I love updates, you know I worry. I'll probably be hanging around here. Might go for a walk? Regardless, I'll def be keeping the bed warm for you tonight. <3
I'll keep you posted once I'm on my way, promise. Right now I'm just trying to get something decent out of the room's coffee maker. You should let me know if anything interesting happens, if you do go out. <3
You do your thing babe, I'll be here. <3 Be safe. Love you.
[ And here's the part where she wonders what he's doing and tries not to worry. Times like this, she's not sure if it would make her worry any less to know exactly what's going on when he leaves. The mystery leaves some possibility that maybe it's not as dangerous as she's fearing, but knowing... that leaves too much opportunity for her imagination to go wild, if she has an idea of what he's doing and all the ways it could go wrong.
Becca lets herself focus on brunch, and on texting the girls for a while. And eventually, as she's reading a book on the couch, that nap does sneak up on her, so she might miss a text or two. ]
[ It's nothing that takes much time left to do, mostly just getting paid. After about forty minutes, Becca will get a quick text that he's getting on the road. It's a long drive, but she'll get the occasional check in whenever he stops for gas or to stretch: a little bit of affection, or a little, non-specific note about what he's seen on the way. Commentary on gas station sandwiches and side-of-the-road oddities. It's never too much dialogue, because he's always trying to get going again quickly, trying to get back as soon as possible.
Around midnight, she'll get one last text: ]
Home stretch I'm a little more than two hours out I'll see you soon <3
[ She keeps her replies brief once he's on the road. As much as her mystery-solving mind wants to piece together the clues of where he's driving and stick pins in a map or whatever... she doesn't. But she does kind of want to see some of those side-of-the-road tourist traps.
The text at midnight is what she's been waiting for, really. She's just getting into bed by then, not in one of his shirts but instead a frilly little nightgown. After replying (a reply that's mostly hearts and exclamation points, honestly), she sets her phone aside to wait out the last stretch. Despite the nap, though, Becca falls asleep, curled around a pillow. ]
[ It's almost a surprise how strong the relief is, getting to just pull up to Becca's. He doesn't want to go back to his place first, to have to wait to see her until the morning. Part of him's a little bit nervous about something going wrong, but he had a lot more time to spot anyone following him this time, and nobody he knew was involved. And he'll be there, if anything happens, doesn't plan on leaving for a little while. That also helps. Seems like the only time he isn't a little bit worried about her at this point is when he's there to take care of her.
Besides, it makes a much prettier picture to come back to than his empty apartment. Nate just leans into the doorway for a minute, watching her sleep. It feels like everything finally settling in his brain, seeing Becca there.
Fuck, but he really is so gone on her he doesn't know what to do with it.
He moves to the side of the bed as softly as he can manage, crouching down a little so he can reach across and stroke at her hair. Seeing if that little touch is enough to wake her up or not. ]
[ The night before, her sleep had been restless; she'd tossed and turned a lot, and woke up much earlier than she would've liked. Tonight, knowing Nate was on his way home had made it easier for her to relax, so now she's sleeping a little more soundly.
Becca hadn't even heard him come in, and though she does stir a bit at his touch, she doesn't wake. ]
[ He's a little tempted to just let her sleep, but Becca made it pretty clear that she'd rather be woken up. And Nate wants to say hi properly, now that he's here.
He drops his jeans just to be more comfortable climbing into bed -- he's wide awake, doesn't foresee sleeping any time soon, but he also doesn't think he's going to want to let go, either. The pillow is kind of in the way, so he moves to curl up around her from behind instead, nuzzling at the side of her neck, his arm wrapping around her waist as he murmurs lowly into her ear. ] Hey, baby. C'mon, wake up for me.
[ Once he slides in behind her, then she's awake. She shivers back into his embrace, sighing contentedly, pushing the pillow aside. Her head tilts slightly, giving him a little more access to her neck.
This moment, this is what she's been waiting for, and it's all worth it. She rests a hand on his arm, her voice warm and thick with sleep when she speaks. ] Hi, babe. Mm, welcome home.
[ It certainly feels even more like a home for her when he's there. It's kind of crazy when she really stops to think about it, given how comfortable she'd gotten on her own, and how much she's struggled to share her space with others in the past.
But now, her apartment feels lonely without Nate.
Becca snuggles back as he pulls her in close, those kisses getting another shiver from her. ] Missed you so much, baby. I tried staying up, guess I got sleepy.
[ He's just going to keep kissing at her gently, the slope of her neck and her shoulder, fond little motions. His hand seeks hers, tangling their fingers together lightly. ]
You can go back to sleep if you want, I just wanted you to know I was home.
[ She allows herself enjoy those kisses for a moment, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. It's nice just to feel him there, and even nicer to hear him say that he's home.
But eventually, she's got to do it. She lets go of his hand and shifts to face him, her smile growing even wider. ] Not gonna go back to sleep without seeing your handsome face.
[ A hand lifts to cup his face, thumb brushing over his cheek. ] There's my guy.
Yeah, but then I'd have to wait until the morning to kiss you, and that's just too long. [ So she's not wasting another second, she'll lean in for a soft kiss, fingers brushing lightly over his jaw and down along his neck and chest before slipping her arm around his side. She keeps it brief; then a kiss to his forehead, and one to his cheek. ]
There, much better. I did say I was gonna smooch your face.
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Date: 2024-11-10 12:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-11-10 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-11-10 01:20 am (UTC)Hotel room coffee?! My poor baby. :(
Not gonna lie, a boring day doesn't sound so bad. But also I could probably use some fresh air.
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Date: 2024-11-10 01:24 am (UTC)Well, maybe you'll get lucky and the walk will be boring. Good boring. Not climbing the walls looking for something to do boring.
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Date: 2024-11-10 01:37 am (UTC)If I got that bored I'd probably just take a nap. I'm not planning to take a nap, but they do sometimes sneak up on me.
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Date: 2024-11-10 01:43 am (UTC)Naps are a good plan, though. I might be in favor of it right now because it means I feel less guilty waking you up, but still.
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Date: 2024-11-10 02:06 am (UTC)Okay, now a nap sounds like a fantastic idea. Just a little one so I'm not too sleepy to welcome you home.
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Date: 2024-11-10 02:18 am (UTC)If you don't manage one, no big deal. We can always just go back to sleep when I get there.
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Date: 2024-11-10 02:37 am (UTC)I'll sleep better with you anyway. But I'd really, really like some kisses first. :-*
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Date: 2024-11-10 02:44 am (UTC)You can have all the kisses you want first.
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Date: 2024-11-10 09:25 pm (UTC)I'm definitely too distracted to work now. But it's OK, I got brunch.
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Date: 2024-11-10 09:35 pm (UTC)Actually I do have to go take care of something. I'll let you know when I'm on the way, okay? <3
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Date: 2024-11-10 09:54 pm (UTC)You do your thing babe, I'll be here. <3 Be safe. Love you.
[ And here's the part where she wonders what he's doing and tries not to worry. Times like this, she's not sure if it would make her worry any less to know exactly what's going on when he leaves. The mystery leaves some possibility that maybe it's not as dangerous as she's fearing, but knowing... that leaves too much opportunity for her imagination to go wild, if she has an idea of what he's doing and all the ways it could go wrong.
Becca lets herself focus on brunch, and on texting the girls for a while. And eventually, as she's reading a book on the couch, that nap does sneak up on her, so she might miss a text or two. ]
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Date: 2024-11-10 10:06 pm (UTC)Around midnight, she'll get one last text: ]
Home stretch
I'm a little more than two hours out
I'll see you soon <3
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Date: 2024-11-10 10:21 pm (UTC)The text at midnight is what she's been waiting for, really. She's just getting into bed by then, not in one of his shirts but instead a frilly little nightgown. After replying (a reply that's mostly hearts and exclamation points, honestly), she sets her phone aside to wait out the last stretch. Despite the nap, though, Becca falls asleep, curled around a pillow. ]
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Date: 2024-11-10 10:29 pm (UTC)Besides, it makes a much prettier picture to come back to than his empty apartment. Nate just leans into the doorway for a minute, watching her sleep. It feels like everything finally settling in his brain, seeing Becca there.
Fuck, but he really is so gone on her he doesn't know what to do with it.
He moves to the side of the bed as softly as he can manage, crouching down a little so he can reach across and stroke at her hair. Seeing if that little touch is enough to wake her up or not. ]
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Date: 2024-11-10 10:40 pm (UTC)Becca hadn't even heard him come in, and though she does stir a bit at his touch, she doesn't wake. ]
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Date: 2024-11-10 11:03 pm (UTC)He drops his jeans just to be more comfortable climbing into bed -- he's wide awake, doesn't foresee sleeping any time soon, but he also doesn't think he's going to want to let go, either. The pillow is kind of in the way, so he moves to curl up around her from behind instead, nuzzling at the side of her neck, his arm wrapping around her waist as he murmurs lowly into her ear. ] Hey, baby. C'mon, wake up for me.
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Date: 2024-11-10 11:33 pm (UTC)This moment, this is what she's been waiting for, and it's all worth it. She rests a hand on his arm, her voice warm and thick with sleep when she speaks. ] Hi, babe. Mm, welcome home.
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Date: 2024-11-10 11:41 pm (UTC)Hey, sleeping beauty. [ Soft and fond. He hugs her back into his chest, curled up close as he can get. ] Missed you.
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Date: 2024-11-11 12:00 am (UTC)But now, her apartment feels lonely without Nate.
Becca snuggles back as he pulls her in close, those kisses getting another shiver from her. ] Missed you so much, baby. I tried staying up, guess I got sleepy.
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Date: 2024-11-11 12:08 am (UTC)[ He's just going to keep kissing at her gently, the slope of her neck and her shoulder, fond little motions. His hand seeks hers, tangling their fingers together lightly. ]
You can go back to sleep if you want, I just wanted you to know I was home.
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Date: 2024-11-11 12:24 am (UTC)But eventually, she's got to do it. She lets go of his hand and shifts to face him, her smile growing even wider. ] Not gonna go back to sleep without seeing your handsome face.
[ A hand lifts to cup his face, thumb brushing over his cheek. ] There's my guy.
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Date: 2024-11-11 12:30 am (UTC)[ Not that it's a complaint. He resettles his arm around her, hand drifting lightly against her back, watching her warmly. ]
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Date: 2024-11-11 12:44 am (UTC)There, much better. I did say I was gonna smooch your face.
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