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[ for a moment, her nerves twist her stomach when she thinks she may have been too forward which is a little ridiculous considering she literally made him come the first time they met.

but betty's still navigating this kind of thing.

so she's pleased when she catches his smile, her own strengthening as a result.]

I'd like that.

All right.

( marcos has been out of the...whole dating/hookup whatever this is called game for awhile. he's either been with someone or too wrapped up in his own issues to really give it the time.

so, he doesn't even know if he's doing this right. she agrees so that's a good start. )

You, uh, wanna get out of here?

[ while she hadn't exactly meant right now, she realizes that there's no reason not to seize the moment, right now. and a surge of confidence wrests away any nerves she might have been feeling.

with a smile, she nods.] Yeah, I do. [ she takes another swig of her drink before she sets down enough money to cover them both, glancing at him with the hopes he won't mind.] You can get it next time. [ because if he's new and without a contract, he needs to save all the money he can.]

( he starts to protest but then stops, nodding. yes, he'll get things next time and he absolutely won't let her forget that she said that. he's not super old fashioned but he does want to be...nice. not selfish. )

Next time.

( he wants to hope that he has a job and a lot more money next time. )

Where to?

( he'll take her to his place and hope she doesn't mind the down and that shitty apartment he's been given. )

[ she's the more established one right now so she doesn't think twice of paying the bill this time. it's more in case his pride needs the reassurance that she reminds him that he can cover next time.

she nods when he agrees, happy that he did before she considers his question.] Mine's not too far. Unless you'd rather to go to yours?

No, we can go to yours.

( though he's pretty sure that isabelle's staying in other places every so often, he doesn't want her to think she has to leave if he were to show up.

so, better safe than sorry. )

I haven't gotten the chance to decorate mine just yet.

[ she laughs a little at that, both understanding that the apartments in the down leave a lot to be desired and that sometimes you're roomed with multiple people. ]

Just fair warning... the apartments in the Up are a bit... much.

Thanks for the warning. I think I'll be able to handle it but thanks.

( he's been in the inner circle's little penthouse and that had been...sterile and bright and way, way too much for him. to each his own, marcos thinks, but he's not the kind of person who needs all that. )

If it's too much, I'll put my head between my knees and work my way past it.

( he glances over at her and smirks to tell her know he's teasing. )

[ she laughs as she gets them walking towards her place which isn't too far of a walk.] I think I have a paper bag you can breathe into. [ she lets her smile turn a bit impish.] Or I can think of other ways of distracting you.

We'll try...your other ways of distraction and if that doesn't work, even if I think it will, I'll try the paper bag.

( but marcos doesn't think that's going to be necessary. he thinks that if she distract him in the way he's thinking, he'll be fine. truthfully, he thinks he's not going to need a distraction.

while he's sure the luxury of the apartments will stop him cold for a second, it'll pass and he'll focus on other, better things. )

It's good to have a plan.

[ she feels some guilt about where she lives, about the life this city has granted her while others struggle to survive. it's why she tries to give as much as she can without getting busted for it.

she grins at him as she glances down the block.] It's just up the street. My temporary roommate is probably not home but he has a dog, Moose, who might be there.

You can have pets here?

( marcos doesn't know why that strikes him as strange. maybe it's just the whole...pets don't really fit in with his image of this place. they're too soft, too normal.

so, the thought of her having a dog makes him smile, makes him think of zingo. )

I don't know why that surprises me but it does.

Yeah, pets are kind of common here. I have a kitten but she likes to hide so you probably won't see her. I found her and bunch of other kittens so I handed them out to people. [ otherwise she wouldn't probably have a pet, just because she'd feel bad for having a pet in case she got sent home. but these kittens needed homes so...

she nods again with a smile to match his.]

My best friend from home came here with his dog, from home. This place sometimes can feel deceptively normal.

I guess it's good that some things are just...normal, here. Maybe that just makes it easier to be here. I don't know.

( since he doesn't have a pet here with him. )

Me and a few friends of mine have a dog back home, Zingo. She was great at keeping your feet warm when it was freezing out or chewing your shoes to shreds.

( he misses her. he just hopes that she's making sure that john and clarice stay stuff. )

Zingo-- [ she says the name fondly, finding how he describes her to be endearing.] She sounds like a great dog, even with the chewing shoes thing. [ she's glad Moose isn't like that but even if he were, she wouldn't mind, it's nice having him around (and reggie for that matter), it makes the apartment less lonely.]

I don't think I would have gotten a pet here if I hadn't found Cappuccino in an alley just because things can be so... unstable. [ she glances back at him as approaches the door the building, using her key to get them in.] But I'm glad to have her.

