maturity is the glory of years

[hey there delilah]

It took a little while for Chris to appear, but Delilah didn't mind. She was perfectly content people-watching. Most of the people who looked like they worked for the Falcons seemed downtrodden by the result, so she didn't necessarily want to interrupt anyone for a quick chat. It just didn't seem like an appropriate time, so she stayed against the wall, silently waiting for her date to come out of the locker room.

When he found her, something immediately looked off. She supposed she didn't know him that well, but this looked worse than just a case of sadness after a tough loss. Samantha's voice echoed in her head, reminding Delilah that this was Chris' first match since his dad died. A loss in a match on top of a loss in life would likely produce the sort of expression her date was wearing.

She shot him a sympathetic look as he approached her, but the corners of her mouth turned upward as he addressed her by a nickname. "Hey, C," she returned the favor, her signature smirk appearing on her lips for a few seconds. She nicknamed him playfully, but she could tell he only shortened her nickname because he was feeling something that made it hard to speak. She might not have known Chris very well, but she knew his voice - she might have spent a night or twelve since they met recounting the conversations they'd had, cementing his voice in her long-term memory - and this wasn't normal for him.

But he still thanked her for coming and even managed to smile. Delilah grinned at him in return as he apologized for his mum's unexpected appearance. "Oh no, no need to say sorry," she assured him with a wave of her hand. "Your mum is a delightful woman who took the time to try to teach me all the ins and outs of Quidditch. Can't say I have all the fouls memorized or anything, but I know more than I did before tonight." Samantha had really been wonderful company, such a pleasant surprise. Even if things didn't work out between her and Chris, Delilah had half an idea to try to keep in touch with his mum, maybe become her pen pal or something.

Okay, probably not, because Delilah was shite at letter-writing, but the point stood.

Her smile faded slightly as she recalled what Samantha had shared. "She, uh, told me it was your first match back," she confessed to Chris. "I didn't realize that when I said we could go out afterward. Did you still want to meet up with your teammates, or would you rather go somewhere quieter? We could even just call it a night if that's what you want." That would certainly bum her out, but she could completely understand if he just wanted to go home. "I'm happy to do whatever you need to take care of yourself." Dragging him out to some crowded pub probably wasn't going to do him any favors. Whatever he needed was fine by her; he just had to tell her what he wanted to do.

[taurus]

”Hey, C.”

If Chris had been in a better mental state, his heart would have melted at the nickname that Delilah had replied to his with. It did bring a small smile to his eyes, easing some of the tension, but his anxiety and sadness were too overwhelming. He did become a bit more relieved when she did not seem upset for having to meet his mother for the first time on their second official date. Chris was able to chuckle a little when she also mentioned learning more about the game of Quidditch based on the whole new experience.

“I’m glad you had a good time,” he replied. It took a bit of effort to keep his tone even and smooth, but the more he looked at Delilah the easier it became. His stomach was still doing odd flips and tightening in an unsettling manner, but the woman before him was such a gorgeous ray of sunshine. Her gentle and sweet nature was gradually bringing him back down, which both amazed and eased Chris. He had not expected this at all, considering how new they still were to one another and the charged emotions running through his system.

Ever since his father had passed, Chris had very much retreated into himself. He had abandoned his career (although temporarily) and shut out the rest of the world. That was how he chose to handle his anger and grief, handling his own feelings in silence. His mother had spoken to him from time to time during that period, but only to briefly check in on one another. Chris had also made a point of focusing much more on how she was doing rather than talking about himself. Perhaps that was why now, during the sport that he had joined because of his father, all of his feelings were striking hard now. He had done his best to work through his sadness on his own, but that hadn’t appeared to do him much good.

Lost in his own thoughts momentarily, Chris faintly heard Delilah mention that his mother had told her that this was his first public match after his hiatus. He nodded a little. Her next remark regarding it being his choice to do anything with his team or anything else warmed his heart even more. Chris felt himself fully coming down to earth when she finished with that statement that Delilah would be more than glad to do whatever he felt was the best thing to do for him.

He knew then and there that he appreciated and adored her more than anything or anyone else at this moment. There were no “man up” comments, not even a suggestion that Chris buck up and pull himself together so that others could have a good time. Chris had never truly gotten upset around other girls, other than the time he was begging a stripper to marry him. He had been such a macho dude back then, showing only smiles and jealous snarls. Chris was sure that his teammates knew that he had definitely changed since then, returning with a more serious demeanor. But this, this uncertainty and discomfort that he was presenting to Delilah, was what he usually kept tightly locked away. Chris hadn’t even thought twice about it until now, now that she was somehow shoving those thunderclouds away.

“It’s okay,” he began after the smallest pause. “I… didn’t think it would affect me this way either.” While Chris was becoming calmer, the thought of just going away to someplace quieter to be held in Delilah’s embrace was at the forefront. “Thank you,” he said gently after taking a small deep breath. Chris reached out for her hand before leaning down to give her a soft kiss. “Let’s go out for a little, but then spend some one-on-one time together just chilling. Would that work?”

[hey there delilah]

Delilah noticed the keeper's eyes crinkle slightly. Maybe he was overwhelmed with grief and sadness, but it was good to see that Chris could still be cheered up, if only for a few seconds. She would never want him to outright ignore his feelings. She just wanted to help in whatever way she could, and if that was by serving as a jovial, slightly goofy presence in his life, so be it.

He was pleased to find that she enjoyed herself; he certainly would've been more upset if he found out otherwise. But considering this was the first time she had attended a match in person (at least since her Hogwarts years), Delilah understood why he might've thought she wouldn't enjoy herself.

But this match was a first for Chris too, even if it was a more heartbreaking first. This was his first match since he lost his father, and Delilah could tell that it was tough on him. If he didn't want to go out and hang with his team, then who was she to tell him to go? She didn't know his teammates; she didn't know if she even wanted to know them. For all she knew, they were a bunch of pricks. If Chris would feel better going home and getting a takeaway, then that was what they would do.

He hesitated for a moment before admitting he hadn't known how much he would be affected by only seeing his mum and Delilah in the crowd instead of her and both of his parents. "I can't imagine how tough this must be for you," she replied, trying to be sympathetic in a situation she had never experienced. Both of her parents were alive and well, and she hoped they would stay that way for a while. But Chris didn't have that luxury, so she wasn't going to push him to do something he didn't want to do. That was literally the least she could do if she wanted to be a decent human being.

She smiled softly as he thanked her, and she felt electricity run through her fingers as he touched her hand and then kissed her. "We could also just do that all night, no complaints from me," she joked playfully with a snicker. But Chris had decided he wanted to go out, at least for a little while, before going somewhere else for a little alone time. "That sounds like an excellent plan." She beamed at him. "You're welcome to come back to my flat later if you want." Delilah paused and looked up at Chris with a cheeky grin. "I wasn't intending to 'take you home', if you get my drift," she acknowledged, complete with finger quotes, "Just thinking about somewhere private and quiet." Though if they went back to her place with a few beers in them... maybe she would end up "taking him home."

The blonde looped her arm around his. "So where are we off to?" she asked cheerfully, ready to follow him to whatever pub they ended up in. She didn't know a damn thing about Falmouth, so she had no idea where the Falcons went to celebrate and/or commiserate.

[taurus]

Chris’ desire to just sit quietly in Delilah’s arms was overpowering, but he was beginning to feel a little bit more energetic now. He knew deep down that his feelings were not to be challenged, even by his peers, but the fact that she understood and didn’t question him meant everything. She wasn’t trying to nudge him out the door, to wipe away his emotions so that they could just go have a good time. And that was because they were adults, and partying was not the central aspect of their lives. For Chris, it had been a long time coming, but it had come to be.

Chris’ heart melted further as Delilah smiled back at him following his kiss. As he was able to recenter himself completely, he could see that she had no qualms with all that occurred. Chris was relieved. He knew that if it was him, especially a few years ago, he might have been very much thrown off by meeting his date’s parent for the first time (even if unintentionally) and encountering his upset date at the end of the event. But yet, here Delilah was, able to chuckle at her own remark of how she would enjoy just kissing him all night long.

