#it radiates a form of self acceptance I had been unpacking a bit in the last couple weeks and

[lensdeer]

grabbing you by the shoulders and violently shaking you begging you to listen to TECHDOG

this album changed me as a person and I desperately need to distill how/why into art and maybe some longform writing but it's late and I have to work tomorrow and I'm sleepy and aaaaaaa listen to TECHDOG

[shewhowillnotbenamed1]

Borrowed

Raven cleared her throat and ran a hand through her hair. "Damian...?" She called, after a quick knock on his door.

"Mm, Raven?" He grumbled in lieu of a reply. It sounded far away.

What exactly was he doing?

Raven shifted her weight from foot to the other. "Are you... decent?" Her pale fingers lingered on the shiny brass handle, her heartbeat quickened impatiently, and she nearly had to stop herself from barging in without waiting for confirmation. She didn't want to lose the nerve.

There weren't exactly any other options.

"Yes, what's up -"

"I'm coming in." Raven said in a hurry, before opening the door adjoining the two hotel rooms. "I need to... borrow something of yours -" Raven's eyes widened as she took note of Damian's bare chest, the droplets of water, a runoff flowing down his rows of abs. His arm muscles flexed, while he continuously ran a white hand towel through his damp hair. She bit her lip and looked away, trying to keep her flush down as best she could.

Why had he let her in?

This was most certainly not decent.

And then, he cocked his head and shamelessly proceeded to stare at her pajamas. "Hmm, is that so...?" Damian openly appraised her legs in the shorts, not bothering to avert his eyes. "I see..."

Goodness what was he thinking? And what was she thinking?

"What...?" She asked slowly, folding her arms around her body self-consciously. "That we're going to fall behind schedule if we both don't get dressed?"

He shook his head. "You... said you need something from me?"

Raven paled. "That's not exactly how I would put it, but..."

"You would like to borrow something of mine." Damian repeated slowly, savoring the sound of statement on his tongue.

"Yes..." Raven lifted an eyebrow.

"But you wouldn't take me up on a ticket for a seat in first class... Or accept my offers to buy you new clothes..." That was a Wayne for you. He would be remiss if he couldn't bring up the various ways she had rejected his outlandish proposals.

"Damian, I couldn't accept those things..." She glanced at the ground. It wouldn't have been right no matter how close they had gotten. Sometimes she forgot they just worked together. It was getting harder and harder to discern, with the trips and all the late nights. But it was times like these when she was reminded of that fact. "I just couldn't."

"Your pride aside, Raven. You realize that if you accepted the plane ticket in the first place, there is a strong possibility that the mishap with your luggage would have never even happened..." Raven felt the vessel in her temple tick. She unclenched her fist.

She sighed a long drawn out sigh. "I'm willing to compromise..."

"So... your compromise is that you'll borrow my clothes?" He sat on the bed, passively squeezing the towel through his dark hair while he watched her.

His hair wasn't even that long - how much time did it need to dry?

"Just for now…" Raven clarified. "The airline says they'll recover my baggage soon - tomorrow - Thursday at the latest." She rubbed her arm.

That was being optimistic, but the sooner the better.

"Your baggage…?" He crooned, his handsome face tilted toward her with a half smirk flashing on his distractingly devious lips. "There certainly is a lot of it... I highly doubt they'll find it in time…" A scowl threatened to take up residence on her face. Those implications were outrageous and Raven didn't need to take this.

Damian was enjoying every second of this and Raven could tell. He liked her veil of calm to show its cracks. He liked her flustered. He liked her helpless in her tiny pajama shorts. He liked her in need of him.

And he probably liked her off-put and distracted by those stupidly sculpted abs.

They were somehow perfect, even from this angle, wasn't he sitting down? She tore her eyes away from his rippling stomach muscles as his legs reclined, taut arms moving overhead to reach the tendrils curled at his nape.

Christ.

She willed the scarlet away from her cheeks. "Damian, can I borrow something to wear or not?"

"Of course you can. I haven't unpacked yet, so you'll have to rummage through the suitcase. You can take whatever you like." Damian gestured to the open leather suitcase with his towel. "Until they find your things, feel free... My door's always open..." he added under his breath, as he padded over to the bathroom to hang the towel.

