"Don't threaten me with a good time, Miss Swift." He leaned in, further, further, until he could taste her breath, feel the warmth of her ever so faintly, their lips all but touching, "But Rothy's is my favourite place, so, probably better not to risk it." Their lips brushed ever so slightly as he spoke, hushed voice carrying cheeky mirth. With a tiny peck he pulled back and turned to pointedly watch the lights passing by, chuckling and thinking himself very clever. He couldn't keep his eyes off her for long, but long enough for the joke.

Rothy's really was his favourite place. It was extremely hard to beat. Cafas took a deep breath of the homey, savoury air and leaned back further into the booth with a contented sigh.

"Welcome home!"

Cafas raised his own glass and clinked merrily, having to use his left hand to manage the angle. "Good to be back." He sipped, his first alcohol in months. Longer perhaps. Wine really did feel necessary for the occasion. Who celebrated without champagne anyway? "Life just isn't the same without you." She brought a certain lightness to it all that made everything so much easier.

Wind beneath your wings? Eh? Eh? Yeah, there's no need for anyone else to know I even thought that.

"So how long you been keeping this," He indicated he hair, then her wholeness, with a somewhat awkwardly angled swirly hand motion, "As a surprise? And how'd you manage it? The actual fix, not the surprise." He clarified, then adding jocularly, "Though that's almost as miraculous." Cafas aimed up a few playful jabs in the side, only hard enough to tickle, or so he assumed, he was used to a fading Maya. He took another sip of the wine that was already going to his head, regarded the glass briefly, very self aware, and set it down for the moment, returning his eyes to Maya, who they'd hardly left all night.

After all their trying, he extremely curious.

"Yeah. I'll say it's good to be back too." Maya wasn't just happy, she was incandescent with pleasure.

> "Life just isn't the same without you."

"Food's better, colors are brighter, somehow tomorrow's looking up. I think there's more than a few songs about this phenomenon, but I just. can't. put. my finger on it." He made it easy to settle back into what they had. Like he'd never had to go on an extended shoot out of the country. Like she'd never almost faded away. They were new again, and yet just the same old them.

> "So how long you been keeping this as a surprise? And how'd you manage it? The actual fix, not the surprise."

"Hmm. Don't be sad, but almost two months now. I didn't really account for the time reshoots would take." That was downplaying the fact that they both thought he'd be home sooner. There was no reason to make him feel bad about that. They'd both been disappointed and it was an unavoidable facet of a job Cafas loved.

"Serena had been giving me regular transfusions. I know we talked about that and it was slow going, but I think it was working before she got too busy." Everyone had their busy times. In the meantime, Maya had tried to be patient and think wholistic thoughts while she tried just about damn near everything.

"Then one day Jude came back to get his things and move out. I was... mad. Really mad, I guess, but he still comes to visit every now and again. That first day he came back, he said he'd figured out a way to reverse someone's mutation. To, I guess, take it all away like it never happened in the first place. Nothing permanent, but for me it was enough. We had DocProf supervise, for whatever that was worth. It sure felt weird and he couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds. I think the kid slept for two days afterward." Or maybe he was just a teen who didn't answer his phone for his legal guardian as often as she hoped he would.

"He's moved out, got a job..." Maya took a sip. "Like he's a grown up again." But then maybe it was time... She sighed, unaware that she'd been bottling that up.

"I wanted to surprise you on our dating anniversary. I had a cake that was kind of a flop. Baking is more of a science, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders and her shirt moved with the movement. Sometimes, those small things still caught her unaware and filled her with delight. "When that didn't work out, it just didn't seem like a good time. 'Oh, hey honey. I got my body back. You can see it when you get here.'" Surely he saw the flaws in that plan.

Jude moved? Huh. Well, the kid did have some problems with authority, and living at the mansion meant constantly dealing with authority, especially when your legal mother happened to also live there. Well, sometimes. Actually, Cafas wasn't entirely sure where Maya had been living while he was gone. He would imagine the mansion, given that was where Ro was. Ro who would get to see again the next day. Hopefully Abby too, but she was harder to pin down. Had her own life. Seeing the kids again was just another wonderful thing to look forward to.