Chris couldn’t help but chuckle with her. He nodded next in agreement as she agreed to his plan, both of them choosing to shorten their time out in favor of a more one-on-one engagement. After today’s series of events, Chris would not be surprised if the latter included him crashing in the end. But, at least it would be with one of the most wonderful young women he had ever met. He laughed again as she then stated that she wasn’t intending to “take him home” in the way that her offer to go to her place had implied. “I know,” Chris replied as she looped their arms together. He couldn’t help but lean down for another kiss, this time with the intent of placing it upon the top of her head. “Somewhere private and quiet sounds perfect.”

Now, on to join the rest of his mates.

“We are going to the Groovy Pearl,” Chris said as he began to lead the way out of the stadium. He began to feel the pressure fully lifting from his chest as he took in the Falmouth air. “It’s only a block from here.” he went on, gesturing in the direction they were headed with his free hand. “Very convenient for a bunch of jocks to find a good drink while the spirits are high or low. So we’re all pretty well known around here, for something other than being international Quidditch players.” At times, that involved a brawl or two, but for the most part, the team was well-liked for being a good time.

To prove his point well, a chorus of “Chris!” echoed through the Groovy Pearl as the pair of them entered the pub. Chris laughed, unable to keep the grin off his face as his energy returned. Despite his frustrations earlier with the match and himself, he was finally ready to have a good time. He gave everyone a wave before leading Delilah over to the table where his teammates had gathered towards to rear of the room.

Montague, one of the Falcons’ Beaters, let out a whistle as they approached. Chris immediately noted that his eye had fallen on Delilah, naturally. ”Seems our Keeper has caught himself a dame, lads!” he called. ”Who’s the lady, Yankee?”

Chris’ cheeks flushed red, but it did not pause in his retrieval of a chair for Delilah at the table. “This is Delilah,” he answered once they were both seated. He next went around introducing his teammates as well. Chris knew that she may already have an idea as to who they all were since their names had been announced at the game, but he knew it could be tough to keep all of them straight.

”You Chris’ secret wife?” Daniel, the other Beater, chimed in with a teasing wink when he was finished. “The one who’s kept our Keeper away from us for a few years?”

Permission given to PP any of the other Falmouth Falcons if needed.

[hey there delilah]

The Groovy Pearl. What a name.

"Is the founder trying to live out his hippie pirate dream or something?" Delilah asked with a giggle as Chris led her out of the stadium. Pubs always seemed to have the strangest name, but it didn't seem like the Falcons chose the Groovy Pearl for its atmosphere. It happened to be the closest pub to the stadium, so it was easy for the players to stumble over there after their matches. And apparently they had made a name for themselves outside of being Quidditch stars. "Is that a good name or a bad name?" she fired off another question, poking Chris in the side and laughing again.

Maybe she didn't have an extensive knowledge of the sport Chris and his teammates played for a living, but at least from what he said, Delilah thought she'd fit in with them just fine.

Chris pushed the door open and led her inside, where they were met with a rousing cheer. "Chris!" the cursebreaker chimed in, leaning away from him so she wasn't yelling directly in this ear. It was good to see that the team didn't seem too dispirited after their loss... or maybe they were already drowning in alcohol to cope. Either way, she had a feeling this was going to be an enjoyable outing.

The pair weaved through the bar to join the other Falcons at a table. Naturally, one of them made a comment about their keeper bringing a pretty girl to their post-match drinking session. Delilah looked to Chris for a moment, ready to introduce herself if necessary, but instead, he pulled a chair out for her. "Thank you," she replied graciously as a smile appeared on her lips, and she took the proffered seat.

Chris took a seat next to her and introduced her. "Boys," she greeted them cheerfully. "Ladies." She beamed at the two women at the far end of the table. One was Strauss, the seeker, and the other was a chaser whose name had gone in one of Delilah's ears and out the other. She may have forgotten the chaser's name, but she certainly wasn't going to erase their gender in such a masculine environment.

