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The Perk, Monday Afternoon

Apparently a brisk walk through town wasn't the trick to make the twitchy feeling go away. And really, Natalie had known that in advance. Because she'd felt like this before, hadn't she? It was an island thing, and you couldn't avoid the island's grasp that easily. Unlike the way all things she reached for seemed to be just annoyingly not quite where they looked to be. That had gotten old fast.

So now that she was seated with her iced coffee and her notebook, she was going to hold on to her pencil even when she wasn't writing because if she had to try and grab it again she just might stab something with it once she succeeded. Trying to finalize the lyrics to the song she'd been working on was probably a thing she wasn't going to be able to focus on, but damnit, she was going to try.

The island wasn't her master.

[ooc: Oh so open, whether it's the Perk or Natalie that you need. Possibly not dirty.]

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Sam shouldn't have come to the island today. Of course, he didn't know that so on the island was where he was. It'd been a late night after a long few days and he hadn't wanted to go immediately back to Seattle.

So, he wandered into the Perk looking for some caffeine. He was going to chalk up his weird feelings to the long week and not to anything else.

He was wrong about why he felt the way he did, of course, but he wasn't always smart.

Natalie glanced up very briedly at the sound of someone entering, then snorted quietly to herself as she went back to her writing because wow, she was already seeing things, that was just great.

And then she looked up again.

And muttered, "Oh, goddammit."

Sam's eyes were on the counter so he didn't immediately notice Natalie there. He ordered something that just sounded like it'd give him the kick he needed and leaned against the counter while he waited.

Hopefully it'd be quick because he was getting twitchier by the second, it seemed.

Natalie did her very best not to look up again. Like she could just wish him away because this was just going to be... awkward beyond words. Also, she was trying her hardest to keep from broadcasting any emotions because that would just draw attention.

She was about half successful on both counts.

Sam finally looked over and his eyes finally fell on her and well...

Well, his first thoughts weren't immediately of anger or sadness. They were of something else and Sam frowned inwardly. What the hell was that about? He cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Hi." See, he could even get words out.

Oh, of course now had to be one of those times he chose to be polite or friendly or something.

Natalie looked up. "Hi."

Well, he was off balance severely! And his mind hadn't immediately shut down and walls hadn't come up at the sight of her.

Damn island.

He tapped his fingers against the counter and licked his lips for lack of anything better to do.

Natalie blinked and okay, that was really not the mental image to be having right now. Thank you, Natalie's brain.

"What brings you by the island?" she asked, trying for her usual neutral conversational tone. "More council angst?"

"Hmm?"

Sam hadn't really been listening that closely to her question. His mind had been doing other things.

"Just passing through," he finally provided. "Long night."

"Mm." Yeah, she wasn't sure if she actually had anything to say to that. She tapped her pencil against her lip. Twice, and then she made herself stop because it seemed like a nervous twitch. "Okay."

"Okay."

This was certainly a very stimulating conversation. Oh, that wasn't a word Sam needed to think about right now. He really, really didn't need to think about stimulation.

"Jesus Christ," he mumbled and wished the barista would hurry up.

"Is there something wrong?"

Yeah, she was going to pretend it wasn't what she thought it was. And hey, maybe he was immune and he really was uncomfortable and absent-minded just for the normal reasons.

She wasn't sure which one she was rooting for.

"Yes," he said without thinking. The barista finally slid his drink to him and he hastily paid before drinking about half of it all in one go.

It didn't help and she was still there and he still wanted to do...things. With her. What in the hell was going on?

"... Did you just down half your drink in one go?"

That was almost impressive.

"Yes."

And it hadn't really worked. Sure, it was nice to have some caffeine in his system but his head was still buzzing and he was feeling almost overwhelmed with something or other.

"Why?"

Monosyllabic conversation was the best.

"Because."

The truth would have been bad at this point. And he was still trying to hang onto the way he'd been with her for the last few months too. It was hard though, right now, when she looked...like she did.

Natalie thought she looked like she always did. But she also knew how she was seeing him right now, so...

She played with the pencil without really meaning to. "'Because'. Okay."

"What, you want something more?" Sam quipped with a raised eyebrow. "Another answer or something?"

