The morning after

[noteasytobepink]

Clarice was a heavy sleeper, when she wasn't having nightmares. It came of never knowing when she'd get a good night's sleep again. Still, she was not a still sleeper. That meant she rolled and twisted some in the night; her frozen peas slipping down between herself and Bill some time around three in the morining.

And well, she shifted where her head was resting too. Next to his on the pillow, his shoulde,r his chest. It was probably past dawn when she settled with her head on his belly, still asleep.

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[noteasytobepink]

"Well, it's part of my evil plan," she noted cheerfully. "Lull you into a false sense of security, and just when you think you're safe and want to maybe fall asleep again..." she switched from fingertips to gentle nails along his skin, teasing.

"The big decision being whether I want to get your shirt of you yet." She was, naturally, arching her back under his hand a bit, like a cat who wasn't quite they wanted to moved but couldn't help but enjoy the petting...

[no_andy_taylor]

His skin prickled beneath her nails, and a tingle raced along his spine. His chuckle was part appreciative murmur, and he smiled at her.

"That'll teach me t'let my guard down."

Noting her reaction, he kept up with his hands, letting his fingers curl slightly to add a bit more pressure from his fingertips.

"Hm, an' what's that big decision hinge on?"

Because he was perfectly willing to comply if that's what she wanted.

[noteasytobepink]

"Yes, you should know better than to let wily people like me into your bed. You'll never get rid of me now." Smirrrrrk.

Hmmm, what did her decision hinge on? What indeed?

She'd...have to try to think through the fact of being petted! Cursed man using her own tricks against her!

"...being willing to sit up enough to let it come off easily?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"How sad for me," he drawled, smirking right back at her.

"Y'know it would only take a second," he said about the shirt. "Of course, you'd have t'convince me the half situp I'd have to do would be worth it."

Such a lazy pair were they.

[noteasytobepink]

Such a lazy, hungover pair they were! "Hmmm, what to offer, what to offer..." real shame he didn't want to do it just because she liked his chest huh?

"How about...show me yours I'll show you mine?"

[no_andy_taylor]

She had a knack for surprising him, and she did it again, causing him to give a quick laugh.

Yeah, he totally wasn't expecting that offer.

"How 'bout, I'll go ahead an' do mine, without leavin' you obligated to do anything, 'less you wanted to?"

Not that he'd mind seeing hers, of course, but he wasn't going to rush anything she wasn't really ready for.

If she wanted to, though...

[noteasytobepink]

Him rushing her? She was the one who kissed him and ended up in his bed within one night!

Granted, the alcohol helped...

"Tell you what. I'll get up and go brush my teeth properly so you can take your shirt off then we'll see where we go from there? Unless you wnat help with the shirt..."

[no_andy_taylor]

He was starting to realize there probably wasn't much he could do that would be rushing her, this was just her speed, and he was okay with that. It beat the hell out of twenty years of pining that ended in rejection.

Trying to be more bold, he nodded.

"I'll come with you, get my own brushed. Then you can help me out." And him her, if that's what happened.

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, if we're both migrating to the bathroom we may as well get the bath in early huh?" Soak the bruises, so on and so forth.

Yep. Totally harmless intentions there!

[no_andy_taylor]

"Wu-- "

He jawed a moment without finishing any words, trying to make a reply.

A part of him wished he was still drunk, so he wouldn't be over-thinking this thing so much.

At least this way, though, they were both of sound mind making these decisions.

"We could do that." He nodded, and even managed to keep the nervous tremor out of his voice.

[noteasytobepink]

She chuckled warmly when he cut himself off like that, after all, she ha dwondered how much of his courage was drink. "You did agree last night but if you're uncomfortable now..." she offered easily.

It wouldn't hurt her feelings any really.

And maybe she was rushing things.

"But if you're up for it I am."

[no_andy_taylor]

Yeah, that liquid courage went a long way until it was all gone.

