13041/Excuses, Excuses

Excuses, Excuses
Date of Scene:	11 October 2022
Location:	E04 - Empty Dorm - Titan's Tower
Synopsis:	Hank and Dawn decide there need to be no more excuses.
Cast of Characters:	Dawn Granger, Hank Hall

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Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn remembered something about Hank mentioning he had a few days off to help her get settled. Honestly, it was a relief to have a friendly face. Not that the rest of the Titans weren't friendly, but it was a little easier to settle in with Hank rather than fully reintegrate herself with everyone else. Given the vast quantity of pizza in the Tower, she'd managed to snag a few pieces, and she stood outside Hank's door with the paper plate in hand before she knocked gently.

Hank Hall has posed:
Hank was still wrestling with thoughts of the visit to Xi Ban's place. It had gone wonderfully, of course. In some respects, better than he could have imagined. Every time he thought he was posing a challenge for Dawn, it turns out she had the same challenge. He waas starting to reluctantly accept the fact that maybe, just maybe, she needed him as much as he needed her. And wanted him to be around, the same way he did her. And he knew that he liked knowing that. But what he wasn't sure of is whether that scared him or not. Or if it should.

His thoughts are lingering on the moment that almost was, as it had played out a few times in his head since the walk back, when he hears a knock at the door. He is on his feet before even realizing it to open the door, and finds himself first hoping it is Dawn, and then realizing that he is still wearing a pair of work-out shorts and a tank top from his exercise session of a half hour ago and deciding maybe that is not the best way to greet her. But he already has the door opening, so that is that.

Dawn Granger has posed:
While not dressed up, the soft pastel blue sundress that Dawn wears is a nice contrast to the outfit that Hank's in. It might not be //hot// out, but it's comfortable. She offers him a smile when he opens the door, then nods towards the plate of pizza in her hand. "Hey," she says, feeling the need to explain. "There was some laying out I thought maybe you might be hungry, so I thought I'd bring some by. Thankfully, this is fresh. Leftovers from last night when no one felt like cooking." She takes in his outfit for a moment, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, I didn't disturb you in the middle of something or anything, did I?"

Hank Hall has posed:
There is an unmistakable smile that crosses Hank's face as he spots that it is Dawn, natural and warm. "Hey," he echoes, reaching out to accept the offered plate. "You're not wrong. I, uh..." He glances down at his outfit, and then looks back at her a bit sheepishly. "Just got done working out, so yeah, definitely hungry." He takes a moment to look at her outfit as she looks at his, and he clears his throat for a moment. "Sorry, I should make myself a bit more presentable." he says as he starts to back into the room, leaving the door open.

He turns towards his closet and then stops, looking back at Dawn. "I mean, if you were going to stay, and weren't just dropping some pizza off." Then a brief laugh. "Clearly, I am Mr. Excitement here. Not sure what you could have been disturbing..."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn laughs, her smile warm as she looks to the plate and then at him again. "Don't worry about it. I thought I might stay, if you don't mind." She follows him into the room, the door shutting behind her as she looks around idly. "You /are/ exciting," she stands politely out of the way, though she lingers near the couch. "I mean, I'm sure you could have been doing something much more interesting than walking around, which is what I was doing. Felt like stretching my legs and the Tower's definitely big enough for that."

Hank Hall has posed:
"Please, definitely stay if you want to," replies Hank, as he steps over and sets the plate down on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Just give me a sec to change." He heads over towards the closet. "Have a seat if you want, especially if you've been getting those steps in."

He walks into the closet but leaves the door open, moving some items around on the hangers with his back to the rest of the room. "I appreciate the flattery, but I try to keep things boring," he calls over his shoulder. He picks out a pair of pants and a t-shirt - a slight step up from his current attire - and starts to change. "There's plenty of stuff in the Tower, yeah. If you haven't explored it fully yet, let me know, and I'll give you the nickel tour."

Dawn Granger has posed:
"I've seen a lot of it, but I'm absolutely certain I've not seen all of it," Dawn says as she goes to sit down. "Probably some exciting nooks and crannies out there to discover. I did spend some time on the roof yesterday, watching some kind of god poof to deliver a message to one of the Titans. Nothing /dangerous/, but he certainly seemed to rile people up who were a bit upset and wanting to ask questions."

She shakes her head just thinking about it. "Everyone was so jumpy, almost gave me a headache from all of it. I'm very glad it wasn't a long 'visit' from this fellow." She stretches a little. "The roof /is/ very nice though. I spotted a hot tub up there and I've been tempted to go try it out."

