#alycicdebncm

[mscalpaul]

You know... the shorts are a wee bit long for my personal taste. I'm kidding. Well... mostly. Tell me something, though. Were they a gift for my benefit, or yours? Am I actually allowed to wear them out in public, or are they reserved exclusively for your viewing pleasure? Because I'm about to chuck them into the suitcase for our little four-day trip to the south of France, though I suppose they'd come in handy no matter what your answer to my question will be. @alycicdebncm

[sooyoungprk]

Is it bad that i want to listen to horror stories at the glass igloo than just look up at the starts all night with some wine that sounds so amazing to me, but hello i don't think we know each but i'm Joy your horror affectionate girl.

@alycicdebncm

[mscalpaul]

You know, the place we're staying at here is actually a bit too nice for me to be thinking about getting up and heading off to the festival at all… Reckon I might need a kiss or two, and a bit of cuddling, for motivation. / @alycicdebncm

[mscalpaul]

He hadn't told her he was coming. Not today at least, she only knew that he was planning to come as soon as he'd get some time off again. The decision had happened somewhere over the Indian Ocean, halfway between exhaustion and certainty, when the idea of seeing her had become less of a want and more of a quiet need. By the time the plane touched down, the evening air wrapped around him warm and unfamiliar, and London already felt like a borrowed coat he'd set down without meaning to pick up again. Standing outside her place, bag slung over his shoulder, heart beating far more loudly than the moment called for, he realised he hadn't planned a single word of what he'd say. But then the door had opened, and whatever he'd been holding onto dissolved immediately.

Being that close to her again had felt like slipping back into something that fit better than expected. Inside, the evening had moved gently. Low light and familiar sounds. He'd watched her space around him, noticed how easily he'd settled into it, how his body seemed to recognise the shape of the night before his mind caught up. They'd talked, a bit scattered, the way people do when they're trying not to say the obvious thing, when the obvious thing is standing right there between them. At some point, talking had stopped making sense.

He hadn't thought about time after that. Only about warmth and closeness, about the way missing someone sharpened touch into something almost overwhelming. The rest had unfolded without hurry, without excess. Just inevitability. Later, the room had been quiet in that rare, heavy-limbed way. His body still thrummed faintly, the aftershocks of pleasure lingering like a held note. He'd curled close, fitting himself against her as if it were the most natural place he'd ever been. One arm rested around her middle, grounding him. With his other hand, he was tracing slow, absent lines along her jaw, the softness of skin under his fingertips anchoring him firmly in the moment. He pressed his face close, breathed her in, and felt something deep in his chest steady instead of race.

"This," he murmured softly, mostly to himself, "feels right." The words had surprised him with how easily they'd come. He shifted just enough to look at her properly then, the low light catching familiar angles, and he felt that same quiet click again. The one he'd so far avoided to name. "I don't usually trust that feeling straight away," he added, honesty slipping out now that everything else had already been stripped bare. "But you've… caught me entirely off guard." He let out a small breath, something between a laugh and surrender. "I've never felt this sure about someone this quickly," he admitted. "And I know how mad that sounds." His thumb had stilled at her jawline. He rested his forehead close, eyes searching her face like he was memorising it. "I think," he said slowly, carefully, testing the weight of it, "I think I'm falling in love with you." The words landed softly, the kind he'd never want to take back. / @alycicdebncm

[azionodessa]

i've heard you're secretly a massive space nerd and i need to know… are you the sort of person who can actually point out constellations, because i still get excited if i manage to find the moon. @alycicdebncm

[cailspaeny]

i know fear the walking dead has been over forever. i'm ashamed to admit that i didn't watch it till recently. so i'm blaming you for my most recent just one more episode type night and then i look out the window and the sun is coming up. @alycicdebncm

[mscalpaul]

This weekend getaway felt like a gift. After weeks of being apart and missing her more than ever, Paul would finally have a few uninterrupted days with Alycia. It wasn't quite the same as the last time they'd been together, they wouldn't be sharing a room this time, and he couldn't pretend he wasn't a little disappointed by that. The thought of not falling asleep with her curled against him, or waking to find her still tucked into his arms, had tugged at him more than once in the days leading up to the trip.

Still, he wasn't about to let that put a damper on things. They'd have all weekend together in Napa, surrounded by friends, other celebrities who were there to enjoy all the luxuries offered to them, wine, and enough excuses to steal her away whenever he pleased. That was more than enough to have him counting down the days like a child waiting for Christmas. The flight from London had given him a rare chance to catch up on the sleep he'd missed over the past few days, though even that had been peppered with thoughts of her and the anticipation of seeing her again. Before leaving, he'd casually asked when her flight was due to arrive, pretending he only wanted to know what time to expect her at the resort. In reality, he'd been planning a surprise.

As luck would have it, her plane was scheduled to land just thirty minutes after his. That gave him enough time to make his way through passport control, collect his bag, and endure all the usual airport chaos before contacting the driver arranged to take them to Napa. The driver, a friendly bloke, kindly took Paul's luggage and stowed it in the car, letting him know exactly where he'd be waiting so they could find him later. With that sorted, Paul returned to the arrivals hall and joined the small crowd of family members, friends, and partners waiting for their loved ones to appear through the sliding doors.

In hindsight, he might've gone all in and made a little sign with her name on it just to wind her up, but simply being there felt like enough. Then the doors opened, and there she was. She emerged with a stream of other passengers, but Paul would have picked her out anywhere. His eyes found her instantly, drawn to her as naturally as breathing, as though some invisible thread between them had tightened the moment she stepped into view. The sight of her sent a familiar warmth through his chest, that potent mix of affection, relief, and want that never seemed to lessen, no matter how many times he saw her.

Keeping his head down, he slipped through the crowd and moved toward her, doing his best to remain unnoticed for just a few seconds longer. Then he appeared beside her as if from thin air. "Ms. Debnam-Carey? I'm here to pick you up and escort you to your car. May I help you with your bags?" His tone was as professional as he could manage, though the playfulness already leaked through. The grin he could no longer suppress spread slowly across his face as he waited for the moment recognition dawned and he got to watch her realise he was there. / @alycicdebncm

[mscalpaul]

@alycicdebncm

I thought at this point Id be Irish by proxy? I am kidding I dont but it be nice ha. Okay nothing greasy but yes some nice bits to eat be good now, thin my stomach is calmer.

You're on the fast track to becoming one, don't you worry. Especially spending St. Patrick's Day with me. I'm fairly generous when it comes to declaring someone an honorary Irish, provided they prove themselves worthy, and you surely have. Plus you survived your first proper, rough hangover after a night out with me, so that earned you a fair few bonus points. I'm glad awards season's over now, though.