Welcome to Gaia! ::

Seren was hanging out at the table, waiting for Nate to arrive. She had made the dessert for tonight, he was bringing dinner from one of their go-to places for pick up, and they were just planning on having a peaceful meal, and then relax and chat.

She was glad they chose not to do an out night, though they had discussed it... It was just one of those days where they had both been busy all day, they were tired, and it was just so hot out. They had AC here, and since they could choose to adjust it to their preferences, that was more than enough, more than perfect.

All she needed was Nate to arrive... The dessert was under a cloche on her cake stand, so she could reveal tonight's delight to him as a surprise when it was time to eat it.

The line at the store was awful, as always, but thankfully the traffic heading back wasn't too bad so it wasn't too much longer before Nate was unlocking the door and heading inside.

"The lady behind me in line looked pretty miffed I took the last of the egg rolls," he said, grinning at the sight of his girlfriend. All this time and she still had such an effect on him. He was glad for the night in; it felt like forever since they last had a peaceful night, just the three of them. Because yes, Remy also made it known whenever he got the chance taht he missed his dad.

Admittedly that might have been in part due to the crazy hours he'd been picking up recently, but he could hardly help that. Work was work. Being an agent was also work.

He set the items on the table and leaned in for a little kiss before heading for the sink.

"She shoulda got there sooner, not our fault they have the best in the area and they sell out every day." Seren replied with a slightly mischievous grin, because it was true but also because it amused her.

When he came over to her, she leaned up for the kiss, a small and happy smile on her face, then she just watched him want over to the sink, an appreciative smile on her face.

"I fed our boy, so don't let him tell to convince you he hasn't eaten... I figured I would take care of it while I waited." As she spoke, she began unpacking everything and setting up plates, making sure to include all his favorites on his.

"Right? And thanks for the heads up."

The soft pitter-patter of paws brought his attention down to their very content looking boy. Nate grinned and crouched down to give him a proper greeting. Remy returned it with puppy kisses and happy barks. Of course this meant he had to wash his hands again, but he did eventually make it to the table with their drinks in hand.

"So did you decide on a movie?" he asked as he took a seat.

"Heh. Of course. He's a good boy, but I have noticed if he thinks he can, he'll try weasel dinner out of both of us and that just won't be doing." She gave their boy an affectionate look, but also shook her head.

When he joined her, she passed him the plate and a pair of chopsticks, before picking up her own egg roll.

His question had her nodding a little. "I was thinking that Pirates movie that was all the rage when we were younger. Never did see it, figure it's worth a go, right?"

He mouthed a "thanks" when she handed him the plate and chopsticks and started digging in. The food was, as to be expected, delicious. He did his best to keep his happy sounds down, though. They were trying to have a conversation, after all.

"Pirates, good choice. Let's do it!"

Dinner was a comfortable affair. Quick work updates, but after that it was all good conversation over good food and an even better dessert. Once they finished and the dishes were all done, Nate curled himself around Seren from behind, snaking his arms around her waist and very gently pulling her against him. "Mm..."

Nate sounded very content, very happy to just be there with her. He wasn't in any rush to get to the movie. He just wanted a quiet moment with her, with his love.

Seren had been glad her dessert of a frozen chocolate mousse topped with merengue had been thoroughly enjoyed, and had put the leftovers in the freezer. She was walking towards the couch when he pulled her in.

She laughed in a happy way, and leaned back against her partner, her head tilting to lean so that her cheek rested against his, relishing in the soft sensation of the contact.

"Mmmm indeed..." She said, tone content and expression relaxed.

Nate grinned when she echoed the sound he made, and he squeezed her gently. He loved how playful she always was with him, and how easy it was for him to relax around her. Things of late had been...trying, to say the least. Being with her, being around her, helped. A lot. Really, it was the only time he felt he could relax.

"Been missing you lately, love," he said with a sigh. "That's all."

"Missed you too. I know work has been a lot, and I'm not mad... I just wish you had a little more spare time."

