OOM: Room 6620, #3

[the_gene_genie]

 
The evening did pass smoothly, and it's been a long time since he's been so grateful for anything. OK, there was the inevitable drifting of his thoughts back to recent - and not so recent - events, but it helped to have a distraction. He forced himself to concentrate on what happened with her today, and it gave him some respite. In hindsight, maybe he shouldn't have picked up The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - he's seen it too many times to get fully lost in it.

Still. As things stand, he's got no complaints. But now it's over, and they do have to make an attempt at sleeping again. So he's in the bathroom, freshly out of the shower, newly shaved, and telling himself firmly that restraint is the order of the day, here.

Definitely a tad nervous when he emerges into the room, though.

Comments

[lady_bols]

Alex pulls a face. 'Not as such. I mean, he talked a good game, but he was more of an artist. He was working on his novel, and liked to wear black turtlenecks and swoon about in coffee shops. He called me his "muse".' There's a sarcastic edge to her voice that's impossible to miss.

'I was young and stupid, and ate it all up with a spoon. And I paid for it later. Well, and Molly paid too, which was wholly unfair, but -- there you are.'

She sounds like she'd still love to take his eyes out with a rusty spoon, save that he's her daughter's father, and Molly adores him.

[the_gene_genie]

'Muse!?'

Gene manages to snort and huff at the same time.

'Sounds like a right wanker.'

Because, seriously. Who talks like that? He feels better, hearing that tone in her voice too. Clearly, blokes like Peter - the complete opposite of himself - are not going to be any kind of competition.

'Did he ever finish his novel?'

[lady_bols]

She rolls her eyes.

'I've written, edited, and published three texts, one of which is on the curriculum at Hendon now, and he still hasn't even found an agent. Because the book is still incomplete. "It's an organic creation,"' she whines. '"Publishers want such ludicrous page limits." Yes, that's because no one wants to read two thousand pages of his pedantic, self-involved navel-gazing about the nature of his manhood.'

She sighs, the minor storm of fury leaving her as quickly as it came.

'Peter Drake? Is a right bastard.'

And she doesn't want to talk about him anymore, because his hand is entirely too distracting where it's slipped to rest on her derriere.

[the_gene_genie]

'Peter Drake.'

Ahaha.

'Fourteen year old tosspot, with a tendency to bash trannys over the head with random bricks.'

[lady_bols]

She playful swats at him. 'Well, I didn't know that then, did I? And don't say 'trannies'. It's "transexual" or "transgendered" individuals.'

The mirth in his voice is mirrored in her eyes, and she grins at him.

'The Drakes were very good to me and Molly. Good people, the both of them.'

[the_gene_genie]

He catches the swatting hand and pins it down. He leaves his over it, keeping it on his stomach.

'Yes, mam.'

He pauses briefly.

'Hope he grew a bit by the time you met him properly.'

He'd been a bit scrawny.

[lady_bols]

'He did.'

How did they end up talking about Peter? She hums, sighing a bit, relaxing in his embrace. This is nice. Cozy even.

'You know, I know absolutely nothing about your ex. All I know is that you were married for a not-insignificant amount of time, and it ended shortly before you moved to London.'

[the_gene_genie]

He quietens at that.

'What d'you wanna know?'

He didn't much like talking about her before all of this.

'She was called Barbara. Got fed up of me never bein' home, and playin' away. Not much else to say.'

[lady_bols]

'You cheated on her?'

That admission takes her by surprise. She always imagined him to be a devoted husband.

[the_gene_genie]

...he never for one moment thought she'd be surprised by that admission. He'd have kept his mouth shut if he did.

'Some things Sam didn' tell you, then?'

Damnit.



'Yeah, I cheated on her.'

[lady_bols]

She frowns, pondering this new information.

'Oh.'

Her head swivels to look at him.

'Would you do it again?'

Might as well ask now, while they're being honest.

[the_gene_genie]

'I'm not gonna be married to her again, am I?'

OK, that might've been the biggest (and lamest) attempted dodge in the history of burgeoning relationships, but to his credit, he doesn't actually think he'll get away with it.