And then came more teasing and questions. One of the boys asked if she was Chris' secret wife, and the blonde just snickered. "Oh please, if he landed all of this, do you really think he would've been able to keep me a secret? Or would he just have been bragging about how he landed a better girl than you lot could get in your wildest dreams?" She heard sniggers from the women, and more than one of Chris' male teammates looked almost upset by the sick burn she had just dished out. She looked at her date and just giggled. "But no, not his secret wife. Just someone new he met in San Francisco," she provided a legitimate answer, and the boys got over themselves almost immediately. They were still teasing Chris about his secret wife, but it was all in jest.

"Oi, Delilah," a higher-pitched voice cut through all the masculine tones crossing the table. Her eyes flashed to the other end of the table and found the female chaser was the source. "I'm Marla Holmes. Have we crossed paths before? You look familiar."

Delilah didn't recognize the other woman, but she knew she had likely seen everyone at this table before. "You remember that cursed broom that came through your locker room a couple weeks ago?" she replied, earning her a nod from the dark-haired woman. "I was the cursebreaker who took that case." Jaws dropped around the table, and the table immediately turned raucous as the players recalled the fiery broom. Marla gave her a nod of respect, clearly aware of the fact that she wouldn't be able to verbally cut through the cacophony around them.

"Bloody hell, mate, how'd you land a lass so much smarter than you?" a beefy bloke asked Chris with a grin. Delilah assumed he was a beater, though she hadn't quite figured out who was who yet. She looked to her date, expectantly awaiting his answer. Was he going to keep volleying with his teammates, or would she have to dive in and save him? She knew he'd had a rough night between this being his first match since his father's death and just the general result of the match, so she was happy to step in if he needed it. But he seemed to be feeling a little better now, so she would give him the opportunity to explain if he wanted it.

[taurus]

Chris couldn’t help but grin as the two of them began to join in the conversation. Delilah knew how to handle herself. Not that Chris had worried about that, especially now that she had taken so well the accidental introduction to his mother, but one never knew. His teammates, even if they knew Chris and respected him, could be brash. Drinks were flowing and spirits were high, so anything went on during these outings. Everyone wanted to have a good time, and it seemed that Delilah had no problem with that tenfold.

Chris couldn’t help but blush slightly as Marla caught on to the fact that his date was the same one who had investigated the cursed broom. But deep down, he was proud of the fact that someone knew about Delilah’s profession. It made it quite clear that she was brilliant and bold; not to mention a much different type of girl than Chris used to bring around. While it had been obvious that when he returned to the pitch he was a different person now, the fact that he was not pursuing some random young woman proved this further.

”Bloody hell, mate, how’d you land a lass so much smarter than you?”

Chris laughed, giving his head a small disbelieving shake. “I’m just as surprised as you, Monty,” he replied. His gaze fell back on Delilah. He took a brief moment to take her in beside him, especially that contagious smile. “Things just kind of… worked out somehow,” Chris went on. “Met while we were both in San Fran, parted ways, and then ended up meeting again thanks to both of our jobs. Crazy how small the world ends up being, I guess.”

And Chris certainly wouldn’t have had it happen any other way. While he would not speak it aloud, one could connect the timelines and suspect that his meeting with Delilah may have had something to do with his return to Quidditch. Chris had not thought that coming back to the sport was because he would be reunited with his English crush; but somehow, despite how hard it had been, he had been rewarded with just that. Looking into the crowd and not seeing his dad for the first time had been heartbreaking; but seeing Delilah in his place then and right now, thrilled to be by his side, allowed Chris to enjoy what he loved again.

That’s what his father would have wanted, he did know that. His father wouldn’t want him lingering in the past, missing what was and musing over what could have been. Phil Doyle had loved Quodpot and Quidditch, and he knew that the sport was Chris’ future. He would have been so sad if his son had just given up on his passion because he wasn’t there physically anymore. His mother had expressed this notion to him, but Chris had needed to admit that to himself. And the beautiful ray of sunshine sitting next to him, a wonderful distraction that pulled him little by little out of the dark, had finally allowed him to do just that.

