knightsoflegend | open ♔ valentine's day

[ He just laughs and lets her steal the bag back, halting his retreat to hold the rose out to her too. Especially because she hasn't reached for it yet. ]

No strings attached. I promise. [ He adds as he holds it out in offering, his grin turning a hint more genuine rather than just humorous. ]

[She only considers it for another half a moment before her smile softens just a little bit and she reaches to take the rose from him as well, giving it a careful twirl between her thumb and index finger as she takes a step back, inclining her head towards her room.]

You wanna come in? It'd be pretty unsporting of me to make you stand in the hallway.

[Especially since she's pretty sure he didn't just come to drop these off and book it.]

Think I might even have some pizza left over if you're hungry.

You had a pizza party without me? Now I'm hurt. [ He teases her as he steps inside and glances around the room, taking in the place with a curious glance, his hands tucked carefully in his pockets now that they were empty. ]

I'm not intruding on anything, am I?

Galentine's Day. [Her smile turns a little wry, shrugging easily as she shuts the door behind them.] Kate wanted to stay in and watch a movie. Couldn't let her do that all on her own, could I?

[It would make her a pretty lousy friend, and she wouldn't have felt right about it, especially after letting Kate crash with her in the aftermath of the attack.]

We finished up awhile ago, nothing to worry about. Can't say I expected to see you tonight, though. Giving up the chance to go find a sure thing to bring me candy and flowers?

A sure thing, huh? Your faith in me is flattering, Mills.

[ He grins at her for that comment before sauntering over to flop down comfortably on her couch, looking perfectly at ease there. ]

I thought you'd like the candy and flowers. Besides, given a choice between having fantastic sex with a complete stranger or coming here to get picked on by you, why would you even be surprised?

[ He pauses to think about that for a moment. ] Wait, why am I here again?

You think I don't pay attention? I know what your track record is like.

[Once upon a time, she'd been pretty miffed on that account, despite the fact that she'd told him he ought to get used to hearing the word 'no.' Maybe she hadn't meant it as much as she would have wanted to, but that didn't seem to matter anymore. It was a long time ago, all things considered.]

You always seem to like being picked on pretty well. [He keeps coming back, after all.] Well-- the gesture is a nice one. Very thoughtful.

[ He gasps at her in mock surprise, hand clutching at his chest. ] Was that... Was that a compliment, Mills? Are you feeling alright?

[That gets an eyeroll.]

I'm capable every now and then. Not that surprising, is it?

[But maybe take her temperature, just in case?]

Astonishing, actually. You're a pod-person, aren't you? [ He squints at her, then pushes himself up to his feet to step closer and pretend to reach out to feel her forehead. ] A doppelganger? Possessed, maybe?

[Huff.]

Are you done being dramatic, yet?

[She drops one hand to her hip-- the one holding the candy, just to keep from damaging the other gift he'd brought her.]

Depends. Do I get another compliment from you if I do?

[ His grin is wicked and bright as he comes to lean over her, one hand braced on the wall beside her head as he takes in her stance, a familiar one for her. One he always finds adorable, considering how tiny she seems in comparison to him, but those are words he knows better than to voice to her. ]

[Smart man.]

Maybe. Wouldn't want you getting spoiled, though. Your ego doesn't need a whole lot of stroking.

[He does plenty of that himself.]

What, no stroking whatsoever? After I risked life and limb and potential deportment to bring you those?

[ Besides, it's more fun if she does the stroking. ]

Deportment?

[She braces a hand against his chest, giving him a gentle shove-- just enough to give herself room to slip out from under his arm and head to where she'd left the remainders of the pizza she and Kate had dug into earlier in the evening.]

Not sure they'd go that far over candy.

[She's not even commenting on the stroking.]

They're British. They might take it that seriously. Aren't they supposed to take everything too seriously? Just look at Crane.

[ He gives her a pointed look and wiggles his eyebrows at her. It's a gamble, bringing up her missing partner so lightly, because he knows she must miss him, worry about him. The two had been inseparable since long before he'd stumbled onto the scene, but it wasn't something she seemed to talk about a lot. At least not with him. ]

He does have something of a sense of humor.

[Look, he's a big part of her life, whether he's here or not-- she has to defend him, but even she knows how serious he can be. Of the two of them, she's usually the one trying to lighten the atmosphere, which says a great deal. Here, she needs Hawley to do that for her, because left to her own devices and without Crane to make her look easygoing by comparison, she certainly won't.

She raises an eyebrow in reply, challenging.]

Alright, so you risked a run-in with the law for M&Ms. You want a medal?

[ He smirks at her challenging look, stepping closer again. ]

Somehow that's not the right holiday mood I was going for here. How 'bout a kiss instead?

[For a moment, there's no response, and it almost seems like the silence might be followed up with another resounding 'no,' just like every other advance he's ever made--

But instead, she shakes her head, letting out a laugh as she looks downwards for a moment, disbelieving.]

You really don't give up, do you?

[And for once, instead of a criticism, it sounds almost like she finds it admirable.]

It's part of my charm, didn't I tell you that?

[ His voice is light and warm, and perhaps a little cautious, because that hadn't been the response he'd expected from her, not when he's become so accustomed to her rebuttals. When she laughs instead and avoids his gaze he takes another step closer to close the distance between them. ]

That wasn't a no. Also wasn't a hell no. I really am beginning to suspect you're a pod person.

Not quite. I've still got standards.

[She looks up again, arms folded, unflinching despite the fact that her personal space has been severely compromised, lips pulled to one side.]

First off, you gonna ask me on a real date or what? If we're doing this, we're doing it right.

The last time I tried to ask you out on a date, you showed up and told me it wasn't a date.

[ He feels like this is a valid point to be reminding her of here. He's been doing a lot of asking, Mills. ]

Are you saying that if I ask you again, your answer's going to be something different this time?

Meeting up in a bar to exchange information for work doesn't equal a date.

[She's still standing firm on that one-- but if he'd asked her properly back then, she still would have said no. They weren't the only people who would be impacted by her answer, after all.]

Try and see.

You were the one that brought work. I was more than happy with just the 'meeting up in a bar for drinks' part. Which does, in fact, constitute a date.

[ He knows, Mills. There had been a reason he'd tried to ease her into it. Has been trying for months now, even though he'd nearly given up on the idea. Had started asking more out of habit than the thought that she might change her mind anytime soon. You're a stubborn one, Abbie Mills. ]

If this is a tease I'm gonna be really upset with you, Mills. And if you're actually a succubus - again - this isn't going to end pretty for anyone. [ The words are drawled and wry but there's a flicker of interest in his eyes now as he leans forward, invading her personal space further as he bends down to meet her gaze. ]

But alright. Abbie Mills, will you come out with me for dinner and drinks with the muually agreed-upon understanding that it is, in fact, a date?

You know, it occurs to me we never really had words about that succubus situation.

[But she's distracting him from the point at hand, and her smile hitches a little bit wider as he leans in, her stance unmoving even as her personal space becomes damn near non-existent. She smirks as he meets his eyes, as amused by his wording as she is his list of provisos.]

Yes.

[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED]

Do we need to have words about the succubus situation?

[ He's not sure he wants to know the answer to that question.

Still, her answer to his invitation gets an arch of eyebrows in surprise for a moment before he squints at her. ]

And you're sure you're not a pod person? Because you've been pretty emphatic all this time about how hell would freeze over first.

open ♔ valentine's day

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