She tiptoes to return that kiss, lingering a moment before she squeezes his hand and disappears towards the bathroom. It doesn’t take her long, though she does stand under the heat of the water to let her muscles loosen for a while.
Eventually, she makes her way back to him in one of the sweaters he’d left to dry, the hem of it falling just to her thighs.
“Both of those for me?” she teases, craning her neck to kiss his cheek.
He shoots her a flat look, leaning down ever so slightly to make it easier for her to give him that kiss. Rather than answer, he just hands her one of the glasses, sipping from his own.
"Do you want dinner yet, or just sit for a while?" Leonard's tired but not too hungry yet, but she definitely needs to eat soon. Still, there's no need to rush, so it's up to her.
She smiles at the look her shoots her, nudging his nose with the tip of her own before claiming her glass. She takes a long swig, sighing as she feels the warmth of the liquid hum down to her core.
“I’m starving. But I want dessert first,” she decides, taking her glass to the replicator and coding in an order for peach cobbler and ice cream.
Leonard laughs when the first thing she gets from the replicator is actually dessert. He shakes his head, letting out a disapproving sound. "What are you, a kid? Really."
But she is no kid, she's an adult and he can't really stop her if she wants to start her dinner that way. As for Leonard, he gets a chicken stew from the replicator, taking it back to the small dining table in his quarters to join her. Just saying, his food does smell pretty great. "Well, enjoy your meal."
“No, I’m an adult. And adults get to do what they want.” She flashes him a grin, perking up when the replicator reveals her bowl of food. She takes it to the dining table, perching in her chair and plucking at a few crumbs while she waits for him.
And yes, her gaze does linger on the hearty meal he’s ordered for himself, the robust smell of meat and vegetables wafting to her side of the table.
“Wanna try?” she asks innocently, nudging her bowl towards him with a sweet smile.
He shoots her a flat look, so close to a lecture for a moment there. Instead, he just huffs in amusement and gives her a small smile.
"I can replicate my own dessert when I'm good and ready for it. Think I'll start by havin' this delicious meal first." He picks up some of the food with his fork, tasting it and letting out a pleased hum right after. "Oh, that is good."
The look she shoots him back is absolutely shameless, her foot nudging playfully at his under the table.
Still, she makes a show of wrinkling her nose at his food, taking a heaping spoonful of cobbler and ice cream and swallowing it down.
“Bet yours tastes like shit a la mode,” she counters lamely, curling her legs up underneath herself. Her muscles still ache, the exhaustion still tugging at her limbs, but at the very least the dessert-first tactic does provide some comfort. She hums contently, pointedly avoiding looking at his bowl of stew.
"Oh, really? Guess I'm never takin' you back to Georgia with me, then," he purses his lips, ever so casual. "You know, just in case you feel compelled to insult ma's cooking."
Not that replicator food is as good as his mother's, not even by a long shot, but it's not bad either. Considering they're in deep space, he would say they're pretty lucky for this level of quality.
Her eyes narrow at him, lips pursing as she swallows another spoonful of pie. “I’m brave, but I’m not that brave.”
She cracks a smile then, reaching cross the tables or his hand. “Won’t be too long ‘til that stop on earth, you know. Sure you’re willing to let me meet her?”
Leonard lets out a low chuckle. He can't disagree with that assessment, really. She would quickly be added to his mother's hate list if she were to say a bad word about her food. Not that he's worried, as there is no food in the galaxy more delicious.
He looks up when she reaches out, and he takes her hand, smiling. "Actually, I am looking forward to it. As long as you are." He knows what it means, her meeting his mother. So it doesn't hurt to be sure that it's what she wants.
She’s tried the replicator’s attempt to mimic his mother’s recipes. If the ghost of the real thing is that good, she can only imagine what the home cooked stuff tastes like.
She tries to keep her smile casual, but she can’t deny it’s been weighing on her, coming home to meet his family. His mother, who means so much to him. She nods, toying with his hand. “I am. I just… I’ve never done that before, you know?”
He pauses between bites, setting his fork down. His smile settles into something softer and smaller.
"I know." He reaches out with his hand, palm up, fingers stretched out. "And it's fine if you want to change your mind. There's still time, I haven't even told her yet."
She meets his gaze, an ease settling over her with the gentleness in his smile. He’s good at that. Even if some might murmur that his bedside manner could use some work.
She traces her fingertips along his fingers, sliding her palm into his. “I’m not changing my mind,” she insists, fingers weaving between his. “I just don’t think I’m exactly what a mom pictures when she meets the woman her son’s bringing home.”
