( That is actually a lot less ominous than the various scenarios that Sansa had played through in her head and she tries not to be obvious when she lets out a sigh of relief. She nods her head before looking up at him again, clearly announcing that she would like that very much. )
I would like that. ( the smallest of laughs. ) Is it because I wore the shorts that Kimberly told me to wear?
[ Not that he truly thought she wouldn't be interested - according to Kimberly, Sansa was into him, so it was barely a risk, but still. They could be dancing around it for ages if they really wanted to, and he's glad they're not doing so.
At her question, Baby chuckles, shaking his head. ]
You look beautiful, but no. I actually - I thought last time was a date, already, but I realize that I didn't actually say that. And I was reminded that the two of have grown up very differently and that I should probably tell you.
[ He bites his lip. ]
So, yeah. I want us to date. And all - that entails.
I would like to. ( Still, her words are cautious because there are things that men expect, that she's certain Baby will expect, that she's not certain she can provide. )
I know there's things you'll expect of me and I'll do my duty but I don't find joy in a man's bed. I'm afraid of it.
[ His stomach bottoms out at her words, his mouth parting in slight shock. He shakes his head, reaching out to take one of her hands in his. ]
No, no, that's not - I mean, it is what I meant but I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. I want us to see where things go, together, but I'm not getting ahead of myself. This, you and I dating? It shouldn't be any kind of duty, or unpleasant, and if it is, don't say yes. Don't go out with me. I want you to have a lovely time, not for it to be something you're doing because you're afraid.
[ He takes a deep breath, dry-swallowing visibly. ]
But if you do, truly, want to go out with me - because you like me and my company, not for any other reason, I was thinking we could start with a picnic on the beach. Let Otis run around in the sand.
[ Damn, but he's never spoken that much in consecutive sentences. Feel proud, Sansa. ]
( Sansa sighs a bit and squeezes his hand back. It isn't that she doesn't want to date, she does, but she's afraid of the physical things that might come along with it. Still, he says he won't push her and she has to accept that as fact. He hasn't pushed her thus far. This place won't allow someone to violate her - it's in their laws. She can trust the laws even if she can't trust him and she does trust him, even if she shouldn't yet. )
I do like your company and I want - I want to spend time with you. I want to go to the beach with you and Otis and I want to hold hands like we are now. I want to play piano with you and dance and kiss. I just don't want my fear of the bed to come between us, is all.
[ Kimberly said she wanted to kiss him, but Baby, since she told him about her past, had not really tried or thought it would be on the table, either. And he remembers everything about his talk with Kimberly, and how he said he could be patient, and he would be. She needs to be treated with the utmost care, and Baby feels like he can do that.
He may not yet have her trust, but he can earn it. ]
We can do all that, and I'll respect your pace, and your wishes. And if, at some point, you feel more comfortable, then we can revisit the other stuff. But I will not ask anything of you, okay?
[ He's pretty sure he can show Sansa that sex isn't something to be scared of, but this is neither here nor there. They can talk about this again, later, when things are more comfortable for her. ]
( Sansa gives him a sweet smile and now that they've discussed her fears and he's assuaged them she feels like she can relax and let go of some of the tension she constantly holds. Knowing he won't pressure her in the bed and require that as a contingent of being with her makes her feel like she can take things slow. )
Perhaps I will feel more comfortable as time goes on. I don't want to always be afraid, Baby. I want...I've never had anything like this. I want to enjoy my time with you no matter what form it takes.
( Sansa's cheeks color a bit and she nods. She isn't shy, however, and her smile is brilliant at the thought of being able to kiss him. She's been thinking about it since they met at Mahogany and she really hopes that it will happen tonight. )
[ Well, Otis might not actually be the only one getting some affection right now. Baby licks his lips, nodding as he steps ever closer, his hand moving up to cup her elbow, the other brushing her jaw, tilting her face up just a fraction. ]
Oh, I do.
