terrantrash | BECAUSE WE ARE INDULGENT

BECAUSE WE ARE INDULGENT

_{[Amid many sleepless nights and terrors that plagued his dreams, it's a welcome break to have what starts off as something neutral and nonthreatening. It's only when he smells the scent of salt in the air and hears the crash of waves against rock that he becomes aware of his current surroundings and who he's with. He'd been here before, a famous sight in Northern Ireland, the Giant's Causeway, when he'd been very little. Why his mind would decide to set his dream in such a place he hasn't a clue but he's not complaining. He'll take whatever reprieve he can get from the usual.

He'd always found the setting charming, unable to help himself as he hops from each stone, boots clicking against rock. It's only when he looks up that he notices a familiar head of red hair not far off in the distance.]}

Lady Yona?

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_{[Yona let him live.

The pout catches him off guard, not having expected it. What...had he done wrong? Was it something he said?]}

What's wrong?

[No never.]

Nothing's wrong. It's very kind of you to offer your sweater.

[And yet, she's still pouting... what a moron.]

Then why are you making that face?

_{[Yeah he's gonna call you out.]}

Why did you offer me your sweater instead of offering to hold me?

[...well, fine. If she's getting called out, she'll call him out, too. On being a coward.]

I-

_{[Wait what? Hold her?]}

I didn't know that's what you wanted, Lady Yona...

_{[He's trying to be brave, okay.]}

...forget about it!

[Yona huffs, letting go of his hand to fold her arms over her chest.]

If you didn't even consider it, then that's enough to know you didn't want to. So I'll be taking that sweater.

_{[Oh no he fucked up. He fucked up so hard and he didn't even realize it. It shows on his face as he casts his gaze down toward his feet, his hand feeling cold, as is the rest of him.]}

It's not that I wouldn't want to it's...with someone like me...

_{[But he goes to take off the article of clothing, still unable to look at her as he does so.]}

[She takes the sweater when it's offered to her, but she doesn't immediately put it on; instead, she puts her hands on her hips, steps forward, and leans over to catch his eye even though he's not looking at her.]

Hey, Slaine.

_{[Ah, she's forcing him into eye contact now, isn't she? Swallowing he meets her gaze, lifting his head ever so slightly.]}

...Yes?

[Yep. No escape.

Her gaze stays locked on his, and she doesn't look away, determined to get an answer out of him.]

What did I do to make you think I don't like the kind of person you are?

_{[This is a classic case of 'it's not you it's me' and Slaine's feeling it hard.]}

You haven't done anything, Lady Yona...it's just...I don't want to overstep.

It isn't overstepping if I say it's not.

[And she says it's not. She holds his gaze, not removing her hands from her hips.]

So, there shouldn't be a problem.

_{[THAT'S STILL NOT DEFINITIVE ENOUGH but okay, he'll take it. The rest of him might be pale but his face is noticeably red.]}

...I've never held someone before.

...

[Well, of all the things she was expecting to come out of his mouth - that's not one of them. She stares at him for a few long moments, incredulous.]

You've... never hugged anyone before?

_{[Not of his own volition, at least not since he was a little kid.]}

Well, my father, when I was small.

...that's a long time ago...

[He's not especially tall now, but he is somewhere around a good four inches taller than her, so he's big enough for her to not point out that he's still kind of small.]

Do you want to change that?

_{[Thank you Yona, for not pointing out his height.]}

Do I...want to change that?

_{[Wait. She's asking if he'd like to hug her?]}

Ah, I mean...if you'd like to I would.

[Yona puffs her cheeks out slightly in annoyance and puts her hands on her hips.]

That's not what I asked. I asked if you want to. [It's like she said before - it doesn't mean anything if the only reason he wants it is because it's what she wants.]

I-I do.

_{[Yona you're killing him here.]}

[There. That's more like it. Yona smiles brightly and opens her arms out to him.]

In that case, you should do what you want to.

_{[He should do what he wants to, huh? With her arms open, welcoming him toward her, he can't resist, closing the distance between them by wrapping his own around her. Daring, he gives her a squeeze, face on fire. The wind from the surf might be chilly but he feels warmth immediately wash over him as he holds her to his chest.]}

[...huh. She sort of expected that to take a lot more convincing, but she's not going to complain. When he finally wraps his arms around her, she makes a soft, content noise, and rests her head on his shoulder.

Her arms come around him a moment later, and she allows herself a few seconds to soak up his warmth.]

Mm. This is much warmer than just your sweater.

_{[It is much warmer. She's warm. Everything about the embrace is warm. This is nice...really, really nice.]}

You're really warm.

So are you.

[With her head resting on his shoulder, she's sort of facing his neck - and so when she speaks, her breath ghosts across his skin. It's not much, but it will be noticeably warmer than the chilly ocean air around them.]

...don't let go, okay? I like being with you like this.

You do? Really?

_{[Ah, thank god she can't see the shade his face has turned. He's nearly as red as her hair and on cue, decides to hold her a little tighter.]}

...I like it too. You make me feel lucky, Lady Yona.

Really.

[That's why she said it, after all - and it isn't often that Yona says things she doesn't mean. She smiles, keeping her head in place on his shoulder. It's comfortable here despite the chill from the ocean.

This kind of closeness suits her just fine. it's much nicer than being kept at a careful, respectful distance.]

...just "Yona" is okay, you know. I think we're close enough for that.

_{[Keeping people like her at a respectful distance is something he's been forced to adopt as a practice, but having her in his arms like this makes him reconsider it quickly. This is nice. He's yearned for this, hasn't he? A closeness like this.

While if this were reality he might put up more of a fuss at her insistence to be called just Yona, his dream self is ready to accept it.]}

If you insist.

I insist.

[VICTORY. While there are definitely times when Yona insists on formality, and certain people she gets mad at if they're too informal, this isn't one of those times and Slaine isn't one of those people.

She sounds pretty satisfied, now that he's said he'll call her by her name.]

Then, Yona it is.

_{[It's freeing, in a way, saying just her name and nothing else. He gives her a tight squeeze, feeling giddy. He could get used to this.]}

[Yona.

Her heart gives a little flutter at that. He's been so insistent on calling her Lady Yona for so long - the use of just her name feels good. Beaming, she shifts a little in his arms and tiptoes up so that she can kiss his cheek.

It's a grateful, if impulsive, gesture; on that she doesn't think too much about.]

Thank you, Slaine.

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BECAUSE WE ARE INDULGENT

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