"If only all that open door policy extended to when we were at the office..." She mumbled, riffling through the perfectly folded items as neatly as possible. All the clothes had that rich cedarwood and spicy cardamom and it was assaulting her senses, even though she tried not to think about all the ways that scent would envelop her. It would cling to her all day and night, brazed to her skin from wearing his clothes - Damian's clothes.

"Raven... Even when I'm busy, I make sure my employees feel valued." Damian said seriously. "If I didn't value you, you wouldn't be accompanying me on this trip."

"Right..." Raven settled on a simple v-neck sweater. She checked the label. It was 100% cashmere. An entire suitcase and not a blend in sight - that was so typical Damian Wayne. "So you're not afraid my value disappeared along with my baggage? I mean suitcase." She corrected hurriedly.

Damian softened for a moment. Raven saw that playful sparkle return to sharpen his vibrant green eyes. "With or without your pantsuits... and your monochromatic wardrobe in all black..." Raven pursed her lips. That didn't exactly sound like a compliment. "I know you are the best choice for this."

Oh.

Raven's face began to warm. It was somehow nice that he noticed something as trivial as her clothes, despite that slightly snub in the details.

She turned to him in the doorway of the adjoining rooms, the sweater in her hands. "Thanks, for this." Raven offered him a small smile.

"Good choice," Damian nodded, seeming impressed. "I think we'll manage until Thursday."

---------------

No.

They would not be able to manage until Thursday.

There was no way.

Damian had hoped he would be able to handle things until normalcy resumed on Thursday, but he was wrong. Raven's baggage hadn't turned up. The airline was fumbling, but that was hardly the issue.

It was her entering his room unannounced in a towel or a sleep shirt. Her rifling through his suitcase or his drawers on tiptoes when he returned from the gym. And then, when he'd come in from the balcony in the evening and saw her standing there with his shirt hanging off her.

Raven in his clothing.

He had thought about it once before, but not at all like this.

For someone who's wardrobe was usually a rotation of fewer than three shades, it was surprising how creative she could be. She mixed the limited items from her carry-on with Damian's wardrobe. Damian's t-shirts and work shirts were transformed into dresses, shirt dresses, or oversized tops. They became off-the-shoulder shirts, cinched with belts, buttoned up in interesting ways with rolled up sleeves and turned up collars. His undershirts paired with her jeans became statements. Vests and polos had never looked better than they had on her pale curves.

Damian felt his breath quicken and his heart pound in his chest every time he saw her in another piece from his closet. He knew the truth. He didn't care if they ever found her suitcase, not if it meant he got to see her in his clothes. The incident with the airline really had caused them to leave whatever baggage they had between them in Gotham.

But then, the night of the benefit arrived and Damian grew worried. As far as he knew, the airline was still searching for her luggage and hadn't found her clothes. Damian didn't have a spare dress packed away anywhere, so how exactly would she pull off black tie?

Damian shook his glass, peering down furtively at his watch or the spherical ice cubes, while he tried to make polite conversation with the other businessmen at the benefit. It did little to distract him from wondering where in the hell she was. Would she show up? And in what?

Damian had to pause mid sip of scotch - he nearly choked.

True to her form, Raven had worn a suit.

In all black.

But in a way he had never seen before.

All eyes were on Raven as she stood there in heels, with her dark hair tucked elegantly behind her left ear, and one of his black suit jackets. She had worn it as a dress that came up to her thighs. Damian swallowed, as she spotted him and made her way over.

With each step a new detail was revealed. Like there was no shirt under that jacket. He could see the center of her cleavage before his eyes reached the first buttonhole. Goodness, there was no bra under that jacket either. Damian's body tensed and involuntarily he edged in front of the floral arrangement on the entrance table, until he could gather his bearings.

Gods, she seemed glide. And she looked incredible.

Her face warmed in new ways, her entire being seemed to radiate when those indigo eyes met his vert. "Good evening, Wayne."

He shook his head incredulously. "Raven, wow..."

"You looked worried." Raven's lips turned up coyly. "Were you worried?"