Chris still wasn’t exactly a hundred percent following his earlier moment, but he was still able to have a good time. The beer made his body warm, the food satisfied his stomach, and the laughter they shared soothed his soul. Chris made sure to have an arm around the back of Delilah’s chair, ensuring that his body language indicated she was off limits. But the other single lads knew better than to make a move. Everyone shared their favorite match moments over the years and bickered over which teams were most likely to compete for the World Cup in the coming months. Chris enjoyed himself, but did find that because his emotions had been strained early on, he could only put up with it all for so long.

When a lull finally came over the group after they had discussed the time when Marla had earned her respect when she had whipped the Quaffle towards the goal from almost halfway down the pitch, Chris leaned towards his date’s ear. “I think if I eat or drink anything else, you’ll have to roll me out of this place,” he murmured. “Want to call it a night?”

[hey there delilah]

Delilah thrived in these sorts of environments. This was where she shone and where she enjoyed herself most. She happily would've skipped this gathering if that was what Chris needed, but she was glad they had been able to come.

Especially because it was fun taking jabs at his teammates.

It was all lighthearted teasing, jokes to help her ingratiate herself with the other Falcons. She was careful not to say anything too mean, lest she offend someone, because she knew Chris' teammates were important to him. Maybe he wasn't best friends with all of them, but they were a team and a family. Chris had lost too much family in recent years, and she didn't want to say anything that might compound that.

They ate, drank, joked, shared stories, took guesses at who was going to be fighting for the league title at the end of the season. Delilah got the most uncertain looks when she suggested the Chudley Cannons should be in the running, and Montague (or the beater she thought was Montague) started telling her how the Cannons were at the bottom of the league. She laughed at the glances, finally revealing that she knew the other team wasn't actually good but that beyond that and what Samantha had taught her, she knew very little about Quidditch. It felt almost blasphemous to say to a table full of professional Quidditch players, but the boys seemed all too happy to explain the sport to her. She caught a sympathetic look from Strauss at one point, but she just shook her head slightly and smiled. She didn't care if they were mansplaining; she was learning more about the sport the cute keeper sitting next to her loved. She was fine with that.

The conversation quieted for a few moments as the night grew later, and the cursebreaker felt Chris lean in close. The night was wearing him out. "I can roll you out like one of those weird American log-rolling competitions if you want," she couldn't resist joking, grinning at him, but she knew her date was being serious. "Yeah, let's bail." She stood up from the table and reached for her bag that was slung over the back of her chair. "Well, it's time for me to be heading out. Unlike you lot, I have a job to get to in the morning." She winked at the rest of the Falcons to let them in on the joke. "Lovely to meet you all!" The statement was sincere. She'd had a blast tonight, and she hoped she'd get to see them all again.

Once she and Chris exited the pub, Delilah gently reached for his arm and wrapped a hand around his bicep. "I don't actually have to be at work at any specific time in the morning," she confessed, looking up at him as they walked. "Just wanted to make sure we could get out without anyone asking you awkward questions." She wasn't sure if he had told his teammates how much his father's death was affecting him tonight, and she didn't want to share that if he didn't want them to know. "You want to come back to my place? Or we can part ways now and hang again another time. Whichever you want." Obviously she had a preference, but she didn't want to pressure Chris into doing anything he didn't want to. If he wanted to go home and sleep, he was more than welcome to do so.

He could also sleep at her place if he wanted. That just might have to wait until some, ahem, other activities took place.

[taurus]

Chris chuckled as Delilah joked about rolling him out of the bar like a log. He got to his feet as well, shaking hands and hugging his teammates goodbye. Now that he was preparing to actually depart, Chris’ body was starting to feel the fatigue brought on by a long Quidditch match and a bit of emotional turmoil. He hadn’t thought that Delilah would have denied his request to head out, but he was relieved that it didn’t seem to bother her, as she had seemed to be having a good time.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow at practice,” Chris said to his friends.

”Have a good night, mate,” Monty replied with a suggestive wink. Chris’ face flushed and he had to look away. He missed his teammate raising an eyebrow at that, but he very much knew that his reaction was new for him. Perhaps a few years ago Chris would have winked back. But not only was he a bit more mature these days, but he respected Delilah more than that. As his friends had already pointed out, she was far brighter than he, and she deserved the world.

