Rogue/Oz Postage

[canttouch]

We went ahead and made this a long post here because it's sort of long and was very linked. We figured this would be easier reading



Rogue stoof in front of her closet and contemplated her clothing choices. She could go sort of sexy with a tank top but that meant lots of bare skin, lots of opportunities for accidents. The possibility of not knocking Oz unconscious outweighed the possibility of looking sexy. She sighed and pulled out a long sleeved shirt in a dark green color. It was a thermal shirt but it had an open neck that at least shows off her collarbone and cleavage. She pulled it on along with a pair of baggy khaki cargo pants she picked up in Hot Topic. She wished she had perfume or makeup or any of the girly things usually associated with dates. Instead, she slicked on some shimmery pink lip gloss she picked up in CVS that was still good. She brushed her hair out and left it trailing over her shoulders.

She lit a couple of candles in the room along with the fireplace. It was dark outside and the room was reasonably cold. The electricity was spotty at best, besides the candles were more romantic and this was a date. A smile raced across her face at that thought. She had a date, with a boy she really liked.

Oz grabbed his jacket and guitar, then started down the stairs from the top floor where he resided. For the first time in a long time, he felt the light giddiness of butterflies in his stomach. He had a date with Rogue. Their first, in fact.

He'd opted for his normal, brown corderoy pants that were straight legged and baggy and a tan shirt with the words 'I ignore the stupid' on it.

At the door to Rogue's apartment, he hesitated before knocking on the door.

Rogue froze at the knock on the door, nerve nearly overwhelming her for a moment. She picked up her gloves from the table and slipped them on then opened the door, a smile coming upbidden to her face.

"Hey," she said as she took a step back. "Come on in."

Oz gave Rogue a small, ghostly grin and reached for Rogue's hand, kissing her knuckles over the glove before walking in. "You took my line... hey."

He leaned his guitar against the wall, looking around the room at the candles and the lit fireplace. "Ambiance."

Rogue shrugged. "It's cold...the lights flicker...besides, I like candles and the fireplace."

Oz looked sideways to Rogue, and nodded. "I like them too."

Rogue bit her bottom lip, pulling it through her teeth. "So...uhm...you wanna sit down?"

Dammit. She shouldn't be nervous, not like beyond being able to not sound like a moron nervous. She'd gotten comfortable with Oz, they'd talked, she'd drained him, they'd colored each other's hair. Yet here she was nervous because it was a date and he'd kissed her hand and she hadn't freaked out and it was so very much like a date.

"Yeah. Thanks." Oz walked to the couch and sat down, not leaning back when he saw Rogue staying where she was.

He glanced sideways and back to her. "Are you going to sit with me or is this a standing gig?" He stood back up.

"No, it's uhm-no, I'm gonna sit," she said as she walked over to the couch and sat down. "Just-you know...nervous," she admitted.

"Nervous?" Oz sat down again beside Rogue, his hands sliding over his corderoy pants. "Just me."

"I think it's the word date that has me nervous, Sugar," Rogue grinned then shrugged. "But I could be wrong."

"Question." Oz lifted a corner of his lips slightly and looked to Rogue. "Is everybody 'sugar'?"

Rogue furrowed her brow, glancing at Oz as she wondered at the question. Her stomach dropped out and twisted. She gnawed on her lower lip as that feeling of something's wrong nibbled at her insides.

"Yeah, I guess so. My Mama used to call everyone Sugar. Guess I sorta picked up on it. I think it's a Southern thing. They used to laugh 'bout it at school."

"I like the Southern thing." Oz nodded, bowing his head.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I just think... I think you had me from the first time you called me 'sugar' in CVS." Part of him wondered how many others had fallen as hard as he had at that pet name.

Rogue grinned. "Well now I never realized it had such power. I'll have to remember that," she teased.

"It metaphorically knocked me out." Oz nodded slightly.

"Metaphorically is better than literally. Less chance of crackin' your skull open," Rogue said as she leaned back on the couch, visably relaxing some.

"And again we keep up the theme o violence in our discussions. I can see this turning into an abusive relationship... conversationally speaking."

"I should have warned you that conversationally speaking I'm a very abusive person," she grinned.