[ And so he leans in, pressing his lips to hers, soft and chaste, eyes fluttering closed. ]
( Sansa has never had a kiss she's truly wanted. This kiss is so different than the others she's had in her life and she hardly knows what to do when his lips touch hers. She feels warmth suffusing her limbs and she tilts her head, a little uncertain about how to deepen the kiss but wanting to try. She slips her hands up to cup his face, thumbs brushing against his cheekbones. )
[ His hand slides into her hair, keeping her close as he doesn't push until he feels her leaning in, her hands on his face. He smiles into it, deepening the kiss by licking her bottom lip, a little hesitant, still soft. ]
( Sansa whimpers a little when he licks her lip and she parts her mouth a bit, doing the same to him. She's trying to mirror the things he does that she likes in hopes he likes them too. )
[ It's one of these hesitant, discovering kisses, a little sweet but turning more intent with every passing second, Baby's free hand curling around Sansa's hip, touch as light as he can make it. He keeps a modicum of distance, intent of honoring what he said about respect, about not pushing her.
He pulls back a moment later, lips lingering on Sansa's for a second as he opens his eyes, thumb brushing her jaw. ]
( The touch at her hip doesn't bother her at all and when he pulls away, Sansa whimpers a little and wishes it didn't have to end. But it does, if only because they do have to breathe, and when he asks if she's all right she gives him a shy look and a quick nod. )
You won't hear me complain. I just mean it, when I say I don't want to push you.
[ He gives her a truthful, open look, eyes wide and eyebrows lifted. His smile is still there on his face. ]
And I need to close up. Want to go for a drive with Otis and I? I'd say we walk back, but you'll freeze to death.
[ Even if she's used to the cold, those are tiny, tiny shorts, and she's not wearing tights, or leggings underneath. Baby isn't going to be the reason why she turns into a popsicle. ]
The cold doesn't bother me. It doesn't get cold enough here in the city to even warrant a cloak in the North.
( Sansa gives him a little smile, a little bolder than she'd been before. She isn't good at this like Margaery was but she did observe her and how bold she'd been and Sansa has always been a quick learner. )
Are you concerned for my delicate constitution? If so, I'll allow you to drive me.
[ He smiles at her smile, her words, and nods, reaching over the counter for the store's keys and Otis' leash. The dog gets up and is all tail-waggling the second he sees it, and lets Baby clip it on to his collar without fuss. It all takes no more than a couple of seconds, and then Baby is grinning at Sansa again, offering her a hand. ]
I am, indeed, very concerned. Who would I be to let a lady walk around in this weather?
[ He motions for Otis. ]
I'm taking him to the park, if you want to join us?
I would like to but, as you said, perhaps a change of clothing is in order. If you drive me home, it won't take long to change into something more suitable.
( Sansa eyes him and smirks a bit, feeling just a little more confident than she'd felt before their earlier, more serious, conversation. )
Will you forgive me if I dress in one of the dresses Kimberly has informed me are so dreadfully prudish and dull?
[ Seeing her more relaxed is so good Baby can't help the way he smirks right back, but what makes him laugh is the mention of Kimberly's influence on Sansa's current outfit. Baby feels like he should have known. ]
I'll drive you home, of course. And Kimberly's opinion is her own, but I personally would rather you're warm and comfortable.
[ Aka, he's a dude, he doesn't really care what Sansa wears. Sure, the shorts are showing off her legs and they are beautiful, but it's also highly impractical, and he's pretty sure she's feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. And while he's sure Kimberly would say that being cute is more important than being comfortable, Baby wouldn't agree. At all. ]
Yes, well, I wanted to impress you. ( Sansa has no issues admitting that - not at all. She very much wants to impress Baby and is willing to concede to a bit of cold weather to do so. )
But if you'd prefer me comfortable, I would like to be in a gown and cloak. I promise I won't take long to change. I've become adept at lacing my corset by myself at this point.
