Tanya let Faith have time to think, while making certain that Faith knew that she'd be willing to listen if Faith wanted to talk to her. Not that this meant Faith was just idling about, there was a good deal of work needing done on the house. Old shingles and rotten roofing materials were ripped free, thrown to the ground to later be hauled to a pile. Faith found the work physically tiring, but it did give her time to think. About her choices, about what exactly was a Slayer supposed to do, and about Mort.
Yeah, she was thinking a lot about Mort lately. Not just the fact that he had some nice muscles on him, and was pretty nice to snuggle up against – which she kept pretending that she didn't know she was doing. Not just the fact that he seemed to be a fairly decent guy under the layer of distance that he tried to keep from 'normal' people. Not just the way his knowledge of things electronic, structural and all sorts of other build it yourself –al words. She kept thinking of the way he smiled at her, like she was someone special just for being Faith. She kept smiling at the thought of snuggling up against his back, resting her cheek against his spine.
And she kept thinking about that comment that he'd made, about seeing a movie together the next time they were in a town with a theater. The idea was sounding pretty good, actually. Just her and Mort, a dark room… oh, and several hundred other movie-goers as well. Well, maybe she should try taking things a bit more slowly this time. It would matter with Mort, if things went well or badly, and not just about sex.
As Faith tossed another batch of rotten shingles towards the ground, she tried to consider what to do. This was… different from anything in her past. She knew how to let a guy know to take her to bed, or to back off, but… this was more like a date. She'd never ever asked a guy out on a normal date before. Maybe… maybe Tanya could help?
Looking at her arms, Faith grimaced. She was an utter mess, covered with dirt, and tar, and dust. Hopefully, they would be done for the day, and then she could go have a delightful shower and feel human again before delving into strange territory with her questions. Of course, how to ask Tanya when she seemed to think that Faith and Mort were already an item? That might take a little thinking.
Faith stayed in the shower until the hot water was little more than room temperature, trying to get the mingled scents of tar and decay and dust out of her skin. She still wasn't quite convinced by then, but the prospect of scrubbing away under icy cold water was rather unappealing. Throwing on some clean clothing, Faith made her way to dinner, hoping to be able to talk to Tanya under the pretext of helping with the dishes.
Her chance came after Mort made his way back upstairs, muttering that it 'might be a good idea to read up a bit on the nasties.'
Faith glanced at Tanya, carefully carrying the dirty plates to the sink. "umm… Tanya? I was wondering… not that it's not great that you're letting us stay, but… it's sort of… I was thinking it might be nice for Mort and I to do something… together and.. well, not workish. Except… I'm not quite sure how to say it to him without it sounding awkward, or dumb. I've never really been the one doing the asking before..."
"It's not that hard, Faith. You catch him when he's not too busy, and say 'Let's go out. Maybe a movie.' The pair of you could borrow the car and go over to town, there's a theater. You can have some time to just enjoy each other's company." Tanya smiled, looking as if she was remembering a few dates of her own.
"Sounds…. Simple enough, if I can just get the words out." Faith sighed, feeling distinctly uncourageous at the moment. "Thanks, Tanya."
Walking out of the kitchen, Faith started thinking about how to ask Mort on a date. Should she ask while he was in the library reading? Later, as he was getting ready for bed? Maybe tomorrow, while they worked on prying up some rotten floorboards in on of the empty rooms? Maybe a plan was over-rated, maybe she should just look for a good moment and seize it.
The light was on in the library, so she slipped through the doorway. He was leaning against the wall, looking like he'd started out looking at a book while standing there, and gradually slid down the wall until he was half squatting half sitting there, open book in hand. Mort turned the page, shifting the book at an angle for a moment, probably studying an engraving. "Now that's just not right…"
"There you are." Faith smiled, dropping to sit beside him, hoping that she didn't look as nervous as she felt. "I've been thinking… you said something about a movie. Why don't we… you know, go catch one? Tomorrow?"
He blinked, the book slipping from his hands to fall a few inches to his lap. His dark tongue flickered over his lips, as if they had suddenly gone dry. "A movie? Like a date. You're serious?"
"Yeah, I'm serious." She looked at him, reaching over with one slightly trembling hand to clasp his fingers in hers, holding just firm enough that she couldn't see the shaking any more. "I mean, if you still want to go on a date with me…"
Mort turned, looking at her with his eyes serious and hopeful. "I'd like that a lot. I like the idea of going out with you, having you as… as my girl."
"Your girl, hmm?" Faith smiled, suddenly feeling better, more confident. A warm feeling seemed to be spreading from the hand that he was now holding through the rest of her, and she wasn't entirely certain that she wasn't blushing.
Slowly, she leaned forward, part of her nervous, another part whispering to seize the moment. Her lips brushed against his, almost tentatively, brushing against him again, parting just a little as they met his lips. He kissed back, slowly, gently, as if he worried that she would change her mind, as if he feared rejection even now. His hand was running through her hair, the book fell to the floor with a thump, and they pulled back, startled, hearts beating faster, eyes dark as the air flowed rapidly over parted lips.
