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[nineteenfortyfive]

[Claire's thoughts aren't too different from his. This isn't what he deserves. He's a charming, strong, good young man that deserves a wife that isn't her. Someone younger, someone unwed, someone from his time. This might not be forever, and his heart might be broken, but she can at least focus on the present--and him. It's terrifyingly easy to do.]

You're not sleeping on the floor, Jamie.

[A look over her shoulder before she lights the last candle. No need for too much light. Best she not see all the dust in the room.]

We'll manage.

[Not that they don't sleep cuddled up as it is. Instead of her rolling onto grass, of course, the threat is rolling off the bed and onto the floor.]

Or we both sleep on the floor.

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[ He doesn't speak yet. Instead he moves across the floor with heavy steps until he's next to the bed. The bottom of his boot touches the wood frame and he gives it a push. It wiggles under the weight and it doesn't look sturdy enough for him let alone the both of them. Which is why he reaches down to grab the bed roll from inside the frame. He grabs the material and gives it a sharp tug. Taking it out and laying it on the ground.

Another idea spawns and instead of giving it voice he goes over to one of the dusty cabinets along the wall and opens them. He grabs an extra blanket that gets a quick fanning as he lays it out on the floor. He grabs the bed roll once more and places it on top. In case she does happen to roll off at the very least she'll hit blanket and not the dirty floor. ]

Still alright wi' the floor, Claire?

[ He gives her a half smile. It's not really the floor now is it? All the important bits and pieces are there. More of a bed without a frame. ]

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[She watches him kick up dust in the room, the candlelight flickering with each motion, but it's clear enough what he's doing. The floor is more than fine, really. They've been sleeping on rocks and grass and all manner of things when there were no rooms within a ride's reach while collecting rent. If it wasn't raining, that's where they'd be right now.]

You found us a bigger bed. Clever. [You must think on your feet if you're a man of his size and want to be comfortable. Smiling, Claire slips off her shoes and plops down on their new bed, skirts and all, looking like some sort of blown out flower.

A moment passes, and then she pats the spot next to her.]

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Aye. [ He smiles with a tilt of his head. ] Big enough.

[ She is right though. Jamie's a bigger man. Even with just his height alone it's rare that he finds a bed outside of the ones in the castle that fit him. His feet tend to have off in some manner. It doesn't bother him as much as one would think, but right now he only wants Claire to be comfortable. As his wife now he needs to think of her above everything else. Which means when he sees a problem such as this one he has to put in time to fix it for her.

He watches her for a brief moment. Just looking over the way she sits and looks far too beautiful for a woman just caught in a rain storm. His chest tightens and he thinks for a moment. But he's shaken out when she pats a spot. He undoes his belt and sets it aside along with his weapons on the closest flat surface. Finally he joins her and turns towards Claire. ]

Do ye need me to warm ye up, Sassenach? Are ye cold?

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Easily, she takes his hands once he's sitting with her. She's grown fond of simply sitting beside him and touching, like this, unable to truly draw herself away for long. His hands are bigger, rougher, than her own--but incredibly gentle. And warm, even now.]

I'm all right. Thank you, Jamie.

[Always looking out for her. She smiles, looking down at their hands, and at the iron ring on her finger as she idly plays with his.]

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[ He's always thought he had a fairly good grasp on the female mind, but the more time he spends alongside Claire proves to him that he's been on the wrong track. As have most of the male influences throughout his life. Claire never seems to be afraid to tell Jamie what she's thinking. Never afraid to give voice to her opinion and feelings. Sometimes exhausting, but usually necessary.

Though he doesn't really believe she's not cold. Even he's got a bit of a chill. But Claire she doesn't complain. If she does it's a rare occurrence. He watches her play with the ring he had fashioned for her. ]

Would ye let me hold ye? I've got a wee bit of a chill.

[ Married or not it's still a new thing for the two of them. Something that Jamie finds himself smiling about every morning when he wakes up to her in his arms. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[He's a Scottish highlander. He might feel chill, but there's no way it actually bothers him. Claire gives him a wry smile that lets him know damn well she sees what he's doing, but she's moving closer anyway, aiming to sit right on his lap.]

Oh, yes. Your nose is ice.

[More like her fingers are ice even with the hand holding, and she gives his nose a playful grab.]

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[ She's not wrong. He certainly wouldn't admit to that out loud if given a second chance. He is indeed using it as a way to get her closer to him though. She turned down his first offer. Assuming he was just trying to warm her up. Since the wedding though the more he's around her it's getting increasingly difficult not to have her close to him. Not to have her body heat mingling with his own. He's desperate for her touch, but perhaps too stubborn to outright ask for it.

His smile grows when she plants herself in his lap. He gives a grunt at the sudden shift. Not at all bothered by it. It's what he was after anyways. Her back in his arms for the night.

Jamie lets out a loud sound when her icy fingers touch his nose. His face scrunches up and he reaches up to bat her smaller hand away gently. He leans in to rub his "cold" nose all over her face as he holds her close. ]

Ye should really warm it up then, Claire.

[nineteenfortyfive]

Shh, shh. [Claire laughs as she shushes him, both because she's replaying that noise he made and being attacked by his nose.] They'll think I'm doing all manner of things to you in here.

[Her nose is actually cold, chilled from the rain and pink from the chill, and she nuzzles it against his to steal his warmth.]

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[ He hardly thinks that them listening on them now as they bunk for the night is any worse than them all congregating below on his wedding night. Though this time it's a little less sexual and a little more teasing.