"Conversational abuse is a valid relationship-type of choice." Oz said with a slight nod.

Rogue grinned again and reached out to run her gloved fingertips over the scruff on Oz's face. "You know, I'm gonna have to stop callin' you a boy in my head. As in, I've got a date with a boy," she teased.

She left off the that I like part because a girl had to keep some of her dignity.

"Well, I am a boy... so it still works. I'm okay with boy, male, man, stoic guy." Oz quipped.

"You know...that's the thing about you. You're so picky," Rogue teased.

"So people say..." Oz gives Rogue a quick lift of an eyebrow, the only movement on his features. "It's amazing I have any friends at all."

"Shhh don't tell anyone I told you, but you really don't. It's a social experiment," she grinned.

"As I've suspected all along... But hey, good to know." Oz nods curtly then pauses, his gaze meeting Rogues. "You're not part of that experiment, right?"

"Are you kiddin', Sugar. I'm the one who saves you from being experimented on," Rogue winked at him.

"My hero." Oz said calmly to Rogue.

"Even though I'm really doing it so you'll be deeply indebted to me," Rogue waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Ohhh blackmail." Oz pauses and then nods slightly. "It's kinda sexy... much with the liking."

Rogue laughed and then grinned at him. "I'll have to blackmail you more often, Sugar." She considered him for a moment. "You know, I might have to come up with a special name for you. Unless you'd rather me stick with Sugar."

"Can't forget that I liked the stalkerness too." Oz quipped then leaned back into the cusions of the couch. "I'd like special." He said simply.

"So basically, you like the insane girls," Rogue grinned. She pulled up one foot onto the couch and turned sideways to face Oz. "I'll have to think about it and get back to you."

"Insane in a good way." Oz nodded, inside more than excited that she was going to try to come up with a name just for him.

The corner of Rogue's mouth quirked up in a grin. "I didn't know there was a good way. I thought there was just the lock you up in a padded room way."

"Well there's that, and then there's the harmless only kinda crazy. I like that kind." Oz said.

"That's the kind I'm shootin' for then," Rogue smiled. "I don't call anyone Baby. Would that one bother you?"

A rare, full smile graced Oz's lips. "Not really."

"Good, 'cause I'm thinkin' I like it."

She reached up and touched the corner of his mouth with her gloved fingers. "I didn't know you could smile that big, Baby," she said, trying out the nickname.

"It's only for special occasions." Oz almost leaned into the touch, but held back. It was only a small touch anyway... The smile was already dulling into his usual stoicism.

"Now see you're gonna make me hunt for special occasions to see that," she told him.

"Oh there's plenty to be had here. It's a first hypothetical date." Oz said.

"Yeah, it is...which explains the nerves part eariler," Rogue said, a big smile on her face. "And if this were the real world I guess there'd be dinner and movies...I sort of like this better. I'm not good in crowds."

"I like it too. Can't really talk in a movie, and it's rude to talk while eating too." Oz said, reaching out for Rogues gloved hand closest to him. "Plus the proximity is a plus."

Rogue let Oz take her hand then furrowed her brow. "I nearly gave this really nice girl, Faye in 202 a heart attack this mornin'. She handed me a cup of coffee and accidently brushed against my gloves. I jerked my hands back and spilled coffee all over the place. Told her I had a phobia 'gainst bein' touched."

Oz's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't want people knowing? I can understand that, you just didn't say..."

"No...I just don't want-most people don't accept it the way you did. They...freak out. In my world there are a lot of people out there that think mutants should be locked up or killed, especially dangerous ones that can't control their power. I nearly killed that boy. I nearly killed Logan...an' I saw him get shot in the head an' stand up five minutes later. I just...I'd rather them think I'm a normal sorta freak than the mutant sorta freak," Rogue tried to explain, her eyes fixed on their hands. She looked up after a moment.

"Why?"

"Well.. I kinda told my friends... about you and the me really liking you and... about you." Oz said slowly, watching Rogue carefully. He may have already messed up.

"Oh," Rogue said, biting her bottom lip. "Did they freak out?"

