Laura was doing her best to adjust to life on the island. She focused her attention on making sure Caitlyn was handling things well enough, and tried to make sure Dorian was okay without being too overbearing with him. And of course, she kept an eye on Cas to make sure that he wasn’t trying to strain his ability. It was easier to focus on them than on herself. But the nightmares had returned, and she was jumpier than usual. It would go away, in time, but for now, this place was a bad reminder of the past she tried so hard to forget.
Seated at the table in the kitchen now, she sat with a pen and paper, working on something diligently.
Listening.
He was always listening to voices abroad. He had been in the infiltration game for too long to set old habits aside because of a new setting. Much of the intel gathered was kept from Laura - she wasn’t of the mindset with adjustment to know everything just yet - for now.
Classes for school, dance, things that their daughter loved were hosted at the Facility. While he was wary of the building and its people he knew that this was the only source of education.
Everything was within walking distance and he was out on his feet listening to everything. One or two of the guards hadn’t even noticed he was there at all, which was the way he wanted things.
Coming into the kitchen he spied his wife at the table working on something. “You alright?” He inquired, moving over to her.
She jumped slightly, even though the voice was familiar and comforting. She’d been too focus, too worried, to notice he’d come in until he spoke. Looking up to him, she nodded with a faint smile. Setting her pen down, she slid the paper aside. She’d planned out meals for the four of them for the entire month, calculating exactly how much they received in groceries to make sure it would last, with a little extra aside if needed.
Reaching out, she took his hand and squeezed it lightly. She repeated his question, asking it of him now. “Are you alright?”
His hand rested comfortable in her own. Caspian moved to sit next to her, eyeing what she was working on. Rationing food made him uncomfortable. He would see to it that their family got more than was bargained for even if it took brainwashing the crew who delivered.
Eyes lifting from the paper he glanced over at her and nodded, “Fine. I’ve been listening to the island, gathering information. I’ve concluded that we shall be just fine here. Between you and I we are going to be at the top of the chain.”
She studied him as he spoke, smiling slightly at his words. “So… just like always.” She knew it wasn’t quite that easy, but it was comforting to hear him put it that way. “I hope you’re not taxing yourself with it though. I don’t want you to hurt yourself or wear yourself out. We’re stuck here for now, so we might as well try to be as comfortable as we can.”
His hands split apart nonchalant. “Only the best for us, darling.” He would offer a grin and then scoot closer, enough to wind an arm around her. “No, it’s manageable. I’ve been wandering around, too, for different perspective.”
It was funny the things he picked up on. Guards, residents. His powers gave him the advantage to get to many places others might not have access to. He was dangerous after all.
“There’s a dance school at the Facility, you know.”
Laura moved closed to Cas, craving his touch. Laura had not really explored much of the island at all. And she avoided the Facility like the plague. So when he mentioned the dance school, she tensed a bit. Taking a deep breath, she stared at the table and tried to put her own feelings aside and think of what was best for their child.
Looking to Cas again after a moment, her eyes scanned his face. “Have you told Caitlyn about it? Do you think it’s something she would like? Do you think it’s safe?” She knew he wouldn’t put her in danger, but she had to ask anyway.
“I haven’t yet,” he confessed. “I wanted to talk with you first, but she’s having a hard time here. Dancing was what their daughter valued and some semblance of normalcy would help create balance. “I’ve listened to a lot of things. The one who teaches the class is like us, I don’t think she is in danger but I can be there for the duration of the class if you’d prefer.”
He hated that Laura was going through this, it was the fact that there was no control. No balance. Oh but he could manipulate the best of them when it came to humans.
Sighing, Laura thought about it again for a moment but she knew her answer would be the same regardless of how much she mulled it over. “If it will make her happy, and it’s something she wants to do…”
Raking her fingers back through her hair, she offered him a faint smile. “I can stay with her at the class too. It would be good to see her dance and smile again.”
Nodding, he was glad to split the time with Laura. “If it’ll help her adjust I’m all for it.” They had to think of Caitlyn, her well-being was more important than his own. With his abilities, his family was on the safer end of things - the guards wouldn’t remember any of them as long as he was breathing.
Laura nodded, studying him for a moment before looking back to the paper with a sigh. “How do you think Dorian is adjusting? How are you adjusting?” She wasn’t sure how she could really help either of them, but she would try. It was easier to focus on that.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her. There would be no more episodes from him as there had been the first night. “I’ve seen Dorian, he seems to be cautious but adjusting.” It was said with a sense of relief. Whatever experience his friend had had after the first week had been good enough to perk him up.
“How are you, my love?”
Laura nodded, glad to hear that Dorian was adjusting better now. She knew that Cas would always say he was fine, so not to worry her. But he had given her nothing else to be concerned about, so she trusted he was being honest.
“I’m… adjusting. It will just take some time. I apologize. Hopefully this place won’t be anything like before… and I’ll be back to myself sooner rather than later.” Leaning to him, she placed a soft kiss to his lips. “As long as I have you, everything will be fine.”
There was enough on each of their plates to add more to her already overfilled one. He would be fine, as would she and their daughter. Dorian too. Picking up on footfalls, presences, minds was what he did and they would come to no harm unless someone was very good at sneaking up on them. Confident enough in his abilities he considered them on the spectrum of well off and thus safe for the time being.
