Halloween

[1stmacleod]

For Halloween, Connor comes home a little longer after his text conversation with Kairos than he meant to, but he's dressed all in simple, dark blue robes that are clearly Japanese. They're not all that ancient, just from the 80's, with a nice circular watery design in white on the back. His katana is tucked into the belt of the robes, his regular clothes in a bundle in his hand. It should pass for a costume, and as a bonus he can carry the katana openly without being questioned. It's possible people will take it for a mere prop.
After a light, early dinner, he and his goddess of a girlfriend head to the Way to help out, and it's not as bad as he feared. The distraction is good, but still, every once in a while, there's some dark-haired little boy, or a knight or cowboy costume, and for just a moment Connor is struck with a pang of deep sorrow. Just once, it's a princess with blonde curls, and he excuses himself to the bathroom for ten minutes.
By the evening's end, he's had enough of Halloween. Connor makes tea, and cuddles on the sofa with Kairos, head nestled against her shoulder. It's been an emotionally wearing evening, and it takes a lot of cuddling and some good long kisses before he feels it's safe to go to bed.
Even then, he dreams of his children.

Comments

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"I didn't have them before, because they were in storage. That's me. Rebel without a cause." He nuzzles her, smiling a little. He gets her teasing, but his joke is about least fifty years old.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"...Oh. I see." And then she's shivering from the nuzzling. "Hey, that tickles."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"Do you want me to wear them more often?" He nuzzles her neck with his stubble and breathes gently in her ear. There's no way he's not doing it on purpose, now.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

She halfheartedly slaps at his arm. "Stop that." Her ear twitches and there's more of those little shivers. "Uhm.. actually? I'd be okay if you wandered around like this." She reaches to tug at his shirt.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He smiles, and looks down at himself, legs still tangled up in the blankets. "If I tried to wander around like this, I'd fall over."

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"Oh, and we couldn't have that, now could we?" She pulls at his blankets and straightens them out before tucking him in.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He looks amused over being tucked in, but rubs his face a little. "I'm sorry. You really don't need to worry. I'm used to nightmares, and they're not as bad as they used to be."

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"Pfft. Girlfriends are allowed to worry, MacLeod. Besides. I get to sneak into your room and into your bed."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"Is it still sneaky once I know you're here?" He looks both guilty and grateful. It's a little embarrassing to be caught at his nightmares, but it's also unfamiliar and nice to have someone to wake him from them.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"Nope. But that's okay. You haven't kicked me out yet."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"No..." He slides an arm around her, tired, but not ready to let her leave.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"Then obviously I win." She curls herself up to him further, fully okay being his teddy bear.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"We both win." He rests his head against her, settling in a little. If she gets bored or uncomfortable and tries to get free, he'll let her go, but otherwise he just might doze off cuddled up against her. He might have less nightmares, with her there.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

"Mm. I can agree with that." Kairos pulls at one of the pillows, gets comfy, and settles in herself. She's perfectly okay with staying right where she is for the rest of the night.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor lies still, eyes open, for a while. He's listening to her heartbeat, and he holds one of her hands in his, lethargically playing with her fingers between his own. Eventually the motion stills and his breathing evens out, and he falls asleep curled against her.

[kairos-aether.livejournal.com]

It's not until Kairos is certain that he's asleep that she allows herself to drift off to sleep.