she'll bring out the best and worst you can be

Something that not everyone does, I guess. Not a hug or anything like that... Guess it would have to be something like running a hand down my arm, or holding my hand when it’s clear I need it. Just...anything that shows the person is really seeing me, you know?

-is real into her snuggling close to him , grinning crookedly at her kisses and tightens his arms around her, keeping her close- Gonna need t’let go’ve me if you’re wantin’ that cuppa, girlie. -squeezes her once before running his arms down her sides and stepping back- C’mon, go ‘n have a sit ‘n I’ll get that cuppa.

-wipes his thumb under her eye- Love y’too, girlie. ‘N m’sorry, again, for bein’ so distant, yeah? Be different from now on, alrigh’? -wipes under her eye again, shifting to kiss her softly and then kisses each of her eyes, leaning back after- Can I make you a cuppa? 

I– -doesn’t have a good explanation because he knows that true and he feels bad so he just goes with the truth- S’true, that. But s’only true because we’re both the same. Thinkin’ we need t’be strong for each other ‘n the kids. They lost their Aunt Marls and the whole lot’ve the McKinnon’s ‘n m’not about t’sit ‘round in front’ve ‘em ‘n keep talkin’ ‘bout ‘em when it upsets ‘em. ‘N I try not t’talk about it with you ‘cause you’re my escape from it, Joce. You’re the bit that’s come out’ve this fuckin’ war that makes me feel normal ‘n like the whole fuckin’ world hasn’t changed. With…with Niall…I have t’talk to him ‘bout it or he’ll bottle it up ‘n fuckin’ explode one day ‘cause that’s what he does. -rubs his thumbs along her back- But you’ve never stopped bein’ my best friend, Joce. Don’t mean t’make you feel that way. ‘N if we need t’set aside time for just us–not the kids–just us t’talk ‘n…’n whatever, lets do that. Just…just not at some doctor’s office. 

-listens carefully, watching his eyes intently as he talks and nods along when he talks about them staying strong for the kids, her eyes filling with tears when he says ‘they lost their aunt Marls’, but she swallows hard and they dry up as he finishes rambling, and she wants to say so much in response but he’s really said it all for her so instead she just nods once again and takes a small step forward, leaning in to kiss him softly, one little tear rolling down her cheek as she does, and after a moment when she pulls away she speaks very low, resting her forehead on his- I love you... I missed you.

-chances a very small chuckle, leaning down to press a kiss to her shoulder and then presses his mouth to the top of her head- I know. S’a family curse. -wraps his arms around her fully and encourages her to lean back against his chest, leaning around to press his lips right behind her ear- Really am sorry for bein’ a fuckin’ knob end just then. ‘N these past few months. S’no question on me lovin’ you or not. Know you’re my world, yeah? ‘N, for the record, our marriage isn’t borin’. Just look at it as us takin’ a breather, yeah? Restin’ up for the next round. 

-can’t help but feel her skin warming at his arms around her, her muscles relaxing into him even if she didn’t mean for them to, and takes a slow breath as she closes her eyes and listens to his words, nodding at the end, looking down toward the grass through the window as she replies- It’s not about the...sex, Jer, it’s... -breathes in deeply and turns around in his arms so she’s still pressed up right against him and her hands are resting on his arms, looking right into his eyes- It’s the fact that I feel like Niall knows more about your grief and Calista knows more about mine than we know about each other’s. You... -sighs heavily, admitting her part in it which she DOESN’T like to do- we just stopped really...talking. I just-- -says the next part fast cause it’s vulnerable and she hates it- I don’t know when you stopped being my best friend. And that’s not something I want to take a “breather” from--you being my best friend. 

-immediately feels bad- Joce– -S I G H S again like “jeremy u idiot” and scrubs his hands over his face when she faces away and feels so very guilty for playing that card and slowly comes up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and then slowly running them down her upper arms, trying to ~comfort and apologize- Joce, m’sorry. Shouldn’t have thrown that at you. Know you’re mourin’. Know what Marls meant t’you. M’sorry, yeah?

-starts at the feeling of his hands on her shoulders, blinking back tears and breathing very evenly as he speaks, but has to bite her lip hard when he says her name and is not doing the best job of holding it together, so keeps quiet for a very long time, her body rigid until she finally can take a breath without the threat of sobbing, her voice very flat- You’re an arsehole.

-s i g h s because he thought MAYBE he got out of this talk, and rubs his hand over his face again, ignoring the bit about calista because he is forever a little >___> at cal even tho he does like her- Joce…c’mon. S’not like he’s here by himself. Brings Mags over. ‘N he’s also not here loads. Mungo’s still has him comin’ in at all hours ‘n s’not like he’s got loads’ve others t’watch the kid, yeah? Still mournin’. 

-blanches a bit at his last comment, appalled he’d even go there, and averts her eyes, looking at the table and blinking rapidly for a few long moments before speaking in a hushed tone- We’re all mourning, Jer. -says with a little more force and indignation as she stands up and moves away from him- I’m fuckin’ mourning too, you ever think about that? -goes over to the window and crosses her arms over her chest, very much trying to physically hold in all her emotions-

-is amused, rolling his eyes and fully leaning back from her while chuckling, rubbing his hand along his jaw- Told y’time ‘n time again, Joce. Gotta let up with those wild fantasies’ve yours involvin’ Mulloy ‘n me engagin’ in secret affairs. ‘Sides, he’s a shite practice partner.

-raises her eyebrows (trying to swallow down the angry beast that still exists surrounding this topic) and retains a light-hearted tone- Well, if you’re not engaging in secret affairs with him, why’s it feel like he spends more time in my house than I do? -shrugs- S’fine, I mean, I practice with Calista all the time, but eventually we ought to resume practicing on each other, is all I’m saying.

-snogs up on her for a good couple of minutes after trying not to fall on top of her and kinda calms down on the kissing, hands still cupping her face and pulls back just slightly, looking over her face and giving her a small crooked grin- Up t’yer standards, Mrs. Wood?

-i’ll be honest she’s pretty disappointed when the kissing ends and they’re not in the bedroom (girl is thirsty), but still has to fight hard against a smile while rolling her eyes, her cheeks flushed unbeknownst to her- Hardly, Mr. Wadcock. Dunno what sort’ve snogging Mulloy expects from you, but you’re quite out of practice for my standards.

Fuckin’– -huffs a breath- No. No, alright? No I don’t fuckin’ think a borin’ marriage is fine but it takes two borin’ fuckin’ people t’make a borin’ marriage and we’re not fuckin’ borin’, Joce. We’re still recoverin’ from survivin’ a fuckin’ war so m’sorry if you’re feelin’ like m’bored’ve ya. -shifts forward in his chair- ‘N oi! That snoggin’ bit? S’not all on me, girlie. -gestures between them- Takes two t’snog, yeah? Don’t it? Could come ‘n grab me ‘n give me a snog for the hell’ve it, but y’haven’t. But, fuck, if it’s snoggin’ y’want– -shoves himself out of his chair and strides on over to her all irritated, takes her face in his hands, and LAYS one on her-

-okay so to be clear she really wants to fight him on this because, it’s joce, so she has SO much more to say, and she’s literally got her mouth open prepared to bite back about his snogging argument but frankly when he starts to come towards her her heart starts racing like a lil schoolgirl and her desire to win the argument is WAY outweighed by her desire to snog him, so instead of pushing him away she instinctually grabs the collar of his shirt and pulls him towards her, and since she’s sitting and he’s standing this probably makes him almost fall over, but she is undeterred and is very voraciously involved in the snogging-