Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
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He huffs again, "I mean.. Looked rough but not.. Like, bad. I dunno." He has a feeling no matter what he says about it, she's going to disagree. But it's fine. She's allowed to. He watches her talk, trying to see what he can figure out from the things she gives him. It's not a lot but it's the most she's ever really talked to him about it. Well, except that time on Remi's floor. Wonder if he knows about that yet.
Locke pats the little sand pile in front of him, finishing up on the base as she works on the towers. He can feel her looking at him but he doesn't treat her to his gaze. He snorts though, shaking his head. "That's how I gather up all the heat for the rest of the day.. Gotta sleep warm." And it always makes her snuggle up against him. He licks his lips, trying to think of something bad to say about her. He finally looks up, content with his little contribution to the base. "You always kick me when you're sleeping. Every night. I've got bruises." It doesn't hurt but still.
Slender shoulders lift in a shrug, letting it go because neither of them are going to agree right now. That much was clear. Still, the sentiment behind it makes her heart skip a beat and that same fluttering feeling starts in her belly. The talk about her father almost makes it dissipate, but the soft look in his eyes keeps it from doing so. Neither of them like talking about their past. That's been incredibly clear from the beginning. Whether it's because they'd rather leave it all behind or it just hurts to much to dwell on is to be determined, but neither of them are keen on giving it away.
It's cruel the way he denies her those hazel eyes of his and she's half tempted to complain, but he huffs something akin to a laugh at her accusation, shooting back his justification for doing so. "Well it's rude." Maeve retorts, rolling her eyes at him as she starts to carefully shape one of the towers. So what if it gave her an extra excuse to cuddle with him? That wasn't the point. The point was he was a blanket thief. "I do not kick you." She feigns hurt, brows knitting together in faux irritation at his claims against her person. Still, it's a fun little game to play. Even if it's a little fucked up.
"You snore. Loudly." Maeve informs him, tone matter of fact as she carves out a little window in one of the towers.
the only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm along with you
He sticks his tongue out at her as she scolds him. Hasn't she figured out that he's rude? It's kind of his thing. Or he thinks it is. He's not so sure anymore. He's been too nice lately. He needs to burn something down. Or something. Too bad no one has really pissed him off. "Have you seen my shins?" He takes an offended tone, kicking one leg out to point to a very faint bruise. It's nothing compared to the ones he gets in his sparring sessions so who knows why he's whining about it.
"I do not!" High pitched, fake offended again. Locke clicks his tongue, hunkering down to work on his own tower. "Well.. You always eat the best pancake. I work hard on those you know.." As if he doesn't give it to her himself. This is fun though. Like flirting but worse some how. Easier too though.
A dark brow arches, clearly not convinced as he shows off his leg, pointing out a mark that barely constitutes as a bruise. Maeve reaches out, poking the discolored skin and clicking her tongue, "How do you know that's from me? You've literally run into the little coffee table we got at least once a night." She retorts, shaking her head as she turns her attention back to her portion of the sandcastle. "Uh, yeah, you do. Make my fucking bones rattle with how loud it is." Maeve grins over at him, daring him to argue more on the topic.
Her grin only grows as she looks over at him, "Yeah because you always put it on my plate and insist on taking the one pancake I mess up when I try to flip them. That's your own fault." A laugh bubbles up in her chest as she meets his gaze, expression softening as the moment settles over them. "I like that you always give me the pretty pancake and that you put the kettle on as soon as I wake up." Weren't they supposed to be being mean to each other? Maeve has already forgotten that little game, too busy thinking about all the things he does that she loves. Can he really blame her?
the only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm along with you
He flinches away from her poke dramatically, almost kicking the castle. Whoops. He manages to miss it but narrowly. "Not used to having a fucking coffee table, that's why.." Maeve has kind of invaded his space, not that he minds really. He'd ding his shin on a coffee table a million times for her if he had to. He tries not to think about the Halenani being built and what that means for her living with him. They'll cross that bridge when they get to it. "Can think of plenty of other ways to rattle your bones." He wiggles his eyebrows as he pushes himself up out of the sand.
He tries to dust the sand off his hands and fails because its all over his legs too. Oh well. "That's neither here nor there plus you'd whine if I didn't anyway." He says it matter-of-factly, as if she's ever done it before. She hasn't but he's not above lying. With his hands on his hips, he looks down at her, head tilted to one side. "Can't even play the game right. Well. I like that you always make the bed before we get in it. I guess." There's a playful aggression to his tone. But before she can commence the mush, he takes off down the beach to find shells.
