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 Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:06 pm
((Back Dated for IC purposes to 09/25/18 ))
Aria -
Seren hopped off the bus at her old stop, just a half a block from the apartment building, and stretched, smiling up at it as she began to make her way towards the front door. It had been a few days since she had move out, and this was the first time Nate had been free for an evening, so when he invited her over, she was one hundred percent on board with it. She had no idea what his plans were... He had mentioned food, but she did not know how he wanted to handle that.
She did not even know if he considered this a date, or something.
Still, she was excited to see him. She darted in the building, and used the elevator to go up... She'd done a long run today, and did not want to be sweaty or something when she got upstairs... And knocked on his door, a bright smile on her face, her eyes glittering happily behind her glasses. She'd put on some slim fit jeans that she thought flattered her, and a cute t-shirt, but otherwise had not gone out of her way.
Pao -
Nate had been out of the house, having left to pick up some food for the two of them. As much as he wanted to go out and do something fun with her, work left him exhausted and not ready to do anything more than spend a night in watching movies or something along those lines. So the least he felt he could do was provide the food; his house was only stocked with meal preps and snacks of the keto variety so he didn't have much of a choice but to go out.
He saw her step off of the bus on his way back, and he smiled that usual small smile as he followed her back to his apartment. He purposely waited for the next elevator, too, just to see if he could surprise her.
Once upstairs he watched her from the elevator entrance for a moment before approaching, and once he was close enough he curled around her and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before fully stepping around and revealing himself so she didn't think it was some random pervert.
"Hey, stranger," he greeted, smile bright. Remy's yipping could be heard from beyond the door in front of them, so he quickly turned, unlocked it, and opened it for her. "Come on in."
Aria -
She jumped in startelement when there was suddenly someone kissing her cheek, and close up to her back. She almost shrieked and darted away... But then he came into full view, and she settled down, a bright grin on her face now. "Nate! You scared the heck outta me!"
She calmed herself as she followed him inside, laughing to see the excitable little pup on the other side of the door. "How are you, though? It's been a busy few days, meeting my roommates and all. But I got my room all set up, other then the bookshelves and curtain idea." She leaned down to scoop up Remy and snuggle the wriggly ridiculous doggo.
"Has Remy missed me?" She wanted to ask if he missed her, but that made her nervous, worried if she was pushing for too much, too soon. "And where had you gone, that you were behind me when I got here?"
Pao -
He couldn't help but laugh at her reaction, something he hadn't done since the last time they saw each other. The last couple of shifts were taxing, to say the least, and it left him both physically and emotionally drained. There hadn't been much to laugh about, so this was a much needed reprieve. He closed the door behind them, a soft smile spreading on his face as he watched her handle his pup. Remy adored her, and very clearly missed her, as he was trying his hardest to give her as many kisses as he could manage.
Nate, meanwhile, went around and set the bag of food down at the dining table. "I'm alright. Same old, same old. And I went out for food. I didn't really have anything here that we could eat and pizza didn't sound too good. Hope you like Chinese."
He spent a bit of time emptying the boxes into bowls, just to make putting away leftovers easier, and then set the table for the two of them. "You sure you're okay with just staying in?" he asked eventually, gaze lifting to meet hers. "I mean, I've got Netflix and a game console, but I don't know if you're into that kinda thing. We could still go out after dinner, if you want?"
Aria -
She was giggling at all the kisses and moved closer to where Nate was, watching him as she gave many rubs to the doggy's belly and ears. "I can see he DID miss me, the silly boy." She kept her eyes on the man, though, because she was busy admiring him, as he moved about his kitchen. She couldn't not appreciate what a fine, fit man he was, and how very handsome he was, too. Part of her could not believe that this handsome man would find her attractive, but it seemed like he, apparently, did.
"Glad to hear you're alright, and of course. Chinese is fine. I do like it... Don't get to have it too often, but it is delicious. I'm guessing you know all the good stuff at your local place, by now?" A light tease about the fact that that he didn't really cook much." She settled Remy back on the floor, then went to wash her hands, before moving over to Nate's side.
"I am totally ok with staying in, Nate." She gave a soft smile up at his face. "I would rather a relaxed night watching movies or something, or playing games, though I've only ever played Mario Kart before... then exhausting you more than your job already does. We can do stuff out another time, when you've had a chance at more rest, yeah?"
Pao -
Yes, he did find her rather attractive, both in looks and personality. She was easy to be around, easy to talk to, had the right kind of motivations in life, and he could relate to a lot of what she talked about. Nothing she said ever felt superficial or insincere, and it wasn't easy to find someone like that, at least not for him. Never mind the fact that she loved his dog. She could cook, too, to top it all off. And he was sure there was still more to learn and to find attractive about her.
He huffed at the little tease but gave a shrug. "I know a few of the better places, yeah," he admitted. His cooking left a lot to be desired and he wasn't ashamed to admit it, so the teasing didn't bother him in the slightest.
The brunette smiled rather gratefully when Seren voiced her understanding of his work situation. There were others he'd met, others he'd dated, that hadn't been, and to find someone who was, was a nice change. A needed one, really. So he sighed and moved a bit closer before learning in for a little kiss. "Thanks," he said quietly before kissing her again. And once more for good measure before pulling back. "We can take a look at my schedule tonight and maybe plan something for sometime this month?"
Aria -
She giggled at the huff, and gave him an affectionate cheek caress to show him she meant it only in the most friendly of ways, then nodded. "It's nice, being able to know the good places locally, I guess?" It wasn't something she could exactly understand, since for her 'knowing the good places' were 'That Costco has the BEST selection, and this grocery store has great price to quality comparison on it's fresh produce.' and the like.
She had been about to sit down, but he leaned in and kissed. "Of course!" Was all she had time to say, before they were kissing again. Once he had broken the third kiss, she stepped back, just a little, so that they wouldn't be tempted to kiss all night... The food would be best while still hot, after all! "That sounds like an awesome plan. I'd love to do that. Maybe go on a hike somewhere? I might not be as good as you two, but you guys can show me how it's done?"
Pao -
And it really was the easiest temptation to fall into, so Nate didn't mind that she slipped away after the third kiss. He pulled her seat back for her with a smile before considering their options. A hike meant at least two, maybe three days off, which he could probably pull off if they scheduled it for near the end of the month. "Not much to show," he said as he took his own seat. "Mostly dress comfortably and bring a good pair of shoes. You'll pick it up quick, I don't doubt it." As far as he could tell she was a quick study at a lot of things he'd shown her so far.
He quickly filled his plate up with food before pouring some tea into her cup first, and then his own. "Well, there's maybe a little more to it than that. But we'd start off on a short and mostly flat trail anyway, and work our way up. I'll teach as we go." At that he took his first bite of food, chewing slowly at first before starting to eat with a little bit more gusto.
Aria -
She settled into the seat he pulled out, and gave him a bright smile of thanks, as she settled into it. She tilted her head, listening to his advice, and considering the options of what she owned that would work. "Well, good shoes are not too hard, I make sure to have those for running in... Do running shoes count?" Her tone went suddenly unsure, as she had no idea if running shoes would actually be ok. "If not, what would you suggest?" She might have to dip into her clothing savings, but it would be worth it, for the sake of going hiking with him.