I'm glad you do too. I haven't been here very long but I think it's a good thing to have something that reminds you of home. Or of something normal.

( since this place was decidedly not.

but, his thoughts about pets and normalcy fall away when they approach the building. the size doesn't really rock him but he can already tell that when he steps inside, it's going to be about the nicest thing he's ever seen.

a place like this is a place that he'll never have for himself. and he's fine with that. )

Thank you.

[ if she were being honest, betty does know that there are perks to living in the Up, government-issued apartments, the free food and security being the biggest ones.

eventually, she wants to try to get a small house like she'd done before but a part of her wasn't ready to admit that kind of defeat, to admit that she's here again for a long haul. last time, she'd gotten the house so she could live with jughead in a place that didn't shove their power imbalance in his face.

but he's gone and she doesn't have a submissive to worry about living with, for now. still as she leads them through the lobby, she does glance over at marcos, wondering if he will resent her too, for the thing she'd been given, the thing she didn't ask for.

maybe it shouldn't matter, she's just bringing him here for a hookup, but she finds that she does care as they get on the elevator and she presses the button for her floor.

still, she tries to clear her thoughts of any insecurities as she leans against the wall of the empty elevator when it lurches upward. she drags her teeth along her bottom lip as she looks at him, feeling a pulse of excitement as she remembers the other night.] So... I think this time around your pants should come off. [ she grins.] Thoughts on that?

That's probably a good idea. I just tossed those pants out since the laundry facilities aren't great here.

( before she can say anything, marcos holds up a hand and adds: )

That's not a bad thing. Something like that hasn't happened in a long damn time. But yes, I think...my pants coming off this time is a better plan.

( mutually beneficial for the both of them. )

And you might actually let me take care of you too. This time.

[ for a moment, she does feel bad that he tossed a pair of pants because of... that but she'll let him try to reassure her, her mouth twisting a little with the guilt of it but also... there's a twinge of amusement there too.

at what he says next, she actually feels a shiver of delight run up her spine.]

Don't worry, I wasn't planning on this being one-sided again. [ it was hot then but right now, she's already feeling a little heated, each time the elevator dings at each floor, she feels her antipication a bit more.]

Good.

( he'd been fine with keeping his hands to himself last time but he's glad he doesn't have to do that again. he doesn't know if he could especially since they were both clear headed (save for some alcohol) and choosing this of their own volition. )

Because I want to.

( touch her, do what she'd done to him, all of it. he wants to be distracted and he wants to distract her. he wants something nice, something good here.

the elevator keeps dinging and he glances over at her, unable to not smile a bit. )

Good, [ she echoes, her cheeks flushing slightly as they settle the plan, so to speak, between them. for a moment, she considers kissing him right then, when he looks at her with that smile. but then the elevator dings, so instead, she moves to take his hand and guide him to the door of her apartment.

the moment they get to it, she turns to him with an expression meant to challenge him.]

What do you want to do right now?

Right now?

( right now, he can feel his skin buzzing in anticipation of her opening that door and them doing what it is two adults are allowed to do when they want to.

but, she's not opening the door. instead, she's asking him that question and, for a second, his mind blanks. he tends to overthink things but his mind's blank.

so, he uses that to his advantage and steps closer to her, keeping his hand in hers and stepping in until his lips are barely a hairs breadth from hers. )

I want to kiss you. ( he doesn't just yet, waiting to make sure she wants it too. )

Okay, [ she murmurs the words, her expression somehow managing to be both shy and teasing. her free hand moves to his side and pull him closer as her other hand reaches behind him to get the door open, her lips hovering close to his.]

Then kiss me.

( that's really all he needs. his lips curve into a smile just a few seconds before his lips are on hers. the last time he'd seen her, they hadn't really done this. it had gone from zero to...very, very fast in a matter of seconds so kissing hadn't really been on the table.

so, he savors it right now. he thinks that things will pick up quickly even now, tonight, but he savors.

marcos leans into her, one hand around her waist and the other against the door, careful not to put too much weight on it so he doesn't fall when she opens the door. )

[ they'd only exchanged maybe one kiss last time, when she said goodbye but that had been intentional on her part. and that's what makes this kiss so nice. she feels a wave of want surge through the moment their mouths connect.

her fingers fumble at the door for a moment as she kisses him back before she manages to get it open and they kind of stumble, a little, into it. she grins against his lips, noticing that Moose isn't there immediately to get underfoot which means he and Reggie are gone.

she closes the door with her foot behind them and moves to pull him close again.]

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