[026] OOM - There's no place like home

[tristranthorn]

His shoulder and arm are - thankfully - healed completely at this point. It has been many weeks, but the help of pain medication, good stress-free rest, and delicious food helped splendidly in his recovery.

However, the time to return to Faerie draws near. On the one hand, Tristran is quite glad of it. It is their home, after all, and he is looking forward to really starting...well, things with Yvaine. But on the other, there is the ever-looming realization that he will soon have to inherit an entire kingdom and the responsibility of it all is somewhat staggering.

His shoulder is still a little stiff from the lack of use, but at least he is now able to do things with both of his arms. It is a very good feeling.

He glances over at Yvaine.

Now it is simply a matter of bringing up the whole ... going home thing - if she doesn't bring it up first.

Comments

[an_evening_star]

Okay, just going to say it and -

"Huh?"

She blinks, twisting the material at the ends of her hair - train of thought rather neatly derailed for the moment. "I - it was pleasant?"

It was and her dress is still slightly sticky at her shoulders from the water, but she's fairly certain that wasn't the point she was working up to.

[tristranthorn]

He nods, giving her a brief smile before he begins to absent-mindedly fluff up his pillow.

"That's good," he says. "Quite good, indeed."

[an_evening_star]

"There's still plenty of warm water," she offers lamely, towel discarded into the basket behind the door with an easy toss.

Another glance, eyes skittering over the back of his shoulders for a moment before she takes a deep breath, flutters her fingers, and starts again.

(Not that it matters, as he's turned around.)

"I was thinking."

[tristranthorn]

He nods at that - he might have a bath or something later, if he is so inclined.

First - there are...there are issues to discuss. Important ones, too.

"Really?" He turns to look over his shoulder, pillow still in his hands. "It just so happens that I have too."

[an_evening_star]

"Oh."

That stops her again, fingers curling over her shoulder, head tilting to the side.

"You do?" she limps forward easily enough, perching herself on the edge of the bed. "Should there be an order?"

[tristranthorn]

He shrugs, letting the pillow drop back to the bed, fluffier now.

"You could - well, you could share first, if you wish to."

[an_evening_star]

"I am thinking, perhaps, that it would be a good idea if we were to -" she tilts her head vaguely. "To go home? And there is no need to ask me why, really."

Which doesn't mean she won't tell him anyway. And with far more words than are necessary.

"Because we are in suspended animation. We have been lazing about - and do not get me wrong," she is quick to add. "I enjoy lazing with you but - but at home it is still in the middle of the Market and we have only just decided that being in love is a good idea and your mother is probably buying an elephant somewhere and - and just I want to."

Deep breath for possible interruption. (Or continuation.)

[tristranthorn]

His expression softens, and there is also a clear sign of relief as well. In fact, it is likely the reason why Tristran starts to smile.

"Home," he repeats, and it sounds nice - even if it fills him with a slightly sinking feeling as well; it's that whole kingdom business. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm afraid I've been thinking the exact same thing."

With a shrug, he comes to sit next to her. "Part of me wishes to stay here for as long as possible, but another part of me knows we should go back - and I, too, would...like to go back. That is where we belong, and our time is normal there. We can...really do things there." (Even if he has no idea what those things are, exactly.)

[an_evening_star]

Okay, agreement is good - so is sitting close enough that she can lean a bit while she rambles.

"I want to -" she starts again, stops, laughs quietly and tilts her head onto his shoulder. "To be close enough to our sky that I can practically hear my sisters being wildly jealous of me and I want to kiss you after you have dragged me off in some random direction and we have nearly gotten ourselves killed or eaten or something equally tragic and you have leaves in your hair and real days have passed since you've been in love with me."

He signed up for this, so he has no choice but to deal with her odd (and inappropriately cropping up) issues. They don't have to make sense, he just has to deal with them.

"It hasn't even been a day."

It's been months and it hasn't even been a whole day.

A bit quieter, slightly exasperated with herself, "What if - after a real day - you change your mind entirely?"

[tristranthorn]

"Yvaine," he starts, shaking his head a bit - and perhaps he is finding it difficult to hide the amusement in his expression, but he'll try for her sake.

He straightens a bit, forcing her to straighten too.

"Look at me."

Gently, he takes her hands in his and watches her, his expression intense.

"I love you. I think a part of me has for a very long time, but just hadn't realized it. And now that I have, I feel like I could never stop falling more in love with you - every day. I am quite certain that is never going to change. It isn't going to stop - no matter what time, or - or universe."

