[Ah. . . Spike, at least, isn't one to not let her cry or even point out Mira's wet eyes. She can express herself however she needs. What gives him pause is the pull in his heart to reach out to her. His fingers grip his long-since-empty plate a little tighten, wiggling his utensil on its curve against the plate so it'll tap quietly.]
Watch yourself, making me out to be a good guy and all.
[He keeps that teasing smile on, himself. No need to draw attention to Mira's tears and possibly upset her more.]
Here, give me that.
[He commands, suddenly, walking to her with his own plate to grab hers. He's the guest and she fed him, the least he can do is wash off their dishes, even if he's got to be a pain in the butt and lean over her to grab things rather than wait for her to hand them to him.]
[ Because... well. She does think he's a good guy. It's the quieter, smaller things he does. Being there for her. Coming back to visit when he could easily turn and never look back one day. The quiet encouragement, and even when he is, indeed, being a pain in the butt. ]
You're using your height to your advantage. Very unfair. [ Even so, there's a thread of fondness woven into her words. She pokes at his side. ] But thank you.
[Super Cool Spike does something super cool and makes a stupid noise when he's poked, leaning out of Mira's reach very suddenly like a startled cat. He shoots her a halfhearted, quick pout, sticking out his tongue at her, and taking those dishes to the sink to wash them.]
What else is it for, if not my advantage?
[He doesn't even sound as cool, anymore, voice pitched just slightly higher in a playful but defensive tone. Don't come for him like that, clearly!!]
[ And because they're both mature (alleged) adults, she sticks her tongue out right back at him. Once he's washed those dishes, though, she'll dry them and put them up. Even if she cooked, she can't let him do all of it himself. ]
Picking on people who are shorter than you, probably.
[Spike hums, chilled out again now that his sides are no longer in danger of being prodded. Boy, does he still want a cigarette. He hasn't completely kicked the habit, but at least he's it's not near constant anymore. He can wait a while longer in favor of lingering with Mira.
He passes her the dishes casually. Domestic, if he was the type to think about it in the moment.]
If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were talking about yourself.
[ She lets out a little laugh as she dries. It kind of amazes her, how quickly he's been able to lift her spirits. As it turns out, he knows her pretty well. Not pointing out how (embarrassingly) her eyes had been wet, or how close she'd been close to outright crying, instead just... keeping her mind off it, that helps more than she'd realized.
She puts the dishes up once they're all dry, then looks up at him. ]
So... when would you like to head out on our incredible journey?
[ Something they share. Just them. It makes her heart do a little flip. ]
[Spike's more relaxed now, seeing her calmer. If Mira'd wanted to go further with it, she would have. Distracting her worked out just fine. He smiles down at her, grabbing the towel end away to dry his hands, rocking his head side to side as if deciding.]
Well, I'm always ready to get going. Unless there's any good quick jobs nearby.
[It's always nice to make a little money, okay. That didn't mean he'd been planning to just stay a couple hours and ditch her, of course, though he'd have had to come up with a good enough excuse to stay... it just meant he was prepared. That's all.]
If there were any loose ends you needed to tie up beforehand...
[ There are a lot of things she's come to treasure. Being here, for one. The friends she's made, the things she's able to do. Even waking up to the sun streaming through her windows, knowing she has a purpose here, there's a beauty in that. And then there are things like Spike's smile that catch her a little off-guard whenever she sees it.
It's important, though, each one something special. ]
A few... hmm. I'm sure we can find you something to keep busy while I take care of them.
[ Maybe if she were a different person, the person she was when she first came to Faerun, she'd have been worried about him taking off on her. But she knows he wouldn't; she trusts him, and she's sure that if he didn't really want her to go with him, he'd have told her. Mira taps her chin. ]
We can go into town together, and see if anyone needs a hand.
[ She huffs out a little laugh, before her expression shifts into something more considering. Then, with only the slightest hint of the corners of her lips twitching upward-- ]
Or I'll just have to keep buttering you up til you forget.
[Which he's perfectly fine with doing. He follows after her again like a puppy making dumb commentary, at least holding out his hand to carry the things she's gathering.]
It's a pretty alright couch. You oughta try it sometime. Though, not on account of me.
[ She's glad she's not facing him, because her cheeks turn a little pink. As for the blankets, the pillows, she automatically places them in his arms. Easily. They're used to doing this, after all; he certainly visits enough. Sometimes she catches herself wondering why it's her she visits the most, but... in the end, it's just more than enough that he does. ]
Maybe I will sometime. I'm sure it's better than the ground, at any rate.
[At least lucky for Mira's poor face she doesn't have to deal with Spike being obnoxious about the idea he might share her bed sometime. But the thought, which he tries to shove away quickly, does prompt another question as he peers at Mira over the pillows-]
Speaking of, are you prepped to sleep on the road at all? It's not always ground, but there's not always a place to stay nearby, either.
[Adventurous though she may be, Spike worries Mira might not enjoy the less glamorous bits. Lord knows they aren't his favorite parts.]
[ Is he worried about her? Mira peers up at him after shutting the door. It's not her favorite way to sleep, but she's not gonna complain about it, either. ]
I used to go camping with my brother, so... I'm definitely prepared.
[Spike sounds a little surprised, shrugging his shoulders. Well, alright. That seems good enough for him; he nods and, with Mira's eyes on him, looks away from her.
Sometimes it's easy to keep eye contact with her, and sometimes, well, it's a little too exposing. He's not sure what Mira'd do if she could actually read these feelings he's been discovering for her, and definitely unsure if her not making him back off would be better or worse. So it's better to avert those big brown puppy eyes of his, or so he thinks, anyway.]
Well alright. Lower maintenance than I thought.
[He can genuinely sigh with relief, though. There are some things about Faye he doesn't miss... like what a pain in the ass roommate she'd been on the Bebop.]
[ Sometimes, she does wonder what's going on in that head of his. It's difficult still, sometimes, to not be able to feel what others do. Her empathy had been a part of her for so long, after all. In some ways, she's glad it's gone; in others... it feels like she's lost a connection to the few things back in her world that mattered. Mostly, she's curious, but then again, she's always been hesitant to reach out consciously.
If she could feel what he feels, she doesn't think she'd try. She respects him far too much. But she does wonder, more and more often, what he's thinking and feeling when he looks away from her like that.
In the living room, she plucks the pillows off from the pile in his arms, smiling playfully. ]
You make it sound like you were expecting a princess. [ A little laugh, before she places them on the couch. ] Beds are nice and all, but... there's something special about sleeping outside, under the stars. Especially here, where you can see so much. They're so bright.
[If he knew to be, Spike would be grateful they're not under an oath. An oath only works if the pledged believes in the paladin, but Spike believes strongly in Mira. She'd have him and his longing pinned by now-- and his loneliness and avoidance, too. It's safer this way.
Each time he meets with her, though, Spike's more and more reminded he's not really fond of playing it safe.]
You were a princess, once. [He protests playfully. Sure, it wasn't real, but it works in his favor.]
That's the right idea. You'd think with a moon base, this place would have more space travel.
[Even distracted by Mira, spike can't resist the chance to complain. He misses the Bebop and the Swordfish II, and sleeping, at any time of day, under the stars. More than that, though--]
I'd take you up for a better view.
[He misses being able to see them, at a whim. Now, he can't even show them to those poor souls who've not gotten the chance.]
Ah, you're right. Hmm, maybe I should put that on my resume.
[ She laughs quietly, then starts setting up the blankets. He's right; then again, maybe that's just a Bureau thing. Still, it sure would be something for people to see themselves surrounded by stars. Mira knows she was amazed the first time, and every day she stepped out of one of those domes and tilted her head back to gaze.
The offer, though, throws her for a loop. Just for a moment. And again, she can't ignore the way her heart reacts. Geez... maybe she's in a little deeper than she realized.
But she can't say she's complaining.
She looks up at Spike, something soft and warm and near-unreadable in her eyes. ]
[Spike just watches her, still holding things out as she's ready for them, face softening when Mira decides to go and look at him like that. He can imagine the wonder in Mira's eyes already. Her face begs a straight answer. For once, he concedes.]
I'd love to.
The Swordfish was a one seater... but she could handle something scenic.
[His beautiful little trashbucket. He's definitely not padding the conversation after saying something heartful. It's relevant information.]