She carefully wriggled around in his arms so that she could hold him in turn, and she hugged him right, relaxing in a way she only ever did when he held her close. It was in these moments she felt the happiest, the safest, and the most connected to the best things in the universe. After all, her very best thing was him and he was right here.

He tightened his hold around her for just a moment longer, and quite honestly there was a part of him that didn't want to let go. There was so much going on around him it was hard to keep up, but she was his constant, solid ground. He really felt he hadn't been giving her the attention she deserved.

He had to do better.

And tonight could be the start of that! So he did eventually let go, and he beamed at her. "I'll try to make more time," he said, "starting right now. Let's get the movie started?"

The feeling of him tightening his arms had her snuggling in just a little closer, not caring if they just stood there like that for the rest of the night really. She knew that wasn't actually practical and they'd have to let go and all soon enough but for the moment, this was everything she needed.

She just smiled happily, not thinking about him doing better or not, not worrying too much about it. She accepted him, and that meant accepting his work life.

When he let go, she sighed, host a little, but smiled again, up at him. "Alright, let's..." She stepped away, then took his hand, leading them to the couch. She waited until he say down, then settled in as close as she possibly could be without being in his lap (she didn't want to risk blocking his view after all), and handed him the remote.

He slipped an arm around her once she was snuggled in close, gently resting his cheek against her hair as he navigated to their choice of movie.

"Were we just doing movie one, or did you wanna do a movie marathon and skip tomorrow morning's run?" It was a rare weekend together, after all, and an even rarer opportunity to sleep in for once.

A soft, happy sigh escaped her at the feeling of being properly cuddled up like this, her eyes almost closing for a moment. This was where they both belonged, together, holding each other. It was so good to finally have that back. She had missed these nights

His question had her shrugging a little. "I'm ok with sleeping in even if we don't, babe. I don't get enough sleep in days with you lately. And again, I get it, it's work... But I've missed it and I'm happy just to have a chance to cuddle all night. I wouldn't care if we just cuddled, no movie, I am just that happy that you have the time. Not that I don't want to watch it, but even if we didn't... You're my happy place."

He felt a pang of guilt shoot through him when she mentioned how busy he'd been. He knew, and he did feel awful about it. It was an odd thing, trying to balance three rather important aspects of his life. Seren should really always be the priority, and yet somehow...

"Mm, we can skip it and just cuddle if you want. That counts as a date night, too, I think. We've also got all day tomorrow and the day after. I told 'em I'm not picking up at all this weekend unless the world is literally ending, so."

"I'm ok either way, love." She shifted a little more and leaned to kiss him gently. "I'm just happy to be with you, whatever we're doing. Cuddling, watching movies, kissing, whatever you want... You are here."

She leaned back so they could meet their gazes, making sure he could see how sincere her words were.

He returned the kiss, smiling into it and nodding his head in agreement. She was right, as always. "Mm, don't go giving me ideas, now," he teased, leaning in just so to kiss her gently in turn. And he held it for a moment before eventually taking hold of his self control and pulling back.

"I think we can manage all of the above," he said, then leaned in for just one more kiss before finally looking up and navigating to the movie.

She laughed delightedly into the kiss and gently swatted him. "You've the whole weekend, we'll have time for that too. But right now, I'm just comfortable and safe, the way you always make me feel."

"All of the above sounds about perfect to me." She settled back against him, watching the opening credits. It wasn't the easiest to focus on the movie... He was there, and that was a distraction, but so were thoughts that had been quietly in her head for awhile. What if the reason he was working so much extra was the Negaverse was being more active, causing more people to get hurt, and so the emergency services were working even harder than normal?

And when those thoughts came up, she found herself thinking about doing patrols more, when he was working, to try to lighten his load, to make things easier. After all, every civ she protected was one he didn't have to rescue at work.

Nate let the usual thoughts that clouded his mind fade into the background in favor of focusing on Seren, mostly, but also on the movie. He always felt safest and most comfortable with her, preferably in his arms just like she was in that moment.

It didn't seem as long as it claimed to be, he thought, when the movie came to a close and the credits began rolling. He shifted only slightly, not wanting to jostle her, to get his muscles moving again. "So, what'd you think?"

