23.) voice.

[ijustlivehere]

[There's shallow breathing on the line, and maybe if you listen really closely, you might even be able to hear Neil gulp.]

Uh... don't think I'm goin' out today.

Sorry I'm missing work or whatever. I'm... not feeling... uh.

Just, can't.

[And that's it.]

Comments

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

Scared I'd end up kissing you? I'm hurt, really.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

N-- er, I... uh.

[HOW DO WORDS WORK AGAIN.]

Not... you specifically?

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

[ She does enjoy this reaction, she really does. ]

Well. You shouldn't. I'll have y' know that I'm an excellent kisser.

[ Pause. ] What's so scary, then?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Oh, he doesn't doubt your skills, Amy. He's thought about them in the hypothetical more than he'll care to admit.]

Just don't wanna make anybody mad. Stuff gets weird with curses like this.

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

It's a curse. Who'd get mad?

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[He switches the broadcast to be sure no one can listen in.]

...Lucy.

[private.]

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

Lucy?

[ Pause. Pauuuse. Ooooh. ] Your girlfriend?

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Y-- no. Yes. Sorta. Maybe? I dunno.

[private.]

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

Gotcha. Your sorta maybe girlfriend. Like Rory was my friend-boyfriend.

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

W-we're not engaged. [He feels like he has to specify.]

[private.]

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

Neither were Rory and I when he was still my friend-not-quite-boyfriend.

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, kinda like that, then, I guess.

[private.]

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

So y' don't want to hurt her, yeah? 's nice of you.

[Action]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Lucy heard that broadcast and she is now at Neil's door, knocking on it.]

[Action]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[He edges towards the door carefully, like he's afraid something dangerous is going to come bursting in at any moment... but when he looks through the peephole and sees Lucy there, he unlocks the door and pulls it open, relieved.]

[designedtoparty]

What, you mean you don't want to take advantage of all those poor, desperate girls suddenly willing to throw themselves at you?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

No way.

Lucy'd never talk to me again.

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, 's the idea. She kinda freaked last time a curse made me do... stuff.

[Action]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[She looks pointedly up at the door frame and ceiling when she steps inside. She wants him to be aware there's no mistle toe. It's important. Once she's made her point with the looking, she grabs him by the tee shirt and tip toes up to kiss him.

Apparently, he's forgiven. Not that she was ever mad. It was just...she has issues with feeling emotions anyway.]

[private.]

[waitedforyears.livejournal.com]

Yeah? What happened?

[designedtoparty]

Of course she would. Curses don't count.

I thought you were too caught up in being weird with her, anyway.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

They count. Stuff's weird with her because curses count. To her, anyway.

[designedtoparty]

Really? That's ridiculous. No one ever counts stuff that happens on curse days. That's the entire point of having them. [At least on days like today.]

[Action]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[He watches her eyes the whole time, and a second before their lips meet, his eyes go wide, and he gets it. He's frozen for just a split second by the sudden shock of it -- this is what he's been waiting for, for everything to be okay again. And right now, it feels like it is. His eyes fall shut and he pulls her right flush against him. It's just as much about the holding as the kissing for him. She's within reach again, in multiple senses, and that's the most comforting feeling he's had in a while.]

[private.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Marriage curse thing freaked her out. Kinda talking again now, but it's... weird.