She had no idea, the part about it taking a few days, though.
She began to fill her own plate, and murmured a thank you for the tea, as she listened some more. "That would be great. That really sounds amazing, getting out into nature, away from the city, and seeing the world as we don't normally get to do. I bet it's pretty awesome at night, out there, too. Lots of visible stars?" She asked, curiously.
Pao -
"Mm," he mused as he chewed and swallowed the bite he had in his mouth when she asked. He took a sip of tea next, then nodded. "Yeah, if we go on a trail far enough that we'd need to camp for a night. Which we could, if you want. The views can be really great."
He went back to his food and soon emptied his plate, refilling only about halfway with a bit more of the entrees. "Not sure if you'd want that though. Y'know, we just..." he let the sentence trail, hoping she understood. He didn't want to say the temptation to chug along with whatever they had now might be a bit too hard to resist if it was strictly the two of them under the moonlight.
Aria -
She grabbed a pair of the cheap chopsticks they included in meals like this, and used them to eat, her eyes calm as she listened to his words. The idea of camping with him had her cheeks turning pink a little at the thought. However, she did nod, because it sounded lovely. "Yeah... That sounds lovely, Nate. I've never gone camping, before, though."
She ate, as ever, slower then he did, though she smiled indulgently at the way he ate. And then she blushed again at his implications, biting her lip as she paused to consider the situation. "I... had thought about that, yes, being a concern." She brushed her hair back for a moment, considering her food as she tried to decide how to treat this. "Things are... pretty new... But maybe we should just... see how things..?" She sounded uncertain, though not in a nervous, just unsure how they should handle this.
Because she wanted whatever was happening to be built on a solid base, not something purely physical.
Pao -
He noted the flush of her cheeks with a knowing smile, glad that they were on the same page with what he was referring to. He continued to eat, only at a slower pace than earlier, and he kept his eyes mostly on her. "That sounds good to me," he said, holding his gaze level with hers. "No rushing, just...letting things play out naturally?" He'd rushed things before and those things never worked out, and he didn't want to make that mistake with Seren.
"So...is that a 'yes' to camping?" he asked slowly after another bite, his tone a bit uncertain as well. Hopefully he hadn't misunderstood her, but if he had it'd be good to clarify now rather than later. "For the thing we're planning next, I mean."
Aria -
"Yeah. Exactly." Seren kept her eyes focused on Nate's, so he could see the sincerity in them. "Let things grow naturally, and all." That was how they had gotten here, after all... No pressuring each other, nothing forced, just... getting to know each other, over time. It felt right, and far healthier than what she had experienced before.
She had learned things, later, that showed how unnatural what had happened then was,too.
"I... Yes. Yes, I think it is." She said, softly and a little shyly, but also showing that she trusted him completely in this situation. "Let's do it... Hiking and camping, my first time for each, all in one go. I like the idea of that." Her smile grew, and she looked a little excited now.
Pao -
He saw the sincerity in her eyes, the trust she was putting in this. In him. He nodded a bit, a soft smile soon settling on his face. "Alright then, hang on," he said, then quickly got up and disappeared into his room, reemerging soon after with a sheet of paper. He took a seat again and offered the sheet to her.
"Here, my schedule. Can still change if people get hurt or sick but other than that, that's what I've got. Pick a weekend? Something with at least 2 days off. I'll work the rest out."
Aria -
"Awesome." She continued to eat, slurping noodles up in the traditional fashion, while he was doing what he was doing. When he handed her the paper, she continued to eat with one hand, and used the other to take the paper, holding it carefully so as not to get any sauce or other food on it. After a minute or so of studying, she swallowed a mouthful, and set the paper down so he could see what she was pointing at.
"How about here?" She pointed at what was a three day weekend. "Gives you an extra day before, or after, to relax and not do anything, and gives us enough time to go hiking and camping. D'ya think that works?" She took another bite once she had finished talking, getting close to done with her plate.
Pao -
He worked through the remainder of his plate as she studied his schedule, and he set his plate aside once it was cleared off. He spent the rest of the brief pause in conversation sipping his tea and watching her, burning a picture of her in his mind so he didn't end up missing her as much as he did the past few days.
He looked over the weekend she pointed out and nodded his approval. "That works for me. I might be able to get away with four days off that weekend, but we'll see." He shot her a smile and set the paper aside before leaning back. "On a few other of my off days, if we're both free, maybe we can go look for some gear for you. Shoes, a pack, sleeping bag, that kinda thing."
Aria -
She grinned, pleased that he liked the weekend in question too, and took her last bite from her plate. She was considering whether she had room for seconds when he made his suggestion. Her eyes widened, and then she smiled, brightly. "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Do you know what kind of prices those things run? So I can budget properly, I mean."
She was not going to let anyone think she was going to try to mooch of anyone she dated, or... whatever they were doing. She insisted on people knowing that she was independent and able to care for herself. But she also liked the idea of him helping her find the stuff, because... Well, it meant spending more time with him, really.
Pao -
"Mm, a couple hundred if we find some good deals? Should be some sales going on somewhere, right?" he said in reply, thinking of a few stores they could go to off the top of his head. He enjoyed seeing enthusiasm about this kind of thing, and did notice that she made a point to say that she'd handle the expense herself. Which impressed him, and brought that small smile to his face.
"All done?" he asked, nodding at her plate. "We could talk on the couch. Uh, but if you don't mind, could you feed Remy while I do the dishes?" He stood up then, and started gathering his used dishes first. "Please?"
Aria -
"Ah. Good to know." Well, that would be easier to afford, now that her monthly rent had dropped a fair bit. She'd have to dip into savings a bit more than she thought, but... she could make this work. It wouldn't be too hard. None of that showed on her face, just a calm acceptance and acknowledgement of the amount he was implying. "Deals, of course, are always good."
She considered his question, snagged one more dumpling and ate it, then nodded. "Yeah, all done." She stood and carried her dishes over to the sink, to be polite, then blinked at him... Before chuckling. "Yeah, totally. It's not like I don't know how it's done."
She went over to where she had seen him grab supplies out when she had come over to pick up Remy, in the past, and got out the necessary, getting to work. As she leaned over to put the bowl down for the little guy, she found herself thinking how domestic this felt.
Pao -
He chuckled the whole way to the sink at the picture of her stuffing a dumpling in her mouth, then started on the dishes. "Thanks," he said simply, then did the dishes quickly but carefully. He had them dried and put back into the proper cabinets soon enough, and then he went and covered up the leftovers before getting them in the refrigerator.
"So, Netflix?" he asked as he headed for the couch. The words "and chill" quickly followed in his mind, but he cleared his throat and did his best to pay it no mind. "I think there's a few new shows on it, and movies, too. Might take a while to pick."
