xp_logs | Angelo and Amanda, Sunday afternoon/evening

Angelo and Amanda take some relaxation time after the stress of the last week... and take a step or two further in their relationship, at the same time.

It had been one hell of a long day - and week. Angelo had had a chance to get some rest, though - almost ten hours' sleep at his mother's house, in fact - before he walked up the steps to the Snow Valley office. He'd stopped by there before trying the brownstone, just on the off chance, and been rewarded by a light in Amanda's window.

Ugh, reports. She'd made the mistake of telling Strange about breaking the mystical woobie in Syria, and now here she was, stuck trying to collate every mention of some ancient language-disrupting magical artifact possible, so Strange could satisfy himself there weren't any more out there. Or possibly so he could find one for his collection, you never could tell. With a sigh she closed one enormous leather-bound tome and reached for another, pencil caught between her teeth as she flipped through the pages. At least her stomach had settled down - the shots had been painful, but better than getting cholera from the water she'd swallowed. The stomach bug had been bad enough.

There was the muted 'ping' of the elevator out in the lobby, and she looked up, frowning a little. Probably the cleaners. Or one of the others, come to drag her out to the pub, or berate her for working on a Sunday. Well, they'd just have to wait until she was done with this book, she decided, looking down at the pages again. She didn't really feel like being social with Angelo still doing whatever the hell it was he was doing for the leather brigade.

Had been doing. As became very, very clear when he appeared in her doorway, leaning against the frame. "Hey."

Her head shot up, the pencil falling from her mouth. "Ange?" she said, not particularly cleverly since there he was, large as life and looking exhausted. And with rather a lot less hair than he'd had before... The book fell to the floor with a muffled thump as she practically leapt out of her chair and propelled herself at him. "Are you done? Are you all right?" she asked, pausing just short of hugging the breath out of him. He looked like hell, so she satisfied herself with touching his shoulder. "You look done in."

"Long week", he told her with a slight smile, leaning into her hand. "But what I went out there to do's done."

"And you're all right?" she repeated, but the relief starting to show. No more absent Angelo. Then she smiled a little, and reached up to touch the fuzz scurfing his skull. "And what's with the new 'do?"

"Better", he qualified, then added, "A lot better. An' that was... well, just call it gettin' into character."

She raised her eyebrow at that, smiling a bit more. "'A lot better' is great to hear," she said, unable to resist running her fingers along the back of his head, the stubble tickling her skin. "And this suits you. Much better than a fake moustache or something." Behind the playfulness, her mind was ticking over, putting things together. "I won't ask what you were getting into character for, but I can put together a couple of guesses." Now she did hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "'M so glad you're back, and in one piece and all."

He hugged her back without hesitation. "Yeah, me too." It had got a bit dicey at the end, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "So how was your week?"

"Um." Near-death by drowning - in the Syrian desert no less - wasn't something she really wanted to bring up. "You know, the usual. Paperwork. Flying economy for way too many hours. Stopping a war in the Middle East." She pulled back enough to look at him, not wanting to entirely let go just yet. "Just another week for Snow Valley."

"Fun", he said wryly, looking down at her and not stepping back. "How much longer've you got to work today?" It was already late, so he was hoping the answer would be "not".

She glanced over at her desk, considering. "Weeelll..." she began, wrinkling her nose at the thought of doing anything more tonight and depriving herself of Angelo time. Especially Angelo who really was seeming so much better. "I s'pose I can finish for the day. 'S something for Strange, but it's not end of the world important like it was last time." Her fingers had strayed up his neck to stroke his hair again - this was going to take some getting used to.

"So it's not even Snow Valley work?" he said with a crooked grin, tilting his head unconsciously into her hand. "Yeah, I'd say it can wait,"

"Anything specific you had in mind?" she asked, echoing his grin at the movement and scritching a bit more. "I can drive you back to the school if you like."

He shook his head after a moment's thought. "Not yet. I'll head back there in the mornin', but... can I stay at yours tonight?" It was nearer, and he didn't relish an hour's drive right now. Among other reasons.

Amanda's smile made it clear there was absolutely no problem with him staying at her place. "'Course you can," she said, kissing his cheek before disengaging. "I'll just grab my stuff. We can pick up something to eat on the way." Her grin turned rueful. "Haven't had much time for shopping this week."

"Food sounds good", he agreed, smiling down at her and stepping back towards the door. "...pretty much any food, actually."

***

He'd started the evening sitting next to Amanda on the couch, arm around her, watching the movie. At some point, though, that had changed, until without really noticing it, he was lying on the couch with his head in her lap, and she was playing with what was left of his hair.

It was kind of... really nice.

She thought he'd fallen asleep, actually, with the gradual movement lap-wards. The movie wasn't great, but neither of them had felt up for actually doing anything, and to be perfectly honest, she wanted to keep him close for a little while, reassure herself he was really back. Her stroking of the soft fuzz gracing his skull was entirely instinctive - and impossible to resist, like petting a cat, she thought absently, watching the flickering screen without really absorbing anything and running her fingertips over the back of his head, enjoying the almost velvet-like feel.

