Log: On-going.

[natty-boy.livejournal.com]

When; Backdated to Oct. 2, the night of the Masque' Ball.

Rating; Strong PG-13 for language.

Characters; Nathaniel (natty_boy) and Kitty Jones (kittyjones).

Summary; A few hours after the start of the Masque' Ball, and a few hours before sunrise. Nathaniel, upon arrival at the Ball, has a realisation after meeting a masked young woman by the drinks. The magician goes to the rooftop of Building 7 to wait and hope that it isn't too late.

Log;

Was it still too late to be there? Nathaniel wondered as he hurried down the dark streets of the City. It was late, he knew that. It couldn't be long now before dawn, and he was suddenly grateful for the thick velvet of his costume -- the night was certainly cold and he could use the warmth. Especially if he was going to wait on the rooftop for her. If she still came.

His mouth was a grim slash of determination as he strode quickly past the Fountain towards his building. Up the stairs, and up and up and up, past his apartment door and keep on going up. He panted against the gold mask, breath steaming and warm as it bounced back at him, and his brow wrinkled with disgust when he realised he had, in his haste, not taken off the damn thing. His breath was laced with the light scent of champagne. I'm not drunk, he reminded himself as he leant against the railing for a brief rest. I wouldn't be thinking this clearly if I was.

Finally, he burst through the door that led to the rooftop and he allowed himself a slight smile as he surveyed the distantly sparkling lights of the Ball across the City. On the horizon, he could see the dark sky, dark sky, stretching out over the walls and beyond into unknown territory and sand dunes. Was dawn close? Had she come back? He looked over the City again, hopeful. Was she in the streets?

Nathaniel leant against the ledge of the roof and pulled away the bottom half of his mask again, set it on the ground. He let the cold night air flood into his lungs, wash over his face, cool the sweat from his hurried departure of the Ball.

Will she come...

Now all he had to do was wait.

Comments

[natty-boy.livejournal.com]

Nathaniel risked a fleeting grin, under the cover of darkness. He had been worried she'd take the comment as an insult - they were always on shaky ground, and this was possibly one of the few times they were being civil to each other.

Hazily, he recalled some time during his arrival, when he was still delirious with fever from Nouda's attack. They hadn't spoken, he knew that, but she was tending to him nonetheless - also some sort of moment. And while this was infinitely better in terms that they were talking - touching - that would still hold a place in memory for him: it was when he realised that maybe something could work here.

"Almost as frustratingly mischevious as a pixie," he added good-naturedly. But then he snorted at her next words, shaking his head quickly. "My costume is velvet, Jones," he said. "I'm not blushing, you see -- I'm just sweltering under these layers."

He smiled faintly under her gaze, reflected her smile easily. He didn't reply at first, not yet. He knew something else needed to be said, and he waited for it.

Nathaniel chuckled softly under her hand, hair touseled and twisting, falling into his dark eyes. Those eyes suddenly narrowed with intensity when her lips began to move, words snatched by the wind, only enough for him to hear the last syllables. He froze, then swallowed again, trying to wet his dry mouth. That was it.

This is it, you do realise, he said to himself. Fuck it up, and you're stuck with the consequences for eternity. Because if you haven't noticed, Natty boy, you're dead. Therefore eternity? Inevitable.

"Shhh, shh," he murmured, stepping up to her and cupping her face gently in cold hands. He pressed his forehead briefly against hers, smiling down at her. "Think we both knew it before, yeah? Just too... too damn proud to admit it."

And even though his last experience was beyond disaster, that didn't dissuade him from doing it again. Nathaniel kissed her.

[kittyjones.livejournal.com]

Kitty couldn't help it. She... she giggled. Something she probably hadn't done since a curse. Or since she was drunk. But Nat smiled at her, and before she knew it she was smiling and... giggling. Only for moment, but it was there. "Frustrating? Me?"

An eyebrow was raised at the snort. "Good excuse, Nathaniel. Very good. Though you know what that means, don't you?" Her grin turned into a slightly sly one, "The layers will have to, at some point, come off."

But suddenly they weren't playing anymore. Suddenly she realised she had said what she had been thinking for so long out loud, and Nathaniel had heard her, and he...

