[Ivanova] Please stay... or go... stay?lost_mckayNovember 13 2007, 17:23:01 UTC
"Oh..." The nod in response to her question wasn't, honestly, something she was expecting even if she was expecting it. Truth be told, Marcus was in an untenable position, held between duty and personal. Susan knew that, and still, she'd asked. Probably not fair to either, in hindsight, but perhaps he could see a way around it that she couldn't.
True to form, he'd shifted slightly and made the concession, "I must be back before dawn, at least." She couldn't meet him that half way, however... She just couldn't bring herself to look past her anger, the thought that a crime against humanity had been done despite her best efforts, and the First One could have done-- something. Anything
( ... )
Marcus' lips pressed together in thought, then he nodded once. "It's a good.. idea" he smiled, almost shyly. "But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."
He looked around, but of course the nearest thing to the sacred fruit was the cranberries. Peeling one off, he held it up to Susan. "From birth, through death and renewal, you must put aside old things, old fears, old lives, this is your death, the death of flesh, the death of pain, the death of yesterday. Taste of it, and be not afraid, for I am with you to the end of time. Taste of it. And so it begins."
The words of the ritual were harsh, but to Marcus they were a commitment, a promise. He held the fruit close to Susan's lips, hoping she would take it.
Was she nuts? Susan offered to stay up, after 4 glasses of wine, and watch Marcus sleep?! 'Hoo, boy, Susan... you are... desperate? Not very becoming. You should be stronger than that. Her own internal argument held everything... the fact that normally, she'd be in bed by 10, 11 o'clock and wake with the blaring of her alarm. Waking up in the dark was one of the things she just couldn't do, no matter how hard she tried. And, she'd hoped to get a full night tonight as she didn't last night. They'd been up most of the night, then the blue ball fell out of the heavens at the crack of dawn. Oddly enough, the unfairness of it all, at least in her mind, was comforting. Meant the universe was still... right.
"Okay." Now, Susan was stuck. She couldn't admit to wanting to curl up and go to sleep with the man, sharing the warmth... and--
"But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."That took Susan aback, and she stared... not entirely sure how to react. Particularly after the... pledge, and he
( ... )
She did take the fruit, heartbeats after its offrance, the tangy taste seemingly altered towards the bitter before it settled into a subtle sweetness. Just like the promise of things to come, the death of that which came before. That was going to be the hard part
( ... )
His lips sealed around the small fruit, which vanished with a near-silent pop. Then he smiled. He could see and feel the hesitation within her. It wasn't doubt, nor was it repulsion. So, he reached for her hand. "Susan, thank you." it was said simply, but his heart was in every syllable and he meant it from as deeply as a man could
( ... )
[Ivanova] The engagement is official...lost_mckayNovember 14 2007, 18:11:26 UTC
Repulsion? Far from it... The meaning of the words spoken, however, are something that she took very, very seriously. Susan also knew that Marcus, too, had a great deal to work on, as it were. Between the two of them, they could fill a train's worth of baggage cars. This, however, was the promise of trust. For her, it was important. She could love a man she trusted, but never, ever one she couldn't. She was in a position where she refused even if she wanted to trust. That belonged for the starry-eyed young lover. In her case, it was a long, difficult path to win her heart, and Marcus had the beginnings, so much so that she'd noticed, even if he hadn't known that then. She'd looked at him and wondered what her life'd be with a man who kept his promises, was there when she needed his simple presence... Then all hell had broken loose and the universe had decreed that it wasn't to be by the station's destruction, or what she'd believed was it's destruction
( ... )
His eyes brimmed with joy, but his movements were still sure as he slid around the table to sit next to her, holding her hand.
"The Minbari have a saying, that moments of peace bring moments of pure clarity. Right here, now, in this moment of peace, the only truth is that I love you." He grinned, blue eyes sparkling "everything else is negotiable."
Susan's brows rose as she watched Marcus get up from their 'table' to settle beside her. She felt the warmth, the strength in his hand as he took it, a softly dry smile quirked at the edges. "Do they? I think they're falling down on the job, then, because usually they're as confusing as the Vorlons
( ... )
Minbari do not touch, unless it's for purely personal reasons. In fact they rarely make eye contact.
Marcus had lived with the Minbari for so long that personal space was something he'd become accustomed to, but he could sense the faintest level of frustration from Susan. She shielded very well, and he knew that to be inherent, but empathy and telepathy were two different matters. That, and the fact he could read the small amount of tightness in her jaw, the little tightness around her eyes and the fierce blazing in her eyes.
