[ She shrugs that off because yeah, it's his hangups and she can act like it doesn't bother her on some level.] It's fine, Mr. Z. I get it but as long as we're keeping whatever this on the down-low... I have my own request.
[ She pushes the Cool Girl forward for this one.] Two things. [ She holds up one finger.] One, I need it to be open ended. I have a social life here so I can't be ditching the people I hang out with all of a sudden. [ 'Hang out with' should probably sound like it's more than hanging out.
She laughs a little.] We haven't even done anything and we're already negotiating terms. Anyways, two-- [ she sobers a little more, holding up a second finger.]
If you do turn out to... [ Her mouth twists as she tries to think of the proper words.] If my instincts are wrong about you... don't come after my brother. I mean it, leave him out of any drama, if it happens. He's everything to me and I will kick your ass if this affects him in any way.
[ He would be amused if she wasn't so serious about it, but as she is, he keeps his features schooled into a neutral expression, crossing his arms over his chest. They are negotiating terms before even knowing if they have any kind of chemistry - in a biological way, his scientific mind supplies - but it's good. It's better to have things in order.
While he's not a massive fan of the first request, he gets it. And that will definitely help them keeping things quiet. The second is a given. ]
Okay. On both these things.
[ He doesn't even try to say he would never go after her or her family, for any reason - that's not what he does nor who he wants to be. But there's no point in having this conversation now. ]
I don't really do drama. [ She just cuts herself off before drama can happen. And when drama comes at her, she just avoids it. At least when it comes to relationships with other people.]
[ It feels like they've said everything they had to say, at this point, no more words coming to him. He repeats the move from earlier, tilting her chin up with a single finger once he's close enough, thumb brushing her cheek. ]
Right? [ His voice is huskies than he expected it to be. ]
[ A weird tingly sort of feeling washes over her as he touches her, tilting her face up towards his. Her eyes stay on his as she nods, just enough to get the motion across but not enough to dislodge his fingers because suddenly her mouth is very dry and words feel like a stumbling block.
Usually, she's the one who makes people feel this way.] We are.
[ He may be cheating a tiny, tiny bit, the smallest amount of current in his fingers when he touches her at first, and he cuts it off quickly - he's not here to hurt her. He's never been one to use his powers to get reactions, and he's not going to start now. She looks up at him and he looks down at her, and nods when she answers, her lips staying parted. ]
Yeah. [ And then he's leaning in, kissing her, fitting his mouth against her gently - softly, a moment of discovery more than anything. ]
[ An understanding sealed with a kiss. Seems fitting considering what they are attempting to do here. It's different than any other thing she's had with a person. Usually it just happens but this doesn't feel any less organic to her.
His mouth fits to hers and she sort of... melts into it. She forgets her fingers are covered in charcoal when her hands move to rest on his chest, lightly.]
[ It's easy to fold her into his arms, to finally get to touch, hands sliding around her waist, into her hair as the kiss deepens. He's acutely aware that they're in a public place, but the art studios all tend to echo, and he's - he can't quite stop, now that he's here. ]
[ She's letting him call the shots, mostly because they are in a space where his rule/condition may not be kept intact. She's not the only person to use the studio, maybe she's there on an off-hour but that doesn't mean someone won't walk in on them.
That doesn't stop her hands from sliding up his chest to hold his face, leaving charcoal smudges along his skin. It all feels different, a bit more intense because well, it hardly feels casual like it did with Arel or with Knox or even Jay. Like maybe she knows that his kisses mean something to him. ]
[ And do they mean something - Z is not exactly the most trusting, open person ever, and he doesn't really do casual very often, or very well. It's not something he's enjoyed much in the past, and he doubts he's going to start now.
It's part of why it bothered him when she said dirty little secret, because it's so far from how he sees things.
He cups the back of her head with a hand, strands of hair between his fingers, swiping his tongue against her bottom lip one last time before he pulls back, feeling a flush on his cheeks. He feels electrified, and not because of his inherent power. ]
[ When he pulls back, after that little tongue swipe? Yeah, he gets a soft, distracted sound of protest from her. Her eyes flutter open, her lips still pursed for a moment because he's managed to daze her a bit. She looks up at him, perhaps a little bewildered and a lot a bit hungry for more.
Her fingers touch her lips for a moment.] Holy crap.
[ He takes her words as a good thing, and smiles, managing to keep it from being too proudly smug. He's feeling it too, really, body feeling more awake than it has in a long time, like he'd been dormant for years, until now. ]
Yeah, I feel that.