We both knew it. We. Both. Us. Nathaniel and I. Together. He... he...

He's touching me.

Once again she found herself looking up at the young magician from a very close range. And once again she found herself noticing strange little details about him. How delicate his fingers were. How pale his skin was. The colour of his eyes, the shape of his nose.

"Yeah," she muttered, not prising her gaze away from his as they touched foreheads, "I think we both knew. Silly us."

Kitty had had an idea Nathaniel was going to do something, but... no, she hadn't expected him to... Almost instantly her eyes slipped shut, and she tilted her head slightly upwards, deepening the kiss, arms snaking round his back, fingers gently brushing the back of his neck. She didn't know how long it lasted, all she knew was that they were touching, kissing, and the rest of the world was fading away.

Eventually she pulled away gently for a breath, and then murmured softly against his lips. "That was much better than the last time."

[natty-boy.livejournal.com]

Nathaniel's eyes darkened just that much at her words, smile softening to a faint one that held an almost predatory edge. He brought a hand up, casually running it through his hair so that the dark strands fell into his eyes, and with that same hand, he ran it down the front of his coat, fingers catching on the gold buttons, almost thoughtfully.

"Well, Miss Jones," he said lowly, grinning That Grin all the while, "There are quite a few layers for you to work with."

The young magician paused as his own words registered. Did I just say that? Did I just do that? He was actually making Comments of That Sort now? Apparently Kitty brought out some new side to him, and while he was startled at it, he was glad for it, too. He was relaxed around her, a feeling he had never experienced around a woman, particularly that Jane Farrar. But best not think about the tramp now, he reminded himself.

Nathaniel's shoulders relaxed under her touch as her arms came around him, and he let one hand drop from her cheek to her shoulder, fingers sliding under the velvet cape to meet warm flesh. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he registered that her dress really wasn't as modest as he would have expected of her, and that he should probably control his migrating hands, but it was difficult. He curled his fingers gently around her arm, parting his lips just that much to hers, tipping her head lightly with his hand and eyes slipping shut and...

They stopped. It took him a moment to realise it, his heart was pounding a fierce beat in his ears. He opened his eyes, blinked at her through the waning darkness, and smiled at her words. "I'm glad," he whispered huskily. "I was worried you'd punch me again."

Then he turned his gaze to the horizon, and chuckled softly. Wrapping his arms more securely around her, her brushed a kiss over her lips again, then dropped his head to nuzzle a little into her neck as he added softly, "Sun's coming up. Sit with me?"

[kittyjones.livejournal.com]

A faint shiver ran through her, but not one of fear or trepidation, a shiver of... of expectation. Coolly, her eyes followed his hand as it moved past his buttons, her face expressionless but for one raised eyebrow. So he wanted to play did he?

"Whoever said I'd be the one to work with them? But, if you need a hand..."

At that she lifted her arm up and brought her hand to his face, softly laying her index finger across his cheek, a smile playing on her lips to match his own. "I'd best get started then."

Slowly, she trailed the finger down his cheek, bringing it across his bottom lip, down his chin, ever-so-gently down his neck, still giving that same undeterminable smile all the while. "We wouldn't want you to get..."

Her hand reached the first button, and she casually undid it, her face coming in as she did so to hover right before his, the smallest of distances keeping them from touching as her smile grew a little wider, and she whispered before his lips. "Hot."

When he kissed her, when his hands came round her, she felt herself shudder under his touch, felt her skin suddenly feel hot and cold at the same time, and when he held her arm she couldn't help but give out a harsh gasp.

"You shouldn't have worried," she grinned a little at him, and then spoke sincerely, "I won't. Ever. I promise. Even if you are an idiot. No more punching."

For a moment she looked over across the City, and saw... yes, the faint touches of yellow light beginning to spread across the sky. He was right. It was morning. And she worried that... that in the morning light, it wouldn't be like this. Things would change. And they'd never, never be like this again.

So she lent into his embrace, her eyes closed as she felt him upon her neck, savouring the moment murmuring... "Do you even have to ask?" Carefully she placed her hand under his chin, bringing him up to look at her, before leaning in to kiss him again, lightly at first, then bolder as she tried desperately to fix this feeling in her mind.