"No... Maybe a little," he admitted. "But honestly, I think I just have a new appreciation for this suit," Damian said softly, his finger brushed the shoulder of the jacket. "I've been meaning to tell you how much I like your new look..."

"Me wearing your clothes, after the airport lost mine? This is the product of circumstance." Raven cocked a hip. "Out of curiosity, what would you even call this look - lost baggage chic?"

Metaphorical or otherwise, it really had disappeared. The baggage.

"Yes." He placed a firm hand on the small of her back to guide her to their table, like man would his date. "You and those black pantsuits..." She froze, before her petite form settled into him. "You always look great." Damian whispered softly in her ear.

[cilldaracailin]

A Kind Of Magic

And some more. Giving out gold stars to all you who keep giving me love :)

12

“You learned to run from what you feel, and that's why you have nightmares. To deny is to invite madness. To accept is to control.”

One thing Robyn quickly realised about Taron was that he was always warm and warm in a good way. Even through the material of his shirt, she could feel the heat from his body. In the 7/11 he was cold to the touch but it was for a reason. Now he was almost like an electric blanket, heat radiating off him and with his arm around her shoulder and her head on his chest, she was surrounded with a warmth that was comforting and safe. When he lay still, she could hear his heart beating loud and clear and when he laughed, the sound echoed through his chest and as he sang along to the one of the tracks in the movie, his tired voice sounded soft and pleasant. Every now and again the thumb of his left hand would gently rub her arm and as the cool breeze from the air conditioning created the perfect temperature around her and with the softness of Taron’s body beside her, Robyn felt her eyes closing and about half way through the movie, she fell asleep.

Taron forgot how much he enjoyed The Wedding Singer. It was one of those movie’s that was fun to watch and always made him smile and the music was classic eighty’s rock that he loved to sing along too. He was snug in the corner of the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him with Robyn resting beside him and as the movie began, he was sure he felt her snuggle a little closer to him, her hands tucked between her bent knees which were leaning against his left thigh. He could feel her body rise under his arm with every breath she took and after a while her movements became slower and when Taron looked down to her, he saw that Robyn had fallen asleep against him, her eyes closed, her whole body relaxed. It brought a small smile to his face to finally see her sleeping and he kissed her hair softly and continued to rub her arm gently, turning his attention back to the movie.

As the credits and Spandau Ballet played an hour later, Taron looked down again to Robyn who was still soundly sleeping. She had naturally moved in her sleep and her left arm was now slack against his stomach, her head lower on his chest, her knees further over his left thigh with her right hand tucked under her chin. Without the movie to take his attention, his eyes were now taking in the woman who slept in his arms. It was surreal to him how vulnerable she looked as she slept. He was very much used to Robyn being awake, strong and persistent, standing up for what she believed in and making sure everyone around her was very well taken care of. They were qualities that he admired but at the same time, he got the feeling that Robyn, while always wanting to take care of others, rarely had someone take care of her. She was perfect for her profession, taking care of the most precious valuables in the world – children, but Taron now wondered if anyone had ever shown her the same affection she was willing to give to others. As he got to know her more, he was sure they never had and when her defences fell last night as she opened up to him, he was sure she was very much used to dealing with a lot of her burdens by herself.

He froze as she took a deep breath in her sleep, settling quickly against him again. Ever so lightly, he let the fingers of his right hand brush the skin of her left arm, sun kissed golden skin slightly cold under his touch. He could see one of two of the scars she had spoken about from the mosquito bites she had gotten over the years, noticing another scar just to the right of her elbow that he was sure was in the shape of a love heart. He was going to have to ask her about that one. He doubted that was from a mosquito bite.

As he looked down to her face, he could see more freckles littered on the end of her nose, ones he hadn’t noticed yet and he was able to get a closer look to the three piercings she had in her left ear, two stars and a small clear crystal diamond. Green eyes moved down her sleeping body. Her white t-shirt had ridden up her back a little and although Taron had seen her back before, it seemed almost improper to be looking now and he felt a hint of butterflies in his stomach as he took in her feminine curves and long legs which were tucked up against him. Taron knew she felt self-conscious about how she looked but for some reason in front of him, she oozed confidence and he loved that about her, her personality shining through as she laughed and joked with him, making him feel so at home in hers.

