Room 223, Monday Afternoon

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie had survived her first Fandom High Parents Weekend. It really wasn't much of an accomplishment when she hadn't had any guests of her own, but whatever. She gathered it was still some kind of a landmark, even if she'd spent the majority of it just reading and watching stuff on her own. She just liked it better that way.

And hey, she'd still managed to get what she supposed was a variation of the 'if you hurt him' speech from Sam's friends, so that was something.

But now it was Monday, and it was time to get back into gear. And for Natalie, this meant sitting on her bed with a cup of coffee, studying German from the book in front of her.

She led such an exciting life.

[ooc: Post open, door halfway open. And not the other way around like I typed first.]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

"You're just rationalizing it like that so you can have a lame reason to spend time around me," she retorted, but not like she objected. Of course she didn't object. "To get more things to keep to yourself."

[necroslacker]

"Well." He couldn't really deny the truth, could he? "Is that a bad thing to want? I didn't think it was."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie shook her head, just lightly. "I didn't say it was. I've heard worse. Stupider."

[necroslacker]

"If you've heard stupider, does that just make me plain ole stupid?" Sam wondered, raising an eyebrow.

[whenshewasnice]

"No, it means I've heard stupider," Natalie replied with an eyeroll. "Like I said. No real comment on you."

[necroslacker]

"Don't roll your eyes at me," he ordered not at all seriously. "I might think you don't actually like me at all."

[whenshewasnice]

"Don't tell me what to do," she retorted about equally not serious. "I might start disliking you."

No, it took more than that.

[necroslacker]

"Perish the thought!" Sam mock exclaimed, hand to his heart. "Whatever would I do if that happened?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie put her hand over his. No real reason. Just felt like it.

"Weep copiously," she drawled, to ward of getting too gentle.

[necroslacker]

"That might be the only option," Sam agreed sagely. "I shall weep copiously and then I shall drown my sorrow in a milkshake. That will surely ease the ache in my heart."

[whenshewasnice]

"So I'm replaceable with a milkshake?" Natalie questioned. She tapped her fingers against the backs of his, a couple times. "A different kind of person would take that as their cue to try harder."

[necroslacker]

"Did I say you were replaceable?" Sam wondered, shaking his head.d "That's an assumption. A milkshake would just be a means to soothe me. It's not a replacement by any means."

[whenshewasnice]

"But it would soothe you. Thus, replacement. Taking the place of what caused the hurt so that the hurt goes away."

She didn't even believe that. She said it anyway, lightly.

[necroslacker]

"That doesn't make sense," Sam decided, shaking his head. "You can't replace a person with a milkshake. That's just common sense, Natalie. Come on, keep up, now. I feel like the smart one."

[whenshewasnice]

"Whatever you say," Natalie drawled, letting her head flop against the pillows, though her hand stayed where it was. "Fine."

[necroslacker]

"Fine," Sam retorted because that seemed like a good comeback. He brought his other hand up to cover hers and smiled to himself.

Yeah, this was...this was more than fine.

[whenshewasnice]

"That was an excellent comeback," Natalie murmured. Dryly. Because she didn't think it had been, but he wasn't wrong about this being more than fine.

She was pretty sure he thought that, just from watching his profile.

[necroslacker]

"I know, I'm very witty and charming," he said and rubbed his hand against hers gently, still smiling to himself even if she could see it. "I'm not always lame and slow."

[whenshewasnice]

"Not always," she agreed, a little less dryly. Or actually, a lot less dryly. Not dryly at all. "You're not particularly lame right now."

[necroslacker]

"Yeah?" He turned his smile towards her, wider than usual because this did feel good and it made him feel a little more relaxed. "Thanks. Just don't tell everyone. Wouldn't want the secret to get out. Everyone might want a piece of me then."

[whenshewasnice]

"Don't flatter yourself," she chided him, but she was smirking a bit. Such a rare thing. "But I won't tell anyone. I like keeping things to myself too."

[necroslacker]

"I can always count on you to keep my ego in check," Sam said, laughing quietly. "Truly, you are a good Samaritan."

And he even leaned towards her just enough to touch his lips to hers for a brief, light kiss.

[whenshewasnice]

Which worked wonders in shutting her up for a moment, because that was the kind of the slightly unexpected little thrill that she needed to devote most of her attention to.

"I'm just picky," she murmured.

[necroslacker]

"That mean you're picking me for right now?" he asked, leaning forward to give her a longer, lingering kiss before pulling away again.

[whenshewasnice]

"Yes," Natalie replied, quietly, once he gave her the chance. She hadn't minded that bit of quiet, either. "Guess it does."