[ there's no space for a greeting, just the casual slip of a glass between his fingers before he even has a chance to register what she's doing. he gives it a brief glance before his eyes gaze up to her, soon following her inside and shutting the door behind him. ]
Guess you really liked it. [ the whiskey, he means, since she seems to have stocked up on it since. ]
( considering that there were few earth foods that she enjoyed it was good when quill did find something she liked.
this also wasn't the only bottle she had. considering how much she hated grocery shopping she'd gotten more than one.
she's also, after taking a sizeable drink of the whiskey, going to jump right into it )
Why are you so insistent on keeping me protected?
( was it really just soldiers having the other's back? it had been so long since she'd felt something like it that she'd sort of forgotten what it was like )
[ he's taking a sip of his own drink when she poses the question, the weight of it not entirely stirring him, still tilting the glass in his hand with a casual ease.
but his shrug with a temporary silence is one that says more about frank than most anything, the partial gaze of a frown that showcases the familiarity of situations like this, of constantly finding himself in the presence of protecting someone, whether it's warranted or not. ]
It's just ... just what I do.
[ Which isn't so much of a lie, really. ]
There are people who don't deserve to get shit thrown at them. And there are those who do. Just want to make sure it's all aimed in the right place.
( it's a lot more than quill expects, the fact that he doesn't think that she deserves this. she doesn't think it, doesn't deserve the life that the rhodians had forced her into. but no one else ever recognises it.
she lets silence fall for a few seconds, a brief flicker in her expression at the weight of what he's saying, before-- )
Then you should know what you're protecting.
( what not who. she stands from where she'd been leaning on the counter, bringing both herself and the bottle closer to him, letting it sit on the counter by him )
I-- I lost my war. Ended up captured, left as a prisoner. When it was over-- the people that we'd been fighting have a very particular punishment. They put a creature in my brain called an arn making me a slave to their will.
[ he lingers where he stands with glass in hand, downcast eyes peering up to her as she begins to explain, willing to listen if she's comfortable to offer him more than she'd been vaguely stepping on before.
he doesn't know what war she's talking of, of who she'd fought for or who it was she was even fighting. but as she continues, there's a subtle raise of his brow, a soft confusion with the latter details. ]
What's ... what's that mean, an arn?
[ creature in her brain, that's not territory he's used to, aside from a metaphorical stance. ]
[ it isn't as if he doesn't believe her; he does. but it's not a description he'd know much about, knowing nothing in the ways of alternate lifeforms or anything of the sort.
still, he can grasps the basics of it all the same with what she supplies. ]
How do you get it out?
[ not that he doubts she'd have tried if it were something that easy. ]
( and even if quill believed that ballon could get it out, they'd been on the hunt for ingredients to do such a thing, she didn't believe that anyone else could do it. you needed specific things -- arn pheremones, a shapeshifter and a quill brain. nothing that was possible here )
Its claws are tipped with poison. On a good day it gives me a headache.
[ claws tipped with poison, like a cancer taken to an entirely different degree. ]
They got all sorts of shit here to get inside your head. Maybe there's a way here.
[ not that he can even pretend to understand anything of what it takes, or even how it'd gotten put into her head in the first place. but there's others stranded in the city much smarter than him that might be able to figure it out, even if there's no way they'd trust the people actually in charge to take care of it. ]
( even if quill could trust someone here to do that, certainly not the people that brought them here but some other surgeon she still didn't believe that it would work. she couldn't )
It knows my thoughts. ( it didn't just link her to someone but it was the link. the one detail she'd left out about the link -- it was telepathic ) I'd be dead before you cut into my head.
( quill sighs )
It's meant to be cruel. And permanent. They wanted slaves, to make examples. We were never going to be free.
[ jesus christ, he doesn't say though the recognition of the intensity of the circumstances is shown slightly in his expression, exasperated in her place.
of course, there's still his more natural way of approaching things. ]
What if this person β the one you're linked to β what if they die?
[ or, more accurately, what if frank could find a way to kill him? because if it came to that, he would. no hesitation. ]
If I didn't stop you the arn would kill me. ( failing to protect him-- one of the terms of her enslavement that had been set up. she had to protect him at all costs even if it meant that she died so he lived ) And trust me. There's nothing more that I'd like than for him to die.
