(no subject)
It was the day after Christmas, and Dennys walked to the Compound with a certain amount of dread. He had simply assumed that, because it was Christmas day, Dr. House wouldn't require the medical students to attend class that day. It wasn't until he was about to go to sleep far too late at night that it occurred to him that... well, Dr. House was Dr. House. Dennys didn't think that Dr. House really had any family to celebrate with, other than his boyfriend, or celebrated anything at all, considering his usual disposition. When he arrived in the transformed building, Dennys was surprised to find a note on the door saying that all classes had been canceled until further notice. Puzzled, but not really all that upset, he turned to walk into the rec room, not about to have such an unexciting tromp through the snow without something to show for it.
Violet, on the other hand, had gone back to studying French. She had classes, and things seemed a little... difficult; Claire seemed... preoccupied with F, and so studying seemed like the best thing to do. As she was reading her French book, she found out that it seemed to get a lot more difficult faster then she'd anticipated, and so she was heading to the rec room - hopefully to get some supplementary texts instead of things such as Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and some book called House of Leaves.
She saw Dennys, and she didn't even have to stop before her cheeks suffused with color. "Oh! Dennys- Hi! How- How was your Christmas?"
Dennys' head jerked up at the greeting, because he had been wholly focused on pulling his gloves off. His face burst into a brilliant smile before his eyes even focused on Violet, as he had recognized her voice. "Hey, Violet! It was... good. I mean, not the same as the years before, but good." Fingers now free from their warm coverings, Dennys slipped his gloves into the pocket of his jacket and scratched at the back of his head, feeling inexplicably awkward even though it was just Violet. "How are you? How was yours?"
She smiled, and bit the inside of her lip. "It- It was okay? I mean. Good. I- Uhm. I have- I have something for you. I mean. It's just- It's a book? But- I mean. Good." She flushed. "I- Uh. If that's okay? I mean, of course it's okay. I mean-" She flushed again. "Right. So. Uhm. It's-" She was bright red, but smiled, her eyes bright. "It's good to see you?"
"You do?" Dennys asked, looking suddenly hopeful. Realizing how he must look a second later, he tried to tone it down a bit, but there was something in the corners of his smile that spoke of real happiness. "That's great. Thank you. I.. sort of have something for you, too. I don't have it on me," he explained, regretfully, "because I wasn't expecting to see you, but ... it's at the hut if you ever want to stop by. Or if you want me to bring it tomorrow or later today or something. Or if you want me to run and get it now?"
He was rambling a bit himself, and so stopped himself, looking apologetic. "It's good to see you too," he recovered, or at least tried to recover.
Violet smiled up at him, tucking her braid behind her hair as her toe skimmed the ground. "I- I could do that? Stop by? And I could bring yours. I mean. If you wanted me too? I- I need- I mean, I came here-" Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and she was smiling like an idiot. "Uh- ... French."
She forgot that she'd not said the rest of that sentence, like 'I need to get a book for French' or 'I'm working on French'.
"French?" Dennys echoed, then seemed to catch on to what Violet hadn't said. "Oh, you-- Right, school. I thought we'd have class with Dr. House today, but... I was wrong," he explained, with a light laugh and a shrug. "Looks like he's actually taking a vacation. Wonders will never cease."
He hoped the conversation wouldn't be over for a while, and moving seemed kind of silly, since he was happy right where he was, staring down at Violet, so Dennys lead back and rested at an angle against the door frame. Something rustled as his body hit the wood, and he tilted his head up to blink, mouth agape, at the sprung of mistletoe securely attached above. "Oh... hello there."
Violet blinked, looking at him, before she looked upward. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes flicked down to his face, then back up to the- That plant. That was- She supposed it could be something else, but she didn't know any other plant that you'd attach to a doorframe. She stared at his face, and- "... Uh."
And her breath was all caught in her chest.
Dennys stood staring at the mistletoe for another long minute, as if his brain had been frozen during the walk from his and Sandy's hut to the Compound. Then, slowly, he brought his gaze back down, finding Violet's, and gave her an earnest smile, though hampered by awkwardness and uncertainty. "Um... so I guess we have to kiss," he said. And then swallowed. Hard.
Violet had faced many unfortunate things in her life - the death of her parents, the destruction of her life... and, perhaps, it was time for that to change.
It was, perhaps, time to kiss the blonde, handsome, smiling boy who was looking down at you. "I... I guess we have too?" She licked her lips. "That- I mean. .... That's not..... bad?" Not Bad. She felt like that wasn't quite everything, but 'not bad' seemed to not even cover it.
