Room 222 | Sunday Morning

[pursuedthestars]

Jim hadn't wasted any time in getting back to his room. Hey, he would almost welcome Jackson's presence after all that time without privacy. He didn't mind the bouncy castles but man, the novelty wore off quick and he didn't like rolling over in the middle of the night and ending up splayed against the side of a castle with plastic up his nose.

He'd brought Natalie the snake back first, setting her up on his bed so she could slither around and do her snake thing before going back and getting the rest of his stuff. He'd dropped all that on the floor beside his bed and stretched before flopping down beside Natalie.

Who was still a snake.

"You ever gonna change back?" he asked idly, not expecting a response. He got none. Jim sighed and tucked an arm under his head. Snakes were not great conversation partners.

[Door is open, post is open]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

"Oh, I am definitely focused on that," Jim told her, smirking and leaning up to try and grab a kiss from her. "Just waiting on you to make a move since you're on top, Natalie."

He smirked.

[whenshewasnice]

"How passive of you," she teased, pulling away from his lips because that was teasing too. "But I guess I can take the initiative with some things."

[pursuedthestars]

"I've been the initiator of most of our time together," he reminded her easily. "This time, I'm not going to be that person. It's on you."

[whenshewasnice]

"Uh huh," Natalie replied, sounding like she disagreed, but at least this time it was the kind of disagreement that wouldn't end in awkwardness. She sounded amused.

And she shifted backwards, to press kisses down his chest.

[pursuedthestars]

"You don't think it's true?" he asked, sighing again. "Think back on the last few times we've been together and you'll see that I'm right."

[whenshewasnice]

She licked a wet path right down the center of his chest, breathing hotly against wet skin, before glancing up. "Last few is not the same as 'most'."

[pursuedthestars]

"But it does mean I get my turn in being a little more passive than aggressive," he told her quietly. "It's only fair."

[whenshewasnice]

"Fair," Natalie snorted, before swirling her tongue against his skin for a second. "Uh huh."

[pursuedthestars]

"You know you'd be saying the same exact thing to me if the roles were reversed," he said, all confidence. "You know it and denying it would just make you a liar."

[whenshewasnice]

"Maybe I wouldn't mind being branded a liar," she retorted. "Selfish jerk here, remember?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Such an incredibly selfish jerk." He laughed and moved to slide his fingers through her hair. "I like that about you."

[whenshewasnice]

"This relationship is based on being selfish jerks," Natalie murmured, shifting to lick over his nipple again before continuing further down. "It goes both ways."

[pursuedthestars]

"You calling me a selfish jerk?" She wasn't wrong but he would have argued if she wasn't doing such nice things to him. "I guess I am. You called it a relationship. Softie."

[whenshewasnice]

"Don't start with the softie stuff or I'll have to call you my boyfriend and make this awakward for both of us," Natalie threatened. Not serious at all.

She pressed a trail of kisses down over his ribs.

[pursuedthestars]

"You just want me to be your boyfriend," Jim teased, glancing down at her. "Softie."

[whenshewasnice]

"The last thing I want right now is a boyfriend," she informed him without glancing up. Busy grazing her teeth against his skin for a bit. "Besides, if I wasn't leaving, you might have wanted to call me girlfriend."

[pursuedthestars]

"Maybe you just don't want me as a boyfriend," he mumbled, ignoring her last statement because he didn't want to talk about him.

[whenshewasnice]

Of course he didn't.

"Maybe you're just deflecting."

[pursuedthestars]

"Deflecting?" he scoffed. "I'm not. You're the softie and you know you would have wanted commitment if you'd stayed."

[whenshewasnice]

"I asked for commitment even when though I am leaving," Natalie pointed out. She was low enough on his body now to tug on his shorts and give the exposed skin a little lick. "And you're deflecting. Nothing about yourself."

[pursuedthestars]

"Well, you're leaving," Jim said, lifting his hips slightly since she was down near his shorts now. "Why should I go into stuff about myself now?"

Deflecting? Yes. Being extremely protective since another person he cared about was leaving? Yes.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie pulled his shorts further down, and licked over his hipbone. And then she looked up. Didn't quite smirk but still looked slightly like she thought she was about to be smart.

"Because it's fair," she said. "You wanted fair, didn't you?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Does it matter if I'm deflecting?" he asked, dropping his head back onto his pillows. "You're leaving. The point is moot."

And he didn't want to open himself up to more hurt that he was going to repress like hell.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie kissed his hipbone and lowered her voice.

"You would've made a fine boyfriend," she told him quietly. "If things were different, I would've wanted to date you."

[pursuedthestars]

"But, they're not," he sighed quietly. "So, it doesn't matter."

He shook his head and tried to push those feelings away.

"Thanks, though."