"That's not my fault!" Maeve huffs, blocking her castle from his foot as he kicks out and thankfully he misses her as well as the castle. He didn't have too much in his place before she got there and Maeve didn't really mean to start moving things in, but it just sort of happened. She made herself at home there. At home with him. Part of her doesn't want to leave, but being a working Madame means being at the Halenani. Maybe she can convince him to move in there with her instead. At least to stay with her more than just a couple of nights a week. Maeve rolls her eyes at him, huffing out a soft laugh, "Maybe later." She watches him stand, arching a brow as he brushes sand from his person.
"I wouldn't whine. Now you're just making shit up." Maeve huffs, shaking her head at him as she starts on the next tower for her castle. They definitely aren't playing the game right. Not anymore. Before she even has a moment to respond to his little quip about her bed making, he's retreating from her and heading down the beach. Perhaps she was a bit too soft for him. A bit too much. Yet he's the one who always seems worried about overwhelming her. Maeve purses her lips, watching his back as he leaves her to play in the sand.
the only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm along with you
She is being a little too soft for him. It's not her fault though, he thinks she might just be a soft person. It's one of the many things he likes about her. She smooths down all his rough edges, leaving him almost shiny. That said, he still isn't sure how to handle it. It's not that people aren't nice to him. It's just that people aren't this kind of nice, this kind of caring. With every little shell he picks up, he thinks of something new about her he likes. After a few minutes he returns, holding them out to her.
"For you, my queen." He mock bows before handing them to her. How does she still make him so nervous? He's seen her half awake with eye crusties. And it's not like he can't physically overwhelm her. Still, his cheeks are red and he hopes she doesn't notice. He thinks about sitting before deciding not to.
He leaves her with her thoughts, trying to sort them out in a way that makes sense to her. Isn't this how it's meant to be? Is she wrong to be so sweet to him? So eager to pay him compliments and tell him all the good she sees? Is it just that he isn't used to it? Does he not like it? Each of these thoughts buzz around in her head like angry hornets, making her second guess herself and her actions. Maybe she should dial it back. Maybe he's not ready for all of this. All of her. Maeve lets out a breath as she half heartedly adds sand to her tower, building it up a little higher as her brow furrows in concentration.
It isn't until he comes back, shells in hand and doing a ridiculous little bow, that she's pulled from her thoughts. Maeve smiles despite herself, a soft laugh bubbling up in her throat as she reaches out to take then, setting all of them in a little pile to sort through before starting to add them on the the castle. She does notice the flush on his cheeks, but doesn't say anything, not wanting to embarrass him further. "No, I think this is good." Maeve declares, adding the finishing touch before leaning back to examine their work.
"Looks like we can build something together, huh?" She muses, glancing up at him and offering another small smile before she's standing, dusting the sand off of her skin.
the only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm along with you
He folds his arms across his chest as she stands up, head tilted to one side as he regards the little castle they built together. He doesn't say anything at first, head tilting back and forth as he thinks. A moment passes and he crouches down, writing in the sand. A pause before he starts again. Satisfied now, he stands back up and dusts his hands off. "Yeah, looks good to me." His face was pink before, it's full on red now but he holds his hand out to her like it's not a problem.
"I know we said we were gonna try to swim again but I think we ought to go home. Try again maybe at the spot? Right now though? I need a shower. Got sand in my ass crack." How does it always end up there? And maybe he's trying to distract her from the thing he wrote in the sand next to the castle. It's not much but still. He might not be one for pretty words but.. Actions? That's his jam.
If Maeve manages to get a look before he drags her away to collect the basket, there's a little M+L with a heart next to it drawn in the sand.
At first Maeve thinks that maybe Locke isn't all that impressed by her sandcastle or that he's going to give her shit for it. It wouldn't really surprise her if he did. The seconds tick by as he looks this way and that at the sandcastle, brows seeming to draw together in consideration before he's kneeling down to write in the sand. Maeve frowns, attempting to crane around him to get a better look, but he does a pretty fine job of blocking her from reading anything and she huffs as she crosses her arms over her chest. It isn't until he stands that she notices the red in his face that can't just be from the sun, but he's holding his hand out to her and she's not about to let him pull away from her without her taking it. Maeve laces their fingers together, giving his hand a squeeze, "Yeah, me too."
A laugh bubbles up in her throat and she smiles up at him, bright and carefree with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I could always help you out with that. Any excuse to shower together." Maeve hums, letting him start to lead her away, casting a glance over her shoulder before they can get too far. L+M. It's a small thing that they've made together. Just a pile of sand built up and covered in shells, but they made it. It wouldn't be there without the work they put in. Without patience and willingness to try. Maeve thinks she'd kind of like to build more than just sandcastles with him.
She leans into him as they walk, content to take in his warmth and the light of the sun for a little longer, unaware of what's to come in the knowing days. At least she'll have him by her side for all of it.
~FIN <3~
the only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm along with you
