2021-09-30 - Road Trip, with an Interlude.

'Leave right now' had had one caveat, in the beater had to be parked back at Rekani's place, though that had been a quick enough errand. It had also netted two mysterious rolls of cash stowed in the center console, about a thousand in nonsequiental Jacksons. Questions about that could be cleared up when they got back, Rekani had figured. Nova had been sent a quick text to 'Dump the trash', and telling her they'd be gone and promising an explaination when they got back. Then they had hit the road.

Rekani was loathe not to be touching Kip in some way for most of the drive, and the rental was an automatic, so his right was generally occupied holding her hand or rested on her thigh. He'd meant it when he said clothes on their backs. He'd stopped for nothing. He didn't even bring juice for the vape. It was weighing on his mind, a week without weed, but he didn't mention it to Kip. Rekani was Rekani for the ride. He talked about music, things he was working on, places he'd been, cars he'd been working on, or seen at shows. It may be a sore subject, but he seemed hopeful about a new project car, or at least was putting on a strong face.

And he talked about his Tio. His uncle had been a big part of what had made him the man he was. He was a second dad. Rekani loved his actual dad, but Tio was the cool one. He was caring, even if a stern face. He was smart, even though he was humble. He was mechanically a genius, even though he just built and restored cars. And he had encouraged Rekani to enjoy music. He had loved the man, and talking about him gave Rekani that same glassy look a few times, but always in a happy light. His stories celebrated the man’s life, and didn’t wonder what he’d do without him.

They stopped for gas a few times. The rental was pretty efficient, but it was a long trip. He always enjoyed driving, and was usually reluctant to give Kip a turn, but would be convinced after it had gotten well into night. Seventeen hours was a long time, and likely he'd call it probably a good stop around fifteen. He could see a Motel 6 not far off the path, Beatty, Nevada. A sign proclaimed it one of the entrances to Death Valley. He jokes maybe he could even try approaching how cool Kip was by camping outside Prypyat.

Kip didn't question the mysterious money and didn't try to suggest any extra stops in town before leaving. She did text Ari and her landlord but otherwise there was nothing else keeping her. It was going to be a long drive but the drive trip would be worth it. She was sure of it. She was also more than happy to let Rekani do a majority of the talking. Kip always felt like he had far more interesting stories to tell than she did. More interesting experiences. Even if some things (like the finer points of cars) flew right over her head, she was still interested.

She would share her own stories too, some leads she'd been looking into about local ghosts. (Mis)adventures at different haunted places in Russia and other parts of Europe. Some Consulting she'd done for other teams. She even admitted that she'd questioned his Tio extensively about non-mechanical aspects of cars that he thought Rekani might like. She'd been planning to get something for him related to his car but she hadn't known what. The fact that his car is now gone gets glossed over, ignored. It's not important right now.

She asks him about Vegas, about what things they should see. Can they see a burlesque show? Maybe a magic show? It's a fact that Kip doesn't like driving but she would rather drive than Rekani be falling asleep at the wheel. Plus, she'd been able to get tons of cat naps in throughout the drive. The rental was currently littered with snack bags, some drink bottles. When the Motel 6 is spotted, Kip is more than happy to call it here. Get a good night's sleep, get into Vegas the next day and settle in there. Figure out what they wanted to do while they were there.

Getting the room was easy enough and Kip was extra glad to just be standing. Her arm is linked with Rekani's as the door is opened. The room isn't anything spectacular, but it's fair for the price. The bed is big and looks comfortable. There's a dresser with a TV on top of it and a peek in the bathroom with a test of the water pressure reveals that it's adequate enough. She turns to Rekani and gives him a grin. "I am feeling better already zaichik, being away from that place."

Rekani had asked about a few things at the front desk, and had come away with just a pile of extra towels, which he dumps on the top of the dresser as he takes a quick look around himself. He’s quiet for a long moment as he seems to be thinking about things. He wasn’t high, and clear thought meant a quieter Rekani, less open random threads of conversation, more inner monologue, maybe, for a rare moment in his life: Doubt.

But he swings his eyes to Kip as she speaks, and its like she can see her words salve it a little. He moves to her and wraps makes a noise, bending slightly and wrapping his arms around her just under the rear, lofting her small frame and grinning up at her.

“Yeah, I am too, mami.” He stares up at her, and there’s a beat. He appends. “Mi alma.”

Had Kip ever seen Rekani truly sober? Looking at him now, she honestly couldn't be sure. A vague bit of memory flitters across her mind. A feeling of uncertainty. Standing in the bathroom and staring at something. Her expression in the mirror was almost similar to the one on Rekani's face now. But when he comes over and lifts her up, she dismisses it. Something to think up. Her arms loop around his neck and there's a soft laugh when he lifts her up.