"Two months? Man those re-shoots really did drag on didn't they?"

"Probably was about time Jude got out and started living like an adult. He's what, eighteen? Seventeen?" Cafas shrugged, not unsympathetically. Either way the kid needed some experience with reality. Not the ugly, frightening, violent part. They dealt with that all the time. Jude needed to experience the mundane. Bills, rent, taxes, feeding himself. It really was the only way to truly understand why your parents made the decisions they had to. "Be nice if he'd mentioned it at all, maybe given some warning, but you know Jude."

Hates hearing opinions he doesn't agree with...

"I'm sadder you didn't mention that, really. Two months isn't that long to wait for better timing, and this was an amazing homecoming surprise. Better saved than wasted on a phone call." Whereas now Cafas had two months of worrying to catch up on with Jude. He put it away for later though. Priorities had to be kept in order. Maya, kids, At least for the night. "And don't be too worried about the cake, I've never been able to make one work either. Seems a lot of work for carbs." Delicious carbs. Wonderful carbs. So full of happiness.

Speaking of ca...

True to Rothy's form, food was arriving just as he was starting to look for it. And it kept coming. And coming. Enough that even Cafas, a seasoned big eater, had to take a moment to appreciate the challenge it presented. "We may have made an error in judgement..." He cast a wide eyed glance at Maya and laughed. They'd maybe both gotten a little carried away. The sheer volume left Cafas wondering if he'd be able to walk when it came time to leave. He knew they didn't have to actually eat it all. He understood the concept of doggy bags and he had heard of admitting defeat. He'd even seen other people do such things. Ultimately though, there was a reason Cafas carefully measured his servings.

"I should have listened to your arched eyebrow when I ordered, huh?"

Cafas eyed several chicken wings, mac and cheese, "collard greens" that he'd never had satisfactorily explained to him, poutine which he had ordered knowing he would regret in a mirror, fried brussel sprouts that had finally convinced him to try the much maligned vegetable, salad he was pretty convinced didn't truly count as such. "Well, I'd say we're gonna be here a while. What's this I hear about portals to other dimensions?" Frightening news was always best received with food to dull the blow.

"Eighteen now. We've known eachother for half his life, now." It was hard to let go, she realized. She would always worry, but at least she knew better than to try to force Sam or Jude to try to work through their differences. Some wounds just needed time.

He wasn't mad about her keeping her body recomp a secret. Or sad. Another spool of tension slipped loose from her shoulders. It was too easy for Maya to get all tangled up about things that just didn't matter. Cafas came and waved through it all like the no big deal it actually was. The important part was there here, the now, and the carbs.

An error? This? Maya grinned, ready to show off yet another facet of being fully solid. "Impossible! I'm starving. As it turns out, it takes a lot more food to drive around a full meat suit." She cringed through a laugh. Only the people she loved got the full unfiltered song and dance. "That was terrible. Can I start over? It takes more calories to sustain a solid body."

> "I should have listened to your arched eyebrow when I ordered, huh?"

"Of course, you should always heed my eyebrows." She gave them an experimental waggle which derailed her from scooping brussel sprouts onto her plate with a fit of laughter. "They are wise and can speak volumes." She nudged the plate of wings Cafas-ward. She could eat meat. It just wasn't very appealing anymore.

> "Well, I'd say we're gonna be here a while. What's this I hear about portals to other dimensions?"

"Mmm." Of course, he asked when she'd shoved an entire slice of cucumber from the salad into her mouth. It did give her time to chew through what she'd wanted to say. "There was a big air pressure fluctuation, so quite a few people got tossed into trees and knocked over and swapped around between worlds. I have no clue what did it. I'm not sure anyone does. One day it just showed up.