But Jamie does smile because she's likely right. From the sounds he's made they'll probably very curious as to what's happening here. ]

Good. Let them. It'll keep them warm.

[ Jamie smiles and lets out a sigh as she starts to nuzzle. ]

Yer nose is ice, Claire.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Her smile mirrors his own.]

Is it? I feel plenty warm.

[She tilts her head to give him a sweet kiss. She imagines that now and then he still hesitates or wonders if she might suddenly refuse him. So, she initiates it, and then begins to untie the stock knotted about his neck.]

But, if that's true, best you get cold, too.

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[ The thought is never far from his mind. He knows that perhaps this wasn't her first choice. Coerced into this to keep her safe from Randall. There are nights when he doesn't hesitate and then there are nights when he watches and waits. Wonders what she'll possibly want. Or think. She's as mysterious as she is stubborn at times.

Her kiss soothes the worry in his expression. He smiles gently, but his face takes on a more neutral expression once she starts to liberate of him small pieces of clothing. ]

What good will come from both us bein' ice?

[ His brows rise as he looks at her questioningly. Still there's the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

We'll just have to find out, won't we? [Silly. Claire tosses his stock aside and undoes a few buttons on his shirt, just so she can press cold fingers to his warm neck.]

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[ He knows what she's getting at. But where would the fun be in just admitting that he knows. It's much better to play naive. To watch her as she goes to his buttons next with a curious expression.

The moment her fingers touch his neck though he wants to let out another sound. He bites his tongue instead and gives her a look. One she likely knows very well by now. ]

Careful. There are parts ye dinnae want to turn to ice. I'd be watchin' yer fingers, Claire.

[nineteenfortyfive]

I don't think I need to worry about that.

[She knows what goes on under a kilt. Or what doesn't. Not much in the way of undergarments in these times, but the wool tends to keep everyone warm.

Almost as an afterthought, her fingers leave his neck and reach up to brush some of his damp curls away from his forehead. Even when wet they want to misbehave.]

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[ It's true. She's a long way off from what's under his kilt, but if she carries on the path she is he knows that she'll likely get there. Maybe with her impossibly cold fingertips. He can only hope that by the time they reach that area they'll have warmed in some way.

But she takes a detour and they slide up to push at his wet hair. His smile grows as he looks at her. Every time he looks right at her he'd swear his heart skipped a beat. His chest tightens and it's hard to breathe. ]

Ye dinnae do ye? Sometimes--[ He starts with a sigh. ]--when I look at ye I feel as though I cannae even breathe.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[The words make her smile grow. His attraction to her has always been obvious, ever since that day she tended to his wounded arm.]

That's not good. I don't need you falling off your horse again.

[Easier to tease than to think about how she feels the same.]

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[ His chuckle isn't too loud, but it's deep. She always knows just how to get to him. What to say to bring him right back down. He's always tried to hide his attraction. Tried to for her sake. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but it's harder and harder now that they're married. It's allowed and yet he still feels wary at times. Like he's doing something wrong. ]

It'd be a worthy fall this time.

[ He lifts a hand to push some of her strands of hair back. ]

I feel as though I should get ye outta these wet clothes.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Funny, she'd forgotten her clothes were wet with all this cuddling up to one another. A glance down and she can see the wool of her skirt is dark. Same with his kilt and jacket, too.]

Only if you allow me to do the same.

[It's not often that they have the privacy to undress one another. Just the wedding, really, and stolen moments with skirts and kilts pushed up. Even on the road they slept fully clothed, nestled close, but clothed all the same.]

I'd like to see you again.

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[ It was safer to sleep that way while on the road. Ready to move if they must and ready to defend his wife as well. He couldn't very well do that properly out of his clothes now could he? Well, maybe, but it would be a wee bit more difficult with all the bits and bobs flying about. He would prefer to keep things covered and protected if that was at all possible.

But fair is fair. If he gets to have a look at her then she could should get the same. They have the privacy. They have the room. Jamie smiles slowly and nods his head. ]

Aye. Ye will. Let's get ye warm now shall we?

[nineteenfortyfive]

I believe you were the one that was cold. [Pointed out with a smile and another brief kiss to his lips. She'll have to get off his lap at some point, but she can at least push off his jacket from this spot.]

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[ That quick wit of hers. He's always been attracted to it. Not afraid to bark right back. Another wide grin. He's not cold and she knows that. She's the one with ice for extremities. All well and good really. Because he'll be sure to warm them right up once given the chance. ]

True enough, Sassenach.

[ He doesn't fight her when she pushes his jacket off. He's certain she'll find he's very warm. ]

Ye ken the best thing for the cold? Body heat.

[nineteenfortyfive]

Oh, is that so? [She chuckles, finding him quite warm indeed, even as she unbuttons layer after layer. More things to be shoved off his shoulders until his chest is bare. He's quite broad chested--and Claire isn't shy about touching him, feeling the muscle beneath her palms.]

God, you're like a furnace.

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Aye. I wouldnae lie to ye.

[ He watches her quick fingers make fast work of his buttons though. Going through all his layers until she has exactly what she wants. Though it does occur to him now that she's somehow managed to get what she wanted before him. Sounds about right. She's clever that way. Besides it's not like it's bad. Her hands are free to roam like this.

Difficult for Jamie to mask the sigh of contentment when she starts to touch. ]

Is that a good thing?

[ How dare you use words he's not familiar with yet, Claire. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Sometimes she forgets that this is the only womanly touch he's known. She's his first. It makes her want to lavish him with attention, and so she does, hands sliding over his chest and shoulders, memorizing the lines and curves.]

It is. I won't feel the cold at all tonight.