Aria -
"Of course." She moved over to the couch once Remy was all settled, and gently plopped down to wait for him, watching him over the back with soft eyes, filled with admiration of the man. Mmm mmm, he was a treat to watch. She wondered how soft his hair was, suddenly, and decided to find out, though maybe not tonight.
"Sure, Netflix works, I guess? I have no idea what's on it, to be honest. I've never splurged on an account." No TV, after all, and while she'd watch YouTube on her small laptop, she didn't watch many movies on there. "But nothing scary tonight, please? I don't want nightmares, or to be having that creeped out feel when I'm on the bus home." She wondered about the throat clearing, but didn't connect.
Pao -
He flopped beside her after he grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. It was a modest size, with good picture quality. There was a soundbar underneath it, and speakers on either side of the stand that it was on. If she had noticed, there were speakers on the stands on either sides of his couch, too. "Nothing scary, fine with me," he said as he made himself comfortable. "Mm, comedy? Rom-Com? Action? ...Thriller?"
He glanced over at her, an amused smile on his face. "Take your pick. I'm honestly okay with whatever." As long as she was there, he'd have a good time one way or the other. So he handed her the remote and waited patiently.
Aria -
She shifted, once he was on the couch, to get just a little closer, wanting that warmth and comfortable feel of being snuggled against him, but not wanting to push, either. She hadn't really noticed the speaker set up, honestly, because it wasn't the kind of thing that caught her attention. She still was kind of not up on all the tech toys, so she often just kind of shrugged them off, and took her experiences with them as they came. "Hmmmm..." She said softly.
She blinked in surprise, though, when he handed her the remote. "Was gonna say Comedy... Huh." She began to try to figure out how this system worked, her expression one of both confusion and curiosity, until she found something that sounded good and funny, called 'Shaolin Soccer.' She had no idea... but it was worth a try, right?
Pao -
He absently shifted toward her warmth beside him as well, chuckling as she started sifting through the comedy options. "Never seen it," he said when she settled on a title. "Could be worth it, hit play."
When she did he settled in even more, his leg brushing against her as he reached for the throw pillow on one end of the couch. "Hey, so you said you were gonna take the bus home?" he asked while the opening credits rolled. "What time do you have to go?"
Aria -
"Nor have I. We can give it a try together." She subconsciously leaned more towards him, as she hit the play button, before setting the remote down where he could grab it if he needed to do so. She settled back into the couch, just a bit more, thinking it was comfy, but not as comfy as him.
The brush of his leg made her shiver, just a little, and she blinked, wondering what he needed the throw for. "Mmm yeah, I am. Safer then running home, after dark." Though she could probably run home faster... now... but she was not yet ready to risk running into someone. Especially not the Man in Green. "Ummm buses run all night... I don't have class until 11 tomorrow, soooo as long as I am on the bus by... say, midnight, I should be ok. The stop near home is 'Easy 2 minute walk', so '30 second run' if needed."
Pao -
He set the throw pillow on his other side, then glanced around and whistled for Remy. The pup came waddling from behind the couch, quiet but with a bounce in his step. He hopped onto the couch and started making himself comfortable, too. Right on the throw pillow.
Nate glanced over at her as she replied, brows furrowed a little bit as he imagined that situation. It wasn't a happy look to say the least, but before he said anything he wrapped an arm around her first, and pulled her close enough that there wasn't any kind of gap between them anymore.
"Can I go with?" he asked, eyes now on the screen. "Just to drop you off? Midnight's kinda late, and I know you've probably taken the late bus plenty of times but still."
Aria -
She watched him settling things in, including the adorable little dog, and chuckled softly. The only thing that would be better would be them snuggled up with Remy draped across their laps, was what she was thinking. He was such a silly little wiggle butt.
And then Nate pulled her right against him, and she found herself thinking maybe Remy would be extraneous, because this was plenty wonderful on it's own. "Mmmm." She sighed out softly, getting entirely comfortable, now that she was in his arms, feeling safe and secure.
His question had her eyes going wide, because... she had never had anyone offer to go with her before, to try to protect her before. "I... I mean, yeah, if it won't ******** up your schedule? I would enjoy the company." Her tone held gratitude, lots of it, in it... Because honestly, even being used to it, it was scary.
Pao -
He couldn't help the smile on his face as she got comfortable against him. He did much the same from where he sat, simply happy and content in the moment. It was the slight change in her tone that pulled his eyes from the screen and down to her. "Mm, I'll be fine. I'll drop you off, no worries." He gave her a bright smile at that, and then he pressed a kiss to her hair before looking back at the screen.
Aria -
She smiled up at him. "Alright then, I really do appreciate it." She settled back, mmm'ing softly at the kiss, and dropping her head to rest on his shoulder as the movie played. It didn't stay there, though, because she was laughing so hard, she ended up folded on herself more than once, just trying to breath around the laughter. The movie was ridiculous, in an utterly hysterically funny way. She had never seen anything like it, and she knew, immediately, that this was being added to her mental list of 'Really Good Films."
When it was over, she found herself wiping her eyes, and taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, before she turned her head to look up at Nate. "I hope you found that as funny as I did?" She still had a few laugh-tears leaking, and her cheeks were flushed a happy sort of red.
Pao -
Being snuggled together didn't last too long considering Nate was also constantly laughing, though not quite as hard as Seren all the time. He did enjoy the movie though, and when she asked he nodded as he wiped at his own eyes. "Pretty sure I did," he replied, still chuckling at the memory of some of the scenes. "Not sure Remy did, though." He gestured toward the pillow the pup had previously occupied and the pup was nowhere to be found.
Nate reached for the remote and offered it to her again. "Another one?" he asked. "You picked a good one first one, so I feel like the second one'll be just as good."
Aria -
"Glad you liked it." She blinked, and looked across him to where the doggy had been, and she could not resist chuckling. "Oh no... we probably bounced him too much while we were laughing, poor boyo. Still, I'm sure he's comfy..." She glanced around, trying to spot where her dog friend had gone to. She saw him curled up on a doggy pillow, in a corner, giving them the 'HMPH' look that only an offended pet can manage. "Sorry, buddy!" She called out to him.
Seren blinked at the remote for a moment, then leaned up to kiss his cheek, before saying "I picked first, so it's your turn. I'm sure you'll come up with something just as good. You probably are more familiar with what's on here, too."
Pao -
He smiled at the kiss and started scrolling through the options, mostly just half interested. The kiss was a bit distracting, and every now and again he would glance over at her and wonder if she'd be okay with pausing the movies for a bit of time just for them. "Mm, how 'bout one of the Bourne movies?" he asked. The cursor currently highlighted the first movie in the original trilogy.
"It's been a while since I've seen 'em. Or..." and he cycled through a few more titles before landing on Child's Play. "Since I'm walking you home?"
Aria -
She leaned against him as he scrolled, watching things flicker past as he went, but not really focusing on them. She was focused on him, and so she did notice when he glanced at her. It made her wonder what he was thinking in those moments, if he was thinking about her, or just whether she would be interested in a movie he was considering. When he spoke again, she stretched a little, languorously, before she responded.
