[It is, in fact, hours before she turns up, well after midnight by the time she nudges Tom's door open without knocking. She's been staying there to lay low long enough now that she's comfortable letting herself in, but she takes extra care in making sure the door closes quietly behind her when she does so, just in case he's already sleeping.]
Tommy?
[She keeps her voice low, barely above a whisper as she turns to face the room.]
[It's dark. He's in bed, face down, curled around a pillow and burrowed deep into the nest. Drifting between actual sleep and I've Gotten Used To Sleeping With Someone Where Are They non-sleep.]
[She smiles to herself in the darkness, the slip from earlier not forgotten, but the stress it had caused having at least momentarily slipped her mind. She makes her way over to the dresser and opens the drawer she's been helping herself to since she's started hiding out here, quickly changing out of her clothes and into the tank top and shorts (if they could be called shorts) that serve as pajamas before padding her way over to the bed, barefoot.]
Hey.
[She doesn't necessarily want to wake him, but she gets the feeling he'll start to stir momentarily as she lifts the edge of the blanket and slips into the nest beside him, gently ruffling his hair before settling in.]
[And he does, rolling slightly to the side to make more room for her. Tom grunts and holds out a sleepy hand to search for her as she gets into the bed.]
[She takes his hand and guides it around her waist as she pulls herself close, stifling a yawn.]
Good... she's sleeping now. Pretty exhausted. I'll check in with her in the morning, but... she's taking everything about as well as could be expected.
[She grins to herself as she burrows a little further beneath the blankets, letting him pull her against him and reaching up to give him a kiss before tucking her head against his chest. She'd always thought it would be weird, sharing your sleeping space with someone else, but now she's pretty sure that if she had to go a night without it, she would miss it too much.]
Mm, about a quarter 'til one, I think.
[She puts an arm around his waist and lets her fingers splay against his lower back, making herself comfortable and enjoying the circle of warmth he provides.]
You're pretty talky. Can't have been sleeping that long, I guess.
[Which is enough said, right? He's noted it before, but having carried terrible sleep patterns most of his adult life it's almost amazing the way he just drifts to sleep when she's there. He can't remember sleeping so well without the help of medication. And it's that much harder to actually sleep when she's not.]
[He nestles in more, shifting and placing a kiss against her forehead.]
Blanket. [Mumbled but still intelligible. To tell the truth he'd been laying in bed for hours, trying not to obsess over her text. Girls are weird, right? They say all kinds of things, but she used a big word, one they'd been skirting around for a while now despite their obvious feelings for one another. Despite their relationship and everything that'd happened to let them be together.
Love, well. Feeling it and acknowledging it are two different things.
But maybe he's just being a pussy. Maybe he should just shut the fuck up and enjoy it, but the threat of his own shadow feels too much. It's better when she's around, but it's still there. Rearing it's head as recently as the last event. So maybe playing it safe is the best way for him to love her.
Half of him wants to pull her closer and kiss her and tell her he loves her and the other half wants to run screaming. Which leaves him more or less paralyzed. And without sort of guidance except to try to sleep and look at it again in the light of day. Because, really, he does love her. More than anything. And it's terrifying.]
[A part of her wants to kiss him and simply say goodnight, encourage him to give in to the sleepiness that's pulling at him and creeping its way into his voice, but something gives her pause as she reaches up to gently curl her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, brushing her thumb against the warmth of his skin and feeling utterly at ease in this private space of theirs.
Nothing had been said, but she knew they were both thinking about it. Tom tended to obsess over things -- smaller things than that slip from earlier on. It's not quite so scary a word for her as she guesses it might be for him. She's never had all that many hang-ups about it, though she had never had many opportunities to use it. Still, it was obvious, wasn't it?
They wouldn't have been where they are right now if it weren't. She hadn't made her decision lightly. She smiled against his chest, her eyelids half-lowered.]
I sleep better with you here too, you know.
[She can't just let them both fall asleep without it being said. That was like sweeping it under the rug, pretending nothing had happened as soon as the sun came up the next day.]
Hey.
[She shifts, scooting upwards so that she was level with him instead of tucked beneath his chin, and she leans in to kiss the side of his mouth.]
[He freezes for a moment, but doesn't make any sudden reaction that might indicate upset.
Sometimes he has to think about something for a good moment before he can decide how to respond. And although her words make his heart jump into his throat, he's glad she said it.
Finally Tom's brain catches up with reality and he smiles, turning his face to catch another kiss on the lips, hand moving to brush a stray piece of hair behind Jo's ear.]
I love you, too.
[Something he didn't ever think he'd say again. Say and mean.]
[She had expected the first part, for him to return the sentiment, but it was the addendum that took her by surprise. For a moment all she can do is stare at him, her lips slowly but steadily turning upwards into a broad smile before she leans in to kiss him again, soundly this time, parting her lips as she cups the side of his face.
