Lee couldn’t help but blush slightly when she heard Tarin. She was still convinced that he thought that she was far more amazing, extraordinary, or whatever other word he was choosing to use that day than she actually was. But just the tone of his voice when he said it, when he talked about it…It was hard to believe that he felt she was that…much.

Especially considering how tense he had been when she’d sparred with Tony, Lee was sure Tarin didn’t like the idea of her sparring even when he had the ability to end things instantly. But he did it because she enjoyed it, she wanted, needed to do it.

And despite not liking her doing it, he still thought she was amazing when she did.

Lee was really going to need to find a way to pay him back for all of it.

”Well, I could use a nap after all of that. Let’s go see if there’s a game on,” she said, giving Tarin a small smile.

Oh wow, was Lee actually suggesting that they watch the Mets game? If she was wanting something to lighten the mood that might not be the best choice because they were absolutely still struggling.

But there was a game on tonight and if they turned it on now the pre-game would be in full swing even if the game didn’t actually start for a little while.

Leaning down to kiss Lee quickly with a grin, Tarin said, ”I’ll get my hat. You get the pre-game on.” and took off to do exactly that.

Lee’s smile was much smaller than Tarin’s grin when he leaned down to kiss her, but it was still there as she returned the kiss.

And his hat. Lee shook her head as she watched Tarin leave the kitchen to go get the hat he seemed incapable of not wearing when he watched a Mets game. It was a silly thing that he ‘had’ to do, and the excitement he displayed to watch a team lose more often than not was a little ridiculous. Even more so when he put so much effort into not displaying emotions. It was one of the things that Lee l-

No, Lee decided as she followed Tarin out of the kitchen much more slowly, making her way to the living room. She was pretty damn sure how Tarin felt, even if he couldn’t say it, or even acknowledge it to himself because of the damage those people did to him years earlier. And though she probably wouldn’t be able to tell him for quite a long time because of that damage, Lee decided that she wasn’t going to even try to lie to herself.

Tarin’s excitement about watching baseball, especially with her, was one of the things she loved about him.

Smiling slightly to herself, Lee grabbed the remote and sat on the couch to find the game. For Tarin, of course.

It didn’t take Tarin all that long to make his way back to his room and grab his hat. It might have seemed silly to any rational adult, but it was something he had to do when possible. It wasn’t really a superstition thing, it just felt right to have the cap on when he watched a game.

When he’d first come over with literally nothing but his duffel bag and a few other things he’d been almost comically relieved to find that baseball was exactly the same on this side of the rift as it had been on the other. Tiny details were different, but it was really all the same. His hat had even still worked for the Mets even if he hadn’t seen this exact style on this side.

His good mood from earlier has returned as soon as Lee had suggested they watch the game, maybe because Tarin knew it was something she was doing for him. That in and of itself was something considering the day Lee had had.

It made everything fall that little bit more into place he thought as he made his way out into the living room and into his spot on the couch. Lee had the pre-game booted up and as he sat, Tarin smiled over at Lee, ” You’re sure you don’t mind? They could actually win the series if they win tonight, so it should be a good game.”

It didn't take long at all after Lee got the TV set up for the game for her to feel Tarin making his way back from his room. Turning, Lee couldn't help the smile when she saw him with his hat on. It really was kind of silly, but Lee wouldn't change it. Not only was this part of Tarin, but it was a part of him that he actually allowed the world to see; the excitement, happiness when the Mets win, frustration when they weren't doing well.

It was also an important part and step towards Tarin actually acknowledging and showing other emotions.

”I wouldn't have suggested it if I minded,” Lee said, giving Tarin a smile as he got comfortable on the couch.

Lee then shifted on the couch so she was sitting a little further from Tarin than normal. She then laid down on her side so she was facing the TV with her head resting on Tarin's lap. ”If it's that good of a game, maybe I won't fall asleep then,” Lee continued, turning her head to smile up at Tarin.

Well good, Tarin thought as Lee reassured him that it was fine to watch the game. At this point he’d have been a bit disgruntled if Lee had changed her mind. As he got situated and settled to watch the game, Tarin wondered why Lee was sitting so far away and worried for a moment that she was still upset from earlier.