"A rare moment where I am taller than you." She teases gently, placing a kiss on his forehead. Mi alma. "What does that one mean?" She nuzzles up into him, just enjoying the closeness. The weariness from a long car ride was starting to sink in. She could probably fall asleep right now if she laid down. But she didn't want to sleep just yet, feeling a little grimy.

"Let's take a shower. I'll bet we will feel even better."

“Mi alma? Ah...” There’s always a slight pause when one translates, double checking if the literal meaning was what they wanted or what the best way to say it was. But Rekani grins, still holding onto her long enough to nuzzle back, his voice quiet, meaningful. “My soul.”

He nods to her suggestion and lets her down again. Again, slight hesitation to continuing, his hands still on her waist. They had been through a lot today, catching up on twelve weeks. It was like he was questioning if he even still had the right. This thumbs move first, slipping under the hem of her shirt, but still on her jeans at the waistband, looking her in the eyes, as if asking permission.

He can feel Kip smile against his skin at the translation. "Moya dusha. " She murmured before he let her down. He can probably assume that's a Russian translation or similar to it. She studies him once she's on her feet again, her arms sliding from around his neck to instead rest atop the hands on her waist. It had been a long day, A day she wished hadn't even happened. But this trip was about trying to get back on even footing. Maybe trying to remember what had happened.

She gives him a crooked little smile and squeezes his hands as if to tell him it's okay. Then her own hands reach out to carefully slip just up under this shirt as well. There wasn't any kind of rushing or urgency. Just trying to get reacquainted. She has an inkling of missing this. Of being without him and it's not a feeling she wants to take be taking up space in her head.

They had been a real couple for an entire year, and had been lovers before that even. They enjoyed each other, at least Rekani thought, but it’s possible in that time, things maybe sometimes went too fast, speed to the act. This was different. He felt different. He felt like at any moment he could mess it up and this intimacy with Kip was a porcelain doll that would crack as soon as his hands were on her. But also that came with the excitement of riding what an emotional roller coaster that they had, of this feeling of it being so long without her, even though his mind still whispers about sleeping next to her just the night before.

Slowly, his hands draw upward, lifting the shirt from her body, where he’d toss it onto the dresser, his eyes nowhere but on her. He’d lift his arms as well, though would likely pull one out a little sooner as their height mismatch would make it a little awkward to reach high enough, and he’d make a slight awkward chuckle.

Fast wasn't always a bad thing, right? They'd had a physical connection but even before that, they had started to establish a friendship. When things just seemed to slide so well in to place, what was the point in taking it slow? Well, maybe the point was that you were supposed to take more time to really get to know the person, make sure that you were compatible for the long term. Maybe that had been one of the causes of their apparent blow up. Kip didn't care right now. They had time right? They could fix things. They would get past this.

Kip's shirt is tossed aside and she lifts his as much as she can before she'll let Rekani take over. A little grin playing on her lips, a familiar look of mischief in her eyes as her now free hands start to run idly over his torso. Appreciating the work that he was putting in at the gym. "You are reminding me of our first time together. All we're missing in the tequila." She moved a little closer to him, hands making their way back down towards his pants.

The thought, the reminder has Rekani’s grin spreading with warmth as well. He was reaching to undo Kip’s jeans in return, staring downward, maybe to hide what was slight embarrassment. It was so much more earnest now, without the normal weed fog. He was deliberate the way he did things.

“Fuck, man, tequila made it so much easier.” He says with self-deprecating mirth in his voice, “‘Cause I was so in my head like, ‘She’s new in town, just wants a friend.’” He says this, but as he gets the button open and zipper down, his hands move, fingers slipping into the sides of the denim while his thumbs trace down the line where leg met abdomen. He was intent on it.

“And at the same time, I hardly wanted to take my eyes off you...”

"It did, didn't it?" Kip chuckled, carefully undoing the button on his jeans. One hand moved up to caress against his cheek again when he started on her own pants. The thought crossed her mind that he was fairly adorable right now. His demeanor, his motions. She brushed a kiss to his jaw before returning to her work. "If I'm honest, I set my sights on you the first night we met. At Firefly. You were funny and cute and I had a feeling you would be a lot of fun to hang out with."

She makes a soft, happy sort of sound as she feels his fingers slipping lower against her hip. Making no moves to stop him. She finished unzipping his jeans and started to push them down. "I didn't want to rush it because I wanted us to be friends but...dobrota, everything about you just drove me the good kind of crazy." Grinning up at him again.

Even with working out, Rekani was still much more in the middle than he was other places, but the weight of fat had transitioned to the weight of muscle. He still had a bit of a dad-bod, but there was definition in his limbs as well. The jeans, once she pushes them past his thighs, move easily, and he’s able to move a leg and step out of them. He chuckles.

“And you were there, lookin like this babe outta the 90’s with a hoodie around your waist, and that accent.” His head tips back as if miming ecstasy. “I’m in full like music critic mode, and all of a sudden there’s this fuckin’ exotic hottie talking to me.”

For her, he leans, his hands not leaving her skin as he continues down her legs. His face leans in and places a soft kiss on one side of her tummy as he goes to a knee and slips jeans and socks off one of her feet, then reaches for the other.

His miming gets a giggle out of her. "You were so upset with that DJ." Kip recalls. "And it was Valentines Day, of all days." She closes her eyes as he continues downward. Hand slipping up into his hair when Rekani gets down on one knee. Legs moving as needed to help him dress her down.

"The first of many crash courses in music." And an exchange of numbers which of course led to just one of the first of many late night texts and trips to that little taco truck in Seattle. "You are still my favorite person in Gray Harbor. In the whole world even." Eyes opening and a little grin still on her lips. "I was feeling really, really down when I first got there and you were like this wonderful ball of positive energy that just crashed into me."

“Was it Valentine’s Day?” Rekani chuckles, letting his eyes slide all the way up her body to meet her eyes, then shaking his head, “Almost seems like it was meant to be that way, then, huh?” Still on his knees, he lets his arms go around her, keeping her close, though that meant his face was pretty much level with her chest, his arms around her hips.

“Look, there’s some music I woulda never listened too without you.” He adds with a grin, “And you were so... like...” he takes in a breath, lets it out, “You’re not like anyone I ever met. Smart, curious, brave as fuck. You remember those dance dreams? I never seen you flinch.”

Those arms around her move, hands laying flat on the small of her back and stroking upward as he turns his attention downward. He places a kiss right above her navel. A hand moves in to unhook her bra.

"It definitely was. I remember because I had forgotten it was until you reminded me somehow." Kip looped her other arm around his neck again, relaxing into him. "I am not typically one to believe in love at first sight or things like that but I do have to agree with you there. The way things fell into place for us...it does seem meant to me." Placing another kiss or two atop his head.

"I was more fascinated than scared." Kip admitted. "Worried towards the end there perhaps but...I put on a brave face." A little shiver runs up her spine, recalling a few of the scarier Dreams and Veil incidents she had. "Those spiders...and that one Dream where I almost went deaf? I was terrified." She murmured. "I thought I might never see you again. I thought I was dying."

"But you rescued me and you were there for me. Both times." Kip straightened up just a little so he could remove her bra easier. "And that...yes. That's when I knew for a fact not just that I really did love you but that you loved me too." The hand in his hand moved to rest over his heart with that. "You're one of the biggest hearted people I've ever met, Rekani."

Her bra is pulled away, tossed for the dresser with the other things he had slipped off her, and those his eyes trail over her skin he revealed with appreciation, he still ends up looking up at her, into her eyes.

“I was terrified of losing you too. Both times. We weren’t even dating yet the first time.” He says, and she can see the memory of the concern in his face, “You told me what you did, and I knew how you just...” he tries to find the words, eyes dropping for a moment. Sure, he was a charismatic guy, but he smoked a fair bit of weed, and honestly was still a bit young sometimes. But he tried. He looks back up.

“You say you’re gonna do a thing, and you do that thing. No fear. No doubt. And then you were just gone... and... for some reason I didn’t trust that fearlessness.” He looks guilty about it, which seems strange, even though he’d saved her life, until he goes on, “And that’s when I knew I loved you. And beat around the bush for fucking months after that.”

Kip cups his face then as he speaks, her thumb running lightly against his cheek, listening to him. "You want to know my secret to fearlessness?" She asked with a little smile. "I'm always just a little bit fearful. But I think about all the possible things that can go wrong, and I think about ways to counteract them...it doesn't always work but it does help." She thinks a moment more. "And you're still young, zaichik. I've had several more years to just...live I guess. I've been in more scary situations, typically self-devised.

"But there's nothing wrong with having doubts. And it's a good thing you did have them." Because otherwise? She probably wouldn't be standing here with him now. Kip can't help but laugh again. "We were such chickens. But you did put together a beautiful birthday weekend for me." She leans in and presses a kiss to his lips, soft but full of feeling.

When she pulled away there was a slightly serious expression. "And my love for you hasn't changed. Even with this craziness going on. You are the only one I want."