He reached up, his thumb gently smoothing away the tense line on her cheek, then running lightly over her lips, before he leaned in to very gently kiss her.
He hoped that the tenderness and love he felt in his heart could be communicated through the most tender of kisses, but there was always that underlying desire, the burning flame of passion that added a sense of urgency to his touch.
Some might not understand, and because of it, they would think Susan to be cold and aloof. Possibly uncaring... Here was a man who bared his soul, essentially, and she'd picked it up and declared before God that there'd be no other for her, but she couldn't say those three words, even in response to the brave Ranger's own. She couldn't, however, and wouldn't. Instead, she'd given more, for any who knew her. Her trust, and with that came her life. When she gave her trust, she gave everything-- her career to one, her life to another, her heart, now, to yet another. With those, came the power and ability to destroy a part of her; her friends knew that, and more importantly, understood it
( ... )
Marcus' hand lingered on Susan's cheek, reluctant to tall and break the physical contact. However, his eyes watered a little, a look of pure wonder in them
( ... )
Susan leaned back a little at his own admission, the pleased smile lingering still on her lips. "Ice.. or vodka? Everyone knows you can't drink it on the rocks. Frozen, yes... over ice, never." She was teasing him, the soft purr in her tones remaining as a hand traced lines over the closely clipped beard.
Upon his pulling away, Susan looks momentarily puzzled as he .. well, she thought it was good squirming? Another smile comes, though it's one where she tries to understand what she's being told. "You're going to stay the night, but I don't have to? Marcus, what about the Minbari ritual? Didn't you want-- I mean, I'm not complaining. Lord knows I like a good, solid four hours.. but.. Wasn't that something important to you?" Susan, too, leans back now, and shakes her head slowly. "I won't take that away from you. Sure.. I may complain, I may look horrible in the morning and maybe I might snap someone's head off... but I won't take something that's important to you away."
True to form, he'd shifted slightly and made the concession, "I must be back before dawn, at least." She couldn't meet him that half way, however... She just couldn't bring herself to look past her anger, the thought that a crime against humanity had been done despite her best efforts, and the First One could have done-- something. Anything ( ... )
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He looked around, but of course the nearest thing to the sacred fruit was the cranberries. Peeling one off, he held it up to Susan. "From birth, through death and renewal, you must put aside old things, old fears, old lives, this is your death, the death of flesh, the death of pain, the death of yesterday. Taste of it, and be not afraid, for I am with you to the end of time. Taste of it. And so it begins."
The words of the ritual were harsh, but to Marcus they were a commitment, a promise. He held the fruit close to Susan's lips, hoping she would take it.
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"Okay." Now, Susan was stuck. She couldn't admit to wanting to curl up and go to sleep with the man, sharing the warmth... and--
"But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."That took Susan aback, and she stared... not entirely sure how to react. Particularly after the... pledge, and he ( ... )
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"The Minbari have a saying, that moments of peace bring moments of pure clarity. Right here, now, in this moment of peace, the only truth is that I love you." He grinned, blue eyes sparkling "everything else is negotiable."
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Marcus had lived with the Minbari for so long that personal space was something he'd become accustomed to, but he could sense the faintest level of frustration from Susan. She shielded very well, and he knew that to be inherent, but empathy and telepathy were two different matters. That, and the fact he could read the small amount of tightness in her jaw, the little tightness around her eyes and the fierce blazing in her eyes.
He reached up, his thumb gently smoothing away the tense line on her cheek, then running lightly over her lips, before he leaned in to very gently kiss her.
He hoped that the tenderness and love he felt in his heart could be communicated through the most tender of kisses, but there was always that underlying desire, the burning flame of passion that added a sense of urgency to his touch.
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Upon his pulling away, Susan looks momentarily puzzled as he .. well, she thought it was good squirming? Another smile comes, though it's one where she tries to understand what she's being told. "You're going to stay the night, but I don't have to? Marcus, what about the Minbari ritual? Didn't you want-- I mean, I'm not complaining. Lord knows I like a good, solid four hours.. but.. Wasn't that something important to you?" Susan, too, leans back now, and shakes her head slowly. "I won't take that away from you. Sure.. I may complain, I may look horrible in the morning and maybe I might snap someone's head off... but I won't take something that's important to you away."
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