MHA #6, Wednesday Afternoon

[arboreal_priestess]

They hadn't gotten home until almost dawn yesterday morning, trying to plan for the Covenant and what they could do to keep Baltimore safe from them. And Verity, more dispirited than she was willing to let on, had just fallen facefirst into their--her bed the moment they'd gotten into the bedroom, barely taking the time to kick off her shoes and remove her holster.

Even now, it was afternoon and she was struggling against waking up. Liam was a warm presence beside her, offering comfort just by being there. What would she be doing now if she didn't have him, she wondered? Trying to bring people together all by herself? No one to hold her when it all got to be a bit too much? It was bad enough those rare nights he went back to his place and she didn't follow along; imagining not having him at all was...awful.

Without saying anything, she rolled over on her side and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his side.

[For the modded one, please!]

Comments

[firstofitskind]

Liam’s face fell visibly at the mention of Dominic. “I was so sure I was getting through to him,” he said. Sure, Dominic had been willing to help those cryptids he knew personally by offering them advance warning of what was coming, but only time would tell if he would go any further than that.

[arboreal_priestess]

"We were," Verity said, feeling guilty for bringing him up when it made Liam look like that. "And then they tugged his leash. And it's...hard. Turning your back a lifetime of indoctrination."

As he well knew.

[firstofitskind]

The topic would’ve come up eventually, unfortunately there was no avoiding it. “I know,” he admitted. “And I know what it’s like, being pulled in two directions at once. It’s not easy.” Sliding the bacon out of the pan, he eyed the butter on the counter speculatively, before adding... well, enough to poach rather than fry the eggs in the combination of butter and leftover bacon grease.

[arboreal_priestess]

Awww, he knew just how she liked them.

"What do we do, if he jumps the wrong way?" Verity asked.

It was an interesting question. She knew what she'd do. What she might have to do. Dominic knew too much about her. About them.

But was it going to cause a problem with her and Liam?

[firstofitskind]

“Whatever it takes,” Liam said, pressing a thumb into his palm. Yes, he cared about Dominic, but Verity would come first, always. And then the rest was simple math; one life versus the entire cryptid population of Baltimore. He didn’t like it, but that was just the way things were.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Here's hoping it doesn't come to that," Verity said quietly, with the understanding that it absolutely might. "...You don't have to worry about it. If it does. I'll take care of it."

[firstofitskind]

Liam wouldn’t have trouble pulling the trigger, figurative or otherwise, if he needed to. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate the spirit in which she’d made the offer. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Oh, look. Eggs? Done. Toast? Also done. Breakfast-for-lunch was ready.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I think this is a good arrangement," Verity said, sliding her eggs onto her toast and topping it with bacon. Instant breakfast sandwich! "You cook, I eat? I like it."

She was quiet for a second and then murmured, "I like looking forward to having breakfast with you every day."

[firstofitskind]

“Me too,” Liam said, a small smile lighting his face as he assembled his own plate. “I might have to expand my repertoire a little bit, though. Maybe figure out waffles.”

[arboreal_priestess]

"I can make pancakes!" Verity offered. "...From a box, I mean. Not from scratch."

Because who did that?

"And French toast is easy, too."

[firstofitskind]

... Well, Liam, probably.

"Never tried it," he admitted.

[arboreal_priestess]

Definitely Liam. Over-achiever.

"Well, someday, I'll walk you through it," Verity said. "Maybe if you're really good, I'll even demonstrate for you and bring you some in bed."

[firstofitskind]

"In our bed," Liam said, with a grin that was just this side of giddy over that whole officially-moving-in-together decision, still. "I'd like that."

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity gave Liam a look that was somewhere between euphoric and nervous. "So then we're doing this?" she asked.

[firstofitskind]

"We really are," Liam confirmed.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I'd give you a key or something to symbolize it...but I did that already," Verity said. "So how should we celebrate?"

[firstofitskind]

"Depends," Liam said thoughtfully, "on whether you want to go with the way we usually... celebrate... or if you did want to do something symbolic?"

[arboreal_priestess]

"Oooooh," Verity said, perking up. "I mean, tell me your symbolic idea, but I'm already leaning towards christening our bed."

[firstofitskind]

"We could go to the house," Liam said with a shrug. "Grab a few small things. And then maybe... find a place for them, here? Together?"

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity's expression softened. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I like that. Make sure your stuff has a place here. Make it feel more like ours."

[firstofitskind]

"Then it's a plan," Liam decided. "After breakfast?" Which was more like lunch, technically, but whatever.

[arboreal_priestess]

"After breakfast," Verity agreed. "You can take the extra time to convince me to get rid of this fine piece of furniture here."

She patted the table gently and it wobbled like seasick jello.

[firstofitskind]

"This 'fine piece of furniture' is clearly more than ready to be put out to pasture," Liam said, shaking his head. "It's barely holding up." Literally.

[arboreal_priestess]

"The duct tape adds to the charm," Verity declared stubbornly.

And erroneously.

[firstofitskind]

"Okay," Liam said, changing gears. "So if we ever follow through on those plans to have sex on the kitchen table, and we kill it, that would be very tragic, don't you think?"