Hank Hall has posed:
"A god? Which one?" asks Hank, poking his head out from the closet door. "We have a few running around here these days, apparently." He laughs quietly and then ducks his head back in, and then emerges a moment later, barefoot but dressed a bit more appropriately for hanging out. "Some members, some enemies, some fans." He grins. "I would say I feel a bit intimidated, but we have our own ... " He waves a hand around. "Well, whatever they really are."

"Not good if they were jumpy, though. Usually they are kind of calm about these things. Who was the message for?" He stays standing while Dawn stretches, and then makes his way over towards the couch, stretching out his legs before he reaches for the pizza. Then she mentions the hot tub, and he spocks an eyebrow at her. "I mean, if you want me to join you in the hot tub, Dawn, you can just straight up ask." He flashes her a grin as he pulls a slice of pizza from the plate and takes a bite.

Dawn Granger has posed:
"Coyote? I hadn't heard of him, I looked him up later in case he became a regular visitor. Sort of a trickster god," Dawn looks back at him. "Mostly jumpy because he just appeared on the roof, got past any security or anything. But, you know, I think that's just what gods do. I think they were just concerned he'd come to attack or bother us or something. He came to see Kaida and just sort of warn her, though he was all vague about the details on the person he said she should be careful around. Really, I understand the stress of all of that, I just think it could have been just slightly calmer."

She looks sheepish. "But that's just me, I like my excitement measured and my friends and allies clear-headed when things might be dangerous." She glances over at him with the pizza, letting him eat while she talks, not wanting to interrupt. She does, however, seem just the tiniest bit off-guard at the suggestion she was inviting him. "Well, maybe I will then," she raises an eyebrow with a grin.

Hank Hall has posed:
Absorbing the account of Coyote's visit, Hank nods slowly as he continues to chew the pizza. He makes it through the first slice by the time Dawn is done with the tale. "Yeah, that sounds about right. You never really know what you are going to get around here." He shrugs. "Gods, celebrities...Oprah." He grins at her.

"See, that's where you and I differ. I like my allies in the zone, acting on instinct..." He chuckles as he picks up the plate for the other slice of pizza. "The only place we differ, clearly," he says with a wink, as he goes to take another bite. He does not _quite_ get it there before her response. And her own raised eyebrow. "Name the time, Granger." A pause, and this time, his words a bit less boisterous. "I have heard that it is really lovely later at night, when there are less car horns from below and the stars are out." He lets _that_ image linger for a moment as he starts in on the second slice of pizza.

Dawn Granger has posed:
"See, the zone is a good place to be as long as you aren't causing friction or sparking things," Dawn says. "Mostly, I thought people were going to /jump/ this guy. I might check on Kaida at some point, she definitely seemed a big shaken and I can't blame her."

She does seem to be thinking about the image of the stars from the hot tub, and her smile brightens. "Mmkay. Soon as it's dark then," she says, casually. "I could use a night with stars in the sky and a little bit of relaxation."

Hank Hall has posed:
"Well, luckily most of us are ask questions first, swing fists later around here." Hank smiles as he pauses on the slice. "There are some good influences around. You'd be amazed how even I can help temper some of the younger kids moods. I'm almost a respectable role model." He winks at her. "Almost."

He resumes at the pizza, nodding slowly along with her words. And forced to smile back at her smile. "You got it. You definitely deserve it, too." He finishes off the pizza before setting the plate down. "Should get all of that in now. No telling when we'll end up having to go out..." He makes his fingers into a raptor's claw and does a bad imitation of a hawk's cry.

Dawn Granger has posed:
"You? A good influence?" Dawn teases before she looks back over at Hank. "Yeah, I kind of figured I'd relax a few days, see if I can at least find a calm before whatever the next storm is. Being home is really nice, and I don't mind the trouble so long as it's not /too/ much. So relaxing while I can? Absolutely. Which is why I say tonight."

Hank Hall has posed:
The tease was definitely merited. Hankj grins at that. It turns into a big, broad smile when she uses the 'h' word - home. Something about that reinforcement sets Hank at a bit more ease. Lets his smile come easier as he leans back in the seat. "I can hardly argue with that logic." He stretches his legs again, sighing quietly. "So. Speaking of whatever is next. Have you decided what it is that you are going to do?" A pause. "Other than run around dark alleys at night with my crazy ass."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn can't help but laugh at the mention of dark alleys at night. "Hopefully that won't always be exhausting. I thought about teaching some dance classes, or maybe seeing if there's something interesting in an embassy or something. Dance seems like an easy thing and I can always start with kids. Gives me a fairly flexible schedule, too. Should keep me busy--but not too busy."

