[What she should say: no, it's fine, I was leaving anyway. What she shouldn't do: look back at him like she really does want to take him up on the offer, drop those imaginary hands from thumping her chest all bravely and acting nonchalant.
The thing is, all the open ends left open tonight are going to be messy to untangle later, but she is always going to be starved for this sort of company, it seems.]
[ bellamy's not keen on making her feel obligated to stick around because he wants her to. nor is he keen to make her feel like she's not welcome to linger. even though he's said what's on his mind, done as his instincts and impulses have dictated, he's well-aware he's treading along a thin line right now. ]
[ he doesn't like it. but it is what it is. ]
[ looking at her legs without seeing them, he lifts his gaze to hers after a moment. ]
[Yes. I've stayed this long already, yes, of course I do. I want to stay. She lets out a soft little breath, then holds it for a couple of very long seconds.
She fiddles with her fingers together, and glances away.] I should probably head back.
[ even though it isn't an answer to her, it is for him. a soft kind of no in its own way. ]
[ watching her, he thinks he can read she's uncomfortable, bellamy isn't keen to cause her anymore discomfort than he already has. ]
[ bellamy shifts, leaning backward to pick zelo up from around the stomach and drop him gently onto the floor by his feet. with his head disappearing beneath his bed, bellamy stands up and makes sure to keep his feet far away from zelo. ]
I'll walk you.
[ he begins to move over toward his couch so he can sit and pull the boots left to the side of the arm onto his feet. ]
Yeah, okay. [She's very quiet when she says that. Something doesn't sit right with her, but she's made her choice and he's accepted it, so now she goes. Even if his bed was comfortable.
It's for the best, either way. It's always for the best.
Raven Reyes doesn't wait in the wings for a man. Right? That was the idea.
She waits for him to get his shoes on, after she gets hers on in half the time.]
[ finishing with his shoes, bellamy stands up. he looks over to his dogs, notices zelo's watching him, ears perking up once he realises he's being acknowledged, but he doesn't stand, either. he knows he's not doing this dog owning business right. he's not meant to leave them alone in apartment for a short period of time, or at all. but bellamy finds that they don't seem to mind. either sleeping or chewing on a shoe or the corner of the rug in the bathroom, they seem content to simply embody the blake way. ]
[ where his dogs seem to be undisturbed by his movement, he has a feeling raven isn't. sensing something's off, he doesn't move as easily as he once would. he looks at her, takes a step or two away from the couch. carding a hand through his hair, he lets his arm drop, then moves over toward his counter to slide his single key into his hand to pocket it in the back of his jeans. ]
[She deflates a little at the question. There's no need for tension, come on; after the night has turned out to be so nice. There have been many milestones, starting with the fact that he now knows where she stands on the whole kissing again thing. Feelings thing, too, if he's smart and perceptive enough.
She lets the tension go, and nods, hesitant. Then believing it.]
I don't know, you just seem ... [ bellamy shrugs, then leaves it. pushing matters is what's gotten him into fights with octavia, with arguments with mom he sometimes wishes he could revisit and correct now that he has the gift of hindsight and understanding her intentions better. ]
[ with his key in his back pocket, bellamy walks over toward a drawer and pulls it open to grab some treats for the dogs. dropping those on the ground, he looks to them, seeing they haven't so much as sensed it yet, before he walks over toward his door. ]
If there's an ice-cream vendor that's open this late at night along the way ... [ he lifts a shoulder again, less tense than before. ] My shout. I owe you for the pen for Chion.
[She almost wants to get defensive on what she seemed to look like, but she's too tired and comfortable in her being chill to chase that bristling high. So she watches him get whatever else he wants to get, and smiles when he brings up ice cream.
So this will be one not-Valentine's Day that is pretty fucking cute.
Her smile widens after a few seconds because that's the thing about her and Bellamy apparently. Tensions diffuse very quickly, even if they do come up. Sure, she second-guesses him sometimes, but she gets to still slip into the comfortable area with him.
It must because she knows, by now, what he's about.]
[ walking toward his door, he doesn't pull it open. while the dogs may be content to just lie on the floor and look at them, even glance toward the treats, he knows the moment he opens the door, he's asking for trouble. they're like o that way, always eager to venture outside where it's not necessarily good for them. ]
[ his lips quirk up, but his smile doesn't widen. ]
Cute. [ cocking his head toward his door, he quips, ] Come on. It'll melt by the time you get there.
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The thing is, all the open ends left open tonight are going to be messy to untangle later, but she is always going to be starved for this sort of company, it seems.]
Do you want me to stay?
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[ he doesn't like it. but it is what it is. ]
[ looking at her legs without seeing them, he lifts his gaze to hers after a moment. ]
Did you want to stay?
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She fiddles with her fingers together, and glances away.] I should probably head back.
[Which isn't a 'no', but isn't a 'yes' either.]
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[ watching her, he thinks he can read she's uncomfortable, bellamy isn't keen to cause her anymore discomfort than he already has. ]
[ bellamy shifts, leaning backward to pick zelo up from around the stomach and drop him gently onto the floor by his feet. with his head disappearing beneath his bed, bellamy stands up and makes sure to keep his feet far away from zelo. ]
I'll walk you.
[ he begins to move over toward his couch so he can sit and pull the boots left to the side of the arm onto his feet. ]
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It's for the best, either way. It's always for the best.
Raven Reyes doesn't wait in the wings for a man. Right? That was the idea.
She waits for him to get his shoes on, after she gets hers on in half the time.]
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[ where his dogs seem to be undisturbed by his movement, he has a feeling raven isn't. sensing something's off, he doesn't move as easily as he once would. he looks at her, takes a step or two away from the couch. carding a hand through his hair, he lets his arm drop, then moves over toward his counter to slide his single key into his hand to pocket it in the back of his jeans. ]
You okay?
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She lets the tension go, and nods, hesitant. Then believing it.]
I'm okay, yeah...
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[ with his key in his back pocket, bellamy walks over toward a drawer and pulls it open to grab some treats for the dogs. dropping those on the ground, he looks to them, seeing they haven't so much as sensed it yet, before he walks over toward his door. ]
If there's an ice-cream vendor that's open this late at night along the way ... [ he lifts a shoulder again, less tense than before. ] My shout. I owe you for the pen for Chion.
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So this will be one not-Valentine's Day that is pretty fucking cute.
Her smile widens after a few seconds because that's the thing about her and Bellamy apparently. Tensions diffuse very quickly, even if they do come up. Sure, she second-guesses him sometimes, but she gets to still slip into the comfortable area with him.
It must because she knows, by now, what he's about.]
Ice-cream sounds cool. [Get it? Yeah.]
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[ his lips quirk up, but his smile doesn't widen. ]
Cute. [ cocking his head toward his door, he quips, ] Come on. It'll melt by the time you get there.