au meme } running from the law | blythe

[piqued]

from here.

She isn’t His Consigliere. He isn’t her Soldier. But when it’s time to run, it’s Time to Run, and it doesn’t always get to be Clean and Simple as would be Convenient.

There will be time to sort themselves out properly. Until then, well, at least the di Spade and the Coppe families are more Allied than not these days. It means driving just a Hair above the speed limit down a dark country road with her in his car isn’t a Problem.

Just not the Most Convenient.

“I’m sure we’ll be there soon, Miss.”

Somewhere Safe. Relatively, at any rate.

Comments

[piqued]

Maybe he's smiling. Not from the victory, not from the joke, but from the simply Joy of having been Moving again. Having been Active and almost Useful for a little while.

"Of course."

They can live in that reality. They can hopefully also live in the reality of him taking her hand and pulling it to his lips rather than shaking it.

[somuchheart]

It's surprising. It's not what she's expecting. Rather than protesting, though, she smiles in response, curtsying a little before laughing and squeezing his fingers a little tightly.

"Do you want to do a... um, a cooperative game? We can see if there are other people who are registered. They won't know what hit them."

[piqued]

"I suppose we do make quite the team."

From a Theoretical standpoint. And, well, from the standpoint of being currently rather Proficient together in the kitchen.

And perhaps a Touch from the standpoint of him simply not being able to let go of her hand yet.

[somuchheart]

She'll handle it with grace, slipping her hand easily into his and not letting go as they seek out another pair. He can let go any time he wants.

He should probably let go as they beat the two cocky teenage boys to a pulp.

[piqued]

Oh, for That, he'll let go. There's something about people Outside their life who think they're Hard that absolutely drives him up a wall.

It's possible that this victory will leave him actually laughing.

[somuchheart]

When the score turns out to be 155 to 72? He has good reason to be laughing. She'll immediately pump her fist in the air, then jump to throw her arms around him without thinking.

[piqued]

She's easy to catch, to pull up in his arms for a moment, to bury his face against her neck with the exhilaration of the hunt.

"Suppose that-- wasn't quite fair t' them."

[somuchheart]

She giggles, just a little wickedly. "Their own fault for underestimating your lack of brawn and my abundance of femininity," she says, pulling back just slightly to look into his eyes happily.

It'll take another few minutes before she actually pulls away from him. At least.

[piqued]

There's almost a Pout in his hum, arms still easily around her waist. "I'm not completely lacking in brawn."

[somuchheart]

"You're quite weedy," she teases. "I bet you can't even lift me up." That. Is a challenge that shouldn't have slipped out of her mouth.

[piqued]

That is a Challenge that he'll be rising to without preamble. His arms worm away from holding into scooping, pulling her up bridal style only because he's not certain a fireman's hold wouldn't slam her head into too-low ceilings.

[somuchheart]

Her sound of surprise is quiet, but her eyes are certainly wide. Her arms squeeze lightly before she murmurs distractedly, "You don't have to-- you've proved-- I'm quite sweaty."

[piqued]

"E 'seducente." Which, really, a person doesn't need a speaker of the language to understand. He takes a step before shifting to set her down again. "So am I, mm?"

[somuchheart]

Her breath catches at the Italian, and she steps away a little as soon as he lets her down. "I- yes, you have-- you're strong."

After a pause, she starts heading to the door, hands wringing worriedly. "I don't think we should be doing this."

[piqued]

The silence is briefly Distinct. The pause of his feet is briefly Pronounced. Then he moves to get the door for her. "Shall I take you back to your people, Miss?"

[somuchheart]

"...no. Can we--" She pauses, then starts again. "Can we go back to the motel? So... I can explain?"

[piqued]

His breath is almost, almost a sigh. "...after you, Miss."

[somuchheart]

They'll spend the car ride in silence. She'll curl inwards in her seat, look firmly out the window instead of him. Once they get back to the motel, she'll excuse herself to take a quick shower - in other words, to figure out what she's going to tell him.

When she comes out, she'll sit on the edge of the queen bed, hair wrapped in a towel. "So. I'll... start from the beginning?"

[piqued]

That gives him enough time to undo his cuffs. To change his shirt to one that isn't sweaty. To run a comb through his hair so that it's Neat like Armour again.

To have his own cigarette lit before he moves from his spot leaning beside the door to offer her one. "...if you like."

[somuchheart]

She takes one gratefully, taking a drag before starting to speak. "I... started out working with - you know - when I was nineteen. Five years ago. I'd been preparing for something else my entire life, but when this opportunity presented itself... I couldn't just refuse. My life has always been very focused towards a goal of some sorts. In... in my parents' eyes, and in mine, that left no time for distractions."

Blythe swallows, spends a couple more seconds with the cigarette between her lips, then continues. "I... usually don't-- I'm very focused on my work. But... I don't want to put an incorrect label on it, so I'll just say: I would like to know you better. I don't know- I don't know why, but I would. And sometimes, that's a curious thing, and other times, um... that's quite... quite frightening."

[piqued]

There's not a lot of Space in this room. He moves back to lean against the wall beside the door again, eyes focused on her and attention focused on his own cigarette.

Relating to other people isn't Easy for him. Empathy runs Weak in an old family who bred Soldiers rather than sons. That's likely why his own pause drags a moment before he manages to ask, "...to know me better, Blythe?"

[somuchheart]

She nods a little, looking up at him properly. "I really... I really want to know you. And... it's frightening because it's... different than with other people. And because we're probably not going to see each other after tonight."

[piqued]

"...there's so little to know." He pulls the cigarette, has to move closer to knock ash off into the tray on the bedside table. "You-- do, already. For the last month, yes?"

[somuchheart]

"But that was just-- that was- in the context of living together and just... being friends, and this is-- there's a part of me that wants to know..." She trails off, then decides to take the plunge. "I want to know how you look when you're asleep and how your hair moves in the wind and-- really... intimate things, Declan. --I'm sorry."

[piqued]

...ah.

Stillness isn't Intentional so much as Unavoidable, his attention still locked on the ashtray. It takes a few seconds to move, shifting around to perch carefully apart from her on the bed.

What are they supposed to do with That?