June 2012: Univille, South Dakota

[timelessinventor]

She hadn't felt this way in years. Decades or a century, if it came down to it. There was something about Joshua, something about the way he listened, the way he interacted with her, that awakened something in her that she thought had died even before Christina was born.

Once they got back to the B&B and up to her room, everything seemed to blur. She barely got to the bed before she was on top of him, snogging, tearing off clothes (in retrospect, she should have made sure he had other clothes first) and losing herself in feelings, in passions that she hadn't truly felt in quite a while.

After the first, there was a second, and a third, and finally, she lay back in her bed, Joshua curled up beside her and just let out a deep sigh.

Comments

[timelessinventor]

He's welcome to take his sweet time with that. Helena's not entirely sure where she misplaced her own words, really. For now, she'll just... snuggle him. That sounds good.

[damncompass]

It's a long while before he finally finds something approaching words. "mmmmmmmmmm." Yeah. That's all he's got right now.

[timelessinventor]

"indeed, darling." Ah, there's a few words. Perhaps the rest will come back.

[damncompass]

"thanks." He manages a smile, even though that's almost the only thing he's been doing since they... stopped.

[timelessinventor]

"Thank you." If she's being honest (and when it comes to sexual relations, she generally is), that's the most she's enjoyed a man's company in quite some time, if not ever.

[damncompass]

"'m not that good, am I?" Joshua can't seem to believe that he's really that good considering his... lack of experience. "'m... not really that experienced." Not to mention, he has a feeling that Helena is... quite experienced in this manner.

[timelessinventor]

"More criteria than that, darling." Helena shifts her arm out from under Joshua's head (only because it was starting to fall asleep; she makes no move to go anywhere). "Seems there's something to be said for an emotional connection after all."

[damncompass]

"I always thought it was supposed to be best with an emotional connection." Mostly because he's always been a romantic at heart.

After a moment, he sits up, looking extremely concerned. "Oh, shit. I didn't use a condom or anything."

[timelessinventor]

Helena snorts. "I haven't menstruated since 1901. I should think there's nothing to worry about in that regard." She suspects the bronzing process put an end to that (and she can't say she misses it, or that she particularly wanted to figure out modern coping mechanisms; the undergarments were bad enough).

[damncompass]

"Oh. Well, er, that's good." Joshua lies back down, blushing quite a lot. "I, uh, didn't want to put you in a position that you didn't want to be in." After what happened with Christina... yeah.

[timelessinventor]

Helena sighs. "I... if it were still possible, and if I thought I could go through with it without chasing Christina's ghost every time I turned around, I would love to try." But as things stand, perhaps it's just as well (it wouldn't be fair to either of them, to the hypothetical child, or to Christina).

[damncompass]

"Yeah. 's probably better this way in the long run." The Warehouse is still a terrible place to raise a kid, even though Joshua would be more than happy to just Regent and stay-at-home dad. But that ship sailed in the Victorian era.

[timelessinventor]

That ship sailed before Joshua's grandparents were born, most likely.

After a bit more contented silence, Helena says, "I dare say I could even manage exclusivity, for a change." Her previous relationships hardly merited the word, and usually didn't merit this sort of consideration. But Joshua is special.

[damncompass]

"Helena, I don't want to change who you are." That was something he promised himself years ago. He'd never let someone change just because of him. (Helping her heal, well, that's a totally different thing.) "Just... don't sneak around. Tell me you're going to do something."

[timelessinventor]

"Well, if you're quite certain it doesn't bother you." Helena grins (it'll be a relief not to have to hide flirtations, if she'd rather have them). "And that goes both ways - I won't hold you to a standard I don't meet."

Helena Wells: Hipster poly atheist.

[damncompass]

"Doesn't bother me." He'd just like to know that she's coming back at the end of the day. Or week, whatever. "I'm not..." He pauses, then blushes furiously. "Ok, so there is a guy in Milliways, but I don't even know what that is."

[timelessinventor]

"Oh?" Helena smirks. "Do tell, darling."

[damncompass]

"Well..." Joshua runs a hand through his (extremely messy by this point) hair. "He's from another world entirely, and he's a con man. I...er, well, I kissed him for the first time because there was this cop who was eying him and I wanted to blend into the background."

[timelessinventor]

"Did you now?" Helena laughs. "At least he was disposed to take it well. Wouldn't have pegged you as the sort to enjoy spending time with confidence tricksters, though."

[damncompass]

"He's fun. Stole my Artifact once, but after he had the caffiene high for a few days, he gave it back. No harm done." Joshua just shrugs. "I don't know. He just amuses me, I guess. He's fun, and it's relaxing." So that's what they're calling it these days.

[timelessinventor]

"Nothing at all wrong with a spot of fun, darling. And he certainly sounds like it." She's wondering if he's cute.

[damncompass]

"He's also absolutely intimidated by Claudia." He smirks a bit. "I just find it hilarious. He's pretty amusing."

[timelessinventor]

"And why would be be afraid of her?" Certainly Claudia has her moments (Helena's still half expecting some sort of 'bollocks on toast' threat), but it would take quite a bit for her to follow through. "Clearly I'm going to have to meet him sometime."

[damncompass]

"I'm not certain. Something about him stealing a Tesla and her just being... herself." Joshua shrugs. "I... don't exactly know what happened." He pauses and smirks. "Yeah, you should meet him."

[timelessinventor]

"Well, there's his problem. He oughtn't have stolen her Tesla." Helena grins. "I look forward to it."

[damncompass]

"Yeah. Stealing Claud's Tesla leads to bad things." Or something like that. Joshua just decides to lean over and kiss his Helena again.

[claudiometer]

Speak of the devil, there's a knock at the door.
"Dinner's in half an hour I'm not coming in or hanging around."
Really, Claudia's just glad it doesn't sound like she caught them in the act.

[damncompass]

... Cockblocked by his sister. It was inevitable.

"'k. Thanks, Claud." If Joshua's a bit breathless, well. It happens.

[timelessinventor]

"Well. I suppose we'd best get dressed." They can always resume the Artifact research after dinner, if they're so inclined.

[damncompass]

"Yeah... if I can find where my pants went to..."

After some moments of finding clothes (How did Helena's bra end up all the way over there?) Joshua finally straightens his shirt. "Well, I'm not finding my tie, but I don't think anyone's going to care."

[timelessinventor]

"Likely not. We can always find it later." Helena finishes buttoning her blouse. "Shall we, then?"

[damncompass]

"I think we shall." Joshua grins, and they both go down to dinner, looking rather like, well, they just had a good time. Oops.