Tourist ROAD TRIP (mingle)

[takingkarabusiness]

Who: Touristas and visitors
Broadcast: as needed
Action: The Tourist!
When: The month of June

[ Get bit by the June Bug and mingle to your heart's content! ]

Comments

[passingthrough]

Oh, now I'm the one with a time management problem. [Absolutely more of this.]

[winn]

Hey I'm getting all of it done with time to spare for gifts -

[ or, as much of it as he can figure out, at least. it's not time that's standing in the way of his projects, it's knowledge. much more frustrating. ]

[passingthrough]

Suspicious. Are you sure you don't move at super speed?

[winn]

Alleged Secret Dance Ninjas have their ways - allegedly.

[passingthrough]

Allegedly, of course. [Another kiss. It's like a plague of kisses. And it is distracting her from pressing on this point that may need pressing.]

You're always so good to me. [And after some of that hurt she's had it means a lot to her. She's also afraid to come to expect it because how could he ever keep it up? But she loves that he cares so much about her and how she feels and what she wants.]

[winn]

[ best kind of plague. ]

Not good enough.

[ he practically whispers against her lips. he worries about it sometimes too - can he keep this up? he's getting busier every day. he has project he has to complete - important projects. he may not always have the time - or the supplies to surprise her with. but that doesn't mean he'll lower her standards. kitty deserves nothing short of the best, if one day he's not able to give it to her - then he doesn't deserve to be with her, simple as that. he knows how hurt she's been before, and he strives to every day prove himself worthy of the chance she took on him. ]

[passingthrough]

Hey, hey, no. [She pulls back enough to rest a hand against his face and look him in the eyes.] I'm telling you that you are. You're above and beyond. And not because you get me things or make me things. It's because the things you do get tell me that you're listening to me and paying attention and that you love me. But it's not the things. It's you. You do all that because of who you are.

I think you're one of the best men I've ever known, Winn Schott.

[winn]

[ there is definite pouting at this sudden distance, but it melts away into a smile by the time she's done.

he's always been the kind for gestures - they're easier much less scary ways to show how much he cares. but never have his gestures been this appreciated. it feels like she can see right through him and for once - that's not a terrifying thought because she likes what she sees. loves it even. loves him. ]

I do it because of who you are. [ he could never get tired of listening to her - she's kind, brilliant, funny. he can't imagine ever not loving her - how the entire fleet isn't head over heels is beyond him. ]

I think you're one of the best people I've ever met.

[ it sure is smitten look o'clock! ]

[passingthrough]

Well, then...we must both be pretty great, huh? [Because if she wants him to believe her then maybe she has to start believing him too. She presses back in to hug him tightly.]

[winn]

[ leading by example is a very good tactic. ]

We must.

[ he returns the hug warmly. ]

Or we really did inhale too many moon fumes, it's one or the other. [ it's been like a minute since he cracked a joke, it was too long. ]

[passingthrough]

Definitely something to consider. [She shifts to kiss his neck. She feels like she fell a little deeper in love with him today. Okay, maybe the presents are a good idea. You know what else does it though? Just talking to her really openly and honestly.]

[winn]

[ yeah, but the presents are easier.

besides, when she does things like that, his brain tends to go blank. ]

[passingthrough]

[What? Soft lips on sensitive skin make it hard to think? Who knew? But talking is good, Winn because then she gets a deeper connection with you and not just a greater understanding of how much you care about her.] Where did you get the pictures?

[winn]

[ but look how fun gaining a greater understanding of how much he cares about her is! talking involves a lot more tears and the not as fun type of exhaustion.

besides, he really needs to start working on soundproofing his room before he's throw off the ship. ]

Hmm -- the network.

[passingthrough]

You sounded really turned on by the network just now. [A little amused. And a little turned on by not the network.]

[winn]

I'm IT, I'm always a little turned on by networks.