All the X's got called in that first day. Does the com work overseas? I wondered if you got that dispatch." That had been a really spotty bit of communication between the two. Lots of help had been needed and the X-men were all on high alert.

"There were some really odd side-effects on people who were right there when it happened and lots of confusion about identity, but now that the two sides are talking to each other I think it should be better all around for people. Official crossing and all that. I guess they did some scientific study and figured out that it's stable enough." She shoveled a few more bites before Cafas could ask anything else interesting.

Cafas gladly accepted the wings pushed towards him. He hadn't really expected Maya to want any. Actually, he'd sort of been counting on it. He was tearing into the smokey meat of a second in the time it took Maya to clear her cucumber. A third was having dip spooned on to it shortly after. No sense meating up the dip, wings always came with celery and pickles, which last he checked were vegetarian.

Raises questions about the dip though.

Maya's description of the initial event lined up with all the news that had come out, though she didn't posit any culprits. Cafas chewed thoughtfully, nodding to confirm he'd received the call. Not that he could have done much from the other side of the planet. Even if they'd directly called for back up, he'd have been at least a day. Even the X-jet couldn't have gotten out and back much faster. He scooped some poutine into his mouth while at the mention of side effects, then had to hurry through the chewing process as Maya wrapped up the sit rep faster than he'd expected.

"Sounds like a real mess. Just glad no weird alien army spilled out of it honestly. Can you imagine the damage?" A war in the middle of New York City, it would run into the billions very quickly. The death toll would be unspeakable. "Sounds like it's become just a part of life now though. Trust the government to make a rip in space-time so boring and bureaucratic." The first real chance for adventure and exploration since satellites and they had their official channels on it. Official channels were the worst. "Still, stable is good news. I'd hate to have to run out on our first night back. Stable sounds like we have the time to spend together."

I'm going to end up going through, I just know it.

Cafas took a long draw from his wine glass, trying to figure out if he cared enough to discuss work on their first night back together. His sense of duty was really conflicting with his senses of romance and getting laid. Had to be done though. "Do we have any confirmation what's on the other side? It's been hard to sift speculation from reality." He pulled his phone from his pocket to show her the frankly useless news articles, but it refused to start.

Charged it all the way from London, how it is out already?

Cafas tossed it on the table, just a little frustrated at it. He put aside the frustration, he just wanted to be happy for a night. He'd show her later. Some of it felt like people were deliberately sowing misinformation.

"Absolute mess. I'm glad I was at the Mansion when it happened, though. Feels like one of those moments where you'll forever remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened. I was able to give Ro a hug and a kiss before I headed out with Juliette." Could she imagine an army going through there? Well, now she could, and she was glad there hadn't been one.

"I plan to go through and check it out for real, eventually, but I'll let the bureaucracy settle down a bit first. It's an absolute trip to see with spatial vision, though." A literal double whammy. She wished she knew what scientist or doctor to tell about it. "I guess I haven't read up on it since I ended up getting close enough to feel it out myself." Maya picked up the phone after he'd tossed it and tried the normal 'push the power button' and look for the obvious things. She was no tech expert, but sometimes a second pair of eyes would be enough. Orrrr maybe he'd fried his phone when he ruined all those paparazzis' days. She ended up sliding the phone into place on the table and neglecting to mention that fact. He could just enjoy getting (yet another) new phone. THese things did happen now that his power had grown.

"From what I could sense over there... It's us. We're over there, Cafas. They have confirmed reports that some people who got tossed around already exist here. It felt just like New York. I mean, it is New York. Just not our New York. First responders were moving around on the other side just like we were on this side. They're people. Real, regular, us people." Could she imagine two Mayas? What would other Maya be like? And two Cafas? Cafai? Would he want to go across and go find himself? She certainly did.

"It's a crazy time to be alive, isn't it?" That seemed a nice moment to clink glasses, so Maya went for it. And a nice time for her to quit hoarding all the talk time.

"So tell me what you can about filming. I mean, I know some, obviously."