"That was…." Mort looked as if he couldn't quite find the words, a small smile on his face, on those kissable lips.
"Yeah." She reached over, brushing one finger over his lips, smiling as his eyes closed and he leaned into her touch just a little. "That was nice."
End part 16.
Yeah, she was thinking a lot about Mort lately. Not just the fact that he had some nice muscles on him, and was pretty nice to snuggle up against – which she kept pretending that she didn't know she was doing. Not just the fact that he seemed to be a fairly decent guy under the layer of distance that he tried to keep from 'normal' people. Not just the way his knowledge of things electronic, structural and all sorts of other build it yourself –al words. She kept thinking of the way he smiled at her, like she was someone special just for being Faith. She kept smiling at the thought of snuggling up against his back, resting her cheek against his spine.
And she kept thinking about that comment that he'd made, about seeing a movie together the next time they were in a town with a theater. The idea was sounding pretty good, actually. Just her and Mort, a dark room… oh, and several hundred other movie-goers as well. Well, maybe she should try taking things a bit more slowly this time. It would matter with Mort, if things went well or badly, and not just about sex.
As Faith tossed another batch of rotten shingles towards the ground, she tried to consider what to do. This was… different from anything in her past. She knew how to let a guy know to take her to bed, or to back off, but… this was more like a date. She'd never ever asked a guy out on a normal date before. Maybe… maybe Tanya could help?
Looking at her arms, Faith grimaced. She was an utter mess, covered with dirt, and tar, and dust. Hopefully, they would be done for the day, and then she could go have a delightful shower and feel human again before delving into strange territory with her questions. Of course, how to ask Tanya when she seemed to think that Faith and Mort were already an item? That might take a little thinking.
Faith stayed in the shower until the hot water was little more than room temperature, trying to get the mingled scents of tar and decay and dust out of her skin. She still wasn't quite convinced by then, but the prospect of scrubbing away under icy cold water was rather unappealing. Throwing on some clean clothing, Faith made her way to dinner, hoping to be able to talk to Tanya under the pretext of helping with the dishes.
Her chance came after Mort made his way back upstairs, muttering that it 'might be a good idea to read up a bit on the nasties.'
Faith glanced at Tanya, carefully carrying the dirty plates to the sink. "umm… Tanya? I was wondering… not that it's not great that you're letting us stay, but… it's sort of… I was thinking it might be nice for Mort and I to do something… together and.. well, not workish. Except… I'm not quite sure how to say it to him without it sounding awkward, or dumb. I've never really been the one doing the asking before..."
"It's not that hard, Faith. You catch him when he's not too busy, and say 'Let's go out. Maybe a movie.' The pair of you could borrow the car and go over to town, there's a theater. You can have some time to just enjoy each other's company." Tanya smiled, looking as if she was remembering a few dates of her own.
"Sounds…. Simple enough, if I can just get the words out." Faith sighed, feeling distinctly uncourageous at the moment. "Thanks, Tanya."
Walking out of the kitchen, Faith started thinking about how to ask Mort on a date. Should she ask while he was in the library reading? Later, as he was getting ready for bed? Maybe tomorrow, while they worked on prying up some rotten floorboards in on of the empty rooms? Maybe a plan was over-rated, maybe she should just look for a good moment and seize it.
The light was on in the library, so she slipped through the doorway. He was leaning against the wall, looking like he'd started out looking at a book while standing there, and gradually slid down the wall until he was half squatting half sitting there, open book in hand. Mort turned the page, shifting the book at an angle for a moment, probably studying an engraving. "Now that's just not right…"
"There you are." Faith smiled, dropping to sit beside him, hoping that she didn't look as nervous as she felt. "I've been thinking… you said something about a movie. Why don't we… you know, go catch one? Tomorrow?"
He blinked, the book slipping from his hands to fall a few inches to his lap. His dark tongue flickered over his lips, as if they had suddenly gone dry. "A movie? Like a date. You're serious?"
"Yeah, I'm serious." She looked at him, reaching over with one slightly trembling hand to clasp his fingers in hers, holding just firm enough that she couldn't see the shaking any more. "I mean, if you still want to go on a date with me…"
Mort turned, looking at her with his eyes serious and hopeful. "I'd like that a lot. I like the idea of going out with you, having you as… as my girl."
"Your girl, hmm?" Faith smiled, suddenly feeling better, more confident. A warm feeling seemed to be spreading from the hand that he was now holding through the rest of her, and she wasn't entirely certain that she wasn't blushing.
Slowly, she leaned forward, part of her nervous, another part whispering to seize the moment. Her lips brushed against his, almost tentatively, brushing against him again, parting just a little as they met his lips. He kissed back, slowly, gently, as if he worried that she would change her mind, as if he feared rejection even now. His hand was running through her hair, the book fell to the floor with a thump, and they pulled back, startled, hearts beating faster, eyes dark as the air flowed rapidly over parted lips.
"That was…." Mort looked as if he couldn't quite find the words, a small smile on his face, on those kissable lips.
"Yeah." She reached over, brushing one finger over his lips, smiling as his eyes closed and he leaned into her touch just a little. "That was nice."
End part 16.