<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button"> :P</div><div class="spoiler_body">Brad grins genuinely<br/><br/>Brad: Now you just have to learn to let that phrase roll right off your tongue like its no big deal, and we'll be just fine<br/><br/>Brad kisses her forehead and gives her his most charming Bradley smile he can manage<br/><br/>Kris laughs and wipes a tear off her cheek before looking up and melting entirely when she meets his eyes, grins cheeky<br/><br/>Kris: as long as you only trap me when I want you to<br/><br/>Kris curls her nose teasingly at him and slips her hands up onto his neck to tug him down<br/><br/>Brad is pulled quite willingly down to her level, torso curved, arms snaking around her lower back to press his lips gently to hers before snapping his head back a little, feigning a look of contemplation<br/><br/>Brad: You know... we should have a hand signal for that... could be slightly inappropriate and involve some kind of eyebrow waggle<br/><br/>Brad bites his lip to hold back the laughter tickling his throat at that notion<br/><br/>Kris backs them up towards the couch<br/><br/>Kris: for when I wanna be trapped, or for when you're being an ass?<br/><br/>Kris sticks her tongue out at him<br/><br/>Brad looks at her in complete surprise, never having been pushed around himself before<br/><br/>Brad: Oh trapped, definitely... though... don't think I'd mind getting trapped myself if you're the one doing it<br/><br/>Brad quirks a brow in complete intrigue<br/><br/>Kris didn't really expect him to catch the innuendo that clearly but grins slowly at his response, said trapping... a very interesting thought<br/><br/>Kris: look at us, all playing nice<br/><br/>Kris chuckles and tugs him with her to the couch, well, onto her really<br/><br/>Brad lets his little vixen do whatever she wants and follows her tug willingly, making sure to hold his weight off of her when they fall onto the couch, but lifts up slightly tutting his tongue.<br/><br/>Brad: No, no. We said you were going to be doing the trapping.<br/><br/>Brad nibbles at her neck for a moment before maneuvering himself and freeing her, only to sit down next to her, hands behind his head, waiting expectantly for whatever she had up her mischievous little sleeve<br/><br/>Kris climbs onto his lap and nuzzles his neck tenderly<br/><br/>Kris: just... you know... be mine a little while, mkay?<br/><br/>Kris smirks a bit and trails kisses up his neck and jaw<br/><br/>Brad lets out a shaky breath with her lips on his neck<br/><br/>Brad: Just a little while? What if I want more time?<br/><br/>Brad feels his eyes slide close at the sensation and sighs deeply<br/><br/>Kris feels her heart skip a beat and she threads her fingers gently into his hair while her lips brush across his cheek to his ear<br/><br/>Kris: you can have it all<br/><br/>Kris whispers quietly and presses her lips onto his neck just below the ear<br/><br/>Brad lets his hands fall from his head as that sinks in<br/><br/>Brad: You promise?<br/><br/>Brad murmurs quietly as he trails his fingers up her back, letting his lips trace her shoulders tenderly<br/><br/>Kris bites her lip and lays her cheek against his head, arousal trickling into her system at the touch of his lips but something much sweeter clouding her vision at the moment<br/><br/>Kris: I promise<br/><br/>Kris drags her lips down his neck and kisses the corner of his shoulder and neck, lips caressing the taut but soft skin<br/><br/>Brad lets his hands slip underneath her top, and slowly peels it away from her skin, lifting her arms gently and letting her hair fall back down in a cascade of tickling tendrils as his lips move to wander about the hollow at her throat<br/><br/>Brad: Can I keep you?<br/><br/>Brad whispers it into her neck, but lifts his eyes to hers, clear questioning gaze<br/><br/>Kris lets a hand move down between his shoulder blades under his shirt and the other go back to the back of his head. She tilts her head down to put her forehead to his<br/><br/>Kris: for as long as you want me, and even when you don't... I'm all yours<br/><br/>Kris swallows softly, closes her eyes and presses her lips onto his<br/><br/>Brad places both hands on her neck slides them back and forth in a soothing caress as he moves his lips in time with hers, feels that familiar burning urge begin to grow, but instead of charring him alive, it is smoldering deep within. Tugs his own shirt over his head and swiftly removes her bra with one nimble flick of his fingers on the clasp and presses his chest against hers, molding and relishing the feel of warm skin everywhere. Repeats her words confused almost.<br/><br/>Brad: When I don't?<br/><br/>Brad shakes his head slowly and knows his eyes have darkened with a fervent emotionality dancing in his irises<br/><br/>Brad: That's impossible.<br/><br/>Brad brushes the hair out of her face and cups her cheek, running his thumb in soothing patterns over the delicate skin<br/><br/>Kris smiles and waits for a moment, looking into his eyes and letting all the emotion wrap around her, moves into his caress, murmurs and traces the lines of his shoulders and chest<br/><br/>Kris: I love you Bradley...<br/><br/>Kris: I'm sorry, about before<br/><br/>Kris gaze flickers down and then to meet his again<br/><br/>Brad feels the edges of his lips tug into a lopsided grin<br/><br/>Brad: Good to hear you say that first... I love you too Kris, always.