home with you?" He paused then, eyeing her in hopes of not getting too negative of a response.
Aria -
She leaned on one hand as she sipped her water, listening in her own turn, eyes watching his face with love and concern. "Sometimes... I wonder if you are lonely and don't know the difference, because you were alone for so long? I mean, maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm guessing all the wrong things, it just... Humans aren't solitary by nature, usually." And he was so attached to her. Not that she was not extremely attached to him, but she did have friends to visit and subsume her attachment into when he was busy and unable to be available for her.
She considered his comments on her, and sighs wistfully. "No one can completely erase their past, though. Sometimes, yeah, it's true that it doesn't but... I try to listen, to hear what you're saying and take it to heart. Just years of old thought patterns that make it challenging some days."
Pao -
"Guess I wouldn't know," he sighed and took another sip before finally picking up his other half of the sandwich. "Can't say I know what lonely feels like?" It was hard to admit to something he didn't fully understand, after all. He took a bite of his sandwich and listened to her, nodding a little when she was done. He drank some more water and sighed.
"Yeah, I get that. Gotta work at it..."
Aria -
She looked at him, eyes a little sad, and finished her sandwich, then got up to go over to his side, and give him a kiss on the cheek, her arms sliding around his neck. "If I can, I will help you never feel lonely." Her eyes were filled with her love for him, because she wanted him to be as happy as she could possibly make him be.
"I am working on it, I promise, love."
Pao -
He smiled, a bit sadly as well, when she came close, blinking when she kissed his cheek before nodding. "Thanks, love," he said, a bit on the quiet side. "If you can help me understand it better I can try to work on it, too?" It was the best he could offer, much to his irritation, and there was a part of him that regretted asking the question at all.
"And I'm glad to hear that. I'll help as much as I can, alright?"
Aria -
"I'll have to think about how to explain it." She looked thoughtful. "I've never had to explain what loneliness is." She settled onto his knees, however, cuddling in close to him, her head sliding to his shoulder as she thought. "I love you, baby, and I'll do anything I can to help you, though."
She kissed him on the cheek again, not wanting to get in the way of his sandwich eating. "I know you will."
Pao -
The brunette nodded slightly, perhaps looking a little too affected by the conversation than he would have liked. Her being close helped sooth him a little bit, and he turned to her when she cuddled in with a small smile. "Thanks, and I love you, too."
He took a few more minutes to finish up his sandwich, then washed it down before dusting the crumbs off of his hands and wrapping his arms around his love. Unsure of what to say next, he was happy to just hold her in silence, just taking in the comfort she offered by her presence.
Aria -
She hugged him, and rested against him, her eyes half closed as she nuzzled his neck a little, trying to comfort him to the best of her ability. She was glad they'd talked about it, but wished it wasn't making him so unhappy and uncomfortable. When he finished the sandwich, she gave a soft kiss to his neck.
She was finding the sound of the laundry machines very soothing, on top of being in his arms and gave a soft, loving sound of contentment. "You're always so comfortable, love."
Pao -
His smile brightened some at the kiss and at her words, but still he didn't say anything. Just held her, occasional sighs escaping him as he tried to process everything she just told him. It didn't all register--he still couldn't figure out the whole lacking of friends and being lonely part of what she said--but she also mentioned some self-confidence things.
"So I have a confidence thing I could work on, too?" he finally said after a beat, tone curious more than it was concerned.
Aria -
She straightened her head to look at him and nodded, a bit. "There's a few things on that note, yes." She kissed his cheek. "You seem to get nervous with cooking, and cutting food with knives... And yet when you know what you're doing, you're very good at it. Also, sometimes when it comes to us you seem to get self conscious. Less so as we've gone along, but... Sometimes you almost seem to think you're not good enough, or something of that nature."
Her eyes were focused on his, as she spoke, wanting to make sure he wasn't getting offended.
Pao -
He listened intently, taking her words to heart so he could be a little more self-aware about the things she was telling him she noticed about him. By the end he sighed and gave a shrug. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like I am, I guess?" he admitted. "You just...I know you deserve a really great guy, and while I'm stoked that you picked me and all I still sometimes wonder if I'm it. I wake up feeling like the luckiest guy because of that, but then..."
He sighed again, his hold on her tightening just a little. "Well, then I go in a circle."
Aria -
She frowned a little at his words, then reached up, took his face in her hands, and pulled him down into a hard, loving kiss. When she finally broke it, she was gazing seriously into his face. "You are a really great guy. You are loving and kind, and gentle. You care, even when you wanted to keep yourself from doing so. You take incredible care of me all the time, you show me how much you love me... On top of that, you're gorgeous and sexy and great in bed."
She sighed softly and kissed him again, gently and sweetly this time. "Don't you think otherwise, you hear?" Her tone was loving and serious.
Pao
The kiss took him by surprise, as did her words though that got him to smile some. He kissed her back, soft and loving and, when she pulled back he gave a little nod. "Gonna work on that, too," he chuckled before kissing her again, a hand reaching up to gently rest on her cheek.
It was a long moment before he broke that kiss, and only because breathing really had to be a thing and all. "You really think I'm great in bed?" His tone was joking as he pulled away some, smiling.
Aria -
She smiled at his words. "You better, baby..." She murmured in a half teasing tone, and kissed him back, lovingly, her hands slowly dropping to rest on his shoulders. When he broke the kiss, she closed her eyes to catch her breath, and then laughed softly at his joking question, her fingers caressing his shoulders.
Her response, despite his joke and her laugh, was quite serious though. "Yes, you are very good in bed. Inexperienced doesn't always mean unskillful... You pay attention, you make sure I'm enjoying it too... You're the kind of partner any woman would want."
Pao -
He relaxed a little more at the sound of her laughter and her caresses, and he reached up to brush a lock of her hair aside. It really was something else, how she could gradually work him out of an unpleasant mindset, and it made him extra thankful that she had chosen him.
Her serious response got him to smile just a bit brighter as he leaned in for another kiss. "Good to know. Only woman I want is you so yours is the only opinion I really care about, though." And then he kissed her again, smiling into it. "But still good to know."
Aria -
She smiled to see him relaxing, because it made her happy to help him feel better. She returned his kiss lovingly, her arms getting a little tighter around him. After the second kiss, and his words, she nibbled his lips and then murmured "You're the only man I ever want, ever again." She wasn't going to lie about her past, but he was all she could want or hope for.
She heard the washer stop, and gently unentangled herself, and moved the load into the dryer, then got the next one started, before going to settle back on his lap, and she grabbed a few of the chips.
Pao -
He chuckled at the nibble and was about to lean in for another kiss when she slipped away, so he watched her go with a contented smile before turning and cleaning up the sandwich containers. He slipped an arm around her waist when she got back, already working on his own bag of chips.
"We need that folding thing that Sheldon has in The Big Bang Theory," he said in passing he he sipped at his water. "Would probably make folding the clothes a whole lot faster, right?"
Aria -
His arm on her waist made her smile, and relax, snuggling in even more comfortably. She nibbled hers, finding herself wishing she had those Doritos she'd had that first night at the Lighthouse. She missed the Salsa Verde, they were the best in her opinion. She sighed, just a little, but then told herself to enjoy what she had.
His question, and comment, had her brows coming together. "I have no idea what it is. Babe, I wasn't allowed near the TV, remember?" She had mentioned that, once, and so she never saw any of that stuff, and had no connection to what he was talking about.
Pao -
"s**t," he muttered, flinching a bit. "Sorry, babe. I do remember, just thought you might've already heard about it since it's been awhile since you woke up." He turned to her, smile apologetic as ever. "Sorry...I do think you'd like it though. We could start it, if you want? I have most of the seasons on the hard drive."
Aria -
"No I mean... I know what the show is, it WAS on before I went into the pod... But I just meant I have no idea what you were talking about regarding the 'folding thing', love. Since I haven't seen it, I really don't know what the object in question is." She kissed his nose and caressed his cheek, lovingly and comfortingly. "I'm not upset, babe."
Pao -
The relief was probably visible when she said she wasn't upset, and he sighed and gave her a little kiss, still feeling a little bad about it still. The kiss got him to smile more normally though, and he leaned into her touch, her caresses as comforting as always. "'Kay...well, it's basically this plastic board thing that has hinges and stuff that helps you fold clothes perfectly."
Aria -
She leaned into him, hugging him tight, and then nibbled her chips a little more as she listened, her brows lifting a little. "Sounds useful, I guess? I mean, I guess it seems a little much to me, unless you want perfect creases or something. I dunno." She shrugged, then added "But if you want one, we can totally get it."
Pao -
"I more look at it as something to help get the folding done faster," he said, watching her with a very loving gaze as she ate. "Less time in here, more time in the room just lounging or relaxing?" He reached up to brush some crumbs from the corner of her lips, eyes focusing on that task for a moment. "Since we're trying to save, if you don't think we need one then it's cool."
