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Author's Note:

This is part 2 of today's double update. And now I'll go write some cozy mystery. Or another chapter of this silliness ;)

Love,

K. xx

***

Staying hungry in the evening wasn't a good idea, based on her Maharaja themed experience, so when he knocked on her door, she got up and marched into the bathroom to wash her hands.

Look at yourself, Popplewell. If you continue frowning so much, you'll look like the Twelfth Doctor by the end of the isolation. These are indeed attack eyebrows!

She sat down on a kitchen chair and continued stubbornly staring at the table, while he plated and served.

"Chicken dhansak," he announced, and Tina nodded, now looking into her plate. "I'm having some Chardonnay with it, but I assume you shouldn't." He chuckled. "I got you some alcohol-free Riesling."

Tina nodded again and picked up the glass he'd placed in front of her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, sitting down across from her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just... tired," she muttered and started eating. Just as I told your girlfriend.

Tina chewed. The food had zero taste.

"Do you want to go skating together tomorrow?" he asked after a few seconds. "I'm going to need some exercise after all the sugar and carbs in that pancake cake you promised me," he added in that purring tone of his.

Nope, not working. How about you take your skates, Mr. Holyoake, and go draw loops around your girlfriend?

"Are you sure everything's alright?" he asked, dropping the sultry tone.

"Top-notch," she grumbled and took a large sip of her drink.

He was probably giving her an inquisitive look, but she didn't look up from her dhansak, so she wouldn't know. They continued eating in silence. Funny enough, if it were that quiet when she'd shared meals with August, she'd fret and try to lighten the mood and look seekingly into his eyes trying to suss out what she'd done wrong and how she could fix it. He'd actually once said to her she needed to learn to 'give people space.' Apparently, she had no problem with giving Holyoake space. If she could, she'd give the man his own planet. C'mon, mate, when is your shuttle leaving? Tina forcefully stabbed a piece of chicken on her plate.

"Clementine?"

Ugh, does he have to be so pretentious? she internally sneered, skewing another innocent piece of poultry. 'Tina' was just fine. Short, boring, and unassuming, just as Tina herself.

"What would you say about sleeping together tonight?" he asked nonchalantly.

Her eyes flew up. "What?!"

Just look at him! Cool as a cucumber!

"If you don't mind, of course," he said and shrugged.

His lips softly wrapped around the forkful of the chicken. Damn his manners. He chewed, Tina steamed.

"I don't think that's the best idea," she gritted through her clenched teeth.

"Sure," he said lightly and picked up his glass. "Just thought I'd offer. In case you end up sleepwalking again, this could save us a lot of barney. But obviously, only if you want."

"Why would I want to sleep with you?!" she hissed.

He took a sip, pursing his lips.

"I reckon, you like me a bit more when you aren't fully awake." He saluted her with his Chardonnay. His eyes were narrowed. She reckoned, she'd gotten her discontent across. Good. "Or sober," he added with a cold smirk.

Tina jumped to her feet - and of course he just had to get up too.

"I'd rather– I'd rather–"

Nothing venomous enough came to her mind, so she simply threw her napkin on the table and marched out of the kitchen. She just needed to lock her door and maybe push the chair under the door handle. Why wouldn't she? It's not like she needed him to sleep!

***

"John! John!" What's wrong with this man? Can't he hear her?! Isn't he supposed to be an insomniac! "Jo-o-ohn!"

"Clementine? What's wrong?" His voice sounded worried - and muffled. But at least he was close. Ah, he's just on the other side of her bedroom door. Just a few inches of wood away, to think of it.

"John," she whined and pressed her forehead to the door. The cool surface felt nice. "Let me out, John. I want to go on your sofa."

"Oh I see. Here we go again." She could hear his velvet laugh on the other side, and pleasant shivers ran through her body. Blimey, the man was delicious in every way! "Go to bed, Clementine," he said.

Tina groaned in disappointment.

"John, I don't want to." There was a reason she wasn't supposed to sleep with him - but if she couldn't remember what the reason was, how important could it be? "Let me out."

"Clementine," he drew out.

It seemed he was hesitating, and she scraped the door with her nails like a cat.

"I promise I won't kick," she assured him. "And I know my feet are cold, but that's just for a few minutes. I'll just tuck them under you, and we'll both be warm in no time."

"Blimey, if only you weren't sleepwalking," he said with a chuckle.

She could just imagine that small head shake and a smirk he had on his face right now.

"Jo-o-ohn," she sing-songed, "Just open the door for me, please."

"God, Clementine, you aren't making it easy for me."

"Oh, what a rumbly voice you have, Mr. Tickles," she said with a giggle.

"Again?" 

Tina burst into jolly laughter and started sliding down. Her elbow rammed into a chair near the door, and she yelped.

"What are you doing there?"

Why does it sound like his voice is coming from above? Ah, right. She's on the floor now.

"I hit my elbow. I'm in pain." She gave it a thought. "I'm in pain, I need you to kiss it better."

"You need to go to bed, Clementine."

Blimey, she loved when he called her that.

"I love it when you call me that," she said and closed her eyes. "Say it again."

"Darling, can you please go to bed?" he said, his tone somehow amused and irritated at the same time. "Your purring makes me question my convictions."

"Really?" Her eyes flew open. "Jo-o-ohn."

"You don't actually want to sleep with me." His voice suddenly was much closer, he must have sat down on the floor on the other side of the door. "You gave me a cold shoulder during dinner. You didn't even finish your dhansak."

"That dish was so good," Tina said wistfully. "But I promise I won't eat our leftovers!" She wondered if he needed reassurance. "You can let me out. I'm not hungry. You feed me well."

She heard him laugh quietly, and she crawled up to the door and pressed an open palm to it.

"John, let me out. I swear I want it. And I won't be angry in the morning. I was just jealous about your sexy girlfriend, and that's why I was mean to you." Hm, maybe that's why he isn't letting her out? Maybe he's worried she'll behave inappropriately? She'd love to, but she could keep herself under control if he said 'no.' "I promise to keep my hands to myself. I honestly don't know what came over me at that launch. I'm never ballsy when it comes to shag. I've got all sorts of insecurities." She scraped at the door again. "We'll just snuggle and sleep. Might help your insomnia," she offered her final argument.

"Oh, Clementine, don't underestimate the effect you're having on me," he said with a guffaw. "Sharing a bed with you surely won't help me to sleep better. Go to bed, darling. I'll go stare at the ceiling in your lounge."

She could hear him move, and then his steps echoed down the stairs.

"No..." she whispered and felt her lips tremble.

He clearly must have misunderstood! He was supposed to let her out! He wanted to sleep with her, she was sure of it! She'd always woken up with him wrapped around her - and that morning in her bed, he'd nuzzled her hair! Tina got up and angrily kicked the stupid chair - which fell on its side releasing the door knob. Oh. Oh! She'd barricaded the door herself! The whole time he could've just told her so! What a numpty!

Tina quickly unlocked the door and ran out of the bedroom.

Mmm, her warm, citrus-y, and wonderfully furry sleeping companion awaits - and here she comes!

***

Day 5

"If you push me off the bed, next time I'll just tell you how to get out of that bedroom right away," he grumbled.

Since Tina had been holding her breath, pressed into his side and trying not to move a single muscle - her lungs were full of his smell anyway - her snort came out especially loud.

"I'd hate to be predictable," she muttered and slowly moved away from him - and fell on the floor. "Bollock, we're on your sofa! Why are we on your sofa?!"

She sat up and rubbed her elbow.

"Because last night, while you were awake and sober, you told me you didn't want to sleep with me," he said. He rose on one elbow, pushed his hand under his cheek, and looked her over. Damn the twinkle in his eyes! "So I refused to come to your bed. Despite what you'd been serenading to me through your door."

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Tina said in a tortured voice. "And I hit my elbow on that chair! There'll be a bruise. Again!"

"You were the one who put it there last night. Were you worried I'd... lurk?" he asked sardonically.

"Of course not. It was supposed to keep me inside," she muttered, "but clearly it didn't work."

"You don't say," he drew out and plopped on his back. "I know you hate this, but I had a great night. So restful!"

He threw his arms behind his head and stretched, arching his back. Tina cowardly looked aside. Peepers away from his flat furry stomach and the long muscles on the sides of his torso, Tina! Bugger.

"I'll make coffee," she muttered.

"Perfect," he said and stretched again with a low throaty groan. "Absolutely perfect."

Tina fled - but not before she caught a glimpse of muscles bulging on his upper arms below the short sleeves of his tee and the tendons on his strong neck. Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

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