Best chance you have now is a visit to the Moon, but it's just not the same...
[ She isn't sure why it touches her heart so much, but it does. Nor does she really know how to find the words to express it; so instead what she does is finish setting up the couch, to give herself something to do. Probably the absence of an immediate answer says more than anything, but...
Maybe it's her still getting used to people wanting to do things for her. To all these feelings that only keep getting stronger, and stronger still when he shows such easy kindness. Still, it's hard to put those feelings into words. She eventually settles on-- ]
Well, we can visit the Moon any time we want. Actually exploring the stars... that's something more special.
[ Exploring with him, even more.
She places the final blanket on the couch and steps back, hands on her hips. She might be a little more transparent than Spike, but the conversation tread too close to things she isn't quite prepared to talk about, if ever. ]
[The hesitance says a lot. Spike, quietly watching Mira work on that bed, almost meek when he's done with his own babbling. He thinks it says something, anyway. There's the fear that it says things he wants it to say, of course, that he's filling in the gaps with something he might like to see.
But he's also not entirely unintelligent. Little things that might have seemed small when they'd happened once or twice before had started to become signs. Maybe he'd just like them to line up that way, but... But then Mira always seems hesitant, and Spike's unsure. There are better options out there, for sure, so he shouldn't be so taken with the idea these pauses might mean something, but he is.
He's paused too, in his indecision, but he's got to come back to earth sometime. Faerun. Whatever. Bad idiom.]
...Yeah.
[Comes Spike's somewhat-stupid sounding and delayed response, once he's pulled himself out of his own thoughts long enough to remember that MIra's said something. He should say something.]
Yeah, thanks. You know, I should. Probably go smoke, somewhere not inside your house.
[He chuckles, this time almost sounding nervous, as he searches his pockets. He's a fool. He's a fool who's made a mistake and is going to spend some traveling time very close to someone he's very much falling for and shouldn't have. He's just as much of a fool as he's always been. It's borderline exciting.]
[ There's a measure of lightness in her tone, but the sentiment... it's very much genuine. More and more, she finds herself missing him more whenever he's not around. And she might be unsure of a lot of things, but her gut tells her that, well. He might miss her, too. Why else would he come around, crash on her couch? She isn't sure if there's anything more to it.
Yet... she very much wants there to be.
Even if there's not, though, she's fine with it. Really. Just being near him is better than good, settles her in a way that she's never felt with anyone else. If he doesn't ever feel the same, then she's content to just be his friend. Besides, she's had a lot of good things here. Who's to say she hasn't reached her limit? Aren't there only so many good things one person can have?
Maybe it's ridiculous to think that way, but Mira's spent a lot of her life waiting for the next bad thing to come around. Some days, it's easier to brush those thoughts aside as nonsense, but others... others, it feels like she's teetering on the edge of a precipice. She doesn't want to hope for something that might never come, when something else darker could be looming, waiting for her.
But, she catches herself hoping more and more. Maybe it's foolish, maybe she should be protecting her heart better, but it's so easy to let her guard down around Spike. ]
I'll make some tea--it should be ready for when you come back in, if you want some.
[Spike cocks a sideways smile and a tilted brow at Mira's words, a part of him unable to help but wonder if there's more to it. He needs that cigarette, though, a moment to clear his mind, to settle the waves so he can think better.]
Sounds nice.
[And then, as he finally finds that pack of cigarettes and starts to walk past her, he knocks her on the nose with a curled knuckle, gentle, playful.]
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Watch yourself, making me out to be a good guy and all.
[He keeps that teasing smile on, himself. No need to draw attention to Mira's tears and possibly upset her more.]
Here, give me that.
[He commands, suddenly, walking to her with his own plate to grab hers. He's the guest and she fed him, the least he can do is wash off their dishes, even if he's got to be a pain in the butt and lean over her to grab things rather than wait for her to hand them to him.]
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[ Because... well. She does think he's a good guy. It's the quieter, smaller things he does. Being there for her. Coming back to visit when he could easily turn and never look back one day. The quiet encouragement, and even when he is, indeed, being a pain in the butt. ]
You're using your height to your advantage. Very unfair. [ Even so, there's a thread of fondness woven into her words. She pokes at his side. ] But thank you.
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What else is it for, if not my advantage?
[He doesn't even sound as cool, anymore, voice pitched just slightly higher in a playful but defensive tone. Don't come for him like that, clearly!!]
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Picking on people who are shorter than you, probably.
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[Spike hums, chilled out again now that his sides are no longer in danger of being prodded. Boy, does he still want a cigarette. He hasn't completely kicked the habit, but at least he's it's not near constant anymore. He can wait a while longer in favor of lingering with Mira.
He passes her the dishes casually. Domestic, if he was the type to think about it in the moment.]
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[ She lets out a little laugh as she dries. It kind of amazes her, how quickly he's been able to lift her spirits. As it turns out, he knows her pretty well. Not pointing out how (embarrassingly) her eyes had been wet, or how close she'd been close to outright crying, instead just... keeping her mind off it, that helps more than she'd realized.
She puts the dishes up once they're all dry, then looks up at him. ]
So... when would you like to head out on our incredible journey?
[ Something they share. Just them. It makes her heart do a little flip. ]
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Well, I'm always ready to get going. Unless there's any good quick jobs nearby.
[It's always nice to make a little money, okay. That didn't mean he'd been planning to just stay a couple hours and ditch her, of course, though he'd have had to come up with a good enough excuse to stay... it just meant he was prepared. That's all.]
If there were any loose ends you needed to tie up beforehand...
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It's important, though, each one something special. ]
A few... hmm. I'm sure we can find you something to keep busy while I take care of them.
[ Maybe if she were a different person, the person she was when she first came to Faerun, she'd have been worried about him taking off on her. But she knows he wouldn't; she trusts him, and she's sure that if he didn't really want her to go with him, he'd have told her. Mira taps her chin. ]
We can go into town together, and see if anyone needs a hand.
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Sounds like a plan. What do I owe you for the night on your couch, anyway?
[He already knows the answer. He asks every time anyway, just to be an ass.]
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One thousand gold.
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Damn, I'm running that tab up pretty high, now....
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[ Again with that less-than-subtle fondness. It's easy to fall into this kind of banter with Spike.
She crosses over into the hall, grabbing a few blankets and pillows from the closet. ]
Though, the couch is comfortable enough for you, right?
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[Which he's perfectly fine with doing. He follows after her again like a puppy making dumb commentary, at least holding out his hand to carry the things she's gathering.]
It's a pretty alright couch. You oughta try it sometime. Though, not on account of me.
[He won't put her out of her bed!!]
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[ She's glad she's not facing him, because her cheeks turn a little pink. As for the blankets, the pillows, she automatically places them in his arms. Easily. They're used to doing this, after all; he certainly visits enough. Sometimes she catches herself wondering why it's her she visits the most, but... in the end, it's just more than enough that he does. ]
Maybe I will sometime. I'm sure it's better than the ground, at any rate.
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Speaking of, are you prepped to sleep on the road at all? It's not always ground, but there's not always a place to stay nearby, either.
[Adventurous though she may be, Spike worries Mira might not enjoy the less glamorous bits. Lord knows they aren't his favorite parts.]
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I used to go camping with my brother, so... I'm definitely prepared.
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[Spike sounds a little surprised, shrugging his shoulders. Well, alright. That seems good enough for him; he nods and, with Mira's eyes on him, looks away from her.
Sometimes it's easy to keep eye contact with her, and sometimes, well, it's a little too exposing. He's not sure what Mira'd do if she could actually read these feelings he's been discovering for her, and definitely unsure if her not making him back off would be better or worse. So it's better to avert those big brown puppy eyes of his, or so he thinks, anyway.]
Well alright. Lower maintenance than I thought.
[He can genuinely sigh with relief, though. There are some things about Faye he doesn't miss... like what a pain in the ass roommate she'd been on the Bebop.]
Thank goodness.
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If she could feel what he feels, she doesn't think she'd try. She respects him far too much. But she does wonder, more and more often, what he's thinking and feeling when he looks away from her like that.
In the living room, she plucks the pillows off from the pile in his arms, smiling playfully. ]
You make it sound like you were expecting a princess. [ A little laugh, before she places them on the couch. ] Beds are nice and all, but... there's something special about sleeping outside, under the stars. Especially here, where you can see so much. They're so bright.
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Each time he meets with her, though, Spike's more and more reminded he's not really fond of playing it safe.]
You were a princess, once. [He protests playfully. Sure, it wasn't real, but it works in his favor.]
That's the right idea. You'd think with a moon base, this place would have more space travel.
[Even distracted by Mira, spike can't resist the chance to complain. He misses the Bebop and the Swordfish II, and sleeping, at any time of day, under the stars. More than that, though--]
I'd take you up for a better view.
[He misses being able to see them, at a whim. Now, he can't even show them to those poor souls who've not gotten the chance.]
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[ She laughs quietly, then starts setting up the blankets. He's right; then again, maybe that's just a Bureau thing. Still, it sure would be something for people to see themselves surrounded by stars. Mira knows she was amazed the first time, and every day she stepped out of one of those domes and tilted her head back to gaze.
The offer, though, throws her for a loop. Just for a moment. And again, she can't ignore the way her heart reacts. Geez... maybe she's in a little deeper than she realized.
But she can't say she's complaining.
She looks up at Spike, something soft and warm and near-unreadable in her eyes. ]
You'd do that?
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I'd love to.
The Swordfish was a one seater... but she could handle something scenic.
[His beautiful little trashbucket. He's definitely not padding the conversation after saying something heartful. It's relevant information.]
Best chance you have now is a visit to the Moon, but it's just not the same...
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Maybe it's her still getting used to people wanting to do things for her. To all these feelings that only keep getting stronger, and stronger still when he shows such easy kindness. Still, it's hard to put those feelings into words. She eventually settles on-- ]
Well, we can visit the Moon any time we want. Actually exploring the stars... that's something more special.
[ Exploring with him, even more.
She places the final blanket on the couch and steps back, hands on her hips. She might be a little more transparent than Spike, but the conversation tread too close to things she isn't quite prepared to talk about, if ever. ]
... There. Your bed is all set up.
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But he's also not entirely unintelligent. Little things that might have seemed small when they'd happened once or twice before had started to become signs. Maybe he'd just like them to line up that way, but... But then Mira always seems hesitant, and Spike's unsure. There are better options out there, for sure, so he shouldn't be so taken with the idea these pauses might mean something, but he is.
He's paused too, in his indecision, but he's got to come back to earth sometime. Faerun. Whatever. Bad idiom.]
...Yeah.
[Comes Spike's somewhat-stupid sounding and delayed response, once he's pulled himself out of his own thoughts long enough to remember that MIra's said something. He should say something.]
Yeah, thanks. You know, I should. Probably go smoke, somewhere not inside your house.
[He chuckles, this time almost sounding nervous, as he searches his pockets. He's a fool. He's a fool who's made a mistake and is going to spend some traveling time very close to someone he's very much falling for and shouldn't have. He's just as much of a fool as he's always been. It's borderline exciting.]
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[ There's a measure of lightness in her tone, but the sentiment... it's very much genuine. More and more, she finds herself missing him more whenever he's not around. And she might be unsure of a lot of things, but her gut tells her that, well. He might miss her, too. Why else would he come around, crash on her couch? She isn't sure if there's anything more to it.
Yet... she very much wants there to be.
Even if there's not, though, she's fine with it. Really. Just being near him is better than good, settles her in a way that she's never felt with anyone else. If he doesn't ever feel the same, then she's content to just be his friend. Besides, she's had a lot of good things here. Who's to say she hasn't reached her limit? Aren't there only so many good things one person can have?
Maybe it's ridiculous to think that way, but Mira's spent a lot of her life waiting for the next bad thing to come around. Some days, it's easier to brush those thoughts aside as nonsense, but others... others, it feels like she's teetering on the edge of a precipice. She doesn't want to hope for something that might never come, when something else darker could be looming, waiting for her.
But, she catches herself hoping more and more. Maybe it's foolish, maybe she should be protecting her heart better, but it's so easy to let her guard down around Spike. ]
I'll make some tea--it should be ready for when you come back in, if you want some.
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Sounds nice.
[And then, as he finally finds that pack of cigarettes and starts to walk past her, he knocks her on the nose with a curled knuckle, gentle, playful.]
I appreciate it.
[He can make for a smooth getaway.]
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