Hope hadn't put much thought into Scott, even though she secretly enjoys their verbal sparring, until she comes across him bare chested, tending to his wounds that she had inflicted during their training sessions. Her gaze cruises over his figure. He wasn't too muscular, but was lean and fit, and she can't resist but appreciate his firm and slight rounded pecs, and how they seem perfectly contoured to fit the shallow palm of her hand, and his well-defined abs. She stops herself before drifting away, bewildered at her own thoughts.
She hears him groan in pain when he touches his wound with a medicated soaked gauze. Suddenly, she feels a little bit guilty for being too hard on him, especially after their conversation in the car. "Do you need a hand there?", she narrows her eyes, peering at the abrasion wound on his right lumbar.
He looks up at her, surprised to see her staring at him. "I've got it." It stings, but was manageable. He offers her a small smile, but realises her gaze is lingering on his abdomen. "Like what you see?", he grins wider and proudly, teasing her. He seems bolder now, occasionally flirting with her.
She rolls her eyes and huffs out in annoyance. "Hank wants you outside for target practice." She walks away, trying hard to ignore the wild, erratic thumping of her heart.
...
Scott thinks she has the perfect shoulders, and her arms, he doesn't even know how to describe his love for her beautiful arms.
"When you're small, energy's compressed, so you have the force of a two-hundred pound man behind a fist a hundredth of an inch wide. You're like a bullet. You punch too hard, you kill someone. Too soft, it's a love tap. In other words, you have to know how to punch." Hope's talking to him but his attention is anchoring over on her well proportioned shoulders and arms and he's awestruck at how lovely her biceps look when she flexes. It's also distracting that she's wearing a sleeveless sports top because he can't help but stare. Still, he never expects her to be so lethal until he receives a blow on his face, which he suspects she did it out of spite because she hated him.
"How did you get these?", Scott asks as he gently caresses her well-toned arm. They're lying on the bed, with Hope curling up beside him, her back pressing against his chest. He loves how she's so strong and graceful at the same time.
"Get what?", she questions, puzzlement evident in her voice.
He smiles and responds with trailing kisses from her shoulder down to her arm instead. He relishes in quiet moments like these, cuddling with her in bed and doing absolutely nothing.
...
Hope likes his beautiful, clear green eyes. She thinks it's his most attractive feature, besides that disarming smile of his. Also, she likes the way he stares at her, when he thinks she's not noticing.
It's early morning and she's lying nearly half on top of him with her elbows propped up on his chest, her eyes wandering through his features. There's something childlike about him, the way his face is smooth with relaxation when he sleeps. His arm is hanging around her waist, just the way she likes it. She reaches out her hand, and lightly traces his eyebrow with her fingertip. She smiles and she wonders how he's such a deep sleeper.
His face twitches a little and she stops, quickly withdrawing her hand. He opens his eyes lazily, and there it is, his heart-stopping eyes. He blinks, clearing his vision, his gaze meeting hers. "Are you watching me sleep?", he smiles warmly, making her heart lurch.
"You sleep like a baby."
"Mmm..." He slides his forearm up his forehead, covering his eyes. He remembers his bed in prison, cold and hard, and he wouldn't trade this warm and comfortable bed for the world, especially with Hope by his side.
"It's cute."
His eyes shoots open immediately, seemingly affronted by her statement, as if his manhood has been challenged. "What? I'm not cute.", he scrunches his face in annoyance and she notices his eyes are burning bright and wild.
She chuckles, a teasing smile etching on her face.
"Let me show you how manly I can be." Scott flips over, straddling her with his thighs. Hope giggles, meeting his penetrating green eyes again, this time flickering with lust and desire. She kisses him before he even stoops down to, devouring him.
...
Scott likes the way her freckles are scattered across her nose bridge and cheekbones. He thinks it's like the constellation of stars, when he traces the outline of the speckles on her face with his eyes when she's fast asleep one day. He first catches a glimpse of it when they sparred, when she wore no make up, those light brown freckles, a stark contrast to her flawless, pale, smooth skin, and he marvels at how she still looks so beautiful.
She's sitting in front of the dressing table, and he's at the edge of the bed, silently watching her layering her armour. He's enamoured by the way she immaculately puts on her make-up, even though he thinks she doesn't need it.
"You're staring.", Hope looks at him through the mirror.
He breaks into a lopsided smile. "You're beautiful. I think your freckles are beautiful.", he confesses sincerely.
She returns his smile. He can be so sweet sometimes. But she knows he loves it because of the way he feathers her face with kisses every day.