[ He scratches his throat, looking down at the smudges of charcoal on his stomach, and chuckles. ]
[ Her eyes narrow but her lips curve into an amused smile.] You are such a tease. [ She licks her lips, now realizing that she's covered him in random smudge marks. And that makes her want to kiss him more, so she retreats back towards her easel instead.]
[ He laughs, head tipped back easily. ] Sorry, I don't mean to be. [ And he doesn't. He's not worried about going too fast, but he's really got work to do, and if he already lets her completely derail and distract him, he's never going to get anything done, ever again.
He pulls back, grabbing his shirt back from the floor and pulling it on, leaving the charcoal smudges where they are, wanting the reminder. ]
What about pizza, tonight? At mine? Or whatever else you want, I'm not exactly picky when it comes to food.
You don't have to apologize it, I dig it. [ She pretends not to watch him put his shirt back on, glancing back at him when he asks her on a proper get together, outside of run-ins or study sessions. She smiles at him, nodding.]
Okay, cool. [ It feels like a proper date. Sure, indoors and all, but still. Kinda like a date.
He's going to have to put some of his computing equipment away, his campus apartment is a fucking mess. ]
I'll be there from around 7, so whenever you're free after that. I'm on the first floor of the faculty wing of the air house. There are names on the doors.
[ He licks his lips again, about to reach out for her again when someone walks past the studio, making him redirect to scratch the back of his head instead. ]
Stop worrying, [ she murmurs with a patient smile, reaching for her supplies and tucking them into her bag. She makes her way over to him, giving the hem of his t-shirt a playful tug and that's all before she starts towards the door, refusing to make some kind of covert exit.] I'll see you tonight.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
[ He can't afford not to listen, at least. ]
no subject
She laughs a little.] We haven't even done anything and we're already negotiating terms. Anyways, two-- [ she sobers a little more, holding up a second finger.]
If you do turn out to... [ Her mouth twists as she tries to think of the proper words.] If my instincts are wrong about you... don't come after my brother. I mean it, leave him out of any drama, if it happens. He's everything to me and I will kick your ass if this affects him in any way.
no subject
While he's not a massive fan of the first request, he gets it. And that will definitely help them keeping things quiet. The second is a given. ]
Okay. On both these things.
[ He doesn't even try to say he would never go after her or her family, for any reason - that's not what he does nor who he wants to be. But there's no point in having this conversation now. ]
I'd rather avoid any drama, anyway.
no subject
And thank you for agreeing.
no subject
[ It feels like they've said everything they had to say, at this point, no more words coming to him. He repeats the move from earlier, tilting her chin up with a single finger once he's close enough, thumb brushing her cheek. ]
Right? [ His voice is huskies than he expected it to be. ]
no subject
Usually, she's the one who makes people feel this way.] We are.
no subject
Yeah. [ And then he's leaning in, kissing her, fitting his mouth against her gently - softly, a moment of discovery more than anything. ]
no subject
His mouth fits to hers and she sort of... melts into it. She forgets her fingers are covered in charcoal when her hands move to rest on his chest, lightly.]
no subject
no subject
That doesn't stop her hands from sliding up his chest to hold his face, leaving charcoal smudges along his skin. It all feels different, a bit more intense because well, it hardly feels casual like it did with Arel or with Knox or even Jay. Like maybe she knows that his kisses mean something to him. ]
no subject
It's part of why it bothered him when she said dirty little secret, because it's so far from how he sees things.
He cups the back of her head with a hand, strands of hair between his fingers, swiping his tongue against her bottom lip one last time before he pulls back, feeling a flush on his cheeks. He feels electrified, and not because of his inherent power. ]
Um.
no subject
Her fingers touch her lips for a moment.] Holy crap.
no subject
Yeah, I feel that.
[ He scratches his throat, looking down at the smudges of charcoal on his stomach, and chuckles. ]
I should, um. I have - grading to do.
no subject
You better get out of here before I get pushy.
no subject
He pulls back, grabbing his shirt back from the floor and pulling it on, leaving the charcoal smudges where they are, wanting the reminder. ]
What about pizza, tonight? At mine? Or whatever else you want, I'm not exactly picky when it comes to food.
no subject
Yeah, I'm in. I love pizza.
no subject
He's going to have to put some of his computing equipment away, his campus apartment is a fucking mess. ]
I'll be there from around 7, so whenever you're free after that. I'm on the first floor of the faculty wing of the air house. There are names on the doors.
[ He licks his lips again, about to reach out for her again when someone walks past the studio, making him redirect to scratch the back of his head instead. ]
Yeah.
no subject