2020-01-26 - Won't Say I'm In...

It had been a month since she moved in. Leon was making dinner, a few things boiling whole two steaks cure on a wooden board. He was fiddling with his camera, browsing through some of his pictures. A half-finished tumbler of bourbon sits on the counter beside him, which he reaches for, taking a sip. Maggi should be back from her friend's place soon, and he was patiently waiting.

Maggi enters through the front door shortly, she seems to be shivering quite a bit. Snow clings to the black of her clothing. Noisily, she removes her boots, cursing at the cold.

“Hey Lion!” She is grinning despite her audible complaints from the other room. “What’s up?”

She is shrugging out of her leather jacket, watching him. Her pale skin beneath the jacket almost blue with cold.

"Magpie." He grins, moving toward her, his hands lifting, moving down from the front of her shoulders and arms, helping her slide the jacket off. "How was the sleepover?" He asks as the jacket is tossed over a chair and he wraps his big, warm arms around her waist, pulling her in against him.

The air was warm in the house, slightly steamy from the boiling pots, the smell of potatoes, cheese and herbs filling the air.

Maggi breaths in a sigh of relief, and the scent of dinner. She does not resist being pulled to his warm body. Another breath is taken in with his scent. Her posture relaxes as she does this.

“Good, missed you though. Trying to cuddle Mac can be a bit like trying to restrain a cat.” She laughs, throwing her jacket to the side and wrapping her arms around him.

Maggi has goosebumps maybe from the cold, or perhaps something else. Maybe she wanted his mind to wander, even if it was entirely harmless. “Whatever you’re making smells awesome.”

After hugging her tight, his hands move to her waist, his strength enough to pluck her from the ground and bring her over to the counter. He sets her down near his glass, then reaches to refill it. "I mean, I can teach you some better ways to do that if you need." he hints, smirking. He moves not too far away, using tongs to slap the steaks onto the heated pan.

The table was actually set. There was softer lighting? Had he set up for something? Did she know why? He actually was ok either way, this was his way to say he was hapy she was still here. "What'd she need anyways? You left pretty quick."

It was a good think he in fact did not move too far away from her, she left one hand trailing along his torso as he moves about. With the other hand she grasps his tumbler and takes a swig.

“The person she is trying to get with got glimmer powers, apparently she knows you...” Her eyes narrow in faux suspicion. The hand trailing him moves to scratch at this scalp.

With another drink she watches him. The steaks scent is intoxicating, but not as much as he was to her. It was embarrassing to admit how much she had missed him in a short period. It felt clingy, but they really had spent most of their time together since she had been asked to move in.

The feeling of her hand has him keeping his body unintentionally toward her, even while minding the cooking. Steaks don't take too long, and he fries a good crust into both sides as she waits,

"Little asian, green streaks, yay high?" He asks, hands raised about Kim's height, seeming oblivious to her suspicions, maybe stoking them, maybe amused. He'd wait for confirmation, then add, "Never seen someone manifest before, kinda threw me for a loop. She was at Hera's place while I was installing stuff." He flips the wooden board, then moves the steaks to them to rest, dropping some butter on top. Next, he's mixing the cheesy herb potatoes and moving them off heat, portioning it with some mixed veggies onto a plate.

The steaks are far more enticing than the veggies, but still was likely to be as good as was possible for vegetables. Her eyebrow lifts at his lack of clarification, she didn’t like him toying with her.

“She mentioned.” Is all that is returned. Maggi does drop down from the counter, kissing him on the cheek and looking about to help. Per usual he seemed to have everything taken care of, almost annoyingly. Instead she drinks half the glass of booze and refills it. This is more neutral that helpful. He did deserve it after all for being coy.

The hand ceases touching him, moving to sit down for food. She would rather touch him, but he had gone to the effort of cooking.

Cooking for a romantic dinner, Leon had, maybe a smidge fancier than normal. Two plates are set on the table, and a second glass is set down as well. He grabs the bottle of bourbon and sets it down with everything else. He pulls himself out a chair to sit as well, pouring himself a drink. He wanted to touch her too, and a leg moves beneath the table, extending a leg so he can set a calf against one of hers.

"How's she taking it?" he asks, taking a sip of his bourbon and waiting a moment, "She seemed pretty harried at the time."

Maggi can’t help but smile at him as he sits. She leans back in the chair, swirling the dark liquid. “Better, seems to think she can get a handle, she can do all three.”

The glass is pressed to her lips and she casually starts her next sentence. “I broke and then fixed Bit’s coffee table...”

