Third floor common room [early afternoon]

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat arose at the crack of noon, as was his habit, took one look out the window, realized that snow was nothing he particularly wanted to deal with today, and headed down to the common room instead to look sad until someone made lunch for him.

Besides, company was always welcome especially since it would bring mistletoe. He flopped into a chair and began pushing random buttons on the remote control.

No, he hadn't yet figured out how to get the television to turn on.

Comments

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela snorted derisively despite the fact that she'd trained with Leto enough to know he was no push-over. "Just don't push your luck," she suggested, even though she wasn't sure she didn't want him to.

[future_sandworm]

Then he leaned in to kiss her, every inch of his body prepared for an attack.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

It took precious seconds for Triela to realize that he really intended to do it, and then she spent a second or two frozen in shock. Ant then it was too late to react before he was right there.

[future_sandworm]

As she didn't move Leto kissed Triela, waiting for her to pull away.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

She actually started to lean forward, lips softening slightly, before she caught herself. Her entire body jerked backward and her open palm came up toward his cheek before she even consciously thought about what had just happened.

"I thought I told you never to do that without my permission," she said coldly.

It didn't appear that she even knew she was running her tongue lightly along her lip.

[future_sandworm]

"You didn't stop me," he said gently, taking a step back to avoid her hand.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Which didn't entirely explain her response.

Instead of taking another swing at Leto, her shoulders slumped ever so slightly.

[future_sandworm]

"Was it really that bad?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela aimed a scowl at him, but her lack of answer was probably answer enough.

[future_sandworm]

"Why don't you let yourself enjoy anything like that?" Leto asked.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela opened her mouth to snap an angry response, but then froze.

"What?"

It wasn't that she hadn't heard him, but no one had ever asked her that before.

[future_sandworm]

"It doesn't have to be romance or dating, or an obsession," Leto said. "But touching another can truly make you feel more human. If that's what you want to be."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

That drew a mild scowl. "It's a vulnerability," she countered. But her voice had the tone of someone giving an expected answer rather than one she truly believed.

[future_sandworm]

"No," Leto said. "True vulnerability is thinking that you are unable to connect with anyone, physically or emotionally. It can be just a tool or a weapon in itself, or just a part of life. Cutting it off creates fear."

He smiled. "And fear is the mindkiller."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela's scowl deepened into something serious. "I'm not afraid. I just know better than to be vulnerable with anyone I don't trust."

Yeah. That was the only thing holding her back.

[future_sandworm]

"And what apart from fear is making you vulnerable?" Leto asked. There were other possible reasons of course, but he was playing a game here.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Letting your guard down for any reason makes you vulnerable," Triela pointed out, her tone suggesting she was talking to an idiot.

[future_sandworm]

"In that case just talking to me would be letting your guard down. What difference does a kiss make?"

Possibly a lot of difference, and Leto knew it, of course.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"You asked about 'enjoying it'," Triela countered archly.

[future_sandworm]

"So every enjoyment is a threat?" Leto smiled.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"You often kiss people, enjoy iy, and are not distracted?" she challenged.

[future_sandworm]

"Some distraction doesn't mean I'm not prepared for danger."

This applied especially when kissing someone like Triela.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"So you shouldn't let yourself have too much fun. That's what you're saying."

If Triela didn't sound like she believed him, that was probably because she'd had plenty of time at Fandom to see way too many people allow themselves to get way too distracted by yhe whole "kissing" thing. And the other things that tended to go with it.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

[P.S. This is one of the best threads ever!]

[future_sandworm]

[Poor Triela! Yes!]