<br/><br/>Brad lifts her chin a little after her gaze trails<br/><br/>Brad and you never have to apologize to me... the only thing you could do to hurt me at this point, is walk away...<br/><br/>Brad: (^drains the color)<br/><br/>Brad states the fact as if there were no greater truth than that, it simple was and would be that way as far as he was concerned<br/><br/>Brad: (*simply)<br/><br/>Kris forgets all about the subtlety and the hesitation and wraps her arms around him, claims his lips in a heated kiss meant to display all the emotions she doesn't have the words to describe and probebly doesn't quite grasp yet despite the sweet promises<br/><br/>Kris: ...not going anywhere<br/><br/>Kris she murmurs between kisses and then stands up to be able to straddle him so she can be completely up against him, her breasts on his chest, her abdomen pressed to his and her hips rocking onto his, as intimate an embrace as possible without removing more clothes<br/><br/>Brad absorbs every detail of her body with his eyes, even though only half is revealed, and can't stop looking. Is literally trapped by her in the best way possible, and she wasn't even trying. He murmurs breathily between kisses.<br/><br/>Brad: So beautiful...<br/><br/>Brad the rocking was causing his breath to spike, and his hands slipped down her back to her ass and helped her dig her hips into him, both loving and hating the immense erection that was building rapidly, but refusing to break their embrace even to relieve the pressure. Moans of pleasure would have to suffice for now, as his tongue and lips took turns alternating at the tender flesh of her breasts, make soft suckling noises as he devoured her as if he would never get a taste again.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Bradley sat in the common room, quiet, introspective... for perhaps the first time in his young adult life... watching the flames flicker in the grate, simply thinking. So many things had happened so rapidly in the last few months, that he hadn't really had a chance to go over them at all. Not that spending time dissecting situations was his forte, no, he generally left that up to his siblings, but this time... it was necessary. For so many different reasons, and if he didn't do it now, he might never do it. So there he sat, jaw hardened, eyes focused on the very center of the flames, trying to think it all through.<br/><br/>Kris joined the chat<br/><br/>HIDDENcamera joined the chat<br/><br/>Kris found her way to the common room and looked inside, almost turned right back around at the sight of Bradley but straightened her back and got herself together. Blackwoods were not cowards. She walked in, padded softly though, and sat herself down on a couch. Not the one he sat on. And not on her knees in front of him like her heart wanted her to. That would be... too much. To vulnerable.<br/><br/>Kris: hi<br/><br/>Kris glanced at him and then let her gaze drop to her hands, almost waiting for execution at this point.<br/><br/>Bradley manages not to look at her, though every instinct in his body is screaming to do so, keeps his gaze intent on the flames instead. Speaks in a calm, polite tone.<br/><br/>Bradley: How are you today?<br/><br/>Bradley finds that pleasantries are easier to manage at this point, and sticks to that path for the time being.<br/><br/>Kris frowns and looks up at him<br/><br/>Kris: I'm fantastic thank you, and how are you?<br/><br/>Kris can't help the darkly sarcastic tone<br/><br/>Bradley chooses to ignore her tone, though with great difficulty, and proceeds with his line of questioning.<br/><br/>Bradley: I've been better.<br/><br/>Bradley doesn't deviate from the serene tone.<br/><br/>Bradley: Is there anything you wanted to talk to me about?<br/><br/>Bradley finally manages to look her way and has all he can do not to break right then and there.<br/><br/>Kris feels her good old wall crawl right up into existence at the tone of his voice, this... calm and free of emotion tone that tells her she was right. All along. She should have listened to herself in the beginning and kept the damn wall up. Shouldn't have let him in, not like this, just to have her heart broken again.<br/><br/>Kris: No... I'm good. I... now know what I needed to. You don't have to spell it, Brad, don't worry.<br/><br/>Kris hoists herself up and pads towards the door<br/><br/>Bradley immediately gets up from his seat and goes to stand in front of her, blocking the door without hesitation, slight accusation in his voice, and serious hurt flooding his eyes<br/><br/>Bradley: Why don't you trust me?<br/><br/>Bradley asks in a completely genuine tone, because he cannot seem to decipher the answer for himself, no matter how many hours he spent in front of a flickering flame or two.<br/><br/>Kris catches a breath she didn't allow to leave her body in the first place, resulting in a clenched throat and an ache in her chest. Or maybe the latter was something else. His eyes... She couldn't look away and felt so trapped, and it tore at her. Why was he hurting? Why?! He had no reason to. No damn reason at all! She had done nothing wrong. And trust? Seriously?<br/><br/>Kris: oh I've tried this.... trust thing. Didn't work out so well.