[lady_bols]

Her chin drops and she gives him such a Look. He did not just blame his infidelity on his wife.

'Answer the question, please.'

[the_gene_genie]

He didn't! Just taking the question at its most literal.

He sighs, and runs his hand over his jaw.

'Don' know, Bols. Not planning on it. Depends on the bird though, doesn' it?'

[lady_bols]

'Oh of course. Any woman who doesn't have her husband fitted with the Stray-No-More 9000 Detachable Penis is just asking for problems. As long as she keeps his penis in her purse, then all is well.'

She says this with as straight a face as she can manage.

[the_gene_genie]

He catches her eye, a faux-unamused expression on his face.

'I'm goin' to assume you're takin' the piss, an' that's not a real thing where you come from.'

But you never know.

'An' what I meant is if I'm with a bird that makes me not interested in other birds, then I wouldn't cheat.'

...even before he's finished, he's thinking that doesn't sound much better.

[lady_bols]

'Why would you stay with someone who didn't hold your interest?'

Honestly.

[the_gene_genie]

He looks confused.

'Well, if you've married 'em, then...'

[lady_bols]

Another eyebrow of incredulity.

'There's this thing called divorce. I know you've heard of it.'

She shifts, rising to half-perch on his chest.

'If it ever comes to that, and I'm not saying it will, but if it does, I'd much prefer you talked to me. I'd wager if given the chance, I could find something to hold your interest.'

[the_gene_genie]

'Ah.'

He smirks suddenly, and rolls so that she's underneath him.

'So what you're actually askin' is whether I'd cheat on you.'

His nose brushes her cheek as he leans down to kiss her, very aware of the way his leg fell between hers.

'An' like I said, it depends on the bird. If you're a lucky enough git to get one that's out of your league - an' hang onto her - then you'd have to be a bloody stupid twat to mess it up with some slag.'

[lady_bols]

The move is so sudden and so powerful, she squawks indelicately, and then laughs, the sound melting into a purr at the feel of his nose on her cheek. Her lips part and her hands grip his shoulders.

'M'not out of your league, don't say that.' It's a breathless denial, the entire subject rapidly evaporating from her mind with the weight of his body pressing her into the sheets.

Her legs tangle with his and her hands slide up into his hair, pulling him down for a hungry, almost desperate kiss.

[the_gene_genie]

That sound comes from his chest again, as he finds himself pressed firmly against her hip, and her mouth hot and eager on his. It goes on for a long time, but he has to pull back eventually.

'Oh, c'mon, Bols,' he says, with a slight emphasis on the nickname to help make his point.

'We both know, of the two of us, it's you that's most likely to upgrade.'

But he'll take what she'll let him have in the meantime. He wants her too much to walk away.

[lady_bols]

She's breathing hard by the time they part, and she doesn't seem to want to let him go. She's curled the leg not pinned beneath him around his thigh.

'I don't want anyone else.'

It doesn't make any sense to look at them, but since when has that ever mattered. Her gaze plays over his features, as if fixing them in her memory, before returning to look into those impossible blue eyes. She's been through hell and back, and when it was over, when the truth of the matter was made excruciatingly clear, her thoughts never strayed from him.

'All I want, I have right here, right in front of me.'

[the_gene_genie]

He smiles, genuine but a little sad. Like he doesn't think she's realised the full implications of that yet, or maybe he just doesn't believe her. Either way, he kisses her again, and then makes a half-hearted effort to untangle himself.

'Fun as this is, I don't think poking you in the back all night'll be much fun for either of us.'

Still. Another kiss. And one more.

[lady_bols]

And another and yet one more, until she's followed him up and pushed him back down, taking the liberty to straddle his hips. She keeps her weight on her knees, holding her body above him just enough. It isn't her intent to torture him, or herself. Her hands grip the thin material of his shirt and when she pulls back to take a breath, she doesn't let go.

'Let me prove it to you. When I said I wanted to be with you, I meant just that. I don't want just a shag for old time's sake. I want a chance to explore this, to see where it takes us. Not just,' she pauses for a breath, because its difficult to plead her case and steal as many kisses as she can before he throws her out of his bed.