( even those words cause a slight prickle in her head, not enough to really cause her pain because those sorts of murderous thoughts are ones that quill has very frequently. the arn reacts and she's used to it by now )
[ he falls quiet, not entirely surprised that he didn't come up with some solution for her predicament. if it could be that easy, she'd have come up with it by now and not be dealing with it still. quill was a smart enough woman to have dived into the possibilities of whatever he could manage to think up.
he doesn't expect she mentioned it with that expectation anyway.
his feet shuffle along the floor, stepping in a bit closer to her. ]
And what difference was this supposed to make in me wanting to protect you?
[ if anything, it's only made him more eager of it. ]
( he'd been that set on it to begin with that quill didn't expect anything to change with her story but at least he knew why she'd said some of the things that she had. why she was cautious, why she couldn't fight. even if quill was still keeping a big secret )
[ he doesn't think of himself as deserving of much of anything here, but there's appreciation for the sharing of it, the acknowledgement of that trust written in his eyes when he looks at her with a soft gaze. ]
Okay. [ he says, more in the word than what's blatantly spoken.
if it came down to it, he'd share some of his own baggage, if the timing was right. it didn't seem worth unloading now at this moment, even if he formulated enough of an understanding with her that he wouldn't mind her knowing it. ]
Then I'll still be there. If you need me. Even if I β even if I can't fix it. You can still use me for what I can.
( she had gone back to drinking, eyes flashing to him as he speaks, almost lightening the mood a little. as the glass comes down there's a small smirk. look, frank, you can't deny that's what you meant )
Yeah?
( he should also remember that it hadn't taken much for her to get amped up last time. but, unlike her usual demeanour, she tries for coy )
[ there's the obvious things of what'd he meant based on the context of their discussion; there's also the things he hadn't meant at all, but were just as fitting to be placed under the very umbrella of things he could be used for.
with the subtle rise of her smirk, his lips curve upward a little with that realization, an almost huff of a chuckle in his breath. ]
Hmm. [ he hums lightly, brows folding together as if considering the thought. ] Well, you know, this and that. Think I know how to do a thing or two with my hands. [ he brings his glass up, taking a long sip before lowering it, tongue giving a soft swipe to his lip, his voice quieter. ] My mouth.
[ another short breath borderline of a cut laugh, his head shaking slightly, almost bashfully. ]
Yeah, I ain't β I ain't great at the telling part.
[ an honest, modest truth. talking it up was never his forte, even if he could toss out a bit of sass with it every now and again. and maybe with a bit more build up, he'd have a little more confidence to be a bit more detailed with his words, but he hadn't drank nearly enough whiskey for it. ]
( her expression is definitely interested, another small sip of the whiskey before the glass is placed on the counter. she's not even taking the time to finish this one )
Come on.
( look, if you offer to show her she'll assume you mean you're open to it now. it's not like either of them had been sleeping. as she steps past him quill grabs for his hand to lead him away. she'll actually take him to her bedroom for this go )
[ there'd been no expectation for his late night visit to have shifted into this. their first intimate experience together hadn't quite been part of the plan either, only happening at all on her casual response to the whole thing, so even if they'd developed a trust with one another, there was no standard being held for this to continue.
but he doesn't protest its possibility either, and when she sets down her glass, he finishes his last sips before following suit, letting her takes his hand to lead him to her bed.
when they've approached it, he gives her one last look, a soft thing with appreciation for her in his eyes before he rests his palm to her hip, leaning in to kiss her. ]
( she grabs the hand on her hip, sliding it round to rest on her lower back as she reaches up to meet his kiss, drawing him down to her. even though he'd gotten her good last time this time it feels a little more about her, him showing her what he can do which means that she's going to guide him to what she likes. her back is somewhere that's more sensitive, a reminder to herself that she's still a quill.
her tongue flicks at his lips, quill leaning closer into him. should he rub at her spine, run his fingers along it'll prompt a moan from her, sounded into the kiss and something she'll encourage him to keep doing )
[ as she draws in closer, he applies more fervor to the kiss, still a gradual build but showcasing a firmer touch that parts his lips when her tongue swipes against him, curving his own to meet hers.