She paused a second, the worry on her face slipping away to a smile. "You told 'em you really like me?"

"I did... and they didn't. They're just protective of me. Much with the wanting me to be happy and safe." Oz glossed over the reactions Angel and Buffy had had.

Rogue nodded. "Yeah...those are good things to be. Happy and safe." She gnawed on her bottom lip. "I don't know how much you can be either around me. Not that I'm discouraging...because totally not. Just...you know. Truth."

"It's true for both of us. Makes us perfect for each other." Oz looked sideways at Rogue. "And I should tell you that I'm going to kiss you at some point tonight, drain or not. It's a plan in the works."

For a minute, probably two Rogue just stared at him. She felt her stomach twist and she thought she might be sick. She took a deep breath and it came out in a rush of words.

"You-you can't. I mean-what if-coma. I've told you that and I really like you and I'd like for you not to end up in a coma because cute as you are, Baby, I like you even better conscious an' talkin' an' you could end up neither if you kiss me an' if you go into a coma, I might actually jus' lose it an' totally crack up."

"No really, I have a plan." Oz said calmly, a stark contrast to the anxiety Rogue was voicing.

"A plan for endin' up unconscious?" Rogue asked. "I'm not exaggrattin'. I'm serious. I freaked Bobby out bad when he kissed me an' I started drainin' him. I don't wanna freak you out that way. I like that your not scared of me. I wanna keep it that way."

Oz cast Rougue an almost sly look, still confident. "You just need a little faith, and someone to trust you, which I do. I've really thought this out... over today, but still."

"What if I hurt you?" Rogue asked. "Are you gonna be scared of me?" Her voice sounds vulnerable and tiny, conveying all the fear and anxiety she's feeling.

Oz shook his head. "Nah, we'll just come up with a different plan."

Rogue tried to take a deep breath. It trembled slightly as she breathed in and more as she exhaled. "Okay..." She paused and nodded. "okay...if you promise you won't be scared of me."

"You didn't even ask me what the plan was... It's nice that you like the element of surprise." Oz squeezed Rogues hand. "I promise not to be scared of you."

Oz draws a deep breath himself. "And see? Now that that's out of the way, we can enjoy this hypothetical date turned to reality. I'm gonna go ahead and proclaim it an actual date."

Rogue furrowed her brow a moment, realizing he was right. She'd never asked what the plan was. "Maybe I didn't ask because I want you to kiss me. I just...my history of kissing hasn't ended up well."

She grinned at him and squeezed his hand. "An actual date huh? Careful, this could turn into a habit."

"Much with the addictive." Oz nodded. "You can never have too many of those. Me though? I prefer just one."

"Ah now see I like that, the whole monogamy thing," Rogue grinned.

"Monogomy is highly underrated." Oz nodded.

"I'm a flirt. I know it but I don't mean nothin' by it. Jus' talkin' you know? Always did like the idea of a boyfriend though...just one," Rogue said then wrinkled her nose. "I'm not makin' much sense am I?"

Oz shook his head slightly, "Just enough."

"Good. I sorta like it when I make sense to you," Rogue smiled.

"I sorta do to." A ghost of a grin flickered over Oz's lips. "It helps with the smooth first date. What did you do today?"

"Had coffee in 202, read some, gathered up all these candles from all over an' spent the rest of the day trying to decide what to wear. Sexy tank top with lots of bare skin or something safer. You?"

"I like what you're wearing. Sexy is all in perspective."

"Thanks," Rogue said and dipped her head, blushing. She glanced back up at him. "What did you do today?"

"I uhm... I talked to my friends and then slept a whole lot... meditated some."

Rogue nodded. "Good things to do. It's nice you've got friends here."

"Well I didn't think I did, then I found Buffy. I've known her for years. Do you know Buffy?" Oz asked.

Rogue shook her head at Oz's question. "No...I haven't met her. For a while I kinda stuck to my room...people overload I guess. I'm just now getting out and meeting people."

"You should meet her. I told her she should meet you too. It should be a mutual meeting. And Angel too. He's another friend." Oz said

Rogue smiled at Oz. "I'd like that...meeting your friends. I knew a guy named Angel...he had actual wings and flew. I'm guessing...not the same Angel?"

