[ the universe will grant you a pass this time, illya, because daisy's simply too worn out to pay much attention to any small movements outside her immediate field of vision. the hand he lifts to sweep at his cheeks doesn't stop him from touching her with the other, thus: out of sight, out of mind.
honestly, it's kind of impressive she's keeping her eyes open at all. after all, one of the side effects of space-age super medicine is its intense drowsiness, intended to allow the patient to sleep while the body repairs itself at comparative warp speed. ]
Can you surprise me? [ a little bit of laziness, yes, but it's also a legitimate request. she'd like to let him choose, this time, after she forced the choices on him during their last meal. ] Doesn't have to be a restaurant, either.
I can do my best. [ he'd never done anything like that, not outside of work. he'd gone out with various people for the purpose of gathering information or conveniently taking them out during a lull in the night but planning and then taking someone out purely for personal reasons was and would be a new experience. ]
Give me a little time to see what is available. [ he is not trying to get out of it before you think otherwise. he needs time to over analyze and overthink this and she needs time to recover. it works perfectly. ]
Are you going to sleep again? [ should he go? should he leave her alone so she can sleep in peace? ]
No, I'm awake. [ murmured over a yawn, hand gently curving over her mouth. so super duper awake. who wouldn't believe that? ] I thought we were going to play checkers.
[ if he would ever take his turn, that is. black has to go first, and since he insists on being the black marks, he'll just have to suck it up and play. or he can just lay here and be an excellent pillow if he'd rather. that's also an acceptable option. ]
Yes, you sound very awake. [ she sounds like she's going to pass out at any moment. really, should he leave? he doesn't want to be an obstacle in whatever healing she still has to do.
instead, he grumbles something about stubborn and ridiculous in russian and reaches to move a black piece up on the board. ]
You were talking to me. I didn't want to interrupt by taking a turn at checkers. I was listening to you.
Thank you. [ a very prim "thank you". mostly for agreeing with her, even if the sarcasm is practically dripping off his every word. she's taking his statements very literally for once in her life... primarily because it suits her to do so. ]
You can take a turn at checkers and still listen. You were stalling. [ she turns her head to squint at the board, considering. ] Mm, that one. [ very specific pointing ] Move that one to the right for me.
[ this is not how you play checkers... and yet... ]
[ illya gives her a look for that one and then looks at the board and then back at her before reaching forward to move the piece to the requested spot. ]
This is not how you play checkers.
[ daisy, would you just go to sleep? you were going to fall asleep before this game was finished. ]
And I wasn't stalling. [ how dare you. he moves another black piece forward. ] Go.
Well. [ does it matter? ] I'm comfortable, and you have long arms. You can move the pieces for me.
[ hell, they could play virtual reality multiplayer checkers through the neural network if they really wanted to. but the physical checkerboard's a small touch of something they shared together, and daisy's quite fond of it now. ]
The one opposite, to the left.
[ the beginning of checkers is pretty boring, if she's honest. ]
Oh, so it's my fault for being tall. [ just remember who pulled who into the bed. but, illya dutifully moves her piece as requested. it's still early so there's no real strategizing to do so he moves another black piece out and looks over at her.
speaking of being in bed: ] Your doctors are going to be upset if they find me like this, you do realize. I don't think I'm supposed to be here.
[ not that he's moving but again, he doesn't want to hinder her recovery in anyway. that is the absolute last thing he wants to do especially to her. ]
I don't care. [ matter-of-factly, even as she turns her face to smother a yawn against the fabric of his shirt. ] I want you here.
[ maybe it's the drowsiness she's battling. maybe it's the brush with death. maybe it's the fact that she spent so much time talking to markus, feeling like she was hearing a mirror of her own choices as he explained why he dove in front of a bullet for connor. she's not sure why, but the simple fact that she does want him here is clear to her, and she doesn't mind telling him so. she wants him to know that, as a matter of fact. ]
And I'm still technically in bed, so I don't see what the problem is.
[ she gestures at another piece, barely even looking at the board. she has no idea what's going on, but it doesn't really matter. ]
[ 'i want you here'. it's said so quickly and so matter of factly that illya jolts a little. it's getting harder and harder to tell himself that the things she says and does are things she does with everyone. because the opposite means there is...something more to her words and that is impossible.
at least, that's what he's thought for the majority of his life. and he has been fine with that. he didn't need another person to have a fulfilling life. he had his work. then, there was this place and the removal of everything he had known.
and now her. a presence that has become more and more familiar over the past few weeks. he doesn't know what to say or if he should say anything. maybe he's still misreading it.
or maybe he isn't and what's trying to happen here is something he is unprepared for and terrible at. oh god. ]
Then, I'm here. [ his voice is uncharacteristically quiet and gentle. he'll blame his mess of confused thoughts on that one.
and he doesn't forget to move one of her pieces forward. is it the one she wanted to be moved? he doesn't think so but oh well. ]
[ his reply comes slowly, in a voice that's quiet, almost soft. so slowly, in fact, that by the time he does manage to speak, daisy's eyes have fallen shut, her breathing gentle and calm. she's not quite asleep, but comfortable. safe, in fact.
whether or not he moved the checkers piece is, suddenly, far less important. ]
Stay. [ a low exhale, and daisy stretches, her arm draping more snugly around his torso, cheek pressed against his chest. ] Please.
Go to sleep. [ it was obvious that's where she was headed. she was going to fall asleep on him and he was going to be stuck here for however long that lasted. he tries to situate his legs a little better but eventually gives up.
he does move the checkerboard aside before reaching up and moving his fingers slowly, tentatively through her hair. again, he considers moving to touch her skin just to see what she might be feeling but it feels too much like he's invading her privacy especially when she's falling asleep on top of him. ]
I'm not going to leave. [ the words are a promise. ] Go to sleep. Rest. Ty v bezopasnosti.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
honestly, it's kind of impressive she's keeping her eyes open at all. after all, one of the side effects of space-age super medicine is its intense drowsiness, intended to allow the patient to sleep while the body repairs itself at comparative warp speed. ]
Can you surprise me? [ a little bit of laziness, yes, but it's also a legitimate request. she'd like to let him choose, this time, after she forced the choices on him during their last meal. ] Doesn't have to be a restaurant, either.
[ the world is your oyster, illya. ]
no subject
Give me a little time to see what is available. [ he is not trying to get out of it before you think otherwise. he needs time to over analyze and overthink this and she needs time to recover. it works perfectly. ]
Are you going to sleep again? [ should he go? should he leave her alone so she can sleep in peace? ]
no subject
[ if he would ever take his turn, that is. black has to go first, and since he insists on being the black marks, he'll just have to suck it up and play. or he can just lay here and be an excellent pillow if he'd rather. that's also an acceptable option. ]
You're supposed to go first.
no subject
instead, he grumbles something about stubborn and ridiculous in russian and reaches to move a black piece up on the board. ]
You were talking to me. I didn't want to interrupt by taking a turn at checkers. I was listening to you.
[ very raptly, in fact. ]
no subject
You can take a turn at checkers and still listen. You were stalling. [ she turns her head to squint at the board, considering. ] Mm, that one. [ very specific pointing ] Move that one to the right for me.
[ this is not how you play checkers... and yet... ]
no subject
This is not how you play checkers.
[ daisy, would you just go to sleep? you were going to fall asleep before this game was finished. ]
And I wasn't stalling. [ how dare you. he moves another black piece forward. ] Go.
no subject
[ hell, they could play virtual reality multiplayer checkers through the neural network if they really wanted to. but the physical checkerboard's a small touch of something they shared together, and daisy's quite fond of it now. ]
The one opposite, to the left.
[ the beginning of checkers is pretty boring, if she's honest. ]
no subject
speaking of being in bed: ] Your doctors are going to be upset if they find me like this, you do realize. I don't think I'm supposed to be here.
[ not that he's moving but again, he doesn't want to hinder her recovery in anyway. that is the absolute last thing he wants to do especially to her. ]
no subject
[ maybe it's the drowsiness she's battling. maybe it's the brush with death. maybe it's the fact that she spent so much time talking to markus, feeling like she was hearing a mirror of her own choices as he explained why he dove in front of a bullet for connor. she's not sure why, but the simple fact that she does want him here is clear to her, and she doesn't mind telling him so. she wants him to know that, as a matter of fact. ]
And I'm still technically in bed, so I don't see what the problem is.
[ she gestures at another piece, barely even looking at the board. she has no idea what's going on, but it doesn't really matter. ]
no subject
at least, that's what he's thought for the majority of his life. and he has been fine with that. he didn't need another person to have a fulfilling life. he had his work. then, there was this place and the removal of everything he had known.
and now her. a presence that has become more and more familiar over the past few weeks. he doesn't know what to say or if he should say anything. maybe he's still misreading it.
or maybe he isn't and what's trying to happen here is something he is unprepared for and terrible at. oh god. ]
Then, I'm here. [ his voice is uncharacteristically quiet and gentle. he'll blame his mess of confused thoughts on that one.
and he doesn't forget to move one of her pieces forward. is it the one she wanted to be moved? he doesn't think so but oh well. ]
no subject
whether or not he moved the checkers piece is, suddenly, far less important. ]
Stay. [ a low exhale, and daisy stretches, her arm draping more snugly around his torso, cheek pressed against his chest. ] Please.
no subject
he does move the checkerboard aside before reaching up and moving his fingers slowly, tentatively through her hair. again, he considers moving to touch her skin just to see what she might be feeling but it feels too much like he's invading her privacy especially when she's falling asleep on top of him. ]
I'm not going to leave. [ the words are a promise. ] Go to sleep. Rest. Ty v bezopasnosti.