A different New York? All different but just the same. Well there were certainly worse things. Cafas could already imagine the complaints about trans-dimensional immigrants. How long before that was the political subject of the day? He gave it six months, tops.

"Well, you'll have to show it to me in spatial. I'm starting to actually be able to interpret the information it gives me. Still gives me a headache, but this may just be worth it." It was still by no means easy, but he could do it. The real trick was in learning to see the negative spaces, at least for Cafas. He still couldn't see the air currents in it or whatever, but then, he was usually a bit distracted to even try.

"It's a crazy time to be alive, isn't it?"

"Crazier with every call out."

Clink.

Oh, filming, like they hadn't just been discussing a temporal rift that for all they knew could spell the doom of their whole universe. Sure. Cafas took a moment to recover from the mental whiplash. Mac and cheese helped. Carbs and fats always did. "Well, yeah, like I said it was a lot like that last one, though a lot less in the way of practical effects. I've never seen quite so many green screens arrayed in an outdoor scene." There had been some in Mad Max, but nothing like Star Wars. One for that star destroyer in the background, one for the weird alien animal, one for the ball robot. The actual film looked honestly ridiculous. The finished product would be amazing.

Always is.

Cafas tore a strip off a wing with his teeth. He wasn't a talk with his mouth full sort of guy, but he wasn't a completely stop eating just to tell a story sort of guy either. "Speaking of, we did so much green screen work I had trouble actually seeing green for an hour after filming from the eye fatigue.You lose all track of time in those massive hangar studios too. Makes it so much harder to get into the scene too, but that's part of the skill I guess. Plus, how are they meant to actually film me jet pack intercepting an X-wing in space? Ooh, actually probably shouldn't have said that so loud." Not that it wouldn't make the trailer. It was going to be far too cool a scene not to.

That harness was so uncomfortable...

"The helmet made emoting interesting, and I'm not sure if it's going to make looping easier or harder. Don't really have to match mouth movements I guess, but it's going to be every single line. Hope they're willing to do it in New York." He shrugged, taking a mouthful of greens in the pause. "If not it'll be L.A." Which was hardly his favourite place to visit. The traffic was awful, and unlike NYC you had no choice but to drive. "Can't see it taking more than a week or two." The directors had been great up to that point, he saw no reason for that to not be the case in the studio. He doubted it would be Rian for the ADR, but he could hope.

Cafas practically bounced in his seat while he finished a mouthful in a convincing, if accidental, imitation of Rowan, remembering something he wasn't sure how he'd forgotten. When he finally swallowed he couldn't quite get the words out fast enough, and had to be careful to keep them hushed. "Oh dude, it was awesome, I finally, finally got to use a sword on screen. The choreography was totally unrealistic, but who cares, it's a movie. It was just like being in all those scenes that made me pick up a sword in the first place. Actually I nearly cried, though I don't think anyone noticed. You should have seen their faces when we turned up to rehearse it. Rian actually added me to the fight choreography team as a consultant! Some of the moves in there are from me, how cool is that?" Actually, he may have already told her that. Yeah he'd already told her that. Months ago though. He felt it was fine to talk about ti again after that long.

Acting had been such an accidental discovery for Cafas. Literally, one poorly timed joke. He'd never really considered it before that, but actually immersing himself in the world... It had its boring bits, all jobs did, but he could ramble on all night about it if Maya didn't stop him. He hadn't even gotten to the shenanigans the cast and crew had gotten up to in their down time, the training, the awesome costumes, who he'd met, who was a mutant...

All.

Night.

She knew that he could go on a roll and that he would talk about things far beyond her experience or understanding. That was alright.

Maya appreciated his passion. How he owned the job and got so excited. She loved the way that he couldn't help but talk with his hands, no matter if there was a chicken wing there or not. She loved the way that he got excited to use his talents and expand his influence and understanding of the stunts. How he worked hard every moment, even the moments that weren't on screen. She had her own questions, of course. Maya was fully engaged in this conversation, to the extent that she understood it.

