driftfleet | Windrose Mingle

Electronic books sound much less book-y. [But she smiles, seemingly unbothered by the change.] Did I ever tell you that the books in the prison were actual books, but after a few days you'd pick it up and it would have new content. One minute it's a book on aquifers and the next it's about cooking a great spicy meatball.

Well, they were electronic. [ the whole place was, virtual reality and all. ] There are really good e-readers out now, the screen doesn't utilize its own light source, and they use this thing called electronic ink and it keeps your eyes from getting tired, they're much more book-y than they sound. Plus, you can carry around your entire library and it takes up the space of one short book.

[ paper books are great and all, but technology! ]

Think of all the other things I can carry when I don't have a bookshelf strapped to my back all the time! Maybe a pizza oven! Or are those digital in National City too?

Well, yeah but it doesn't make them travel sized.

If I get there and have to cook my pizzas in analog you are in such trouble, mister. [Nuzzling.]

If you'll cook me pizzas, I'll make you a digital whatever you want.

[ actually, he'll do that anyway who is he kidding, anything she wants he'll try to do for her. ]

I've cooked you pizzas before and I'd do it again. [Kiss.]

Best girlfriend. [ kiss. he has such simple needs. ]

I go so well with the best boyfriend. [Their shared main need is just to have someone not abandon or betray them, isn't it? Pizza is a good number two.]

And you're telling me this now? Who is this guy?

[ trying too hard? he may be trying too hard. see, he's the finest! super duper fine! downright peachy! ]

[Or just hard enough? She laughs and leans in to kiss him.] I love you, Winn Schott.

[She's comfortable, getting sleepy again.] Do you think your life would get easier or harder if you took my last name? Winn Pryde is still very punny.

[ he, however, is getting uncomfortable now. yeah, he makes fun of his name, yeah, his family is terrible and he has no reason to honor them by keeping it.

but it's his name. he didn't change it when his father turned homicidal, he's not changing it ever, unless for some reason he has to go in witness protection. and it's a bit of backwards thinking that's latched on in his mind - but he's a guy, and he doesn't think he should be changing his name, even for that reason alone.

people already make fun of him.

he's quiet for a long moment, trying to figure out how to reply to this. ]

Winn Pryde sounds like a gay porn star. [ he finally goes with, trying to keep the joking tone of the conversation even if he can't quite smile at that one. ]

Edited 2016-12-06 11:53 (UTC)

[She sees the lack of a smile and notes the delay. She's not sure if it's the name specifically or that she was thinking of marrying him that might bother him. She reaches up to gently brush back his hair.] Kitty Pryde and Winn Schott sound better together. But now that you mention it just about any variation with Kitty sounds like a porn name.

[ it's definitely the name that's bothering him. they've been together a long time and he's going to take her home with him, it's pretty clear they're headed down that road, the subject of children even comes up every now and then. (children. which name would their children take? they definitely can't combine the two - pryde-schott or schott-pryde both feel like drawing a giant red target on their backs. he can imagine her wanting to pass on her name, since she's the last of her family, but so is he. and yeah, his family sucks, but it's not just their name...it's his, too.)

he forces his face to relax, she was starting to get sleepy he doesn't want to pull her back, even if he's feeling to bothered to sleep now. ]

Not necessarily, if you combine it with like a really snooty name it sounds like an old rich stick in the mud. [ definitely trying too hard now. ]

Mmm...Kitty Westchester? [Thinking of the location of one of the X-Men strongholds.] Yeah, I'm less into seeing her take her clothes off.

[She's still playing with his hair. She looks less sleepy than she did a couple of minutes ago already. It's okay.]

Mmm...Winn? Was it bringing up marriage-y things? [Crazy idea to just ask? She'll try it.]

[ dammit, he fucked up again didn't he. get sleepy...

he looks honestly and genuinely surprised at that question -- because he is. ]

What? No, Kitty - we've been together since April, I'm taking you home with me, of course I'm thinking about it. I actually wasn't sure how you'd feel about it...considering the last time...[ he never wants to remind her of her former husband but it's late, he's tired, and it has been on his mind.

the proposal would be a pretty terrible time to find out she never wants to be married again, you know? ]

[She's a little surprised by his surprised but relieved too. She can't help but to smile as he speaks.] It's not like last time. It's with you. [And of course she's grown and changed since from the very young woman with very limited prospects and future who chose to get married to Pitor years ago.]

I wasn't serious about the name. I was just thinking of being your wife and I guess I thought that rambling might be less scary. [How could she not be thinking about it after telling him she loves him and wants him happy if they separate? She wants to think about their togetherness too.]

[ well, talking about it will make being happy if they separate a lot harder, but it already feels impossible to winn, so why the hell not. ]

I'm not scared of spending my life with you.

[ he pushes a strand of hair away from her face. it's the opposite that scares him. ]

[That just hits her heart in all the right places. He knows he wants to spend his life with her too. And he's not scared of it. She went through so much of her life being feared it still feels good when someone isn't.]

You are going to make me cry. [And she doesn't mind one bit. She wraps herself around him and kisses deeply.]

[ he returns the kiss, allowing himself to just sink into the moment. he has other fears, other concerns, other issues. but right now, he's just celebrating someone looking at him and thinking I want this for the rest of my life, for better or worse. it makes him feel warm inside -- and out, which he appreciates. with his bad eating habits and lack of sleep, it feels like he's never really warm.

he might end up crying too. ]

I have two shoulders, at your service.

[Nothing like some kissing and a good cry, right? He means so much to her. Enough that even the kissing is hard. She's a little choked up on emotions. So there's just a lot of nuzzling and staying close.] Every time I think I couldn't possibly fall deeper in love with you I do.

[ he holds her and wishes he could just cry his feelings out, there have been so many of them lately. he feels like he's going crazy with the constant ups and downs - his feelings about their earlier talk or her joke are still so vivid, and now they're piling this on and it's just a lot. ]

I sneak up on you. Blink, and you won't be able to imagine life without me.

[She would hold him and never judge him for it if he did. She'd probably feel reassured that he was expressing things in some way. That it wasn't all bottled up.]

Exactly that. [Because she can't. He's going to stay with her forever even if they get separated. He has too big a place in her heart for anything else.]

[ unfortunately, he would judge himself. especially on a night where she joked about him taking her name, he's already judging himself.

more than anything, he wants to be able to tell her you'll never have to. stupid atroma. stupid augment. stupid uncertainty, it's really harshing his romantic buzz.

so instead of all of it, he kisses her forehead and holds her close. ]

[She doesn't realize he's still upset about the name comment. She really needs to learn how deeply and how long he holds on to things. Then again in some ways it's a mercy that she doesn't. It's hard enough dealing with your own pains than trying to take on someone else's to the same extent they do. She explained. She tries to show him every day how much she loves and respects him. Maybe that has to be enough sometimes. But if she did know of course she'd try harder. How could she not for him?

Of course, it would be nice to not set those feelings off in him in the first place. Is it so hard to look past the puns to the part where his name also represents family to him? And it wouldn't be the first time he was sensitive about his masculinity either. Just because she never questions it doesn't mean he doesn't.]

I'll even let you pick the toppings on your pizza. [You know, the pizza she'll cook for him in her digital oven that's still too big to carry.]

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