Aria -
"Does it actually make it go faster?" She asked, curiously, because she did not know. She could see how it would make things neater, but faster was always nice. "If so, and if we can find one cheap, might be worth a try?" She blinked at his action, then her lips turned up into a small smile, amused and happy. "We can certainly look into it when we're on our next leave."
Pao -
He blinked at her smile, then squinted and ran his thumb along her lower lip as soon as the crumbs were gone. "I think so? I remember lookin' it up before, think it was like...$20 or something. So not too bad, but $20 is $20 so if you wanna save it, y'know. That's cool."
Aria -
She kissed his thumb in response to his gentle touching, listening as he spoke. "True, but at the same time, saving time is also good. Maybe if we can find one when we're on leave, we can grab it and give it a try, see how it works out?"
Pao -
He chuckled at the kiss as he nodded. "Alright, if we find one we'll give it a shot. Even if it doesn't make things go faster, at least it'll all look...perfect?" He laughed softly at that as he held her chin lightly to pull her in for a kiss. "It's funny, we're part of this crazy organization and we're talkin' about stuff to make laundry go faster."
Aria -
She nodded in response to his words, then kissed him back, eyes watching him with amusement as she listened. "Mmm I guess so, but I mean... Even crazy organizations have laundry that needs doing, and it makes perfect sense to me to want to try to find ways to make it faster... Since our crazy organization means our free time is not on a regular, predictable schedule, so maximizing it makes sense."
Pao -
"All true, I just find it oddly...domestic, is all." Her amusement was mirrored in his eyes as he, again, traced her lower lip. "But then I guess anywhere that you have to live your life's gonna have aspects like that. Cooking and cleaning and that kinda thing."
Aria -
She kissed him and nodded, then leaned against him to nibble on cookies and wait on their laundry. After a couple hours, everything was done, and folded into the clean hamper to carry back to their room. She gathered up the tray of stuff from their food, and carried it, and the hamper for their dirties, back to their room, figuring he could carry the clean hamper and unlock the door. She would take the tray back when she went to duty later.
Pao -
He grabbed the clean hamper and followed her to the door, which he happily (and with a little bit of a chuckle, because she'd gotten so used to letting him open it for her) opened and let her pass first before closing it behind him. The walk back to the dorm was relatively quiet, and once they made it he unlocked the door, followed her in and set the hamper down by the closet so he could start unloading everything.
"How're we on time, baby?" he asked while starting to hang up their jackets.
Aria -
She set the dirty hamper back in it's corner, and helped him unpack, hanging up anything that went in the closet, so that it went in it's proper place in her color organized system, so that he didn't have to worry about it getting messed up and stressing her accidentally. She knew it was a weird thing she did, and she would rather neither of them deal with stress because he made a mistake and she got uncomfortable.
"Mmm? Oh..." She pulled out her phone, and checked. "We have about an hour."
Pao -
He was starting to get the hang of her system, happy to accommodate it because he loved her and honestly found it more on the adorable side, but he was happy to let her take the lead on getting things inside the closet and instead went to put stuff back in his drawers. "Cool, plenty of time," he smiled as he went and grabbed some of her things as well.
"This goes in...the top drawer, babe?" he double-checked, not wanting to mess up her stuff by accident. "Or didya want me to just leave it on the bed for you?"
Aria -
She glanced at what he was holding. "Yeah, drawer is fine for that." She said, with a smile at him that showed her appreciation for his help, then went back to putting stuff in the closet. Once it was all inside, she went and toed off her shoes, then settled onto the bed to lounge until she had to leave to go help cook everyone's dinner.
Pao -
Rhys finished putting away his chosen pile of clothes before following her to the bed, though for the moment he stayed on the edge to check his phone to make sure he was still good on time. "Half an hour," he muttered, scooting a little further onto the bed before laying back and borrowing his girlfriend's lap to use as his pillow.
"Not enough time." The brunette closed his eyes a moment, a heavy sigh escaping him as he tried to not think about his upcoming mind-numbing shift.
Aria -
"Yeah but at least you can nap, even if I'm not gonna be here, while I go work on dinner...?" She said, trying to comfort him, her hand sliding down so that she could run her fingers through his soft hair. "You can snuggle GiGa maybe?" Her tone was gentle and loving, and her eyes were on his face.