"Not so much with the wings. He's a vampire... but a good one." Oz clarified quickly. "He has a soul... and is good."

"A good vampire?" Rogue said after a moment. She looked at Oz skeptically, eyebrows arched. "Really?" She shrugged. "So he's all Louis and tortured and weepy?"

Oz hesitated, then nodded. "Pretty much... yeah."

Rogue hestitated again, then shrugged. "Cool...what does he eat here? 'Cause kind of a lack of animals."

"Well I think i'm gonna help him out, donate some blood for him to drink." Oz said calmly as if he were talking about the weather. "And then there's this war council thing... which if they decide not to let him stay, I'll probably move out of the apartments too cause... hypocritical much?"

"Move out?" Rogue asked, disappointment and surprise evident in her voice. "Wh-where are you gonna go? I mean if they don't let him stay...I hope they'll let him stay."

"There's lots of buildings out there... deserted cities. I hope they let him stay too."

She furrowed her brow again, her eyes on their joined hands. "He won't hurt you...I mean if he drinks your blood...right?"

"Angel wouldn't hurt me... well unless he's evil... which he's not." Oz explained. "The answer is no." He finally concluded.

She reached over and touched the curve of his neck. "Will you have a bite mark here?"

For some reason, the idea of someone putting a mark on Oz bothered her, particularly because she couldn't.

He seems to think about it for a moment before answering. "That's usually how it works, although I'm not quite clear about all of the details yet. But it's possible."

He looked over to her, his hand reaching up to cover her gloved one on his neck. "Don't worry about it. Angel's old... could call him a professional. It won't hurt as much as some other things do."

"S'funny...not worry so much as jealousy, Baby," Rogue admitted with a half grin. She didn't move her hand. This whole touching thing, even with her gloves on was different for her.

"Jealous. I like jealous." Oz said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I think it's time for the plan. Or the execution of it anyway."

Rogue swallowed hard and exhaled a trembling breath. "O-okay," she half whispered.

"Well first I need you to calm down... I kinda want you to remember it as kinds spectacular as far as first kisses go." Oz said, his hand squeezing hers.

"I'm tryin', Sugar," Rogue told him, her voice still strung with nerves. She took a deep breath, squeezing his hand with hers. Her stomach insisted on twisting and roiling. She wouldn't hurt him. It'd end up good. The kind of good with no one in a coma, no one screaming, no one running away and no one dying.

She gave him a half grin and nodded. "Okay...I trust your plan."

The nerves were still there but they were better then they had been.

Oz lifted his lips in a small grin and nodded. "Now you have to promise to keep kissing me... until I pull back." He scooted closer to her, watching her with a calm and reassuring look. "Let me break the kiss when it's time, not you."

"You'll pull away before I hurt you, right?" Rogue asked, concern marking her voice.

"I will." Oz nodded. "Not so much with the glutton for punishment. Promise not to pull away? I'm gonna need you not to."

Rogue hesitated a moment, trying to push back the terror of hurting him. Finally she nodded. "I promise," she whispered.

"And now I'm worried about you freaking out... are you ready?" Oz asked, a hand already slipping around her waist to pull her closer to him.

Rogue nodded and slipped the gloved hand on his neck around to the back of his neck. "Ready as I'm ever gonna be," she whispered. Her heart felt like it was beating a thousand times a minute.

Just before Oz's lips reached Rogue's, he let go of any control he had, completely trusting her to touch him. Sharp teeth appeared and a wolfly growl escaped him as his lips touched hers. His teeth dulled again as Rogue's power drained the beast of the power to escape.

He kissed her slow, the wolf inside of him losing any power it had just as slowly. When the wolf seemed to rest tiredly inside of him and he began to feel the draining kiss, he pulled back breathlessly. His chest heaved up and down with the effort to take in air.

He eyed Rogue, watching her closely for a look of fear or anger or anything that would tell him what she was thinking and how she was feeling. The wolf being partly free of him should have stayed completely inside of him and had minimal effect on her... the way he'd planned.