Would Chris ever be able to give Delilah everything that he felt she had rightfully earned, he might never know. What he did know was that he just wanted to end this perhaps not-the-best day with a fantastic night. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach when he noticed that she was holding his upper arm as they exited the pub. Chris was slightly surprised when she admitted that she didn’t really have to be to work in the morning, wondering what she could be suggesting. But then Delilah indicated that she had used it as a cover in case the others had noticed that it had been Chris’ idea to head out.

“That was a good idea,” he said with a small nod. His teammates would mean well, but Chris really did not want to be explaining himself. Not today, at least. If his friends had really taken a moment to think about what Chris had gone through before his return to the sport, they might have figured it out themselves. But then again, these were the mates who had dealt with a fair number of head injuries over the years and still liked to party late into the night. One day he would have to remind them. But for now, Chris would be relaxing and spending time with Delilah.

“Let’s head back to your place,” Chris replied. He placed his hand over hers, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead. He could hear in his voice that he was ready for sleep in the next few hours, but Chris wanted to enjoy some one-on-one time with Delilah. If she was comfortable with having him over, then he was more than interested in doing so. It would be much easier to go there than to travel back to the United States to Chris’ apartment. “I just need a comfy couch and some cuddles, if you’ll have me.”

[hey there delilah]

Delilah was a perceptive lass. She had to be in order to be a successful cursebreaker. So Montague's thinly-disguised well wishes and his wink didn't escape her. She had half an idea to wink back at him and play it off, but she noticed how Chris reacted and thought better of it. He'd already had a rough night, and she didn't want to risk making it worse by inadvertently pressuring him into something he wasn't ready for. She just wanted to see where the night would take them, and if that meant parting ways here, then so be it.

She chuckled softly as they strode down the sidewalk arm in arm. "You can thank Constance for that one," Delilah replied to Chris' remark. "In our younger years, I was the partier, and she was the one who always wanted to go home, so I heard plenty of excuses in those days." She had already told him about her best friend and how their friendship epitomized the idea of opposites attracting. Delilah pushed Constance out of her comfort zone, and Constance reined in Delilah when she got a little too wild. They were good for each other, and the cursebreaker couldn't wish for a better friend.

If Chris wanted to come over, he was more than welcome, but Delilah wanted to do whatever was best for him. Luckily for her, he wanted to visit her flat and cuddle on the couch. A warm smile crossed her lips. "I'd like that," she told him sincerely. She would take whatever extra time with him that she could get. She gently tugged him into a side alley. "I can Apparate us there. Hang on," she encouraged, gripping his bicep with his free hand. Then she felt a tug behind her navel, and a quiet pop! was covered up by the soft bustle of a late night in Falmouth.

When they reappeared, they stood in the middle of her living room. "Oh good, not a cow pasture this time," Delilah remarked with a smirk. She was normally quite good at Apparition, but there had been one time she had tried to Apparate her and Constance home and ended up in a farm instead of Constance's flat. Her best friend still hadn't let her live it down, and so it had become ingrained in Delilah's brain whenever she apparated.

"Feel free to have a seat," she offered to Chris as she bent over to turn on the table lamps. They were a little softer than the overhead light, and she wasn't looking to blind her date. "Do you want a cuppa? I've got non-caffeinated teas. Or I can grab water, orange juice... another beer if you really want it." She snickered at the thought, knowing full well that she was still a bit intoxicated herself. She didn't need another beer, but she was happy to do whatever would make Chris the most comfortable. He deserved an easy end to his evening after all of the emotions he'd felt today.

[taurus]

Thanks to his exhausted mind, body, and full belly, Chris was more than eager to follow Delilah if it meant he could relax. He easily permitted her to tug him into the alley to Apparate away, barely even caring if there were paparazzi nearby to see. It probably wouldn’t matter anyway, unless the story of him having a secret wife and family was still floating around. Then in the morning, the tabloids would be sharing his supposed scandal, declaring Delilah to be his latest affair. To them, then his bad-boy ways had never left. But Chris didn’t care right now. Others would be gabbing away since the start, considering how Delilah had been very much attached to his hip the entire night. He knew the truth, and that was all that mattered to him.

Chris had his eyes briefly shut as the pair of them were magicked off to Delilah’s place. As he opened his eyes, he couldn’t help but laugh as she commented how they had made it to her living room and not a cow pasture. “At this rate, I could fall asleep anywhere,” he replied. With a small groan, he lunged to sprawl out on the sofa as Delilah turned on lights. The comfort that met him was divine, making him start to feel slightly drowsy

Chris buried his face in his arms, listening as she next listed off beverage options. The mild ache in his stomach reminded him that he didn’t really need anything else added to it. “I should probably just have some water,” he managed after he lifted his head to rest his chin on his hands.

Chris’ eyes locked on Delilah, feeling suddenly lonely. Or was needy the better word for it? He wasn’t completely wasted, but alcohol tended to bring forth the softer, clingy part of him. His begging a stripper to marry him was a major indicator of that, even if it had been several years ago. And while Chris had been out of the dating game for a bit now, it was likely that he had grown even softer on the inside as he had matured. Touch was definitely one of his love languages, which was probably why he was instantly craving Delilah being in his arms. He wanted to make out with her too, but he was more than happy to start off easy.

Chris pushed himself upright. “Come sit with me,” he said as he reached for Delilah. His bottom lip pouted outward slightly. “Please?”

[hey there delilah]

Chris was tired. He had said as much, and as he practically flopped onto her couch, Delilah could see it on his face. "Can't advise sleeping in a cow pasture," she replied with a quiet chuckle. "Not that I've tried, if only because the one time I accidentally Apparated us into one, Constance insisted we leave immediately." The blonde hadn't exactly been keen to stay, but she wanted to say hi to the cows before they left.

Such were the drunken adventures of one Delilah Burke.

He covered his eyes as she gave him drink options, but after a few seconds, he revealed his face again and made a decision. "Yeah, water's probably best for the both of us right now," she agreed with him. "Just don't fall asleep before I get back, 'kay?" Delilah had no issue with him sleeping over; didn't even matter to her if he slept in her bed or on the couch. But she would be lying if she said she didn't want at least a few more minutes with him before he dozed off. She had been thoroughly enjoying herself tonight, even with the Falcons' loss and Chris' grief over his father, and there was a part of her that didn't want it to end.

She started to head towards the kitchen, but then she felt his fingers reaching for hers. He wanted her to come sit with him. "I'm going to be right back, promise," she assured him gently. "Just let me get our waters, and then I'll sit here as long as you'd like." Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, and then she closed the distance between them to press a kiss to his forehead. She smiled softly at the beautiful man in front of her before finally walking into the kitchen.

Delilah returned with two glasses of tap water, and she sat down on the couch next to Chris, holding out a blue plastic glass for him to take. She tucked her legs to one side and leaned him, careful not to spill any water on him as she sipped at it. "I had a really good time tonight," she told him quietly as they cuddled on the couch. "I know you had your ups and downs, but... I liked experiencing all of that with you." It hadn't been a perfect evening by any means, but she didn't need perfect to enjoy herself. All she needed was someone like Chris by her side.

Or maybe she just needed Chris by her side.

[taurus]

”I’m going to be right back, promise. Just let me get our waters, and then I’ll sit here as long as you’d like.”

Chris had been teasing with his pout, but probably only partially. Despite how they had been spending now almost the entire day around one another to some extent, the one-on-one experience had been minimal. Chris had tried to have Delilah at his hip, showing her off as his girl after the match, but that was all they had been able to do. His mates had still managed to separate each of them with conversation. Chris had been able to watch how she reacted around those he considered to be his second family, sure, but the distance steadily wore on him. Each question asked of her, every laugh she gave Chris was able to witness but not fully experience. As a result, his old jealous self did start to appear, but he was able to keep it mostly to himself.

But now, Chris wanted nothing more than to ensure that Delilah was in his arms at last.

And, just as she promised, after she returned with their waters Delilah also found her place at his side. Chris made sure to down some of the fluid before getting comfortable, setting the cup aside so that he could snuggle her. His eyelids began to droop a little bit as the warmth from her body and his full stomach melded together, but he was awakened slightly as Delilah began to speak. Chris’ lips perked up as she stated that she had had a good time. “Me too,” he murmured in her hair.

Chris felt his heartbeat pick up a little as she mentioned how some parts of their day hadn’t been the best. Immediately, he felt bad for the moment he had had at the end of the match. If he was honest, Delilah probably should not have been the one to comfort him. His mom had also been present and knew a bit more than she had, and she might have been able to soothe him just as well. He and Delilah may have a connection, but they had only been on a few dates so far. To put that kind of pressure on her so soon had not been fair, even if she had handled it well.

”...I liked experiencing all of that with you.”

If Chris had been just a teeny bit more drunk, he might have just cried. Instead, he leaned over to place a kiss on Delilah’s brow, shutting his eyes as he savored the amazing woman he had the absolute pleasure of spending time with. “Thank you,” he replied once he pulled away and opened his eyes. “That means a lot to me. I enjoyed experiencing it all with you, too. But I like this part of our time together to most. Just some quiet..." Chris moved to kiss her cheek next, giving her a small gentle squeeze. "... cuddles."

[hey there delilah]

Being around Chris was just easy, no matter what headspace he was in. Delilah hadn't found someone whose company she had enjoyed this much since, well, Grant. Maybe she was just excited at the prospect of finding someone new, but even the first, second, or third dates she'd been on since she called off her engagement, but this felt different. This felt special and unique, and she meant what she said. She had enjoyed every minute of the time she spent with Chris today, even if some of those minutes weren't particularly upbeat. She was just lucky to get to spend any amount of time with him.

And now here he was, back in her flat, drunk off his arse and cuddled up against her. She wouldn't trade this for the world.

Chris shared that he enjoyed their day too, and he pressed a kiss to her brow mere moments later. She met his beautiful eyes as he spoke once more, claiming that his favorite part of the night was their time alone. Delilah raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. He kissed her cheek and claimed that all he wanted was cuddles, but she was ready to call bullshit.

"Is that all you want, Mr. Doyle?" she asked him lightly, still wearing her signature smirk. "Because I can think of something a little more... exciting to top off our night. Assuming you can keep your eyes open anyway." She poked his side and chuckled, but she didn't break eye contact with him. Her bedroom door was just down the hall after all. "No pressure, of course, but..." Only then did she look away, her gaze landing on the hallway floor before returning to Chris.

If he wanted to, she was down. Delilah quite liked kissing him, and she wouldn't say no to something more.

One last post and then scene?

[taurus]

”Is that all you want, Mr. Doyle? Because I can think of something a little more… exciting to top off our night…”

Chris chuckled with Delilah, flinching slowly away from her poke. He had to laugh again at her next remark regarding his energy level. He had not really been considering what she was hinting at, but since she had brought it up… The few kisses they had already shared, while gentle and sweet, with the right intentions behind them could fuel that fire within him without a doubt.

Chris could already feel his cheeks flushing at the thought, his mind appearing to just register how close Delilah’s body was to his own. A small part of his thoughts, however, was hesitant. It was Chris’ anxious side, which had made itself already quite apparent today. The version of him from years ago would not have lingered a moment longer, seizing the opportunity that Delilah was providing for him almost immediately, if not sooner. Hell, he might have dragged her back to his place after their first date.

But now, the “more mature” Chris was trying not to second guess himself. It may be his fatigue from the long day also setting in, but a part of him truly did not want to overstep. Deep down he was disgusted by how he used to treat even his small flings. Delilah was not one of those. So far, Chris felt he had treated her respectfully and well. After all, their first date together had gone well enough that they had ended tonight with her cuddled so… breathtakingly close…

Chris found himself biting onto his lower lip as he watched Delilah’s gaze travel over and down the hallway. The more he thought about it, the more his brain was tempted by her simple suggestion. He shifted his hips ever so slightly as he looked back over to the gorgeous woman beside him. In one smooth move, not wanting to do any more thinking, Chris leaned in to kiss Delilah on the lips. “You’ve convinced me,” he breathed once they parted, smiling. “I think I can keep my eyes open for a little while longer… for you.”

Scene.