"I'll give a Bourne movie a go, if you want. No horror, please, even with that. I get... Nightmares, too easily, and I don't want to risk waking my housemates with screams, if they get too vivid."
Unlikely, honestly, because she'd learned to be quiet when afraid or in pain young, and it tended to carry over into her sleep, but occasionally, the fear would win.
Pao -
"Got it. Bourne movie it is." He cycled back to the first movie but didn't hit play. Instead he turned to her, worry etched in his features as he studied her face for a moment. "Nightmares?" he asked. "Is it something I should be worried about?" Because he would, even if she said he didn't need to. And he wouldn't try to convince her to watch another scary movie, either.
Aria -
"Awesome." She was about to settle against him, when he asked a question that had her entire body going stiff for a long moment, and then she sighed, collapsing on herself a bit. "I... Did not have the best childhood, and sometimes, if I have something that causes me to be vividly scared, I'll have a bad night of it, because it'll bring up some of the less good things."
She hoped that was vague enough, while still answering his question enough, that he could accept it without probing.
Maybe someday she'd feel able to tell him the truth. Right now, though, even as she trusted him, she felt it was too much vulnerability.
Pao -
He frowned slightly, not because the answer wasn't enough but because that was the answer at all. He knew that there would be more to learn there, if she was ever ready to tell him about it, but for now that was enough. He sighed and pulled her close again, this time pressing a kiss to her lips, soft and, he hoped, comforting. "Okay," he said once he pulled away. "No scary movies, then. Sorry."
Aria -
She snuggled against him, accepting the comfort his closeness offered, and the caring shown. The kiss just added to it, and she closed her eyes, letting it fill her with happiness. "Maybe sometime in the future, during the day, so I'll have more time to be sure I'm past the fear, but thank you." She kissed him, in turn, soft and sweet, letting it distract her brain from the discomfort of having gotten that close to the truth of her past.
It never occurred to her to say that it might be different if she had someone to share the night with, because she'd never had that and therefore had no idea how comforting that could be.
Pao -
"Mm," he mused through the kiss, pressing against just a tiny bit more. It was a happy distraction that he happily sank into, and it was another long moment before he pulled away. "Hey, I can live without scary movies. I don't want you to force yourself just 'cause of me." It made him wonder if it would help her through a bad night if he was beside her, but he left it alone. If she brought it up again later on he might offer, but for now?
For now he just wanted her to have a good time spending some time with him. So he leaned in for another kiss, wondering, hoping she wouldn't mind spending a few minutes like this before they started the movie.
Aria -
She slid her arms around his shoulder during the kiss, holding him close and letting the tension go. His words made her smile up at him, a smile full of caring and gratitude for the fact that he cared enough about her to say that. It was something astonishing to her, that someone could care enough about her to want to spare her misery. "Thank you. I really appreciate that."
The second kiss was met willingly, and she let herself get lost in this one, too. She was in no rush, so if he wanted to indulge for a little bit, she was more than agreeable.
Pao -
The kiss was slow and very easy to get lost in, which he very much did. Still, he kept it slow and savored every moment of it, being there and so close to her. He eventually broke away for a breath, though he kept his eyes closed and rested his forehead against hers. "So...earlier we said we'd let things flow naturally, right?" he asked before kissing her again, though this time he started to gently push her down onto the couch.
Not that he had other plans to do anything more than what they were doing, but he figured they could get a little more comfortable while they got just a little more intimate.
Aria -
She sighed softly when the kiss broke, but her lips were curved up into a smile of happiness. His question made her brows lift a little, as considered it, but all she said was "Yea, that's what we agreed on." She followed his gentle push, not fighting it, or him, at all, eyes soft and focused on his face, watching him to see his intentions... Though she also kissed him back, because she was enjoying herself, and their time together, and she did not want it to stop.
She did not expect things to get too much further tonight, though. Neither of them were... really prepared for it, she suspected.
Pao -
He didn't show any signs of wanting to stop either, so he simply didn't. He rested his arm on the couch to keep most of his weight off of her while they kissed, and now again he would break off for a breath before leaning in again. But the pace was slow, the kisses soft and gentle and he didn't push her for anything more.
"We've still got a movie to watch," he said quietly after finally pulling back so he his face was hovering well above hers. Her eyes were what he was focused on, a bright and vibrant blue. Beautiful, to say the least, and he smiled softly as he reached with his free hand to brush against her cheek. "Or we could just stay like this for a little bit longer."
Aria -
She got thoroughly lost in the feeling of kissing him, of the warmth of him pressed against her as they kissed... Though she also noted the way he took care of her, too, during this, by supporting himself for her sake. It was something important to her, because it was another way he showed caring, and made her feel like to him... She was valued and worth something.
When he pulled back to speak, she gave a soft sigh, and then mmm'd thoughtfully. His green eyes were captivating, really. She had always liked the color green (as long as she wasn't wearing it) and his were... probably her favorite shade. Green eyes were so pretty, like emeralds, she thought. His second suggestion made her lips curve up and she chuckled softly. "I could stay like this for a bit longer, though not too much more, or I might be tempted for more then we're ready for."
Pao -
He chuckled and gave a small nod, though he didn't lean in right away. He just watched for a moment, caring and warmth in his eyes as he studied her features. Decided where he wanted to press gentle kisses to, later on, when they were both ready for more than this.
"How much more would be too much?" he asked as he brushed his thumb over her lower lip. His eyes, now full of curiosity, will lifted to once again meet hers.
Aria -
She couldn't help blushing as he continued to study her, making her feel a little shy... But good, too. He really seemed to have a talent for that, she was finding. She admired him in turn, though, her lips curved in a gentle smile, despite the pinkness of her cheeks, and her hand slid to his, to twine her fingers through his.
His question made her cheeks go from pink to a rather bright red, however, and she bit her lip for a moment, before murmuring "I think... Anything that might... lead to hands beneath clothes might count." She was clearly shy of saying more, but at the same time, she wasn't going to ignore his question.
Pao -
His lips curved up in their usual small smile when she flushed a bright red at his question. "Cute," he murmured under his breath before he went back to simply admiring her as he listened to her reply. It was an understandable line to draw, and neither of them were ready to cross it just yet. Or at least he thought so.
So he nodded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before he slowly started leaning down. Their lips touched soon enough, in a very brief kiss. "Tell me when?" he asked before teasing her with yet another brush of his lips against hers.
Aria -
She heard the murmur, just barely, and if it had been possible for her to turn a brighter red, she would have. However, she'd have to develop the ability to glow to blush any redder, and as yet, that was not in her list of skills. As such, she just bit her lip a little, feeling a bit more shy... and very happy.
She mmm'd softly into the kiss, though, and the color started to fade as she refocused on the feel of it. "I will, promise." She murmured back, her eyes drifting closed again, so that she could enjoy the sensations more fully, with no distractions for how good this felt.
Pao -
The way she bit her lip got him smiling just a little bit wider. It made her look that much more irresistible to him.
He quietly hummed into the kiss as well, quickly getting lost in the feelings again. It felt good, and with the lack of distractions and a very singular focus of wanting to keep the good feelings coming, he traced her lower lip with his tongue. He was quietly asking if even that was too far.
