thisavrou_log | (no subject)

Who: Carolina and York
When: Toward the end of the month
Where: Their quarters
What: Sometimes you accidentally admit some feelings and then things get cute
Warnings: None so far

[ It's been hard, losing so many people they knew one after the other. It's made Carolina reluctant to let York out of her sight for more than a little while at a time. More importantly, it's forced her to start thinking about how she's been so cautious about saying things too soon. Can anything be considered too soon when no one is safe from sudden disappearances? This would be so much easier if Church were around, if she could talk things out with him like she did back on Chorus. She's thought the words more and more lately, just hasn't given them voice and definitely not said them to York even though he's said it more than once.

It's not like they aren't serious about the whole relationship thing. They're living together.

So when Carolina steps out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair after a shower she isn't really thinking when she glances at York where he's stretched out on their bed. ]

York, I love you but if you leave the toilet seat up one more time I'm going to kick you out.

[ And then she's pulling on a shirt like she didn't just drop the love bomb. Give it time to sink and she'll realize what she just said. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ York hasn't been dealing terribly well. It helps that he managed to convince Wash to move in, and that they got lucky with their apartment not being in one of the flooded sections, but his mood's been low since people started disappearing. He'd managed to put on a good show until Tex vanished, too -- she'd been here before him, seemed to have more of a purpose here, and he hopes that for her sake she got to go 'home' where she wanted. But honestly? It's not just losing his friends for good. It also really feels like his days are numbered, and the expiration date on his life that he's been cheating hangs heavy over him like a stormcloud.

He's been reading while Carolina was in the shower, but glances over the top of his book with a little smirk when she comes out and addresses him. It's practically invitation to watch her change, right? What he doesn't expect are the actual words that come out of her mouth. Blinking, he sits up, wondering if she realizes what she said. If she just did that on purpose. In that case he should just roll with it, but... it feels too important. ]

Sorry, what?

[ That shirt goes on, pulled over her head and it still hasn't sunk in what she's said to him. It's not quite an invitation to watch her change but it's not like she's actively telling him not to look. ]

The toilet seat, you keep leaving it up.

[ She raises an eyebrow at him. Come on, York, get with the program. ]

[ It's okay, he's not really actively oogling her at this point, he's too busy being surprised. His comeback is a little sluggish for that. ]

Hey, if I pick it up why can't you put it down?

[ He sets his book down on the nightstand and scoots to her side of the bed, beckoning. ]

What'd you say before that?

Because you're the only one who pees standing up.

[ She goes over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. What did she say before that...? She frowns and then it sinks in.

I love you, but...

It's pretty obvious when she realizes, she turns just a little pink because dammit this is not how she planned to say it. ]

Fine, fine, but it's been a long time since I had to worry about putting the seat down for anybody. Cut me some slack.

[ Yeah, Lina, that. Wasn't the most romantic way to drop it, but the fact that it slipped out so casually sparks something warm in York's chest. It signals that even if she's never said it before, she's comfortable enough thinking it. He wraps an arm around her and reaches over, tilting her face up towards his with a gentle touch to her chin. ]

You know, I wanted to say it somewhere nice. Not because you keep leaving the seat up.

[ But Carolina's smiling so she's clearly not that upset by the slip. No take backs, no back pedaling. She loves him. ]

[ He laughs a little, the sound soft and warm, then leans in and kisses that smile. The dark cloud is officially gone, at least for the moment. His eye is sparkling like she hasn't seen in a month. ]

My own fault, then. Were you actually planning something?

[ That's... even cuter. ]

Nothing concrete, I was just thinking it might be nice to say it on a planet instead of a flooded space station.

[ Still, she can't regret it. Not when he looks so happy for the first time in a long time. She leans in to kiss York again, slow and lingering like she's trying to memorize this moment. ]

I love you, York.

[ The Avagi is sort of a shithole, it's true, especially compared to the relative comfort and luxury they'd enjoyed back on Thisavrou. But it's not like being somewhere 'better' would change the meaning of her words. Make them more or less important. He kisses her back, staying close. ]

It doesn't matter where we are. You're the most important thing in any world to me, you know that, right?

[ He just hasn't been great at showing it, lately, wrapped up in grief for their friends. ]

I know.

[ Which is why she doesn't want to waste anymore of the precious time they have together. If the worst happens and York leaves them she doesn't want to regret never saying those words. She kisses him once more and then grins. ]

But I'm serious about kicking you out if you leave the seat up again.

Edited 2018-01-31 17:07 (UTC)

[ York isn't entirely sure he believes her, but certainly isn't going to risk it. Even if the suite does have a couch. ]

I love you too.

[ He leans their heads together and cuddles her against his chest, not caring that her hair is still wet. ]

Guess I've been wasting time lately, huh? Sorry.

[ When York pulls her close she goes with him. ]

I don't blame you, after everything that's happened.

[ Still, Carolina is grateful that he's a bit more present, that her confession as accidental as it was reached him. ]

[ He hums a little, appreciating her understanding. For awhile there he was able to forget the reality of their situation -- his situation. It's come crashing down again pretty hard. ]

We never know, they could come back. Tex said Wash was here once before I was.

[ Then again, Wash is only other one that isn't dead. That might play a factor. ]

They might.

[ But she's less concerned about that, callous as it might sound if she said it aloud. She's lost them before and she can survive it, but the possibility of losing York puts her stomach in knots. ]

We'll see them again, I'm sure. Until then... we'll keep the light on for them.

[ Yeah, they'll leave the light on. Metaphorically speaking. Until then he needs to focus more on the people he does have, and how lucky he is for that. But it does raise the question... ]

Maybe we should push Wash a little harder. You said he's better in your time, right?

He is, though a lot of that is thanks to the Reds and Blues. They have him something to focus on besides his anger.

[ They'd done the same for her after a while. They were good at that. ]

I think I'm going to make him start training with me again. He might like having a chance to punch me regularly.

...he's in there. Somewhere. I can see it sometimes, like how he wanted to come back with me.

[ Training together, huh? York does feel like their trial together back on that one planet helped a little, and punching North seemed to give him some sort of closure. Maybe it'll work? He can't say he loves the idea, though. ]

Yeah, he might. I offered for him to take a swing at me once and he didn't, though.

I'm pretty sure I can get him to agree. Or at least annoy him until he does.

[ The benefits of working with the reds and blues means she has a pretty good idea of how to wind him up. ]

[ That gets a soft huff of almost-laughter out of York, his breath warm against her cheek. ]

Make it sound like he'd be doing you a favor. He seems to get the most pissed when he thinks I'm telling him what's best for him.