Lake Tahoe.

[dontchaserabbits]

The elevation in Lake Tahoe is something that requires getting used to. Raleigh's out of practice with altitude but settles in okay once once he downs the water bottle Tendo put in his rucksack like a doting mom. That man needs to get back with his kid, stop working so much.

"We're here," Mako's quiet voice announces, clear as a bell in Raleigh's ear.

"Mmm?"

"You fell asleep. Pay the nice driver so we can get out of the taxi?"

Comments

[dontchaserabbits]

(One-one.)

It's a workout, to be honest - keeping afloat and sometimes even failing at that, not wanting to be separate anymore.

(Is this what Mako meant by not being anybody? Back in Spain?)

Raleigh feels about ready to boil over.

[co_pilot]

She's surging forward, rising fast, and the first brush of bodies has her gasping, breaking the kiss to lower her head.

It's as if she's outside herself and perfectly aware all in the same breath.

[dontchaserabbits]

"I need you to tell me -- "

Anything.
If he's going to scare her off if he actually said out loud that he would happily screw her on the dock.
If she knows he won't hate her if she said no.
If she wants more than his memories and Gipsy Danger's ghost.

[co_pilot]

"Yes," she breathes.

She takes his face in her hands and kisses him again, soft and yet more deeply, pouring out a little more of herself.

[dontchaserabbits]

"Think -- think we're done with the lake now. House? Closer?"

[co_pilot]

"Just elsewhere," she agrees, nodding shakily before prying herself away to swim to shore.

[dontchaserabbits]

Good things come to those who wait, and those who at least pretend to have some sort of patience. Raleigh is the latter; they'll go back to the house.

But he doesn't pretend to look away when Mako gets out of the water.

And he doesn't hide himself.

(He'd carry her if he thought it'd get them there faster - that might be overkill.)

[co_pilot]

She doesn't bother to retrieve her clothing from the end of the dock. It's merely one less obstacle that they don't need to overcome. The shadows of night obscure some things from view, and she doesn't turn on any lights as she goes.

She finds him again on the other side of the doorframe, there in the dark, fingers tracing the line of his arm up to his shoulder, and then his cheek.

[dontchaserabbits]

Raleigh almost sways with it, smelling trees and the lake and nature and her all at once.

Yes, she'd said.

Mako is so easy to pick up now, walk back towards the nearest couch, all awkward positions from his teenage years bolstered by the fact he is stronger now and can actually make her feel good instead of groping at each other --

A few seconds later, nose to nose, Raleigh thinks something at Mako, not really connecting to the fact that she can't hear him right now.

Maybe she gets it anyway.

[co_pilot]

He's warm and wet against her, the slide of skin eliciting a tiny shiver from her, and when he lays her down, she reaches out to him, eager to be covered.

Need unfurls in her, blossoming; she gazes up into his eyes and blushes at what she sees harbored in his gaze, but she doesn't falter. Nor does she hesitate in tipping her face up to his, mouth finding his again.

[dontchaserabbits]

There's something final, permanent, here.

("In the Drift there's silence -- ")

(Stacker's words occur to him later: a fixed point.)






Mako might have to remind Raleigh to move off of her. At some point.

[co_pilot]

That point has not been reached; she is too content here, his breath ghosting over her skin.

She's limbless, thrumming with energy, and she turns her head to press her nose to the hollow of his temple.

[dontchaserabbits]

Raleigh right now...might be having a hard time thinking of a point in his life happier than this one where it was just him.

He's one lucky asshole.

"Mmf."

Because a) he feels like he should say something, and b) he's not really coherent, so random noises sounds like a compromise.

[co_pilot]

There's so much about this that she wants to commit to memory, wants to let remain.

He's seen all her thoughts laid bare. This shouldn't be any different - and yet it's as if the missing piece fits into place.


"Are you alive?"

[dontchaserabbits]

"I think so. Ten fingers, ten toes."

[co_pilot]

Five of her fingers find five of his.


"Mmm."

[dontchaserabbits]

"Are you falling asleep on me now?" 'On' being figurative, given positioning. "I can't be boring you yet."

[co_pilot]

"No one would call that boring."

Her other hand may stray downward to teasingly pinch.

[dontchaserabbits]

It's enough to make Raleigh jolt.

"I'm taking your towel next time, I swear."

Raleigh slides down to land his head against Mako's chest, letting his mouth land here and there and anywhere.

[co_pilot]

Now it's her turn to jolt, though it's more of a gradual, fluid movement, her head tipping back as she sighs.

"I do not believe you."

[dontchaserabbits]

"Is this because you've finally become aware of your magic powers?"

[co_pilot]

"What power would that be?"

[dontchaserabbits]

"You woke me up again."

[co_pilot]

She laughs, not even trying to stifle the sound, and rolls them over.