They're big words to begin with, and then he had to clarify. She wished she could say the same back to him, but if she was being honest, it wasn't all that much later that things had begun to spark for her. She had felt that pull earlier than she had been willing to admit.
She breaks for breath and plants another kiss against his cheek, chaste but no less affectionate.]
You really know how to make a girl blush, you know that?
[He can't help but grin. Sure, he's scared but for once he won't let that hold him back. It feels too good to beat back or run away from. Tom can't help but smile and pull her as tightly against him as he can, rolling onto his back so that she's have to straddle him.]
[Sleep is momentarily forgotten as she rolls with him, her knees pressing into the mattress on either side of his hips as she stretches out on top of him, settling there easily. Not an inconvenience in the least.]
I never took you for the love-at-first-sight type.
[But from the way she's grinning right back at him, it's obvious she doesn't mind.]
[She may not be able to see it, but she can feel the warmth of his flushed face when she tilts her chin upwards to press a kiss against his forehead.
First time for everything. Personally, she hoped it would be the last, too.]
It's a good look on you. The Hopeless Romantic look.
[That grin stays firmly in place as she lays her head against his shoulder, content. It's a nice feeling. She doesn't like comparing him to Dean, doesn't think it's fair to either one of them, but she doubts she and Dean would have ever shared a moment quite like this together.]
[She bites at her lower lip, sliding one hand down to rest over his against her hip, shifting against to prop her chin up against his chest so she can look him in the eye without sitting up.]
Oh really? What kind of things?
[Definitely more coy than she needs to be, but it's nice to see how far he's come from being shy about showing his affection or letting her know what he wants.]
[He hesitates only for a second, to push himself over his shyness and answer her. It's a constant battle to ask for the things he wants and not be afraid of pushing too much or asking for something that might make her uncomfortable. Or something that might be embarrassing. A drawback of being inexperienced.
He's always found actions to be stronger than words, but she seems to want him to speak.
Tom opens him mouth to say something but finds himself tongue tied and smiles with a light huff instead.]
[She smiles against his lips as they kiss, his inability to articulate himself endearing as well as a definite step ahead from the awkward fumbling that had been in its place a month earlier. Actions do speak louder than words, but even if he had said nothing at all she would have known. The moment seemed to lend itself well to it.
Considering the words they'd just exchanged, it sort of seemed like a must. Not that she was ever hard to sway in that regard, anyway.]
That's a lot of things. [She grins, placing a soft kiss against his jawline before rubbing her cheek against his, pressing another kiss against his neck.] Me, too.
[She sits up just long enough to pull the tank top she'd changed into off over her head, letting it fall to the floor and leaning down to kiss him with parted lips. If either one of them had been sleepy before, that was long forgotten now.]
So it wasn't the best answer but it seemed to work. He's instantly awake and answering her kisses, one hand planted on her hip and the other moving to touch her breasts, fingers moving along the curve of her right side, stopping to play with her nipple with a content happy noise.
Shirtless Jo is his favorite Jo. Not as though he has to say it. His body has done a remarkably good job of doing that all on it's own.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text;
I try.
text;
Mission accomplished, I'd say.
I'm going to get her settled. Maybe I'll see you in a few hours?
[Just gonna gloss right over that slip, okay?]
text;
[YYeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhh... And tbh some space to process that slip is welcomed.]
text, then fast-forwarding to action because whoops this got srs, unless you don't want to;
[It is, in fact, hours before she turns up, well after midnight by the time she nudges Tom's door open without knocking. She's been staying there to lay low long enough now that she's comfortable letting herself in, but she takes extra care in making sure the door closes quietly behind her when she does so, just in case he's already sleeping.]
Tommy?
[She keeps her voice low, barely above a whisper as she turns to face the room.]
Action; SO SUPER SRS
Nngh.
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Hey.
[She doesn't necessarily want to wake him, but she gets the feeling he'll start to stir momentarily as she lifts the edge of the blanket and slips into the nest beside him, gently ruffling his hair before settling in.]
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Hey.
[Brain functioning at 50%]
How's your mom?
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Good... she's sleeping now. Pretty exhausted. I'll check in with her in the morning, but... she's taking everything about as well as could be expected.
[It's tough to swallow.]
Have you been trying to sleep long?
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I dunno.. What time is it?
[He might have been laying there for twenty minutes or three hours, he isn't sure.
But he pulls her in to snuggle.]
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Mm, about a quarter 'til one, I think.
[She puts an arm around his waist and lets her fingers splay against his lower back, making herself comfortable and enjoying the circle of warmth he provides.]
You're pretty talky. Can't have been sleeping that long, I guess.
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[Which is enough said, right? He's noted it before, but having carried terrible sleep patterns most of his adult life it's almost amazing the way he just drifts to sleep when she's there. He can't remember sleeping so well without the help of medication. And it's that much harder to actually sleep when she's not.]
