ic Guess Who's Coming to Dinner [IC]

[Fox]

"Not...used to...interacting with family structure?" Mara tried, before giving up completely and ducking her head in either embarrassment or sulking. "Would have been okay. But...thank you. Am sure Ellie and I will figure out sleeping arrangement somehow."

She frowned, growing at least a little more serious. "Will probably have to leave in the morning, however. Do have...things that will require my attention. Have a couple very important projects that need attention before the month ends to stay on schedule."

[Gizmo]

"Humour me, dear," Gina sighed, casting her eyes upward with exaggerated weariness. Up above, there was the sound of a window sliding open, followed shortly by light footfalls on the roof and then silence as the swashbuckling Jack of all Blades made his way off into the night. The three women remained in the kitchen for a short time chatting before eventually Ellie's mother stifled a yawn and wheeled herself over to the counter to deposit her mug in the sink. "Well, I'm turning in. Mara, once again, it was lovely to finally meet you. Make sure to get some sleep, hmm?" She looked significantly at both their guest and her daughter before leaving the room.

[Fox]

Mara ducked her head, muttering a 'good night' and blushing a bit at the implied accusation Gina'd made on her way out of the room. "Was...unexpected. Sleeping over, I mean. Really would have been okay, but...mmh. Concern is...touching?" She looked like she wasn't quite sure what to think about that; her independence and urge to stand on her own was fighting tooth and nail with not knowing what to do with parental concern over her well-being, and it left her feeling like she didn't quite know where to stand.

Her foot bumped her bag as she shifted, and she glanced down at it. "...don't think I brought anything to sleep in."

[Gizmo]

"It's okay, it is a little annoying too," Ellie assured her ruefully, getting up to put the severely depleted box of cookies back in the cupboard. "But all in all it's good that she cares enough to be a little annoying, yknow?" At the question of sleepwear, she smirked a little. "You're already wearing my clothes; I think I can lend you something," she pointed out drolly before sauntering over to take her girlfriend's hand before continuing, "Or not. May have to resort to snuggling to stay warm. House gets a little drafty at night."

[Fox]

Mara raised her eyebrows, picking up her bag as she took Ellie's hand. "Well. Clearly not our fault if we have to fight drafts. Supposed to be sleeping over for my health - defeats the purpose if we get sick from the cold." She got to her feet, and clearly wasn't quite so conflicted about staying over anymore. "Should probably skip the pajamas, then, yes," she noted, quite seriously. "Insulators, by design. Very inefficient for heat transfer. It's science."

[Gizmo]

"Ooh, corazoncito, you know I love it when break out the science," Ellie responded with a widening grin, pausing to plant a soft, lingering kiss on Mara's lips before leaving the kitchen and leading the way back upstairs. Erik had left a sleeping bag, still rolled up in its tight covering, outside the door to his sister's bedroom, but the younger sibling ignored it as she pulled her girlfriend inside and closed the door quietly behind them. Kissing Mara again, she ran her fingers over the buttons of the borrowed vest. "Heh, you actually look really good in this, even if it's a little weird seeing you in my stuff," she complimented, tilting her head a little to one side.

[Fox]

Mara tugged at the vest a little, eyeing it with what little attention span she had left after the kisses. "Think it looks better on you," she admitted. "But not bad. Will have to get my own for when I want to look nice."

She wrapped her arms around Ellie's back, sliding her hands up under the edge of the - her - shirt. "Is kind of weird to wear each other's clothes," she agreed, tilting her head and looking down at the article in question. "Interesting. Oddly attractive. But weird - suppose we could fix that. Probably not good for the vest to sleep in it, anyway."

[Gizmo]

Making a clicking sound with her tongue, Ellie swatted as Mara's hands so that she could take a step back and remove the blouse herself. "Honestly. And I'm the bad influence here," she admonished with a small smile as she deftly folded the top and set it down atop a convenient stack of textbooks. Stepping around similar piles to the dresser, she picked up an old, tarnished wind-up alarm clock and fiddled with the back. "What time did you want to get up?" she asked, looking back at Mara over her shoulder.

[Fox]

Mara looked - for Mara - a little happy and highly distracted, looking at Ellie's shirtless back in an unfocused sort of way until her brain smacked itself upside the...brain...and pulled her out of it. "Mmh? Mmh! S...sorry." She coughed, and took a moment to remember what she'd missed. "Should...will probably have to go by seven. Alarm...six in the morning, six thirty? Will probably be tempted to push snooze - or just set it forward - once or twice."

[Gizmo]

Looking a little pleased with herself on the whole, Ellie turned back to the alarm clock with ill concealed smirk and resumed winding it. "I'll set it for 6:30 and make sure you get up, then," she decided aloud, a hint of teasing in her voice. Setting the clock back down on the dresser, she quickly finished getting ready for bed and slipped under the blankets. "Hurry up and turn off the light and get over here before I freeze," the young woman commanded, stifling a yawn. She'd put more energy than she'd realized into preparing for the evening and now that everything had gone well she felt a comfortable satisfaction settle over her.

[Fox]

Replying with a cheerful "Mmh!" Mara almost reached out for the lights with her mind before realizing that wouldn't work here - she was apparently far too used to places like her warehouse or the Lab, where everything was on computer control. Instead, she turned them off the old-fashioned way and made her way to the bed with an amount of cheer in her step that she'd have found distressing if anyone but Ellie were around to see it.

She paused only to shed her clothes (and blush, darkness or not) and carefully deposit them in a pile in imitation of Ellie's handling of the blouse; then she slipped into bed and carefully cuddled up to her warm, comfortable girlfriend.

[Gizmo]

With a vague murmur of approval, Ellie let her eyes close as she wrapped her arms around Mara, turning her head for a moment to avoid yawning directly in her girlfriend's ear before settling in. Even knowing that they had an early morning coming, the usual list of things that had to be accomplished the next day that typically ran ceaselessly through the harried youth's mind when she tried to sleep left her be for once. "Know it's not as big as your bed," she mumbled absently, "but this s'nice." Before long her breathing grew soft and rhythmic.

[Fox]

Mara made a soft snorting noise, snuggling a little closer to Ellie as they drifted off. "S'not 'bout the size of the bed," she murmured, though even she didn't know if she was talking to herself, her nearly-asleep girlfriend, or the universe at large. "S'about where it is. 'N what's in it. Makes all the difference...."

Her voice, barely audible already, faded into nothing as her consciousness did the same. mmh - sleeping bags - don't know why anyone would bother