His hand settled on her lower back, fingers toying with the hem of her shirt, as he thought it over.

He wanted to, of course, because, well, yeah, but was it too fast?

'20 years' popped into his mind again, and he made his decision. If she was ready he wasn't going to screw around and miss his chance.

Putting on his own warm and easy smile, he nodded.

"Let's go, then."

[noteasytobepink]

She was very much a 'You know, have fun while you can' kind of girl. Tomorrow she might slide out of this reality, or there might come a giant space monster to eat the earth again.

Have fun now. Not twenty years from now.

"Yep, moving." Totally moving.

Slwoly.

In that achey, groany kind of way!

[no_andy_taylor]

He was starting to take it for granted that she would be there, so here was hoping reality and space monsters behaved awhile longer.

He unwound his arms from around her, and helped her as best he could to get up without hurting her.

Getting up in the same groany manner, his back popped and he grunted.

"So... I only remember some bits an' pieces of that fight, but did I really get pitched through the air?"

[noteasytobepink]

"I think so? I may have seen that," she admitted after she stretched up onto her toes until her back popped as well. It made her yip too, a short, sharp sound.

"I was on the bar until I saw you, so..." Yeah. It had been a little wild.

"Caught a chair in the ribs after that I think."

[no_andy_taylor]

"Ouch. Next time we'll have t'plan for a quieter date, like bull ridin' or somethin'."

It would probably be safer.

[noteasytobepink]

"Awww, but where's the fun in that?"she drawled, leaning on him on the way to the bathroom. "Besides, we made the money we needed so no compaints really!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"I ain't complainin'. My body is, but I had a good time."

Stepping into the bathroom, he hesitated a moment before nodding towards the sink.

"You uh, wanna get the water started an' I'll get my teeth brushed?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, I am more worried about you than your body. Only slightly though." She smiled softly at him and gave him a gently hug before slipping over to the edge of the tub.

Easy to get the water running right?

So easy in fact that she ended up leaning on the edge of the tub and watching him!

[no_andy_taylor]

He could feel her eyes on him, and a glance at the mirror showed her there.

Not letting his nerves get up again, he gave her a smile and offered, "Wanna borrow my toothbrush?"

Which, with a mouth full of toothpaste sounded like, "'Anna 'orrow I 'oof'rush?"

Since she was just standing there and all!

[noteasytobepink]

"I do have my own," sh enoted with a chuckle. "When I can stand at the sink without getting your way I'll brush, I promise! You're just nice to watch!" He was attractive, ergo, easy on the eyes!

[no_andy_taylor]

That raised a chuckle, and an amused head shake, and then he set about finishing up.

Wiping his mouth on a towel, he smiled at her.

"Nice t'watch, even when I look rabid?"

[noteasytobepink]

"Babe...my standard for 'rabid' is Mr. Creed and it'd take more than the actual disease to match up to him I"m afraid!" She giggled and stood up with another groan so she could get her teeth brushed. He didn't mind her slipping an arm around his waist and leaning right?

"You're the kind of good looking that just makes me smile when I see you Bill."

[no_andy_taylor]

He didn't mind at all. Nor did he mind the ego stroke from her comment.

Squeezing her hip, he leans in to press a kiss to her temple, which might put him in the way of her toothbrushing, but oh well.

"Y'ain't so bad lookin' yourself, you know."

She's caught him staring more than a couple times, so she probably knows.

[noteasytobepink]

Eh, she was an honest girl! She just tended to say what was on her mind which in his case resulted in observations of his appeal! No intentional ego stroking, honest! That could spoil him!

...

...okay, maybe a little intentional.

And she paused in brushing to lean into his kiss then leaned away enough to finish brushing without elbowing him! Priorities, priorities..."Pink grew on you?" she quipped with a grin, after rinsing. She was less skilled at talking around a toothbrush than he was! "Glad to hear I'm not so bad, your world could have standards I didn't know about and I'd hate for you to 'settle' for the alien."