[ If she has no issues admitting it, the words still surprise Baby, who looks at Sansa with the feeling showing all over his face. He still doesn't think he's someone that anyone would want to impress, let alone someone like Sansa, so regal, so proper. ]
You wear... corsets.
[ It's not a question, because she stated it as fact and he's sure she's not lying, but if he needed another reminder that they come from such different times, that would be it.
Still, that is neither here nor there. Offering her a hand again, Baby leads both Sansa and Otis out of B-Sides, locking behind him after unlocking his car, parked just down the street. ]
Go sit in there, at least you'll be out of the wind. I'll be a sec, need to lock up.
[ And he is only a moment before he's at his car, opening the backseat door for Otis to jump in, settling behind the passenger seat, and then Baby's behind the wheel, turning on the heating in the car. ]
( Sansa gives Baby a mild look, a smile playing at her lips that he’s surprised she wears corsets. She’s not aware of what else she could wear - the shirt she’s wearing now has nothing beneath it because a corset didn’t look right and she looked better without. Is there another option to be had? She doesn’t know about it. At any rate, she’s glad the warmth of the car staves off the chill. )
Of course I wear corsets. I wouldn’t fit into my dresses if I didn’t. This shirt is loose enough that I don’t have to wear anything but my dresses are sized under the assumption that I’ve been laced into stays to make my waist smaller. Oh, and my house is in the Central District.
[ Baby blinks at he takes in what Sansa's saying, his eyes drifting down without his brain's input. He swallows hard, forcing himself to avert his eyes, looking down at the console as he plugs in his iPod, letting his playlist pick the song, which fits him just fine - a perfect driving tune, even if he might go a smidge faster than he usually would with someone not used to driving in the car.
Focus, Baby. ]
Did you not like the starter apartments?
[ He can't imagine moving to a place alone, and it's partly why he's moved in with Robbie as quickly as he did. ]
I'd never lived alone before arriving here. I didn't like it much...
I needed a place with a garden and I didn't have that in the apartments. In the North, we worship the gods in a Godswood but there's no weirwood trees here. I decided that a garden would be the closest I could get.
( Sansa warms her hands against the heater for a few moments before putting one over Baby's where it rests on the shifter. )
I've never lived alone either. It's strange. I'm used to a castle full of servants and now I have a house alone.
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I would like that. ( the smallest of laughs. ) Is it because I wore the shorts that Kimberly told me to wear?
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At her question, Baby chuckles, shaking his head. ]
You look beautiful, but no. I actually - I thought last time was a date, already, but I realize that I didn't actually say that. And I was reminded that the two of have grown up very differently and that I should probably tell you.
[ He bites his lip. ]
So, yeah. I want us to date. And all - that entails.
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I know there's things you'll expect of me and I'll do my duty but I don't find joy in a man's bed. I'm afraid of it.
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No, no, that's not - I mean, it is what I meant but I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. I want us to see where things go, together, but I'm not getting ahead of myself. This, you and I dating? It shouldn't be any kind of duty, or unpleasant, and if it is, don't say yes. Don't go out with me. I want you to have a lovely time, not for it to be something you're doing because you're afraid.
[ He takes a deep breath, dry-swallowing visibly. ]
But if you do, truly, want to go out with me - because you like me and my company, not for any other reason, I was thinking we could start with a picnic on the beach. Let Otis run around in the sand.
[ Damn, but he's never spoken that much in consecutive sentences. Feel proud, Sansa. ]
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I do like your company and I want - I want to spend time with you. I want to go to the beach with you and Otis and I want to hold hands like we are now. I want to play piano with you and dance and kiss. I just don't want my fear of the bed to come between us, is all.
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He may not yet have her trust, but he can earn it. ]
We can do all that, and I'll respect your pace, and your wishes. And if, at some point, you feel more comfortable, then we can revisit the other stuff. But I will not ask anything of you, okay?