Not asleep, no, but not entirely awake either, since the movement of her fingers on his head was soothing. Just enough to stir, lazily, and stretch - though very definitely not moving away from her hand.

The movement got her attention, and she looked down to see him watching her with half-lidded eyes. "I thought you were off in the land of Nod," she said with a small, fond smile, her hand moving automatically to run over the top of his head. And then she noticed what she was doing, and paused, although not taking her hand away. "Is this... is this okay?" She looked a little sheepish. "I like how it feels. Didn't even notice I was doing it, actually."

"Mm... not gone yet." He smiled up at her, sleepily and more relaxed than she'd seen him in some time. "An' yeah, don't stop doin' that."

The smile, the relaxing of the tension in his face, warmed her heart more than anything had in a long time, and she renewed her stroking, passing her hand over his head with slow, soothing movements. "Don't worry if you do drop off - you look like you need it," she told him. "And I'm not wanting to go anywhere for a while. 'M happy just where I am."

"Never thought you would", came the quiet answer. "Not for a second." Not since she'd come back to New York, anyway.

She laughed softly, scritching his head playfully. "I meant I didn't mind being your pillow for a while," she said. "But the other works too."

That got a crooked grin, and... well, he'd wanted to say this since that day on the beach in Tel Aviv, but he'd never been able to make the words come out. Until now. He opened his eyes without otherwise moving, looking up at her seriously. "I love you. You do know that, right?"

Her heart literally skipped a beat. Funny, she'd never realised that wasn't just someone being wanky. "I do now," she replied, the three words trembling with emotion. Words just didn't cover it, however, and she leaned over, brushing his lips with a tentative kiss.

No need for speech, not now. One hand slid to the back of her neck and he used the other to push himself up a little and return the kiss more firmly, though still soft.

A soft noise escaped her at the touch of his hand, his mouth. Since that day on the beach, they'd held hands, they'd hugged, they'd even shared the same bed, but they hadn't kissed again. Well, apart from that one morning when he'd woken up to find her nuzzling the back of his neck in her sleep and that had been rather one-sided. And this kiss... there was gentleness there, caring, but a certain firmness that spoke of someone who knew what he was doing and who wasn't going to be apologetic about it. It was a heady mix, and when they finally broke apart, she was breathless.

And not entirely coherant, since all she could manage was a slightly goofy smile.

He chuckled quietly, pushing himself up to a half-sitting position, though he was still leaning more than a bit. "You okay there?" he asked, teasing.

"I'll tell you when my brain starts working again," she replied wryly, straightening as he sat up a bit more. She reached over to touch his face, running her thumb over his cheekbone. "That was one hell of a kiss. Setting the bar pretty high, aren't you?" she continued, echoing his teasing tone. "I mean, you're gunna have to work hard to follow that one up."

His own hand was still on the back of her neck, and he started idly stroking the skin there with his thumb, offering a crooked grin. "Well, hey, that sounds like a challenge..."

She shivered a little at the touch on her neck, and she moved her hand to ruffle her fingertips through the stubble behind his ear. "Just might be," she said, her answering smile slightly impish. "Think you're up for it?"

He shivered in turn, not entirely exaggeratedly. "Y'know, I think I just might be."

"I'm going to hold you to that, you know," she murmured, the smile turning wicked. And a little relieved - she hadn't wanted to push his limits and there was no not-insulting way to ask. Instead, she slid her hand around to the back of his head, leaning in for another kiss, nothing tentative about this one at all.

"You do that", was the quick answer - quick, because he very soon had other things to concentrate on.

***

The movie had long ended, and now some informercial program was on, annoying enough to filter through her half-doze. Amanda lifted her head from where it was resting on Angelo's bare chest - his shirt was still on, but unbuttoned - and made an effectual grab at the remote on the coffee table. She was technically not entirely naked by virtue of having one of her socks still on, and she was not inclined to move, oh say ever again. She liked it just where she was, lying in a warm tangle of limbs, Angelo's heartbeat reassuringly strong and regular under her ear.

It was a good thing they were in her apartment and not his suite, Angelo thought muzzily. The space being hers and only hers made it much less likely anyone would walk in unexpectedly. Realizing the problem, he roused himself enough to send a strand of skin after the remote.

"Ooh, ta," Amanda said as the remote landed in front of her nose, and she pointed it vaguely in the direction of the television. Close enough - the picture abruptly winked off in the middle of a piece about hair extensions, leaving the room lit only by the light coming in from the streetlights outside. Snuggling down again, she pressed a sleepy kiss to the skin beneath her cheek. "My hero. Rescued from the horror that's American bloody infomercials."

"An' it is a horror", he agreed solemnly, the hand he'd raised to grab the remote now running through her hair. "Y'know, we should probably move to the actual bed... not sure the couch was made for two people t'sleep on."