She tries to look as casual as she can. They hadn’t talked about the fact she had been working on her powers. “What’s with the fancy?” She attempts to change the subject, chickening out.

Leon pauses mid sip, the glass slowly lowering, stating at Maggi. He knew she had destroyed his shirt, but... "Like... With..." He didnt knownif he really wanted to say it, but actually, he chuckles. "Just... I hope you warned her about the dangers."

He does take that sip, breathing out appreciative of the flavor. Was the bourbon a better type as well? He was gently amiling, but just a twitch of his brow betrays... Maybe a little nervousness? Embarrassment? "Well, I mean, I'm not saying I'm some teenage girl or nothing. It's been a month. I been happy. Thought I'd show you." He shrugs, still not having eaten, just enjoying she was home.

Maggi lets her gaze trail to the side, flushing and savoring booze. “Maybe... I uh, wanted to know what I can do...” She looks up, a small twinge of shame in her eyes. “Kim seems pretty level headed.”

The flush only deepens at his words. That was, well, unexpected. She shifts uncomfortably. “I..uh...” Maggi genuinely did not know what to say, icy eyes looking down toward the table. “I have too.”

Wow Maggi, way to go. Another sip of amber liquor should help. This would be weird if it didn’t make her almost giddy. “I can at least move the steaks to the plates.” She says standing, trying to hide that she was overwhelmed.

Leon smacks himself in the forehead and then lets out a laugh. In all the mood and maybe a little trepidation, he'd stupidly left the main course on the counter. "Yeah, I guess it's good one of us has a brain."

He turns a little in his seat, leaning an arm over the back to watch her with a guilty grin. He hesitates, then ventures, "So, uh, you got any big projects or anything in about two weeks?"

Carefully Maggi moves the tantalizing slabs to plates one at a time. Wiping her hands off on a kitchen towel, she walks the dishes over to him. Gracefully, she takes her seat once more, holding her confiscated glass up to his.

“Not really, some tests but I can manage.” She waits for their glasses to clink, taking a swig, and waiting for him to tell her why. Returning the glass to the table, she takes a bite of the potatoes, humming happily at their flavor. Damn Leon was a good cook.

Leon is happy to tuck into delicious food as its handed over and Maggi finally eats some. Had to make sure she ate first, after all. Old habits. Also it gave him an excuse to try to collect his thoughts and not make it too obvious.

"Well, yaknow, thought of maybe getting out of town for a weekend." Real subtle. He tucks a peice of steak into his mouth and chews, trying to act casual. Sure, they were living together, but a Valentine's Day weekend trip was a new thing. He hadn't mentioned the date though.

Maggi is about to take a bite of medium rare meat, and she puts the fork back down. “But uh, if you leave, you can forget things.” She gives a nervous laugh. Maggi was missing the Valentine’s Day bit, considering she almost never celebrated it. The entire reason she moved back was so she would remember everything. A panic induced thought plagues her; What if he forgot her.

Not trying to make her fear obvious, she picks the fork back up. Taking a bite she chews slowly, the butter dripping into her mouth.

Swallowing she waits for him to say something, her heart racing. Did he not know?

Leon didn't know anything about forgetting, and the fear seems... Out of place. Unless she didn't want to go with him. Maybe she had figured him out. He doesn't set his silverware down, too much good food on the table, but he does pause eating.

"I mean, as long as I don't forget to bring you, we should be fine." He ventures with a nervous chuckle, "And it's just a weekend. If we need something, were back in like 3 days." He reaches to take up his tumbler and take a fortifying sipmof the bourbon.

Maggi takes a bite of veggies distractedly and uncharacteristically. “That’s what I’m worried about...your head starts to like rationalize things...” Another bite of seasoned veg.

“I don’t want to forget things again...it comes back when you return, but still.” Did the plate somehow have less vegetables suddenly than everything else.

“If you didn’t know then why are you nervous?” Another mouth of veggies washed down with bourbon.

Leon peers at her a bit confused. Taking her concerns a bit more seriously, "I've... Never had that happen." He waits for a second, working through the train of thought verbally and mentally at the same time, not trying to be condescsnding, but, "I leave and come back all the time. For work." Which she would know. Heck, she might even have to travel to Seattle and back for classes... "Wait, have you not left town since..." The question is left unfinished. The online classes, the student loans, her parents still in town. He breaks into a nervous laugh.

"We don't forget eachother when we leave the town, Magpie."

The bourbon and kale seem to diminish about the same speed, anxious bites and sips as Leon processes. Maggi bites the inside of her lip in a grimace before realizing the glass was in fact empty. She gives a nod not meeting his eyes. “I’ll trust you on that.”

She would have to. It wasn’t exactly like she could manage never leaving again, though she had tried. One hand moves upward to smooth golden locks. The anxiety lessens some as the bourbon kicks in a tad.

“That’s just about the worst thing I could imagine.” She watches his expression critically. Despite training in psychology, she wasn’t always sure how to have a functional relationship, people varied so greatly.

Leon leans and reaches out, putting a hand over hers, staring across their shared romantic dinner at her. He would wait until she raised her eyes to speak. As much problems as he sometimes had, coping, flashbacks, traumas, thisnwas his chance to nudge her fear away, return the caring she'd shown him.

"I want to take you somewhere for the weekend..." He begins, squeezing her hand as he sets his utensil down. Honestly, he'd had a good portion of food so far as theyd been talking, but he still looks a little nervous to ask. "Have you... ever been to Vegas?" he wonders, trying and failing to sound casual about it.

Well it’s a good thing the glass was empty and on the table or she may have dropped it. The hand he was squeezing is almost limp with incredulity. She takes a beat and is looking at him grinning. “I have in fact not.”

She mentally works through a calendar, thinking through logistics. So we would leave like the 14th...That’s Valentine’s Day...” Maggi works through slowly. Her heart is beating faster again, her sapphire eyes widening with vulnerability.

She tries taking further short breaths to calm herself. This sounded utterly terrifying and kind of big? She wasn’t sure what it meant, only that it meant something. “Is this because of those texts?”

Maggi’s voice is rushed through the sentence, looking away again.

"I mean, if you're ok with maybe making it a long weekend, we'll be leaving in the 13th." Leon corrects, his intent a bit clearer now, a bit if a plan seeming to have been made before he'd even asked her. Typical of him.

"Maybe yes, maybe no?" He answers cryptically to question of the texts. So she had worked out the importance of the date. He is peering across at her, still holding the hand, his other raising his glass for a draining sip. He reaches to fill both their glasses now. "But we've both been working hard and it's been frozen hell out there... Also, there's a concert." Which Maggi quite possibly would know about, a Bowie Tribute tour with the old members of his band. In Vegas. That weekend. Or she may not.

Maggi sits up on her knees on the chair, a rather unladylike gesture. She scoots her plate forward, putting her elbows on the table and leaning forward. Finding stability, her lips graze his cheek for a kiss.

She wanted to give him more direct kisses, especially given the mention of a vacation. Gingerly, she sits back on her feet. He had yet to say it back. Probably because she had not fully committed to the idea. It had only been a few months, was that even possible?

Feelings fought reason on a typical basis in humans. This was normal. How could she know if she meant such a weighty promise. She takes the refilled glass, trying not to ponder too hard. “Sounds like fun!”

Leon grins, accepting the kiss, "Good. It's a plan, then." He pushes back from the table, picking up his mostly finished plate, taking it to the sink while snagging the last bit of meat on it with his fingers. Chewing, he rinses his dishes off and slips them into the dishwasher.

"If you're still cold, I can go run you a bath. " he offers, trying hisnhands off before coming back to the table for his drink, sipping it. He stares down at her, smiling warmly, happily at her. Now he just couldn't wait to take her.

When he comes back to the table she is already standing up, his drink in her hand. There is a bit of mischief to her look, though she does hand him his glass. “Orrrr...you could cuddle me warmer.”

She looks up at him, giving another peck to him on the cheek as she stands on her top toes. One hand now free, she grabs his and takes a few steps towards the hallway.

The ambiance was not unnoticed and it was well received. Partway to the door, she pulls him closer to her.

Leon grins as she steals another kiss from him, though this time he was just too slow turning his face for her, a low growl and chuckle eacaping him as she takes him by the hand and leads him. The rest of the dishes were forgotten as he watches her, his mind filling of nothing but her.

"Where we're going," he begins, his eyes sinking low on her form, those torn skinny jeans looking so good on her, the mischief in her mind seeping into his, infectious, "It's not cuddling that's going to warm you up."

He tugs his hand free of hers long enough to give her a hard swat on her retreating ass. His glass is lifted, drained, clunked down hard on the counter. He was grinning ferally, another soft growl of hunger and ferocity uttered, giving her a dramatic few moments head start to run before he'd chase her alluring form up the stairs...