"Mmmm not bad... Amusing. Not the kind of movie that would keep my attention if I had a lot going on that was distracting me, but amusing nonetheless." She didn't tell him she knew that attention thing by the fact that her brain kept going back to the distractions about his work.

Indeed, she kept that to herself, entirely under lock, because she didn't want him feeling any more guilty than she already knew he felt.

"What about you? Are you feeling the need for another or do you want to go snuggle in bed, or take a walk...?"

"Fair assessment," came his reply after a long moment. He didn't think too much beyond what she said, and when she asked he gave a little nod. "I feel kinda the same. I wanna move a bit, so pass on the second movie. Maybe a walk?"

He leaned in at that point for a little kiss, a teasing smile suggesting he was thinking of other alternatives to fulfill the need to move.

"I think walking to the bed to get snuggled up together would be enough of a walk, though. At least for me. How 'bout you?"

She nodded along with his comments on the movie, and on wanting to move, even on the suggestion of a walk. She was about to get up and get her shoes when he leaned in, interrupting that.

She couldn't help but, once again, laugh into the kiss, because her man was an insatiable delight in her life.

When the kiss broke, she lovingly shook her head at him, in a 'what an I going to do with you ' way, not a way that implied disagreement. "You are incorrigible, you know. But that's alright with me. Little Man's already in his bed, so it works just fine." She stood, stretching as she did so, then began to move towards bed, glancing back at him to see if he was following.

He grinned at her response, amused and just completely at ease as he also stood and stretched a bit. "Thank you for still loving me despite that," he chuckled as he followed her to bed, reaching for her hand as they went.

On the way, his phone rang.

She took his hand and was about to get onto the bed, when the phone ringing had her pausing. She tried not to tremble, but she went from happy and bubbly to still and silent, not moving, not saying anything.

She wasn't going to make him do anything, she wasn't going to try to influence his decision, but inside she wanted to cry at the timing, because she'd waited for this weekend for ages.

He froze. Saw the way she froze as well. The guilt crashed over him as he reached for his phone. He considered, actually considered, answering. There was a part of him that couldn't just ignore that responsibility...

She deserved better. She deserved someone who could treat her right, truly cherish her. He wanted to be that someone, desperately. So desperately that he felt his heart wrench in his chest.

It rang just once more before going silent. Then there was a quiet thud as he tossed the little device aside, and he very gently wrapped himself around her again. "It's off," he said quietly, "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

That long moment, as the phone was ringing and they were frozen, was one of the longest moments in her life, because she was so desperately hoping he would not answer but also trying not to influence him, trying not to make him feel he had to choose between the job that mattered so much to him and her

When it went silent, when she saw him toss it away, her entire body relaxed and she leaned right into him, letting the feeling of him holding her close wash away those short moments of quiet hopelessness.

"Thank you, love. Thank you so much." She whispered back, turning to face him, then walking backwards to the bed. " We need this, both of us. It's been so long since you had more than a day off..."

He nodded, eyes on hers as she led them to the bed. It was agonizing, putting her through this situation time and again. Nine times out of ten work won out. He knew she would never make him choose, that his work mattered to him and he was passionate about it and that she wouldn't allow herself to get in the way of that.

He loved her for it, and hated himself for letting her put up with it. He could refuse shifts, he could turn down overtime offers. He didn't always have to be the one to swoop in during a work situation.

"We do need this," he echoed, and when they came to a stop at the bed he leaned in for a soft kiss. "I'm sorry for being away so often these days. I know it's just a small thing, this weekend, but it's all yours, I promise. If you'll let me make it up to you?"

She hugged him tight in that kiss, clinging to the best thing that had ever happened to her. It hurt, sometimes, when he chose extra shifts instead of a night with her, or a weekend trip, or what have you, but at the same time, she loved him for the fact that he was so dedicated to saving lives. She loved him for his passion, his determination, that drive that kept him going.

And if she asked him to stop, she'd be asking him to change that. How could she do that?

