maisie cattermole will pump you up (amaised) wrote in takingamulligan, @ 2010-04-06 00:17:00 |
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Even though he was still a tiny bit nervous about the whole matter, Justin really couldn't stop himself from grinning through out the whole meal. As far as he knew, it seemed to be a success. The pasta with brandied shrimp came out much better than he thought it would and he had even managed to pick a wine that went rather well with it. The real highlight of course was that he hadn't managed to burn down the house or at the very least fill it with smoke in the endeavor as well. The weather had cooperated too, the sky clear and the air only starting to have a slight chill in it due to the sun going down. The lights that he had gotten for the Christmas party were up again and provided the proper amount of atmosphere along with the CDs playing softly from the sound system. All in all, it as a great start to the evening and they were only past dinner now. It was even enough to make him not really care that he didn't manage to get the multi-coloured ink from off his hands and fingers or the smug from off his cheek, no matter how hard he had scrubbed.
Taking a sip of his wine, he raised his eyebrows as he looked across the table at Maisie. "So, is this acceptable then?" he asked before a smirk tugged at his lips. "Or should I start searching for the keys to the car so that I can drive you to the hospital?"
Maisie looked up at Justin and smiled. Her cheeks were a little pink from the wine but also from just being here with him. She'd really had... no idea this was what his home was like or really any of it, it wasn't anything she thought of most of the time when it came to him. It was sweet of him to cook and just very... Justin.
"As much as I'd love to be taken for a drive," she said, eyes bright with mischief, "I think I'd rather skip the visit to the Dispensary, at least right now." She took another sip of wine and set her napkin aside. "This was really good," she said. "I'm terribly impressed."
Justin chuckled as he shook his head. "I think I shall leave the driving for another time then. Besides, Zach will give us horrible puppy dog eyes if he learns that we took the car out without him," he joked before ducking his head bashfully and running a hand through his curls. "I aim to please. Just don't get too impressed. I think this is the highest level of my cooking skills. I would likely burn down the place if I were to try something more difficult like a rack of lamb or some such."
"Well if it was to save my life from food poisoning it might be worth it," Maisie replied, trying not to laugh. "And you're lucky because I don't require rack of lamb. For the most part I'm a girl of simple tastes." Dinner had been really wonderful and it was just nice to have some alone time with him, even if part of her was very aware that Zach wasn't far away at all. She extended her hand across the table, palm up and fingers unfurled, not reaching for him but leaving her hand there in case he wanted to take it.
"Mostly it's the company that makes it special," she said after a moment. "It's nice having time with you."
"Well, if it was to save your life, then it would be acceptable of course," Justin said with a soft smile. "Just a general joy ride however would be another matter entirely." His smile growing, he reached across the table and covered Maisie's hand with his own, his thumb rubbing against the side of her hand. It always made his heart do a stutter step in excitement and joy when he realized how much easier it was becoming to reach out and take contact that was offered. It was still a bit harder to not flinch away from direct, unoffered contact, but small steps. He was moving forward and that was all that really mattered really.
"I'm glad you don't require rack of lamb," he said tenderly before looking up at her sheepishly. "To tell you the truth, I haven't tried cooking meat myself since when I first started cooking this summer. The smell made me ill..." He wasn't sure if he should be admitting that or not, especially not right now, but that was another part of moving forward and healing, right? Shaking his head, he chuckled softly. "And I'm doing a right good job at trying to make that dinner come back up," he joked before smiling warmly. "I like spending time with you, too. Without having to worry about other students and classes and Quidditch and such. It's nice to just sit and be alone for a meal." A mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Although... I recall a mention of dancing. Now, the important question is, do you want your Easter basket before or after the dancing?" He couldn't help the slight flush to his cheeks. "I figured that it would be better to give it to you in person rather than to send it to your house on Easter proper."
Maisie gave him a suspicious look. "If you couldn't send me a basket at home I'm thinking it should wait until after dancing," she said. "Because I fully expect a proper date, dancing included." She gave him a bright, ingratiating smile and gently squeezed his hand. "So. Shall we?"
Justin laughed, his cheeks still flushed as he squeezed Maisie's hand back. "That is likely a good idea. Even if I feel as if the basket were burning a hole in my pocket," he teased before pushing himself up out of his chair with one hand. Keeping her hand still in his, he came up to stand beside her and bowed properly, bringing the back of her hand up to brush his lips again. "I think shall. The question is though, what dance would you like? A waltz? A tango?"
"Doesn't matter," she said. "Just.. something close? Or as close as you can stand anyway. Not a tango though, or anything too fancy." She took a step closer to him and let out a soft sigh. "I liked dancing with you at the Valentine's ball. It was nice."
"Does the Chicken Dance count as too fancy?" Justin teased lightly as he shifted as close as he felt comfortable, which was noticeably closer than it had been at the ball, at least to him. He wasn't sure if it was because this situation was more private and he didn't have to worry about the bustling crowd of the ball or if it was because he was getting better or... well... In a way he had certainly been closer to her than just this... Lightly taking Maisie's other hand, he placed it on his shoulder without thinking about the motion before he moved his hand down to rest on her hip. He was pretty certain that they had reached the point of the night where his cheeks would likely stay pink and not because of the wine. Rubbing his thumb lightly against Maisie's hip, he smiled warmly as he started to sway slowly to the music. "It was a very wonderful night. But then I had a very lovely and understanding dance partner who didn't think me too old fashioned for just dancing all proper like rather than getting down with all the hip new moves." He squeezed the hand he was holding lightly. "Although I think anyone would be an idiot to not want to dance like this with you. I can't think of anything more beautiful to be staring at slow song after slow song."
Maisie shook her head and laughed, her thumb brushing the side of his shoulder affectionately. "I think you've had too much wine," she said, settling into the gentle swaying rhythm of the dance. "But thank you. I like dancing with you too." It was nice indeed being like this, and it gave her hope that someday soon she'd be able to touch him... to do other things with him without his fears getting in the way. "I like being close to you," she admitted. "It feels... " She gave him a quirky little smile and raised one eyebrow. "Well... very nice."
Justin chuckled lightly as he squeezed her hip lightly. "This may be true, but too much wine always brings out the truth, you know," he countered with a warm smile. Wetting his lips nervous, he ran his hand over Maisie's side before he took a deep breath and slid his hand around to the small of her back, wrapping his arm around her lightly and closing off the contact between them a bit more even if he still kept a bit of distance between their bodies fully touching. "I like it too," he said softly before smiling sheepishly. "And I think very nice would be a vast understatement on how it feels. At least on my side."
"Brilliant?" she teased. "Awesome and amazing?" Her whole body felt warm with being close to him, and she let him gently guide her in half hearted dancing, more the two of them moving to the music than anything else.
After a moment she lowered her head in quiet thought, her long hair spilling over her cheeks. "Dinner was lovely," she said. "Really. It was nice of you to have me over."
"Spectacular, magnificent," Justin added with a laugh as he rubbed his hand lightly over her back, swaying gently to the music. Untangling his hand from hers, he gently placed her other hand on his shoulder as well before reaching forward to brush some of her hair behind her ear, a feeling of electricity jolting through his hand when his fingers lightly brushed her skin. "No worries. Really. I may have not said it before, but you're always welcome here," he said softly before trailing his fingers along her cheek. "And I don't just mean for this sort of thing either. If you just want to hang out or need a place to sleep or just a place to watch telly, you're welcome to come here." He chuckled softly as he shook his head. "We keep joking that I should just turn this place into a Bed and Breakfast."
Leaning his head in a bit more, he raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Is this dancing alright? Or would you like more proper steps?"
A long, low shiver went through Maisie at Justin's touch, her skin burning from thoughts of what his hands had done before. "The dancing's fine," she said, voice lower than usual as she kept her eyes on his. She leaned a little closer as well, so her lips were very close to his but not quite touching. "More than fine." She swallowed hard and let her fingers brush along his shoulder, then very tentatively against the side of his throat, hoping he wouldn't be scared.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Justin's eyes lulled closed at the feel of her fingers on his bare skin. His body still tensed, waiting for the pain and torture to come, but even with that wariness, his body couldn't ignore that the touch was also very nice. "Yes... Like that..." he murmured, his voice coming out deeper as well. "Just... only the one hand now. Keep the other on my shoulder, alright?" Running his hand through her hair, he lightly brushed his lips against hers before he let out his breath in soft whoosh. "This is fine. More than fine."
Maisie's heart jumped in her chest as he kissed her and at the sound he made, and gently, far more gently than she knew she was capable of, her fingertips brushed the side of his throat, up to his jaw line as she leaned in to softly kiss him back.
"Good," she whispered.