taylor slipped her fingers around the stem of the wine glass, her smile lingering as she looked toward the scrabble board he had so confidently gestured to. there was something almost endearing about the way jason could turn the simplest evening into a challenge, as though everything in his world had to come with a little edge of competition. she took a small sip, letting the wine settle warmly on her tongue before her gaze returned to him, one brow lifting in quiet amusement. "half an hour?" she echoed, the corners of her mouth curling. "that's an awfully specific amount of time for someone who claims to be confident in his vocabulary." her tone was light, playful, but there was that unmistakable glint in her eyes now, the one that appeared whenever someone gave her a reason to prove herself.
her gaze flickered back toward the tote at his words, a pleased little smile tugging at her lips as she took another sip of her wine. "you know, i did spend half my afternoon making those," she reminded him, her tone carrying just enough exaggerated offence to suggest he ought to be appreciating the sacrifice involved. "so i think guarding them with your life is probably the appropriate response." her eyes sparkled as she looked back at him, the teasing warmth settling comfortably between them. she gave him a pointed little look before her smile softened. "and if they're terrible, i expect you to lie convincingly. i put far too much effort into those for honesty to be an acceptable response."
she moved toward the living room at an unhurried pace, her attention briefly wandering over the familiar details of his home before settling on the board. it was strange how naturally she seemed to fit into the space, how little effort it took to feel comfortable here. perhaps that was what had surprised her most about tonight. she had walked through his door expecting an evening of wine and games, something easy and uncomplicated, but there was an ease between them that seemed to exist beyond either of those things. taylor lowered herself onto one of the plush cushions, tucking herself comfortably into the corner before looking up at him again. "although," she added, reaching for the tile rack, "i suppose i should give you a head start. it would be cruel to completely destroy you on the first round."
her laughter followed the words, bright and effortless, before she began arranging her tiles with exaggerated concentration. she knew she was teasing him, but there was something about the way he looked at her that made her want to keep doing it, to see just how easily she could coax that smile from him. she glanced up through her lashes, catching the warmth still settled in his expression, and for the briefest second the competitive playfulness softened into something quieter. "and for the record," she said, her voice gentling as she held his gaze, "i donāt think there is anywhere else i would want to spend my friday night." the admission came without the usual joke to soften it, a small truth slipping through before she could dress it up in anything else. her smile returned, smaller this time.
then, as if deciding she had allowed herself quite enough sincerity for one evening, taylor looked back down at the board and picked up her first tile. "right," she announced, settling into her seat with renewed determination. "show me what you've got, jason." she gave him a pointed look, her expression full of challenge. "and try not to be too intimidated when i inevitably win. i wouldn't want you questioning your entire career as a writer and director by the end of the night." her eyes sparkled with amusement as she placed her tiles down in front of her, already far too pleased with herself before the game had even begun. "your go first."
Jason watched her with a slow, lazy grin that pulling at his lips as he couldn't help but notice the way she moved with such a unhurried grace, she wasn't floating through it but the closest thing to that in human terms. Amidst all his 70s rare art on the way, the vintage turn century piano, dark wood paneling and books there she was looking like she fit the scene even in such casual clothes. She fit into his space so easily it was almost unfair, settling into those plush cushions on the parallel couches he freshly chose last year when he could finally in the break from Ted make this place a home, her now sitting in them like sheād owned them all along. Leaning back against the edge of the sofa she choose, choosing in this moment to not sit across but closer to her, not wanting to lose the warmth she brought with her aura. He swirled the wine in his glass, his dark eyes tracking the quiet spark of challenge dancing across her face, admiring it as his eyes danced over her features even if he had done it now well over 20 times he'd never grow bored of studying that face under each new circumstance, see how the beautiful features ever so softly changed.
"Half an hour is plenty of time and it will be good for you, nice little head start for you," Jason replied, his voice dropping into a low, rumbling cadence carrying on the playfulness as he totally flipped on her her offer. He tilted his head, letting his gaze linger on her very soft plush pink lips as she took another sip of wine, saw how the wined tinted them just a shade darker and well liking it. His own drink becoming abandoned on the hard wood floor beside him. suddenly needing less alcohol for social interactions than previously thought.
Her laughter filled the room, when it was gone suddenly felt like the whole world was empty of the bright, effortless, and entirely intoxicating way it sounded and his heart ached a little. He felt the distinct urge to abandon the board altogether. But it was the sudden, quiet turn in her tone, the way her eyes held his when she admitted there was nowhere else sheād rather be, that made him stay int hat moment a few seconds longer than even her. Batting his eyelashes to pull himself out as she had already moved on. What stayed behind was an electric pull that made the space between them feel suddenly very small. He looked down at her through a heavy gaze, a genuinely soft, tender smile breaking across his features. "Good," he murmured softly, the humor giving way to the last bit of sincerity for the moment. "You spent all that time making those baked goods, I will gladly guard them with my life because you poured so much effort and thought into it" Honesty to his words taking his wine glass by the full cup and drinking it to actually take his eyes off her for a second, hard task but he had too.
Before the moment could get too heavy, he had to appreciate how she so skillfully pivoted back to her sharp, competitive edge, throwing down the gauntlet and attacking his career in one breath. He was impressed, let's be honest he was endlessly impressed with her. But their notes actually matched, someone could be funny and someone could be sharp as a whip and someone could be as heartfelt as he was in the same sync moment. All his previous relationship missed this, since Olivia and the demise of that he had wondered if something was off with him was he too low to find that timing with someone again. Without rushing thoughts further, Jason let out a soft chuckle, his hand brushing against her knee as he settled into the space down on the floor beside her. He leaned in just a fraction closer, his eyes glinting with dangerous amusement as he reached into the tile bag.
"Intimidated? By you?" Jason whispered teasingly, when she in some ways had totally nailed it on the head of his first feelings about her, at that Questlove party now a few years ago. His fingers reached out for her hand, letting his touch linger on her skin, he did this with all his female costars and friends but now it felt very different in a exciting way, just a second longer than necessary. His eyes would turn up to meet her gaze, flirty little smile playing on his lips. "Careful, Taylor. You keep talking a big game like that, and you might end up writing a few episode of Ted just to show you how hard it is." He drew his seven tiles, setting them up on his rack he did so without almost breaking any eye contact with her. "Let's see what you've got."
