Room 502, Monday Morning, 3/16

[withoutverona]

The weekend had been kind to young master Montague. There had been mud fights and muffins and even two birthday parties. And, when it got quite terribly late -- 9 o'clock at least -- he drifted back to his room with Yurika by the hand. They watched cartoons until they fell asleep on the bed like a pair of puppies, TV still droning away.

When Romeo first woke up on Monday, it took him a moment to feel as if anything beyond gratitude to be his proper size again, followed by annoyance at the grit of mud behind his ears and in other places his five-year-old self had forgotten to wash. He'd seen that shock of blonde hair in the morning many times.

Then he realized he hadn't so much, lately. Drawing away to get a better look, he held his breath. He was going to savor these moments until she (perhaps inevitably, he thought) made her excuses and left him alone again -- or at least tried to.

[OOC: For the taller and modded-with-permission birthday princess. Also, he's very unlikely to get around to opening Pixie Dust today -- drop me an email if you have a desperate need to shop there and we'll work something out. Also, going NWS because reunion sex is awesome.]

Comments

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

Yurika paused, looking down at his hand where he had touched her. "Don't tell me you want to watch more cartoons," she said brightly. "Or do you just want a turn with the unicorn, and don't want to admit it?"

[withoutverona]

"No, I --"

Romeo faltered. This wasn't easy, but he had to try, and if he failed, at least there would have been the attempt.

"I fucked up," he said, bluntly. "I did something unforgivable, and I know it, and I know you're being generous to even speak with me. But I love you, and I don't want to spend the rest of our time here without you, the way we were. Is there any way you could grant me that?"

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

The urge to chew on her lip when nervous like she had as a child was almost overwhelming, and Yurika brushed imaginary dirt from her pants as she stalled for time.

"You're right," she said quietly. "What you did was wrong, and it hurt. It still hurts, if I let myself think about it. I try telling myself that you were drunk, or you didn't really know what you were doing, but that doesn't make it hurt less."

"But that you know it was terrible, and you've quit trying to make excuses for it and you keep trying to fix it... that means a lot." Yurika ducked her head, letting her hair fall in her face. "I miss you."

[withoutverona]

"In faith, I know it was wrong," Romeo answered, reaching his hand slowly along her back. "I never meant to hurt you, though. I hope you can believe that."

"But I miss you too, and I worry about time, and duty, and the worlds breaking us apart, and -- if life has taught me any one thing, it's that now must be enjoyed, as it never lasts."

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

Yurika didn't flinch at the contact. Instead, she just sighed and let her eyes drift shut. "I know you didn't," she said quietly. "Or at least, I do now. I thought initially that you had done it deliberately, to hurt me, and that's one of the reasons I was so angry."

She turned on the bed, shifting to face him. "I said I'd give you another chance, aijin, and I mean that. I just needed my own space for a bit. You go off to the beach, I hide in my room and sulk. We've each got our own ways of coping, ne?"

[withoutverona]

Romeo recoiled a little. "I'm thoughtless," he said. "I'm almost never cruel, not unless my back is against a wall and another has struck the first blow. I would never try to hurt you."

He dipped his head to see her eyes. "So we can be normal until graduation?" The hope animated his voice.

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. That depends." Her eyes flickered up to meet his, a spark of her normal good-humor dancing in them. "Are you planning on marrying any other girls in exotic locations without informing me beforehand?"

[withoutverona]

He laughed, in relief as much as at the joke. "I think I'm done with marriage for my teens, and possibly for my twenties as well. I won't wed again until I'm quite old and wise."

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"Old and wise? A bachelor forever, then," she sighed in mock-anguish. "How sad!"

[withoutverona]

Romeo snickered again and leaned against her, trying to pull her back onto the bed. "You could be an old maid and make me soup," he suggested.

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"If I made you soup, would you eat it?" Yurika asked skeptically as she let herself get tugged back on to the bed. "It might be toxic."

[withoutverona]

"I would eat anything you gave me, dearest," Romeo said, leaning up to kiss her. "And I'm glad you agreed to try being with me again. I only had one other idea."

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

She had wanted to kiss him on the roof, and Yurika brushed her fingers over his cheek before claiming a small kiss.

"What was your other idea?" she asked, curious. "Were you going to get me a real pony?"

He had been the very nicest boy she'd met this weekend, after all.

[withoutverona]

Romeo pulled her closer yet, pressing his body against hers. He'd missed her. "I was going to tie you up and make you agree to take me back," he whispered. "Should I have thought of the pony first?"

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"You were going to..." Yurika trailed off, blinking at him before an evil grin spread across her face. "You know, most boys resort to bribery first. Unless the offer of 'making me agree' was a form of bribe."

[withoutverona]

"How did you think I would do it?" Romeo asked, grin going equally evil. "I don't think you'd like me much if I tied you up and left you."

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"You could have planned a nefarious tickle-torture," she pointed out. "Or something equally dastardly!"

[withoutverona]

Romeo feigned an injured look, which was hard to do when his hand was snaking up under her pajama top. "You think I'm the type to torture you with tickling, if I have you at my mercy?"

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

Yurika favored him with a skeptical look. "You've got a hand under my shirt and you're still trying to play innocent," she replied dryly. "I don't put anything past you and your devious ways."

[withoutverona]

"I thought you liked my devious ways," Romeo pointed out. "Do you want me to keep my hands to myself?"

It was staying where it was for now, flat against her stomach.

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

"Did I say that? I didn't say that. I said I don't underestimate your deviousness," Yurika answered, leaning back on the pillows and smirking. "Maybe I should say no, just to see what you'd do."

It still hurt. It was probably always going to hurt, at least a bit, but this was familiar and wanted, and much better than feeling sorry for herself.

[withoutverona]

"I think you should definitely" -- and now Romeo lifted the top slightly and bent his head to kiss her stomach -- "definitely say no, then, in the name of scientific inquiry."

They probably had more to talk about. There was always more to talk about, and he knew how much he had hurt her. But right now, it was easy to try to kiss it away.

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

Maybe kisses would prove better bandages than those pretty words she was still afraid to trust completely.

Yurika trailed her fingers through his hair. "I suppose, for the sake of inquiry," she mused, trailing off enticingly as she considered him. "Alright, then."

"No."

[withoutverona]

Romeo loved that answer. Something like gratitude flashed through his lifted eyes. "All right, then," he echoed.

He was going to take his time just kissing the plains of her stomach, getting reacquainted with each centimeter of her skin as his hands pressed against the outside of her top.

[dojima-hime.livejournal.com]

Yurika sighed and let her fingers trail over his shoulders and back, watching him from under lowered lashes as she enjoyed the attention. He could just kiss her like this all day, and she'd most likely be happy.