“Goddamn, but those fuggin’ questions?” Rekani laughs at himself self-deprecatingly, shaking his head as she reminds him about the birthday, “I couldn’t even do the earnest part right when I knew, knew, how much I was in love with you.” He’s of course silenced by her lips. Rekani is soft into that kiss as well, savoring the taste of Kip, eyes shut until she breaks it and meeting her gaze again. It was only natural what his next words would be.

“I love you, too.” Then he’d lean his face up again, hands on her hips pulling her forward to bring her in for it, wanting another kiss. His thumbs slide up the front of her hips, then down and slightly inward, following the lines of those soft valleys as he lowers her panties, then gently slips them down and off her.

"Those questions were wild." Kip agreed with a giggle and a grin. "But I loved them too. They were different, made you think. You did everything right in my book." She happily accepts that next kiss as he pulls her forward. Letting it linger even as her feet shift to step out of the panties. Her tongue teases against his bottom lip and she makes a muffled, but happy sounding sigh into their locked lips.

Finally, Kip started to pull from the kiss some to draw in a breath, though she stayed close. Resting her forehead against his again and closing her eyes. This was good. This was right. "We're not going to make it to the shower at this rate." Teasing gently, though also making no moves to move unless he did.

Rekani lets his hands slide back up the backs of Kip’s legs as the kiss is enjoyed slowly, sensually. He makes his own sound of enjoyment from her use of teeth as his curled fingers run from calf to thigh, to rear, to hips, taking hold of her waist as he finally levers himself up to standing again.

“Yes we are.“ he says in a low voice, the words full of gentle intent, slightly husky, “We’re washing that town off of us before I make love to you again.” He leans in for another kiss, just as slow and meaningful, then whispering after that one. “So it’s more’a question of if we make it from the shower to the bed.”

A little shiver of excitement ran through Kip as Rekani's whispered words, another soft giggle escaping. "Let's find out." Slipping her hand into his and leaned him towards the bathroom.

The answer was ultimately no. They didn't make it from the shower to the bed before things started to heat up and there were certainly no complaints from Kip about it. That heat followed from the shower to the bed as an already late night drew later. Making up for time that had been lost between them. In some way, the sensation started to bleed together now that they were farther from Gray Harbor. Had she fallen asleep next to him the night before? Maybe she'd just been dreaming. Something about being with him now felt more intense, like there really had been almost 3 months without him in her life. Without his touch. The actually memories were still foggy but Kip was okay with that too.

It was the sound of a loud truck rolling through the parking lot that finally stirred Kip awake with a reluctant groan, sun growing higher in the sky. She was curled up to Rekani, hair all a mess as she started to try and push some out of her face. Something is mumbled in Russian, likely nothing too nice, directed at the truck that had woken her. But on the other hand? Even in this half asleep state she felt better. Rested. Satisfied. Safe. She exhaled slowly, opening her eyes and smiling as she shifted just to watch the Latino man for a few longer moments.

Shifting in the bed woke him, though he doesn’t betray it at first. Certain things had made sleep easier. They had both had an exhausting day, and what happened before sleep felt so... needed. Like it completed him.

But Rekani had his demons, and had left his sword for fending them off at home. He’d woken once to a nightmare, and had thankfully not woken Kip with it. He had made sure she was cuddled warm in the bed before he had gotten out of it and ,quietly as he could have, slipped out of the room. He’d used two towels to make himself a skirt of sorts and took their clothes to the laundry. He’d played on his phone, bummed a cigarette from the front desk guy, and waited. A short time later, he’d slipped back in and then slid into the bed again with Kip, wrapping her up in his arms where he’d fallen asleep again until morning.

It was some sleep, and he was young, so he’d recover. Without opening his eyes, his hands reach out and take hold of Kip, pulling her back into him with a low rumble in his throat, a sleepy animal catching its prey in big meaty arms.

Kip chuckled softly as Rekani pulled her back in. She snuggled up, laying one arm over his middle and nuzzled against his neck. "Good morning, zaichik." She murmured softly. Content to stay cozied up to him for now even if she wasn't likely to fall back asleep.

"What is our plan for today?" It's a casual question more than insistent on knowing. She isn't in any rush to get back to Gray Harbor after all. Though it does occur to her in that moment that she didn't reach out to the theater. Maybe she'll do that once they're back on the road. Her hand idly roams along his torso and side, making little random patterns against his skin.

Rekani’s hand wrapped atop Kip has the privilege of slowly drawing a finger up and down her spine, while the other one just takes a nice handful of rear end to make sure the coziness stayed just that. A sound deep in his throat groans out as he rouses his mind more to waking. He still doesn’t open his eyes, and angles his head to tuck his chin atop her hair.