[ what is he even saying right now? he has no idea. blank brain. blank. ]

[passingthrough]

That is such a weird thing to say. [Kiss.] I love you. [Mooooore kissing.]

[winn]

Anyone who can think with a woman like you kissing them, is an idiot. [ kiss ] I love you too. [ kissing and making his way back until his knees his the bed, pulling her along ]

[passingthrough]

[She laughs softly between kisses.] I like the way you think. [Just going to nudge him down on the bed and climb on top of him. She leans in to whisper in his ear.] Take everything else off, but leave the locket.

[winn]

[ his breath catches because - damn that's hot. and an order he's only too happy to obey. ]

[passingthrough]

[You like that? There's more where that came from! It would have you blushing! Except only Kitty and Winn get to know what happens next because it will fade to black!

When our heroes return they are snuggled up close as sleep claims them. And that should be it for the night.

OR IS IT?]

[winn]

[ it would seem like it would be, by all rights it should be, but one of our heroes doesn't do all too well with his 'shoulds'.

being jostled awake in the middle of the night by something already fading from his mind - was it a nightmare? was it an idea? dammit, why can't he tell the difference? a sense of urgency starts swelling in his chest. he knows he should sleep, jim was right, he needs his 8 hours to be effective, and kitty is warm and there by his side - he should treasure every day they get to be like that, because if one day she disappears he'll hate himself for every wasted moment. but it's that very thought that urges him to carefully break away from her grasp, pull on some pants, and as quietly as possible - shirt in hand - make his way out the door and into kara's office. he has to work. he has to fix this so he doesn't spend every single day terrified of the day he'll wake up alone.

planning to slip back in bed before she wakes up (he's gotten to know her sleep patterns pretty well over time), he pulls that shirt on and gets to work ]

[passingthrough]

[Her mind registers some things as acceptable and lets her sleep through them like her partner gently leaving the bed. Other things wake her because they're unexpected and she has no immediate answer for them. This time it was maybe one of Winn's crewmates accidentally banging something in their room maybe even in their sleep. Nothing too startling.

What does get her attention is that Winn is gone. She touches his side of the bed and it's gone cold. Her breath catches in her throat as panic tries to set in. He could be gone. Really gone. Why else would he have left the bed long enough for it to get cold? She's on her feet in no time and she grabs a shirt of his on the way through the door. She puts a couple buttons in place and it hangs low, covering her underwear. Modesty isn't really her concern right now. She checks the bathroom first in case he'd gotten sick and stayed in there a long time. Nothing. Then the kitchen in case he got hungry enough to prepare something elaborate. Again, it's empty. She tries engineering. Maybe a problem came up and they needed him. The hope feels so thin because why wouldn't he have woken her for that? The hum of the engines mock her as she goes to Kara's office. She has no reasoning for it at all except that she is checking every inch of this ship before she lets herself really feel the grief about to build up. She walks through the wall and the lights are on and there he is and she just freezes for the moment.]

[winn]

[ kitty slips in quietly and he's hyper focused on his work, not expecting disturbances at this hour. so at first, he keeps on working as if nothing has changed, just sits there pouring over his notebooks, tongue sticking slightly out, as he tries to figure out what all of the scientists of his world couldn't with their best equipment - in an office in front of a notebook.

surprisingly, it's not going well, and part out of frustration, part of some sense tingling in the back of his neck, he turns -- and jumps, letting out an undignified yelp. ]

Jesus Kitty - you scared me. [ with a hand on his racing heart, he takes in her appearance - her expression - and anxiety sets in. ] Are you ok? Sorry - I didn't think you'd be up for a while - [ why is she up? did something happen? ]

[passingthrough]

[She makes her way over to him, drops to her knees beside him and wraps him in a tight hug. This close it's impossible to hide that she feels shaky. She should use her words but she's not ready. She thought she lost him. She feels stupid for it, but she's woken up to lose someone like that before and she thought it was happening again. Her hold tightens and she shakes her head.]