songofsong | AU } Maybe in another life, we wouldn't be alone tonight

Entry tags:

AU } Maybe in another life, we wouldn't be alone tonight

Saturdays were always big days, but today, well, it was even bigger.

The World Museum was open to the trawls of parents and children that flooded in every weekend, a spell of bad weather driving in an even bigger amount than normal. What also helped, was the fact that a new space exhibition had arrived on the science level, one that Melody Pond had been angling for some time, and today was the big opening.

It had taken a lot of hard work and a lot of money, but it was finally here, and Melody was practically bursting with excitement as she zoomed around the museum, making sure everything was going smoothly. She'd heard there might be some special guests making a visit later, the kind of special guest that could possibly see her head hunted. Therefore, everything had to be running perfectly.

Passing one of her colleagues, Melody stopped him with a hand on the arm, requesting in hopefully pleading voice that usually got her her own way.

"Malcolm, would you mind standing by for the 3D showing? Just make sure everything goes to plan? Thank you, sweetie."

He was all too happy to oblige, which was why Melody had asked him in particular, and she watched him go with knowing look, unable to feel much happier than she did in this moment. With her hands by her sides, she did a little spin on the spot before she bounced off to continue with her duties, nothing able to wipe the smile from her face.

Everything was going to plan.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

For a moment, James looks shocked. But shock just as quickly gives way to an expression that's more guilt.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asks, his expression full of concern.

"No! No," she's quick to say, quick to relieve him of any blame. She doesn't want him to think he's done anything he shouldn't, or forced her here in any way. She made a choice, she's just not so sure if it was the right one.

"You haven't done anything wrong." Her head shakes, and she takes a small step forward towards him, so he can see that. "It's just me. I'm not.." she hesitates, trying to explain herself without sounding foolish, but she thinks that's a given so she carries on with a sigh. "I'm not very good at things like this."

Not the sex part, she's fairly sure she's ok at that part, given the feedback. But she's not so good at leaving emotions at the door, particularly not the guilty ones.

He doesn't quite understand, and he looks over her, still concern in his eyes.

"Good at what?" he asks. He doesn't know what she's expecting of herself, but he thinks maybe it's too much. "Melody..." he sighs. "You don't have to do anything. If you've changed your mind, that's up to you. I just wanted you to have a good night. I think we all deserve that every now and then."

Her lips part to speak, but instead she just sighs, because as far as she's concerned, either way, she's ruined everything. She runs a hand through her hair, making those wild curls ever wilder, and she shakes her head slowly as she tries to reply.

"No, I know. And you're right. I guess I'm just not very good at giving myself a break." She smiles somewhat uncertainly, shrugging her shoulders at herself. She's not a woman who knows how to let go, how to take risks. She's never been able to, she's lived for her son, worked to keep them safe and happy, now he's gone, she's carrying on that same old routine, but with nobody benefitting from it. Not even her.

"It's okay to relax, you know," he tells her as though perhaps she really might not.

He shifts a little, and looks to the side, noting her cardigan discarded nearby. He turns towards it, holding out so that she might drape it about her. He doesn't want her to feel uncomfortable, and he'll do all he can to prevent that.

"Do you want to just talk?" he asks.

She looks down as he hands her the cardigan, taking it in her hands. She smiles gratefully at the sentiment, but she doesn't move to wrap it about her. If anything, she's actually quite comfortable being naked around him. It's everything else she needs a little help with.

"Oh, I don't know," she murmurs, absently picking a stray piece of fluff off the fabric. "I'll probably bore your ear off."

Her response brings about a new frown, and he shakes his head a little.

"It's not going to work, you know," he tells her. "You're not going to convince me that you're someone I should find boring or something. Because I don't. You're not. I asked you here because I wanted to spend the night with you. So yeah, I want you to talk. Talk my ear off, talk both of them off, then put them back on and do it again. I'll listen gladly."

She laughs slightly when he says that, still finding it rather difficult to believe. But he insists, and so she has to.

"Well," she begins, opening her arms either side of her before she trudges forward to go and sit on the bed. If they're going to talk, let's talk. "I wasn't lying when I said it had been a while. My last relationship didn't end too well." If she was honest, none of them did.

As she starts to talk, he takes that as invitation, and moves over, sitting on the bed and dragging himself up onto it, crossing his legs under him.

"How long?" he asks with gentle curiosity. He wouldn't usually ask, but given she's broached the topic, he feels perhaps it's okay.

She's not so surprised he's asked that question, and it makes her smile wryly to herself, because surely the answer will make him baulk. "Almost three years now."

Perhaps now it wasn't so surprising why she was so conflicted.

Three years. That's as long as he's existed. As long as James has, at least. He doesn't remember further back, though he wishes he did. His head dips a moment, and then lifts once more.