Taron’s eyes left Robyn’s body and looked around her apartment, which she had willingly let him share with her without question. Although she might have her luxury items in her home, Taron was beginning to realise that Robyn was used to the simpler things in life. She didn’t care that they had sat sweating in her back garden together in the sun, worrying that her hair was going to get ruined, or needing to reapply make up as she sat. She also hadn’t minded that he was covered in a sheen of perspiration as she helped him off the sun lounger, soft hands resting on his bare waist, her arm going round his back, not worrying that beads of moisture from the heat dripped down his spine onto her forearm as they walked to the bathroom together. Taron, even though he scolded her, found it amusing that her clothes were still dirty after spending a week in an unpacked case and had laughed as he walked through her closet seeing that it was a complete and utter unorganised mess. He had yet to see her wear any make up or worry about how her hair looked and as he ran his fingers down her left hand, she wore no nail varnish, her nails were cut very short and the skin around her thumbs almost pulled to bits. It made Taron smile a lot but his smile was sad as he was beginning to understand what Robyn had meant when she said he didn’t belong in his world. Robyn was the complete opposite of his world, a world that he enjoyed the majority of but the part where it judged you, he hated. It was full of pressures to be a certain way and the fakeness that followed him a lot. The people he thought he could depend and rely on, only wanted one thing from him. It made it hard for him to trust.

But Robyn. Robyn, he trusted beyond a shadow of a doubt. He let his eyes wander over her sleeping form again, once more those dancing butterflies paying him a visit. Taron hadn’t lied when he called her beautiful. He saw natural beauty when he looked at her with her big blue eyes, fading blonde hair and as his right hand rested on her hip, Taron was a man at heart and couldn’t help it when his eyes gazed again over the smooth curves of her body. She wore simple blue shorts and a white t-shirt, Taron knowing they were more Primark than Prada. As he rubbed his thumb over her arm again, he liked how her soft body fitted into his, the two moulding together quite easily, the heat from her sleeping form keeping him cosy and warm.

He froze again when she moved in her sleep, a little more fretted this time, taking her a few seconds to settle down. Taron carefully moved loose strands of hair that had fallen on her face but lifted his hand as Robyn fussed again in her sleep, this time muffled words coming from her lips, a troubled cry following quickly.

“Shhh.” Taron turned a little so he could reach her face better and softly cupped her cheek. “Shh Robyn.” He soothed as her body started to move.

From what started as little movements, quickly became more energetic and Robyn began to trash in her sleep, her words becoming much clearer and Taron had to move his hand from her face as her head turned from side to side against him, as she was completely sucked into the nightmare she was having.

“Robyn, Robyn come on wake up for me.”  Taron could feel his heart starting to pound as he tried to wake Robyn up but was getting nowhere fast.

“No Taron, no!”

“Robyn! Come on sweetheart wake up!” Taron moved from sitting in the corner, his hands on her shoulders to keep her from falling over, while he knelt beside her, still trying to wake her, shaking her a little. “Robyn, come on wake up!”

“Taron, please no.”

He watched some as tears fell down her cheeks in her sleep, her body starting to tremble and Taron moved his hands to her face. “Robyn!” He said louder. “Robyn you’re dreaming. I am right here.”

“Taron, please. Taron.”

Taron could see the fear on her face, even in her sleep and was getting a clear picture of why Robyn had not been sleeping at all. Her whole body shook in distress and it was getting hard for Taron to keep his hands on her face as she threw her head from side to side unwillingly as she faced whatever horrendous trance she was in.

“Robyn! ROBYN!” Taron was shouting now, one hand on her face, one on her shoulder as he shook her harder, trying to wake her up. Her breathing was hard, fast and upsetting. “ROBYN! Please wake up. I am right here with you!”

“TARON!”

Robyn shot up from the couch, Taron catching her before she tumbled too far off, his strong arms going around her tightly. “Hey it’s ok Robyn. It was just a dream.” He guided her so she was sitting back on the couch, his two hands on her shoulders. “Robyn?”