At first, Rogue hesitated, just letting Oz kiss her. After a moment, she pulled herself closer, kissing him, pouring herself into the kiss, letting go of the worry and fear.

When he pulled away, she didn't want to let him go for a moment. A smile slipped across her face. "Wow..." she breathed out. "That was...wow. Good plan."

Oz returned the smile with a small one of his own. "Very successful, I gotta admit."

"Are you okay? I mean...you feel okay, right? Minimal wooziness, you can breathe alright, heart's not doing funny things...all that normal stuff, right?" Rogue asked. She was still sitting close enough that her body was touching his. The only bare skin he had to worry about was her neck and upper torso.

"Just... really calm. Nothing too abnormal. You?" Oz asked, an arm still wrapped around Rogue's waist.

"Not quite as really calm as you," she grinned. "But I'm good. It was...cool. When I touched you the other night...I got the wolf and edgey and the whole meat thing. This time...I just got you."

She paused a moment, watching him. "You just let go of your control completely didn't you? You trusted me to keep him back. That's why you needed me not to pull away."

"I did." Oz nodded slightly, his voice a quiet calm. "I won't be able to do that often but... sometimes. I'm glad you just got me... good plan."

"Yeah...good plan," she grinned at Oz and leaned against him. "I know I can't, but I thought you should know...I really want to kiss you again."

"Well that means we can look forward to when we can again... together." Oz said, careful not to touch skin as he held onto her.

"So you're definitely lookin' forward to it?" Rogue asked with a grin. Her brow furrowed and her tone sobered. "How bad is it gonna bother you? The no touchin' thing?"

She was falling fast enough that she was already anticipating the heart ache that'd come when he couldn't handle not touching, not kissing and all of the other nots anymore.

"It'll just make it that much more special when I can." Oz said calmly, his gaze watching Rogue's carefully. "Not much bothers me."

Rogue nodded and sat against him in silence for a little while, pondering whether she should say something more or drop it.

"Since this is no longer a hypothetical thing...I think I should tell you, I'm kinda falling for you which means I'm kind of looking ahead...so I've got a request."

Oz nodded slightly, he could take anything right now as long as she wasn't scared and running in the opposite direction. "The falling is mutual. What do you want?"

"My hearts pretty bang up and bruised...it's been through a lot so I'd like it if you could not break it too bad...or at least warn me so I know what to expect," Rogue said in a half whisper. She kept her eyes down, focused on his arm around her waist.

"Breaking isn't so much a part of the plan..." Oz had had his fair share of a broken heart too. He never wanted to put anyone through that.

"I like that then and since you've proved to be so good with the planning, I'll leave it to you," Rogue smiled. She took his arm and wrapped it tighter around her. "I like that you planned this. It means you thought about it."

"Thought about it alot." Oz's lips curved up into a rae, lazy grin. "Some would say too much... almost obsessively."

"Oooo, I like being an obsession. It goes with my stalker tendancies," Rogue grinned.

"The two do fit... which is a nice metaphor for us... or a psychotic one depending on the perspective."

"Psychotic is just an opinion," Rogue said. "Besides, I like us. Psychotic or obsessive or just wierd...whatever you want to call it." Almost impulsively she peeled off the glove on her right hand and ran her fingertips up and down Oz's leg, from his knee to mid thigh.

"I'm afraid to touch people, even with my gloves on. Even though I know as long as there's something between my skin and theirs it's okay...I'm not afraid to touch you though. I want to touch you," she whispered.

"And this is much with the good... I like that you're not afraid." Oz said quietly.

"I think it's because you're not afraid of me. You didn't run when I touched you the other night and you didn't avoid me. I'm not used to that."

She kept running her hand up and down his leg. "Only person I ever met after I mutated that I was completely comfortable with was Logan. Even after I nearly killed him, he wasn't scared to touch me. It's nice...knowing that if you touch me or if I touch you, even accidently you won't run away."

"Won't even flinch... so Logan was a friend?" Oz asked.

