first_in_time | The Voice In The Dark [for Splendid

"Chesterton!" Stephen's voice called out across the base's pub, "you've got an early start tomorrow, what on Earth are you doing hanging around here?"

Strong hands from seemingly nowhere reached out and grabbed Ian by the arms and legs, and hoisted him up from the floor. Ian's friend drank the last of his pint and grinned at him. "You won't be needing that if you're going to have an early night."

The group of men marched Ian out of the pub, across the grassy grounds and into their living quarters. A few of the other men watched and chuckled, figuring that it was some kind of birthday torture. Not that anyone had mentioned Ian's birthday even in the slightest all day. But then why would the army make anyone feel special and individual?

Ian's friends prattled on and on about his early start, and the batch of new recruits and beauty sleep right up until they threw him into his own room. They laughed and shut the door, plunging Ian into almost complete darkness.

Once the loud laughter and excuses had diminished, Barbara's voice crept out of the gloom: "I hope they weren't too rough with you."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

splendid_roman

He nodded and ate while she spoke. "You have to be pretty determined to get through basic training in the first place, so a superior you hate isn't likely to stop you. And it wouldn't be forever, he can always get a transfer."

From:

first_in_time

"I'll make sure that I pass that on to him just incase he doesn't know about it." Barbara continued to watch Ian as he ate, glad that he was enjoying her cake. "Have you ever thought of transferring?"

From:

splendid_roman

He shook his head. "I like it here." Aside from not having many free evenings, but that was partly because he hadn't needed them quite so urgently before now.

Once they were down to the last bit of cake he said, "You should have the last piece," and gestured to it with his fork.

From:

first_in_time

She shook her head. "It's for your birthday."

Barbara adjusted herself on his desk and carefully considered her words. "What about if I were to get a job on the other side of the country? Would you transfer?"

From:

splendid_roman

He poked at the cake while he considered. It was a serious question and either answer could be taken the wrong way. Eventually he decided to go for honesty.

"I don't know," he said, looking up at her. "I suppose it would depend on where I could transfer to and how serious we were about continuing to see each other."

From:

first_in_time

Admittedly that wasn't quite the answer she had been expecting but she wasn't disappointed in what he'd said. Barbara almost blurted that she was serious enough to love him but managed to save herself at the last moment.

"I'm sure this wasn't the conversation you'd hoped to have on your birthday, but since we're on the topic...how serious do you think we are?"

From:

splendid_roman

It certainly wasn't a conversation he'd been expecting to have on his birthday. He felt like they hadn't seen each other enough to be serious, but that was partially a problem of timing. The kisses they'd shared felt serious, though.

"I'd like us to be serious." It sounded like a non-answer, although it was an honest one and he put a hand on her knee. "When I think how long we've known each other it feels like we can't be this serious yet. But it feels right."

From:

first_in_time

"It does feel right," she told him, a little disappointed that he hadn't mentioned love like she was thinking. "Graduation and job seeking are still a few months away. I was only curious; there aren't as many job opportunities up this way, but then again there aren't as many anywhere as there are in London, so we'll see I suppose."

From:

splendid_roman

He nodded. "If you see any jobs you like, then tell me where they are and I'll see what's in the vicinity." A lot of things could change in a few months anyway, including how serious they were.

He lightened the mood a little by picking up the last of the cake with his fork and holding it out to her. "I'd like you to have the last piece."

From:

first_in_time

"I'm watching my figure," she replied without pushing the offering away. A ghost of a smirk lingered over her features.

From:

splendid_roman

"I can watch it for you." He grinned and made a show of looking her up and down.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara rolled her eyes and took the fork, and just before she put it in her mouth she jumped off the desk and net for Ian, trying to force the cake back into his mouth.

From:

splendid_roman

He reached out to tickle her, so she'd have to back away or run the risk of getting cake crumbs on the floor.

From:

first_in_time

For a moment, Barbara effectively dodged Ian's hands but then she happened to fall into his lap a little awkwardly, laughing. She remembered her self and covered her mouth with her free hand, tusting Ian to catch her should she start to slip toward the ground.

"Mercy! Alright, mercy! Before we're caught out for making too much noise," Barbara said, breathless, then popped the cake in her mouth.

From:

splendid_roman

"That's better," he said, laughing, his arms around her to make sure she didn't slip off his lap.

He rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm very glad you're here. How long can you stay?"

From:

first_in_time

"A couple of hours. Your friends have to take me out to my car and be back again before lights out," she said and reached her arms around Ian. He smelt smelt surprisingly nice. She'd have to find out what cologne he wore and make sure that he always had a supply.

Barbara placed a kiss on the top of Ian's head. "it'd have come earlier but apparently there would have been too much activity and I'd have been caught. I can't say that I want to be interrogated and fined."

From:

splendid_roman

He chuckled. "I don't want you to be either." Not least because he wouldn't go well for him or his friends either.

"A couple of hours will have to be enough." And it was more than he was expecting. He raised his head to kiss her.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara gently cupped Ian's cheeks and tiled his head back just a little so that kissing was easier for the both of them. And, since that was now the case, she deepened it, pushing her lips against his as though giving him the kiss of life. Her fingers twisted and tangled in his hair, and she made small noises to outline just how much pleasure she was getting from the kiss.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian was enjoying the kiss just as much, until he leaned back a little more and discovered he was resting a part from his back that was bruised against the back of the chair and he winced, breaking the kiss.

"Sorry." He slumped a little, looking guilty.

From:

first_in_time

"It's alright," Barbara murmured and bit back a retort about maybe learning to not get into fights in the future. "Do all of your bruises still hurt?"

From:

splendid_roman

He shrugged. "More or less." he'd just been careful, but being with Barbara made him forget himself.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara gently brushed her thumb over Ian's lips. She wished that she had been around to tend to him when he was hurt initially. Now it didn't seem like anything she could do would make them heal faster but she could try.

She ever so lightly kissed Ian's black eye then reached to kiss the bruise at the back of his head, then the healing split lip, then the fading colour on his cheek.

From:

splendid_roman

Her kisses were light enough that they felt nice, rather than hurt. "You've kissed it all better," he told her, smiling.

From:

first_in_time

"If only," she smiled down at him and pushed her hand back through his hair, as though sweeping it off his face. "I would like to think that I had magical kisses but I'm not sure that it works like that."