"'S a good couch. Comfy," came the sleepy protest. Then, after a thoughtful pause, she admitted. "Except 'm lying on my arm and I can't actually feel it now. So you might have a point." The problem was, she didn't want him to stop playing with her hair, and moving would entail that.

"Be warmer in bed, too", he continued. If he'd known what the problem was, he could have found a solution. If only promising that there'd be more playing with her hair later.

Making a small grumbling noise, she had to grant he had a point there too. Well, she could always ask him to use his skin, but that didn't solve the arm issue. Which was beginning to creep into pins and needles stage. Lifting her head again, she poked her tongue out at him. "You're being reasonable. Stop it," she complained, but began the slow process of untangling herself. "Oof. Is that my leg or yours?"

"You like me reasonable", was the smug response, then he peered at the leg in question. "...yours. You can tell 'cause it's not gray."

She paused in her untangling to poke him in the side. "Good thing I like you being a smartarse too," she told him, before carefully pulling the arm she'd been lying on out from between the couch and Angelo. "Ow, ow, ow," she grimaced, shaking it a little as the pins and needles intensified.

He yelped at the poke and briefly considered retaliation, before she got her arm free and he shifted a little on the couch, trying to figure out where and how they were still tangled.

Unfortunately, the shift in position meant Amanda's own position got precarious. She moved slightly over him to try and avoid smacking him in the head with the painfully-tingling arm, and instead managed to roll off the couch completely, landing on the floor between the couch and the coffee table with a yelp of her own. "Well, I guess I'm up?"

Angelo peered down at her, caught between bemused and laughter. "I guess you are. You okay?"

"I'll have to give up my ninja career - can't have a clumsy ninja, can you?" came the sheepish response as Amanda propped herself up on her elbows. She was more embarassed about the display of clutziness than the fact she was half-lying on the floor wearing just one sock. "And I think I've got carpet burn on my arse. You win - bed it is. The couch doesn't love me any more."

That tipped him over into laughter as he scrambled up off the couch himself. "Sure it does. Just not both of us together." He reached down to help her up.

Taking hold of the two hands offered, Amanda briefly considered yanking him down with her. But the floor was even less comfortable than the fickle couch, especially with the coffee table in the way. Instead, she used the upwards momentum to press herself against him, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly. "Hello, again," she said, pulling back with a grin.

He was hardly going to be complaining. He grinned back at her, one hand somehow tangled in her hair again and the other arm around her waist. "Hey."

Ooh, the hair again. She really liked the playing with her hair. It made her go all melty. Closing her eyes, she nuzzled into his neck, making a happy sighing noise. "So, there was mention of a bed?"

"There was", he said, the grin turning wicked. He was briefly tempted to pick her up and carry her, but... she wasn't that much shorter than him. And yes, he'd carried Forge during the coma thing, but only when his suitemate had been unconscious and therefore there hadn't been much choice.

Okay, the bed wasn't that far away, and she had a feeling there were potential rewards for getting there, from Angelo's tone. "Okay, bed it is." The nuzzle turned into a light nibble, before she started shuffling backwards towards the direction of her room, tugging him along with her. "See? Here's me being all pro-active and stuff."

Angelo laughed, following along more than willingly. "So you are."

There were a couple more pauses along the way as one or the other of them got distracted - such as when Angelo finally lost his shirt - but eventually they made it, flopping onto the bed unceremoniously. "Oh, much better," Amanda giggled as she used her toes to work off that remaining sock, arms still wrapped around Angelo's neck. "This was a good idea. Very clever. Go you." She scritched the base of his head where the fuzz was slightly thicker, kissing her way up his neck to his ear. "Can we just stay here for the next week? I think we've earned it, yeah?"

"I think work might miss us", he pointed out wryly, tilting his head unconsciously to give her better access, which just happened to put him a perfect position to kiss her neck in turn. "Maybe not a week... but I think we could get away with a day or two."

"A day or two sounds bloody marvellous," she murmured into his ear, shivering a little at the touch of his lips on her neck and shifting underneath him a little. "Wanda'd understand... she's been pushing me to take a break for a while now. What about Nate and the leather brigade, tho'?"

"I just got back from a week undercover", he reminded her, voice just a little muffled by her skin. "The team can do without me. An' Nate always said I should take more time off."

"I'll play hookey if you do," she said, a certain decisive note entering her voice despite the playful words as she worked her way down his neck again to the scarring on his shoulder, kissing him there gently. "I wasn't joking when I said we'd earned it - the world can go on without us for a day or so, yeah?" She grinned suddenly. "Besides, I'd like to catch up on this whole thing we've got going. Whatever it is."

He shivered slightly at the kiss - the skin of his scars had always been more sensitive, for some reason, and all the more so since his manifestation, then raised his head to look at her. "Yeah, I would too. It's a deal."

"I'd better make sure the door's locked then." Not that it would stop half of her co-workers, but at least it'd be their own fault if they walked in on anything. She kissed him briefly on the mouth, then ducked her head to his shoulder again.

They had a lot of catching up to do.