Chase the morning...(Carlos LOG! TBC comments)
Mag couldn't help but hum softly to herself.
Ever since she had run into Peter in the cemetery she had not been able to release herself from the good feeling he had brought her. For a long time Mag was bound to music. It had consumed her life and she had finally been willing to give her life for it. Even here it had haunted her. But now, after the release of Chromaggia into the world Mag had felt her burden lift.
Here she felt no obligation to her talent. She didn't have to care about who was listening, being the face of a generation. She was free and while her burden would never truly cease she felt more at ease about revealing that part of her life to others.
Peter said music was hope, and he was right. These people needed all of the hope anyone had to offer and Mag's talent was a spring that hopefully would never dry up. She could only await the time that she could be truly able to share her voice with others. In the meantime, though, she would continue to do what she could. Especially for the people she cared about.
Mag had been spreading the word around the city in hopes that the city-born and Chosen alike would be as excited about the prospect of performance as she was. So far she had gotten a positive response from the locals she had mentioned it to.
For now she would put the idea behind her because there were more important things to do. Like visiting Carlos in hopes of getting a few moments with him. When they were apart she missed him dearly, though she was more than aware that they couldn't always be together in the same place at the same time. Both of their schedules kept them tied up and busy, but it was the little moments that they could capture together that
That was how Mag found herself standing at Carlos' door. She had been in his apartment a few times, he had been inside of her own more often which was alright with her. Slowly, she lifted a hand and knocked gently. She hoped he was home, but would understand if he was busy. She had an infinite amount of patience, earned in good time from having to put up with the Largo's for as long as she had.
She ceased humming as she waited, hand lowering back to her side as her eyes swept the door.
It never hurt to hope that he was there and that he had a moment or two to spare.
--
Carlos had just gotten out of the shower when the knock came at the door. He wasn't expecting anyone, but that didn't bother him all that much. There were at least a few people that he could think of who might drop in with no notice. And besides, if someone was a threat, they didn't usually knock on the front door. All the same, he didn't completely let his guard down as he went to answer the door. He had time to grab a pair of pants but didn't bother to hunt down his shirt just yet. Whoever it was could deal with the hunt for a search after he'd answered really.
His eyes lit up just a bit even as his cheeks reddened when he opened the door and found himself face to face with Mag. He didn't see enough of the woman who had become a girlfriend of sorts, if he had to put a label on it. But what he did see, he certainly enjoyed. She'd managed to sneak in past his defenses and had gotten to him in the best of ways.
"Mag. Good to see you."
He gave her a wide grin and moved aside to let her in the apartment.
-- Mag hoped that Carlos wasn't in the middle of something important and catching him just out of the shower was never a situation she counted on interrupting. But of course seeing him standing in the doorway without a shirt was definitely a sight she wasn't going to begin to complain about.
She tried not to make it apparent that her eyes had swept over him before she entered, so she smiled at him instead of mentioning it and stepped into the apartment.
The smell of the atmosphere after a shower was one of Mag's favorites. It was right up there with the scent of the rain at night, fresh and purifying.
She turned to face him once she was inside and reached out to take one of his hands. "I hope this wasnt a bad time..." She began, before leaning up to press a soft kiss against his lips. She couldn't help herself. She had gotten lucky that he had even given her the time of day, as handsome as he was.
-- Carlos closed the door behind Mag and easily returned the kiss. His arms slipped around her waist and he pulled her closer. Things with the two of them had remained in the PG, maybe PG-13 area for quite some time. Mostly because life here was always crazy and there wasn't the time. That was the story of his dating life really.
But just now, he couldn't help but think just how nice it was to feel her pressed up against his bare skin.
"Not a bad time at all," he said as they both came up for air. "It's never a bad time for you to stop by," he told her with a smile.
-- She shifted closer easily. It was a gesture she had become accustomed to in the short time they had been together and the even shorter moments they could share in such a manner. She enjoyed being in his arms. They were safe, strong and she felt at home when she was with him...almost like he was meant to hold such a place in her heart and she had never realized it until she had met him.
Her arms lifted slowly as he kissed her, palms pressing gently against his stomach. Her fingertips glided gently over his toned flesh and she shivered a moment in delight. Her eyes had fallen closed and she hadnt even realized it until she felt him pull away.
Breathless, her eyes fluttered open and she managed to capture a small bit of air.
"Good," Mag said as she exhaled, unable to hide her smile. She couldn't recall the last time she had let herself feel so deeply for another, especially a male. She felt love for Marni, but in a different way. What she felt for Carlos...well, was it wrong to say that possibly it might border on love? Was she too old for that? It didn't matter. It was what it was, title or not.
-- Carlos slipped his arm around Mag and led her over to the couch. She hadn't been over that often, but he wanted her to feel like she could make herself at home.
"Are you hungry or thirsty?" He asked.
Those were important needs to make sure they were taken care of after all. And while he was sure she could take care of herself, it was easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of life in this place and forget the little things like eating and drinking.
-- Mag leaned into Carlos' embrace and followed him to the couch once his arm was securely around her. She walked with him easily, falling in to step naturally as if she had done the same thing a thousand times instead of only a handful.
She shook her head at him next, eyes swimming with electricity, "No, but thank you."
When they reached the couch Mag broke from Carlos and turned to settle down on to the plush seat, looking up at him. Easily, she reached for his hand and tugged gently at the limb, curling closer to him once he had sat.
"I've missed you," she confessed, squeezing his fingers gently with her own, her eyes sweeping his face for a moment. She got a good look at him, glad he was there and that they could be together even for the smallest of moments without distraction.
--
Mag leaned into Carlos' embrace and followed him to the couch once his arm was securely around her. She walked with him easily, falling in to step naturally as if she had done the same thing a thousand times instead of only a handful.
She shook her head at him next, eyes swimming with electricity, "No, but thank you."
When they reached the couch Mag broke from Carlos and turned to settle down on to the plush seat, looking up at him.
Easily, she reached for his hand and tugged gently at the limb, curling closer to him once he had sat.
"I've missed you," she confessed, squeezing his fingers gently with her own, her eyes sweeping his face for a moment. She got a good look at him, glad he was there and that they could be together even for the smallest of moments without distraction. -- Carlos didn’t fight Mag’s hand one bit. Truthfully, it was a relief to simply sit and be with her. That didn’t happen often. Sitting still while awake didn’t happen often for him at all actually. It might have been difficult were he not so distracted by the woman sharing the couch with him. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and held her close as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
“I’ve missed you too. But you have been okay?”
He fell silent for a moment and simply enjoyed the scent of her hair and the feeling of her body next to his, the warmth of her hand in his.
“We should make this more of a regular thing. This whole seeing each other at the end of the day,” he said with a decisive nod. ---- A moment of silence together was a small reward that Mag never squandered or took advantage of as they were honestly few and far between.
When his lips met her skin she couldn't help but offer a bright smile.
Her fingertips scratched lovingly at his palm, and she nodded finally, "I am okay." She was, and she hoped he was too. She figured it would be easy to tell if he wasn't, as most people weren't as good at concealing stress, worry or most other negative emotions for too long.
But of course they didn't see each other as often as she would've liked, but before she could touch on the subject he had brought it up.
She nodded and tilted her head so that her lips brushed his cheek gently, "I'd like that. What do you propose we do?" It could work, being at one or the other's apartment at the end of the day, despite the up and down of the stairs. She would do it, though, because he was worth it. -- He considered that, considered all of the possible solutions. Considered just how much he would like to see her on more days. Not to mention that it was good to check in with each other so they each knew that the other one was okay.
“Maybe we could make it a habit to visit each other whenever we finish our day? It doesn’t have to be a long visit every time, but I wouldn’t mind seeing you before I sleep more often.”
A light flush stained his cheeks even as he smiled at her. The conversation was perhaps encroaching on one particular intimacy border that they hadn’t crossed yet. Not for lack of wanting on his part, but he hadn’t wanted her to feel pressured and truthfully, there simply hadn’t been much time.
---- Mag considered what Carlos was saying and felt that the solution fit their problem as best as they could imagine it would. There were a few things that would have to be covered of course, what if one of then didn't come home until very late? Would they have a way to convey that so the other wasn't waiting for them to arrive?
Perhaps a big step would eventually have to be taken on their parts, but they could get there in time. Despite the small amount of time they had for each other to begin with.
The solution Mag finally began to see was that maybe they would have to actually live in the same place to be able to actually see each other on a far more regular basis. It would make things easier, they would always know where the other was going to end up... It seemed most logical.
But Mag wasn't going to push him.
Instead she smiled and pulled back a fraction to get a better look at him, "So now that we have a moment to ourselves, how would you like to spend it?" -- There were certainly details to be worked out, but Carlos didn’t much feel like working them out just yet. He beamed at Mag and slipped an arm around her shoulders. He could certainly think of a few ways to spend the time, some of them less appropriate than others. And yet, he wouldn’t complain one bit about simply sitting here and catching up. Just staying still for a little bit wouldn’t be so bad.
“I don’t know. You have any ideas?”
She’d been the one to drop in on him after all. It was only fair to give her the chance to choose what they did with this time together.