“Mmm-snowballin’...” he says, then yawns and tucks his face nearer her hair again, taking a deep breath inward of her scent before moving on, “Last couple hours driving. Find a casino. Craps or roulette... ’Get Lucky’.”

Kip could feel herself starting to doze ever so slightly. Just wrapped up in that comfortable blanket that was him. "Hmm...good plan." She gave his side a little squeeze. "We'll clean house. Responsibly." There's a laugh here, giving his neck a little nip and kiss. She lingered next to him for several more minutes, enjoying him and the bed before she finally began to stir more. "I want to find breakfast. And I want to stay in one of those hotels at the tippy top floor...." She grinned a little. "At least for a night. That's my goal. Money for that and then everything else is, ah, gravy? Is that the term?"

"Trick is not getting picked up." Rekani murmurs after a certain delay, maybe having dozed in and out himself. He chuckles with a dopey grin when she tries to use the phrase haltingly, but does actually get it right, "Nailed it." Another deep yawn where his chest swelled and his arms squeezed her, and then he was slowly releasing, rolling back slightly, pulling his top arm off her. He finally blinks his eyes open.

"We uh..." He groans as he stretches his body. "We basically just gotta look legit. Go in, lose some money, make a crazy ass bet, win, lose just a little, leave while we're up. Move on." Rekani was sounding shockingly savvy about this sort of thing, maybe having run a scam or two with his sister to get by in the past. He turns his head to look at Kip, and it was like his face just spread with warmth. The sight of her made his heart still, content. Whatever dreams he had were worth trudging through to wake up next to her. "By the time we get down the line, the amount of money we be droppin' we get shit comped to us."

Kip listens to Rekani's run down as she slowly pushes herself up into a sitting position and stretches herself. Giving him a little grin. "You sound like an expert." Teasing him, but any sort of working knowledge of how they were actually going to pull it off was useful. She ran her fingers through his hair when he turned to look at her. "This is going to make everything better." So long as they didn't get cause. They didn't have Nova here to cause any mind fuckery and dissuade people. "We can start with a shined slate." Clean slate.

Kip leans in to give him a kiss before finally pulling herself from the bed and walking over to their clothes, looking surprised. "Oh, did you wash these?" Picking her clothes up and inhaling the fresh-washed scent. Though she did peek back over at Rekani. "Did you sleep okay?" Starting to get dressed. "Hm. Maybe I will get a t-shirt or something? It's hot there." And she's got long sleeves. Albeit it's a light and breathable material instead of a sweater.

“Nova and me did Atlantic City and Monte Carlo. They were good strip club locations, but also nice cash bump before we skipped town.” Rekani reveals. He grins up at her from beneath the veil of her unbound hair as she kisses him, then moves to sit up himself, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He shrugs about the clothes, tries not to look guilty, or sound dishonest when he says, “I always sleep good when you’re there. And yeah, told you I wanted the town off’a us. Plus ya been in a car for 15 hours, I know that gets stanky as hell. Life experience.”

He finally levers himself up, stretches, then moves toward the dresser to start pulling clothes on himself. There’s a sly sideways look at Kip, both for her body as she was dressing, and for the remark.

“I mean... You can have one for a souvenir, but I’ma treat you like my arm candy all week. After stop one, we gon’ get you somethin’ light and slinky...“

Kip eyes him for a beat, but she doesn't push the subject. She just makes a mental note to try and keep an eye on him if possible when they're winding down for bed and the like over the next several days. "I did feel like I have slept better than I had in a while." Kip offers. "Like I had been missing you next to me." A grin here. "I am glad not to worry about that anymore though."

She gives him a playful little nudge after she finishes getting dressed. "I can live with that. I will be excellent arm candy." As if to demonstrate, she briefly links her arm with his and snuggles in close. "And they will be none the wiser." Then she releases him so he can finish getting dressed. She pokes around on her phone to map out the rest of their drive and destination. Turning her phone to point out some things to him. "Maybe we can stop to eat here and then, I don't know much about casinos, but one of these here might be good ones to start at."

Cue exaggerated eyebrow waggling, and a excited noise in his throat as she snuggles up to him. He includes a playful swat to her backside before he finishes tugging his clothes on, yawning a time or two more. “Yeah, breakfast totes, but let me tell you.” He wags a finger as he reaches to grab the keys and his phone, leading the way toward the door, intending to check them out then get on the road.

“Casino buffets? The. Literal. Tits.” He proceeds to start rubbing his hands together, around, all over, the most kid-in-a-candy-store, evil-genius-plotting motion one could imagine someone to make. “Save room. Lunch one, I’m going to go fucking HAM!”