[ her lashes flutter, hooking up to look at him squarely. the way he says it, she’s both surprised and not by the approach. if larus has been anything with her, it’s understanding. patient. unfailingly so. ]
I — [ she begins, then stops. considering. there are choices. his tone says so. a part of that is relieving, and maybe a part of it isn’t.
after a long moment, she shakes her head, looking down into her cup. ]
[ things have never been forced between them, he thinks. since that first moment he'd walked her back to this very apartment, there's been a sort of pull that he's allowed himself to feel his way through, and even now, eyes slanting to meet hers before she looks away, it's there.
any other time, he would have spoken without the need to touch her, but he reaches out to rest his hand against her forearm. gentle, careful. ]
Then I won't. [ though he should make an effort to be around more than he has. ] But we can change the contract if there's anything you want to add to it.
[ that touch draws her gaze, first to it then back up. her shoulders relax, visibly shifting down from where they’d begun to gather. she’d had her concerns. she still does, but it’s easier to weather if they’re honest with each other.
she sets the mug of tea carefully down between them on her bed, reaching to set her hand on his. it’s a conversation worth having. ]
Are you certain? [ she asks for a reason. ] I know there are others you go to. [ she hesitates for a split second to continue, simply because she doesn’t want him getting the idea she’s being self-deprecating. she’s not. ] They may suit you better. Provide better than I am able to, to meet your needs.
[ it's just something else convincing him that he needs to spend more time with her. ]
There isn't anyone else I go to that I could contract with. [ Except Ace, but he doesn't mention him. ] I don't think I would want that anyway.
[ why would he when he's never been uncomfortable here? he might not stay often, but that's an old habit he's slowly trying to break. that, and larus wants to know their surroundings, needs to piece together every bit of information he can about this place. he turns his hand to take hers, shifting in closer. ]
If I wanted to be with someone else, I would have told you before we even had this conversation. [ their arrangement works, and he can protect her easier if he's at her side. ]
[ she’s noticed his absence more often than not. she’s never made more than note about it — except during the kidnappings, when she’d been scared he would go missing as well. she had wanted larus beside her, but she hadn’t demanded. not like a proper dominant might have.
they have, she thinks, been far more lenient than any dominant and submissive should be. she has been. but that is all this was intended to be. a sheet of paper. to protect them both.
he could be better protected by someone else.
she rubs her fingers over his knuckles, lifting their hands to press a kiss to them. ] Tell me why you want to stay. [ beat. extending their contract isn’t riding on it, that seems mostly settled. but she would like to hear. ] Please.
[ part of him expects that to be the end of it. no more discussion of contracts or whatever else the city decides to put on their shoulders. but she says that, and larus visibly stills next to her, his hand loose in hers until he sighs and tightens his fingers.
this should be easy, he thinks. something he's already decided since they'd met, but daphne is so much more than some helpless person in need of someone taking care of her. it's not quite what their designations demand of them, but larus has never really needed daphne to be his dominant in any other way except name and purpose.
it simply comes down to one very specific thing, and it takes him several long seconds to voice it, his tongue pressed to the back of his teeth. there's a list that unravels in the back of his head, but he's never been one for speeches or long explanations. he's upfront, and this moment, too, deserves that. ]
I could give you countless reasons, Daphne, but I like being here. I like being with you.
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no subject
I — [ she begins, then stops. considering. there are choices. his tone says so. a part of that is relieving, and maybe a part of it isn’t.
after a long moment, she shakes her head, looking down into her cup. ]
I don’t want you to go anywhere.
no subject
any other time, he would have spoken without the need to touch her, but he reaches out to rest his hand against her forearm. gentle, careful. ]
Then I won't. [ though he should make an effort to be around more than he has. ] But we can change the contract if there's anything you want to add to it.
no subject
she sets the mug of tea carefully down between them on her bed, reaching to set her hand on his. it’s a conversation worth having. ]
Are you certain? [ she asks for a reason. ] I know there are others you go to. [ she hesitates for a split second to continue, simply because she doesn’t want him getting the idea she’s being self-deprecating. she’s not. ] They may suit you better. Provide better than I am able to, to meet your needs.
no subject
There isn't anyone else I go to that I could contract with. [ Except Ace, but he doesn't mention him. ] I don't think I would want that anyway.
[ why would he when he's never been uncomfortable here? he might not stay often, but that's an old habit he's slowly trying to break. that, and larus wants to know their surroundings, needs to piece together every bit of information he can about this place. he turns his hand to take hers, shifting in closer. ]
If I wanted to be with someone else, I would have told you before we even had this conversation. [ their arrangement works, and he can protect her easier if he's at her side. ]
no subject
they have, she thinks, been far more lenient than any dominant and submissive should be. she has been. but that is all this was intended to be. a sheet of paper. to protect them both.
he could be better protected by someone else.
she rubs her fingers over his knuckles, lifting their hands to press a kiss to them. ] Tell me why you want to stay. [ beat. extending their contract isn’t riding on it, that seems mostly settled. but she would like to hear. ] Please.
no subject
this should be easy, he thinks. something he's already decided since they'd met, but daphne is so much more than some helpless person in need of someone taking care of her. it's not quite what their designations demand of them, but larus has never really needed daphne to be his dominant in any other way except name and purpose.
it simply comes down to one very specific thing, and it takes him several long seconds to voice it, his tongue pressed to the back of his teeth. there's a list that unravels in the back of his head, but he's never been one for speeches or long explanations. he's upfront, and this moment, too, deserves that. ]
I could give you countless reasons, Daphne, but I like being here. I like being with you.