neither does he ignore her guidance, fingers tracing over her back, drifting beneath the hem of her shirt to glide skin directly over skin, the heel of his hand massaging against the vertical trail of her spine, encouraged all the more with the sounds it prompts, responding with a low moan of his own in listening to her. ]
( she's not saying that just doing this would be enough to get her off but it definitely helps, her own touch more insistent as she reaches both hands to his shoulders, one moving round to hold the back of his head.
she breaks off only to catch her breath, breathing hard as quill rests her head to his. it's a gentler motion, a careful pull as she encourages him closer to her, bending to lower herself to the bed, shifting to lay along it )
[ it isn't the same rush as before, taking the time to kiss her here, to build up an ache with the motions of their mouths first stirring up most of the inevitable heat of this.
by the time they part, he's sighing at her mouth, eyes momentarily closed as he takes in the moment, up until she's guiding him along with her as she lowers onto the bed. upon kneeling on the mattress, he shrugs off his jacket letting it fall back behind him to the floor, before he bends low.
he'll find her mouth again, hovering above her with an arm braced against the mattress, free fingers drifting low to smooth against her thigh before following a trail between her legs, a grazing touch pressing against her leggings. ]
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Guess you really liked it. [ the whiskey, he means, since she seems to have stocked up on it since. ]
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( considering that there were few earth foods that she enjoyed it was good when quill did find something she liked.
this also wasn't the only bottle she had. considering how much she hated grocery shopping she'd gotten more than one.
she's also, after taking a sizeable drink of the whiskey, going to jump right into it )
Why are you so insistent on keeping me protected?
( was it really just soldiers having the other's back? it had been so long since she'd felt something like it that she'd sort of forgotten what it was like )
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but his shrug with a temporary silence is one that says more about frank than most anything, the partial gaze of a frown that showcases the familiarity of situations like this, of constantly finding himself in the presence of protecting someone, whether it's warranted or not. ]
It's just ... just what I do.
[ Which isn't so much of a lie, really. ]
There are people who don't deserve to get shit thrown at them. And there are those who do. Just want to make sure it's all aimed in the right place.
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she lets silence fall for a few seconds, a brief flicker in her expression at the weight of what he's saying, before-- )
Then you should know what you're protecting.
( what not who. she stands from where she'd been leaning on the counter, bringing both herself and the bottle closer to him, letting it sit on the counter by him )
I-- I lost my war. Ended up captured, left as a prisoner. When it was over-- the people that we'd been fighting have a very particular punishment. They put a creature in my brain called an arn making me a slave to their will.
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he doesn't know what war she's talking of, of who she'd fought for or who it was she was even fighting. but as she continues, there's a subtle raise of his brow, a soft confusion with the latter details. ]
What's ... what's that mean, an arn?
[ creature in her brain, that's not territory he's used to, aside from a metaphorical stance. ]
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( a permanent gun to her head, as she'd once said to charlie )
If I fail to protect them it will kill me. If I use a weapon other than my hands it will also kill me. The problem is that they're not here.
( which was perhaps her one freedom in this place even if it restricted her ability to fight )
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still, he can grasps the basics of it all the same with what she supplies. ]
How do you get it out?
[ not that he doubts she'd have tried if it were something that easy. ]
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( and even if quill believed that ballon could get it out, they'd been on the hunt for ingredients to do such a thing, she didn't believe that anyone else could do it. you needed specific things -- arn pheremones, a shapeshifter and a quill brain. nothing that was possible here )
Its claws are tipped with poison. On a good day it gives me a headache.
( don't ask her about a bad day )
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They got all sorts of shit here to get inside your head. Maybe there's a way here.
[ not that he can even pretend to understand anything of what it takes, or even how it'd gotten put into her head in the first place. but there's others stranded in the city much smarter than him that might be able to figure it out, even if there's no way they'd trust the people actually in charge to take care of it. ]
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It knows my thoughts. ( it didn't just link her to someone but it was the link. the one detail she'd left out about the link -- it was telepathic ) I'd be dead before you cut into my head.
( quill sighs )
It's meant to be cruel. And permanent. They wanted slaves, to make examples. We were never going to be free.
