Red Fishies

[mortalcoil]

Who: SS Red Fish crew and visitors
Broadcast: No
Action: Aboard the SS Red Fish
When: Around the drifting week (and probably a backtag party!)

[watch the newest episodes (and catch up on a few reruns) of your favorite dysfunctional fish in the fleet! what kind of drama will they create next? you can find out right here, right now!]

Comments

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He looks down, a bigger smile forming on his face.] Years of trying to live up to my mom's standards haven't made me very confident at times. Sorry.

[Looking back up at her, he looks decisive. More confident.] Syeira, can I move the rest of my things in your room? I know I've got a lot of stuff, and I don't want you to say yes unless you really want me to stay there, but... I like living with you.

[child_of_bhaal]

Parents don't always see the mess their making. But if you ever question, you know I'll tell you the truth.

[She's still touching his face when he asks to move in with her. It's a surprise, definitely.]

I...I like having you there, of course. Are you sure? You don't want to keep your own space?

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

It'll be an adjustment for sure, but... I want to share something with you. I want to wake up and see your face. And I want to be able to get dressed in the same room I wake up in, [he says with a smile, giving her a peck on the lips.] I guess this is the fleet version of making a home together. Are you sure you're fine with it?

[child_of_bhaal]

[Her cheeks slowly gain color as he talks, and her smile grows wide. She nods.]

Very much so.

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

Good. I'm glad.

[He grins.] Think we can fit all my clothes in there?

[child_of_bhaal]

[She's grinning too.]

Well, I don't have much, so I think we can make it work.

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

Will you let me go shopping with you sometime? I'd love to help pick out a few more outfits for you.

[child_of_bhaal]

[She laughs, light and airy.]

Let's make sure we'll have the room first.

[It's not a no.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He smiles.] Okay. I should probably take a shower. Are you free in about fifteen minutes?

[child_of_bhaal]

I always have time for you.

[Yeah she's getting sappy. Also flushing a little more because she's now thinking about Arthur in the shower. Oops.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He grins, giving her another kiss, softer this time, and then stands up] I've gotta go pick up some clean clothes. Walk with me there?

[child_of_bhaal]

Of course.

[She feels a giddy rush from head to toe. This feels very...romantic. She can't help but enjoy it.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[When he starts walking with her, he takes her hand, squeezing it gently.] How was your day?

[child_of_bhaal]

Well, my beau is moving in with me. So that's exciting.

[She squeezes back, smiling like a fool.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He laughs lightly.] Well, good. You're adorable when you're happy, you know that?

[child_of_bhaal]

[She ducks her head, pushing her hair behind her ear, only for it to fall right back where it was; a fruitless battle. Her blush is in full swing too.]

Am I?

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He stops walking abruptly, staring at her with wide, awe-filled eyes. She's so beautiful. Her hair never cooperates, and a bright red blush never leaves her cheeks.

He might... He thinks he's...

He smiles at her, his smile big and bright as his heart beats hard in his chest.]

You are, [he says, breathless. He pulls her close to kiss her. The kiss is tender but passionate, soft and yet filled with more emotion than seems to fit the situation.]

[child_of_bhaal]

[It surprises her, him pulling her in like that. The kiss is unexpected but not unwelcome. She makes a soft hum of pleasure as their lips meet. It's such a sweet, tender kiss but somehow more. It's a little overwhelming; she can sense there's something behind it, but she's not sure what.

When they part for breath, she looks up into his eyes. Her expression soft, a little dazed, but she's definitely present.]

Arthur? Is everything-?

[She trails off, because it's not the right question. Everything is more than all right. But she doesn't know what else to ask.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He pauses. He's worried he smells. He's weak from having a heavy weight on him. They're in a hallway, in a random part of the Red Fish.

It's so... not a perfect time to say he loves her.

And yet, it is. He nods, and then he takes her face in his hands, pushing his lips on hers. The kiss is passionate, pressing, pushing, a battle of lips and tongues and hearts. He stops to breathe, and he decides he needs to talk. Needs to tell her this.]

I wanted to tell you this in some romantic setting, but I can't imagine a better place than our home. The Red Fish is home now, and you're a huge part of that for me. Syeira... I love you.

[He's breathless, on the verge of choking on his own words. Those words have been lodged in his throat for a long time. He just didn't know quite how long, how much better it would feel to have them out there.]

[child_of_bhaal]

[The moment he starts talking, the world seems to shrink down, become pinpoint sharp, just on his face, his mouth as it moves. It's hard to rattle Syeira. Usually someone has to remind her of one of her big traumas, or kill someone she cares about.

Arthur is the exception. He seems to be able to start tremors in her world pretty much whenever he likes. And the Red Fish seems to be having an earthquake at the moment.]

.....S-say that again?

[Because well, clearly she wasn't hearing correctly.

Right?]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He laughs, a little pained, a lot nervous. His eyes betray his concern, that he's maybe said this too early, not at the right time.]

I love you.

[His voice is softer but just as confident in what he's saying. He's sure about him; he's just not sure if he just made her uncomfortable.]

[child_of_bhaal]

[Well apparently she heard him fine. Still, his relating himself doesn't much alleviate her being stunned.

Then it comes in a rush. He loves her. A thing she'd thought out if her reach in life, was being placed directly into her hands. She feels everything all at once: joy, relief, humbleness, and a small taste of fear. It bubbles and boils over in her lightning quick, so she goes from statue still to flinging her arms around his neck in a blink.

She holds him tightly, a hand in his hair, holding a fistful of it, probably too tightly, the other gripping his shoulder, squeezing each fingertip into him, as if to test his realness.

She's too wrecked to cry, too swarmed with emotion. She just holds onto Arthur far too hard, as if he'll vanish if she lets go.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

Oof. [ - is the small noise he makes when she flings herself at him. His face melts to relief, because surely this is a good sign. He smiles and wraps his arms around her, letting her hug him as tight as she needs to.]

[child_of_bhaal]

[She holds on for probably longer than she should, but she needs it. Needs to hold him, tuck hey face against his neck, breathe him in, so she can believe that this is really happening.]

Thank you.

[The words are half muffled against his throat. And probably not the response he was expecting.]

[dontthinkaboutelephants]

[He raises his eyebrows.]

You don't - ...You don't have to thank me. That love is unconditional.

[He hugs her a little tighter, hoping she knows just how true that is.]