[ Not for him, of course. Or Icarus or Luna, if they wanted it. If any of the four of them asked, there's very little Peony wouldn't give them.
(Even, a small insidious voice in the back of her mind always notes, if they asked her to leave forever. She's getting better about not actively trying to remove herself from an uncomfortable situation, but she still isn't entirely convinced it'll be permanent. Of course she wants it, and she'll fight a challenge from anyone else even herself, if it came to that, but if they told her that... well, best not to dwell on that.)
She tilts her head to look up at him, almost solemn. ]
But when you want it all the time, that's a little more, isn't it?
He looks up at the overhead foliage for a long moment, the leaves barely moving in the heavy summer humidity. Like he'll find the words he's looking for hanging in the branches. Finally his thoughtful look turns into a frown.]
...So what? After everything we've sacrificed, don't we deserve to be selfish for a change? I had a lot of regrets the first time I lost you. Both of you. I want to spend as much time being happy together as we can this time, so don't... Don't decide you're selfish or don't deserve it and run away like he did. I'll be selfish enough to keep you here.
[ Okay, no. Now she squirms harder, trying to twist so she can look him in the eye without actually leaving his lap. Even if she has to fight him a little, she'll do it, just so she can press her forehead to his, lifting her hands to cup his face. Her touch is light, a little shaky.
She's smiling, though teary-eyed. ]
Whatever I deserve, I want you to have the world. ...And if I'm part of that even a little, then I'll consider myself lucky. Okay? If you want me, don't let me go.
Wh- hey, don't look like you're going to cry about it...!
[His grip loosens a little, despite everything. He wants to keep her in his life but he doesn't want to hold her prisoner if she needs to step back and breathe!]
[Any words he has in response are stolen right from his lips by hers. Guess he'll just have to return the sentiment physically, instead. Sorry, cute lunch boxes, but he's shoving them out of the way with his leg as delicately as he can so he can lay back and pull her closer to him.
It's the same kind of reaction he got during their talk about children, too. The promise of a future they can share together... Yeah, he feels the excitement, too.
She loves him. He loves her back. As long as he has that, there's still something good in his life.
[ Lunch can wait! Everything else can wait! Sometimes you just have to put everything else aside for spontaneous bouts of affection. Once he lies back with her, Peony uncurls to stretch out as much as she can on top of him; there's no way she could actually completely blanket or pin him, but at least it's not for lack of trying.
She's smiling almost too much to properly kiss him, though she also tries to deepen it a little once he's settled back. Nothing too serious (yet), but hopefully something that helps demonstrate her enthusiasm for him and his talk about the future.
Maybe it'll be a long while yet before they can be completely settled, but at least they're on the same page here. ]
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[ Not for him, of course. Or Icarus or Luna, if they wanted it. If any of the four of them asked, there's very little Peony wouldn't give them.
(Even, a small insidious voice in the back of her mind always notes, if they asked her to leave forever. She's getting better about not actively trying to remove herself from an uncomfortable situation, but she still isn't entirely convinced it'll be permanent. Of course she wants it, and she'll fight a challenge from anyone else
even herself, if it came to that, but if they told her that... well, best not to dwell on that.)She tilts her head to look up at him, almost solemn. ]
But when you want it all the time, that's a little more, isn't it?
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He looks up at the overhead foliage for a long moment, the leaves barely moving in the heavy summer humidity. Like he'll find the words he's looking for hanging in the branches. Finally his thoughtful look turns into a frown.]
...So what? After everything we've sacrificed, don't we deserve to be selfish for a change? I had a lot of regrets the first time I lost you. Both of you. I want to spend as much time being happy together as we can this time, so don't... Don't decide you're selfish or don't deserve it and run away like he did. I'll be selfish enough to keep you here.
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[ Okay, no. Now she squirms harder, trying to twist so she can look him in the eye without actually leaving his lap. Even if she has to fight him a little, she'll do it, just so she can press her forehead to his, lifting her hands to cup his face. Her touch is light, a little shaky.
She's smiling, though teary-eyed. ]
Whatever I deserve, I want you to have the world. ...And if I'm part of that even a little, then I'll consider myself lucky. Okay? If you want me, don't let me go.
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[His grip loosens a little, despite everything. He wants to keep her in his life but he doesn't want to hold her prisoner if she needs to step back and breathe!]
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[ What was that about breathing? She's going to kiss him instead, as thoroughly as she can without tongue. Sorry that this is your fate, Mallory. ]
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It's the same kind of reaction he got during their talk about children, too. The promise of a future they can share together... Yeah, he feels the excitement, too.
She loves him. He loves her back. As long as he has that, there's still something good in his life.
It's nice.]
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She's smiling almost too much to properly kiss him, though she also tries to deepen it a little once he's settled back. Nothing too serious (yet), but hopefully something that helps demonstrate her enthusiasm for him and his talk about the future.
Maybe it'll be a long while yet before they can be completely settled, but at least they're on the same page here. ]