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ARRIVAL / BEACHES;

[ There's no real way for Raven to avoid how much she's not entirely comfortable with the sandy beaches and the beauty of them, stretching out before her and making her shift awkwardly. When she steps off and away from her ship she makes a beeline to look at them, quickly enough, before she decides that, perhaps, a beach time afternoon isn't on the cards for her, not right now. She's already a little sore about more than her fair share of things, and she has to push herself to step away and walk forward; thoughts of Cuba aren't going to do her any good right now.

A few hours later, though, and she's back, slipping down to sit properly and cross her arms, gazing out at the water. She's back here mostly because she can remember an afternoon conversation with Hank where had idly thought about a beach planet and how they could spend some time together - and now, of course, she has to pick the perfect spot.

It would help if she knew what a good date spot looked like. ]

HOT SPRINGS

[ And, of course, how is she able to resist the promise of a hot springs, something warm and a little self-indulgent? The showers on the Blameless aren't exactly the most exciting and while she imagines she doesn't technically need to shower at all, since she could just reshape herself to a cleaner version, it's an indulgence she thinks she might let herself have.

Standing by one of the springs, Raven transforms from blonde and dressed up to blue (and, technically, naked) before she slips into the spring and sinks down low enough for her jaw to be covered by the warm water.

Perfect. ]

SHOPS / INN

[ Last time she was on a new planet Raven hadn't had much time for shopping, mostly because she was brand new and because the things hadn't really been all that interesting. Now, though, she feels as though she has a little more reason to look around, to peer in and actually see what's going on and what people are selling, and she steps in and out of shops and inns, peeking into things and avoiding most contact - which seems to be something the locals respect.

It doesn't take her long to realise that people aren't fond of the credits she's earned and, instead, she does some work around in some of the inns - it's the same thing that she's done before, and is doing on the fleet, so there's no shame in it. When she has a little money in her pocket she's off and getting herself some little things, perusing the shops with her hair curling around her shoulders. ]

( from here )

I have nothing to complain about.

[ Raven can nudge at Hank and tease at him and she doesn't mind being the one that does it to draw him out of his shell - not that she needs to, not much, not these days. She doesn't have to do much but smile at Hank and they can slip into something familiar and comfortable and warm - and she adores it. She loves being around him and loves seeing him light up - not just because it shows they're both happy, but because it shows how far they've come. Neither of them are shy or on edge, not anymore, and they're relaxed into the relationship they share with each other.

They're getting back onto a path that's going to leave them happy for a long time. She believes in that.

Hank lets his head rest on her shoulder and she leans back, turning to nudge her nose against him before she breathes out. She's so comfortable here and she keeps feeling as though her emotions are going to bubble over -- and it's impossible for her not to give into it, especially with how arm it makes her feel. This planet might have felt uncomfortable and awkward at first, but now that they've learned to manage it a bit better... It just feels nice. Really nice. Comfortable. She's basking in it, like she's out in the sunlight and it's warming her entire body. ]

We should make one for here as well. Silly things - like our beach date. I haven't forgotten, you know.

[ She feels the smile, and she tilts close, her hand finding his and beginning to trace it gently. ]

We can do other things, like a picnic here, and climbing the trees, and swimming.

Edited 2016-07-09 12:50 (UTC)

Not yet.

[he says, in a light, bratty tone, a laugh tangled up with it. Not that he would give a reason, of course. He's as warm and comfortable and happy as she is, embracing her and embracing the feelings they've never really shown each other until the last few weeks. Out here, just the two of them, there's no reason to be shy or on edge, and it's such a simple thing that it amazes him. Not that they have it, that they've been allowed, as if the universe is giving them a brief break from the usual curveballs.

Not to jinx it, of course.

He shuts his eyes and just takes a few long moments to enjoy everything being shared across the connection, to enjoy how it feels to just hold her, for no reason other than because they want to be like this. It's a far cry from the almost desperate touching and kissing when Raven first arrived here, when everything was too raw for them to do much else but act on their desperation. He doesn't feel any of that now. The boundaries have been drawn and they know where each other stands, and he still, even now, can't believe that it's real. That he hasn't woken up from this wonderful dream yet.

He hums quietly in agreement, and even if his voice is a bit softer, there's still humor in his voice at the thought. He'd called Charles and Erik teenagers at one point, and yet here he and Raven were, acting the same way]

You didn't? Darn. [he's joking, of course]

There's a lot we can do here. Our list would go on forever.