Aria -
She shivered a little at the feeling of his tongue, and, a little shyly, opened her lips in a welcoming way. This was possibly the limit, a little deep kissing, but she wanted to taste him, just a bit, before they drew the line for the night. Her arm that was still around him tightened, just a little, as she thought about how wonderful this night was going.
And the fact that they had plans for what might be an even more wonderful weekend.
Pao -
He took her invitation and slipped his tongue past her lips, getting his first real taste of her since they started...whatever this was. Dating? Messing around? He honestly hoped the former.. but whatever this was, it seemed to him they were both having a pretty good time of it.
But he felt his body starting to warm a bit, the longer they kissed. The longer their bodies were pressed together just close enough that he could feel whenever she shifted beneath him.
Aria -
The taste of him made her smile into the kiss, and her hand slid up to rest on the back of his neck, her fingers just brushing the short hairs at the base of his head. She let the kissing go on for a good while, until she could feel herself grow too warm, too excited by how close he was and the way he tasted and felt. She sighed softly, and slowly pulled back, gently breaking the kiss.
"I think... we need to take a break." She said, her cheeks flushed from the excitement. Her expression made it clear she wished this was not the case, but... Well. She wanted this to be right, to build into something real, and while going further did not automatically prevent that, rushing scared her.
Pao -
It was a mix of relief and regret when she finally pulled away. He knew he'd pushed himself a bit too far this time around so he was grateful that she drew the line, as she promised she would earlier. So when she said they needed a break he took a second to catch his breath before nodding, and then slowly he sat back up and scooted away to give her room to do the same.
"Good call..." he said, his cheeks a bit flush as well. He wasn't sure what to say for the moment, still needing more time to get his head on straight, so he awkwardly said, "I'll go get us some water," before getting up and heading for the kitchen. He was back in minutes with two glasses and a pitcher of water, and he poured one for each of them.
"You okay?" he asked after downing half his glass. He still felt quite a bit warm, so he kept a little gap between their bodies for now.
Aria -
She sighed, softly, as he pulled himself up again, but kept herself firm, and did not reach over to grab him and pull him back. Better to wait, now, and build something more stable between them then rush, and regret. She sat up, with care, making sure to give him space, just as he was doing for her. She appreciated it, just as much as she wished he did not have to do that.
"Mmmm thank you, Nate. Water sounds like an excellent idea." She did not find it awkward, because it gave them both a moment to calm down, relax, maybe cool down a bit. And a nice, cool cup of water would help with that too. She stretched herself, slowly, making her body get all those joints loose again, because the excitement had added some tension... Good tension but still tension.
She sipped her glass, slowly, and when he spoke, she just gave him a smile for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, I'm good. You?"
Pao -
He glanced over at her before pouring his now empty glass, nodding at the question she returned to him. "Same, more or less," he said with a lopsided smile. It wasn't something he was used to, he had to admit, but he was grateful all the same for it. If he did what he'd done with all of his previous relationships, he had a sinking feeling this one would wind up the same way. So he sighed and reached for the remote, finally hitting play to get their movie started.
He scooted a little closer to her when he managed to get himself cooled off and settled down, but he left it up to her to close the gap for whenever she was ready. There wasn't much to say at the moment so he sat in the relatively comfortable silence, only now and then chancing a glance at her to make sure she was doing okay like she said.
Aria -
"Good." She said, softly, and continued to drink her water, settling in as she let herself relax more. She watched the opening of the movie, enjoying it, before she needed to get more water. She was pretty calm, at this point, relaxed and comfortable again in the presence of her... dear friend? Guy she was dating? She wasn't sure, but she also wasn't going to push for definition, unless he wanted it.
She wasn't going to push.
When he moved closer, she smiled at him, sidelong, and shifted closer too, tucking herself gently against him. She got lost in the movie, not noticing the way he kept half an eye on her, but she was as fine as she said. She was, in fact, happy and comfortable in his presence, looking safe.
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:07 pm
Pao -
It made him happy and rather content to see her as comfortable as she was, especially so because he was able to put his arm around her and keep her close beside him. Remy, who had been snoozing, took note of the cozy atmosphere and bounced his way onto their laps before settling down with his favorite toy. Nate had long since set his cup down and got into the movie as well, and when the end credits started rolling he turned to her.
"So? How'd you like it? There's two more of the same type of stuff, too, if you wanna keep on watching." He finished the rest of the water in his cup before reaching over to set it down in exchange for the remote. "Or didya wanna try something else?"
Aria -
The feeling of his arm around her shoulders made her smile, and when Remy jumped to drape himself across their laps, she gave a soft chuckle, and pet the silly goof. She was comfortable the whole time, enjoying slowly drinking her cup and watching the movie with him. When the credits rolled, she sighed softly and leaned her head back, head lolling halfway onto his shoulder and half on the back of the couch. A momentary thought slid through her head that his height, compared to hers, meant she just fit nicely under his arm.
His question had her turn her head a little to look him in the eyes. "It was pretty good..." The suggestion of keeping going had her pulling her phone out and checking the time. She made a moue of disappointment... Between eating, 2 movies and their little kissing session, it was just under an hour to midnight. "I would, but we don't have enough time tonight, unfortunately." She showed him the clock on her phone so he could see.
Pao -
He chuckled lightly at the way she lolled her head, finding the little gesture adorable though he kept the thought to himself. He even found the little disappointed sound she made rather cute...though again he kept it to himself. His smile again went lopsided when she showed him the clock on her phone, and he sighed but subjected himself to to the reality of their situation.
"Alright, let's get going, then?" He set the remote back down and picked up his pup before getting up and gently setting the snoozing corgi in his bed. Remy stirred for a second before rolling on the cushion and getting comfortable, mostly ignoring Nate in favor of sleep. The brunette couldn't help but smile at that, and he gave the pup a little pet before straightening out and facing her. "If we go now at least we won't be rushing or anything." He paused to look her over again before asking, "Did you bring a jacket?"
Aria -
She smiled up at him, at the chuckling, unaware what was causing it, but glad to hear it. She liked hearing him sound happy, and liked being the cause of it, whenever she could be.
She sighed too... There wasn't much they could do in this last 55 minutes or so, at least that wouldn't test their carefully placed boundaries, so it was what it was. She stood up with care, then stretched again, reaching down to carefully pet the sleeping pooch without waking him. "Yeah, true enough. Almost enough time to walk it, but there's too many crazies out at this time of night to risk that." With him at her side, she would be even more loath to attempt to battle. She really needed to get some battle training, so that she could fight to protect those she cared about. "A jacket? Naw, it's not cool enough yet at night that I need it. I'm comfortable in tshirts when it's 55 out." She shrugged, and smiled, ignoring the twinge inside about how she was used to it.
Pao -
"And that," he said, walking over to her and setting his hands gently on her shoulders, "is why I wanna take you home. Too many crazies and all." For the first time in a very long while he wished he had a car or motorcycle to take around town, if for no other reason than to have easier access to transportation for this kind of thing. Especially at this time of night. "Lemme grab a jacket, hang on a sec." He leaned in for a little kiss before walking off to the bedroom.