She looked to Taron who was kneeling beside her, an anxious look on his face as his eyes moved back and forth making sure he was alight. “Give… Just… a minute.” Robyn breathed her shaking hands going to her face and then threading through her hair. She moved to sit with her legs crossed, her elbows resting her on knees and bent her head, trying to catch her breath, her hands still knotted in her hair. She felt Taron’s hands move from the top of her shoulders, his thumbs now rubbing the back of her neck gently as she took some deep calming breathes. Another horrific nightmare tormented her and it had been the most nauseating one yet. “One more minute.” She whispered, keeping her head bent, her hands still reefing at her hair.

Taron watched as Robyn tried to compose herself. He took his hands away from her neck and moved to kneel on the blue rug beside her couch and in front of her. He saw how she was nearly pulling her hair out and with a little force, as she wouldn’t let him at first, took her hands away from her head. “Take your time.” He whispered to her, holding her hands in his. “I am right here.”

Robyn answered him with a slight nod. She had managed to take control of her breathing and steady breathes filled her lungs, concentrating on how Taron was rubbing her knuckles with his thumbs. In her dream, he wasn’t moving at all. Well that was a lie really. He was moving, just in a brown wooden box, six feet into the ground. Robyn wasn’t too sure how long she had sat with her head bowed down but she felt Taron let go of one of her hands and place two fingers under her chin, lifting her head, his fingers then moving to wipe some tears from her cheek. She gave him a small smile.

“Thanks Taron.”

“I am going to give you a hug now ok?”

Taking her nod as a yes, he knelt to his full height, while Robyn uncrossed her legs and shuffled to the edge of the couch and warm, snug arms engulfed her tightly against him, a long tentative breath leaving her body. She had been this comfortable when she had fallen asleep, the heat from Taron now helping to soothe the goose bumps all over her skin.

“I didn’t realise how bad the nightmares were Robyn.” He spoke into her hair. “You ok?”

“Yeah I will be.” She snuggled a little bit deeper into his shoulder. “Sorry if I scared you a little.”

“I am a bit more concerned about you Robyn.” Taron took his arms away from her and ended the hug. “These have been happening for a week now? Don’t you think maybe you should talk to someone about them?”

“It’s hard to talk to the subject of your dreams and re-count to them the vivid pictures of how this time you were at their funeral.”

Taron winced a little. “I mean maybe a doctor Robyn. You can’t go on like this. You are going to burn out soon without any sleep.” Robyn looked to Taron with tired, teary eyes. “Next week you get your stitches out right?” She nodded. “Ok well if these sleepless nights haven’t not stopped by then, you need to mention it to the doctor or nurse or whoever takes the stitches out. Until then, I will gladly be the person you talk to about your dreams, no matter how horrid they are. It will help you. We are in this together right?”

“Yeah we are.”

“Ok so me and you will talk about what has been going on and if they don’t get better, promise me, you will speak to your doctor. Just to see what they say. I am not going to leave until we get your sleeping again. I won’t leave until I know you are sleeping and I am not the focus of your nightmares.”

Taron took their second hug as an agreement and again without thinking kissed her hair. “I really thought you were going to get some decent sleep. You looked so comfortable.”

“You make a good pillow.” She said into his shoulder.

“Better than your couch and magnificent bed?”

“Currently, yes. Actually, I think it is because I can feel you breathing and I know I like it when I can feel that.”

“That’s understandable Robyn especially because you know what I felt like when I wasn’t breathing. I think it’s just a natural reflex to want to know that I am. I have seen you taking sneaky glances to me when we’re together.”

“And when you are asleep.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I might have been watching you sleep too. Just to make sure.”

“You know I am not going to stop breathing again Robyn, right? Maybe we have started to get to the bottom of your nightmares.”

Taron broke the hug and moved back to the couch, sitting beside her. “You better get over here, before I drag you over.” He held his arm open and Robyn shuffled over, leaning back against him so her head was against his shoulder, her legs stretched alongside his as they rested on the poof.  “It’s something that must be bothering you.”