[ He's pretty sure he can show Sansa that sex isn't something to be scared of, but this is neither here nor there. They can talk about this again, later, when things are more comfortable for her. ]
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Perhaps I will feel more comfortable as time goes on. I don't want to always be afraid, Baby. I want...I've never had anything like this. I want to enjoy my time with you no matter what form it takes.
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It's okay. Yeah? We'll just take things, one step at a time.
[ His smiles grows bigger, looking down into Sansa's eyes, dropping the seriousness as he sees the tension leech right out of her shoulders. ]
Did you say you wanted to kiss me? [ His voice is soft, a little amused, very fond. ]
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Yes, if you wished it?
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Oh, I do.
[ And so he leans in, pressing his lips to hers, soft and chaste, eyes fluttering closed. ]
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He pulls back a moment later, lips lingering on Sansa's for a second as he opens his eyes, thumb brushing her jaw. ]
All right?
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Oh, yes. Sorry, I got a bit carried away there.
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You won't hear me complain. I just mean it, when I say I don't want to push you.
[ He gives her a truthful, open look, eyes wide and eyebrows lifted. His smile is still there on his face. ]
And I need to close up. Want to go for a drive with Otis and I? I'd say we walk back, but you'll freeze to death.
[ Even if she's used to the cold, those are tiny, tiny shorts, and she's not wearing tights, or leggings underneath. Baby isn't going to be the reason why she turns into a popsicle. ]
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( Sansa gives him a little smile, a little bolder than she'd been before. She isn't good at this like Margaery was but she did observe her and how bold she'd been and Sansa has always been a quick learner. )
Are you concerned for my delicate constitution? If so, I'll allow you to drive me.
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]
I am, indeed, very concerned. Who would I be to let a lady walk around in this weather?
[ He motions for Otis. ]
I'm taking him to the park, if you want to join us?
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( Sansa eyes him and smirks a bit, feeling just a little more confident than she'd felt before their earlier, more serious, conversation. )
Will you forgive me if I dress in one of the dresses Kimberly has informed me are so dreadfully prudish and dull?
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I'll drive you home, of course. And Kimberly's opinion is her own, but I personally would rather you're warm and comfortable.
[ Aka, he's a dude, he doesn't really care what Sansa wears. Sure, the shorts are showing off her legs and they are beautiful, but it's also highly impractical, and he's pretty sure she's feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. And while he's sure Kimberly would say that being cute is more important than being comfortable, Baby wouldn't agree. At all. ]
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But if you'd prefer me comfortable, I would like to be in a gown and cloak. I promise I won't take long to change. I've become adept at lacing my corset by myself at this point.
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You wear... corsets.
[ It's not a question, because she stated it as fact and he's sure she's not lying, but if he needed another reminder that they come from such different times, that would be it.
Still, that is neither here nor there. Offering her a hand again, Baby leads both Sansa and Otis out of B-Sides, locking behind him after unlocking his car, parked just down the street. ]
Go sit in there, at least you'll be out of the wind. I'll be a sec, need to lock up.
[ And he is only a moment before he's at his car, opening the backseat door for Otis to jump in, settling behind the passenger seat, and then Baby's behind the wheel, turning on the heating in the car. ]
All right, where to?
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Of course I wear corsets. I wouldn’t fit into my dresses if I didn’t. This shirt is loose enough that I don’t have to wear anything but my dresses are sized under the assumption that I’ve been laced into stays to make my waist smaller. Oh, and my house is in the Central District.
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Focus, Baby. ]
Did you not like the starter apartments?
[ He can't imagine moving to a place alone, and it's partly why he's moved in with Robbie as quickly as he did. ]
I'd never lived alone before arriving here. I didn't like it much...
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( Sansa warms her hands against the heater for a few moments before putting one over Baby's where it rests on the shifter. )
I've never lived alone either. It's strange. I'm used to a castle full of servants and now I have a house alone.
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/scene?