"A sword-sword? Not a light sword?" She was looking forward to seeing this movie despite not really having a taste for them. Anything was more interesting with her main squeeze as the main squeeze. Which reminded her... Cafas' publicist was on her side of the whole marriage debate. He'd wanted to keep up the illusion that Cafas was accessible. Now was absolutely not the time to bring that up. Now was the time to ask about editing and art direction and if he'd seen any effects beyond the roughs.

"Oh! And the latex gore and stuff. You didn't—" She looked around to make sure they weren't getting too loud and used the excuse to lean in closer. "You didn't die in this one, right? I mean, I know they sent around the contract for the next one, but they have ghosts or whatever too. Could be limited screen time for all I know."

By now, the plates were more clear than they should have been. Their waiter came to pack up the rest and the check was in hand. Not that it mattered, but Maya made sure she was the one to sign it. "Her treat" came from his money... he told her not to feel bad about that...

"Hey, stranger. Would you walk me home?"

"Sword sword. Jedi get lightsabers, but I'm like, this Mandalorian fanboy with a vibrosword. I fight a guy with a lightsaber though!" Because of course he did. It just wouldn't be Star Wars without a bounty hunter fighting a Jedi. Not that Luke vs Boba Fett had been much of a fight. Come to think of it, Jango vs Mace Windu hadn't been much better. Cafas fared a lot better. "And while I can't tell you if I die or not," The wine dragged an exaggerated wink out of him, "This probably isn't my last Disney pay cheque." So subtle. A master of implications. "Also only Jedi get ghosts. I'm one of the bad guys." She was so close. So lovely and close. Close enough to boop noses. The sound effect was another side effect of wine. Him waving off the technicalities of which account was being drawn from was just Cafas being Cafas.

>>"Hey, stranger. Would you walk me home?"

Cafas regarded Maya as if actually considering the question. As if it weren't the easiest question ever. legs to face, face to legs, back once more. "You know, I think I will." He'd have walked her anywhere. She made him understand Orpheus, Romeo, and The Proclaimers. The metal manipulator offered his arm and set off at a pace far more casual than either really wanted it to be. Still, something something delayed gratification. Not that further delay seemed necessary. "How much do you like those clothes?" The most innocent and subtle of questions. Perhaps the longing in his eyes would betray him. At least it was no longer the colours.

Calley was so right, Christmas colours just aren't that sexy.

They were pretty close to home, but still with time to kill on the walk. Cafas gave Maya another proper checking out. His approving sounds were perhaps a little loud. "So, in all seriousness, is that new make up. I can't put my finger on it, but you just look a little different, and its not just the hair."

"You're the bad guy!?" Oh. That had gotten a little louder than she meant it to be. Maya tried to put her scandalized expression aside. Had he told her that? Would Rowan think it was okay to be bad once he saw his favorite person up on the big screen? Hmm. She would have to keep him from seeing it until he was older, surely. She probably should anyway... She pressed her lips together and wrinkled her nose at him.

"There had better be a redemption arc to your story." There was no implied or else, just the stalwart faith of a woman who'd thought she'd been dating the good guy this whole time. Ah. Well. Didn't people like the bad guys better anyway? They certainly had more dynamic roles, at times.

Cafas was so footloose and fancy free that they nearly walked off without their doggy bag or his rolly suitcase. It slowed them down to drag his luggage behind, but going slow was fine. More than fine on an evening where the bustle of cars had slowed and streetlamps flickered on at a lazy pace before things became too dark.

> "How much do you like those clothes?"

Or maybe slow going was not fine. The slow dip in evening temperature took a fast spike in heat.

"Oh. Well." She cleared her throat, embarrassed. "I very nearly didn't wear half of them," Which was true only by the loosest approximation. She didn't really need certain undergarments that would never show in polite company. "Buuuut I figured I owed you an anniversary present or something. There's not a whole lot you can get a guy who has everything." Maya eyed Cafas as they waited at the crosswalk. They weren't the only ones out tonight, nor were they the only ones on the street. But it sure felt like they were in an untouchable bubble. "So I ended up wearing more." More structure, more fancy details, more va-va-voom. She only had so much to work with here, and she'd been expecting the outer layer to be rather temporary as soon as they passed out of the public eye.

> "So, in all seriousness, is that new make up. I can't put my finger on it, but you just look a little different, and its not just the hair."

"Pretty sure that's called love. Looks good on anybody." Unless he meant the little freckles, the little wrinkles, the odd gray hair... there were quite a few things that her situation had smoothed over before. Maya gave Cafas a one-armed squeeze. It was still worth it.

None of that was a real answer. He supposed it meant tearing was rather off the cards. He'd have to control that urge, however strong it might get. "Everything? Only since I ran into this drop dead gorgeous brunette at the airport. She could take my breath away in a heartbeat." He gave Maya a very serious look, so so serious, hiding a smile as best as he tipsily could. Naturally, all dimples and grin. He'd lost the facial discipline somewhere around the second glass. Amazing how fast that happened when you gave your liver a chance to forget its tolerance.

He wasn't convinced it was just love. Love looked amazing on Maya, with the blushing, the smile, the crinkled eyes. Perhaps it was just the solidity actually allowing him to see her properly. "It looks best on you." Cafas dodged a man completely absorbed in his phone, and waved happily to someone excitedly pointing at them. New York never ceased to amaze him. Ignored but for the tourists. Just how jaded was the average New Yorker?

"Most things look better on you though." He'd have gagged if it weren't his love struck self saying it. Actually, maybe not, he did have a soft spot for romance. "Or off. Can't decide." There, balanced.

It really was a short walk from Rothy's, but it felt like an age, despite the mild weather and pleasant company. The issue probably lay in the company. Cafas had to fight not to skip. As they approached, the tension was getting unbearable. She was right there. He could smell her, feel her, hear her breathing. She held his whole attention, which made weaving through the stream of people difficult.

"So, while the elevator is great and all, what say we take the express up? Oh man, you still can right? Or is that off the cards if we wanna stasy all solid and stuff?"

> "...She could take my breath away in a heartbeat."

Maya covered her gigglesnort with her hand. She might give innocent eyes to cover her insinuations, but his earnesty could not be topped. "Maya 2.0."

They bantered, sweet and teasing, until they made it to the building and Cafas inquired about taking "the express up." She had to take a step back to consider him, his weight, her weight, and the things they had in tow. "Think of it like hitting the reset button. If I don't figure out a way to stop from losing, it could happen again. Or I could get a reset again." This was too heavy a topic. She wanted back to light and flirty. Maya stepped back into Cafas' personal space and made sure they let go of his luggage. She wouldn't risk botching this because of the extra weight. His luggage didn't care about turbulence. It could be carried.

"I mostly just mean, I can do this." She inhaled and became a puff of smoke. Pressing her body against his hadn't just been for fun, it accelerated the process of changing his state of matter. Maya breathed her power down through each point where their bodies touched until her boyfriend, too, was a pale ghost.

"I can do this." She stretched upward to plant a kiss on his lips, though the stretching wasn't strictly required. It was more how her mind interpreted how she should feel, should she have a body. Now, the only thing she definitely did feel was the man in front of her. The kiss was a distraction from the swirl of wind that took them both around the luggage and the lift they had to generate in order to take all three pieces upstairs. And, Maya could admit that she'd just plain wanted it.

Reset wasn't perfect, but it was still amazing. He didn't really feel the need to address it further than they already had. Not for a while. Especially not with Maya pressed against him. Cafas slid his arms around Maya's waist and closed his eyes in preparation for the shift. It didn't take long. After so many months it was quite disorienting. The kiss helped. Gave him something to focus on. Sent electric thrills through his body.

It's good to be home.