"Let me guess, just too busy? Or a bit easier if you're keeping people at arm's length?"

"A little bit of both, I suppose," she says, shrugging her shoulders gently as she looks down. "A little bit of something else too." She knows she has her problems, and in all of her relationships, it's been a factor of the break up. Some worse than others, some lasting longer than others. She'd really thought her last relationship was the one, and it had ended in heart break.

"Something else?" he asks gently. He figures she wouldn't have brought it up if she didn't want him to, after all.

"You know you're not alone," he tells her, feeling that perhaps it might help if she's not the only one opening up. "Finding someone who actually gives a shit isn't always as easy as it sounds."

Melody chuckles slightly, but it's a sad sound, and one that doesn't sit right on her. "Oh, I know," she says, for she's realised that time and time again, everytime she's left on her own again. "That's the problem. People say they care about you, that they'd do anything for you, but when it really matters, they just let you down."

"Well I won't let you down," he says gently, reaching out a finger and playfully poking her against her arm. He shoots her a gentle smile, and lets his hand settle down on the bed, close to hers, fingers just a breath from fingers.

"I think you just need to be reminded how great you are."

She rocks just gently as though the poke had been far harder, and she looks back at him with a small smirk. The fact he's listened to her, is something. Being able to say words she's been unable to get off her chest for years. She's grateful for that, and somewhat surprised that someone so young could be so grown up about it.

"Yeah?" she asks at his words, raising her eyebrows slightly and smiling. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" She has her suspicions, which makes her bump her shoulder just gently into his in returned teasing.

Her shoulder against his brings about a wry smile. Knowing.

"Well, I've got an idea or two," he tells her. There's a pause though, before he goes on, "And I know it's not everything. Not going to pretend it is. But you know it can't half be a lot of fun."

And this time it's his turn to nudge her by the shoulder.

He goes on, playful, teasing. "And you know I'm really quite good at it."

She laughs when he says that, a touch embarrassed, but good natured. She's still trying to wrap her head around that, that he actually wants to sleep with her, but he's made himself quite clear. In many ways.

Her eyes glance towards him again, over his shirtless chest and she can't help but smirk a little as she does so.

"Yes, I did get that impression."

His smile grows a little as he catches her watching him as she does. His eyebrows raise in mock shock.

"Melody are you checking me out?" he asks, as if scandalised. "Well I never."

His smile lingers, and his fingers curl slightly, the tips touching against hers.

"What would you like to do?" he asks quietly.

Feeling his fingers touch her own, her eyes glance down for just a moment, seeing how their hands touch each other on the bed. It's a far gentler introduction and she smiles at the change of pace. This is something she's better at. Even if they don't know each other the way she'd prefer, that's not what she needs right now. She just wants some affection, she wants to be adored, and most of all, she just wants to feel good.

"Well, we made it to the bed," she begins quietly, slowly looking up at him again, her eyes trailing over his expression, over the smile his lips hold.

"Mm we did didn't we?" he says, glancing around as though he hadn't noticed.

Though his hand almost touches hers, his other lifts, reaches to the side of her face and tucks a wayward curl back behind her ear.

"Will you spend the night with me, Melody?" he asks. It's what he's asked before of course, but new words, different words. Better words, perhaps.

It's that almost touch that makes her eyes close, her head tilt just gently towards the warmth of his hand. it's that she's missed most of all. The gentleness, the tenderness. Not just the sex. Though, of course, she's missed that very much. But there's no reason why they can't have both?

"Yes," she then agrees softly, opening her eyes so she could look up at him again, a smile forming on her lips.

The one word, one simple word, it warms his heart. He smiles wider still, lighting up his eyes. He's happier than perhaps he even ought to be, as though it means so much more.

It's that too that makes him shift a little on the bed. His hand remains at the side of her face, fingers curled in a little, gently coaxing her head back towards him, and then? Then he leans in and slowly, gently, presses his lips to hers.

Just the very beginning of a kiss.

As he nears, her eyes fall closed, just in time to feel his lips press to hers. There's something better about this, something right about it, and it resonates with her far more than their previous behaviour. There's a familiarity to it that she can't explain, but all she knows is that she wants more, more of this.

With a soft sound, her hand lifts to settle against the side of his face, beginning to encourage the kiss herself. She's more confident now, able to take some control of her own, and what's more, she wants to.

It's strange. As his lips touch hers it feels almost familiar. It feels like something he knows, yet not anything that makes any sense. He pays it no mind, like all those important things he never does.

It's hard not to get carried away with it, and he almost has to hold himself back. Yet even with that, his lips part, deepening the kiss a little. The backs of his fingers stroke back along her neck, falling down slightly as he leans in further against her, close as his kiss grows, deepens. His body feels reawakened, and his trousers constrict once again as his tongue gently rolls against hers, another deepening to the kiss.

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject