When Mae put a hand on where Seven had been punched, they gently placed their hand on top of hers. "It's fine, I've had a lot worse. Didn't hit much harder than the empty coffee cup he threw at me," they said with a small shrug. They still couldn't quite grasp why Mae was so worried about their face; sure there was that bit about that brain being knocked around or something but aside from that...they were lost. They weren't sure what it was Mae saw in them but...they weren't complaining.

"You're the only one I'd ever considered doing something like that for." They stopped talking, shuddering as Mae's hand trailed down their arm. "Okay."

They laughed, shaking their head a bit. "It's fine; we can just shower later," they replied with a shrug. "[colordarkgoldenrod]Honestly? I've never had anyone call me anything like that. But from you, I think I like it,[/color]" they admitted. "Hell, when you called me that in the coffee shop I forgot the ****ing building was on fire for a minute."

Mae forced herself to stop fussing, but made a little face at Seven still. "I know it's probably stupid, I just... It bother's me when you get your face hit." She kissed Seven on the lips this time, and whispered against their mouth. "Makes it harder to be affectionate when I don't want to hurt you, you know? Beside the whole, brain injury debate." She leaned so their foreheads touched. She was less aggressive with the contact than she tended to be, a bit on the cuddly side now.

After a few moments like that she pulled away and nested back in her comfy spot. She made a noise that almost qualified as a purr at the mention of a shower later. Then she blushed. She didn't embarrass easily, but something about the way Seven responded to her pet names brought it out from her. The warmth felt intense and nice.

"I don't know, you've always sort of called me nick-names and it felt fun. This one just sort of, happened. I just, I don't have a lot of ways to just 'claim' you. Honey is just, it feels like I get to acknowledge you're mine, you know? As dumb as that sounds."

Then she paused, and groaned. "We won't have coffee in the morning now. Ughhhh, that's going to suck. Talk about forgetting the building was on fire..."

"You're not gonna hurt me; I'm tougher than I look," they said with a wink, returning the kiss. Seven was learning that there were many layers to Mae, and so far she liked all of them, like this one that was more cuddly and tender. They liked the aggressive side, too, but...this was nice too.

That purr-like noise or whatever that was, was adorable, and it made Seven grin. They just relaxed against Mae, hands gently running up and down her back. "I thought I was just sorta picking on you, but...I've grown fond of some of them, and they are like I'm claiming you, huh?" they chuckled a little, shaking their head. "I like it, but I know you're mine, and you know I'm yours." They leaned in and kissed her lips gently. "And while I never thought I'd be saying this until recently...I'm okay with that."

Crap. No coffee. ****.

"Hang on...I'll be right back." Seven went to their room and turned on the police scanner. If Mae checked the room, they'd be gone.

Seven landed not far from the coffee shop; they'd had a miscalculation and gotten turned around, but they managed to sneak back in, and did find a few bags that were unharmed, though they had to be super stealthy now; the building burning had drawn attention. Behind the counter, they found their knife, but the plastic was melted beyond recognition. Pulling out their burner phone, they soon wound up back at the apartment, walking out of their room with the coffee and setting it on the kitchen counter before plopping back down next to Mae.

"Well, I managed to salvage us enough coffee for a little while," they said as they settled back against Mae. "But Babe...you owe me one new switchblade," they said with a teasing smirk.

Mae felt a little disoriented when Seven left. Being in the middle of kissing, being distracted by coffee, and then having the other take off to go retrieve said coffee was a little bit of a mood shift. She wondered if she should clean up, but also figured that was something more fun with company. In the end she stretched back out and shut her eyes, waiting for Seven to return.

For safety, she let her powers compress against her neck. Outside the bubble, she could hear when Seven returned, and relaxed. No intruders, the apartment was secure again. She let the dead zone return to it's normal strength.

Babe. That hit a little chord in Mae and she slithered back against Seven, going for their neck with a kiss this time instead of lips. "I'll get you a whole collection of switchblades, kay? First, you, me, shower." It wasn't a question. It was the new stages of this relationship and Mae was having far too much of a good time getting closer with Seven.

Some time later, and probably a small increase to their waterbill for the day, Mae yawned a little and tried to focus on food for them. All the activity today made it much harder to focus. "Tacos okay?" She pulled out the ground beef, knowing at least this wouldn't take long. They had bought pre-cut lettuce at least, and shredded cheese. Toast up some shells, slice a tomato, and they would be done.

Mae leaned against the oven for heat. She had stolen one of Seven's oversized shirts, and it seemed even bigger on her. She liked how much shoulder it showed off. It was flirty in it's own way.

Seven hated to ruin the moment like they did, but coffee was kind of important for both of them, and there'd be more cuddling and stuff later.

When Mae cuddled up to them again, they noticed the reaction 'Babe' had on her, and they loved the reaction. Feeling Mae's lips on their neck, their head automatically lolled to the side, granting more access. "You keep that up, and you won't have to buy me a damn thing..." they murmured softly, but then Mae mentioned the shower and they got up, eagerly following. This whole relationship thing was new to them, but they had to admit it was pretty fun so far.

Time passed, and Seven and Mae were both in the kitchen, and both wearing one of Seven's oversized shirts, though while it came down to the middle of Seven's thigh, it practically swallowed Mae, which elicited a smile from the much taller mutant. "Tacos are fine, and my shirt looks good on ya, Babe~" they said with a wink and a sultry lick of their lips before turning to help gather what Mae would need for tacos. Once that was done and it was Mae's time to work, Seven hopped up on the counter as they'd grown accustomed to doing while Mae was cooking.

They watched their girlfriend--damn that had a nice ring to it, didn't it?--as she worked, a soft, happy smirk playing across their lips.

Mae had to focus on cooking and not turning back around dragging Seven back to the bedroom. Food first, fun later. But it was strange how one word sent shivers up her spine. It was just the fact that Seven was saying it, and the sort of affectionate twist it was given was hot.

"Can't say I could go anywhere else in this, but I'm glad you appreciate the view."

She finished with the meat, having used a seasoning mix this time to save a little energy, and then plated enough for both of them. She gave Seven a rather longer than normal kiss, then sauntered back to the living room. Curling up, she tucked her legs under, a little cold now that she was away from the stove. Maybe she should have grabbed pants after all.

"You working tomorrow?" Mae asked, taking a bite of her taco. She had a normal shift again, which promised to be uneventful. When Seven sat next to her she scooted close, leaching body heat.

Seven thought it strange the effect that just one little word had on Mae. Strange, but interesting. Seven was clueless when it came to relationships; they didn't have a clue about all the emotional stuff and the things beyond the bedroom, but they were growing fond of whatever this was. They found themselves just wanting to be around Mae, talking to her, and just...the way they felt when she got home...it was nice.

"Heh...I appreciate more than that," they said, making another attempt at a seductive look. They....weren't too good at that; they'd seen it on a movie or two and it looked hot, but when Seven did it, it just looked like they had a fly on their nose or something.

The kissing never got old, and this one was longer than usual, which was nice. "Yeah, I've got a lot going on tomorrow, so I'll probably be home after you. Not too late though," they said as they sat down and she slid close immediately. "[colr=darkgoldenrod]I promise I'll protect my face, though.[/color]"

Mae had a partial glance at Seven, and it was hard not to giggle at the attempt of being seductive. Okay, they would have to work on that at least. But Mae didn't mind being the teacher. In some ways, it was more fun like that. Mae sort of liked the idea that only she would see a certain side of Seven, and try to bring out the more romantic nature.

She nodded as Seven commented on work, and didn't object. She would have reached up and touched Seven's cheek at the promise, but holding a taco and then touching someones face was not cute at all. She focused on finishing her food, already thinking forward. "I know I sound like a broken record by now, but I'm kinda fond of you. I just...I have something worth protecting." She looked around the empty living room, and that concept hit a little closer to home. She...really didn't own much. A lot of her books were from the library, she didn't own electronics because she broke them. She had more money in savings just because she got paid well and just lacked interest in what to spend it on. That idea made her smile, and she looked over at Seven.

"Is there anything you've ever wanted to do? Or like, anywhere you've ever wanted to go? Maybe it's stupid, but, it would be nice to just, get away sometime. I always tell myself I should take a vacation, but then I just, chicken out. The idea of being in a car has been stressful enough, so I just stay in the city. I...Honestly, I don't think I've ever been outside this state."

It was true that romance was way out of Seven's grasp, but for Mae they were trying, maybe a little too hard, but even still they were failing. But...Mae still seemed to like it and it was the thought that counted, right?

"Yeah. I'm fond of you too. Very much so." They wiped their mouth before leaning over and kissing her cheek. "Though I'm used to being more of the protector than the protected.But...you've pretty much turned everything I'm used to on it's head, haven't you? Not that I'm complaining."

To them, the room didn't look or seem all that weird; Seven didn't have much to speak of themselves. What furniture they had wasn't even worth bringing with them, except for the bed, and they didn't have any books. Then again, Seven didn't have any disposable income set back either. They settled against Mae, finished with their food and pondering her question. They'd never really thought about it. But the answer came almost naturally.

"When I was a kid...I always thought about going camping. No electronics, no noise. But I never did because I don't see any point in going by myself. That and maybe a...a nice dinner. Like the kind you need reservations and fancy clothes for. I've never actually dressed up or any of that before but...I sorta think I could pull off a nice suit..." They blushed slightly; they'd forgotten about these childhood fantasies until right this moment.