It was, perhaps, fortunate. "Good, actually." That was a whisper, her blue eyes wide as her hand found his - unintentionally, her fingers featherlight on his hand.
Breathing seemed like an impossible thing the second Violet touched his hand, but his heart was having no problem with making up for the other organ's failure by racing and beating loudly in his chest. "Yeah," he managed, more an exhale than anything else, his eyes locked on Violet's as he nodded. "Very good."
His fingers curled inward, lightly clasping hers, though for the moment he made no other movement. He was frozen in place, just as his brain had been a second ago, and all he could really do was look down at Violet.
Violet opened her mouth then closed it, pausing before sucking in a breath. "... I-" She leaned up slightly, her fingers tightening on his, her lips parting slightly as she held her breath. "Very... good?" She was hoping. Maybe. Waiting. Or... Or possibly? Or- .... She couldn't even think. It was like her brain could almost get there, but no.
"Yeah," Dennys breathed again, this time adding a nod. The problem was he couldn't quite remember what he was asserting. Licking his lips quickly, Dennys lifted a hand to lightly touch the side of Violet's face. Working on the ark, in Lamech's orchards, in the desert had roughened and calloused their hands, not sharp but not smooth, something like a well-worn animal hide. Working in the garden, on the island, on their hut hadn't done anything to soften their skin. So it was with great care that he cupped Violet's cheek, leaning down so that his lips might meet hers.
She was taller than Yalith, but he still had to bend a bit to reach her. But it was really worth it. Her lips were soft and warm and though Dennys kissed tentatively, it wasn't out of lack of desire. More lack of confidence and experience.
She... Violet couldn't quite breathe, honestly. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, but- but she could lean up just a bit, her lips parting just slightly. Not to make it an open-mouthed kiss; she didn't even think of that, just that they fit together better that way, and that he was warm and that he smelled good and was Dennys. That, and she didn't quite want the kiss to end, and her hand slipped up- first to his shoulder, then to toy with his hair at the base of his neck.
A soft noise slipped out of Dennys, something between a simple exhale and a contented sigh, and into Violet's mouth. His lips parted just slightly as well, mimicking Violet's but going no further, not wanting to spoil this perfect moment by going too far too fast or being ridiculously clumsy or stupid. His thumb ran along Violet's cheek while his other hand found its way to set lightly down on Violet's hip.
She sucked in a breath against his lips, and it seemed to stretch on until she let herself pull away just slightly, her eyes flickering up to his. "Hi." It was whispered, and a moment from her wishing to actually kiss him again- "It's not just the mistletoe?" She couldn't look away from those eyes, from him - just from the way he was. She felt almost like she had bands around her chest somehow, but it was good. Not breathing, good. It didn't make sense, but somehow.... somehow, it did.
"What?" Dennys breathed, confused for a second. He stared down at Violet, brow furrowing, before his brain decided to check in and perform some higher functions once again. A ghost of a smile pulled over his face, uncertain because he had not expected that question from Violet, but sometimes even smart people needed things to be made obvious for them. "God, no," he nearly laughed, shaking his head, not moving his hand from her face. "Definitely not just the mistletoe."
It was a confirmation rather then an actual question, and the way her face lit up when he said that made it clear. She leaned up again, just barely, brushing her lips against his before she said 'Good', softly against his cheek. She was trying to figure out what to say - if anything, or if words were even needed. "It's not for me, either?"
Dennys felt as if something warm had burst inside his chest, flooding over him and buoying him up at the same time. He hadn't really stopped to consider that maybe Violet didn't feel the same way, and so hearing a confirmation only forced that momentary doubt and overwhelming relief into the space of a second, making the emotions all the more intense. "Good," he echoed, lips brushing over her skin as he turned his head to kiss her cheek. A bright smile suddenly forced its way across his face, and his hand slip back so his arm could wrap around her waist, pulling her into a hug.
She leaned up, her face in the crook of his neck as she hugged him back. Tight, like... like maybe this was one of the few truly fortunate things to happen to her. There was a boy - there was a boy, and he kissed her, and he liked her, and was hugging her, and... "Merry Christmas, Dennys." Late, of course, but she didn't care, her lips pressing against the warmth of his cheek. It was a happy whisper, and she didn't even quite know if she could breathe. If she could think.
She felt so right, just there in his arms, like she was always supposed to be there and Dennys just hadn't known, hadn't gotten it until just then. But he got it now, and he remembered the promise he'd made with his twin back on the beach, months ago when Yalith had disappeared. They wouldn't, neither of them, let another chance like that slip through their fingers. He wasn't going to let go.