“Mm, that is normal with anything. Adjusting.” His eyes fell to the table and then his gaze lifted to catch hers again. “Hopefully soon. It breaks my heart to see you muddering around here all day.” It was a tease, something light hearted and between them. She was allowed to fret and worry but all he had ever wanted for her was peace.
The kiss they shared warmed his core. He kissed her in return and upon its conclusion he sat backward some, “Indeed. I’m not worried about us, darling. We’ve been through a lot.”
Laura knew she needed to try harder to adjust, for her family. She needed to be stronger for them. She didn’t want Cas or Caitlyn to experience the things she had in the past. She hoped they never would. But the bad memories flooded back more often now, and sometimes she got lost in them.
Smiling faintly at his teasing, she stole another tender kiss. “I will do my best. I promise. Maybe I should get a job, keeping busy has always helped before.”
Another kiss came and was returned. Before she could get away he leaned in to catch another and another, perhaps making up for all of that lost time. Finally he made himself stop, he leaned backward to look at her.
“A job? What sort of thing catches your fancy?” She wasn’t wrong. Multiple jobs had been had in her time in a single bout. Perhaps that was what she needed.
He needed something, too, but nothing particular was calling to him.
She returned each of his kisses with increasing intensity, and pouted playfully when he pulled away. Trying to refocus on the conversation, Laura shrugged, “I don’t know, maybe waitressing somewhere? Do they even have anything like that here?”
She thought for a moment before continuing. “I just need something to do. If Caitlyn will be attending school and dance, I may well go crazy with nothing else to keep me busy. Unless you’ve got some ideas on what I can do with the free time.” Grinning, she stole another kiss.
“More than likely,” he explained, “there are several small places to eat at the Marketplace.” Caspian had been out on the island doing surveillance, wanting to know every strip of this place before he let his family out to explore it. The idea of getting a job, a mundane one in his opinion, didn’t seem appealing.
He understood her want for a job. One day he hoped he could get them where she didn’t need to work, in circumstances other than these. “Well, best keep you busy then.”
Unable to help the grin at her words, Cas leaned in to catch her mouth again. “I can think of a thing or two.”
Laura nodded, thinking about it for a moment. Maybe working would help her feel more at ease, she observed a lot in public places like bars and coffee shops in the past. You could find out a lot without people realizing it.
Smiling against his lips, she returned the kiss slowly. “Hm. Such as? I’d love to hear what you have in mind.”
Unwilling to let go of the moment he dived further into the kiss. “You can’t read my mind?” Came the soft quip mumbled against her lips. He lifted a hand up, fingers pushing into her dark hair gently. How fortunate he’d gotten to keep this one - Laura was his soulmate on all accounts, his better half. Living for her, dying for her. It was all worth every precious moment.
“Darling, I would suggest, however, that we relocate to some place a bit more comfortable.”
“I can’t say no to that.” Standing, she held her hand out to him. Once it was taken, she led him out of the kitchen and then stopped. “Some place more comfortable? We have a lot of options. Where would you like to go?” Before he could answer, she leaned up to meet his lips in another kiss.
This had taken a delightful turn if he was being honest, but they both could use a good distraction. The kiss was broken and he spared no moment to slip out of the seat and rise to claim Laura’s hand. Out of the kitchen they went, across the threshold, and then they paused.
Caspian took a moment to consider but before he could answer she had kissed him. Attention diverting, his arms went around her to draw her close as they kissed. He didn’t care where they ended up at that point as long as they could be together.
Slowly he moved forward, backing Laura against a nearby wall, hands roaming as the connection at their lips deepened.
Returning his kisses passionately, she walked backward with his guidance. Leaning back against the wall, her arms slid around his neck. Pulling him closer, she broke the kiss slowly and smiled. “So I take it we should just start here and work our way through the house?”
“Only fitting, I suppose. It is ours to do with as we please,” He explained, lips pressing against any skin he could come upon. Once more he found her mouth and devoured her lips, tasting the sweetness on them. She drove him wild in so many ways.
Fingers pulled at fabric, he found bare skin and touched the flat surfaces, finding lines and curves he already knew so well.
Laura reciprocated, kissing him back hungrily as her hands moved around his body. Fingers found the hem of his shirt, gradually trying to work it off. It was far too easy to get caught up in the taste of his lips and the feel of his skin. The rest of the world and her worries melted away when she was in his arms.
Nearly unwillingly he parted from their kiss, easing backward. The shirt came up and over, tossed to the side carelessly to expose skin. As always he didn’t stay away from her long, mouth finding hers again. His own fingers moved to the fabric of her shirt, wanting to even the score.
Following suit, she helped him off with her shirt, breaking the kiss only briefly in the process. Arms moved around him again, pressing her body to his as her lips moved from his lips and across his jaw. As she peppered his skin with kisses, her hands moved once again, this time to slip out of the rest of her own clothing.
An exhale escaped as their mouths parted. He turned to find the skin along the curve of her neck now exposed and peppered it with kisses. Taking the warm flesh into his mouth he sucked gently at it but only for a moment before finding another place to do the same. Contact with her broke again to lend her the few moments of undressing. Caspian worked on his own attire, stripping down before her with naught but confidence. Even the scars he wore proudly.
Clothing puddled on the floor or was cast aside for later consideration. As they both became without Caspian drew Laura close again and moved her backward once more into the wall. Hands would descend the curve of her body.
Gladly moving into his embrace again, she let his hands explore her body freely. Her hands did the same, her tough growing warmer gradually. Her lips moved to his neck, kissing and nipping at the skin playfully.