Lilo Pelekai is a disciple of The King. (means_family) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-04-20 22:43:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, lilo pelekai, will graham |
Who: Lilo and Will.
What: Chatting about Hannibal's dinner.
When: After Hannibal makes this post.
Where: Lilo's house.
Rating/Warnings: PG-13.
Status: Complete!
After work, Will had gone over to Lilo’s house for the first time since leaving the hospital. He’d been checking the network on his work computer, and seen Hannibal’s post, and he wanted advice, pure and simple. His first instinct was to recoil. And yet, he didn’t entirely want to go with that instinct. Not yet.
He knocked on her door, wanting to alert her even if he now had his own key. “Lilo?”
Lilo was laying on the floor in the living room, stretching her legs over her head and somehow managing to read her Kindle at the same time. “In here!” She called out happily, glad to know that Will was near.
Will closed the door behind him, absently petting Daisy who had come to sniff him. “I hope I’m not interrupting. I wanted to come by after work.” He enjoyed her company, of course, but he also would welcome her cool head. She was the most logical person he knew.
“Nope, just stretching. I just got back from surfing.” Her hair was wet and she smelled like salt. She’d shower later. “Are you okay? I saw Hannibal’s thing.”
“I’m all right. I wanted your opinion on it.” He didn’t really see the need to beat around the bush. “My first impulse was to flatly refuse. But then I wasn’t sure.” After all, there really wasn’t any evidence that Hannibal had murdered anyone here, let alone fed them to anyone.
“He’s ... not the same here, is he?” Lilo sat up and pulled her knees to her chest, looking over at the man she loved.
“That’s just it. I don’t know, but I don’t think so.” He looked suitably grave. “I mean, I have no proof. Abigail is still alive, after all. I don’t know any Jack Crawford or anyone who’s died here. I didn’t shoot Abigail’s biological father.”
“I think it’s smart to give him a chance, especially if we’re both part of a large group. Maybe you can get vegetarian food, though?” Lilo would just follow his lead. Standing up, she moved to wrap her arms around him.
The idea of eating meat that Hannibal had cooked still made him feel ill, to the point where his head swam thinking about it. Will wrapped his arms around her waist as she drew closer. “I feel silly even reacting so strongly, but the dreams ... aren’t just dreams.” He kissed her cheek, still thinking.
“Of course they’re not, not when they make you ill.” She leaned back to stroke his cheek. “Tell him we only eat veggies, then we’ll feel him out in a group setting. And if worst comes to worst, I’ll pack my ray gun in my purse.”
“I wouldn’t go without backup.” Will said seriously. “You, or Abigail. And I can’t in good conscience tell Abigail, ‘Look, I’m trying to verify whether or not your lover in fact is a psychopathic serial killer.’” Well. He could, but it would be just slightly poor form.
He heard a soft bark from the doorway. “Is that Daisy? It’s been a while since I’ve seen your dogs.”
Lilo ran her fingers through Will’s hair, then laughed when she heard Daisy clear her throat. “Yeah. She wants to know if we’re gonna mate or if it’s safe for her and Mareeba to come in. I think you’re okay, Daisy girl.” Plopping onto the floor again, Lilo opened her arms so her dog could run into them.
Will had to laugh. “She looked a little afraid. How are you?” he asked the dog, smiling when Daisy chuffed softly, leaning her head against his arm. “Is it absurd if I’m very gratified that they like me?” Dogs were far better judges of character than people were. Maybe he ought to bring Winston to the party.
Blushing a little, Lilo leaned against Will. “Want to know what they call you?”
“What?” Will was scratching Daisy’s ears; he’d figured out just the right spot to do it.
“Daddy.” Lilo giggled when she saw Daisy’s leg raise up a bit and start to thump.
Will blushed instantly, but he wasn’t insensible of the compliment. “That’s ... really very sweet of them.” It really was. If slightly presumptuous. “I’m glad they trust me so much.” He wanted to be good with dogs, obviously, and worked to be good with dogs, but he knew he wouldn’t ever connect with them all.
“They do.” She kissed his shoulder and closed her eyes. “I think it’s just that they know I trust you. I’m Mommy, so therefore, you must be Daddy.” Lilo chuckled when Daisy argued that it was because Will took good care of them.
“It makes logical sense.” Will refused to be too embarrassed. He did love her, and honestly, he loved the dogs, too. “And I mean, I do look after Daisy’s soulmate.” Winston loved that dog, and Will loved that his dog was so happy.
“You do. And I love Winston too.” Lilo looked down at Daisy’s tail thunking at the mention of Winston. “I think it’s kind of obvious how Daisy feels about him. If we ever kept them apart, I’d feel awful.”
“Well, I don’t plan on going anywhere,” Will blurted. Awkward, maybe, but at least it was honest. He did love her.
“That makes two of us,” Lilo murmured. She leaned closer, letting her lips lightly press against his. She loved him. She’d live her entire life with him if he’d allow it.
He’d thought before, and he thought again now, that he should probably ask her to marry him. But with the dreams going on, and his own health in a weird state of flux, he just wasn’t sure. Still, maybe when things calmed down a bit. It wasn’t as if he had anyone else in his little black book.
For now, Will just enjoyed the moment. He scooted a little closer on the floor, one arm wrapped around her waist.
“I like it like this. Just the two of us, and the kids, and ... it means a lot to me. You’re family, and you always will be.” She squeezed his hand, burrowing closer to him. “I wish you’d been around when my parents died. You’d have found who did it faster than the cops there did.”
That was a cop’s compliment, and it touched Will more than he wanted to admit. He smiled, looking down. “You’ve got a lot of faith in me, despite how smart you are.” It was half a joke, but only half.
She chuckled at his joke. “Damn right I do.” She seldom ever swore, but she wouldn’t take that one back. “It took a couple of years. I was here when they figured it out.”