He grabbed a jacket for himself, and another one for her, even if she did insist that she was comfortable enough even in cold weather. And he was back in the living room soon enough, the spare jacket slung over his shoulder. "You ready?”
Aria -
Her eyes went super soft at his words, and her hands came up to rest on his, giving them a gentle, grateful squeeze. He was so protective of her, and it was such a new feeling... An amazing one. It flooded her with warmth, with a feeling she was entirely unfamiliar with and couldn't, at that moment, name. "Thank you..." She whispered, and kissed him back, before leaving gently against the wall to wait.
When he returned, and had a spare with him, that soft look returned, because she knew exactly why he had it out, and again it felt good. "Yeah, I'm ready. Lead on, oh chivalrous Knight." It was said teasingly, but with complete and utter affection behind it... Treating of the sort done with the intent of showing caring.
Pao -
He wrinkled his nose a little bit at the tease; he'd never been called anything of the sort before, so it was unfamiliar. But he didn't dislike it, so he shrugged and his lips quickly turned up in a wide smile. "Let's not get used to calling me that," he said with a chuckle as he approached. When he was close enough he took the jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "It's chilly out, even if you are comfortable," he insisted, sounding more than a little concerned about her versus the increasing cold outside, then turned and headed for the door.
It wasn't long before they were finally outside and waiting at the bus station. A quick check of the schedule said they'd be standing outside for a good 5 minutes before one showed up to take them to her house. So he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to her. "So...I'm not off again for a couple of days. Did you wanna hang out again or d'you think you're gonna be busy?"
Aria -
"Alright. I just meant it affectionately." But he was right, even if he didn't know it... It would be weird, calling him a Knight, while she was the one who was supposed to become one eventually. The jacket business, though, had her giving him a sweet, bright smile of appreciation as she pulled it closer to her, warmed more by his caring than anything else.
Once they were waiting for the bus, she leaned against a pillar, and watched him, relaxed. His question had her tilt her head, trying to recall what day it had shown on his schedule as his next day off, and then mentally comparing it to her own schedule. Her expression got a little focused as she did this, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows for a moment... Then it all vanished, her expression clearing and a bright smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, I should be available, for most of the day really. Want to meet up and do that shopping trip?"
Pao -
It was tempting to poke the little spot where the crease had been while she was in thinking mode, but he didn't. Instead he smiled his usual small smile and slipped his hands into his pockets, watching her with curious eyes. When she finally had it figured he nodded at her suggestion. "Sure, we could do that. Have you got enough in your savings already, or would this be more like a scouting type trip?" Because they'd only talked about it tonight, so he wasn't sure.
He reached for her hands then, hoping to pull her closer to help keep them both warm. Which was an excuse since he did it mostly because he just wanted to be closer to her.
Aria -
"I can afford it. I put money into a 'clothing' budget each month, just in case. I haven't had to use it in awhile. My last stock up was unusually successful, I managed to hit a series of really good deals, so I went a little more in then usual. So, as long as everything I own doesn't suddenly fall apart, I have enough in there to cover this and have some padding."
She didn't even touch that money during the slow months for tutoring, because she could handle a little hunger. This, however, was important to her.
She beamed up at him when he pulled her in, and she just snuggled close. Whatever the reason for it, she was totally fine with being in his arms.
Pao -
"Oh, nice," he said with an impressed nod. Budgeting, while not his strong suit, was something he'd put into practice since he was a kid. Things were always tight, and it wasn't only until recently that he had a bit more breathing room with his budget and expenses, so he knew where she was coming from without having to ask. "So we'll start with the essentials and work our way down to the extras, then. I'll text you some sites and stuff so you can start looking for what you might want."
He matched her smile with a rather bright one of his own, his hands comfortably slipping around her waist once she was close enough. "Mm, y'know with our height difference this kinda works out pretty nice," he said, noting how easy it would be for him to lean in for a kiss. She wasn't too tall or too short for him, and she was a snug fit in his arms when they were cuddled up earlier.
Aria -
She grinned up at him, pleased to have impressed him. Budgeting was something she was good at, because she had to be. She'd never have been able to move out here and make it on her own if she hadn't been. "That sounds like a good idea. If any of the shops we're going to go to have sites, maybe focus on those, so I'll have a better idea of what's available, and what's decently priced?" And she would check for coupons, and lists of upcoming sales data, too. All of those would be useful in expanding her ability to buy.
She just gazed up at him, smiling and comfy. He was so warm, and so strong, it just left her feeling safe and happy. And his words made her chuckle, and nod. "I was thinking something similar, earlier... That with our height difference, you were just the perfect height for me to fit under your arm." She leaned up, onto her tiptoes, to give him a quick kiss. "Just the right height for me."
Pao -
"I can do that, sure," he commented on the idea of focusing on shops with websites. That would definitely make planning things out easier, as far as what to buy and such, like she said. "Little smarty pants." He grinned at that, clearly amused, and the grin only grew wider when she agreed with him on the whole height thing.
"A good fit, huh?" he said, happily returning the kiss. Before he could kiss her again the bus pulled up, so he straightened out and followed after her to get on the bus. The bus driver was giving them a rather judgmental look, given what they'd been doing just before he pulled up, but he couldn't give less of a s**t.
Aria -
She smiled happily at him, and chuckled at his silly name for her. "Planning keeps my life easier to manage, and planning this means we'll get more free time around shopping." She gave him a hug, and winked. "Free time for snuggling up and all."
She sighed when the bus pulled up, but grinned at him, as she climbed on. "Yeah, a good fit, Nate." She gave the driver a cool but amused look, since he had surely seen far more horrid things in his time, like homeless dudes peeing on the shelters or something. She flashed her bus pass, then found a clean double seat, plopping into it.
Pao -
Nate followed after paying his fare--he didn't do the whole bus pass thing since he had a tendency to just skate everywhere he needed to go--and plopped down beside her. About thirty seconds later the bus was on the move, so he got as comfortable as he could mange in the seat. Thankfully there was enough room on the outside seat that he could stretch one of his legs.
"So about what you said earlier, more time snuggling up works for me," he said with a bit of a smile when he glanced over at her. "Judging by how well you manage, though, you've been on your own for a while, huh?" It was more an observation than a question, really, and yet another thing he could relate to very well. "I'm only askin' 'cause I'm kinda the same. I've been on my own for as long as I can remember."
Aria -
When he was next to her, Seren gently leaned against him, ignoring the very few other people that were on the bus. It was no one else's business but theirs, since they weren't doing anything inappropriate, after all. Her hand slid down to twine with his again, too, a small smile on her face, delighted at the fact that she was getting to have someone go home with her.