“I think it’s more than likely where the fear from the dreams comes from. The other stuff from the 7/11, for me, doesn’t come close to how afraid I was when Richard shouted at me to tell me you weren’t breathing. It was something that had been on my mind from the moment I saw all the blood and I knew I was going to have a serious problem if you stopped breathing. Yes it was adrenaline that helped me along the way and you picked a good time to pass out on me because the police had just got into the building but if I hadn’t of been able to help you…” Taron grabbed her left and linked his fingers with hers. “I know you are ok Taron. I know that but sometimes I just need to make sure you are. The nightmares are the what-ifs and my over active imagination running wild.”

Taron unlinked his fingers from hers and taking his hand, placed it inside his shirt on the left side of his chest, just beside where the bruising from the CPR was “It’s beating Robyn. Can you feel it? If you need to do this every day to stop the nightmares, then do it. I don’t think I can explain it any better for you than letting you do this.” He kept his hand over hers. “If you have another nightmare and I am asleep, which let’s face it, I probably will be, just wake me up. We can talk it through. I already have the gist of what the nightmares are about Robyn.” Taron pushed her hand harder against him. “But they are not real. This is real and I was serious, I am not leaving until you sleep a whole night through.” Robyn could feel the steady beat of Taron’s heart under her hand, the rhythm increasing a little as he spoke. “And if you have to keep your hand here the whole time, then that’s fine by me. I mean, you have already ripped my shirt open to get to my heart, so I might as well give you easy access.”

Robyn knew it was probably the most inappropriate time to laugh but she couldn’t help it, Taron soon joining her. She still felt troubled by the nightmare but Taron had used some good physical evidence to help her and as she was brought into another cuddle by him, she knew she was going to be ok, just like Taron was.

“Do you know what I want?” She asked pulling her hand from under his, Taron shaking his head as he hugged her. “Ice cream.”

“Ice cream?” Taron lifted his head and Robyn turned so she could look at him.

“Yeah ice cream. I have some cookie dough in the freezer.”

“That sounds fucking amazing. I could eat some cookie dough right now.”

Robyn moved so she was sitting up beside Taron as he still lay stretched on the couch. “Thank you Taron.” She leant forward and with her right hand resting carefully on his left cheek, placed a kiss on his forehead, Taron closing his eyes as she did so. “I am very glad you took those three planes.” She got up from the couch and made her way into the kitchen.

Taron sat as he was on the couch, his eyes still closed, his fingers going to where she had left the kiss on his head. Only his mother really ever kissed him on his forehead but he decided that he really liked it when Robyn did it too, really really liked it.

As he heard Robyn rummaging in the kitchen, he knew he had something that would bring a beautiful smile to her face. He eased himself up from the couch, deciding that although he loved the corner of the couch, it was not suited for people with sore ribs and walked slowly into Robyn’s room and to his duffle on her floor. He grabbed one of the handles and dragged it up onto the bed. It was a mess inside, all of his clothes jumbled together but he found what he was looking for and put it in the pocket of his shirt. Robyn was back on the couch waiting for him, and he cautiously slid back into the corner. Once he was settled on the couch, it was heaven and he loved how his body sank into the soft material, even more so when he could stretch his legs out fully in front of him.

“Corner not so much fun anymore huh?” She asked as she watched him taking his time to get comfortable.

“Not at all. Love this couch. It’s my corner now.”

Robyn moved a little closer to him and handed him a spoon. “I didn’t bother with bowls. I normally eat from the tub.”

“Sounds good to me but why on earth do you have a tea spoon?” Taron looked with interest at the small spoon in her hand while she had given him a desert one.

“I don’t like the big spoons.” She explained as she pulled the lid off the ice cream with her left hand. “Even for cereal.”

“Even for cereal?”

“I know it’s weird.”

“No, it’s Robyn. I have something for us to share too.” Taron pulled the red packet from his shirt pocket.

“Turtles!” Cried Robyn excitedly.

“Richard left a packet for me in my duffle but I am willing to share.”

“Sharing is caring!” Smiled Robyn and Taron’s own face lit up at seeing her smile. He knew it would make her eyes sparkle.

He opened the packet and took one out and gave it to her, while he took one out for himself. “Well cheers to ice cream and turtles.” He said holding his out to her, grinning as the tapped her chocolate against his, both taking a bite together. “I might just be regretting sharing these with you.”