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of course, there's still his more natural way of approaching things. ]
What if this person β the one you're linked to β what if they die?
[ or, more accurately, what if frank could find a way to kill him? because if it came to that, he would. no hesitation. ]
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( and quill says it very matter of fact )
If I didn't stop you the arn would kill me. ( failing to protect him-- one of the terms of her enslavement that had been set up. she had to protect him at all costs even if it meant that she died so he lived ) And trust me. There's nothing more that I'd like than for him to die.
( even those words cause a slight prickle in her head, not enough to really cause her pain because those sorts of murderous thoughts are ones that quill has very frequently. the arn reacts and she's used to it by now )
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he doesn't expect she mentioned it with that expectation anyway.
his feet shuffle along the floor, stepping in a bit closer to her. ]
And what difference was this supposed to make in me wanting to protect you?
[ if anything, it's only made him more eager of it. ]
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( he'd been that set on it to begin with that quill didn't expect anything to change with her story but at least he knew why she'd said some of the things that she had. why she was cautious, why she couldn't fight. even if quill was still keeping a big secret )
But-- you deserved to know why.
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Okay. [ he says, more in the word than what's blatantly spoken.
if it came down to it, he'd share some of his own baggage, if the timing was right. it didn't seem worth unloading now at this moment, even if he formulated enough of an understanding with her that he wouldn't mind her knowing it. ]
Then I'll still be there. If you need me. Even if I β even if I can't fix it. You can still use me for what I can.
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Yeah?
( he should also remember that it hadn't taken much for her to get amped up last time. but, unlike her usual demeanour, she tries for coy )
Like what?
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with the subtle rise of her smirk, his lips curve upward a little with that realization, an almost huff of a chuckle in his breath. ]
Hmm. [ he hums lightly, brows folding together as if considering the thought. ] Well, you know, this and that. Think I know how to do a thing or two with my hands. [ he brings his glass up, taking a long sip before lowering it, tongue giving a soft swipe to his lip, his voice quieter. ] My mouth.
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( she knew that he was a good kisser, that he had strong hands but what else could he do with them )
Tell me what you'd do.
( still very casual but with an unintentionally slight flirt. that part she's rusty on -- quills didn't flirt how humans did )
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Yeah, I ain't β I ain't great at the telling part.
[ an honest, modest truth. talking it up was never his forte, even if he could toss out a bit of sass with it every now and again. and maybe with a bit more build up, he'd have a little more confidence to be a bit more detailed with his words, but he hadn't drank nearly enough whiskey for it. ]
But I can show you. If you wanted me to.
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Come on.
( look, if you offer to show her she'll assume you mean you're open to it now. it's not like either of them had been sleeping. as she steps past him quill grabs for his hand to lead him away. she'll actually take him to her bedroom for this go )
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but he doesn't protest its possibility either, and when she sets down her glass, he finishes his last sips before following suit, letting her takes his hand to lead him to her bed.
when they've approached it, he gives her one last look, a soft thing with appreciation for her in his eyes before he rests his palm to her hip, leaning in to kiss her. ]
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her tongue flicks at his lips, quill leaning closer into him. should he rub at her spine, run his fingers along it'll prompt a moan from her, sounded into the kiss and something she'll encourage him to keep doing )
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neither does he ignore her guidance, fingers tracing over her back, drifting beneath the hem of her shirt to glide skin directly over skin, the heel of his hand massaging against the vertical trail of her spine, encouraged all the more with the sounds it prompts, responding with a low moan of his own in listening to her. ]
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she breaks off only to catch her breath, breathing hard as quill rests her head to his. it's a gentler motion, a careful pull as she encourages him closer to her, bending to lower herself to the bed, shifting to lay along it )
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by the time they part, he's sighing at her mouth, eyes momentarily closed as he takes in the moment, up until she's guiding him along with her as she lowers onto the bed. upon kneeling on the mattress, he shrugs off his jacket letting it fall back behind him to the floor, before he bends low.
he'll find her mouth again, hovering above her with an arm braced against the mattress, free fingers drifting low to smooth against her thigh before following a trail between her legs, a grazing touch pressing against her leggings. ]
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