Early August 2012: The Warehouse/Annapolis, MD

[damncompass]

It's a fairly boring day in the Warehouse. Joshua is on his laptop working on some paperwork, and Helena is finishing up a couple case reports at a table.

It's probably just about time for something to happen.

Comments

[damncompass]

Joshua snorts, but a grin crosses his face. "I've always wanted to go sailing, actually. South Dakota isn't really known for its beaches or sailing ventures." He pauses. "I didn't exactly bring beach clothes, though. Maybe there'll be a shop where ever we find dinner."

No, he's not enjoying the thought of Helena in a bikini. Not at all.

[timelessinventor]

"One needn't necessarily wear a bathing costume on a boat, you realise." Yes, she knows bathing costumes as she once knew them are long gone (and is she ever glad for that; trying to move about in wet wool is bloody annoying). But it still sounds better to her ears than 'swimsuit.' "But we can sort that out later. Here's one with restaurants - the Italian sounds promising, or the sushi."

[damncompass]

Joshua gets up and looks over her shoulder. "Hm. I haven't had sushi in ages, actually." He kisses her on the cheek. "Didn't think you'd be up for something that exotic."

[timelessinventor]

"Oh, I'm always up for an adventure, darling." Honestly, she would have thought he knew that by now. "Sushi it is, then."

[damncompass]

Joshua smiles. "Well, I do know that. Hold on. Let me get out of travelling clothes." He grabs his suitcase, and goes to the bathroom, returning in a blazer, khakis, and a button-down shirt, his pin on the blazer's lapel.

[timelessinventor]

"Not a bad idea, at that." While Joshua's in the loo, Helena fishes out a change of clothes for herself (she'd say it's nothing fancy, but only because she wears the same sort of thing most days) and gets changed.

[damncompass]

Dinner is lovely, as is the wander around the harbour afterwards. They get a few ideas for things to do tomorrow, as long as the snag doesn't go to hell in a handbasket.

By the time they get back to the hotel, all of Joshua's plane nerves are gone, and a huge smile is firmly on his face. He's realizing how little time he really gets to spend with Helena anymore.

[timelessinventor]

By then, Helena is grinning quite widely as well. "I must say, that was quite refreshing."

[damncompass]

"It was." He grins at her, and takes her hand. "We really need to do more stuff together. Lately we've just kinda been... around." He's always thought that you need to cultivate relationships, not just exist with the person.

[timelessinventor]

"That we have. Bit silly of us, really, but then, I'm hardly used to trying to maintain a relationship." She's perfectly happy to make time for Joshua, of course, but she's going to need some reminders.

(Therein lies the problem. They both rather easily get lost in their own little projects.)

[damncompass]

"Well, uh..." Joshua flails a bit. "If you're not interested anymore, I get it." He does think he's quite boring.

[timelessinventor]

"...Darling, I never said that!" She actually looks a bit worried. "It's only that this is new territory for me."

[damncompass]

Joshua reaches out and put a hand on the side of her face. "Helena, what are you worried about? I just... you know how I get. I just want you to be happy, and if it's too new or too different, I want you to say so."

[timelessinventor]

"But it's not too new to be worth trying. I haven't decided you're boring or not worth the effort or - or whatever it is your mind's telling you this time." Helena sighs. "I still want to try, but we both get lost in our own worlds quite easily. We need to find a way around that."

[damncompass]

"I know." He shakes his head. "I'm... well, my last girlfriend drug me around to things rather like a lost puppy. Besides, we had a couple classes together and we did things." Debate team mostly. And they didn't actually talk much. Joshua was just kinda there most of the time.

[timelessinventor]

"We need to make a point of doing things together, or at least in the same space." Honestly, if a lot of their private time were both of them in Joshua's lab working on their own projects, Helena can't say she'd mind. "Neither of us is very good at sustaining this sort of thing, and I don't want it to fall to bits because of that." She hugs him. "We're intelligent people. We can sort this out."

[damncompass]

"I don't want it to fall apart either." He hugs her back tightly. "We're smart people. We can figure out how to have a relationship." He might be attaching a bit now.

[timelessinventor]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with attaching. "Indeed we can, darling."

[damncompass]

He kisses her, lingering in it for a long moment.

They eventually go to sleep, Joshua's phone alarm buzzing at about eight the next morning.

"mmmmf."

[timelessinventor]

"mmm?" Ah, right. That'll be Joshua's alarm.

Bugger that for a lark. Helena snuggles closer.

[damncompass]

Joshua just pulls her closer. He doesn't have to get up just yet, does he? Because really, this is so nice.

[timelessinventor]

Indeed it is, and it's not as though politicians have ever wanted to get down to business first thing in the morning.

[damncompass]

"rrrrragh." He's more talking to her shoulder than her. "'dwe have'ta get up?"

[timelessinventor]

"Dare say we could put it off for a bit, but not too long." They'll want to talk to people before they're entangled in the messy business of politics, after all.

[damncompass]

"I know, I know. We have to be professional and all." Joshua sighs and slowly untangles himself from Helena. "I probably need a shower before we go anywhere."