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"I love you," Noin murmurs, pressing a kiss to his brow, and in the glaring quiet that follows Zechs finds himself growing embarrassed.
He has to say something, but what comes out when he opens his mouth is, "You say that a lot." Which while technically true, sounds mean and ungrateful when spoken out loud. But Noin only smiles and strokes the hair back from his face.
"Yeah," she agrees, "and yet I still don’t think you’ve heard it enough."
Not quite able to meet Noin’s eye he focuses instead on the column of her neck - it’s right in front of him, after all, and his mouth fits over the gentle curve where it meets her shoulder as if by design. He spends some minutes dispelling his discomfort by lavishing attention there before finding it in himself to speak again. "Noin…you know, I lo-"
"I know." She brings her head close to his and whispers, "You say it a lot."
Is she crazy or mocking him? He gives her a flat, unamused look and she sits back, legs comfortably straddling his own, and begins to enumerate.
"You told me this morning when you handed me my coffee…and yesterday when you brought me lunch after I got stuck on that 3-hour conference call…not to mention every time we have dinner and you give me all your olives-"
"I don’t like olives," he protests weakly.
"But you know I do, so you never leave them out of anything. You never come over empty-handed-"
"That’s just good manners."
"As is picking me up at the spaceport at 4am?"
"Anyone would do the same," he repeats stubbornly.
"Uh-huh…I suppose that’s why you’re known as the designated driver around the office?" He snorts, amused, despite himself. "And…there is one other thing… I hate to be the one to tell you this, Zechs, but…when you look at me…you sort of go all dewy."
What? He feels himself heat up. "I do not."
"I’m afraid so. Googly-eyed, practically." She sighs and pats his cheek consolingly. "This must be very embarrassing for you."
He feels his mouth twist up at the corner as he tries to maintain his expression. "You could say that."
It’s a relief when she drops it to kiss him again. He’s better at this part. His hands inch up Noin’s back, holding her to him. Her body is both soft and hard, all at once. She’s serious again when they break apart, hands loose around his shoulders. "I don’t have to say it out loud, you know. Not if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No, it’s-" he shakes his head. "It’s nice to hear, sometimes."
"Then I’ll keep saying it," she promises, "in every way I know how."