“I can give you it back.” Replied Robyn. “I mean it’s only half chewed.”

Taron found himself giggling again. “Nah keep it. I have another one.”

Robyn dug into the ice cream which sat between them. “Add some ice cream. You will thank me after.”

Doing as she had suggested Taron scooped out some ice cream and popped the rest of his turtle in his mouth first before eating the ice cream. “Oh dear God, yum.” He went for another scoop of ice cream. “Jesus that’s good.”

“Yep.” Robyn moved so she could reach the controller for the television before sitting close to Taron again. She turned the DVD off and the sound of the television echoed through the room.

“Is that an Irish station?” Asked Taron as he picked up the ice cream carton so he could get some of the cookie dough out, hearing voice speaking a language he didn’t understand.

“Yeah. I don’t really watch it that often.”

“But you can understand it.”

“Most of it.” Robyn flicked down two channels. “Aww yes Father Ted. You good with Father Ted?” She asked settling on the Irish comedy about priests.

“I will watch anything and yes. I like Father Ted.” He passed the ice cream back over to her and doing as Taron had just done, Robyn fished some of the cookie dough out. He broke the last turtle in half and passed one half to her.

“You sure?” She questioned as she took the chocolate from him.

“All yours.”

“Thank you.”

“How did you get that heart shaped scar at your elbow?” He asked digging into the ice cream again.

“Ahh, something else you have yet to see is Robyn’s clumsiness. I walked into the corner of a balcony that had a sharp edge and that was the actual shape of the small cut and it just happened to be a heart. Only I could manage something like that.”

“It’s another shape you can teach the kids.” Laughed Taron and he then pointed his spoon to the ice cream. “This was a wonderful idea. Hits the spot and is definitely needed after tough nightmares.” He swung his left arm around her shoulders again and as Robyn held the tub of ice cream, both sat enjoying the dairy goodness of cookie dough.

Before Father Ted had ended Robyn could feel Taron doing his best to suppress his yawn but after a while a long drowsy sigh left his lips. “It’s just seems to stupid that I am still tired. I mean you are not yawning and I know you are shattered. Ugh.” Taron moved his arm from her shoulder and rubbed his eyes. “It’s so ridiculous. I have worked eighteen hours days continuously on set with very little sleep and I still function.”

“Want me to explain to you again why you are still tired?”

“No, I know why. It’s just not fair that I am sleeping, still feel fucking knackered and you’re not sleeping much and you are still functioning.” Taron pouted.

“Well define functioning.”

“Yeah ok fair point.” Taron yawned again.” Fucks sake.”

“I am going to put this ice cream back.” Said Robyn as she took his spoon from his lap and got off the couch and walked into the kitchen, putting the ice cream back in the freezer.

“I am going to sleep here.” Said Taron as he lay back on the couch a little.

“Oh no you’re not.” Replied Robyn as she walked back over and sat on the poof. “Whatever magic that bath has worked to ease your ache would have been a waste. Beds are for sleeping.”

“You slept here two nights ago.”

“Yes, but it is my home and I can do what I want.”

“You told me to make myself at home.” He responded, his arms folding over his chest.

“Well I aint running you another bath tomorrow.”

“I can do it myself.”

“And get it just as perfect as the one you took today? With the perfect temperature so it’s not too cold or too hot? With all the salts dissolved? It’s not too nice sitting in a bath and the salts start to dissolve under you when you are in there and what if you use the scented bubble bath? You’ll smell like a tropical island.”

Taron chuckled. “That I won’t mind too much but it’s the dissolving salts I’m a bit worried about.”

“It’s really just extra bubbles. Might not be as comforting as the jets of bubbles but bubbles are bubbles, right?”

Laughter filled the air as Robyn sat beside his legs, placing a hand on knee. “Bed is what’s best for you at the moment.”

“Yeah I know.”

“We can watch something on the TV again. Well I can watch TV, you can sleep.”

“You are worried about sleeping, aren’t you?” Asked Taron straight out, hearing the hesitation in her voice.