That admission only gets a light chuckle from him, not joking or teasing her but more amused at the very notion of it. "Trust me, she's not picturing anything. And you're not as bad a catch as you think you are either."
She has a very complicated past, yes, but his mother doesn't know that, nor does she need to. But Sara is friendly, helpful and genuine, and that's already much more than he could say about his ex-wife. After Jocelyn, he's sure his mother will consider Sara a vast improvement.
"Besides, she's going to be more concerned with tellin' me what a terrible son I am, not dropping by in a year, always working and rarely ever returning her calls." He rolls his eyes, because it's clearly an exaggeration. He calls. Sometimes...
They haven’t talked much about his ex-wife - just that it was messy, and Leonard had regrets when it came to his daughter. She has no real comparison, no gauge to mark herself against, and picturing the woman that raised the man in front of her… it’s probably more intimidating to her than being thrown into a ring with a trained warrior.
He does get a laugh out of her though, and she raises his hand to press a kiss to his knuckles. “Next to you, I won’t look so bad,” she chuckles.
It's true, Leonard doesn't like to bring up that topic often, as it wasn't a particularly happy time of his life. Well, they did have some good times, particularly early in their relationship and marriage, but suffice to say that the honeymoon phase fizzled out quickly. There was more, so much more involved, and he should talk about it with her at some point, but not now. It can wait.
"Somethin' like that," his smile is amused, gaze incredibly fond as she kisses his knuckles. His fingers clutch hers firmly, thumb sweeping over her own knuckles. "I love you, Sara. You make me happy, and I'm better with you. That's all she'll care about."
She rests her lips against his knuckles a moment, meeting his eyes, the honest affection there. She smiles at him, her own gaze softening at his words, her hand squeezing his.
“I love you too, Leonard,” she answers easily, and it occurs to her suddenly how far they’ve come. How stupid she’d been to fight whatever had lead to this. She slips out of her chair, circles around the table to tuck in against his side and pull him in for a kiss.
"I know you do," he smiles back at her. She didn't need to say it, especially since he knows it's not always easy for her to talk about these things or make herself so vulnerable, but he has to admit it feels wonderful to hear it. Even more so when she's not the kind to say it often.
His hands swipe around her sides, holding her in for a tight hug as he cants his head and returns the kiss all too happily, lingering.
She chuckles at that, smile widening. She knows what a struggle it’s been, how patient he’s had to be, coaxing her out of that shell she’s constructed around herself. And she’s so damn grateful for it - for him.
She stoops over him, sinking into that kiss, hands cupping his face before she shifts into his lap, settling lightly there, her fingers toying through his hair. Forehead pressing to his, she nips at his lower lip. “Okay. Let’s go meet your mom.”
His arms stay around her throughout the kiss, and he doesn't move away even as their lips part. He smiles faintly, gaze meeting hers, a soft chuckle when she nibbles on his lip.
"Alright, good," he murmurs, petting her lower back. "Does that mean I can let ma know?"
She hums a smile against his lips, nudging the tip of her nose against his. She starts to tug his shirt up his stomach, mischief dancing in her eyes as she looks down at him.
“Too late now, McCoy. I’m all in.” She shifts back just enough to pull his sweater over his head, leaning in to press a deeper kiss to his lips.
Well, if that's where things are headed now, he's not going to stop her. She's had something to eat at least, and he can just go back to his meal later.
He lifts his arms up so it's easier for her to get his sweater off, hands both moving to her back when she kisses him. His lips trail along her jaw, giving her ear a little nibble before chasing after her mouth again, and his hands tug her shirt up, wanting to return the gesture and get some layers off of her too.
Okay, so she probably should’ve let him finish up. Maybe stolen a bit of his wildly more nutritious dinner, but now that she’s here in his arms after so long, she can’t seem to help herself.
She sighs contently at the brush of his kiss down her skin, chuckling at the nip of his teeth before sinking into the warmth of that kiss. She breaks it just long enough to slip off her shirt, running her hands down his chest and nudging her nose against his.
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Eventually, she makes her way back to him in one of the sweaters he’d left to dry, the hem of it falling just to her thighs.
“Both of those for me?” she teases, craning her neck to kiss his cheek.
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"Do you want dinner yet, or just sit for a while?" Leonard's tired but not too hungry yet, but she definitely needs to eat soon. Still, there's no need to rush, so it's up to her.
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“I’m starving. But I want dessert first,” she decides, taking her glass to the replicator and coding in an order for peach cobbler and ice cream.
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But she is no kid, she's an adult and he can't really stop her if she wants to start her dinner that way. As for Leonard, he gets a chicken stew from the replicator, taking it back to the small dining table in his quarters to join her. Just saying, his food does smell pretty great. "Well, enjoy your meal."
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And yes, her gaze does linger on the hearty meal he’s ordered for himself, the robust smell of meat and vegetables wafting to her side of the table.
“Wanna try?” she asks innocently, nudging her bowl towards him with a sweet smile.
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"I can replicate my own dessert when I'm good and ready for it. Think I'll start by havin' this delicious meal first." He picks up some of the food with his fork, tasting it and letting out a pleased hum right after. "Oh, that is good."
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Still, she makes a show of wrinkling her nose at his food, taking a heaping spoonful of cobbler and ice cream and swallowing it down.
“Bet yours tastes like shit a la mode,” she counters lamely, curling her legs up underneath herself. Her muscles still ache, the exhaustion still tugging at her limbs, but at the very least the dessert-first tactic does provide some comfort. She hums contently, pointedly avoiding looking at his bowl of stew.
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Not that replicator food is as good as his mother's, not even by a long shot, but it's not bad either. Considering they're in deep space, he would say they're pretty lucky for this level of quality.
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She cracks a smile then, reaching cross the tables or his hand. “Won’t be too long ‘til that stop on earth, you know. Sure you’re willing to let me meet her?”
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He looks up when she reaches out, and he takes her hand, smiling. "Actually, I am looking forward to it. As long as you are." He knows what it means, her meeting his mother. So it doesn't hurt to be sure that it's what she wants.
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She tries to keep her smile casual, but she can’t deny it’s been weighing on her, coming home to meet his family. His mother, who means so much to him. She nods, toying with his hand. “I am. I just… I’ve never done that before, you know?”
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"I know." He reaches out with his hand, palm up, fingers stretched out. "And it's fine if you want to change your mind. There's still time, I haven't even told her yet."
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She traces her fingertips along his fingers, sliding her palm into his. “I’m not changing my mind,” she insists, fingers weaving between his. “I just don’t think I’m exactly what a mom pictures when she meets the woman her son’s bringing home.”
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She has a very complicated past, yes, but his mother doesn't know that, nor does she need to. But Sara is friendly, helpful and genuine, and that's already much more than he could say about his ex-wife. After Jocelyn, he's sure his mother will consider Sara a vast improvement.
"Besides, she's going to be more concerned with tellin' me what a terrible son I am, not dropping by in a year, always working and rarely ever returning her calls." He rolls his eyes, because it's clearly an exaggeration. He calls. Sometimes...
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He does get a laugh out of her though, and she raises his hand to press a kiss to his knuckles. “Next to you, I won’t look so bad,” she chuckles.
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"Somethin' like that," his smile is amused, gaze incredibly fond as she kisses his knuckles. His fingers clutch hers firmly, thumb sweeping over her own knuckles. "I love you, Sara. You make me happy, and I'm better with you. That's all she'll care about."
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“I love you too, Leonard,” she answers easily, and it occurs to her suddenly how far they’ve come. How stupid she’d been to fight whatever had lead to this. She slips out of her chair, circles around the table to tuck in against his side and pull him in for a kiss.
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His hands swipe around her sides, holding her in for a tight hug as he cants his head and returns the kiss all too happily, lingering.
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She stoops over him, sinking into that kiss, hands cupping his face before she shifts into his lap, settling lightly there, her fingers toying through his hair. Forehead pressing to his, she nips at his lower lip. “Okay. Let’s go meet your mom.”
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"Alright, good," he murmurs, petting her lower back. "Does that mean I can let ma know?"
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“Yeah. Send the word out. No turning back now, Doctor.”
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He's got something keeping him busy right now, and he doesn't want to interrupt that to go call his mother, much as he loves her.
"S'pose you got 'til then to change your mind..." He kids, of course. But, well— one never knows. At least he'll know she's sure.
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“Too late now, McCoy. I’m all in.” She shifts back just enough to pull his sweater over his head, leaning in to press a deeper kiss to his lips.
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He lifts his arms up so it's easier for her to get his sweater off, hands both moving to her back when she kisses him. His lips trail along her jaw, giving her ear a little nibble before chasing after her mouth again, and his hands tug her shirt up, wanting to return the gesture and get some layers off of her too.
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She sighs contently at the brush of his kiss down her skin, chuckling at the nip of his teeth before sinking into the warmth of that kiss. She breaks it just long enough to slip off her shirt, running her hands down his chest and nudging her nose against his.
“Missed you.”
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