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[bearshermark]

eleven

missives | encounters

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[lancifolium]

Not certain I know how I feel about that.

[ She stayed where she was, crossing her arms and trying not to look amused. ]

[bearshermark]

[He laughed, color deepening. His smile turned sheepish]

Nothing like that. Just teaching me how to keep warm with my own energy.

[lancifolium]

Oh good, I worried about more competition.

[ And, after a moment of consideration, just to be the slightest bit difficult - she sat down in that offered chair. ]

[bearshermark]

[Eleven huffed amusement and watched her warm herself by the fire with a soft smile]

I promise you don't have any.

[lancifolium]

I don't know El–

[ Somehow she kept the smile off her mouth but she couldn't hide it from her eyes, still somehow attempting scrutiny despite the adoration written all over her face. ]

If you're getting warmer with Zuko than you are with me, that's concerning.

[bearshermark]

[He laughed]

He has a girlfriend, remember?

[lancifolium]

Who likely would have the same questions!

[ She laughed as well, resting her elbow on the armrest so she could prop her chin on her hand, facing the fire but watching him out of the corner of her eye. ]

Besides, I bet I could make you warmer.

[bearshermark]

[Eleven's grin spread until it nearly hurt.

This was nice- so much nicer than the past few days. It was a dream compared to the beaten heap he'd been on the floor of his shared prison cell. The room was warm, the bed soft, and firelight caught the edges of Lily's hair in flashes of molten metal]

Is that so..?

[lancifolium]

[ It was something of a relief - seeing him smile like that, and Lily couldn't help the way she grinned back at him, mirroring his expression. It felt like it had been a long time since they had gotten to sit and talk about something that didn't have anything to do with the massive mess they resided in. ]

After the reactions I've gotten out of you I'm a bit hurt you'd question it.

[bearshermark]

[Eleven's face heated. He glanced down, thinking of all the ways that was true, then back up to her, still smiling]

Perhaps you'd like to remind me..?

[lancifolium]

Perhaps you'd like me to remind you?

[ Even though she teased him she still got out of the chair, taking a few steps in his direction. ]

[bearshermark]

[He watched her approach with a budding sense of anticipation. A shiver rolled down his shoulders]

Only if you'd like to.

[lancifolium]

Aren't you supposed to be recovering?

[ Lily crossed the room to where he stood, draping her arms around his shoulders, looking thoughtful as she smiled at him, her eyes narrowing. ]

After all, you could end up laid in bed for days.

[bearshermark]

[His hands come up to loop around her elbows. He looks up to her with a fond smile and a twinkle of mischief in his eyes]

How terrible that would be.

[lancifolium]

Well. [ Starting and stopping almost immediately she did her best to solider through trying to put words to thinks she had been mulling over since his rescue.. ]

If you thought you might want to– [ Nope that wasn't it. ] That is to say– [ She didn't even know where she hoped to end with an effort like that one, and it died weakly on the air. ]

We're always in so much danger, and all I could think about was getting you back safely - and what would happen if I couldn't. [ Lily found a viable thread and pulled, hoping against all odds that she wasn't on the verge of making a fool of herself. ]

You mean a lot to me. You're my friend, and you're so much more than that too. [ This could have been going better, she wasn't exactly getting to the point, but at least she was in the same neighborhood. It was a start. ]

[bearshermark]

[Eleven tipped his head, expression sobering as her words washed over him past her initial hesitation. His eyes softened as his heart ached, leaning into her to press his head to her abdomen as his arms shifted to wrap loosely around her]

I'm sorry to have worried you, but I'm glad to hear you hold me in such high regard. I'm grateful to have you here with me still.

[lancifolium]

Oh! No, that's. [ She combed her hands through his hair and looked down at him, shaking her head. ]

What I meant is that this made me think about how special what we've got is, and how I don't want to take it for granted. [ Even though she still couldn't quite get there, she blushed anyway. ] I want to make the time we have count.

[bearshermark]

[He glanced up, brows knitting together]

Oh, ah.. I hope you don't think I haven't been interested. There's just been a great deal of stress lately that it didn't seem.. I don't know. But having you close was enough for me.

[lancifolium]

[ It was difficult to tell who misunderstood the other more, but at his words she went red. ]

I'm sorry I didn't mean to pressure you! We don't have to right now. Just, if you want to, because I'd like to. But only if you want!

[bearshermark]

[Eleven grinned relief with a short laugh. Here he'd been worried she'd thought he was purposefully neglecting her]

That sounds nice. I'm interested if you don't mind I'm still a little bruised in a few places.

[lancifolium]

Nice?

[ Lily deflated some, unsure of what his reaction was going to be, but not expecting 'nice' as a possible response. ]

I mean, I suppose it could be, but, you're rather casual about it, aren't you?

[bearshermark]

[He tipped his head up again, puzzled. They've been pretty casual about it, haven't they? Inexplicably, he feels like he's missing something]

We've been doing this for awhile, haven't we? I mean, other than lately..

[lancifolium]

[ Upon realizing where the wires had gotten crossed in this unfurling disaster of a conversation her eyes went wide as part of her considered just going along with it to spare herself having to try and broach the subject again after being sure he had caught her meaning.

Somehow it felt even more harrowing on the second attempt. ]

Not this. [ Merlin's tits just kill her now. ] The uh, the thing that isn't um, part of, the usual this.

[ Still! Nice? She frowned at him, aware of what she had finally (mostly) addressed but backtracking anyway. ] I always thought it was better than nice, anyway.

[bearshermark]

[Eleven took in her frown and drew back to look at her properly. He'd misstepped, and still he wasn't sure what she meant. He swallowed, newly nervous]

I'm sorry. You've been nothing short of wonderful to me. I don't think I'm quite understanding..

[lancifolium]

[ Briefly weighing the pros and cons of apparating back to the Stairs of Sighs to head in a new direction and begin a new life where she could pretend this conversation wasn't happening Lily moved to sit beside him on the bed. ]

Can I try again? Forget all that and start fresh?