[Day 8 - Early Night] Bad Habits (Closed)

[Bayushi Mariko]

"I've been relying so much on spiked tea and cocktails for so long that the real stuff just knocks me out like that. When you said the good stuff, I thought you meant the good stuff with reasonable proof. Never mind, it hurts to think about this. Let's just settle this at: You're the worst." She briefly nuzzled her face into his body.

"Wreck the bed? Wow, so naughty...What do you even meeeaan by that? That's so bad, Rei." She chortled at that thought. "Just as long as it stops short of going to the hospital, I might be up for it..."

"Mrrmm..." She murmured in agreement. "Maybe this is some secret Scorpion plan and I'm just testing you. I'm testing you by being groggy from all of this shochu that you've fed me. This is all according to plan. And, if I fall asleep like this, you're going to carry me to bed and lay me down because I don't want to sleep sitting..."

[Usagi Rei]

"I'll remember for next time." Rei grinned. "Or will I? After all, I am the worst." He murmured pleasantly as she nuzzled against him, his eyes half-closing, his arms giving her a little squeeze.

His grin became a little playful as she went on. "Mmm... well, we're both rather passionate. And vigorous. I bet our second time together we can do even better than our first." Well... or third, depending on how you counted such things. "But besides that... wait and see, Mariko." He gave her an intense look.

The suggestion actually made Rei's breath pause for just a moment. Once stung, twice shy. But no, he trusted Mariko, and in their feelings... after a moment, he chuckled. "All according to plan..." He echoed, kissing the top of her head. "Of course I will."

He chewed his lip a moment. "Once you do, I should probably slip out. Even if we're official to each other, we're not to everyone else." He spread his hands helplessly. He very much wanted to stay... "Unless the staff here is very discreet?"

[Bayushi Mariko]

Mariko finally opened her eyes a little and let out a sad sigh. "The staff here are decent but I'd probably wouldn't risk it. This place is more of a stay hotel than a discreet hotel, like the one we used for our particular adventures together, hm? There are still far too many eyes here, probably looking to see that Yakumo. So, fair enough if you have to slip out eventually," she gave a small pat on his lap, looking a bit saddened by that prospect already.

"If you're going to leave me...I do want you to experience you carrying me to bed, at least. I think you can do that much for me at least." She said as she bit back a yawn, pulling her legs up and draping them across his lap with her arm around his shoulders to encourage the gesture. Her other hand would place itself on his chest, following the trail of buttons on his shirt. "Please?"

[Usagi Rei]

Rei nodded. "Of course. I understand." He said, his eyes meeting hers. Understanding both the necessity, and sharing with her the wish that it wasn't so.

The request made Rei smile, especially as she draped herself across him. "Of course." He murmured softly. First, he shifted, getting his feet firmly planted underneath him; he was more used to the shochu than Mariko, but dropping your girlfriend was a bad enough move he didn't take the risk. And then, gathering her up with one arm behind her shoulders, and the other the backs of her thighs just above her knees, Rei stood, lifting her into his arms.

He lingered a moment, smiling down at her, enjoying the feel of holding her, her form against the solidness of his chest, her arm around his shoulders. There was something about the princess carry that just felt nice. And then, one careful step at a time, he carried her around the little half-wall to the bed. And there, bending his knees, he carefully laid her down, leaning over her as he did so.

[Bayushi Mariko]

"My hero..." Mariko would murmur with a happy sigh as she was carried up by Rei and she was made weightless (from her perspective) by the carry. She put her hand on his shoulder and happily nuzzled against his chest once more. Her eyes closed for the duration of the short ride until she was placed on the bed.

Once there, her eyes would slowly open, like she had been awakened from slumber by her prince. Wait, she might have gotten the order wrong on that foreign tale. She wasn't going to bother fact-checking that but rectify it either way as she took Rei by his collar and coaxed him down so that he could meet her for a kiss.

[Usagi Rei]

The comment made Rei grin. "Always." He murmured. It was true, wasn't it? He'd charged into what he thought was danger for her once before, after all.

Feeling the tug on his collar was all the coaxing Rei needed. Smiling, he leaned in, kissing her tenderly, lingeringly, but not pressingly, turning a pleasant moment into a longer one. His hand did come up to gently brush back across her face and through her hair as they kissed, sharing one more point of contact.

[Bayushi Mariko]

Mariko would smile more into the kiss as it seemed to be her habit to drag out these moments and go more for more than just one. It was something about these loving and tender moments that had her constantly going back to replay them, rather than going for the long passionate kisses. Not that they didn't have any of the latter, of course. Her hand idly ran through his hair at the back of his head as she kissed him for probably the fourth time. Her heart might have told her this was happiness, although she wasn't entirely sure still. However, she was still going to relish this moment until she regrettably would release him from her hold.

She showed a tired smile at Rei. "Thank you for the drink...and everything. It's probably getting late for you, hm?" Her gaze looked at him curiously, wondering if he would say otherwise. Maybe even hoping for it to be made true? Not that he could change the sun from rising but he could always lie to her and make it true in her heart.

[Usagi Rei]

That same reluctance was almost a tangible thing in Rei as he pulled ever so slowly back. He took a deep breath, taking in air, the scent of her, one more sense to help cement this memory in his mind.

Smiling, Rei gave a gentle shrug. "Mmm. Maybe, yeah. But I've had later nights than this." Reaching out, he took her hand. "If you like, I can stay here until you fall asleep. I'd like that, in fact." He was tired, sure, but it was all true. He did often stay up at least this late... and he did want to still be there when she fell asleep, even if he couldn't quite explain the impulse.

[Bayushi Mariko]

Mariko gave his hand a weak squeeze and she giggled at the offer. She gave a tired nod at him. "You know, it's suddenly getting hard to sleep now but...this bed is admittedly starting to get really comfortable. You'll just have to promise me that you'll be in my dreams. Do you think you could that, mm?"

[Usagi Rei]

Rei grinned. "Of course I will. Just, I should warn you. Dream Rei can be a bit of a flirt." He managed to say that with a perfectly straight face.

He brought her hand to his lips, pressing gently for a moment, before lowering it back to her side, although he didn't let go. "Good night, Mariko." He said softly. Then he smiled. "And very pleasant dreams."

[Bayushi Mariko]

"Mmm, good night..." She said with a small sigh and she reluctantly closed her eyes. As much as she would like to keep Rei in the waking world, she did soon drift off to sleep and into the realm of Yume-Do while Rei stayed in the realm of the living. This would at least be a lesson to not gulp down shochu so quickly.

/exit to sleep

[Usagi Rei]

Rei waited, watching, until Mariko's breathing stabilized, and then a little longer than that. He'd promised, after all. As she clearly dropped off to sleep, Rei smiled, his affection for her filling him to overflowing.

Rising, Rei went about gathering up his things. What was left of the bottle (apparently it shouldn't be left with her), the ice pack and scarves, all packed up into the little suitcase he brought. A glass of water was filled, and placed next to the side of her bed for the morning.

And then, with one more longing glance, Rei slipped quietly out.

/exit
/scene, and thank you!