<br/><br/>Kris manages to keep her tone calm despite the raging emotions, though blessfully beginning to feel her precious wall buffer the brunt of them<br/><br/>Bradley brow furrows as he contemplates that notion, and makes a tenative conclusion<br/><br/>Bradley: So that's it then... no matter how the situation differs... no matter how much I've proven how serious I am about you... I suffer the consequences of someone else's mistake... is that it?<br/><br/>Bradley tries to sort out if this is how its always going to be... her constantly wondering if he's going to deviate and break her heart... because although he wasn't an expert of relationships in the slightest, he knew it couldn't be healthy to live with that much anxiety all the damn time.<br/><br/>Kris falters and fills with confusion for a moment, her truth sounding so wrong when he puts it like that<br/><br/>Kris: no I...<br/><br/>Kris braces herself and narrows her eyes<br/><br/>Kris: don't turn this around, Bradley<br/><br/>Kris shakes her head<br/><br/>Bradley eyes pop open wide at that statement<br/><br/>Bradley: Excuse me?<br/><br/>Bradley is not exactly sure how he was flipping the switch situation wise, but clearly needs to be brought up to speed.<br/><br/>Kris steps backwards<br/><br/>Kris: I'm not stupid. You talked to Dem and now we need to talk? Hmm? I'm not five you know, I know what this means. So you can skip the drama and just...<br/><br/>Kris shuts up mortified when her voice breaks on the last word<br/><br/>Bradley watches her intently, gaze never faltering<br/><br/>Bradley: Clearly... you don't know what this means.<br/><br/>Bradley walks over to her and digs around in his pocket until he pulls out a small class ring, one his parents had gotten made for him sometime during his fifth year and grasps at her hand, placing it on her right hand and watching her eyes carefully<br/><br/>Bradley: This is a promise... that I will never do anything to hurt you... This is a symbol of just me and you... Can you accept that?<br/><br/>Bradley waits on pins and needles for her reaction and holds his breath for what seems like an eternity<br/><br/>Kris stares at him speechless and then the ring, and them him. Tries to speak up but finds that she needs her heart to start beating again before she can. Swallows and slowly curls her fingers into a fist to stop them from shaking.<br/><br/>Kris: but I thought... I...<br/><br/>Kris takes a deep breath and watches all her walls crumble to the ground again. Steps back, then turns to break the eye contact and walks over to the fire, sits down cross legged on the floor, cowardly buying time but also taking a much needed moment to collect her thoughts. Because in all honesty, she had never wanted to simply trust someone until she met him. Never felt the need to, and her experience had proven her right. But now...<br/><br/>Bradley trails her moving form with his gaze, but doesn't attempt to shadow her movements, because he was too much a part of her now, not to know what she had been thinking.<br/><br/>Bradley: I know what you thought... But you were wrong.<br/><br/>Bradley doesn't try to persuade her to return to his side, because this is a decision he realizes she has to make on her own, without his heavy handed influence. If she really wanted to be with him, she'd have to learn to trust him, or this just wasn't going to work... though admitting that was beyond painful, despite its necessity.<br/><br/>Kris nods and stares at the ring, her hands in her lap, the tiny little object weighing more than any of her thoughts somehow<br/><br/>Kris: I've done that a lot lately. Been wrong. Maybe it's... Maybe I can...<br/><br/>Kris huffs a breath in frustration at her lack of coherency<br/><br/>Bradley takes one step towards her, out of habit, but stops after the shuffle of only one foot, fighting to let her make this decision by herself<br/><br/>Bradley: Maybe you can finally understand that... you are the only thing that matters to me anymore... the rest of the world could disappear right this very moment... but as long as you still stood unchanged and unmoved... I'd have no reason to be afraid.<br/><br/>Bradley realizes how ridiculous this must sounds coming from someone so young, but, he didn't care. It didn't matter if this was just some stupid teenage romance, that was how he felt, and he'd be damned if he let anybody try and take that away from him... in fact, the only person who could take it away from him at this point, was sitting neatly on the floor within temptingly close arm's reach.<br/><br/>Kris pulls her knees up when he starts talking, out of habit to brace herself against whatever might be in his words, but her gaze snapped to him when his last words sounded and something shifted within her. An understanding, perhaps. He'd have no reason to be afraid? She had never once through all this considered that he might be afraid of... well of the things she was afraid of. And the idea of him being scared that she'd stop loving him, or love him less, or walk away from his broken heart, or any of the things she had been afraid of herself... It ripped her heart right out. He had to know she would never do that to him, right? But what was she doing now? Doubting him? Hesitating to trust him? And did she really? She knew he wouldn't cheat on her, that much was clear. She didn't think he'd walk away from her either, not after the fights they'd had and the words that had been spoken and the proof that followed in every single touch and look and... then what? Why was she aching and trembling and so ready to believe he'd want her gone? She studied his features, his beautiful eyes and every angle and line of his face. And on a spur of courage and maybe even just stubborn determination to be honest with herself, she stood up and closed the space between them in few, long strides. There was no hesitation in her step this time, no doubt in her eyes when she shared one absolute truth that was maybe the answer she had been looking for all along. Maybe that was the trust she didn't think she could have, maybe it was there all along. Maybe her fears were not about him leaving, but about letting him know how safe he felt to her. Because once he did, he had everything. Every bit of her. But the thing was, and this was what she thought when she slid her hand up his chest and to the back of his neck, the thing was, he already had all of her. There was no competition, no doubt, no hesitation, where that was concerned. A very... freightening thought.<br/><br/>Kris: When you hold me, nothing else in the world matters. Everything feels right, and I'm safe. When I'm not here...<br/><br/>Kris pressed herself a little closer but kept looking up into his eyes<br/><br/>Kris: I still know that once I am, everything will be right again. Is that...<br/><br/>Kris took a deep breath and finally looked away, down, hunched her shoulders and her fingers curled slightly on the back of his neck<br/><br/>Kris: is that enough?<br/><br/>Kris isn't quite sure what she's asking or what reply she needs, but it is all she can muster to describe how she feels.<br/><br/>Bradley watches her expressions flicker through quite an impressive range, but remains stationary even as she walks towards him, though it takes every ounce of strength he possesses to do so. He could see the hesitancy in her eyes, almost always, when the moment got too close, too intimate, that moment before they lost themselves to one another. And somehow he knew... it wasn't because she didn't want to open up, it was because she couldn't. Some scars ran too deep, and by some miraculous stroke of fate, he had yet to obtain any of his own, so his ability to empathize fell rather short. But once she was by his side again, his own fears and doubts vanished instantaneously and he leaned into her touch wherever her fingers grazed. And although he ached to wrap his arms around her, he kept his distance until he could get his final thought on the matter out, without the interference of hormones or unruly bodily reactions. Tilting her chin up after he caught her gaze flicker to the ground, he held her gaze and gave her the most appropriate three word answer he could manage.<br/><br/>Bradley: You... are enough.<br/><br/>Kris feels her heart try to escape her chest, beating so hard, when his words register. She doesn't know what to say because in three little words he'd both pinend down and erazed the root of her constant insecurity. Her eyes filled with tears, but showed relief and joy and an odd hint of calm that was new to the Blackwood girl. Well, maybe not new, since her mother would tell you it was a quality she lost for some reason two years ago. She wrapped the other hand around him, pulled herself up in an effort to pull him down, and pressed her lips to his in a firm, possessive kiss, breaking it only to tell him breathlessly<br/><br/>Kris: I love you. I love you, love you love you so much...<br/><br/>Kris whispered the words with her lips on his and hands grasping tightly at him, unable to control the rush of emotion and not even attempting to for once<br/><br/>Bradley returns the kiss lightly at first, lips only grazing her own until she pours her heart out in one swift, breathless sentence. Arms winding towards the small of her back, he tugs her lightly and effortlessly off the ground, holding her in his embrace high above the ground, knowing that it was impossible for him to ever let her fall. Eyes crinkle along the edges as a look full of pure adoration overwhelms his expression.<br/><br/>Bradley: Did I ever tell you how much I love hearing you say that?<br/><br/>Bradley secures another kiss, deeper this time, but no less filled with the fervent emotions coursing through his system<br/><br/>Bradley: So, will you wear the ring?<br/><br/>Bradley feels sort of foolish for having to ask at this point, but can't seem to stop himself from asking, hanging on the answer, while quite literally hanging onto her.<br/><br/>Kris melts entirely and kisses him breathless<br/><br/>Kris: I'll do everything I can to make you grow bored with it, I'll tell you every time I see you, I love you Bradley, love you babe, love you, love you...<br/><br/>Kris chuckles and doesn't even care that she's probably crying by now, clings to him and curls her hand into a fist, pressing the ring to her thumb and reveling in the feel of it that she has every intention of making a familiar one<br/><br/>Kris: of course<br/><br/>Kris takes a deep breath and looks at him again<br/><br/>Kris: of course I will<br/><br/>Bradley runs his thumb along the side of her face and repeats the phrase he knows he'll use for years to come, whenever she panicked or got nervous about where this was all headed, the phrase he'd use after having calmed her down. Because that's what he would be for her, her roots. Firm, steady and strong. Exactly what a tree boy should be.<br/><br/>Bradley: That a girl...</div></div>