Tarin was about to say something when Lee laid down though, head in his lap. Maybe she really did intend to take a nap? Dropping his arm so it draped across her waist, Tarin grinned down as Lee grinned up, ” We’ll have to see. It’s been pretty feast or famine and the starting pitcher is either really good or really bad, he doesn’t really have a neutral setting.” . He explained, then turned his attention to the pre-game.

This was perfect. Contentment was not a feeling that Tarin was particularly familiar with having settled for somewhat lonely boredom for most of his adult life. He was feeling that contentment now though, that warm feeling that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else because he had everything he needed right here and he was getting to watch the game. ”Shouldn’t be anything wild enough to disturb your nap if it happens though.”

Naps were not something that Lee was familiar with. At least not taking them herself. For most of her life, they just weren't feasible. And even the times when they would have been possible, there was little point since it wasn't as though a nap would make her feel more rested.

About the closest that Lee had really ever come to napping was getting a few hours sleep to avoid a crash when she had had too much energy to get a full night's sleep.

But, though they had got things back to normal and Lee did feel better than she had before Rachel left…

She sort of felt like she needed to reset. And with Tarin right there, using his lap as a pillow, maybe a nap would be good.

”Well then, I hope they don't end up winning by too much,” Lee teased. ”Don’t want you to get too excited and dumping me on the floor because you stand up without thinking of something.”

The pregame show never really held Lee's attention like it did for Tarin, so after a couple minutes Lee's eyes drifted closed. Now would be a good time to have that nap, she thought. Because then she could wake up and watch at least most of the game with Tarin.

”I would never.” Tarin said, ”At least not during a regular season game and I don’t think we need to worry about the playoffs any time soon…”

A few minutes later, Tarin realized that Lee had her eyes shut. Was she actually taking a nap?

The only time Tarin could remember that happening previously was the day that Rachel and Kevin had come home. At that point, Lee had been up for days and had ran with him in the park. She’d fallen asleep in the bed at the shop while he’d showered and he hadn’t realized what something like that meant with her powers.

Lee hadn’t been up for days this time though, so did that mean she was simply just laying there and relaxing? It made sense in the scheme of how difficult the afternoon had been. Did he need to wake her up though?

Deciding to wake her when the game started if she actually fell asleep Tarin settled in to watch a little pre-game segment on the somewhat chaotic nature of the starting pitcher’s consistency.

Not that Lee had thought Tarin would do such a thing as dump her off his lap because he got excited by the game. At least not during the regular season. ”I’ll keep that in mind for the future,” Lee continued the slight teasing, a bit of laughter in her voice.

When she had first mentioned having a nap, it had in part been continuing her joking about baseball being boring enough to put her to sleep. Even if it might help after the events that day, she wasn't sure she'd be able to actually fall asleep.

But as Lee lay there, her eyes closed, her body relaxed to a greater extent than was normal while she was awake. With Tarin so close, his arm over her waist as she laid there, Lee just felt so comfortable, content…

Safe.

And so Lee started drifting off to sleep for an actual nap.

Lee was actually drifting off, at least a little, Tarin realized as he sat and partially watched the game and partially watched Lee. When she was awake, Lee was the kind of person who always seemed to be doing something, and Tarin knew that she was constantly planning and often worried about every possibility. Now though, her body was relaxed, her breathing was slow and even and she just looked peaceful.

At the thought, Tarin couldn’t help his mind from wandering back to the story Lee had told about the time she had died. It was still hard for Tarin to even think the actual words because he knew what that meant. If the other Tarin hadn’t acted fast, if there hadn’t been a healer there, if any one of a staggering number of variables had not worked out…neither of them would be here.

Tarin didn’t think he was being melodramatic with the thought. It was something that had occurred to him multiple times over the last couple of months. Tarin knew now that he’d been a practical ticking time bomb as far as possession was concerned and while he’d been unfortunate to run across a maniacal spirit that had apparently known what it was doing. But, if Lee hadn’t been exactly who she was and done exactly what she’d done he would absolutely not have been there, sitting and watching baseball with his arm around her. His entire life was different, he was different because of her.

