Who: Mars and Zap When: May, 2008 (after midnight) Where: Xavier's; the dining room What: McLovin' (whatever that means) Status: complete Rating: R
They'd shared a meal consisting of a cheesy-broccoli casserole (without carrots), butter bread, and canned soda. He was glad to eat a meal that wasn't frozen or canned. Plus it tasted even better because Zalika had cooked it. The two of them had waited until most of the mansion was in bed so they could eat in peace in someplace that wasn't the sub-basement. Ronan didn't mind. He knew she was still feeling slightly uncomfortable about what people thought about their situation.
After watching him clean his plate twice, Zap decided the food was savvy and would be satisfied with that knowledge. She wasn't one to fish for compliments. And the quiet was nice, after all. She finished her drink - something they'd been having a lot of lately, as some brands and flavors were soon to expire, and began fiddling with the can's tab before she finally felt compelled to speak to her counterpart. "You know, all of this cooking I've been doing is putting some meat on your bones," she began, conversationally, "but I think your bones are fine anyway you want them." Ronan was a good-looking guy - she wasn't going to judge. She was just happy he was eating things with green in them. "I'm just happy we've been finding time to relax and eat in peace." She smiled a little, but looked unsure of herself. She had found it difficult lately to break silences between them. Before, she might've rattled off any old nonsense, but more recently, she had more on her mind, and she didn't want be a chatterbox. After what she had given up, she didn't want to risk pushing Ronan away by being obnoxious. They were taking things very slow, which was both a relief and pretty agonizing at once. But they'd never moved in leaps and bounds; only slow and steady. 'Patience is a virtue' Zalika reminded herself as she peered across the corner of the table that was between them at Mars. Her smile warmed when she locked eyes with his.
Ronan smirked at the 'meat on your bones' comment and watched her as he finished the last bit of food on his plate. "Me too, cailín." He normally didn't venture to the surface unless out of necessity, but after he and Zap had become an item, he had been spending more time up there. And he'd been receiving some nasty looks from a certain staff members (not really, just Storm), but he didn't really care what any one else thought. Though he had to agree that it was a bit awkward going from friend to more than friend, but to him it felt natural. He gave her a look paired with another smirk, "You okay?" His hand reached across the table to rest lightly on top of hers.
"I'm, yeah. Okay." Zap replied, hurriedly. She exhaled and suddenly looked a bit more composed, "I'm okay," her hand flipped under his and grasped his fingers. "It's just hard to relax." She felt like she was trying to impress her boss and get in his pants at the same time, which wasn't something she would've ever thought of doing. But Ronan wasn't her boss, and she wasn't just trying to get into his pants. She probably could whenever she wanted. But the tension between them was killing her. She needed to snap herself out of it and shake off her inhibitions. She wasn't being herself.
Zap stood and began clearing the table. "Ronan?"
"Aye?"
"I love you, but you scare the shit out of me. And you need to kinda tell me it's okay to love you."
His blue eyes surveyed Zap as she busied herself with the dishes. He wondered if it would be like this. He didn't want her to feel the way she was feeling at the moment. He knew how he came off to others, and it bothered him that he was making her twitchy. Mars could act suave and debonair when he needed to get information from strangers, but these were his true feelings, they were what he usually put on the back burner. He stood then, and moved around to the other side of the table where Zalika was still clearing dishes. Ronan reached in front of her and grasped the hand that was furthest from him, and pulled her over so she was face to face with him. "I don' want ye to be afraid to love me." His voice was tender as he looked down at her. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers briefly. "Or to touch me."
Zap's tense stance broke when Ronan stood and she was smiling before he got to her, but her expression switched to something a little more desperate again when he came close. She nodded, partially in thanks, partially in understanding when he kissed her there was a hitch in her breath. After catching up with what was going on, she felt calmed down, and she pushed up on her toes and kissed Ronan back after he'd spoken. Standing there now, being afraid to touch Mars seemed pretty retarded. She slid her wrists from his grasp and rested them on his chest, "Thank you," half smile, sigh, "I love you." She met his eyes and pushed herself upwards once more, this time moving her arms around his neck and resting her face against his. She sighed again and relaxed against him, "So much." Zap kissed the side of his ear and felt all her reservations fade.
He smiled when she kissed his ear and held her close. "I love you too." Her being so close and the smell of her almost made him want to have her then and there on the dining room table. His hand rose up to lightly cup her right breast, kneading it gently. When he did this, he felt a small jolt of electricity move up his arm. He smirked then, "Like that do ye?"
