IC contact [Mask or Menace]

[infomodder]

"Gone fishing."

[ so don't leave messages to ruin the after fishing glow !!!

your one stop shop for not leaving him alone ]

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[aggressiveapathy]

It's a step, one that still gets an out of the corner of her eye look considering just how subjecting 'needs' really is. But she won't deny that it's still something. So her tone isn't sharp or aggravated anymore when she replies, just tired, and she finally falls back onto the bed, feet still on the floor but upper body now sprawled next to and somewhat in contact with Will.

Fucking Baltimore.

"Mm. And the Graham definition of need when it comes to this kinda stuff is?"

Crisis apparently averted, all but the oldest of raccoon guard seem to his accept his offer as good enough and begin filtering out of the room, back to the chores to do and treats to swindle out of people.

[infomodder]

That's good, at least, seems the worst is over. The calm after the storm. Will lifts his hands to start undoing the buttons of his shirt, slowly taking it off to change into something more comfortable for around the house. It is not, at all, an attempted distraction via strip tease that could lead to more. Just accepting that the day is at its close, he's not going to back to work, he's going to stay. April can go back to Jeff if she wants, he won't protest that. He probably could use some time alone ("alone") to absorb this all and filter the good from the bad.

"I can't predict the future, April," he says, glancing down at her with a tilt of his head, acknowledging that there are some things in this world even he can't figure out. And since he can't say we'll play it by ear, well. "We'll cross those bridges as they build. Hopefully, there won't be more. But you know how this place is better than I do...shit happens quite frequently."

He sheds his shirt, tossing it lazily on the pillows before he sinks down to settle next to her, mirror image. Mirror image that turns to give her a lopsided smile, hand cautiously reaching out to brush his fingers along her own like with all the hesitancy of a high schooler at the movies with his date finally taking the plunge of halfway first base hand-holding. He knows that's a vague, nearly cop out answer. And she deserves more, so:

"I'll be as honest as possible. With you. How's that?"

(Spoilers: the Graham definition of need is a fluid thing subject to change as he so sees fit, because being completely honest can sometimes work against his agenda. But he will do his best to be as honest with April as he feels he can be if issues arise where keeping her more in the dark seems to be the best option. Old habits die hard, after all, but they can be broken and April is doing a damn good job of breaking the teacup in the most masterful, beneficial way he never imagined he'd be lucky enough to find.)

[aggressiveapathy]

April snorts at that even as she takes his hand, no hesitation or doubt as her fingers intertwine with his. Steps and more steps and, god, she'd never counted herself as patient before. But that was marriage, she guessed. And no matter what else, April was someone that knew what she wanted, and in this world more than any other the importance of her having that 'what' now and as much as possible before it vanished was impossible to overstate.

Devil have mercy on her soul, this was the life she wanted. Will was. So. She'll take the 'need' and 'as possible' and see where it went.

"God, you're such an ass. If you screw this up, I'm divorcing you, getting the house and kids, then sending the raccoons in the night. For you and your little fish shop."

That 'kids' included all the animals as well as the humans was just too obvious to need to be spoken. April wasn't about to half raze Will to the ground.

[infomodder]

Ah, that's better. He can't think of a single place where his fingers fit so perfectly, like this, no dog or fishing lure is enough to take him away. The smile that her acceptance brings turns into a short laugh, he beams at the summary. Such an ass, such a now at peace and content ass with her by his side, eyes alight with love and warmth. Even the threat of having his life razed to the ground won't wash it away.

If it ever happens, he'll deserve it.

"But I'm your ass." Hopelessly devoted, he is, bringing up their hands to press a quick kiss to her knuckles. "And you know what happens in the case of divorce. You told me if you ever broke this off, you expect me to love you enough to seduce you again. I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth. You can't run forever."

Still light, still adoring. And he thinks April knows what he means, exactly, even if his words can be warped. If it's part of one of their games, some test, yes, Will would pursue her without a thought in his head to doing otherwise. But should it stem from something serious, something earnest, a break up of actual rejection...then that's it, and the way he'll show her he loves her is to let them both move on.