The smile that begins to form is a little lopsided. He will deal with her issues - all and every one of them; that is his job, and no one can say he's never done his job.

"It all probably sounds utterly ridiculous - all this 'I love you' sort of thing - but really, it's the only way I can say it because...well, it's the truth."

[an_evening_star]

"The - you -"

Her eyes are wide and she's struck strangely silent for a few still moments.

(Enjoy it while it lasts, Tristran.)

And then there's a swift armful, lapful of star - with her lips pressed rather firmly to his, even as they make a somewhat awkward tumble backward - followed by what are very likely mumbled apologies ("Oh - sorry, sorry.") somewhere in there, and her fingers pressing lightly over his shoulder for a moment before they're long and pale and curved up along his jaw.

A laugh, relieved and breathless and pleased, "Home then?"

[tristranthorn]

His arms go around her, and he laughs as well - it is moments like these that make him feel like everything in the world is all right, as long as Yvaine is smiling, and laughing and pleased.

"Yes. Let's go home."

[an_evening_star]

"Love you," she replies, snatching a quick kiss.

Home will come soon. Just as soon as she feels like moving again - or, at least, when she feels like moving further than to prop her chin on his chest and let out another laugh.

"I'm dripping on you."

[tristranthorn]

"Oh, I don't mind," he says, grinning broadly. He hugs her tightly towards him.

"It simply means I won't have to take a shower, now."

[an_evening_star]

"That's hardly going to get you out of cleaning yourself up properly, Tristran," she replies - voice a low drawl, contrary to the low curl of her hand against his collar - free hand reaching up to flick the tip of his nose with a finger.

A stern glance.

"Must I monitor you?"

[tristranthorn]

He starts to laugh.

"I was only kidding," he says, shaking his head. "As soon as I have become unlazy, I will get to the shower. Promise. I'll be clean before we leave."

[an_evening_star]

She's grinning widely by the time he's done speaking - bright and ridiculous and they're leaving - and it's odd, given how terribly cranky and impatient she can get, just how terribly easy it is to please her.

"Doesn't matter so much right now," she allows, shifting herself a bit closer. "I am rather entirely fond of being lazy - you're comfortable."

[tristranthorn]

"I try," he says as solemnly as he can make it, then kisses her cheek very briefly.

"And being lazy is absolutely fine. It's nice to be lazy for once after what we've been through, hmm?"

[an_evening_star]

"I'm glad we're going home," she admits, folding her arms and propping her chin on the backs of her hands. "We need to."

'Need' might be a strong word, but it pretty much feels like a need. Something very close to one, at the very least.

"I cannot tell you precisely why - but, you know that impatient feeling you get when you're stuck in the same place for too long?"

Like one tiny town or one tiny part of the sky.

"The world is so big and we can see it - and you know where everything is," the smile's a bit eager, a bit excited. "There are plenty of things to see before we have to do anything even remotely responsible."

[tristranthorn]

Tristran cranes his neck a bit so he can properly see Yvaine as she speaks, smiling a little lopsidedly as he listens to her.

Yes, perhaps returning home won't be such a bad thing at all, if Yvaine is by his side. He doesn't think he could return and do the same sorts of things he'd been doing all this time if she was not around.

"I agree," he says, letting his head rest back against the bedspread. His hand absent-mindedly traces nonsensical shapes against Yvaine's back as he thinks. "There are so many places we can go to, and so many things to see. We'll be two very worldly travelers."

[an_evening_star]

"And the best part?"

The grin that she flashes in return is wide and wickedly amused, the sort that used to come after some particularly rude remark - the good ones that were often nearly enough to get him to trip over his own feet.

"The farther we go," she says cheerfully. "The longer it takes for us to get back to where we are supposed to be."

Shirking responsibility is an art-form.

[tristranthorn]

Tristran starts to laugh.

"Very true," he says - just as brightly. "And then my mother can do whatever she likes in the mean time."

Yes. Everything sounds like it's going to work out quite nicely.

[an_evening_star]

"We'll get her something pretty for the trouble."

She shifts a bit - over and off - enough to turn onto her side and school her face into something that vaguely resembles solemnity, nose close to his.

A nod, "Something very pretty."

[tristranthorn]

"Good idea," he says. "Pretty things tend to distract her, from what I know of her."

He laughs. That likely sounded terrible.

[an_evening_star]

Only a little.

Yvaine approves. It still needs some work, mind you, but she approves.

"Awful," she grins. "But very true."