[and he sounds like he's completely okay with that]

Edited 2016-07-09 17:37 (UTC)

Yet.

[ She rolls her eyes, resisting the urge to nudge him with her elbow - only because his stomach is right there and she doesn't quite want to wind him. No, she really has no reason to complain; she's happy, she's really happy, and the delight prickles through her, her skin warm and her cheeks red from her pleasure. If anyone walked upon them now they'd be able to see her happiness painted all over her, literally thrumming through her as if it can be felt in the air itself. It probably could, given Hank's sense of smell, but she's happy enough not to talk about that.

It's easier to just bask.

At the same time, it's still tempting to move and turn in Hank's arms, to tilt herself up and press their mouths together. It's tempting to ask to drag him back to their room and bask in one another again, to put the book and the photo to one side before they get lost in each other - but she keeps it to herself. She keeps her mouth shut because as much as she'd like that, she's enjoying this almost more than she would enjoy taking him home. Breathing out, she closes her eyes, tilting her head up to the sky and letting the sun, filtering through the leaves, warm her face.

They're making up for all the things they were never able to do when they were at home, and it might not last forever, but it's good. It's really, really good, and Raven can only lift Hank's hand to her mouth, kissing his palm gently, absently. ]

I want to see you and me on a beach eating ice cream.

[ Nice memories to replace the ugly ones, she thinks. ]

Then we should narrow it down to the things that'll be the most fun, or we won't get to do elsewhere. The rest can go home.

Mmhmm.

[even if he had complaints, he doesn't think any of them are worth voicing or even considering at the moment. He's too drowned in contentment, and any effort he would need to turn his thoughts away from the woman in his arms isn't worth expending. There's no need to, and he feels more relaxed than he ever has. Not a single worry weighing down his mind or even lurking in the corners, all gently pushed back and to the side.

The tree's gift to him is still on his mind, of course, but it's no longer accompanied by the ache; it's caught up in the rest of his pleasant feelings, pleased that he has it back and more than happy that he was able to share it with her. An aspect of his life she didn't know before, and as scared as he is of sharing the rest one day, he was able to share one of the brightest moments instead.

His fingers curl around her hand as she lifts it, fingertips gently touching her lips after the kiss. Tentative and maybe a little shy, because it's a more intimate, affectionate gesture than he's used to giving. But that's it. It's too good to let it get to be more than that]

I think we can manage that one easily.

[and as much as he doesn't like the beach, for all sorts of reasons, there's no resistance. He wants to replace those bad memories, too]

Mm, was there anything you really wanted to do here? I think you've seen more of the planet than I have. [he's done his fair share of exploring, but he's avoided the beach and the hot springs, for obvious reasons]

[ Raven thinks it must have something to do with them being far away from other people; even on the Blameless, when they're wrapped up in bed with one another, there's always the worry of someone stepping in, of someone knocking on the door - but here there's just the silence of the forest and their arms around one another, the pleasure of being close and being able to lean back and forward. Basking in Hank's company isn't a new feeling to her, not really, but this - this she can manage.

She's always been good at being forward and pushing, but getting to the parts where they're gentle and intimate - that has been a little more difficult from the beginning. Her casual intimacy had always been reserved for Charles and it had always been delicately familial - she had never shared anything with anyone else because she had been afraid of what they would say once they found out about her mutation. Hank had known from the beginning and, true, it had taken him time to see beyond the ugliness she had always seen, but when he had...

It's almost funny to think that she's never felt more beautiful.

Closing her eyes, Raven leans into the touch, her lips pressing against Hank's fingers, soft and gentle. It's pure intimacy, the sort of close thing they've never done much of, even on the Blameless. They've lain together and they've kissed and traced one another's hands, but this is the first time they've sat like this and really basked in it, helped along by the kindnesses of the planet. Now that she has control over it Raven feels less dangerous, less on edge, and she turns her head so that she can look at Hank again, and thinks, rather hard, about how much she likes kissing him.

Oops. ]

We can do that one tomorrow, then.

[ It could just be a walk and she wouldn't mind; as long as they were together, rebuilding the shattered core of their memories. ]

We've walked in the forest - maybe we could go shopping? And then swimming, of course...

