Tuesday Night at Nell's

[mylandmyrules]

Nell might just have hung some fairy lights around the kitchen and living room. Just because. Ignis wouldn't see them and Lana and the Detective, should they attend, wouldn't think anything of it, but Gladio would know.

She'd gone with finger foods for tonight, some sandwiches and a few hand pies both savory and sweet. Ice cream was also on the menu because the heat called for it. Otherwise it was mostly the usual fare. Which meant she had a little extra time to curl up in a chair with the kittens and read for a bit before people arrived.

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[sword_chocobro]

And there was that other thing looping back around, and this time it had brought along with in those memories and thoughts of her dozing against his chest in the guest room during his post-house Nell Watch...

"Well," he offered, "you've got Cygnus and Rigel, so not completely on your own."

[mylandmyrules]

"Sleeping with the consetllations under the constellations," she said with a smile.

But maybe she wouldn't set out any constellations in her bedroom until she was ready for some non-feline company. She would be one day.

[sword_chocobro]

"See?" said Gladio, with an encouraging smile right back. "Perfect."

[mylandmyrules]

"Maybe," she said. "We'll see. Might be that this is as far as they'll leak for now."

She served herself a piece of Iggy's gingerbread and pear dessert before turning to get some vanilla ice cream to put on it. "Would you like some of this?"

[sword_chocobro]

Gladio felt like that for now>/i> was pretty promising. Or he was possibly reading a little too hopefully into it, but he didn't really think that would be the case.

"That's the thing that Iggy brought, right?" he asked. "Yeah, I'd love some."

[mylandmyrules]

It was promising, not that she could say anything right now.

She cut him a portion of the dessert and added the ice cream to both of them, but the whole time she was thinking about Gladio. In her bedroom. In her bed. Holding her while they slept. That time she'd dozed off on the bed with him was the first time she'd ever slept in a bed with a man. They'd slept close under the tarp inside Saturday night and that was the first time she'd ever slept the whole night next to a man. She'd never even imagined doing anything of the sort before. Not for real.

Part of her considered just telling him she'd have sex with him. She wasn't oblivious. She knew if she'd been an ordinary woman they'd probably have had sex already. But sex... She hated to lose the beauty of what they had. And she knew he wouldn't want her half-hearted offer.

So... she was trying to trust that everything would work out. And just enjoying every moment of the time they spent together.

In the meantime she handed him his bowl and a spoon. "Cheers?" she said, offering a spoonful for him to tap with his own.

[sword_chocobro]

And if there was any dissatisfaction with how things were currently in their progression, there was certainly no indication of it, and Gladio, quite frankly, wouldn't be able to see why there might be any in the first place.

But he did look thoughtful as he watched Nell as she dished out the food, especially since there had been something on his mind since he saw the flyers the other day, and now was probably as good a time...if not maybe the best time....to bring it up.

But first?

"Cheers," Gladio agreed, digging his spoon in before lifting it up to meet Nell's with a little clink, chuckling faintly and taking that initial bite that was very quickly followed by a deep grunt of appreciation, and quickly going in for another bite.

"Damn, Specs. You almost never miss."

He wasn't going to say that he never missed at all, because there had been some bad ones along the line, but this was absolutely not one of them.

[mylandmyrules]

"Oh, this is delicious!" Nell said as she took that first bite. "Iggy, this is an absolute winner! I'd be very grateful if you shared the recipe with me."

She smiled over at Gladio. "You're lucky to live with such a chef!"

[sword_chocobro]

"I'll be sure to send it along one of these days," Ignis said, in a tone tgat somehow managed to be both dismissive of his talents and utterly unsurprised by the praise, and Gladio grunted, faintly amused, before his attention shifted back to Nell.

And, well, the food, but that was because it demanded to be appreciated.

"That is sort of my MO, lately, isn't it?" he askes, throwing in another wink over his grin. "Being pretty lucky lately in general."

[mylandmyrules]

"Both of us are very lucky," Nell corrected gently. 'And I know I'm luckier than I ever imagined I could be in my life. And happier."

[sword_chocobro]

"Good." Turns out the dessert's demand for attention was losing its hold, at least for a little bit, as Gladio needed to just take a moment to look at that happiness on display in front of him right now, with more than a little satisfied pride for his hand on that in particular.

Then he went in for another bite, as that look turned thoughtful again, trickling back to where it had been a moment ago, and, well, now was probably a good a time as any, while she was feeling so content in the moment.

"Hey," he said, "off-topic a little, but did you see all those flyers for that party this weekend?"

[mylandmyrules]

Nell looked up from the dessert. "The one at Mr Stark and Mr. Rogers' place?" she asked. "Yes. It sounds very fancy."

