Dawn Breaks (Nel + Murdoch)

[Murdoch]

Doc just shrugged, quickly working his way down to the core of the apple. Once he finished it, he tossed the core to land with a skid on the table, picked up his mug of tea, and wound his free arm around her waist to snuggle her a little closer.

For all that he was violently opposed to any sort of emotional intimacy, he was incredibly affectionate - he fell into it without any effort, was as natural with it as he was easy with a smile. The lines between the two were indecipherable and paper thin, and luck be with her if she tried to figure them all out.

"Whatever you like," he said, thoroughly unconcerned with whatever might or might not work out with Sam. He'd offered for her sake, not for Sam's, and wouldn't fret himself over not being able to fake an apology. So he just blew on his tea a moment, tried it and found it still too hot, and dipped his chin to press a kiss to her temple. "Of course," he said, his voice turning teasing and reluctant, "that would mean you'd have to get dressed, and leave the apartment. Which are two things I'd rather not have you do right now," he chuckled. "But I will suffer if I must," he added, a picture of humility as he batted dark lashes at her.

[Nel Sayo]

She nudged his arm aside with her elbow, reached over to curl her hand over the top of his mug of tea so that it wouldn't spill onto the blankets, and just climbed right into his lap. No use mincing about with this snuggling business; Nel was a person who liked to be hugged and soothed and comforted. And, from Murdoch, she was prepared to take everything she could get before it vanished -- like the glint in his eye before he struck her, or the swish of his temperament shifting from one extreme to the other.

Nibbling on the apple, still, she settled herself, a brief smile playing on her mouth when he kissed her temple and bemoaned the idea of getting dressed, or going anywhere. She had to get Sam his money back before Doc decided he wanted to keep it. She wondered, distantly, if Sam would know somewhere for her to go. She still had to go; she knew she had to go. It was so dangerous for both of them, all of this. As though the thought of it weighed down on her, she tipped her face to nuzzle a little into his scruffy cheek.

"If I go, I should go," she murmured, cradling her half-eaten apple in both hands. No use ignoring it; they both knew that if she left that apartment, the best thing for her to do would be to get on a ship and leave the city. She leaned back a little so that she could look up into his face. "Will you help me figure out where and stuff?"

[Murdoch]

He accommodated her shift to his lap, curling his arm around her and burying his nose in white curls before she leaned back again.

He peered down at her perfect, eager face, so trusting, secure in the knowledge both that he would eventually hurt her, and that he would just let her go. She can help you, a soft voice whispered, and he slammed his eyes shut - but not before they went bright with grief and memory. He had to swallow back something, and wasn't sure if it was an angry word or some plea for patience, clemency, another few moments to figure this all out.

But then his eyes slid open, all trace of his past banished, and his smile returned as he nodded and dropped a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth. "Of course," he said quietly, chuckling a little, and it was said so casually that nothing else could possibly be going on. Yes, of course, shouldn't even have to ask.

[Nel Sayo]

But you can't fake it with someone who feels everything you feel, especially not someone as attuned to his emotions as Nel was; normally she'd have ignored it, done her best to block it all out. But the tell-tale shift of his feelings often heralded some sort of attack, so she'd been walking hand-in-hand with his moods since they'd come awake.

A frown curved her mouth even as he kissed it.

"I did it again," she whispered, and her eyes were still lingering on his. Hadn't even closed them to be kissed, because she'd felt that spike of grief and seen the flicker of memory before he'd been able to shove it down again. "Doc, I'm sorry. I don't -- I don't know what to do. Should I stay? For a little while, I mean? Or -- you don't have to help, if you just want me to go, I -- will."

Her expression twisted; she wasn't secure in anything. But she had to hope for the best, or she wouldn't have been herself.

[Murdoch]

He sighed, something more honest in it, a sign of his frustration with the whole stupid situation.

"I'm messed up, Nel," he grumbled, not meeting her eyes now because he didn't want to hear some bullshit encouragement from a ghost in his head. "I'd be messed up whether you were here or not. You're just... here to see it. It's nothing to do with you."

He would likely be just as haunted when she left, just as damaged and broken, there just wouldn't be anyone to see.

He caught one of her hands in his, turned it up to press a warm kiss to her palm since she wouldn't let him distract her lips again. "Take your bag," he murmured against her skin. "Decide when you're not here, looking at me. It'll be easier then." He knew, if she got out of here, got away from him for just a few minutes, she'd come to her senses and run as fast as she could in the other direction, because it was the only smart thing to do.

But there was a small voice, weak and unreadable to him, that lay beneath his sensible words and his charming kisses. Stay, it whispered, staystaystay...

[Nel Sayo]

"Okay," she murmured, something defeated slithering through her voice. Or disappointed. But he wasn't the empath between them. Her pale fingers curled over the plane of his jaw, the touch light and ponderous.

Straightening her spine, she leaned up to put her face to his. Nothing sultry or seductive in it, not even anything that sought a firmer answer, that wanted him to tell her what to do. Just a gesture, utterly simple in its tenderness, the smooth skin of her cheek cool against the darkened shadow of his.

She could've told him that she was messed up too, but what would that serve? For a girl who tried so very, very hard to hide her own pain, admitting something like that would have been counterproductive. He'd been right about her; what she wanted, what would make her happy, what would make her world logical again, was dead at the bottom of the Suvan Sea, gone forever. And the pieces left behind had stopped making sense; she was still adrift, though she trod the land again.

"You can have the rest of my apple," she whispered, her voice just a breath away from his ear. "If you want it."

[Murdoch]

A dark hand lifted and tangled itself in her hair, thumb skimming over her cheekbone as he nuzzled his face against hers. Her whisper, though, revealed more than she thought; he knew only too well the sound of uncertainty, a yearning for something safe and happy and home that could only truly be voiced by a woman's tongue. Recognized the twist of disappointment in her words, for he'd heard it every night for more than a year from his lover's lips when he refused her nightly pleas.

He swallowed harshly again, but he was getting better at keeping down his physical reactions to his memories. The more they assaulted him, the less deep the cut.

"You don't want to go," he murmured. It was more a statement than a question, and something shivered through him - not the violent shudders that had taken him earlier. Something more resigned, for that soft tone of voice might be the one thing he couldn't fight against. Couldn't bring himself to deny it, when his memories screamed at him that if he'd only done something sooner then poor Ydratha...

"Stay," he said through clenched teeth, though he immediately forced himself to relax a little. "If you want to stay, then stay. I'll... try, I guess," he said, and the rattle of laughter that followed it was part bitterness and part resignation.

[Nel Sayo]

She clenched her eyes shut, because she didn't want to see what his expression did after he said that; she didn't want to know if he meant it or was just saying it. She wanted, for once, to just not know what intentions might linger behind a person's words. Instead of opening her eyes, then, she just rocked a few inches further and hugged him.

Looped her arms about his neck and gave him a good squeeze. Not an All right, I'll stay squeeze, but something free and earned -- the sort of hug she would've given him regardless, just to give it. And she pressed a kiss to his cheek, her hands smoothing through the morning riot of his hair. Eventually, she smiled against his skin.

"Maybe just for dinner," she murmured, and the laughter trembling through her voice held an almost desperate gratitude, and not a small amount of genuine good humor.

[Murdoch]

He settled the tea on the floor beside the bed, not caring that it slopped over the edges and scorched his fingers. Just looped his arms around her and hugged her back, and for a moment was surprised that all he smelled was cool, pale skin and not something darker, not a memory but the reality of what he held in his arms.

"Dinner than," he murmured, relief clear in his words. His own smile was genuine, and he nuzzled his nose against the corner of her mouth. "Finish your apple, silly swan. We can always get more."

She would stay, at least until the next time, and maybe some good would come before the worst.

[Gossamer]

. Character: Nel Experience: 1 XP Negotiation Lore: Sensing People's Emotions, Sharing (food), Offering Comfort Character: Murdoch Experience: 1 XP Negotiation, 1 XP Persuasion Lore: Personal Angst Additional Note: What I love about Nel is simply this... Shes fitting into a Konti role and really helping Doc whether he knows it or not.. and whether she knows it or not.. .that Avalis mark is well placed. And its crazy too because Doc knows it too, but knows she knows hes going to screw up and screw her over eventually too... or thats what everyone at least assumes. .