"I'll let you do anything you want, Nate... It's no small thing to me. I love you, you know. I love you for who you are, even when it's hard."

He often worried that she would get tired of him, of his work and the how the nature of it often pulled him away from home even on his off days. If it came down to it, for her sake he could change. He would change if it meant she would be happier.

That wasn't her response, though. No, instead she reassured him. Reminded him that she was, that she supported him. He eased, slightly, at her words. "I love you, too. Always. I hope you know that."

And he held her close for a long moment, just wanting to focus on her and them and their time together.

She would do what she had to, to keep him in her life. He was her strength on the bad days, the reminder that despite everything in her past, she had fought through and learned to love despite those who wanted to destroy her, or own her.

She would never do anything to jeopardize that love, that life she had found with him. Even the horrible nights where he slept over at the station because he only had a few hours between shift A and shift B were worth it, because she knew when he DID have time free, it was invariably her he chose to spend it with. This was worth it, he was worth it.

"I know. It's what makes every moment when you're busy something worth waiting through... I know you love me and you will always come back to me."

Her eyes closed as they held each other, taking peace and happiness from their embrace.

A smile had settled on his face at her words, and after holding her for however long. Eventually, though, he did pull away. Just enough that he could comfortably lean down for a kiss. Just a small one, because the moment was tender and he sought her love, her comfort more than anything else.

If they did anything more, he'd wait for her cue. But for now this, just being so close to her, was enough. He was happiest with her, and felt complete whenever she was in his arms.

She kissed him back, soft and happy, and then whispered "Whatever else happens tonight, I think the bed is the place for them. Even if all we do is hold one another... Our legs are going to get tired of just standing here."

Her tone was lovingly teasing, and she gently stepped back, so that she could change into a light t-shirt pajama, comfortable in the warmer weather going on and as easy to take off as it was to put on, should reason to take it off arise.

Either way, she was happy just to be with him, after all.

Once she was fully comfortable, she went and lay down on the bed, gazing gently at him.

Nate chuckled but nodded in agreement, and he followed after her to get dressed for bed. Or as dressed as he would get for it, anyway. Summers usually meant light pajamas, and for him that meant just pajama bottoms. Once dressed he joined her on the bed, moving in as close as was comfortable given the season.

Once settled, he made a very contented little sound. "Mm, I missed this. Feels like it's been forever since I slept here at home." It couldn't have been more than just a few days ago, though he easily lost track of that time these days.

She sighed and shifted to rest her head against his chest, over his heart. The sound of his heartbeat was one of the most comforting sounds in the world to her, and when she could, she fell asleep listening to it. She had tried recording it, once, to listen to when he was away but it hadn't proved to be particularly effective, sadly.

"So did I..." She said, quietly, her eyes closed as she relaxed against her lover. "Nothing is better then laying in bed, holding you close."

He wrapped his arms fully around her once she shifted to rest against him, a small smile on his face. At her words the smile, and tone, turned playful.

"Nothing?"

Her brows rose for a moment and she burst into laughter for the third time that night... She laughed so much more when he was around, it really was amazing how much better her life was when he was present.

"On the level of pure joyful comfort, no, there is nothing better."

"Gotcha," he grinned, loving the sound of her laughing beside him, and he laughed alongside her. When the laughter finally subsided he hugged her closer still, a thought coming to mind suddenly.

It didn't hit him how much he actually missed her until just then, and even if she didn't think he had to he wanted to make it up to her.

"Good to know. Makes me wonder, though, what about on other levels?"

He leaned in then, and whispered something into her ear. It was just a thought, in case she was interested and wanted to use their weekend to finally give it a try.

"You look happy," he said between kisses, his tone gently teasing. "You okay? I know you enjoy it but I was maybe a little rough, and it's been..."

Weeks, though he opted not to actually finish the sentence. It was that way the last time, too. The longer gaps between their coming together was entirely his fault, he knew, and so he did want to do his best to make it up to her.

When he released her hands, her arms came down to slide around him and hold him close, not wanting to let him move even slightly away from her at this time. These moments, being so separated as they were of late, were all the more precious to her, and she wasn't ready to let it end yet.

