restinglichface | Open rp post!

[Lup always does this. Initiating contact, nudging him, poking him, inching her body closer to his. Innocuous, familial, not the kind of physical contact meant to draw attention. Just an easy, natural touch. Nothing to freak out about and get all blushy over, right?

Right?]

Man, poor ol' Taako sure gets a lotta headaches. [Barry chuckles quietly, halfheartedly jerking his shoulder away from her pointy nail, just to keep up appearances. If given the choice, he'd let her touch him all day any way she wanted, even if that meant enduring her sharp, glittery nails on his skin.] I know y'do. I'm th'one who always has t'tuck you in when y'crash on th'lab couch, remember?

Oh - Shut up!

[But she's laughing, all high-pitched and delighted and totally unrestrained, even out here in the middle of absolute nowhere. Without missing a beat, Lup reaches over to plant her palm right against the side of his face, shoving Barry away lightly. Not enough to actually hurt him or to mess with his glasses, just enough to get the point across. Lup is not the type of woman to pull her punches, but that doesn't mean she can't use a careful hand when it's required.

And Barry, despite their size difference, has always been the softer of the two, gentle and warm, so easily brought to tears. Lup knows better than to treat him the same way she would Magnus or Taako or any of their other friends. Barry's so much more different than anyone she's ever know, but in all the ways that make her heart flutter.]

That's total BS. We both know I've caught you snorin' hard at your desk way more times than you've caught me. Fess up.

[Barry laughs too - quiet, so as to not overpower the gorgeous sound of Lup laughing beside him - trading his miserable sulk for a broad, happy grin. Making Lup laugh, even if it's at his expense, is the highlight of his day. Even after almost forty years, it doesn't get old.

Same goes for the feeling of her palm to his face, warm and soft, her touch gentle though the gesture isn't. It makes his heart clench in his chest in a way he'd expect to be painful. It surprises him every time that it isn't.]

No way, Lup, that's total BS. [He tries to hide his bright pink flush behind his hand as it goes to adjust his glasses.]

I'm not th'one who snores.

Fuck right off!

[Lup's pitch shifts up even higher, just under her usual indignant shriek, her laughter echoing out wildly into the darkness surrounding them. But even in the darkness, there's no missing the curve of her smile that shows off a flash or two of her white teeth, the glitter of tears in the corner of her eye from laughing so hard, the way her eyes reflect only happiness while she's looking right at him.

Forty years earlier, Lup never would have guessed Barry J. Bluejeans would have had the balls to say something like that straight to her face. But now, after all of their years living together as both coworkers and friends? It's just the fiery retort she should have been expecting.]

You're such a dick. [just a beat, before her smile goes sharp, all for him, a skinny arm threading around his, pulling them together.] And I'm so proud. This is deffo all my hard work.

A dick? Me? Now that's just--

[The words dry up on his throat as Lup's arm loops around his, hooking around his elbow and pulling him closer. His shoulder touches hers, his elbow nestled into the side of her tiny waist. He can almost feel her breathing.

Silence stretches between them for a second longer than comfortable, definitely long enough to be noticeable. Barry laughs softly, shakily, running a hand through his thinning hair to distract from how badly he's performing right now, how terribly he's struggling to think of something to say. Say something, idiot, say something to make her laugh, come on, she's waiting, say something.]

R-Right. [Oh, great.] Yer really uh, rubbin' off on me, huh.

[The silence lingers on, just for a few moments longer than normal, and for once in her life, Lup really feels it. Feels the way every breath between them punctuates the awkwardness of their silence. It makes her skin itch, makes her feel like the thudding of her own heartbeat must be so incredibly obvious to him, how he must be able to see the heat rising to her cheeks.

No one's ever made Lup care about what they think of her before. But with Barry, sometimes it's the only thing on her mind. Looking cool and hot and smart in front of him. Not letting him know that he brings out all of this weirdness with her. She's Lup Taaco. She doesn't get flushed or giggly or nervous talking to boys. They should be nervous to talk to her.

But the moment passes just as quickly as it fell up on them. Barry stutters out a reply and Lup pulls back from him, sliding her arm free, before she's tugging her braid over her shoulder and tangling her fingers into her own hair. Her voice comes out as level as ever.]

You know it, Barold.

[She's fine. This is fine.]

Anyway, Taako totally bailed and I took over, so like, you don't have to stick around. Your shift's all finished.

[Damn it.

Fucking stupid idiot shit-for-brains garbage man.

He went and blew it. Again. Lup pulls her arm away and sits up straight, and right on cue, Barry does the same, trying to act as natural as possible even as his brain starts beating the crap out of him for his transgression. Here she was, trying to be playful and friendly with him, and his dumb nervous ass had to go and mess it up. Why does he always get so nervous and stupid around her? Why does he always make things awkward between them?

(He knows damn well why, but he's way too scared to visualize the words. That would make them real, and they can't be real, it would ruin everything.)

Lup tries to hint that he needs to get his awkward nerdy ass out of here, and Barry already longs back to seconds before when he could retort with something witty.] Yeah, uh-- I mean, sure, o-okay. I'll, uh. Just. I'll go... go g-get th'binoculars for ya. [Clearing his throat, Barry slowly gets up to his feet, too shy and nervous to look at Lup.]

[Barry pulls away - Sure, it was after she already pulled away, but that doesn't mean she doesn't notice! - and Lup watches the man stand up and shuffle nervously around, clearly avoiding her gaze, refusing to look her way. Lup can make out the growing color on his cheeks, can just barely see the way his face is pinching up like it always does when he's stuck in his own head, beating himself down.

They've worked together too long for Lup to not know when Barry's intrusive thoughts are peeking up to cause a little damage. She's been with him at his lowest, same as he's been there for hers.

Well, Lup can't just let him leave like that.

Without any clarification on anything, she's leaning back on her hands, long legs stretched out in front of her, chin tipped up while she watches him.]

Gimme your jacket.

Edited 2020-01-26 06:27 (UTC)

[Man, he'd really chucked the binoculars a fair ways away, huh. If they hadn't gotten snagged on the exposed root of a tree, they would have tumbled down the hill and ended up at the village down there. Good thing. Really lucky. Heh.

Now he's just stalling. Fumbling with the binoculars in his hands, dusting them off, wiping the lenses with his sleeve, messing with the focus, tightening the strap - absolutely stalling to avoid looking at Lup, sitting there with her long legs outstretched, the pointed tips of her boots trained on him, just like her sharp gaze. He can feel it on his skin, like pins and needles. Maybe if he doesn't look, it won't be as catastrophic as he imagines.

Lup's demand does make him look up, confusion evident on his face.]

Huh? But... B-But I need it, [he says as he's already slipping his jacket off, tossing it her way.]

[It's so dumb how easily his reply brings a soft smile to her face, how Barry just gives her exactly what she's asking for, even as he's questioning it at the same time.

She just loves that about him.]

Well - [And already Lup is taking Barry's jacket and crushing it against her chest.] I'm fuckin' frozen. So you can either give me your jacket before you make the long, freezing trudge back to the ship without it. Or you can keep me company for my shift and stop me from going full popsicle. Your choice, Bar.

[Smooth.]

[Barry watches her hug his jacket tightly against her chest, staring up at him expectantly, and he's about to ask her why on earth she showed up to her night shift outside without her own jacket--

but the look on her face stops him. Though her tone is teasing, there's something about the smile she's wearing that makes Barry's insides feel like hot goo. It's kind, warm, making the corners of her eyes crinkle sweetly in a way he doubts is intentional. She looks like the thought of Barry spending time with her makes her really happy.

Nothing would make Barry happier.]

W-Well. Um. When y'put it like that. [Slowly, like he's worried any sudden movements would dispel this sweet dream he's having, Barry sits down next to Lup again, handing her the binoculars. Then, awkwardly, he takes his jacket back and drapes it over Lup's skinny shoulders.]

[Not that Lup had any doubts, but there's no missing the swell of warmth inside of her when Barry takes his rightful spot next to her on the ground, shifting around only for a moment to take his jacket back and drape it over her shoulders. The action makes Lup's freckled cheeks darken just slightly, lips pinching together like she's trying to hold back a much bigger smile.]

Dope.

[Not her usual witty word play, but it's all that she can manage without giggling like a schoolgirl. She feels so light all of the sudden, her heart stuck in her throat with her fingers tingling, the chill of the night air completely unnoticable. Lup tugs the jacket a little tighter over her shoulders, then leans into Barry like it's all casual and cool, letting the man carry the full of her weight, trusting that he won't let her drop.

It's cool. Casual. Normal. Friends do this all the time. Yep.]

Night shifts are so boring anyway, right? Better to double up. Keep each other company.

[Okay, Barry. This is your shot. This is your chance to prove you're not a total idiot around women (well, around a woman). He's so dead-focused on playing it cool and calm and collected that he doesn't really notice Lup's face flushing darker, her voice lower than normal, her breathing going a little funny. It's all happening in the periphery. Just far enough away for it to maybe not be real.

If he lets it dawn on him that Lup is blushing just as hard as he is right now, he might not make it through the night.]

Oh yeah. Dirt boring. [Slowly, deliberately, he drapes an arm over her shoulder, not necessarily squeezing her closer, but sorta just. holding her there. Feeling her weight sinking into his soft side.

She was totally lying. She's really warm.] See any uh, movement over there? Anything of note?

[That's her secret, of course. Lup is always burning up.]

Uh -

[Even through his jacket, Barry feels nice, his body soft and steady, the perfect cushion to rest herself against, Lup content to push just a little closer when the man's arm comes up around her. It's not her fault that Barry feels like safety, even out here in the middle of nowhere, on some plane they've only barely just started to discover. The inhabitants here could be vicious and feral, could want absolutely nothing to do with the crew trying to save them - but pressed there right against Barry's side, Lup's never felt safer.

Her eyes close, just for a moment, dark lashes splaying against her cheeks, before his question finally connects and she's looking out from where they're seated.]

Nope! Not a thing yet. Or ever, knowing our luck. [Night shifts are notoriously boring.] I'm bettin' everyone's all tucked up in their beds right about now, while we are freezing our asses off for nothing.

[Maybe not nothing, Lup adds to herself, gaze flicking up to Barry, still trying to contain her smile.]

I'm gonna fall dead ass asleep if you don't keep me up. Let's play a game.

[Barry feels her pressing closer against him, sinking into his plush side with barely any hesitation, his arm around her enough invitation. It's really nice. It's easy. Things are so rarely easy that whenever moments like these come around, when he can just put his arm around a gorgeous woman and hold her close without dying, he'll take it running.

Even though Lup is taller than him and has a way of making him feel really small, Barry can't help but think how tiny she feels against him. Her slender shoulders, her slight frame pressing into him... it makes something hot and protective flutter to life inside him. Something that makes him want to shield her from harm for as long as he lives.

He knows she's damn capable of taking care of herself. That's not the point. He knows, in this moment, that he'd take a bolt for her.]

Uh... [Barry's no good on the spot, and certainly not with entertaining games. The only one he can think of is...] ... I spy with my little eye, somethin'... green.

[It's enough to make the woman laugh again, a barking too-loud-but-so-very-Lup kind of laugh, the kind that shakes her whole body against his, leaves her skinny shoulders trembling with aftershocks.]

Lemme guess - [She giggles out between words, still pressed up to his side, completely refusing to budge.] It's the grass, right? I'm bettin' it's the damn grass.

[Her hand snakes out from beneath his jacket to tap out a quick rhythm against his wrist, glittering nails flashing in the low light left between them. The giggling finally dies down and there's nothing but complete confidence left in Lup's tone.]

I totally win. [Lup doesn't need to hear if she's actually right. They both know there's nothing else to look at out here in the middle of nowhere.]

I was thinking more of a game that wasn't made for actual infants. Like, a story telling game. Best day, worst day.

Open rp post!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject