(no subject)

[onceaviking]

Eric has been showering.
He's seated at his desk now, dressed in jeans and a tank top, with wet hair and bare feet.

And he's thinking.

Mostly about what he is going to do next. When he gets back.

Comments

[lazy_but_loyal]

"I don't know," she says with a shrug. "He was just fucking around with it. It's going to take a while before he understands how to get the files off the camera, so I'm not concerned. I even let him take my picture."

[onceaviking]

He looks at her.
Smiling a little.

"You did? Was it a good picture?"

[lazy_but_loyal]

"Of course it was," she says with a vain little smirk. "I made sure of it. I'm not having shitty pictures of me floating around at the end of the universe."

[onceaviking]

"Of course you won't," he says with an answering smirk, getting up from the chair.

"I will have to ask him to show it to me."

He reaches over and pushes a lock of her hair behind her ear. It may very well have been out of place.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She follows him with her eyes when he rises, staying where she is, resting her hands on the edge of the desk.

"I already told him to."

Her hair always means to look the way it does. Except when Eric thinks it needs a little fixing.

She tilts her head ever so slightly against his touch like a preening cat.

[onceaviking]

His fingers move slowly down the length of her hair.

"Any other fascinating encounters?"

He is stalling. He knows he is. But he cannot think about being parted from her. And he cannot tell her of what he is bout to do. About that which fills him completely.

[lazy_but_loyal]

As much as she enjoys the attention, she knows it's sometimes his way of distracting himself from something he has to do. And it's not like she's in any hurry to return to what awaits them back home. But here they have all the time in the universe, so what's one more indulgence?

"Well, there was this one guy," she says, "boozy, loud, English. You know the type. He's on Security so I didn't give him too much of a hard time. Just for kicks I told him I didn't think he could get his handcuffs on me, but he wouldn't try. Not even after staring at my tits as much as he did. I think I scared him off. And I didn't even drop fang or anything."

[onceaviking]

"Would you have let him?" he asks, smiling a little.
It was probably - what's his face? Hunt? Hunt.

He can just picture him staring at Pam.

[lazy_but_loyal]

"Hell no, I would've clapped them on him before he had a chance," she retorts, smirking.

"His name's Gene Hunt. Ever met him?"

[onceaviking]

"I have. He was - not completely unreasonable."

High praise from Eric.

[lazy_but_loyal]

It is high praise indeed.

"I'll remember that the next time we run into each other."

He's on Security after all.

[onceaviking]

"Though I doubt that Hunt is capable of handling you," he adds, ending the sentence in a purr.

"But yes,he is vastly preferable to the vampire slayer who is also part of Security. She is best avoided."

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam would agree. No mortal man would be. Not that she'd ever let Gene get that close. She does have standards.

"Oh, great, they have an actual vampire slayer?"

[onceaviking]

"They do. And then there's Sunshine of course, but as she is not on Security -"
He shrugs.

"And the Goth of course. He does not like priests, so he is good to know."

Telling her things she will need to know when coming here. While he is away.
And later perhaps. But he does not think about that.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She nods. He's reminding her of things she's already aware of, the way he would before he goes away for a while and is unsure of when he's coming back. But this time, given everything that's happened, along with his need to upgrade their security, it worries her.

"I know, Eric. I'll behave," she says, trying for a little levity.

[onceaviking]

He chuckles. But his here isn't in it.

"I know," he says and steps closer, encircling her with his arms. "I know. I just want you to be safe here. It's an insane place."

[lazy_but_loyal]

The universe could disintegrate around them but she would still feel safe in his arms.

"You don't have to tell me that twice," she says wryly, as she slides her arms around his middle and tips her head back to look up at him.

"But I'll be fine. I promise."

[onceaviking]

"You better," he says and dips his head to rest his nose at the top of her head.
Smelling her hair.

Tightening his hold on her a little.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She turns her head to press her cheek against his chest.

"You know I will."

Closing her eyes for a moment when his arms tighten around her, she then adds,

"You have to promise that you'll be fine, too."

[onceaviking]

He closes his eyes tightly. Forcing down everything; every insecurity, every fear.
And when he speaks, there's arrogant certainty and self-assured swagger in his voice.

"Aren't I always?"

[lazy_but_loyal]

She sighs, knitting her brows.

"Eric..."

Raising her head, she looks at him. Searching his face, his eyes.

"Promise me. Please."

She's worried for him, worried that he's worried about her. Worried that he won't come back. Wishing that this weren't something to be worried about.

[onceaviking]

He cups her face between his large hands and looks into her eyes.
Hesitating.

And then he says, "I can't, Pam. But I will do anything in my power to keep you safe."
He can't give her his word. Not about this,
And he can't tell her why.

But perhaps she will think this is all about the dead Magister. And the Authority.

[lazy_but_loyal]

It almost pains her to feel his hesitation, to hear him say I can't.

She's not disappointed, no. She could never be disappointed in Eric. Because she still trusts him with all her heart. She has to.

She nods into his hands, reaching up to lightly curl her fingers around his wrists.

Whatever the Authority decides to do, they'll find a way to deal.

[onceaviking]

"And Edginton - likes me. We'll use that. It'll work for us."

For him.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She nods again.

"That makes sense. Maybe he could get the Authority off our backs if they come knocking."

She's starting to see why it would be advantageous for Eric to spend a little more time in Edgington's service, just to keep in his good graces.