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[She pulls the nearest blanket up over them a little more, letting it fall around their shoulders before settling back against him.]
I think I'm okay with that.
[She sleeps better with him there, too. Fewer nightmares. They're still there a lot of the time, but it's... it's better.]
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Blanket. [Mumbled but still intelligible. To tell the truth he'd been laying in bed for hours, trying not to obsess over her text. Girls are weird, right? They say all kinds of things, but she used a big word, one they'd been skirting around for a while now despite their obvious feelings for one another. Despite their relationship and everything that'd happened to let them be together.
Love, well. Feeling it and acknowledging it are two different things.
But maybe he's just being a pussy. Maybe he should just shut the fuck up and enjoy it, but the threat of his own shadow feels too much. It's better when she's around, but it's still there. Rearing it's head as recently as the last event. So maybe playing it safe is the best way for him to love her.
Half of him wants to pull her closer and kiss her and tell her he loves her and the other half wants to run screaming. Which leaves him more or less paralyzed. And without sort of guidance except to try to sleep and look at it again in the light of day. Because, really, he does love her. More than anything. And it's terrifying.]
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Nothing had been said, but she knew they were both thinking about it. Tom tended to obsess over things -- smaller things than that slip from earlier on. It's not quite so scary a word for her as she guesses it might be for him. She's never had all that many hang-ups about it, though she had never had many opportunities to use it. Still, it was obvious, wasn't it?
They wouldn't have been where they are right now if it weren't. She hadn't made her decision lightly. She smiled against his chest, her eyelids half-lowered.]
I sleep better with you here too, you know.
[She can't just let them both fall asleep without it being said. That was like sweeping it under the rug, pretending nothing had happened as soon as the sun came up the next day.]
Hey.
[She shifts, scooting upwards so that she was level with him instead of tucked beneath his chin, and she leans in to kiss the side of his mouth.]
I love you.
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Sometimes he has to think about something for a good moment before he can decide how to respond. And although her words make his heart jump into his throat, he's glad she said it.
Finally Tom's brain catches up with reality and he smiles, turning his face to catch another kiss on the lips, hand moving to brush a stray piece of hair behind Jo's ear.]
I love you, too.
[Something he didn't ever think he'd say again. Say and mean.]
From the second I saw you.
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They're big words to begin with, and then he had to clarify. She wished she could say the same back to him, but if she was being honest, it wasn't all that much later that things had begun to spark for her. She had felt that pull earlier than she had been willing to admit.
She breaks for breath and plants another kiss against his cheek, chaste but no less affectionate.]
You really know how to make a girl blush, you know that?
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Just telling the truth.
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I never took you for the love-at-first-sight type.
[But from the way she's grinning right back at him, it's obvious she doesn't mind.]
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But you know.
[Is he blushing? No. it's uh. Obviously it's just a trick of the light AND HOW COULD SHE SEE EVEN IF HE WAS IT'S DARK OKAY
But it's just this... Is he giddy? A rush of adrenaline and endorphins triggered by the simplest words.]
First time for everything.
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First time for everything. Personally, she hoped it would be the last, too.]
It's a good look on you. The Hopeless Romantic look.
[That grin stays firmly in place as she lays her head against his shoulder, content. It's a nice feeling. She doesn't like comparing him to Dean, doesn't think it's fair to either one of them, but she doubts she and Dean would have ever shared a moment quite like this together.]
Glad I could inspire it.
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[He feels boyish again. It's like a great weight has ebbed away. But that's often how he feels around Jo.
Tom snickers and snakes his hands up her hips.]
You inspire all kinds of things with me.
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Oh really? What kind of things?
[Definitely more coy than she needs to be, but it's nice to see how far he's come from being shy about showing his affection or letting her know what he wants.]
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He's always found actions to be stronger than words, but she seems to want him to speak.
Tom opens him mouth to say something but finds himself tongue tied and smiles with a light huff instead.]
All the things.
[He leans in for a kiss. Can't he just show her?]
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Considering the words they'd just exchanged, it sort of seemed like a must. Not that she was ever hard to sway in that regard, anyway.]
That's a lot of things. [She grins, placing a soft kiss against his jawline before rubbing her cheek against his, pressing another kiss against his neck.] Me, too.
[She sits up just long enough to pull the tank top she'd changed into off over her head, letting it fall to the floor and leaning down to kiss him with parted lips. If either one of them had been sleepy before, that was long forgotten now.]
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So it wasn't the best answer but it seemed to work. He's instantly awake and answering her kisses, one hand planted on her hip and the other moving to touch her breasts, fingers moving along the curve of her right side, stopping to play with her nipple with a content happy noise.
Shirtless Jo is his favorite Jo. Not as though he has to say it. His body has done a remarkably good job of doing that all on it's own.]
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