“Were you?” He didn’t want to comment on it taking a couple of years; he didn’t know how difficult it was to solve a murder in Hawaii. “I’m just glad they found the culprit. The idea of you not having any closure is difficult to think about.” Lilo deserved that much - well, everyone did, but she was special to him, of course.
“I don’t think closure really... I mean, knowing who did it didn’t make it any easier.” She threaded her fingers through his. “It was a robbery that went bad, the kids just kind of panicked. In my dreams, they died in a rainstorm. Both random, both kind of acts of God if you think about it. Either way, I just want everyone to be happy. My parents are wherever we go when we die, and the people that killed them hopefully learned something out of it. Either way, they’re sober now, and that’s a good thing.” She smiled at Will. “It just taught me to make sure that my loved ones know they’re loved. To live as much as I can.” It had inspired her to go pro in the first place.
“I don’t know if I could be so forgiving.” He really didn’t. And he knew she wouldn’t judge him for it, which mattered a lot. “I mean, you don’t seem to think it’s a big deal, but I’m not sure I’d possess that kind of strength.”
“I can’t hate them my whole life. It ruins mine, being grumpy like that. I’m not really... I don’t get angry like that as often anymore. I still do sometimes. If you do a background check on me, it’ll probably show I beat up some people in college.” Misdemeanor disturbing the peace charges sucked.
Will chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me. In all honesty, I had thought about doing a check and then decided against it.” It would have been a breach of trust, and he didn’t want to breach her trust. It was as simple as that. “I still have that misdemeanor dog-napping charge. Well. Technically it’s theft. Pets are classed as personal property.” Which was completely nonsensical to him. Personal property didn’t have thoughts or feelings.
She appreciated the trust, and lifted Will’s hand to kiss the knuckles. “You’re sweet.” Even the dog-napping made her smile. “I see myself as their ... steward, if that makes sense. They can’t talk, so I try to interpret. They can’t see a doctor, so I take care of them and keep them healthy.” She was their provider and protector.
“Well, they can talk to you.” Will smiled. “But I understand. And it’s how I feel as well.” He kissed her cheek lightly. “Just, I haven’t found a way to live like that. Does that make sense? The dreams and the past give me so much baggage. It weighs me down. It’s exhausting. I think we could learn a lot from dogs.”
“They couldn’t always.” She moved to lightly rub Will’s shoulders, smiling at her boyfriend. “It does. And it’s like... baggage that someone’s just handed to you and has said ‘oh, by the way, this is yours now’. You know, we should go for a swim with the dogs. Speaking of learning from them.”
That made Will laugh. “I’m honestly not sure if any of mine have ever been in the water. Winston doesn’t swim, per se; he wades.”
“You should bring them out sometime. But come on!” Lilo hopped up. He was at her house, and her house was close to the water. Daisy and Mareeba were dancing back and forth on their paws, barking encouragement.
Will blinked. “ ... All right. Why not?” It might sound a little odd, but why not. He was trying to be more spontaneous. “What do I need to do?” He presumed he could just strip to his boxer shorts.
“I have some swim trunks if you want ‘em. I get sponsored, so I just have a closet of swim stuff they’ve given me.” She hopped up to go grab a pair of trunks in a medium and change back into her own bikini. She had one for when she wasn’t surfing.
She came back out in a cute leopard print bikini, holding a pair of boardshorts for Will.
Will blushed, but he had to appreciate the view. “Thank you.” He started to change, trying to be nonchalant; it wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen it before. Daisy chuffed, cocking her head, and he had to be amused. “Should I ask what she’s saying?”
Lilo smiled, sitting down by Daisy. “I dunno why humans let boy teats show and girl teats not show. It’s kind of silly, really.” She’d just run around naked 24/7 if she could, but society was stupid. She grinned up at Will, her own cheeks going pink. Her boyfriend was gorgeous.
That did make Will blush harder. “She has a point, but I don’t think we can explain societal mores we don’t entirely understand to a dog.” He cleared his throat. “Shall we?”
Hopping up, Lilo nodded. “Mareeba, c’mon, let’s go swimming!” The other dog trotted in, yawned, and chuffed a hello to Will before beaming and nosing at the front door. They walked to the beach regularly.
Will enjoyed the walk - he’d never been down to the beach this way from her house. “This is really pretty,” he commented, smiling at the dogs romping. “You’re lucky to have this.”
“It’s why I took this place at all,” she smiled. “It kind of reminds me of where I grew up.” She would always be a Hawaiian girl through and through, but she liked California pretty well. Surfing was popular there too.
“It’s impressive.” It was very peaceful. Maine’s coastline wasn’t like this - it was rockier and more dangerous. Will appreciated the calm. “Have you ever thought of going back to Hawaii?” It had to be asked, even if the question was maybe a little blunt.
“I think I did before I really started making friends and feeling like I was home here.” She sighed a little. “I think Hawaii's more a memory for me now? I had a really good childhood, and I didn’t want to ruin it by blaming the place.”
“That makes sense. I was just curious.” Will was secretly glad, as well - it would have meant a difficult decision for him if she had declared herself open to returning to Hawaii. He wasn’t that much of a sun and sand person.
“Besides. I kind of have plans with this guy who lives here. I figured I’d marry him someday, maybe move back to Maine with him if he wanted to someday.” She nudged him gently on the shoulder before laughing when Mareeba started to splash around.
Will blushed hard. But at least he was glad that she understood his intentions. “I love you,” he said, looking after her as she was jumped up on by Mareeba.
“I love you too!” Lilo giggled, splashing the dog right back and rolling around in the surf. “Come on, the water’s nice and warm!”
For once in his life, Will stopped considering the options. He laughed, and simply did it.