milliways_sawyer | (no subject)

(no subject)

Sawyer walks in the door balancing a small stack of paper carefully in one hand and carrying a bag of groceries in the other.

... and immediately trips over Duke. The dog and the man glare at each other as if the other is to blame.

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He glances over the paper. "Looks good to me. You like it better than the place with the balcony or worse?"

"I don't know," she frowns. "I really like the balcony. But the kids would like the pool. . .if we're still there in a few years. Which do you like better?"

He shrugs. "We can always go to the pool at the Y or somethin'; they don't have balconies there, though."

"Mmm, the balcony one is better then. And it looks like it's off the master bedroom."

She smiles as she lays her head on his shoulder. "That would be nice."

He nods and leans his head against hers. "Want to go with that one, then?"

"Yes, I like that one. It seems more 'homey' somehow."

She takes a sip of her tea and manages only a small grimace this time.

"I can go at lunch tomorrow to sign the lease. Is that good for you?"

A pause and then says carefully. "We didn't ever really discuss that. Do you even want to be on the lease?"

He thinks for a moment. "We're more likely to get it if we have both incomes to show, so I think I ought to be on the lease. Just..."

She squeezes his thigh. "Just. . .?"

He glances down at the stack of applications. "Just... make sure you put me down as 'James', okay? This whole life we're plannin'... I don't particularly feel like startin' this off usin' his name."

She likes to think she knows him pretty well, but he can still surprise her when he wants to, and this is one of those times. She pulls away just enough to study his face for a moment.

"Okay," she nods with a small, touched smile. "Do you want. . . should I. . .I mean. . . Do you want to be called that, now?"

He shrugs. "If you feel like it. Babysteps, y'know?"

"Okay," she says again and cups his face, running a thumb over his bottom lip.

Experimentally, "James."

He reaches up to catch her hand and kisses her fingers gently. "It'll take some gettin' used to."

"Yeah," she smiles. "Babysteps. But it's nice."

She moves her fingers over slightly so she can kiss him.

"And it'll be easier to explain to Seth why I named him that."

Apparently, Duke is jealous of all the attention not being paid to him. He tugs at Sawyer's pants leg.

Sawyer nudges the dog with his toe. "Not now, pup. You'll get your turn."

She laughs against his mouth and peers down at the puppy. "Not the same sort of turn though. Just so we're clear on that."

"Crystal. Ew."

"I was talking to Duke," she smirks and stands carefully, settling Peony back on her now empty chair. Then she makes her self comfortable in his lap, looping one arm around his neck, so she can kiss him more easily.

"Oh. Right." He slides his right hand down to her belly. "How's our girl doin' today?"

"She's been easy on me today. I barely even got nauseated at lunch time."

She looks down at his hand and then moves it just inside her shirt to feel the beginnings of a baby bulge there. "She's got hair now."

He chuckles. "I hope it's on her head."

"We'll love her anyway, even if it's not," she grins and looks back down at their hands.

"Do you remember my friend Eska? She helped deliver Seth."

He shrugs. "That night was kind of a blur, angel."

"Well, anyway, she's really good at what she does. I don't get to see her much, but she said she's going to keep an eye on us, just in case the, er, pregnancy, is. . . different somehow."

He starts to look a little worried. "She got any reason to think it might be?"