He isn't here to rule her to life completely, and should a day ever come where the threads are torn and worn and broken beyond repair, Will won't be that one asshole who can never let anything go, who makes her feel afraid, who makes her worry she'll look out the window of her new place and see dark antlers watching her every move.

He is an ass. He is her ass.

She can cut that cord, in all seriousness, and he won't prove himself worse than an ass. Not in April's direction. Not ever.

[aggressiveapathy]

Oh, she knew. There were many, many times in this life that April may be afraid for Will Graham. Physically, mentally, emotionally, fashionably. But it never had and, so far as she was concerned, never would enter her mind to be afraid of him. He was an emotional vampire, but he was hers. Secrets and scars and all. And if she demanded a divorce, chances were it was just to get wedding gifts and a honeymoon all over again.

But that would be a sexy wedding anniversary someday. For now, mostly placated by the promises, April gives a small groan as she, somehow without breaking contact with his hand or either of their fingers, rolls up to straddle his stomach and hunch down to look him in the eye, all her weight on her knees as her hair falls down to block the view of the few remaining raccoons.

"I love you, ass. But I skipped out to yell. I've gotta finish some Jeff stuff...so don't cuddle with another shrink or whatever before I get back."

[infomodder]

He looks up at her with the same overwhelming adoration, though her position causes the smile that creeps over his face to be the first sign of anything suggestive since he walked in. Can he be blamed? He is naught but a man with the love of his life firmly nestled over a carved smile, hidden through his undershirt. The smile he doesn't even think about, the ugly scar he wouldn't make any move to stop her from seeing even if he was bare. Because in most aspect of his life, he does try to keep himself naked to April's eyes.

That he's managed to fail in one regard he wanted to keep her blind to is not something that will destroy them, he sees. It's something to learn from, to grow. And as he looks all loving and ready to bring her down to the mattress with him for the rest of the day, Jeff be damned, he's not thinking how he'll learn to be guarded in a different light. He's thinking about her face, her skin, the feel of her legs around him, warmth and safety and comfort and everything he never believed he could have, everything he worries at night that he in no way deserves.

"You got it. I'll be here when you get back." His fingers tighten around hers, bringing them back to his mouth for another kiss as his eyes stay on her face, as his mouth keeps its smile. "I love you, too."

[aggressiveapathy]

Suggestive, hm? She smirks, leaning down...to kiss him on the forehead before rolling off and away. Make-up sex was fun sex, but she's got a little more thinking about that fight to do before diving into afternoon delight. Still, now that the serious parts- the stuff that matters- has been aired out for the moment, she may take part in some over the top dramatic fake screaming and yelling later that night. Just to really get in the full mood, of course. All that good old fashioned pinning to walls, clothes ripping, and other loud things involved in fight/make-up/fight sex that result in the fun kind of emotional scaring of the children hearing them down the hall.

Maybe. Time would tell. For now, she's straightening her shirt with her hands and simultaneously trying to nudge her shoes out from under the bed with one foot.

"Go big with dinner. I'm owed. And might need throwing wine."

So, you know, Will. Don't wear the nice plaid shirt to dinner, either.

[infomodder]

Today has been a whirlwind, and there is temptation to just settle back until he effectively melts into the comforter, becomes one with their mattress, and mentally wades into the quiet of the stream. However. April is making her way out and that means Will can get a view of the backside, so he follows her with his eyes, halfway tilting his head off where she's left him (for Jeff, if Will is ever banished, then Jeff taking over would never be a surprise), arms loosely draped over his stomach in the place of anyone else to hold.

"So lots of options. Can do."

Planning his raid of local restaurants while eyeing April on the move, who said a cannibal couldn't successfully multitask, keep things separated? He can do that, no problem, gives her an appreciative smile and a nod.

"Tell Jeff to bring home his own damn salad, otherwise he'll have to deal with real food."