"Yeah." She did. A lot. But she was leery of being affectionate in public places. And she would've liked this to carry on now that her troubles were eased. "We should go," breath, "downstairs," exhale. She felt her hair doing its familiar dance and quickly tried to un-static it mentally. Her fingers shifted from the back of Mars' neck up into his cropped hair and the static was transferred to Ronan, which traveled down his back in a deliberate attempt to vex him. "And see what's in the fridge..."
He chuckled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before releasing her. The shock that had gone through his body made him focus more on her than his arousal. "The fridge...yes..." he muttered, taking a step back and grabbing her hand. "Leave the dishes."
Fridge = booze = fun. It wouldn't be the first time there was techie drunkenness and shenanigans afoot - but it might be the first time for other things. And what better to help loosen you up than a cold glass of Baileys? Zap turned from the table as she was pulled toward the door and made no effort to finish messing with their dinnerware. The dining room led straight to the elevator and it wasn't but a few minutes until the doors were opening on the sub-basement and toward the security room and Ronan's workshop. She followed behind and when they reached the room both frequented more than any other souls on the property, she headed straight for the mini-fridge in the corner under the workspace. "What's your poison?"
"Guinness." Ronan took a seat on the couch that sat against the wall. It was one that they'd stolen from one of the upstairs rooms (one that wasn't used much) years earlier. It was well broken in. He grinned at Zap when she handed him the beverage, "Why, I think ye've won my heart again, cailín."
Zap beamed (and blushed) at Ronan's words and pulled forth the icy bottle of Baileys for herself, with no glasses in sight. C'est la vie. She unscrewed the cap and took a long drink, then sat the bottle on the floor between where her feet would end up. When she sat, she was close enough to Ronan to reach his bottle, so she took it and popped the lid for him. She sidled up next to him to return it and cozied herself into his armpit - whether he liked it or not. Her hand closest to it retrieved her own drink and she took another sip before capping it, then pushed it off her lap to sit beside her. "I think you bring the Irish out in me," she half-joked. But there was some truth in it. Her hand rested easily on his thigh and Zap eased her head back to rest against his shoulder. Yeah. This was much better than before. She did have the natural feeling of regret - of time wasted. But she supposed things came to you as you were ready for them. Sometimes.
He threw his arm around her when she settled in next to him, snorting at the comment. "Aye, I'm good at that." He eyed the bottle of Bailey's briefly. He'd only been around her a few times when she'd been drinking, and he knew she was a lightweight. Not that there was anything wrong with that. When her hand reached his thigh, he sighed and rested his head on top of hers. He was happy to see she was a lot more relaxed now (and because it wasn't booze related). "Sorry 'bout the lack of glassware." he said lamely, indicating the bottle that was at her side.
"Hey, it's cold," she responded dismissively while watching her hand where it rested, "and no one's afraid of germs here."
AN HOUR LATER
Half an hour in, she'd felt it. The tingling in your head and the willowy nature your limbs took on - the first signs of drunkenness. Zap's left hand was grasping the neck of the 2/3 empty bottle of Irish whiskey while her right was elevated to the level of their faces where they were still lounging (however more lazily) on the couch. "Lookit my thumb," with concern, then with a little more enthusiasm and wonder, "it's so weird. Isn't it weird?"
Ronan laughed at Zap as he took the bottle from her hand and stowed it on his side of the couch. She was officially cut off for the night. He put his other hand on top of hers and lowered it. "That's nice, darlin'."
AN HOUR FROM THEN
Zalika Pallaton was no longer buzz-happy, much to her dismay. However, she had a replacement comfort nearby in the form of an Irishman. Their butts were in the same places, only now her legs were pulled up on the couch and she sat on her hip, leaning sideways into her beau. She busied her eyes with the inactive security monitors while she stroked the top of Ronan's forearm that she'd pulled around her. "This feels good," she said after a good while of silence, and now, obviously sober. She pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed the top between the thumb and pointer once or twice before letting out a contented sigh that bordered on the sound of a purr.
"Aye." he agreed, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the the kisses that she placed on his hand. He used his other hand to lift her chin so he could deliver his own kiss. One that made a quick transition from tender to fierce. His hand had left her chin and made its way into her hair, where he grabbed a fist full and tugged slightly.
"Mmmm," Zap reacted to his actions with surprise - but the pleasant sort. She shifted herself so she could use her hands to get at him. Zap didn't give him the chance to back his face away from hers, but maintained their kiss for as long as she could. Her fingers found their favorite place in the longest part of his hair, up top, and in reaction to the (slightly kinky) tugging he was doing on her own hair, she let loose a jolt that buzzed purple static over his brown locks and caused the hairs to stand on end under her touch. Her left hand dropped and swiped gently at his neck and throat in attempts to tickle and seduce.