Take My Hand

[Tree]

".... she thought she knew how lucky she was.... and maybe she did. But she had no idea how stupid she was.... is. "

Marina was struggling to reconcile with what she could see as possible and where she was at now. She leaned into him.

"I'm trying, Ryder.... I know he and I are both hurting right now and neither is actually ready to face the other....."

But she had been about to give up on ever seeing him again. It was like that entire wound was ripped back open. She was trying to decide what to do and nothing felt right.

[Sushi]

"you're not stupid."

Ryder just sighed, shaking his head.

"And you have time."

[Tree]

"I might....."

She acknowledged, shrugging a tiny bit. She put the picture down finally, turning to snuggle into Ryder.

/ I'm not going to miss what I have right now waiting for what could be, though. /

She was hopelessly in love with your brother. But she could see the love she had before her was just as precious. She hugged him close, pressing tiny kisses over him.

/ I love you. /

[Sushi]

Ryder gave her a small squeeze.

"You can do a lot of things at once. Don't think you have to close one book in order to read mine."

[Tree]

"I'm not closing anything, but..... I need to sit it down before it consumed me. At least for this second."

Because she want l was not sure it hadn't already.

[Sushi]

"okay."

That's all he had as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I was thinking we could order pizza?"

[Tree]

"The power is out. "

She pointed out, gesturing to the very dark about them.

".... we could use the kids delivery service? Weather and such don't really play into their efficiency....."

Instant delivery from A to B did have a price but she really didn't mind throwing cash at her kids.

[Sushi]

"cell phones don't use live electricity," he countered.

"But if you want to see them, I'm fine with that."

[Tree]

Marina smiled at him. The equipment to make it did. But she wasn't about to nit pick when him as she snuggled into his arms.

"What pizza do you want? From where? "

Nearly anywhere in the world.

[Sushi]

"why don't you pick something you'd like?"

[Tree]

Marina hesitated and then soon was browsing through his phone with him, picking the place and texting through the kids app the place, time, ect.

"Anything else? Edible arrangement or cookies or anything? "

[Sushi]

"anything? Honestly, I feel like some booze could do a lot of good today."

[Tree]

Marina added lava cakes from a bakery and a collection of booze requests, including cooler and ice. She slowly placed his phone down and settled into his lap. Straddling him to wrap she wrapped her arms about his neck, rocking up and forward to steal kisses.

/ Ordered, darling. /

[Sushi]

"are you okay with that?"

He cuddled her, regardless.

[Tree]

Marina looked over him, kissing him a few more times.

/ Drinking? Yes. Absolutely. /

[Sushi]

"no, the ordering in general. Are you okay with that?"

[Tree]

Marina nodded, timid as she shifted to push his shirt off him and snuggle into his bare chest. But he might be fully aware that great tension she'd been holding released from her almost instantly as she let out a slow, content sigh.

/ Yes, absolutely..... Ryder.... I love you, you know that, right? So very much. .... ~

[Sushi]

"why do you think I don't?"

He smiled and chuckled a bit at the shirt situation.

[Tree]

Marina smiled at his little chuckle, kissing the center of his chest just once.

/ Contact is soothing. /

She explained simply, wiggling just enough that his arms came to hold her, smiling at him.

/ Because I'm in the thick of chaos almost constantly it seems. .... I don't want you to ever doubt your place and how special you are to me. /

[Sushi]

/I feel somewhere between a sultan and a concubine./

Ryder kissed her.

"I already know.x

[Tree]

Marina smiled now, shaking her head a bit.

/ Much higher than a concubine, darling. /

[Sushi]

"aesthetically, Maria. Purely aesthetically."

[Tree]

Marina smiled to herself, reaching to pull him in for more kisses.

/ Well.... maybe from the well kept perspective. /

She laughed gently, mood lightening as she was allowed the things she needed to feel grounded and centered again.

[Sushi]

He chuckled.

"Okay, that too. But you can't argue I have the looks for one."

[Tree]

Marina leaned back, eyes roaming him.

/I could see it, but if you were a concubine.... well ..../

She couldn't help but laugh.

/I could easily see you being the favorite for very clear reasons. /

She shook her head, smiling to herself as she listened to the assault of the gruesome weather outside. Two teens popped in soon enough with a crate full of booze and ice chest, working on transferring some of each into it.

" Pops said hi. "

Marina turned to see which of her children were here, nodding to Ransom.

/I love you too, Jethro. /

She answered on her own, watching a couple others show up as the first round were leaving. She took the reciept from the 7 year old that popped in, all giggles and smiles at Ryder.

"Mommy, he's kinda naked. "

She giggled in that yelling whisper children have, giving her mum a hug before taking off after the others. Lava cakes, fresh pizza, and booze for days.

[Sushi]

As his state of undress was pointed out, Ryder gasped and yanked his shirt closed as though scandalized.

"When did that happen?!"

[Tree]

Marina snickered, the little giggles and delight clear from the sweet little blonde as she waived bye to Ryder.

"You're going to bewitch all my daughters at this rate. "

Marina pointed out with amusement.

[Sushi]

"and sons too, if I have my way."

Ryder booped her.

[Tree]

Marina smiled a bit brighter, eyes taking him in as a familiar ache tugged at her.

"Please don't hurt their hearts. They won't understand....."

She shared tenderly, nuzzling into him.

[Sushi]

"why would I do that?"

Ryder made a face.

[Tree]

Marina smiled sadly.

"I don't think it would be planned.... but some of them are old enough to recall what it was like once upon a time.... they still don't understand why someone who loved them would leave them....."

Marina shrugged, munching her pizza as she held the box out to him.

"Not saying you'd do the same.... just that I don't want to see them hurting again. "

[Sushi]

He took a slice and cracked a bottle.

"I'm not a threat to your family. I'll always be a friend, even if you decide you don't want to be with me anymore. A friend to all of you."

[Tree]

Marina looked at him, trying to not start crying again.

"Thank you... that's something special for them that they really need. "

[Sushi]

"it's for you too."

He clinked his drink against hers.

[Tree]

Marina looked over him, blinking back a few tears.

/I don't think that will happen...../

Not wanting to be his lover? How stupid does one have to be to pick that choice?

[Sushi]

Ryder smiled easily.

"I hope not. Still stands, though "

[Tree]

Marina kissed him twice more before she shifted to share a lava cake with him, humming in happiness.

"How do you think you'd manage in fully distracting an anxious mind after we finish eating? "

[Sushi]

"I say why wait until after?"

Ryder smiled laciviously

[Tree]

Marina smirked.

"Oh, really now?"

She asked, tugging at his shirt he had crossed across his chest.

[Sushi]

It fell open easily.

"Interested?"