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.

Comments

[no_andy_taylor]

"You want me t'go runnin' at the crack of dawn to see bunnies?"

He eyed her, and that look, and realized this was even more sinister than he thought.

"Hey, now, I'm not goin' out there if you're just gonna eat them!" The poor little things.

Arching his back against the chair in a lazy stretch, he nodded.

"Good. Because I wouldn't want t'cancel those plans." He rather liked their plans.

[noteasytobepink]

"I haven't eaten any bunnies yet now have I?" she snorted. "But bunnies, once they get a little older, are a good test to see if I've managed to stay in shape. Plus they are good eating when you can hunt them properly." So there! She was a hunter and she ate meat just as cheerfully as she did bread and vegetables! If he couldn't deal with that...

And she could help but tease her fingers over his belly as he stretched, grinning. He was fun to watch. And fun to touch. And generally fun all around. "Good, because if you insisted I could lay off..."

[no_andy_taylor]

"No, but you got a hungry look like you wanna," he replied. "An' I know rabbit don't taste bad, but I'd still rather pay the three bucks for a burger than knock off a cute little bunny."

He might be teasing a bit, and just because she wouldn't get him out there hunting, didn't mean he really had any problem with her doing it. As long as he didn't have to see the bunny in its cute state before it was fried up.

Flinching at her touch, he put a hand over his belly protectively and laughed.

"Hey."

Giving her a grin, he shook his head.

"Ain't suggestin' that at all." Let alone insisting.

[noteasytobepink]

"Well, stuff you catch with your hands always tastes better!" she admitted without a hint of remorse. "Besides, too many bunnies in the worlds leads to bad things!" Really it did!

"Cute is for when you're not hungry. And rabbit fur makes a nice lining for boots in winter." She would totally tan a fur and add a layer of warmth to his heavy boots just you wait and see!

She trailed her fingers lazily over that protective hand and grinned. "What are you suggesting then sheriff?" she drawled.

[no_andy_taylor]

Bill made a face, showing clearly they had a disagreement there.

"My steak tastes just fine when I let the butcher do the dirty work."

He might agree with her on the too many bunnies thing, though.

"Rabbits do get up in numbers pretty quick, though."

Watching her fingers, he smirked.

"Hm, I think maybe that's up t'you." He did kind of owe her now.

[noteasytobepink]

"Obviously you've never chased down a bunny." It tasted wonderful after a foot chase so there! And if he didn't want bunny lined boots he best speak up now?

"Awww, everything has been mostly up to me..." she mock-pouted up at him. "I'm taking shameless advantage of you lover."

[no_andy_taylor]

"I've been rabbit huntin'." He never ran one down, though, so maybe that. Was the difference?

And in truth, he would appreciate the bits for those long winter days and nights when the Job had him working outside in the elements.

"Takin' advantage? I think you've been treatin' me pretty well." Which is why he'd made the offer. He wanted to know what she wanted.

"If the decision is comin' t'me, though, I'm votin' for that nap." Naked nap, and maybe they could get up to things in a bed, instead of every where else in the house.

[noteasytobepink]

"On foot? With just your hands?" she offered cheerfully. "Bet you'd love it. And you can always let them go after you catch them." If he was still suckered by the cute.

Yes, rabbit lined boots. Maybe gloves.

"Completely taking advantage of your easy going nature," she laughed and and nipped his knee. "Hmmm, nap sounds good though. It involves moving though doesn't it?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Do I look like a fox?" Who ran down rabbits on foot? He eyed hertrying to decide if she really could.

Yeah, she actually probably could.

"If movin' is that hard I could carry you," he offered and grinned at her.

[noteasytobepink]

"Yep, totally a fox," she deadpanned. What? He was hot. He should have seen that one coming!

"Ohhh, you'd carry me to bed?" She grinned and held her arms up to him despite the fact that he hadn't stood up yet. "I'd love that."

[no_andy_taylor]

He gave her a look that was both amused and embarrassed, and left it at that.

"'Course I would." And to prove it, he bent over to take her arms, and pulled her up into his lap. What? It was halfway to standing, and then the carrying would come.

[noteasytobepink]

"So gallant," she murmured and gave him a kiss once she was sitting in his lap. "Could it be, lover, that you've got a touch of romanticism in you?"

[no_andy_taylor]

He smiled at the kiss, and shrugged a shoulder.

"I might have a few manners." Romantic just sounded silly, but she kind of already knew he was, didn't she?

[noteasytobepink]

"I like that in a lover," she noted with another kiss. "And a boyfriend. Manners, silliness, fun, we can use it all I'm sure." She kicked her feet a little and nipped his ear just because she could.

[no_andy_taylor]

That made him smile wider. He rather liked her calling him her boyfriend.

Ducking his head a bit at the nip, he leaned in and kissed her.

"Well, in that case, let me go ahead with the chivalry."

And with that, he put both arms under her, pulled her against his chest and stood up; heading for his bedroom.

[noteasytobepink]

Well, she wasn't going to just let him wander off and get a different girl now was she? She had to lay claim to him as her boyfriend!

The moment he stood up she grinned and draped her arms over his shoulders, all the better to play with his hair and continue stealing kisses. "What would you have done if I didn't say that then? Would I still get chivalry?"

And he was going to walk off and leave his towel forlorn and alone on the chair wasn't he? Poor towel.

[no_andy_taylor]

There was no worry of going off to find another, he was perfectly happy being claimed by her.

"You would've, I just would've called it somethin' different."

He stole his own kiss, and took them down the hallway.

The towel would just have to wait to be picked up like the dishes.

When he reached the bed, he pushed the rumpled blankets aside and laid her down.

[noteasytobepink]

Well, small town, she had to actually think about these claiming issues!

"Oh, not chivalry, but chivalry in disguise?" she chuckled and nibbled his ear before he shuffled blankets around. When she was set down she wiggled out of her own towel and tossed it aside, then scooted over to make room for Bill. "I could deal with chivalry in disguise I guess."

[no_andy_taylor]

With the towel gone he took a moment to admire her, before joining her.

"I just wanted t'be sure you weren't gonna laugh," he admitted, "You do like pokin' fun at me."

[noteasytobepink]

She stretched shamelessly under his gaze and trailed fingers over his hip, "I do, but all in fun. I like how you smile when you know I'm teasing."

[no_andy_taylor]

"Yeah, I know." He smiles, and hesitates, maybe having more to say but decides to let it go.

There's a naked woman in his bed, so he's going to go ahead and put his arm around her and pull her closer.

[noteasytobepink]

Ah, did you just cut yourself short there Bill? DID YOU?! She saw it. She did! "Hmmm, you were thinking something lover, saw it in your eyes." She snuggled against his chest and tugged the blankets up over them so he didn't have to be distracted from his thought!

[no_andy_taylor]

He trailed his palm down her arm to cover her hand curled in the blanket.

"Nah, it's nothin'," he replies quietly. "I was just gonna say, I know I sometimes let my small town show. Been others who've held that against me, so I don't mind the teasin' from you."

It's a much nicer reaction, especially because he knows she means it all in a good way.

[noteasytobepink]

Once she was done pulling up the blankets she turned her hand over to curl her fingers with his. "I think you're charming, small town and all. And I fully expect you to call me on the teasing if it gets mean." Because she knew a bad mood to make hr bitchy!

[no_andy_taylor]

He squeezed her fingers.

"You ain't been mean t'me once, even when you had the right to be." Like the several occasions he got himself falling down drunk.

"I ain't really afraid of you, y'know. I mean, I'm pretty sure you could kick my ass, but it don't seem like you'd hurt me." Which was a big change from the last woman he'd fallen for.