Laughing softly at Violet's comment, Dennys pulled back just enough to drop a kiss onto her forehead, nose pressed into her hair. "Merry Christmas, Violet," he repeated back to her. "Best Christmas ever. Easy."
Violet, on the other hand, had gone back to studying French. She had classes, and things seemed a little... difficult; Claire seemed... preoccupied with F, and so studying seemed like the best thing to do. As she was reading her French book, she found out that it seemed to get a lot more difficult faster then she'd anticipated, and so she was heading to the rec room - hopefully to get some supplementary texts instead of things such as Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and some book called House of Leaves.
She saw Dennys, and she didn't even have to stop before her cheeks suffused with color. "Oh! Dennys- Hi! How- How was your Christmas?"
Dennys' head jerked up at the greeting, because he had been wholly focused on pulling his gloves off. His face burst into a brilliant smile before his eyes even focused on Violet, as he had recognized her voice. "Hey, Violet! It was... good. I mean, not the same as the years before, but good." Fingers now free from their warm coverings, Dennys slipped his gloves into the pocket of his jacket and scratched at the back of his head, feeling inexplicably awkward even though it was just Violet. "How are you? How was yours?"
She smiled, and bit the inside of her lip. "It- It was okay? I mean. Good. I- Uhm. I have- I have something for you. I mean. It's just- It's a book? But- I mean. Good." She flushed. "I- Uh. If that's okay? I mean, of course it's okay. I mean-" She flushed again. "Right. So. Uhm. It's-" She was bright red, but smiled, her eyes bright. "It's good to see you?"
"You do?" Dennys asked, looking suddenly hopeful. Realizing how he must look a second later, he tried to tone it down a bit, but there was something in the corners of his smile that spoke of real happiness. "That's great. Thank you. I.. sort of have something for you, too. I don't have it on me," he explained, regretfully, "because I wasn't expecting to see you, but ... it's at the hut if you ever want to stop by. Or if you want me to bring it tomorrow or later today or something. Or if you want me to run and get it now?"
He was rambling a bit himself, and so stopped himself, looking apologetic. "It's good to see you too," he recovered, or at least tried to recover.
Violet smiled up at him, tucking her braid behind her hair as her toe skimmed the ground. "I- I could do that? Stop by? And I could bring yours. I mean. If you wanted me too? I- I need- I mean, I came here-" Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and she was smiling like an idiot. "Uh- ... French."
She forgot that she'd not said the rest of that sentence, like 'I need to get a book for French' or 'I'm working on French'.
"French?" Dennys echoed, then seemed to catch on to what Violet hadn't said. "Oh, you-- Right, school. I thought we'd have class with Dr. House today, but... I was wrong," he explained, with a light laugh and a shrug. "Looks like he's actually taking a vacation. Wonders will never cease."
He hoped the conversation wouldn't be over for a while, and moving seemed kind of silly, since he was happy right where he was, staring down at Violet, so Dennys lead back and rested at an angle against the door frame. Something rustled as his body hit the wood, and he tilted his head up to blink, mouth agape, at the sprung of mistletoe securely attached above. "Oh... hello there."
Violet blinked, looking at him, before she looked upward. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes flicked down to his face, then back up to the- That plant. That was- She supposed it could be something else, but she didn't know any other plant that you'd attach to a doorframe. She stared at his face, and- "... Uh."
And her breath was all caught in her chest.
Dennys stood staring at the mistletoe for another long minute, as if his brain had been frozen during the walk from his and Sandy's hut to the Compound. Then, slowly, he brought his gaze back down, finding Violet's, and gave her an earnest smile, though hampered by awkwardness and uncertainty. "Um... so I guess we have to kiss," he said. And then swallowed. Hard.
Violet had faced many unfortunate things in her life - the death of her parents, the destruction of her life... and, perhaps, it was time for that to change.
It was, perhaps, time to kiss the blonde, handsome, smiling boy who was looking down at you. "I... I guess we have too?" She licked her lips. "That- I mean. .... That's not..... bad?" Not Bad. She felt like that wasn't quite everything, but 'not bad' seemed to not even cover it.
It was, perhaps, fortunate. "Good, actually." That was a whisper, her blue eyes wide as her hand found his - unintentionally, her fingers featherlight on his hand.
Breathing seemed like an impossible thing the second Violet touched his hand, but his heart was having no problem with making up for the other organ's failure by racing and beating loudly in his chest. "Yeah," he managed, more an exhale than anything else, his eyes locked on Violet's as he nodded. "Very good."
His fingers curled inward, lightly clasping hers, though for the moment he made no other movement. He was frozen in place, just as his brain had been a second ago, and all he could really do was look down at Violet.
Violet opened her mouth then closed it, pausing before sucking in a breath. "... I-" She leaned up slightly, her fingers tightening on his, her lips parting slightly as she held her breath. "Very... good?" She was hoping. Maybe. Waiting. Or... Or possibly? Or- .... She couldn't even think. It was like her brain could almost get there, but no.
"Yeah," Dennys breathed again, this time adding a nod. The problem was he couldn't quite remember what he was asserting. Licking his lips quickly, Dennys lifted a hand to lightly touch the side of Violet's face. Working on the ark, in Lamech's orchards, in the desert had roughened and calloused their hands, not sharp but not smooth, something like a well-worn animal hide. Working in the garden, on the island, on their hut hadn't done anything to soften their skin. So it was with great care that he cupped Violet's cheek, leaning down so that his lips might meet hers.
She was taller than Yalith, but he still had to bend a bit to reach her. But it was really worth it. Her lips were soft and warm and though Dennys kissed tentatively, it wasn't out of lack of desire. More lack of confidence and experience.
She... Violet couldn't quite breathe, honestly. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, but- but she could lean up just a bit, her lips parting just slightly. Not to make it an open-mouthed kiss; she didn't even think of that, just that they fit together better that way, and that he was warm and that he smelled good and was Dennys. That, and she didn't quite want the kiss to end, and her hand slipped up- first to his shoulder, then to toy with his hair at the base of his neck.
A soft noise slipped out of Dennys, something between a simple exhale and a contented sigh, and into Violet's mouth. His lips parted just slightly as well, mimicking Violet's but going no further, not wanting to spoil this perfect moment by going too far too fast or being ridiculously clumsy or stupid. His thumb ran along Violet's cheek while his other hand found its way to set lightly down on Violet's hip.
She sucked in a breath against his lips, and it seemed to stretch on until she let herself pull away just slightly, her eyes flickering up to his. "Hi." It was whispered, and a moment from her wishing to actually kiss him again- "It's not just the mistletoe?" She couldn't look away from those eyes, from him - just from the way he was. She felt almost like she had bands around her chest somehow, but it was good. Not breathing, good. It didn't make sense, but somehow.... somehow, it did.
"What?" Dennys breathed, confused for a second. He stared down at Violet, brow furrowing, before his brain decided to check in and perform some higher functions once again. A ghost of a smile pulled over his face, uncertain because he had not expected that question from Violet, but sometimes even smart people needed things to be made obvious for them. "God, no," he nearly laughed, shaking his head, not moving his hand from her face. "Definitely not just the mistletoe."
It was a confirmation rather then an actual question, and the way her face lit up when he said that made it clear. She leaned up again, just barely, brushing her lips against his before she said 'Good', softly against his cheek. She was trying to figure out what to say - if anything, or if words were even needed. "It's not for me, either?"
Dennys felt as if something warm had burst inside his chest, flooding over him and buoying him up at the same time. He hadn't really stopped to consider that maybe Violet didn't feel the same way, and so hearing a confirmation only forced that momentary doubt and overwhelming relief into the space of a second, making the emotions all the more intense. "Good," he echoed, lips brushing over her skin as he turned his head to kiss her cheek. A bright smile suddenly forced its way across his face, and his hand slip back so his arm could wrap around her waist, pulling her into a hug.
She leaned up, her face in the crook of his neck as she hugged him back. Tight, like... like maybe this was one of the few truly fortunate things to happen to her. There was a boy - there was a boy, and he kissed her, and he liked her, and was hugging her, and... "Merry Christmas, Dennys." Late, of course, but she didn't care, her lips pressing against the warmth of his cheek. It was a happy whisper, and she didn't even quite know if she could breathe. If she could think.
She felt so right, just there in his arms, like she was always supposed to be there and Dennys just hadn't known, hadn't gotten it until just then. But he got it now, and he remembered the promise he'd made with his twin back on the beach, months ago when Yalith had disappeared. They wouldn't, neither of them, let another chance like that slip through their fingers. He wasn't going to let go.
Laughing softly at Violet's comment, Dennys pulled back just enough to drop a kiss onto her forehead, nose pressed into her hair. "Merry Christmas, Violet," he repeated back to her. "Best Christmas ever. Easy."