"I am happy, babe. I'm always happy when you're here, and when we come together." She kissed him back, softly, and smiled up at him. "I am fine, love. I love it when you take charge like that, you know that. You weren't too rough... Just rough enough."

She didn't comment on how long it had been either, because they both knew. And she was trying her best to keep from commenting, because she didn't want him to feel bad.

He reveled in the feeling of her touch as she pulled him close, sighing happily as she answered him. He was certainly glad to hear it, and also relieved that she didn't finish his sentence for him, either. It was something that had been hanging over them for some time, but she was always so patient with him. So understanding and willing to put up with so much...

Even now, after being together for so many years, he still often found himself wondering what he did to deserve someone like her.

He rested his forehead on hers, eyes closed and a small, very contented smile on his face as they enjoyed the afterglow together. "Good," came his soft reply. And there was silence for just a beat before he added, "I love you, Seren."

She simply held him, not willing to risk anything that might damage their relationship, or their time together, and it was just not something to bring up. It's why she didn't finish the sentence.

Her own eyes were closed, and for a moment, the tension and fear that maybe, just maybe, she was not actually enough for him (not that he'd cheat, of course) and that was why he was so busy anymore.

And then he says that phrase and the tension eased, for the moment. "I love you too, Nate. Always, and forever."

She was enough. If she ever voiced these fears to him he would say so, and mean every single word. Because she was all that he needed, truly wanted in the world. There were just...distractions. Just one, actually, that always succeeded to convince him and pull him away from her.

He didn't--couldn't--see how much damage it was really doing, how much hurt it was really causing.

Her reply eased him as well, and he was happy to stay like that, in her arms, for however long she wanted.

She would never voice such concerns, of course... She was too afraid of doing something that might drive him away, convince him she was just another weight around his shoulders. She was just so afraid, lately, that something she had done was causing him to want to avoid her in work.

She loved that he lived to help people, loved his passion.

But there would always be that part of her that questioned her, her value

Instead, she lay there with him for as long as possible, before her bladder decided it was time for a break. She sighed, and regretfully let go, wiggling free. "Be right back, love..."

Nate gave a quiet "mm" in reply and shifted so she could wiggle free of him. He flopped down on his side of the bed at that point, satisfied but rightly exhausted. Between his last shift at work earlier that day and what they'd just been up to, his energy reserves were on low. He did his best to wait for her to come back, though his eyes were closed and he was already half asleep.

She spent a couple minutes in there, making sure the worries that kept creeping into her head were not showing in her face, in her posture or anything. She couldn't let him know this was in her head. Oh, she knew that he told her years ago she didn't have to wear masks with him about pain but.

This felt different, felt like a chance at actually destroying what they had built together, and that was her greatest fear. So she kept it hidden away, bottled up in case it was the one thing that might break eventing that mattered to her... Might break her.

Once she was sure it was all tucked out of sight, she came back in, and considered the discarded PJ shirt... Then shook her head and just climbed back into bed, and into his strong, safe arms.

He stirred when she climbed back into bed with him, and as if on auto-pilor he quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. They could always turn the AC on if it came down to it, but he couldn't imagine sharing a bed with her and not having her actually in his arms while they slept.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his words sleepily slurred.

"Mmmm yeah." She said softly, as she snuggled in, wanting to enjoy the feeling of sleeping in his arms. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Did she accidentally give it away? She really hoped not, that would be terrible!

He gave a sleepy shake of his head and nuzzled into her hair. "Nothing, just checking," he said, unaware that he wasn't making total sense. Chalk it up to being well past half asleep.

With her warmth now just beside him, it was impossible for him to stay awake. So he nuzzled in again and pressed a kiss to her, saying, "Mm... g'night, baby. Love you," before falling right to sleep.

She smiled, a little bemused but happy that he seemed to not pick up on what was in her head. "Good night... Love you too, handsome. Always..." She whispered back

It took her a little longer to fall asleep, keeping the inner demons at bay, but being in his arms helped and soon she was deeply asleep, in the arms of the man who made her life worth living.