[outside of Raven, he's never been much for intimacy or even affection. The closest he ever got was with Charles, and even that was just clasping him on the shoulder and once or twice, a hug if the situation called for it. He's never been one for physical gestures of any kind, and it's interesting how Raven flips all of that over on its side. With her - even without the planet's empathy - he wants nothing more than to hold her hand, to bury his fingers in her hair or just sit hip to hip with her, touching her in some way that reminds him that yes, she's there. That it's so incredibly easy to reach over without the fear of her disappearing.

He's still shy about it at times, like now. Like he isn't sure if he's overstepping or not, if it's too much or - in some cases - it's not enough. Even with their boundaries drawn there's still more to discover between them, and this is one of those things. It's exciting and a little scary, to know that he's even allowed in the first place.

He opens his mouth to respond to her and has to pause as her urges overwhelm him for a moment, and he swallows hard. He always wants to kiss her so the feeling certainly isn't new, and he can't help but desire the same thing, right now. The only reason he isn't is because he's trying to have some manner of holding back.

It isn't working very well. He leans in just a little bit closer, as if silently challenging her to be the first to break their unspoken restraint]

Alright. It's a date.

[they could even wake up early and watch the sunrise . . . or go late in the day and watch it set. Or both, if they felt like it]

There's the boardwalk, too. I haven't gone to check that out at all. [the fair and it's little quirks felt like a thing he wanted to wait to do with her]

[ This, she thinks, is reason enough for her to be glad she was brought to be a part of the fleet. Things with Charles might be difficult, even if it's not quite as awkward as things with Erik, but the development of her relationship with Hank... That means something to her. She can feel it, warm in the depths of her stomach, settling around her and making her feel as though she's buzzing, somehow - she isn't, of course, and it's idle giddiness that comes hand in hand with being around him, being close to him and knowing she's loved and cherished, but it's addictive too. She doesn't want to stop feeling this way.

The best thing is that they can be together and not have to worry about hiding anything. She knows that Hank is shy and Hank knows that Raven is still struggling to find her place and make sure she's comfortable in her own skin, literally and figuratively, and he doesn't push her any harder than she needs. In return, she nudges him and guides him and pokes and prods until they're both trying hard to go beyond what they might do, very slightly outside their comfort zones, and that's what a good relationship should be. Supporting and guiding and just... Being there for each other.

Cheeks still red, Raven makes sure she turns her gaze away from Hank before she gets too caught up in him, breathing out slowly as she focusses on the forest around them. She'd heard rumours of some rather nasty sounding animals, so she's glad they're being left alone for now - mostly so that they can keep their peace and quiet. She's not exactly afraid.

It doesn't take long for her eyes to turn back to him, though, and then it's impossible to look away. ]

It's definitely a date.

[ The words come out carefully and she can't stop staring at him, hesitating before she blinks, trying to find her words. ]

Will you win me a stuffed animal?

[it's certainly addictive, and the more he tries to resist it and try to keep some manner of control, the harder it is. He wants to drown in it, take it all in and use it to banish all of the dark thoughts he has, focus on nothing more than how they feel about each other and ignore the rest of the world. It's so tempting, and that it's possible they can do that makes it even more so. If he wasn't as responsible as he was, if working so they could remain down here wasn't a priority, he'd say fuck it and keep her in the room for days. He doesn't think she'd really mind.

But her nudges and pushing help, never overstepping, and it brings out parts of him he didn't know were there. Parts he doesn't really understand - he's never been romantic and he doesn't think he ever will be, not as much as he'd like to be, but he still has those urges, tenfold whenever he's around her. He wants to bring her flowers and find different ways to make her smile, to make sure every day she spends here is one she won't forget. It's so far out of his comfort zone that he doesn't know whether or not she knows just how much he pushes himself for her, whether it's his silly romantic notions or it has to do with his mutation. He wants to be a better person for himself, but - on the other hand, he wants to be one for her, too.

She looks away and he takes that opportunity to suck in a quiet breath, trying to force himself to remain calm. It isn't the sort of overwhelming feeling where the serum is at risk, not yet, but it's certainly close. And while he has some with him, considering the planet's effects, he'd rather not use it - even if it turns out he does end up overwhelming it completely. He's with her, and he never has to worry about it.

He swallows and nods, and it takes a moment to find actual words to respond that aren't grunts of agreement]

I'd try to, mm. If you wanted me too.

[a pause, and he huffs out a noise] You need to stop that. [it's more teasing than anything. He doesn't want her to stop]

raven darkholme | ota & continuations

hank

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Shops

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hotsprings

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