"Yeah," Rogue smiled slightly. "He saved me...I mean I told you 'bout the time he kept me from dyin' when Magento used me but he saved me lots. Once before we ever even got to the school from one of Magento's guys. Then...he had this nightmare and accidently impaled me with his claws, through the shoulder. I borrowed his power to heal it up. The kids at school got real angry 'cause they thought I'd just used my power against him for no reason. I ran away and he came after me. I sorta thought he'd come find me here somehow...he's kinda like a big brother, I guess."

"It's good to have those sibling types." Oz nodded.

Rogue nodded. "Yeah...they make you feel safe." She glanced over at the doorway. "So did you just bring the guitar to remind me I'm dating a guitar player?"

"Oh... yeah." Oz's gaze followed Rogue's to his guitar.

A crease formed on his brow. "I knew I should have saved the kiss for later... just couldn't wait."

Rogue looked up to Oz, her brow furrowed. "I like that you couldn't wait...but what does the kiss have to do with the guitar?"

"It means now that I have you this close to me, I'd have to move away from you to get the guitar and actually play it." Oz explained.

"Ah, I see the problem," Rogue grinned. "Well, as much as I'd like to hear you play, I really enjoy this close to you thing. In fact, I'm thinking I may require you to be this close to me from now on."

"Oh, it's gonna be tough but I'm willing to try it." Oz quipped with a small grin.

"That's what I like about you. You're open minded and willing to try new things," Rogue grinned. Her hand moved from his leg up to his shirt, fiddling with the hem of it. She was careful not to touch his skin but she didn't give him a wide berth the way she did most people.

"I like lots of things about you." Oz said quietly, "You know how much trust went into that kiss? Pretty much all of it."

Rogue turned so that she was facing Oz, one leg on one side of his against the back of the couch, the other on the other side of his, her booted foot on the floor. For a moment she just watches him, her face mere inches from his. Her hands slide up his chest over his tee shirt. After a moment she ducks her head, her hair falling down to curtain her face.

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint..." she glanced back up at him from beneath the fringe of her lashes. "I didn't...right? I mean...disappoint. It was worth the planning and the sleeping and the meditating?"

A small, quick breath escaped Oz as he lowered his own gaze. "More than worth it." He whispered.

"Good,” Rogue whispered as she leaned in close enough that her shoulder nearly touched his. "Be still," she whispered as she leaned in close enough that her lips just almost brushed his skin on the curve of his neck. She exhaled slowly, blowing warm air against his skin all the way up the column of his neck to his ear. "Is this okay?" she whispered after a moment, her lips still just a hair's breadth away from his skin.

Any calm that Oz had been feeling was quickly replaced as Rogue's breath tickled his skin. He tried to stay perfectly still, and closed his eyes to find the center that would keep him from getting too agitated. The only movement was his hand that slid along her side over her clothing.

"Yeah... pretty much perfect." He whispered.

Oz's hand sliding up her side made her shiver for a moment and she put her bare hand on his shoulder over his shirt to steady herself.

"You'll have to tell me when to stop," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. her bare hand went up to his hair and she raked her fingers slowly through his hair, careful never to touch his scalp.

"I think your the first person I've not touched this much," she whispered in his ear.

A small, almost unnoticeable smile spread on Oz's lips. "Gladness." He said quietly, bowing his head as her fingers threaded through his hair.

"So I'll save the guitar playing for date number two?"

For a moment, Rogue went still, a smile slipping across her face. "So there's definitely going to be a date number two?" She didn't pull away or even look at him, just smiled so brightly it could be heard in her voice.

"Well it's a plan in the works." Oz said, his voice dripping with dry sarcasm. "On my side it's a go. It all depends on the girl."

Rogue laughed softly, her breath against his skin before she pulled back to look at it. "The girl is definitely a go," she grinned at him.

"Well see that's helpful information..." Oz nodded.

"You realize it's going to be difficult to top this first date," she told him with a smile.

Oz pursed his lips together in thought for a moment and then lifted an eyebrow. "Motivation." He said simply.

Rogue laughed and trailed her ungloved finger over the collar of his shirt and then down his chest, resting her hand over his stomach. "I know you're not big on motivation..." she leaned forward again, pressing her body against his. "So if you need some help with the motivation, Baby, just let me know," she whispered in his ear.

