milliways_sawyer | (no subject)

Hands full of baby, bags, and a little green scale, Claire manages to get the door open, but only just barely. She 'hmphs' under her breath and gives it a firm kick to widen the gap, stepping inside before it can shut again.

All of that work just to get home has made her very grumpy. It's late and she's tired.

But Sawyer on her couch makes her forget all of that immediately, and she grins as she takes in the picture before her.

"You did stay here, after all."

Pointing to the animals sprawled across his shins, "Somebody's got to make sure they don't tear up the place. You need a hand?"

"I got it," she shakes her head and drops her bags on the floor just inside the door, before kicking it closed. The bags can wait until later.

She doesn't say anything else before disappearing into Seth's bedroom to put him in his crib. When she emerges a few minutes later, she finds a small, empty space on the couch and snuggles next to him.

"I like you being here when I get home."

"Like your extra-manly housewife? Should I start makin' sure I got dinner on the table when you get home, too?"

"You know how I feel about that," she smirks and pulls him closer for a kiss. "Hi, by the way."

He smiles into the kiss. "Hi. Good visit?"

"Very," she nods between several smaller kisses. "Miss me?"

He shrugs and tries not to smile. "Maybe."

She pokes one of his dimples and grins.

"You did. You should own it."

"Fine. I missed you."

He stretches before looping an arm around her. "The legitimate workin' world is borin'."

She reaches her hand up to lace her fingers with his and sighs.

"You're going to get bored with this whole life at some point."

He quirks an eyebrow. "I said the job was borin', angel. Jobs are easy to change."

Sawyer presses his lips to her forehead. "Hey. I ain't goin' nowhere. Promise."

"I know you're not," she says softly and she believes it. Finally, perhaps.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you like excitement and trouble--" she pauses to poke him in the shoulder gently, "--and don't deny it. You do."

He attempts to look innocent for a few moments... and gives it up as a lost cause. "Yeah, well... just make sure you always got bail money handy and we'll be okay."

She snickers and leans in to kiss him again. "Only if you promise to let me know if there's anything I can do to keep things from getting too dull."

"I'm sure I'll be able to think of somethin'," he says, grinning.

"You been to the bar at all lately?"

"Not since before I left."

"You ain't missed much. Saw a note today that said security's hirin' again."

He chuckles as that reminds him. "I met a guy the other day who knows Alanna from before the bar."

"Oh?"

She pulls his hand down to her stomach and lays her head on his shoulder.

"Was it George?"

He shakes his head. "Nah, I met him before. I don't think he likes me very much." He doesn't sound too upset by that.

"This fella's name was Liam. Apparently, he's some kinda kung-fu expert or somethin'." Sawyer chuckles. "And he calls Alanna 'kitten'."

"He must be a very good kung-fu expert, then," she giggles.

"What does she call him?"

"She's probably some extra-special names picked out for him, but she didn't use 'em around me."

"How inconsiderate of her," she smirks up at him.

"Speaking of names. . ."

"Bambi Cleopatra's still on the table..."

"No. No, it's not," she makes a face. "We'd like her to have some sort of shot in life, wouldn't we?"

"You got somethin' better in mind?"

"Maybe."

But really, what isn't better than Bambi Cleopatra?

"Feel like fillin' me in, or is it a big ol' secret?"

"It's a secret," she deadpans. "I'm only ever going to call her 'baby' in front of you, but behind your back she gets her other, real name."

Hey, she totally gets the smartass from him.

"Nice. I feel loved. Really."

"Oh, don't be like that. You know I love you."

She places a kiss on the side of his mouth.

". . .Don't you?"

test

"Yeah, I do."

He shifts slowly so as not to dislodge the pets and snuggles closer to her. "So, seriously. What's the name you got in mind?"

"Miriam," she says quietly, wondering why she's suddenly a bit nervous.

Maybe because picking out names makes her real in a way she wasn't before.

"It means 'strong-willed and wished-for'."

If he'd gone to Sunday School more than once or twice, that name might mean something to him.

As it is, he shrugs. "Sounds good to me. It fits."

"Yeah?" she tilts her head to look at him. "You think so?"

"Well, okay, if genetics are worth a damn, chances are she's gonna have a stubborn streak. That counts as 'strong-willed', right? And as for 'wished-for'..."

Here he smiles. "Yeah, it fits just right."

If he hadn't won her completely already, that little smile alone would have hooked her.

She tucks her head against his neck and reaches down to trace the edge of Peony's ear. It twitches in her sleep.

"Miriam it is then. Or at least one of her names. You get to pick the other two."

"I'll think on it," he murmurs.

"I'm glad you're back."

"Me too," she hums and places a kiss on his neck.

"When do you get paid?"

He snickers. "I knew you were after me for my money."

"Next week. First of the month."

She pinches his arm. "That is not what I meant and you know it. I just want to start looking for our own place, is all."

"Might as well start lookin' now."

He leans his head against hers and sighs. "Well, not now now. That'd mean gettin' up."

"No getting up, just yet," she agrees and closes her eyes briefly. "In a moment, maybe."

After a while, she picks up his hand and moves his finger and thumb a small distance apart. "This big, now."

"Growin' like a weed, ain't she?"

"She has vocal chords now and she can cry silently."

She frowns. "Which is sort of sad, really."

"Yeah, thanks for that."

He kisses her forehead. "C'mon, let's head to bed."

"Okay," she smiles and (reluctantly) disentangles herself from his arms. She scoops her sleeping kitty off his leg and moves her to her little bed in the corner before turning to Sawyer again.

"You owe me a better homecoming than what I got earlier anyway."