It was too deep to get into any further, not when things were so nice and so relaxed. Not when Lee had already hashed out so much today.

Still, he thought, it was no wonder that he’d fallen so very fast. Lee was very easy to love. The thoughts came easier now. He’d say something soon, and it was okay if she didn’t reciprocate, she needed to know how he felt.

So there Tarin sat, eyes on the TV or his phone until the pre-game ended around 30 minutes later.

”Hey,” he said, hand moving to gently Lee’s shoulder, ”Game is starting, if you want to wake up.” .

It had been far easier for Lee to wake up over the last couple months. Even more so when she woke up next to Tarin. But it was still disorienting when Tarin shook her shoulder gently to wake her up. Other than crashing, the last time that Lee had fallen asleep on a couch had probably been when she was a child.

”Hmm?” murmured as she stretched slightly, then looked around, smiling when she remembered where she was and looked up at Tarin.

And just like that first morning, it was still amazing to wake up and see him right away.

”That was actually really nice,” she said softly as she continued to smile up at Tarin.

In spite of his suspicions, Tarin still hadn’t been entirely sure that Lee was sleeping until he actually managed to wake her.

It was sweet the way she stretched and looked around and Tarin couldn’t help but grin when she smiled up at him and said it had been very nice.

”Good. Wasn’t very long, I almost let you sleep, but I didn’t know…” he said a bit uncertain that he’d done the right thing, then grinned ”But I knew how badly you wanted to watch this game, so I figured it was best to wake you.”

Speaking of which, the game was starting. The opposing team was at bat and the pitcher threw out the first pitch…only for it to absolutely rocket off the batter’s bat.

”You’ve got to be kidding me…” Tarin said, pulling this hat down over his eyes.

Tarin hadn't been sure about having let her sleep longer because of what had happened the last time she'd fallen asleep during the day. The day that Rachel and Kevin had come back from the impromptu trip she had sent them on. She hadn't exactly crashed that day, but her energy had been low.

So he was using the game starting as an excuse to wake her up. Lee rolled her eyes as she shook her head slightly, a smile still on her face. ”I was actually about to sleep through a baseball game, and you think I put it on because I wanted to watch it?” she asked playfully.

Then her voice turned more serious. ”But with you right here, I would have been good for energy,” Lee told him just as he pulled his hat over his eyes.

Lee glanced at the TV. Not a good start to the game. ”Huh…maybe I'm a better good luck charm when I'm asleep?” she teased as she raised her hand to lift Tarin's hat just enough that she could see his eyes.

Tarin noted each point that Lee made, feeling kind of bad that he had woken her. Lee hadn’t minced any words about the fact that she did not enjoy baseball and Tarin knew that she only really watched the games because he wanted to.

Yeah, in hindsight it might have been better to let Lee sleep, but now he knew for the future that if it happened again, energy wouldn’t be a problem.

It didn’t help matters that the game had started on a home run for the opposing team and Tarin only had a few moments to hide in his hat before Lee ws pushing it back up so she could look at him. Misery loved company, apparently.

”It’s starting to look like we need more than a good luck charm…” he said, eyes darting over as the next batter recorded a third strike and an out. ”Maybe a deal with an otherworldly entity or something…” he paused thoughtfully, ”They weren’t ever very good on my side either…maybe it’s me.”

They had managed to get two outs though…maybe it was just a fluke.

As Tarin was speaking, Lee sat up again and shifted closer to him on the couch. ”Oh no, it wouldn’t be you,” Lee told him before leaning in for a kiss. ”You’ve managed to keep me awake for every game so far, so you’ve got some good luck there.”

Settling in to watch the game, Lee tilted her head. ”And see, it’s really not that bad. Two outs and they’re only on the fourth batter. That’s not so bad of a start.”

Did Lee constantly pretend that she wasn’t interested? Yes. Had she enjoyed her time with Tarin during each and every game that they watched today? Also yes, and she had been learning.