overconfidently

(Nate. Nate, honey.)

One, because I got real with him, so he knows some shit's important and I got him.

(... But also.)

Two, because he's sixteen, and I'm very pretty.

( Just... )

Are you suggesting he likes you?

God, no, he finds me annoying as hell.

(Absolutely NOT.)

I'm saying if you were sixteen, not from a desolate Earth, who would you listen to? The adults, the older dudes, or the one girl?

I... guess.

( Now he has the thought of his younger father trying to hit on Sophie here after he and her... no. Just... no. Purging thought from brain. Never re-visiting this again. Wave of his hand, he sighs. )

It's fine. I mean— I can handle it. Him. Solmara. It'll be fine.

( As his mind tries to recover as quickly as it can. )

(Sir, the boy doesn't try, it's not his fault she's a freaking telepath, okay. But, good choice to forever bury that thought.

She just thought it was obvious. Boys are dumb. All men in this mansion have had a thing towards a Cuckoo, or two, or three, or all five, go figure.

Apparently, not that obvious.)

Yep. Well, I'm gonna go throw some shit in the air so he can learn some freaking aim, and hope to not die in the process.

( Yes, moving on.

He lets his hand slip away from her arm and stands there, throwing another glance to the sky before he's looking back to her. )

Guess I'll see you when I see you.

Yeah. I'll be waiting.

(She's already given him the good luck wish, and a good luck kiss, so unless he has something else to say, she's taking her leave.)

Bye, Nate.

( At that, he reaches out for her — takes her hand and pulls her in close to steal a quick kiss from her lips. Maybe he shouldn't, but. He does anyways. Why? He doesn't know. Just that he does and no, he doesn't regret it. )

(What a relief, she thought he wasn't going to give her an actual kiss before he left. The end of that kiss, she ends up kissing a smile, because she can't hold it in until it's finished.

And just so it's fair, she tiptoes so she can press another, a bit more lingering, but overall chaste to his lips.)

Now it's triple luck.

Edited 2025-05-17 23:57 (UTC)

( He presses a smile right back against her lips and finds himself holding to her when he was supposed to let her go. He will, just. After a moment of this. It's not as though he thinks he's about to leave for his death. It's more he's just... been lonely. )

That should be enough to bring me back.

(If he chooses to stay here, he'll notice some things. One of them is that Sophie's brain works swiftly; there are nanotech boosters hidden in the corners, designer DNA choices. It does mean she's great at multitasking — she can be here with him fully, and still have no trouble picking what shoes to wear.

Her smile is big enough that her blue eyes hide for a moment, arms wrapping around him with no complaints from her about being late.)

Thought I already had worked on bringing you back.

( Her arms go around him and he lets her hold to him just as he holds to her. Again, he knows he'll let her go and make his leave from this space she's let him into. Just... another couple minutes maybe. Because he's playfully raising his brows then with a faux look of surprise there on his face. )

Oh, you want to do that again when I'm back?

( Teasing? Yeah, he's teasing. )

(They're just like this, aren't they? Teasing, joking, flirting, knowing the loneliness the other brings along. Perhaps that's why it's so easy to fit here, to caress his cheek with her thumb, to smile at each other. He can play, and she can he, a gasp followed by one of her hands moving to her chest as if she just heard something outrageous.)

Me?

(And she drops it as soon as her little act is done, back at holding him, a lively grin to her face.)

I'll consider it.

(Yes.)

( He chases that grin of hers with his lips — another kiss stolen and just stands there with her with the beauty of the sky around them there. Being with her is... easy. Even if he sometimes gets confused, but. Hey. He's learning. Trying to have some semblance of normal for once in his life. Or about as normal as mutants like them can have. )

Nothing I can do to help with that?

Tell me your very compelling arguments.

(It's a warm blanket on a cold night. Comfortable, low pressure, and she really likes being around him. It's fun, ergo the smile on her lips doesn't go concealed or fought against before it comes out, she doesn't protect herself with the five thousand layers of mean that she can build in a single second.

Because she doesn't feel vulnerable, and kissing him feels just a tad addictive, so she's pulling him for a longer one, lips gaping to allow tongues to meet.)

( The moment he feels her tongue seeking his, he welcomes her into his mouth, just like before. Just like that night in her room. Hands are warm and gentle with the way they hold to her waist — the way they almost pull her flush against him and, after he breaks their kiss for a breath, he chuckles softly, smile sheepish. )

Was that not good enough?

(He's in her brain, so of course he can feel just how it reminds her of it, her face warming and her heart skipping a little beat as she kisses him, nearly melted in his arms.

For the smile and the comment, he gets a very weak tiny punch to his chest as she laughs.)

Very compelling, actually. I'm almost convinced, look at that.

Just almost?

( At that, he raises a brow, leaning back some to look at her there despite his still holding to her. )

Making me work for it, huh?

(One step forward, so she can be as close to him as she can, even if she doesn't tiptoe, and she smiles, nearly angelic.)

Tapping out already?

I didn't say that, did I?

( The sound that leaves him is both soft and playful, gently nosing at her then while hands warmly smooth up along the curve of her back. )

But I don't want to keep you from spreading your generosity to others.

( Seeing Scott before they leave for Solmara, he means. )

Why was it that I decided to be responsible again?

(It's a joke, she always been fairly responsible, actually — when it matters, she's there, ready to probably die, or get screwed over, or have a world of headache, but boy, is she there. The heroic, brave Cuckoo, as she is.

Scott does matter, so she sighs a little with her nose wrinkling, pressing a longer, lingering kiss to Nate's lips before her arms let him go.)

Feel free to stay if you want, just don't watch my DVDs. Other than that, feel free to wander around, I don't mind.

( When she pulls away, he lets her — tips of his fingers lingering against her waist until they're not. Her invitation, however, gets him to look around for a moment. )

Kind of feels intrusive to do, doesn't it?

( Funny coming from a telepath and when he's ripped information out of minds before without consent, but. Telepaths are going to telepath at times. )

Eh. My brain was connected twenty-four-seven down to the breathing to other four brains, for 99.9% of my life. Kinda don't care.

(She's sure he's not gonna go poking on the DVDs, since she told him not to, so, up to him if he wants to figure out what a chickflick is through her knowledge bank.)

I care.

( He says that almost earnestly. Genuine with that. )

I wouldn't just do that with you.

(... Actually? Pretty nice, although she misses a very crowded brain.)

Okay. I'll let you in the normal way.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject