nifties | I'm way too young to lie here forever⭐️

I'm way too young to lie here forever⭐️

John is doing that creepy thing again where he wakes up long before Zari (if he ever slept) and watches her sleep later into the morning. One slightly rough hand smooths its way up and down her arm as he waits patiently for her to come to, leaning up against the headboard and trying to calculate how much time they have before someone crashes in here to get them to breakfast and then to some broken part of history. Since coming back from their vacation, they haven't spent much quality time one-on-one between the team and each of their day jobs. Not to mention him getting Astra settled and everything that's going on there. It only makes the time they do have more precious, though, and moments like this seem all the more surreal.

"Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?" he murmurs in his gravely tone that comes from too many years of cigarettes and booze. "Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and Summer's lease hath all too short a date." He's realizing as he recites the poem how long it's actually been in real-world time since the Romeo and Juliet debut. That kiss... The back of his hand travels over her cheek gently, thinking it unfair that as a timetraveler he can't make this moment last forever.

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She thinks he's pacifying her until the kiss comes. Zari returns it softly, drawing back to meet his eyes once it's done. He's so hopelessly earnest. Zari couldn't doubt him if she wanted to. As hard as it is to hear, she needs that reminder he isn't someone bought and bound by agreement. They're an experience that is only as good as she allows it to be.

She smiles apologetically, gaze soft as once again cups his face with only one hand this time. "Now you're being rude. I'm the most interesting woman you've ever met." She quips. Zari can't be sure that's even true considering the company they keep. "I love you too." She strokes her thumb over his cheekbone intentionally to mirror his gesture. "Why else would I let some strange man look at me for a year? No one else gets this kind of access to the Zari Tarazi you know."

He chuckles softly, impossibly soft really, as the kiss breaks and he can't help but rest his head against hers again. It never ceases to amaze him, how readily she returns his feelings, but he couldn't be more grateful for it in this moment.

"Don't I know it," he hums, bemused whenever she speaks of herself as the persona instead of the fragile woman before him. The disparity is what's so beautiful to John; that he's privileged enough to see behind the curtain. "And you are." The most interesting woman he's ever met, which is saying a lot really. He tucks some hair behind her ear and lets the silence lapse for just a moment before he feels compelled to dive back in with a joke. No surprise there.

"But we all have our mundanities, even us."

It is a good shield when she feels vulnerable. Zari wonders why she bothers at times. He can see beneath the persona and has for quite some time already. The influencer takes comfort in that and the warmth of his head against her. Brown eyes shut contently. A part of her wonders if they can't stay entwined like this forever. She knows realistically it's only a matter of time before one of their friends or brother come banging on the door. She has to enjoy this while she can.

"Really? Name one mundane thing about me." Zari challenges.

"Well..." he starts, finding the way their breathing mingles more distracting than it ought to be. "You hike, so."

John had intended to get up before they got in this position again, but now he feels effectively stuck. Pleasantly, of course.

"All I ask is you not judge me if you talking about shampoo bottle font changes gets me hot."

Zari scoffs playfully. "How dare you use hiking against me?" She laughs softly after the second. With great effort, she pulls back from John and smiles warmly. They really should get breakfast even if she is still clearly putting it off. "Oh, sweetie. I made me peace with how easy it is to get you hot a long time ago. You're powerless against my charms." She sighs wistfully like this has been such a burden for her.

"You're right, I actually find that you hike strangely endearing." He sighs as she pulls back, but recognizes it's for the best the moment they're out of the close proximity that was scrambling his brain. "And I do recall someone else being powerless not that long ago."

He leaves her with that as he uses her shoulder for leverage to get himself up and out of the bed, stark naked as he goes to hunt down his rumpled uniform. John makes sure to wink at her over his shoulder as he plucks his shirt off the floor.

Her face immediately gets hot which is exactly what he is going for or so Zari thinks. Zari's eyes narrow back at John. She gets out of bed, toes on her slippers, and shrugs on her silk bathrobe to do what else? Give him a peace of her mind. She hates when he gets her flustered.

"Hey!" She rounds on him to smack his shoulder in a display of maturity before he can get his shirt on. "Who said you could bring that up like ever? Don't forget who is actually in charge around here." Ignore the fact that she's blushing.

He shrugs on his shirt and considers the merits of buttoning it before he's found his pants, but then Zari is getting all indignant and blushing and it's really, really cute.

"Except when you aren't," he points out cheekily, murmuring a little aha! when he spots his trousers and moves to tug them from out from under the bed and then onto his legs.

It is ridiculously cute how flustered she gets. Zari only turns a darker shade of pink at his follow up. As usual once he plays with her, she can't help playing back. "You really want to go there?" She challenges just before she makes her move. It is extremely unfair to shove a man who is trying to get his pants and yet that is exactly what Zari does. She pushes him onto the floor and straddles him to prove a point. As if this in any way teaches John a lesson about embarrassing her. "Because you really don't look in charge right now."

Caught off-guard, it's extremely easy to overpower him, and he goes down hard. It knocks the wind out of him, but as he's catching his breath just as she pins him to the ground with his pants around his ankles and not one button done up on his shirt yet.

"Only cause you caught me with my pants down," he jokes with a dry laugh that quickly spirals into a cough.

Despite the actual violence she just displayed, he can't help the way his body wants to react to her right now though he knows they don't have the time. The only way he can think to retaliate is by nudging his hips up into hers, it seems suggestive until he uses it to flip her over so he's covering her on the floor now, his hands pinning her wrists against the hard floor.

"Why so red, sweetheart?" Nevermind the bright red flush crawling up his chest and onto his own throat.

Edited 2020-11-28 04:49 (UTC)

It makes for a pretty picture in Zari's book. Maybe it wasn't the nicest thing to do. She's certainly appreciating the view from above. Zari soon feels the nudge and prepares to shut that one down just as flips the script on her. She lets out a soft sound of protest as her back hits the floor. Zari glances at her wrists irritably as once again she remembers that he can do that.

"I could ask you the same thing." Zari meets his gaze, then drawing attention to the red creeping at his throat with her eyes, back up again. She's determined to play it cool even as she feels her body react, nipples pebbling underneath the silk. At least the robe is a nice cover for that, Zari thinks.

"You should get dressed, sweetheart. You look ridiculous." And you know if it gets her up that's just a nice perk. Actions having consequences is so overrated.

He feels the way her body goes rigid against his, even through silk, and he has to bite into his lips to keep from making an embarrassing sound. His thumbs brace against her pulse-points, feeling the rushing of her blood beneath them in a way that washes over and comforts him.

"Oh, I look ridiculous, do I?" he can't help but taunt her, not wanting to let go until she at least puts up a fight. Instead, predictably, she's trying to talk herself out of a tight spot. "As I recall it, was trying to pull my trousers up when you started in on... this."

Even if she won't fight him, John thinks it's high time she answer for her crimes!!

Zari pouts when he doesn't take the bait. She really is used to being able to talk her way out of anything. John knows her too well at this point. He sees her tactics a mile away. How annoying of him. "You were picking on me. I had no choice, but to teach you a lesson. I feel like you've learned from this since you still look ridiculous with your pants around your ankles while I look amazing from every angle." Zari boasts, still feeling pretty confident she has this under control. Sure, he knows what she is up to, but she is Zari Tarazi. It's only a matter of time before he sees things her way.

"Now are you ready to get up? I wouldn't mind breakfast and I'd hate to have to teach you another lesson so soon."

He makes a show of thinking that over while he brackets her hips with his thighs, effectively locking her in.

"You know I can't deny that." How good she looks, and how it makes him feel no matter the context, but that hardly means he'll let her win. He is a Taurus after all. "But that only means I'm used to looking silly next to you. I could do this all day."

And food isn't much of a bribe for the guy who eats like a bird most of the time, either. Sorry, Zari. It's not going to be that easy today. His smile turns a little mean as dark eyes latch onto hers from above.

"I'd like to see you try that, princess." And if she really thinks that through, it's a win-win for John any way it falls out so she had better tread lightly if she wants to come out of this with a shred of dignity whatsoever.

This should really be the point where she remembers how this went last time. Zari does have enough sense to know she's in deep. It probably would have been best to put up a struggle and tap out in about five minutes. The thing about Zari is that she has a lot of pride. It's not easy for her to admit she is outmatched even when it is super obvious she is on the losing end of this. Taking the L just isn't in her vocab.

That smile does literally nothing to cool down that drive to win either. Yes, logically she knows he's loving every second of this and literally can't lose at this point, but swallowing pride?? That's a step too far for her. "You'd be surprised by how resourceful I am." Zari remarks sweetly just before tilting her head up to nip at the first bit of flesh she can get.

John emits a sharp yelp before he can stifle himself, her act of rebellion sparking another kind of jolt from behind his abdomen. At this moment, the game is just a pretense for how much he wants to have her now and his gaze is full to the brim with desire when he finds hers again.

"That doesn't surprise me in the least." It sounds fond despite the power struggle they're having and his head dips down to capture her lips suddenly in a fiercely possessive kiss he feels powerless to stave off. Blunt nails dig into the soft flesh of her wrists as he moves his mostly naked body against silk-clad curves in a way designed to drive Zari as insane as she's driving him.

Zari smiles smugly. She is so pleased with herself for getting a reaction even if she's positive she will pay for it later. It softens when she catches the fondness in his voice for the few seconds before he covers her lips with his. Her eyes flutter shut at the contact. It's not in Zari not to respond in kind even if she can't compete with that level of fierceness from her current position.

She doesn't realize what kind of trouble she's in until he starts moving against her. She feels electricity hit her belly hard as the hard line of his body moves into hers; drawing attention to how perfectly they slot together. The way he digs her nails in brings up memories of their previous escapades. Zari whimpers against his mouth, finally trying to move beneath him even if she can't be sure to what end. "That's cheating." Zari complains with a gasp when their kiss finally breaks for a second.

Thoughts of breakfast, the Legends and even their anniversary plans go completely out the window when she kisses him back, his eyes fluttering closed as he draws out the contact until he positively cannot breathe. The way she whines and squirms against him has his body hard and ready in seconds though it was exactly the situation he was trying to avoid. He spears her with his frustrated gaze, but finally lets go of her hands even if he can't resist dragging his palms down her perfectly silk-hugged body on his first attempt to pull away.

"You tackle me to the ground and I'm the one who's cheating," he complains without any bite, leaning in to kiss her again and roll them both onto their sides even while his lungs burn unpleasantly. He kicks his pants back off so when he does try to get up he doesn't trip and fall (again.)

She feels him harden against her. Zari does feel a twinge of guilt. She definitely instigated this one when there was no time to handle it. At least her constant horniness isn't so visible. "I'm sorry." She apologizes before he kisses her again. Once again Zari returns it, dropping her freed hand against the back of his head before ending it early. If she's a little out of breath, his lungs must hate him by now.

She strokes his hair gently as she works up the will to sit up. "I knew I shouldn't have brought up the font sizes. I was basically asking you to jump on top of me." Zari points out seriously even as she struggles to keep a straight face. Good thing he likes it when she's mean.

He closes his eyes again to savor her gentle touch though it makes it exponentially more difficult to talk himself down.

"Exactly. This is all your fault." John has to laugh at the pair they make, only they could screw up getting out of bed this badly. "Good thing you're going to make it up to me later." He strokes a hand over her face and through the hopeless mess her hair has become, leaning in like he might steal one last kiss before instead using her as leverage once again to get himself to his feet.

Zari pouts again when he fails to deliver on the kiss. "Tease." She sighs loudly like he's personally slighted her by denying even that tiny shred of affection. Never mind the fact she is guilty of everything she accuses him of. She pushes herself off the ground and heads for the mirror. Of course she's horrified by what she finds.

"You have some making up to do too! Look at my hair!" Zari grabs some leave-in condition to try and sort this mess out. So rude!!

He shrugs at the assessment, finding his tie wrapped around her lamp as he decides to start with the top half of his body this time in order to give everything else time to simmer down. He, as always, looks like a walking trainwreck, but he embraces it and as a result, everyone else seems to follow his lead.

"They're just going to make us get in some poncy fancy dress anyway." He makes a face at her as she continues to fuss with her hair, looking extra ridiculous with a shirt and tie on and nothing else.

Zari keeps to fixing her hair like it's a ritual. She sprays, she smooths with her fingers, and repeats the process with another quarter of hair. It is quickly getting back under control. "I know, but they don't know what I look like and Behrad doesn't remember." When she's anything else than perfect she means. John is really the only person who ever sees Zari at her least glamorous. Even her casual breakfast look is something carefully constructed to make them see just how effortless fabulous she is.

Edited 2020-11-29 00:17 (UTC)

John can't help but roll his eyes even as halfway through getting his pants back up his legs he's realizing she's serious. And here come his own insecurities flooding back that if Zari had better self-esteem there's no way she would be with him, let alone for a whole year. He manages to get some facsimile of dressed and steals a couple spritzes of whatever random perfume is most handy before meeting her at her vanity and encircling her waist with both hands so they can look in the mirror together. The memory of the last time they did this does nothing to help his situation, but he doesn't think he can let this moment pass him by; not this time.

"Zari, you're the only one who cares if your hair is messy. Look at you." John is dead serious, he really wants her to look. A sun spot here or there, some darkness under her eyes and around her mouth. No real wrinkles that he can spot, especially not compared to his face just behind hers, but all the tiny flaws make up the most beautiful image he's ever seen. "What do you see?"

Edited 2020-11-29 12:39 (UTC)

She feels that familiar surge when he gets behind her. The words effectively cool that down. Zari is confronted with what she said instead of being able to be written off as eccentric or a brat. To say she's uncomfortable is an understatement. The influencer can't be angry with him when it comes from such a place of love. He really does look at her like she's the most beautiful creature he's ever seen even at her least glamorous. Isn't that beautiful in itself?

She forces herself to look at the image reflected back at her, settling down the bottle to keep from fidgeting with it. Zari hates that she can't see what he sees. She hates more that she has to admit it. Her bottom lip trembles just before she forces the words past them. "Things I have to fix." It comes out flat and small like she's embarrassed. She is, of course. He's not supposed to see this part too.

Zari's eyes meet his in the mirror. "It's different for me, okay? They're expecting gorgeous Zari. I can't look like this around them. They'll stare." You know at the millions of flaws that have been beaten into her head since the age of ten.

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