12026/Feelings...

Feelings...
Date of Scene:	18 August 2020
Location:	Harry Dresden's Office, Kingston Falls
Synopsis:	Karrin and Dresden have a bit of a talk about those three words
Cast of Characters:	Karrin Murphy, Harry Dresden

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Karrin Murphy has posed:
Since she was driving, Murphy did have much to drink over girl's dinner, but it's still a good few hours post her normal home-from-work time that she's slipping her key into the lock, passing the wards, and stepping into Dresden's apartment. She's still in uniform, apparently having had regular duty patrol today, most of the day. A touch of sunburn from walking the blocks is clear on her cheeks and forehead. She's going to have an awful uniform tan which is just the collar of her shirt, hands, and face.

"Brought home leftovers. McAnnally's sandwiches are horse sized, so I hope you're hungry." She calls into the apartment as she braces herself for Mister's usual greeting, smiling a bit more as heavy cat shoulders tackle into her legs. She reaches down with a free hand to scratch at his scruff, "Not food for you. Well...probably some. But Harry gets dibs."

Harry Dresden has posed:
I'm always hungry, Murph," calls Harry from the bedroom, making his way into the living room area. "Especially if it is one of Mac's steak sandwiches. I think I would grow an extra stomach if I could just to eat more of them. Happen to grab more beer while you were there as well?"

Harry makes his way over to Karrin and slips and arm around her to give her a hug, leaning down to press his lips to hers. "How was work? Things any better?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Murph laughs just a bit at the stomach commentary, "Well, I only brought one, so your stomach is mostly safe. Beer's in the car. Last thing I want to do is set off your wards because I didn't have a free hand to ger the charm out and destroy dinner." Then he's there, next to her, and it's a hug and a proper kiss. Like, immediately a kiss. While they were often affectionate, such a welcome home greeting hadn't quite entered their habits yet. It sends Karrin quiet for a moment, letting her lips linger against his, nose against his cheek.

... She could get used to such things. Maybe the new normal would be okay. A quiet sigh finds itself against his cheek as she mutters, "Back to patrol. Between foot or car but... it's basically a demotion. Rudolph is going to run me out of this department and... it's... It's life, I suppose."

Harry Dresden has posed:
:grins. ?Only one huh? Ok, fine, I?ll split it, but just this once,? teases Harry as he makes his way over to the kitchenette to get a couple of plates and a knife.

The news of her day, though, causes him to frown. ?The offer still stands. I will go hex his car, and/or burn it to the ground. Just say the word.?

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"It's yours. Buff and I had nachos and generally got our paranoias out in neither of our... partner's directions, you lucky boys." Karrin is still not used to really calling him her boyfriend, or partner. That's probably the first time she's ever said it out loud, but she did say the thing and nothing exploded, so she gives him a bit of a game smile as she pads into the room and starts peeling out of the layers of uniform.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I see you decided to ignore the offer of blowing up Rudolph's car," Harry says as he ditches the knife and extra plate. Taking a bite out of his sandwich he speaks around a full mouth, "That means you can't respond for fear of saying yes, doesn't it." The wizard chuckles, swallowing and taking another bite, "I'm glad you had a good time with Buffy. Sounds like you two had some things to work out?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Her smirk just deepens, looking up at him as she starts peeling out of her shirt. Belt and weapons have been quickly locked away, they're always the first to go. Now it's just the layers of stiff, slightly sweaty material. He can practically see her body relaxing by inches as she takes off the uniform she thought she'd earned her way out of. "...If I say yes, that is an accessory to property damage and... you're being trouble even offering it. Tempting, frustrating man." That is definitely not a no.

Then she's leaning over, boots unlaced, a small groan of relief escaping her lips as she pushes them off of her feet. She really did feel pretty much at home here, parts of her life sprawled all across the apartment. "And we both are...not great at being happy. Many reasons we're friends."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Chuckling, Harry pauses in his tracks to watch Karrin peel off the uniform. He can't help it, it's a nice view to have in his place. Trying not to stare for too long, he tears his eyes away and makes his way over to the couch, plopping down and taking another bite of the sandwich, "Only if they can prove anything," mentions Harry, "And Rudolph thinks I am full of shit anyway. What is he going to do, run to IA and say a wizard hexed his car? You really can't prove something like that."

"She's a good kid. Still has a lot to learn, but a good kid."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
As she catches him watching, she shifts just a bit. Not away, but to give him a better view. Her smile is a bit embarrassed but also inviting. Somehow, it was different with him than the others. She wasn't used to seducing someone she *actually* loved.

"... You really shouldn't tempt me like this, Harry. It's not fair. A woman only has SO MUCH willpower." Karrin admits, a touch of a whine behind her voice because every inch of her wants to say yes but she just can't bring her conscience to do so. Now in nothing but her sports bra and black boy shorts, her uniform in a messy pile over the least used chair, she comes over behind him, wrapping bare arms around his shoulders. She smells like the sweat of the day, but it's a very Karrin scent. "She's not that much of a kid, not any more. You think your brother says the same things about *me and you*? We're a long way from being kids."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry can't help but smile as she shifts to give him a better view, this whole being in love thing isn't hardly a bad thing, but Harry has always been the more romantic of the two. As she drapes over him, he reaches up with an arm, placing it on hers and cranes his neck back to look at her, "Hell's bells, Murph, you may have more willpower than I do, and that is saying something," jokes Harry. He breaths in her scent, sweaty as it might be it just smells of her. He arches up to give her another kiss.

"I suppose not, no. In our line of work we tend to grow up fast, or end up not growing up at all."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"Now, I wouldn't go *that* far, Dresden... You? Grown up? I've see your t-shirt drawer. Not to mention your robes." She mutters against the side of his lips, though her grin is obvious in the tone of her voice alone. She lingers in that kiss, most of her weight leaning against his back and shoulders now, just letting herself dwell in the comfort of him. Home. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. "...and I do have more willpower than you. Everyone knows that. I'd have murdered you in your sleep already, if I didn't." She mutters half drowsily against his cheek.

Then there's another, more quiet breath, something thoughtful behind it. "... Are we... gonna ignore what happened last night? Is it safer that way? You... didn't run away, but considering this is your apartment, I supposed I'm the one that should run if we decide it's too much."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Ignore it? Why would we want to ignore it?" Harry asks as his brow furrows quizzically. "Hell's bells, Karrin, I love you. I have for...god knows how long. The only thing I intend to ignore is how actually long it took to finally say it." A beat. "I was just waiting for you so I could do the Han Solo line, because that was just perfect."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Her breath stops just a moment as he says it again. Says it just that easily. Like it was logic, as simple as breathing. Whether it's out of nerves or the sheer need to savor that he said it, it's not totally clear. But he did and that means the world. Granted, he goes on to practically ruin it, and her arm unfolds from his front just enough to give his shoulder a good smack. "...You were literally waiting all that time for a... *Star. Wars. Line.*?!" The tone of her voice is a mix of shock, laughter, and momentary anger. "...I was so fucking scared and you were waiting for a STAR WARS LINE?!"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden laughs, curling up onto the couch in a ball to protect himself from the pummeling, as playful as it might be. "Not really, no, but I saw the opportunity and I couldn't let it go! Come on, Murph, you can't tell me that wasn't perfect?!" Harry uncurls enough to reach and try to pull her up and over the couch. "Wait? Did you just say you were scared? Scared? You? What the hell were you scared of, Murph? If anyone should have been scared about it, it was me...and I was. I mean, I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Even little things like pulling her over the back of the couch was easier because they knew each other so damn well. Murphy's sparred with him for years, she knows where his body is going, what he means to do. So, it's an easy matter for her to shift her weight forward, into the guiding of his arm, and swing over the back of the couch like she was getting off a horse so she's plopped right into the cushions next to him. She shifts, draping shorter legs across his lap in the way she's done for months now. It puts them in fairly steady contact and still lets her turn comfortably to look up at him enough eye contact is comfortable. She's still smirking.

"...It was... appropriate for the situation, I'll give you that. Even if I nearly killed you."

And then he actually picks up on her words and she's staring at him now. No easy room to look away and pretend she didn't hear, busying herself with something else. She clears her throat, cheeks getting just a bit more pink. "...Ah... I mean... God, Harry... yes." She might as well be honest. Even if it looks like admitting it is one of the most uncomfortable things she's done in ages. It probably is. "Of course I'm terrified. You know my history. You know why... I don't want to move in, or to really pretend we're anything but... very, very close friends. Love is what you tell someone when it gets serious enough to be forever and... I'm real fucking awful at that. And YOU... You've done plenty to 'deserve' me. You're routinely a complete idiot but far more often... one of the best people I've met in my whole damn life."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry can't help but continue to snicker at the replay of the night before, and Karrin's reaction to it, but then it gets serious and he just puts his arms around her and pulls her close to him. "Hey," he says in a hushed, comforting tone, "If you think that moving in here is a mistake, I won't be offended if you need your space. I know you have been through a lot. Hell, if I had your track record I would probably be...oh wait?! My first love tried to murder me, and I got my second turned into a half vampire! What did you do again? Just got a couple of divorces? Pshaw. That's nothing. Aspire to something greater, Murph." He snorts, laying down on the couch sideways and pulling her with him, "I'll give you, one of your ex's marrying your sister is pretty fucked up, but still....not a half-vampire. The point is we all have a past, Murph. We can't let that define our future...that is what we make of it, and I can't think of a better person that I want to make a future with than you."

He pauses, "Uh...yeah..that didn't come out how...I'm not asking...not that I wouldn't...but I'm...hell's bells you know what I mean."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Well, a shower WAS in the plans but now she's in his arm and he's stretching that long body out on the couch she's learned to get entirely to comfortable on. Trapped. She's absolutely trapped but there's no complaint, just a quiet smile as she lets herself sink to the side with him. She gives a little, breathy sort of chuckle at a side thought, "...we've gotten a lot better at sharing this couch than that first night... When the nightmares were bad." Years ago now. But it's a good memory. She shifts her mostly bare legs so her knee tucks between his thighs, listening to the rumble of his voice in his chest.

"...I don't entirely understand how a man who is, at times, so...dense and frustrating as you, can also know the exact things to say to make this all make... Sense." She whispers. Not even panicking at the thought of 'future', which is normally a big self destruct button. Then her brain processes the last words and her head jerks up, looking down into his eyes.

"...No, of course... move in. That's what you meant. Of course." Because the other thing is still a terrifying monster in the distance. But she studies his face, considering just how bad actually moving in might be. Her nose wrinkles just a touch. "... we need to figure out the hot water situation if I'm moving in here. Because even I have limits. And...I'll probably keep the house. It's grandma's and a good back up if... if things go wrong. But..." She swallows back, trying not to look as worried as she still feels, "...it could be nice to have some actual clothes here, and a full gun cabinet..." The priorities in her life, of course.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"If you want to just say you are 'visiting for long periods of time' instead of move in, well, that's fine. The words don't matter, and I don't blame you one bit on the hot shower. Maybe I can convince the landlady to let me install one of those sun heated things up on the roof, but then she might wonder what the hell the deal is with a proper water heater." The wizard shrugs a shoulder, "Maybe we can put in a tub instead, and use the fireplace to just heat up water to pour in it. I'm sure we can figure something out. We can put some kind of gun cabinet in here as well, but you should really stick to keeping revolvers or shotguns in it. Nothing with that many moving parts. Those you should probably stash elsewhere."

Harry takes a deep breath and sighs, "Maybe you are right. Maybe it is just more trouble to have you move in here. It isn't like a 'normal' situation where just your address changes. Too many variables with what I can fuck up for you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Her small hand idly traces across his chest, still sitting half propped up so she can look at him, but as he talks more about her moving in, more of that fear slowly fades from her eyes. Even if it does sound like a royal pain in the ass. When he finally gets around to having slightly cold feet himself, Karrin glares at him quietly. "Don't. Don't you dare. If we're doing this we... we're going to do it. Keeping the fancy weapons back at grandma's house and fighting with the shower are minor annoyances compared to... Home. If us being together is going to fuck things up, Harry, we'd be there already. We both have our enemies and our mistakes... but they were going to hunt us down or try to use us against each other whether this is my address or not. We've been a team a.. lot longer than I've thought about kissing you, and an address isn't going to change that."

She smiles just a bit softer, sinking down into his side again, her head tucked onto his shoulder, in that crook between chest and neck. "It's been a long time since I had a place that really felt like... home. I sleep better here anyway."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry is quiet for a moment, but then nods. "Alright. We can figure the rest of it out as it comes. Home it is. I'll go through some of the drawers and make sure there is space for your things. It's not like I need all the room, and at worst I can move some of it over to the office if I really need to."

The wizard chuckles, "Of course you do. If nothing else I make an excellent pillow," he says as he idly traces his fingertips over her arm in nonsensical patterns. "Do you remember how we met? The troll?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
It takes an actual act of will to make herself relax. To appreciate just laying on the couch, the pattern of his fingertips on her arm, the quiet beat of his heart against her cheek, but she does it. He can feel some of the constant tension she carries by habit alone just slightly shift away, letting her little form press in a bit closer to his various corners and edges. She's trying to just accept this as good and, if by tiny steps, it's working.

"You mean the kidnapping case where any sane officer would have taken both you and Nick in for keeping that little girl? ... And THEN there was a troll?" She laughs softly against his throat. "Yeah, I remember. I thought I was going insane. But I knew you didn't do it. I just...knew. Maybe you'd drugged me, or that thing was just some really hopped up meth addict, but... I knew you were doing something good. I have no clue how. I'm just glad I...trusted my instincts." She laughs a bit more, "I also hoped I'd never, ever see you again and that I could pretend it never happened. But I was already in SI. I think part of me...knew... there were things out there."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden chuckles. "That would be the one. Who would have ever thought that years from then this is where we would have ended up. I sure didn't, though I thought you were..." Cute. Can he get away with cute? Probably not. "..attractive even back then. Never crossed my mind that we would end up working together more, let alone...this. You never wanted to see me again, huh? I guess I can't blame you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
A lower chuckle rumbles in her chest. "I thought you were... too. Part of the problem. Handsome, intelligent, wouldn't think I was insane for saying that things like men who turn into wolves exist. A protetor of children. A stubborn idiot who often gets in over his head, usually trying to do the right thing. All of that was horribly clear on the very first night that I met you and I knew I'd be in deep shit if I didn't get away." Her arm finally settles around his waist, giving a quieter, almost slightly drowsy squeeze. She's not one for napping, but laying stretched like this makes it awful tempting. "...I suppose I'm quite lucky I ended up in the shit."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Letting the rumble of a chuckle echo through his chest, Harry leans over to kiss the top of her head. "Well, if I had to be neck deep in it, I can't think of anyone I'd rather be in it with. You sounds tired, Karrin. Why don't you get some rest."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
"Just so you know, I'm napping because you are horribly comfortable and I just have a mind to do so, NOT because you suggested it, Dresden. Just so we're on the same page." Karrin is mostly teasing with that, but her voice is also in that drowsy, half dozing already tone that he's heard from her before. It generally hits about one minute before she entirely faceplants, and tonight's no different. A shower can come later. The couch and his warmth were too soporific to fight any longer. "...wake me up in an... hour. Love you."