[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.

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[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."

[tristranthorn]

Well, then. As long as she approves!

"I suppose we ought to tidy this room a bit before we go, hmm?"

[an_evening_star]

A blink.

Okay - totally not the response she was expecting there.

Her eyes flicker downward, nose wrinkling reluctantly before she nods.

"I suppose," she agrees, sighing mildly. "I could do it while you wash up."

[tristranthorn]

Yes. Well, like his mun, he's good at that whole ADD thing too, it seems.

"That's fine. And I'll help you when I come out," he offers.

"Also, we should probably take some provisions while we're here."

[an_evening_star]

"We will make sure that you do not starve, Tristran," she rolls her eyes, sitting and twisting her still-damp hair up, leaning over him to grab a pen off the bedside table to stick through it.

A mild nudge.

"Up then," she prompts. "Take your time, I'll take care of it."

[tristranthorn]

It takes him a short moment, but then he sits up, letting out a breath.

"All right," he says before he presses a quick and affectionate kiss to her lips, grinning.

"Thank you."

[an_evening_star]

"Don't get used to it," she quips and, placing her hands along the small of his back, shoves him along and knocks the door closed behind him with her hip.

She straightens her shoulders determinedly, surveying the room with narrowed blue eyes.

Alright - very well then. Straightening.

Straightening and organizing and dear and holy gods someone had to make that bed.