She glanced up at Nate as he began to speak, her head tilted. "I thought that might be the case, and it's the same for me." His question, however, earned him a slightly wan smile. "Yeah, kinda. It's... complicated. I technically lived at my parents' house until I was eighteen, but... Well." She kinda waved her hand in a way that said there was a lot going on there. "Don't want to talk too much about it, at least in public..." She said, quietly. She suspected they would need to talk sometime soon... Especially if they wanted to get further, her tattoo only covered so much, currently... But tonight had been almost all good feelings, so she did not want to spoil that.
Pao -
He didn't mind at all that she leaned against him, and he happily slipped their joined hands into one of his jacket pockets for the added warmth. Nate had a warm smile on his face as they settled in for the ride, not paying any others on the bus any mind. And he listened to her explain her answer a little bit, curiosity starting to creep in on him again. By the sounds of it he imagined it'd be something hard to talk about, and very private, so he simply gave a nod.
"I'm all ears, whenever you're ready to. No rush, just when you're ready." He turned his head just so, enough that he could press a small kiss to her hair, and quickly faced forward again. "My story's not much more comfortable to talk about, either, but if you're curious we can talk about it sometime." He'd come to terms with his past only recently, and while the wounds still seemed freshly closed he didn't have any problems talking about it anymore. It was just the nightmares, sometimes, and the occasional memories that surfaced when he was in certain places or situations, that he had to deal with.
Aria -
She sighed happily, feeling even more comfortable and safe when he tucked their hands in like that. He was just so sweet, and kind. How was it that no other woman could see what a great man he was? She had no clue, but the fact that he was not all snapped up by someone else meant she had a chance at the best man she had ever met. It was amazing, really, and wonderful.
She sighed softly and nodded quietly at his comments, accepting his gentleness and willingness to open up in turn. It was important, and good to know it. In the meantime, though, she would just enjoy tonight. "I will tell you, promise, in the future. Just not tonight. If nothing else, I want tonight to be as close to all good feelings as possible, you know?" And she leaned up to give his cheek a soft kiss, before dropping her head to rest upon his warm, strong shoulder.
Pao -
If she ever asked him he wouldn't hesitate to tell him about his past relationships either. It wasn't that big a deal to him; nothing had been too significant to want to keep private or anything of that sort. When it came to relationships...he'd been on the losing end for a long while now. This, whatever they had going now, was the first good thing that's really happened to him since he got to working at the Station.
Joining the Negaverse, in retrospect, hadn't really done him any favors. Except for maybe the fact that joining had spared him his life in the first place, but that was beside the point. He was neither here nor there about the organization now; he'd been at their beck and call and with nothing to show for it so he wasn't horribly attached or anything. Not like he used to be.
"Gotcha," he simply said, and once again noting that they were on the same page. He wanted their first night...their first date? To be basically good feels and good memories, so serious conversations could wait 'til a little later on. "I think we're pretty close to all good feelings, right? Nothing bad happened, I don't think."
Aria -
If he asked her about her past relationship, she'd tell him just as easily. If nothing else, it would help him understand, perhaps, why she was a touch clingy while also being somewhat nervous and not at all confident about her chances at a happy ending. But she would do her best to control her fears and worries... She did not want to seem needy.
Even if she kind of was.
She hoped that being a Page, and all, would help her gain some of her confidence back, though. She was tired of being sad and alone and scared. She wanted to be a strong woman, who could talk care of herself in any situation.
"Mmm on the whole, yeah. Couple moments of getting close to the past, otherwise... totally good feelings." She smiled up at him and pressed a small kiss to his lips. "So I'd call this a pretty successful... date?" She sounded hesitant, unsure if he wanted to consider this a date, but also hoping he did.
Pao -
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, nodding as the memory of that bit of discomfort for her that came up earlier on in the evening. At least she was mostly happy with how the night went, though; that was honestly all he could ask for. He happily returned the kiss, smiling bright as she pulled away. At her statement-slash-question he nodded, slowly.
"I mean, if you're okay with calling this a first date that's fine with me." He felt a little bad that they didn't go out on account of his whole exhaustion from work thing, but there hadn't been a whole lot he could do about that. Work was work; he was just grateful she was so understanding about all of it.
Aria -
She smiled a little brighter at his words. "I like that thought." Not all dates had to be complex or complicated. Hell, for her, what had passed for dates had mostly been hanging out at school, or going over to one of her exes' houses while their parents were away. This, at least was more private, intimate, and he had actually taken time and care about it.
She just settled in a little closer, and relaxed against him, relaxed in a way she did not think she had ever been before when on the bus. He really, truly made her feel safe and sound, like no one else ever had. It was a peaceful ride, one where she stole occasional kisses from Nate, and felt no worries about anyone watching still. Finally, though, her stop was the next one, and she hit the Stop Request button with a sigh, getting ready to get off the bus.
Pao -
At her approval of calling this their first date he gave a big smile, glad to know that she was happy with such a simple night in. Not that he wanted all of their dates to be so simple, but it was nice to know that she appreciated these kinds of nights just as well. Though she'd never struck him as materialistic nor demanding anyway, which was a far cry and serious improvement from the last girl he dated.
He enjoyed the ride to her house, with her snuggled into him and all the stolen kisses. He couldn't honestly remember the last time he'd felt so comfortable and content and happy about something in his life. Or in this case, someone. So when the bus finally came to their stop he sighed and stood up, careful so their hands didn't come undone on their way off. Once the bus had driven off he glanced around curiously, clearly not too familiar with the area.
"Lead the way?"
Aria -
She gave his hand a soft squeeze as she followed him off the bus, and glanced up at him. They were just two minutes, like she had told him, from the house. "Right over there..." She pointed down the block, to where the house was visible. She did, however, as he had asked, lead the way, walking quietly at his side, enjoying the cool night while at his side. She never really felt too scared in this neighborhood, though she did wonder what connection that odd lad Eoin had with the house, that he was able to come and go.
Once they got to the porch, she pulled out her key and unlocked the door, before turning to face him. "I'd offer you a cup of coffee, with no euphemism implied, but I think you need to sleep without caffeine in your system when you get home..." She sighed softly, not wanting their date to end, but not wanting him to have to be up all night either. "But it'll be at least 15 minutes before the next bus. D'ya wanna sit and wait here on the porch with me, until you can see the lights from about 2 blocks down?"
Pao -
He followed her lead once she pointed out the house. Sure enough it wasn't far away at all, and they were at her porch in nearly no time at all. He was already starting to get a little bummed out until she offered to wait with him here on the porch. His expression brightened a bit at that, and he nodded.
"If you're not too tired that'd be cool," came his reply, and he in turn turned around and took a seat at the steps of the porch. He slipped his jacket off next, and set it down beside him so she could have a seat.
"So...since this was our first date, that means we're dating, right?" It was a bit random but he liked sorting out the details. It helped to know whether he could risk getting attached or not. So far in his life it's always been "not." "I'm just...I mean, I thought about it a couple times tonight and wasn't sure what to call what we're doing."
Aria -
She liked the way his face brightened at her suggestion. Making him happier was something she was finding made her happier. And the way he made a seat for her of his coat made her flush, in a soft and happy way. She moved to settle next to him, leaning against him again.
