OOM: Room #100, for Gene Hunt

[ikissdhimbck]

She passes the two clean glasses to Gene so she can fish out her key, and opens the door to room #100.

"There. S'like no time's passed at all."

Hopefully he remembers his way around the place.

Comments

[themanclion]

He thinks he can handle a hotel room. He's been in scarier places.

'Mmm.'

He puts the glasses down on the nearest flat surface.

'If no time's passed, I reckon I remember what we should be doin', then.'

[ikissdhimbck]

Her lips twitch as she kicks off her boots, leaving them in a heap of wilted leather by the door.

"You remember, hmm?"

She sets the fresh bottle of bourbon on her desk next to the two glasses, and turns to face him. Rosencrantz trots up, blinking hard in the new light, and sits at Gene's feet.

[themanclion]

'Mmmm,' he says again, and reaches out for her, pulling her lightly to him.

The cat gets ignored, again. Just like last time. He just leans in to kiss her. If she doesn't remember, he'll bloody well remind her.

[ikissdhimbck]

There's that almost-forgotten tension in her belly when he tugs her closer, that thrill of nerves and loss of breath. Even the slightest amount of attention has her body singing.

She watches him with half-lidded eyes as he leans in, fingers curling lightly around his shirt, and ...

... she pulls back, excitement turning to fear.

You only kiss the men you kill.

Her fingers tighten, keeping him close to her though her head is bowed and her eyes closed. She only needs a moment to collect her resolve. Maybe a fortifying glass of bourbon will help.

[themanclion]

He tries not to sigh. And pretty much succeeds, though not completely.

'Is this gonna happen every time?'

He sounds tired, and curious, more than accusatory. Like he's just asking for the sake of information, rather than to have a go at her.

[ikissdhimbck]

She lets out a long sigh, shaking her head softly.

"No."

Combing a few wisps of hair behind her ear, she lifts her chin and catches his eyes again.

"Promise."

She takes a half-step closer, the tension in her shoulders as clear as the determination on her face. She's going to make this work.

[themanclion]

'OK.'

His hands slide from her waist to circle around her back, a smooth movement as he leans down again. He doesn't necessarily believe her, but it doesn't matter right now. Though he does pause, less than a centimetre from her lips.

'Relax, luv. I won' be settin' an exam.'

And then he kisses her.

[ikissdhimbck]

She closes her eyes so that, for a moment, all that exists is the warmth of his words gusting across her lips, the solidity of his arms around her frame, and the way her heart is beating against his chest. She laughs, quiet and soft, easing past her smile into the kiss.

It's wrong and right and terrifying and exciting, all at the same time.

She pulls back, licks her lips, and leans in again. He tastes like liquor and nicotine, and something else. Something beyond what her tastebuds know. Like silk, if silk had a flavor.

She breathes out when they part.

"Good memory."

[themanclion]

'Yeah.'

He smirks, just ever so slightly, and straightens, looking down at her from his greater height.

'So.'

Beat.

(What now?)

'Drink?'

[ikissdhimbck]

She plays with his collar.

"Yes, please."

It's even hotter up here than it was downstairs. She backs up a little, pulling her braid over her shoulder to get her hair off her neck, and endeavors to steel her nerves. Guildenstern is curled up on her bed pretending to be asleep, and offers an easy distraction.

"Did you ever hafta fight in the war? Or was it long over by the time you was old 'nough?"

She sits on her bed and watches him.

[themanclion]

He looks down briefly, and then moves over to the table to pour them both a couple of fingers.

'No. I wasn' quite fourteen when it ended.'

He contemplates the Scotch a minute, before picking the glasses up and turning around, holding hers out to her.

'Though' about lyin' about me age to get in, but...' he hesitates, and changes what he was going to say, '...me brother would've killed me. Still got called up for National Service when I were eighteen though, same as all the other lads.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She accepts the glass, transferring it to her left hand so she doesn't have to stop stroking the cat purring away at her side. Her eyes never leave Gene's face, however. Several questions spring to mind just from watching him, but finally she settles on one.

"Why would you think t'lie jus' t'get in? War's awful. My daddy was a man when he fought, an' he still came away changed - or so he said. Can't imagine a boy exposed t'such things comin' away any better."

[themanclion]

'Yeah, well...'

He moves to go and sit next to her, then changes his mind and stays standing.

'...easy to say that now, in hindsight. At the time, it was what a lot of lads did. Do it f'King an' Country, an' all that. It wasn' like they didn' need the bodies. Germans mowed us down in tens of thousands, those first years.'

But it had seemed like a better option than staying at home, for a while. Ultimately though, how could he disappear and leave his mother to face down his dad on her own?

'It don' matter. There won't be another war like it again. 'course, your lot are in one now, in my time, but tha's your problem.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She reaches for him, wrapping her hand around his wrist and giving a tug. She wants him to sit next to her.

"Tens of thousands?"

A shiver makes its way down her spine. The thought is so absolutely horrifying that she repeats the question, completely incredulous.

"Jesus," she mutters, swallowing down half her glass.

[themanclion]

He shrugs. Not because it's not important, but because it is, and he doesn't have the right words.

'Not as bad as the First World War, I think. We lost sixty thousand in one day there, once.'

He does sit next to her, and he finishes his drink first. Just in case he needs his hands free.

'Shouldn' tell you stuff like this, I s'pose. It's not all that far in your furute.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"World - First World War?"

First?

She turns slightly so she's partially facing him, Guildenstern forgotten for the time being.

"What in God's name were y'warrin' about? More than once?"