it's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes (closed to Jo)

[its_not_tuesday]

continued from here.

"That's very merciful of you." He dug his room key out of his pocket as they walked down the hallway, and finally reached the room number that was his. "Now remember, you said no peeking," he warned, giving her a narrow-eyed look, hands poised to unlock and open the door.

Comments

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"As I understand it a lot of people here are...ah, in the same situation." It was a little odd, but mainly because she seemed so alive and healthy. But no, mostly he was just...sad.

"I'm...very sorry," he remarked, squeezing her fingers and lifting his gaze to meet hers. "How did it happen? If that's not too invasive of a question."

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"My Mom is too." And that thought brought more pain to her than the idea of being dead herself. A thought that was very clear on her features as she glanced up at him.

"I was mauled by a Hellhound. Basically a very large, evil and invisible dog." She sighed, studying their joined hands. "My friends and I were in a town trying to track down someone very evil, Lucifer." She nodded. "This demon bitch showed up and unleashed her dogs on us. My friend got knocked down and I rushed in to save him. With the dogs being invisible, I never saw the one coming till it got me."

"I knew I wasn't getting out after that. So I told them to leave me behind. I'd set up a trap and take out the rest of the hellhounds." She looked up at him. "Seemed like a good idea at the time, you know? I didn't plan on my mom staying but she did."

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

Alistair wasn't sure what to say, so he gently tugged on her hand to pull her into his embrace. "I'm sorry," he murmured again, gently rubbing her back. "I'd say you wen out fighting, at least, but that sounds hollow somehow."

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

She allowed him to pull her closer, leaning against him with a small smile as he rubbed her back in a comforting way. "It was a good way to go out. We blew up some hellhounds and I think it helped my friends. Plus, things have been pretty good since I've arrived in the village."

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

Alistair nodded a little, tucking her head under his chin. "And yet even when you tell yourself it was worth it, well, no one ever wants to go at all." He gave her another little squeeze and allowed himself a tiny smile. "Can I let that last remark go to my ego, just a little bit?"

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"No, they don't but...I think it's easier for everyone if I act like I'm totally okay with what happened." Though she knew some of them probably saw right through that one. "I wish the nightmares would stop though." She admitted in a soft murmur.

Then she looked up at him, smiling. "Yeah, I'll let you have that one."

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"You shouldn't have to pretend you're fine," Alistair replied, his brow furrowing with something close to annoyance even as he gently ran his free hand through her hair. "You certainly don't have to pretend with me."

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"Well, it won't do me any good to mope around though." She pointed out, watching the annoyance on his face which was strangely touching. Tilting her head into his touch, her features softened. "I guess I sensed that. Maybe that's why I told you...even if part of me worried you would freak a bit."

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"Everyone keeps using that word," Alistair replied, and would have felt amused if it were a less serious moment. He sighed a little and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm not...'freaked', I promise."

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"Hmm, spooked?" She offered, still smiling softly at him before she leaned in to kiss him. It was a strangely tender kiss but she lingered for a second or two. "Thanks." Because she felt a bit 'freaked' herself.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"Not really," he drawled with a wry smile, leaning in to kiss her back just as softly. "You're very welcome," he said quietly. She deserved to have at least one person she could be honest with about how she felt. At the very least.

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

The tender moment left her feeling a bit warm and melt-y, so she clung to a bit of humor instead. "Of course, you can still check me for a pulse if you want." She teased, flashing him a flirty little smirk. Yes, humor and flirting was easy.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"Hmmm..." Since he well understood the instinct to grab onto humor rather than...anything else, he caught her chin gently and tipped her head to one side, leaning down to press his lips to the place where her pulse would flutter in her neck.

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

He did in fact find her pulse and he would also find just how fast he made it race as he pressed his lips to the curve of her neck. Tilting her head to the side to give him easier access, she hummed softly in approval.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

He had to smile a little, reaching out to slide both hands through her hair, thumbs tracing the angle of her jawline. "You feel very alive to me," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"I feel very alive." She murmured back, her voice softening with a touch of huskiness as he continued.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

Carefully, he lifted his lips from her neck to kiss her lips softly, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her closer until their bodies were flush.

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pressed the soft curves of her body against his own frame as she kissed him back. Curling a hand around the back of his neck, she brushed her thumb against his skin while moaning softly in appreciation.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

Alistair shifted to lay her back on the couch, bracing one hand on the back and one on the arm to keep his weight off of her, his confidence building with this sort of intimacy the more time he spent with her. He had to say, he vastly preferred being sober for this, too.

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

She definitely preferred being sober for this as well. Now that he was getting a little more comfortable with the whole thing, it was easier to not feel bad about taking his virginity the way she had.

"You don't have to worry about squishing me. I'm sturdier than I look." She teased against his lips, sliding her hands down his sides to curl her fingers under his shirt.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm also heavier than I look," he quipped, smiling wryly and tilting his head to nuzzle her cheek. "Nothing wrong with being careful with a lady, is there?"

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"I thought we established I wasn't a lady." She teased softly, brushing her lips against his neck as she continued to toy with the hairs on the back of his neck.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"That isn't true," he protested, shifting his weight and nudging the hem of her shirt up to brush his fingers across her bare stomach. "You most certainly are a lady as far as I'm concerned."

[buy-me-dinner.livejournal.com]

"I almost believe you." She grinned, her stomach muscles tightening beneath his fingers as she continued to watch him with an amused smile.

[its-not-tuesday.livejournal.com]

"Well, you should believe me." He smirked at her, leaned in to kiss her neck and her collarbone, the bit of her chest he could reach with her shirt still on, before he moved further down her body and shifted her shirt up to kiss her stomach.