A blast of air carried them up, locked in an embrace that was gathering momentum almost as fast as the winds carrying them aloft. Touch down on the veranda was barely noticed. Cafas was busy stripping Maya's sweater off the second they'd reverted, ditching it onto a sun lounge. He found the door latch with his mutation and fumbled it open. The stairs posed some risk; Not enough to convince Cafas to break off however. The warmth of Maya against him was too much. Actually, he wasn't sure Maya had been warm the whole time he'd been with her. His hands travelled down the elemental's back, searching for some purchase to lift her by. He barely stumbled at all on the way down.

Cafas pulled out of the kiss, breathless, trying to find a light, kick his shoes off, and keep Maya up all at once. "So, about these plans?" He set her onto her feet, trying to figure out how the skirt was being held up. "I'm not ruining them am I?" Every word of it was purred with surprisingly aggressive suggestiveness. He didn't wait for an answer before starting a trail of kisses down Maya's neck and collarbone.

Shirt has to go.

Cafas worried about moving them, Maya worried about putting them back together. It wasn't the easiest task to accomplish while distracted, but she had incredible incentive to get it right. By the time they were both back to solid, they'd lost a fair few layers of clothing and made it down the stairs. Maya wasn't willing to wait much longer considering the fact that he'd just unwrapped his anniversary present.

> "So, about these plans? I'm not ruining them am I?"

What!? Words? He wanted to talk now? "Fulfilling... actually."

She had missed him. She had missed this. She had missed them. It was clear that Cafas was telling her the same thing with his lips against her skin.

Oh, hell. They would make it to bed later...


[fade to black]


Well. It was his present. She supposed it was his choice to have ripped the lacy material. She wasn't sad about it. Weirdly pleased, actually, considering the fabric had gone out and her body had remained whole enough to make it happen. Already the water was running for a shower, but that didn't stop Cafas from launching a sneak attack tickle tackle that left strips of torn lace on the ground while the pair of them giggled on top of the comforter.

The giggles were easy enough silence.


[fade to black]


There was nothing like a shower after a good workout. And nothing like having someone you love take care of you. Mindful to use the right shampoo, which had lingered untouched for too long, Maya worked Cafas' pink hair into a pink froth of bubbles and sculpted them to stand up in a swirl like pink soft serve ice cream. He returned the favor by sculpting her bubbly brown hair into a bubbly brown beard. Of course, it wasn't only their hair that needed to be washed.


[fade to steam]


If she had bones, they had long dissolved into jelly. Maya lay on her stomach with eyes half-lidded enjoying the sensation of Cafas breathing across the skin of her back. Her skin reacted by making little goosebumps. That was new. Today, new was everything she'd hoped it would be.

Cafas awoke some time in the in between hours of early morning, Maya wrapped up in his arms, shifting gently. Warmth radiated through him, almost too hot. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the low light still leaking through the en-suite door he studied the tiny lines of his sweetheart's face, the contrast of her dark hair on her pale skin, the way the covers rose and fell with her breathing. A sleepy smile spread over his face, and he drifted once more to sleep, happy it wasn't just a dream.

Light spilled in the window, the usual hubbub of traffic below played its chorus of workday horns, Cafas yawned and tried to gauge the time. It probably would have helped if he had any idea what time he'd fallen asleep. He'd somewhat lost track of time the previous night. His aching abs certainly suggested it had been late.

I gotta come home more often.

A few lazy minutes later he rolled out of bed and headed down the hall for the kitchen, forgoing clothes for the time. Not hydrating before bed had been silly, though neither of them had displayed much capacity for walking by the time sleep had rolled around. Cafas grabbed a glass straight from the drying rack and ran himself a drink, draining it in one go. He refilled and set the cup down for Maya. Then it seemed like the ideal time to settle in to a luxurious stretch. It gave him plenty of time to contemplate Maya's skirt hanging from the pantry door. "How'd you manage to get up there?" He asked it as if expecting it to answer. He decided to move it when he finished his stretching. Who knew how long that would be.