"I'm not too tired, no, and I am wishing we did not have to end this night so soon." She said softly.
She tilted her head, listening to his question, and the explanation behind it, her expression lighting up a little as he went, clearly happy at this. "I did not want to demand that of you, if it was not what you wanted. But... If it is, yes... I would say we're dating." She smiled softly up at him, letting him make the final decision, now that he knew her thoughts.
Pao -
He took her hand in his as soon as she settled beside him, his eyes on their twined fingers and that same happy, content smile on his features as he listened to her. "Me, too," he murmured, commenting on her thought of not wanting the night to end just yet. At least for now this would likely how a lot of their dates ended, but he was hopeful that they'd eventually move past that given enough time.
And then he glanced over at her as she answered his question, noted the delight her expression and his smile brightened again. "Okay, then I guess we're dating." He leaned over for a kiss, eyes closing for the moment until he pulled back, still all smiles.
Aria -
She caressed the back of his hand with her thumb, smiling at how casually he handled contact with her, now that the way they were acting with each other included touching. To have found a kind man who was also not at all afraid of being affectionate, in a public setting, was very lovely for her. Not enough people had this kind of luck, she had come to think. Of course, affection in private is also lovely, but she did not want to wonder if she was a dirty little secret or something.
She sighed into the kiss, feeling like it was a sort of 'sealing of the deal.' When the kiss broke, she just gave him a sweet smile of appreciation, before sitting up straight again, and looking up at the sky. From here, there was a light scattering of visible stars, even with all the city lights. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
Pao -
In Nate's mind it did seal the deal, and when he noted the lovely smile on her face after the kiss he couldn't help but smile back. He had a lot of things to smile about tonight, which was a good thing. He didn't smile all that often in his day to day, after all.
He glanced skyward when she mentioned it, at the myriad of stars and nodded. "Yeah," was all he could say about it. He'd never taken the time, or even had the time if he were being fully honest, to appreciate the night sky. Tonight, though, the view kept the smile lingering on his face as he sat there, watching the stars with her. "We never really had much of a view from the city, though. Must be a nice change for you."
Aria -
She leaned against his shoulder again, letting her eyes take in what was visible. She chuckled softly and gave a small half shrug. "This is nice, though when we go hiking, you'll get a really good view of them. Where I was from was a small town, middle of nowheresville, California. At night, you could see a lot more than this. The light dome over that place was much thinner... And if you knew where to go, you could sneak off to the edge of town, on a clear night, to one of the crappy little parks there, and you'd escape a good part of that."
There was a moment of silence, and she sighed softly. "I haven't been outside of a city light dome in four years. I miss it."
Pao -
He listened intently, taking little notes on what she talked about and tucking away ideas about things she might like or appreciate. "Yeah, when we go camping we'll see a lot more. Can't be hiking in the middle of the night, so when we go, if the trail's long, we'll end up setting camp along the way." He brought her hand to his lips for a moment, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. "Something you can look forward to, I'll make sure of that."
He glanced at her then, softness and affection in his eyes. "It might not be the same as back home for you but we can go camping pretty often, hit the different trails. There's a few I haven't gotten to yet, y'know. Things got hectic for a little while so I stuck to the day trip type trails."
Aria -
The kiss to her hand produced a small shiver from her, and a smile. Another small, sweet thing he did that surprised her, and she liked it. "Yeah, I don't think I'd want to go hiking in the dark. I'm not a klutz, but I feel like it would be my kind of luck that would lead to me, like, stepping on a small pebble that decided to take my ankle out or something. So that makes sense." She smiled up at him, and added "And thank you. That means a lot to me."
She wrapped her free arm around him, twisting herself a little to do so, and gave him a warm, tight hug, showing her appreciation of his thoughtfulness. "It'll probably be better then back there, for me." She never liked to call that place home, not now that she knew what other parts of the world were like. "No worries about snitches telling people I was out in the parks after closing or something, for instance." And then she smiled again as she got back into a more comfortable position. "That sounds awesome, too... Places to camp, and you can help me learn more as we go."
Pao -
He chuckled, nose crinkled at the idea that she'd get herself hurt on a camping trip. It happened to the best of hikers but he mostly just didn't like the idea of her getting hurt at all. So he kissed her hand again before leaning into her hug. It was nice and warm...and he felt somehow incredibly safe in her arms like that.
He didn't ask any questions about what she meant by the snitches, guessing it probably had something to do with her story. No, instead he just pressed another kiss to her hand and left it at that. "Yeah, I can teach you everything I know. Just an FYI, we're gonna have a lot of trips ahead of us. So, y'know, lots of planning and stuff."
Aria -
She mmm'd softly and then her smile became huge and bright, because he made it clear he intended this to go on a good long time. She would never assume more than 'a long time', but lots of trips, lots of planning? That sounded like a long term commitment to dating her. And she was totally down with that, even if she never would expect it.
"Mmm I like that. I hope we can fit in a few trips of other natures, in the future, but for now... Once I have my gear, hiking and camping will be good, and not too expensive." Which was excellent on her budget. "I look forwards to planning them with you."
Pao -
When it came to sharing his interests with someone equally as interested, he was more than happy to. Never mind with the girl he was now dating, who was really, really cute and easy to be around. He was, at least, hoping that the two of them would last a good long while. "We can," he cut in for a second, then waited for her to finish before he went on.
"I take beach trips, too, for the surf, and trips up the mountain to go snowboarding. And just trips, sometimes, to get out of the city while I can. Usually I get to go someplace far every few months. Sometimes not, but at the very least I can take a long road trip once a year." He offered her a smile, a grateful one at that, happy to know that she'd be part of all the planning this time around.
Their fifteen minutes, he noted, was about to be up. He saw some lights in the distance and sighed. "Well..."
Aria -
"Awesome." She murmured, and then lifted her brows. Beach trips... She would need a swimsuit. Once her tattoo was done, that one wouldn't scare her so much, but until it was complete... She'd need something that covered the back properly. "Haven't been to the beach, really. Haven't gone swimming in six years, and I don't think my old swimsuit is any good. Are the beaches nearby nice?"
She was about to ask a few more questions, but the 'well' had her looking up... And spotting the lights. She sighed as well, and stood up, holding her hand out to help him up. Once he was, she moved a few steps up, and then leaned forwards, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Have a safe trip home, Nate."
Pao -
"They are, yeah," he answered her question on his up to his feet. He smiled into the little kiss and met her gaze when she pulled away. "Thanks. Not stepping away until you lock that door behind you, though. That's what I came all the way over here to do, make sure you get home, inside, safe and sound."
So with one more kiss he let her go, taking the steps down first before turning around to make sure she was now behind a locked down. It was only then that he jogged back to the bus stop and hopped on the bus to head home and get some rest.
Aria -
She laughed softly at his words and enjoyed the second kiss. "Alright, I'm going! Good night, handsome!" She said, and darted in, to make sure she did not hold him up too long. She shut the door, locked it, and waved at him through the little window. She stayed there, watching him until he was on the bus, wanting to be sure he was safe, then headed to bed herself.
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