"Oh no, not the lack of it... the fact that it's there." Oz said eyebrows lifted as he glanced down to where her hand rested against his stomach and back up to her.

"This is nice." He said calmly. "Us..."

Rogue smiled again, barely suppressing a squee that would have hurt Oz's wolf ears and looked up at him. "This is nice...we make a good us. And honestly, I'm giggley and just avoiding squeeing to keep from hurting your brain and looking like a 12 year old, me not you, at the whole idea of inspiring motivation in you."

Then she glanced down at her hand on his stomach. "This is alright, right? I've told you before I'm not good with limits unless they're get the hell away from me or coma inducing...so you know...just tell me if it's not."

The rambling was becoming more of a thing around him.

Oz let a small smile grace his lips that was gone too quickly. “Much with the cute.” He said observantly before nodding. “It’s alright.”

"Good," Rogue said, the smile flickering over her lips. After a moment she took her other gloves off, laying them both on the couch. She swallowed hard, the teasing moment gone again as she slipped the hand on his stomach around to his back then ran both hands up his back to his shoulders and back down again.

"It's been...forever since I touched someone without my gloves on. It's different without them. You've still got your tee shirt on but I can feel the heat of your skin through the cloth." She ran the tips of her fingers up his spine then ghosted them over the back of his neck to his hair, dancing her fingers through his hair without touching his head.

"It's nice...knowing you trust me enough to let me do this. Thanks..."

“I do trust you.” Oz scooted closer to Rogue, lifting his hand so that his fingertips hovered just above Rogue’s lips. The small smile was back, but a little more lasting this time before it faded.

The almost touch was full of a warmth and tease that made the not touching alright. “Do you feel it?” He asked quietly.

Rogue closed her eyes and nodded slightly; careful to make sure she didn't close the last centimeter between them. "Yeah...I've gotta give you credit, Baby. This holding still thing is harder than I thought."

Oz shrugged lightly. “I’ve had practice.” He leaned forward, his lips taking the place of the spot where his fingers had just been only a hairs breadth away from her lips. “I’ll have to teach you some meditation practices sometime.”

Her hands on his back stilled and she swallowed hard then bit her bottom lip. She grabbed handfuls of his shirt, balling it up in her fist and whimpered softly. "Do you have any idea how bad I want to kiss you right now?" she said in a soft exhalation of breath.

“As much as I wanna kiss you…” Oz said quietly, his breath caught in his throat. His hand squeezed the skin at her side lightly before he finally pulled back to look at her. “It’s getting late.” His voice was almost too calm.

"And you should go..." she whispered, opening her eyes. She nodded and sighed as she pulled away. "Otherwise it could end with the bad and as much as I like kissing you, I like you conscious better." She stood up and put her gloves on.

"Tonight was...great, better than great."

“Glad I didn’t disappoint.” Oz repeated Rogue’s words from earlier back to her as he stood up. “I’ll just… leave the guitar here if that’s ok.” He took Rogue’s gloved hand as he started for the door to her apartment.

"Yeah..."Rogue smiled. "That's okay," she said as she squeezed Oz's hand in hers and walked him to the door. "So should we set a time for this hypothetical second date or leave it up in the air?"

“The mystery does hold a certain appeal. Never know when it’s coming.” Oz said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Rogue pouted. "But I don't get to look forward to the whole seeing you again thing."

Oz lifted a hand, his thumb ghosting an inch away from Rogue's lips before he drops it to his side again. "And she pouts..."

He shook his head. "Just when I think she can't get cuter." He paused and the nodded. "How about I find you tomorrow sometime?"

Rogue grinned, obviously pleased with the results her pouting rendered. "Tomorrow is good."

“Good, cause I wouldn’t wanna interrupt any plans with the other boys.” Oz joked with an almost unnoticeable wink.

He opened the door and then lifted Rogue’s gloved hand that he still held to his lips, kissing the knuckles. “Goodnight, Rogue.”

Rogue leaned against the doorframe with a soft, happy sigh. "Well, there were those other six but for you...I can cancel," she teased. "Goodnight, Oz."

Oz hesitated, and then turned to head for the stairwell that would take him back to the top floor of the apartment building. A small smile played on his lips. This was good.