“Just a tad. They are only dreams but they just seem so real.”

“Just wake me up Robyn. I am here for you. You know that.”

“I know and I will.”

Another long tired yawn came from Taron, his hands rubbing his face but he stopped when his fingers touched the delicate bruises that littered his skin. “I keep forgetting they are there. I have done that so many times now. You would think I would learn not to touch them.”

“It’s just a sign that you are comfortable and relaxed. It’s good for you to forget for a while. You were really hurt Taron and still are. It’s rest that will help your body heal.”

“Today was restful. It was the first day that I truly felt good, well apart from when it stung to move but it was a good day.”

“I think the weather is meant to be the exact same tomorrow, so I vote for another like it but we will make sure you manage to sleep on your back or side, so you’re not crippled.”

“And if it’s not maybe we can make that rainbow cake?” Taron raised an eyebrow with a smile on his face.

“We will make the cake Taron. Don’t worry. Although we will have to take a trip to the shop to buy the stuff for the surprise for the middle.”

“What can you use for the surprise?”

“Anything you like.”

Taron’s eyes lit up like a child in a sweetshop. “Can we make it now?”

Robyn laughed. “No, now we need to sleep. It’s been a good day yeah, but tough for us in our own way.” As much as she loved chatting with Taron and watching him grin and laugh, his yawns were creeping her way and she was doing her best to hold her own in. She was ready just to crash on her bed, whether she slept or not. “So now we need to sleep and don’t pout at me or we won’t make cake at all.”

“Wow you are tough preschool teacher.” He chuckled as she slapped his knee. “Hey injured man here, go easy!”

“Nothing wrong with you knees. I should know, I was there when I checked. Right, you bed.”

She stood up and held out her hand to him which his graciously took and slowly got up from the couch. “I am just going to bring in the clothes I hung out earlier. You go and get settled.”

It only took Robyn five minutes to take her clothes in and leave them in the laundry room and close up her apartment for the night, making sure the front door was locked and the alarm on. When she strolled into the bedroom, Taron had already closed the curtains and was propped up on the bed, three pillows behind his back. She used the bathroom, leaving her toothbrush beside Taron’s on the counter. She turned off the light and closed the door of the bathroom, closet and bedroom before walking around and climbing on the left side of the bed, using the light from the TV which Taron had already turned on as a guide so she didn’t trip over his duffle or converse which were still on the floor where she had thrown them three days ago. Taron had been perfectly happy to go barefoot just as she was around her home.

“Friends again?” He asked as Robyn settled herself on the bed, kicking the duvet down with her feet, before pulling it back up to her waist.

“Yep yep.” She replied sleepily, wriggling down on the bed, so she lay on her right side, with one pillow under her head. “You going to sleep sitting up?” She asked him.

“You going to sleep all the way over there?” Returned Taron. “I thought I was being used a pillow tonight?”

Robyn was glad it was somewhat dark in the room. She could feel the blush filling her cheeks again. Taron’s natural warmth and love towards her was something she had not had in a very long time and it was easy to forget what it felt like for a man to genuinely care how she was feeling. She shuffled over to his side of the bed, Taron taking one of the pillows from behind his back and throwing it on the ground, so he wasn’t so propped up, moving so he was laying down a bit more. Robyn lifted the duvet so he could tuck his legs inside, pulling it back up over the two of them.

Having a large bed definitely had its advantages and even though the two were right beside each other, they still had a huge amount of space either side of them and as Robyn lay right beside Taron, her cheek against his left shoulder, her right arm tucked under her chin again, her right arm laying against his left, she could still stretch her legs right out so they didn’t bump off Taron’s.

It was pure comfort and a closeness that Robyn was quickly getting used too. She had already seen even with their short time together, that Taron was a very cuddly and affectionate person and he had no trouble in showing his feelings very clearly with little gestures such as kisses and now as they lay side by side, Robyn felt him take her right hand with his left, that warmth she had felt earlier from him was quickly soaking into her skin. The light movement of his shoulder as he took quiet gentle breathes together with the motion of his thumb stroking hers was enough for Robyn to drift off to sleep again, her breathes falling in time with Taron’s as he found his own calm slumber.