[sword_chocobro]

"'Dress to impress,'" Gladio quoted, with a wry snort since his version of what that meant probably wasn't what they'd have in mind. He gave her a faint, somewhat hopeful smile that seemed to contradict the nonchalant lift of his shoulder in a dismissive shrug. "I know big parties aren't really your thing, but...think you might wanna go with me?"

[mylandmyrules]

Nell's eyes went huge. For some reason it felt completely different to be asked to go with someone to an event than to be asked to go for ice cream or camping. "You want to go... with me?"

It wasn't quite a 'do you really want to be seen in public with a nobody like me?' but close.

"I... if you're sure you want me to go with you... I... yes, if I'm with you I'd go."

She didn't quite know whether to be ecstatic, horrified, or terrified. But she knew if she was with Gladio and he really wanted her there, she knew she'd be okay.

And maybe more then okay.

[sword_chocobro]

Gladio had been watching Nell's reaction carefully as he worked through another bite of the tart, and it....hadn't really been what he expected. The fact that she seemed, somehow, astonishingly, more focused on the idea that he would be inviting her than just nervous about the size and scope of it like he thought she would be was...

...well, it was some more food for thought, that was for sure, and he shook his head a little. "Really isn't anyone else I'd want to go with," he told her, because it felt important to let her know that, since, apparently, it somehow wasn't obvious yet. "So, yeah," he offered her a crooked grin, "I'd say I'm pretty sure."

[mylandmyrules]

Size and scope came next, Gladio.

"Well, then, yes, I would be happy to go with you." She smiled at him, feeling a growing sense of happiness that - she couldn't even say what exactly. Maybe that he'd want to be seen with her in public at some big fancy party.

Some big fancy party.

A big fancy party that she'd just agreed to go to.

She swallowed hard. "It... I haven't really ever been to anything like that before. It... I might be a little overwhelmed. And maybe wouldn't want to stay for the whole thing? But, I'll be with you, so that... I think it will be okay. And if..."

There were a lot of ifs and worries, but she took a deep breath. "If I'm with you I know I'll have fun, so yes. Thank you."

She'd figure it all out later somehow.

[sword_chocobro]

There was always something both so charming and heartbreaking about seeing Nell working through some complicated mess of feelings that she was very clearly trying not to show, but Gladio was pretty sure he recognized it when he saw it. It made him smile softly and, for a moment, just lean in to give her a soft kiss of reassurance, staying close when he pulled back with a grin.

"I promise you," he said, "I will make sure you have...so much fun, you won't be able to stand it. And..." A bit least teasing, a lot more genuine now, "if you do get overwhelmed, that's fine, too. We can duck out whenever you feel you need to. All I ask is that we get at least one dance in."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell clung to him for a moment after the kiss and his reassurance, just so grateful and happy that he understood.

And then her eyes widened again. This time in awe and delight.

"Dancing! Oh, yes, we will definitely have to dance at least once!" Maybe many many times!

[sword_chocobro]

See, now, that was more like it, and Gladio's grin grew to suit that almost immediate and quite frankly delightful shift.

"At least," he emphasized. "Assuming your toes can handle handle it when I eventually step all over 'em."

Please. He didn't step on anything such thing when they'd dance before, he certainly wasn't about to start toe-tredding now.

[mylandmyrules]

She nudged him and gave him a grin. "You won't step on my toes. You're as graceful at dancing as you are at fighting.

Nell might step on his toes, but she knew he wouldn't mind.

"I'm a little nervous about going to a fancy party," she admitted, "But I can't wait to dance with you with real music and all."

[sword_chocobro]

"Impossible," said Gladio, returning the nudge and the grin, of course. "I'm not as good at anything as I am good at fighting."

Which was not a disparaging mark against his other abilities in the slightest so much as an appeal for just how really freaking good he was at fighting.

"And don't be nervous," he said. "It's nothing to be nervous about. Just an excuse for people to socialize, pull out some nice clothes, and probably drink a whole lot, too. You'll be fine."

[mylandmyrules]

She'd never really seen him fight, but she'd believe it. "Okay I'll give you that, but you're still awfully good at dancing. Maybe because you're so good at fighting."

Nell's smile dimmed just the tiniest bit. "Oh... I'll have to find some nice clothes. And hopefully no one will mind that I don't drink much."

[sword_chocobro]

"Maybe," Gladio threw out there, because he really couldn't not, "I'm only as good as my dancing partner. And no one'll mind. I don't really drink that much, either."

Yes, he realized the irony of that statement considering he was in a bar at least twice a week, but for someone who was kind of a barfly, he really didn't drink hardly at all.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed. "I don't know about that! But good. I'm glad it will be okay."

Gladio didn't seem like a hard drinker to her and certainly hadn't drunk much while she'd been with him those two Thursdays.

[sword_chocobro]

Not to mention just how much alcohol it would actually take to get a man like him even so much as buzzed...

"It's going to be more than okay," Gladio assured her, with the utmost confidence and an incredibly pleased grin. "It's going to be perfect."