#trotseren

[londonbelles]

“Stay for a bit?” Sarah to Regina

"I thought you'd never ask, darling," Regina grinned, trying not to appear overeager as she stepped into the journalists' home. Regina had to admit, she was reluctant to part ways with Sarah just yet; the pull the other woman had on the blonde was something Regina hadn't experienced in a very long time. She fascinated the engineer in ways that left her craving more, a dangerous thing even for a woman as seasoned as she.

"This is a lovely place, really. Very cosy," Regina meant it, she may live in a multistoried townhouse with more bedrooms than she had need for, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate a house that was clearly a beloved home. "Did you decorate yourself? I could use an expert eye for my place, if you can spare the time."

[alyafae]

It was getting late, the sun was setting. Her wolves were walking the grounds, both for protection but also to hunt. Skadi knew they would settle again in a few hours and took it as a cue to go home. As she tried to pull away, Xandra put a hand on her arm.

@trotseren : stay with me tonight.

She looked at them for a moment, head tilted, hair falling over her shoulder. "You make it harder and harder for me to leave, do you know that?" Her voice was quiet, playful even. Skadi wasn't annoyed, in fact, she had dreaded leaving. If she should, she would simply stay with Xandra forever.

[londonbelles]

If she wasn't so bone tired, hearing Nadine address her as cherie would have kick-started Madeleine's motor, as hearing her wife speak French always did. However, at that precise moment, Madeleine was barely functioning normally after driving through the night and a rough channel crossing to get to their new abode. Madeleine loved this place; she couldn't believe her eyes the first time Nadine had brought her and Henry here. She still did love the place, but now the rosy glow of the memories there was dimming faster than she would ever have wanted it to.

"Henry Arthur Hawkins-Thomas, shoes off in the house, young man!" Madeleine called tiredly after the excited little boy, her head already pounding with a headache. Moving to the rear of the car to help Nadine unload, she couldn't help but note the slight barrage of loving but clearly sleep-deprived orders and questions from her darling wife. She knew Nadine wasn't faring much better than she was, but Madeleine's brain was functioning at quarter speed, and that was too many words a minute for it. She carefully took Henry's suitcase and moved it, along with a couple of others, aside before reaching out and taking Nadine's hands.

"Baby, baby, slow down a minute. I'll unpack, you do the food, and then we'll both go into the village with Henry and Cerberus. I'm not letting either of you out of my sight just yet, okay? But first things first, are you okay?"

@trotseren X

[londonbelles]

“What are you thinking about?” Nadine -> Mads

Too many things, Madeliene wanted to tell her wife, but she didn't, just rubbed her eyes and shook her head, giving a small smile. She wrapped her arm around the petite woman's shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She loved being able to do that. The height difference between them had been a source of amusement at first; now it was an endearing trait in their relationship.

She could hear Henry and Cerberus causing chaos on the chalet's lawn, a place that had become familiar for all the wrong reasons since Unit's shutdown. This place was meant to be a hideaway for holidays, for family celebrations and gatherings, for romantic long weekends away for the couple when the stars aligned. Now, it was their sanctuary and had been for far longer than Madeleine liked.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the medbay. I miss Howie's daily visits. I miss having coffee with Xandra, bitching sessions disguised as debriefings with Ellie, and dog-related conversations with Jerry. I even miss the mountain of paperwork I always had on my desk..." Madeleine sighed softly, placing another kiss atop Nadine's head before pulling back, the exhaustion in her eyes more from the emotional toll than a lack of sleep.

"I've spent most of my life fixing things for others, and right now I can't do a damn thing to make this situation better. I haven't felt this useless since..." Madeleine looked out the window towards their boys, canine and human, and her arms wrapped around herself, the sentence not needing to be finished.

[londonbelles]

You know you don't have to keep checking on me, right? I'm fine. Xandra -> Mads

"As a matter of fact, I do. You're my best friend, the only one I've got, and not too long ago you confessed to being in love with a woman currently being held hostage by a hostage by a species from the dawn of time. As gentle and sweet as Lauri is, I do believe she would kick my ass if I didn't check in on you." Madeleine came to rest beside her friend and held out the second mug of coffee, a small smile on her face as she hoped Xandra would see the tiny thread of humour in her words.

"Besides, Ellie gave me an extra break now that the majority of the wounded are stable and resting, so I came to bug you so I don't go crazy with the paperwork in my office."

[londonbelles]

You did good today. Really good. Nadine -> Niamh

Oh, so Howie hadn't told Nadine about the incident just after lunch. Niamh plastered on a half-convincing smile, taking a couple of deep breaths as the exit came closer. She was still getting used to being in the outside world, out of Unit's four walls and her Tardis. It terrified her, but little by little, she was getting better.

"Thanks, boss, at least I didn't set off the fire alarm and sprinklers today, huh?"

[londonbelles]

“Why would you say that?” Xandra -> Lils (meant curiously!)

"I spent my early years on Granddad's knee, listening to his stories of aliens and the strange man in a blue police box who traversed time and space. It inspired my love of history, the whole reason I chose to study archaeology and anthropology simultaneously," Lilia paused, taking a sip of lukewarm tea from the flask she brought from home, noting the curiosity of the scientist before her.

"The way people live their lives, the cultural and historical influences and ramifications fascinate me. While I may lack the social graces most anthropologists have and use for their work with the living, the dead don't mind if I'm a little blunt or get my phrasing wrong. So when I talk to the living, I like to ask how they like to be addressed, what their pronouns are, and to please not be afraid to correct me if I get things wrong. It is basic respect for my fellow humans, or at least my way of showing it, Xandra."

[londonbelles]

Hold still. I mean it. Hold still. Sarah -> Regina

"Alright, alright, don't get your knickers in a twist-Ouch!" Regina winced under the sting of the disinfectant wipe against the cut on her shoulder, the sleeve of her Chanel silk blouse in tatters after the rather unpleasant run-in with the Slitheen. Her day off, and she can't escape anything alien, even when she had bumped into Sarah Jane and offered to grab a cuppa together.

"You know, as first dates go, this was not the worst I have been on," She teased the journalist gently, trying to lighten the mood just a little while seeing just how much she could get away with. "At least we didn't end up in a police station, though, I have a feeling handcuffs would look good on you, darling."