Mae blushed a little. It was hard to say something to bring heat to her face, but that one did it. "I'm glad you don't mind it. I just, You're someone I wanted to hang onto. And, for me, that means protecting too. If someone tried to hurt you, it's not that I wouldn't think you could stand up for yourself, but, I also feel you're worth standing up for too? It's complicated. Heck, relationships are complicated. My last one was a royal mess and I just...I don't want to feel like I wasn't good enough or I didn't do enough...."

Mae listened to the ideas, and felt herself smiling. "Camping actually sounds really nice. And dinner, too. You would look amazing in a suit. You look good in everything you wear, but that would be extra fun...

"What do you say we go camping next time you can get away? We can find somewhere quiet, up in the mountains..." She rested her head against Seven's shoulder, enjoying the sound of that.

"I know....I realized that...I couldn't pinpoint what it was, but I like having you around. And not just because of your power. And I protect what I want to keep, so...that's why I rushed back in there to kick his ass without even thinking..." They put their hand on top of Mae's, gently squeezing it. "Hey...you're good enough for me. More than good enough. I'm wondering how someone like me can be good enough for you." They shrugged, eyes locked on Mae's.

"Maebell, on my best days you still look better than me on your worst. Besides, this," they motioned to the shirt, "is basically all I wear. Nothing flattering or revealing it all. Not that I have much to show anyway. You though? Yeah." They smiled a little, nodding as they relaxed into their girlfriend.

"That sounds fun. Just you and me...no worries, a crackling campfire....it'll be the vacation I always wanted but never had." They leaned their head on Mae's shoulder, nuzzling gently.

Mae felt warm and fuzzy again. Damn. That was making it hard to remember how to think, or breathe, or honestly do anything but just melt into the moment. Where did her brain go? She felt like she was mentally kicking the reboot button. "I guess we both have our self-esteem issues to get through. Maybe it's not a concept of who is better, but just, being the right match?" That was more like it. She held onto the hand like an anchor. She needed that support.

"I wish you could see yourself the way I do. You're, exotic. You look good in whatever you wear. I could wear a suit and I would look awful. But you could dress up in anything from a dress to a t-shirt and you would look hot as hell to me." She was dead serious. Mae loved Seven's fearlessness to just be themselves.

"When do you think we can go? I should have Sunday and Monday off...Can you move any of your jobs around? Or, maybe next week?" Her mind was already spinning with plans. She would have to track down basic camping gear, figure out a ride up there...

"I have a lot of issues, Babe, but...I think we are a good match," they said softly, their voice surprisingly lacking its usual gruffness and edge. Their hand squeezed Mae's gently.

"Exotic? That's one way to put it," they said with a quirked eyebrow. Then they made a face. "A dress...? Me. In a dress. I..." They shook their head, then looked back at Mae with a new determination."You know what? I'll take that as a challenge. We're gonna have to go get me a dress, but you're going to have to dress up too," they said with a smile and a wink that was closer to an eye-twitch.

"I could easily do this weekend," they murmured, leaning over to kiss Mae's neck. "I'm...I'm actually looking forward to it," they said happily, wrapping their arm around Mae's waist. This was a different side of Seven, one that Mae was unlocking. They were showing a softness, a side that didn't mind making themselves vulnerable, at least not to her. With Mae...they felt safe, secure.

Mae felt her brain slow for a moment, a sensation of surprise, glee, and nervousness all combining into one. Seven...Seven just agreed to wear a dress. Mae tried not to let excitement show, for fear it would scare the other out of the agreement. "What would I have to dress up in? I don't know the last time I actually dressed up for something. I don't know if I own a dress..."

She looked at Seven, also determined now. "No take backs! We are both going to do this. It'll be nice. Hell, can we wear flats? I don't know if I can even walk in heels, unless you want to see me face plant right outside the apartment door." She grimaced at that idea, and then she was distracted again.

This weekend. They were going camping. She felt the kiss against her neck and melted into it. Her brain forgot to work, and she let out a noise that clearly showed how much she liked what was happening. "You're going to make it hard for either of us to get sleep tonight." she breathed.

It was at this point, Seven was starting to reconsider, but they told Mae they would so dammit, they were gonna. "That would be up to you, I guess. I told myself I wouldn't be caught dead in a dress but...I think you'd be worth it...I mean...if you'd want that, I'll try?"

They shook their head. "No. No takebacks. I promise. And I would hope we can because I promised you a dress but my ass is not wearing heels. I've imagined my death many a time and it will not be from a ****ing heel," they said adamantly. They kissed Mae's neck again, this time trailing kisses up the jawline, and to the ear.

"Oh, we'll sleep," they murmured before kissing right at her ear, then whispered, "Eventually..."