Natalie's expression turned a little more dry. "I think wanting something more is going to be the theme of the day."

The week, even.

"And what do you want?" Sam asked, deciding he could just turn this around on her since it was so convenient and all.

Edited 2013-04-01 15:06 (UTC)

Natalie's emotions did something really unhelpful there. Sorry, Sam's senses, guess want was a triggering word right now, and Natalie didn't manage to lock it down this time.

It would've probably helped to say something as a diversion there, but she didn't.

Yeah, that -- that was enough to make Sam inhale quickly and for his grip around his cup to tighten. He swallowed and tried to breath.

"Uh." He blinked. "I felt that."

Because maybe she didn't realize? Mostly, he just didn't know what to do with that. He knew what his body wanted (and his mind was not being any help) though.

Oh, Natalie'd realized. Maybe she'd even done it half on purpose. She really wasn't all that sure, herself.

"What?"

"You know what." Sam's voice was almost harsh because he was having a hard time thinking of anything but what he'd felt now.

Sam finished the rest of his drink and stood up a little straighter. He was contemplating coming closer but he hadn't yet.

He licked his lips again and that time, it was intentional.

That was pretty unfair. But Natalie wasn't going to state that out loud, because there was licking your lips, and then there was projecting your lust at someone.

Her claims of unfairness would not hold up too well, so she skipped them.

"Well," she drawled, "maybe I'm not in total control of my emotions right now. I apologize."

"I didn't say you had to apologize."

Sam crossed his arms and rubbed his unshaven cheek, watching her the entire time. It might have been the longest time he'd looked at her since they'd broken up.

"Sometimes, it's good to lose control."

Natalie was watching him too. Not blinking but that probably went without saying at this point.

It took a second for his words to register, what with all that watching going on. Once they did, she raised an eyebrow.

"... What?"

Sam didn't know what he was talking about. But, the rational part of his mind was pretty quiet. Other parts were speaking up.

"What?" Sam was pretty sure she'd heard him. "Isn't that what you want?"

There was that word again. Sam tossed his cup away and actually took a step or two closer to her.

Natalie exhaled, watching him. "You should really stop saying that."

She didn't sound like she believed that all that firmly. The emotions she was broadcasting didn't seem to agree, either.

"Why?"

Wow, all of this was such a bad idea but wasn't that what this week was for? He couldn't even think straight right now. That had pretty much stopped when she'd projected at him.

He stopped near her table and looked down at her. "You want me to stop? Or do you want me to do something else?"

He wasn't stopping, obviously.

Okay, wow, it was getting really hard to think with him even that close to her. Really, really hard.

And still. One last feeble attempt at not going with what her body wanted her to go with oh so badly.

"You'll regret this," she murmured. "I broke your heart."

Somewhere in his head, he knew she was probably right and walking away? Probably the right thing to do. But, he hadn't moved.

"You didn't answer my question," Sam pointed out, shutting his heart and head down.

"Didn't I?"

The 'this' he'd regret wasn't really just what they were doing in this particular moment in time. And maybe she didn't want to answer in quite so many words because even with her head spinning she was still Natalie.

And Natalie was particular about what she said.

Maybe she had. Sam hadn't forgotten her way of speaking in the last few months.

But, Sam hadn't left even with that additional moment of opportunity. He was still standing near her table and he was still watching her and his body was still humming with electricity.

Natalie stared up at him for a moment longer.

And then she said, "Fine."

That was agreement enough, wasn't it?

"Fine."

And that was agreement from him. Of course, he had no idea where they'd go so that was up to her.

Natalie picked up her notebook (it took two tries, thanks Fandom) as she was getting up from her seat.

"I'm not taking you to the dorms." For a bunch of reasons. "So, hotel?"

She was being pretty efficient and professional about a hookup between exes.

"That's fine," Sam agreed with a nod. "I don't really care where so the hotel's fine. Let's just go."

Because his control was slipping away quickly.

"I'm going to spare you from an 'or what?'" Natalie informed him, stepping past him with her arm brushing against his. Through layers of fabric, but still.

Yeah, it was time to go.

Sam didn't answer. She could have the last word. He was just going to follow her out and head for the hotel.

With his ex.

Oi.

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The Perk, Monday Afternoon

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