hell_in_highheels | [oom] Coming Home

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[oom] Coming Home

It's still dark when she wakes, but dawn is already lightning the sky. She dresses in long skirts, her favourite wool sweater, and her grey woollen shawl. And her field boots. The lakeside is rocky, and they're practical.

She makes her way down the stairs to the bar, not really surprised to see a others who are still awake from the previous evening's carousing. She doesn't pause to socialise. She makes her way out the back and down the path to the lakeside, her eyes on the tree line. She walks the shore, rubbing her arms against the chill, putting more and more distance between herself and the bar.

This time it is she who is searching for him in the mist.

He told her not to come after him when the moon was up. But it had set hours ago. The sun was almost over the ridge.

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Aww, he wanted bacon. Can't I have bacon?

Don't let your mother see, Ryan says without thinking, sliding a piece to him when River's back is turned.

He's innocently nomming on his eggs when she sits down at the table.

She smirks at Dam sitting quiet and attentive at Richard's elbow, ignoring the bowl full of kibble. "You two really need to work on your act. You couldn't fool a blind man, really."

"And when you're done, I'll show you the research terminal in the office."

She tucks in, smiling at both of them.

"I don't know what you're on about," Richard states plainly, continuing to eat. Dam, go eat your kibble. You're being obvious.

But it doesn't taste like bacon! Ryan turns his head to meet the dog's eyes. Yes, sir. Stupid dry biscuits, not tasting like bacon.

Richard rolls his eyes. Such a teenager. "What's this about a research terminal?"

River laughs under her breath. She's picking up a word or two of canine, here and there. It's easier now that she knows what to look for.

"Well, if I'm going to be working off my tab, I thought I'd offer my services to Bar as a research associate. And to do that, I need a terminal. This one is configured like the system I used back in the Library, but it's attached to Bar's library and feeds instead."

Richard frowns thoughtfully, shovelling eggs on his fork before he looks up. "What would you be researching?"

After which the eggs are promptly consumed.

"Depends which subject someone needed researching, I suppose." River pushes away from the table and steps into the kitchen, retrieving the second plate of eggs, and bacon for him.

"I understand that Bar can be a bit thorough sometimes, and while I am the type to appreciate a doctorate level brief, not everyone is." She returns to her seat and takes up her tea, blowing across the surface idly. "And even in my day and age, sometimes a human eye is required to correlate more sophisticated criteria into something meaningful."

Her scent is that of focus, need and worry. He knows her well enough by now to know she's concerned about carrying her weight, and that she needs to feel like she's contributing.

Has she seen the number next to his name on the tab board?

"I thought that's what Mike was for?" Ryan queries, puzzled.

She has pointedly not looked. She's not that woman, thank you very much.

"Well, I know he works as the Barman, but sometimes people don't even know the right question to ask."

She sighs. "It was only an idea. I don't like feeling like a useless layabout. And frankly, a mooch."

"I have enough to support both of us, you know," he says lightly. "I'm not saying you shouldn't work, but don't take a job just for the money. We don't need it." He gives her a faint little smile.

Her scent changes to that bright ribbon of curiosity he remembers from the first day they met and he said the word, 'werewolf.'

She blinks at him, echoing that faint little smile. "And you're all right with that? I mean, you know I don't care to be a burden to you." She presses her lips together, stopping the babble before it can gather steam.

She gives him a shy smile over her mug of tea.

His smile grows a bit. He doesn't mind when she babbles. It's cute.

"It's not a burden." It is his responsibility as the alpha but he's hesitant to say that aloud lest she take it the wrong way.

She nods, accepting his words without question. "So then I guess I'm researching -- um -- a lot of things. There's a list. When you're finished, I can show you."

She leans in to bump shoulders with him, so glad to have him home safe. The flat was so empty without him.

He meets her bump, then scoots his chair closer to the corner so she can lean on him.

"Is that my cue to hurry up?" He teases. He's nearly finished anyway, so it's not as though she's rushing him.

She does lean against him, lowering her cheek to his shoulder. "No rush, love."

She takes a slice of bacon from her plate and lowers her hand below the table. A moment later, when her fingers are licked clean, she strokes Dam's head and shoulders.

Richard reaches out to hold her other hand and pretend not to see the disappearing bacon.

"He says 'thank you'."

Mostly.

She laughs, squeezing his fingers, a deeply contented scent coming from her.

"I told you I'd spoil him."

"A few extra pieces of bacon won't hurt him any," he answers, settling into his chair and against her more. "He gets plenty of exercise."

She hums in agreement, leaning closer to nuzzle his cheek, her breath feathering over the hollow beneath his ear. When she speaks, her voice is pitched low. "Finish your breakfast so I can show you my new toy."

"All right," he rumbles back at her, nipping at her throat.

He scrapes the last bits of his eggs onto his slice of toast and crunches away.

She laughs, a touch breathless. Her chair scrapes on the floor, making Dam dance away from it as she stands to take their plates into the kitchen.

Her scent says follow me.

What else would she be expecting him to do?

Don't answer that.

Intrigued, he gets out of his seat and prowls after her, curiously sniffing.

Sometimes she doesn't realise what she's saying without words. This would be one of those times.

After setting the plates in the sink, she turns back and squeaks to find him standing right behind her. She laughs as her hands come to rest on his chest. "I should make the floors squeak or something, so I can hear you coming!"

"And spoil all my fun?" He leans against her hand, lightly, testing to see how much she'll hold him back with.

He cranes his head to one side to see the plates still in the sink. "I take it we're to do them ourselves?" Another soap to get that will be scentless.

"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of them," she says, her hand giving him no resistance at all. In fact, her arms slide around his waist and the playful scent intensifies.

follow me chase me hunt me

"Now, the office." He has her hemmed into the small space. "Is right over there." She smirks, gesturing with her chin.

How terribly rude of him.

"All right," he says simply, sliding to her left with one arm around her waist. "Show me what I missed." He was mostly looking for scents the first time.

And if he keeps his nose tucked into the crack between her hair and the towel, that's all he'll notice this time, too.

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