Pao -
He relaxed quite a bit, her fingers through his hair as soothing as ever. "I feel like GiGa hates it when I snuggle 'im," he smirked, half-serious. "I prefer to hug your pillow, babe." Finally he opened his eyes to meet hers in a very loving gaze. "We were gonna get GiGa a buddy dinosaur when we hit the museum in New York, right?"
Aria -
"I doubt he hates it, he's just misses me, like you do." She teases him softly, her eyes gentle as she watches him lovingly. "But if you find my pillow more comforting, that's fine, whatever makes you happiest, my love." She admired the lovely green of his eyes, her lips curled into a warm smile. "Yes, that was the plan, baby. A triceratops."
Pao -
He chuckled at the teasing, not at all minding it though to retaliate he reached up to poke the tip of her nose. "You make me happiest," he said softly, "but then I guess second best is your pillow so will go with that when you're not here." His hand cupped her cheek then, just a gentle touch before he pulled it back and closed his eyes again.
"Right, my favorite dino this time. Hopefully they have a big one there like Giga."
Aria -
She laughed at the poke, her smile bright at her love's silliness, and then her smile got brighter at his words. "And you make me happiest, which is why I try to surround myself in things of yours, or that I associate to you, when I need to sleep without you." She tried to kiss his hand before he pulled it back, and only managed the tips of his fingers.
"Yes... of course. A pair of large friends to keep each other company when they don't have us." She said, in a lightly joking tone, but glad to have a chance to get him a dinosaur plush too.
Pao -
The little almost-missed kiss got him to smile brightly up at her, and he nodded at the plush friend idea as he reached up again to caress her cheek. "They're probably like that," he chuckled, "lucky them we're pretty damn thoughtful."
Gently he pulled her down to him, wondering if she'd be flexible enough to actually reach for a kiss. He had a feeling she would be…
Aria -
She laughed softly, her eyes happy that he was willing to indulge her silliness on this topic. "I'm sure GiGa and his new friend will be very happy, yes. And we are thoughtful, most especially you, my love." She leaned into the caress happily.
When he pulled her down, it took her some careful bending to be able to kiss him, instead of, say, pressing her chest into his face, but she managed it.
Pao -
He smiled into the kiss but pulled back after just a couple seconds in case she was a little uncomfortable. "You're just as thoughtful as me, what?" he chuckled, hand still at her cheek, caressing ever so lovingly. It was maybe a minute before he pulled his hand back finally so he could pull his phone out again as it buzzed.
"Shift reminder," he snorted, quickly texting back a confirmation before dropping his phone just beside his head.
Aria -
She smiled down at him and sat back up, to be more comfortable. Bending like that was ok but not something enjoyable for long. "I will try not to argue with you on it, even if I don't see it... Probably another 'best seen from outside' things, I suppose." She ran a finger down, along the side of his face, in a slow and caressing motion, her eyes soft with love.
The buzz made her frown and she sighed. "Guess I gotta get moving, then..."
Pao -
He smiled up at her for a moment before finally sitting up as well, but not before he could grab her hand and give the back of it a soft kiss. "Was a reminder for my shift," he chuckled, scooting off the bed. "But yeah, wouldn't want you to be late." He had his hands in his pockets as he waited for her.
"Could walk you if you want?"
Aria -
She smiled at the kiss, enjoying the feeling of his lips on her skin, as always. She sighed, though, nodding at his words. "Figured, but if it's time to be reminding you, gotta be pretty close to mine." She slipped off the bed after him, and moved to change into a shirt she was more willing to cook in, then got her shoes on.
She then snagged the tray from their lunch, but left the cookies, and gave him a sweet smile at his offer. "I would appreciate it, Rhys."
Pao -
When she said 'yes' his expression softened as he reached for her hand, twining their fingers as he led her to and eventually out the door. "Always happy to, baby," he said as he closed the door behind them. The walk to the kitchen was faster than he would have liked, but before he knew they were standing in front of the door.
He sighed and turned to her, tugging her in for a hug. "Mm...."
Aria -
She walked with him happily, and sighed as well when they arrived. She barely got the tray out of the way when he pulled her in, but succeeded, and was glad to not give him a tray to the gut. She hugged him back, one armed, and leaned up to kiss his cheek lovingly.
She stood in his arms, too, for a good long moment, before she gave in to necessity. "Alright, babe. I'll see you for dinner, before you go to your shift. Love you..." She gently pulled free, and went off to work.
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