Second Floor Common Room [Tuesday Early Afternoon]

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

The facts were these: Ned was baking a pie again. He'd almost tried to theme this particular pie with that of a volcano but the volcano was long gone and so was that idea. Ned didn't really want to simulate lava in a pie anyway.

He'd chosen a new recipe this time, something he'd never baked before and had set out to prep and cook in the common room.

He wouldn't call this a routine yet but it was relaxing. And it was nice to get out of his room and do something besides annoy himself with all his issues.

[Open common room is open. Work is boring. I am hungry.]

Comments

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," he said, tapping his fingers lightly against her ear, "but I still don't know what it is. I don't usually...touch."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I know," she said, smiling a little hesitantly. She didn't want to accidentally do something to make him stop.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I'm that obvious?" Ned asked, smiling a little ruefully.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Only sometimes," she replied reassuringly.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Do you...want me to stop?" Ned asked quietly, not looking at her again. He could look at his fingers and keep doing it. Looking at her might rattle him.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"No," she said softly. "No, I don't want you to stop at all."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

He nodded, managing a quick look back at her before returning his eyes and his focus to the fingers still playing light against her ear.

"I'm not really sure what I'm doing," he said again. "I'm just...doing."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I don't either," she assured him. "Don't worry."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Little too late for that," he joked, laughing nervously. "I already am."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Why?" she asked softly.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Because," he said, blushing but not moving his hand to cover it. "I am. I'm me."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"And I'm me," she pointed out. "I ain't gonna bite you or anything. And you're cute when you blush."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," he said, blushing harder. "I didn't think you'd bite me or anything. I'm just unsure what...I'm doing here. I'm really nervous and I'm not thinking clearly and it's all...jumbly."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"That's a good thing," she said gently. "Sometimes it's good to not think so much."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I think too much all the time," he admitted, looking sheepish. "Overthink. I'm doing it right now."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Stop that," she said quietly. "Thinkin' can take you right out of a moment."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"This is a moment?" Ned asked, trying to shut down his noisy brain by just feeling her skin and watching his hand and not thinking about all the ways things could go wrong.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"That's generally what little spots of time like this're called," she pointed out.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I know that," he said and blushed for entirely different reasons now, fingers slowing for the first time since he'd touched her.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

She bit her lip almost worriedly. "Don't mean anything but that."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Okay," he said and came back to himself without really wanting to or meaning to. He dropped his hand quickly and backed away, turning towards the pie hastily.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee's hopeful little smile only faltered a little, and she wilted visibly, just a touch.

"Um. Want more help with the pie?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

He found he wanted, more than anything, to punch a wall or scream or just run but this wasn't the time or place, really.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking miserable and wanting to just toss this stupid pie.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Why?" she asked, smiling at him and ignoring the little twinge of disappointment. "You're makin' pie. Ain't nothin' to be sorry over when there's pie."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"No, but I am," he said, frowning down at the pie. "I'm no good."