She glances at him. "How are things with the force?" She pauses, recalling how he said things had been rough, and she looks him over in concern.

Hank Hall has posed:
"You'd be a great teacher, I think. Especially for kids." Hank allows that smile to grow. "I can see you with a studio full of little ones, teaching dance moves and hope at the same time." He chuckles. "It would be a great time."

"Oh, you know, it awakened, and then it rise, or something." He shrugs. "Light side, dark side, holds the universe together." He watches her to see if his joke will land.

"It's good now, I'd say." He is quiet for a moment, reflective.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn seems flattered by the compliment, a broad smile on her features at her idea of work. She does laugh at his joke, glancing in his direction and nudging him lightly with her shoulder. "Cute," she says, though the seriousness of her question takes more of her focus. She then places a hand on his knee. "I'm really glad you're okay now. I did worry about you when I was away. I didn't know what was going on, but I did wonder if you were managing alright."

Hank Hall has posed:
The smile is infectious as always. As is the laugh at the joke. Hank is at ease despite the question. More so as her hand comes to his knee. Everything is well.

Until it's not. Dawn can feel him tense up. Managing alright. He had deferred a bit last time. But Hank realizes he is rapidly reaching the point where he loses the ability to be honest about it without telling her.

"I am _now_," he says, as if that has significance. He turns and looks into her eyes. "I got suspended a few weeks back." He manages to keep his gaze on her, as hard as it is to open up and be honest and still try to look her in the eyes. "I let my anger get the best of me, took it out on this lowlife." He sighs. "He deserved it, and if I were Hawk, no problem. But I had the badge on, and..." He sighs. "We can't have that. For good reason."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn's hand remains on his knee, squeezing it gently as she keeps his gaze. "I'm sorry that happened," she says after a moment. "I'm glad you're okay now. We'll make sure that doesn't happen again, okay? At least, not as Hank. You've got your partner to help you, so we'll keep our focus." We.

Hank Hall has posed:
There was near existential dread in Hank's heart at making that confession. Fear. Doubt. It plagued him since he heard she was coming back. What would Dawn say if she knew how badly he lost control? What would she do? It had kept him up at night. It was a cloud that had been hanging over him since he picked her up.

The squeeze on his knee sends a release of tension from his body. Hank breathes, having not even realized he was holding his breath. He looks at her as she speaks the words, and nods. The first 'we' causes a tremble of his lips. The second we?

Hank half falls forward, his face landing on Dawn's nearer shoulder as his hand falls on the other. Clinging to her, draped against her. And then feels the wetness at her shoulder as relief escapes from Hank's eyes.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn moves to wrap her arms around him, almost as if protectively shielding him from the rest of the world. "I've got you," she murmurs, squeezing him tightly. If she had any doubts about how hard this was on him, it was impossible to doubt them now. "I'm here," she follows up the first murmur. "We'll work on everything together."

Hank Hall has posed:
It does not last long. Less than a minute. But for that minute, Hank allows Dawn in to see what no one else ever has. Knowing somehow that there would be no judgement, he allows her to see weakness. Vulnerability. And he lets her shield him. Envelope him. He accepts it, and encourages it, his fingers digging into her shoulder. His chest rising and falling.

And then slowly, it fades away. He starts to pull his head up, moving his eyes towards hers. They are damp, but focused. He nods, seeming confident in her words. "Together."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn keeps him close, and when he eases and looks at her, she finally releases him a bit. Her hand returns to his knee, staying there so that he's able to see she's keeping a connection. She's keeping him grounded as much as she can. "You help me, you know. I feel better having you here. Being here. I feel like I can focus, I'm less distracted, my head's clearer. So you keep me from getting too caught up in my head, I keep you from that anger. We work together."

Hank Hall has posed:
Hank nods, reaching up with his free hand to wipe at his face. "Sorry," he says, doing his best to erase the evidence. "Someday, I'll find a way to do the same for you. I promise." He manages a smile, in spite of it all. Or maybe because of it. "Thank you, Dawn. For everything." He chuckles. "Now I see why you keep doing that." He grins a bit, and then shifts slightly so he is still leaning a bit against her, keeping that contact, but more upright. More solid. But still there.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn leans against him in return, her body easing as she loses whatever tension was left there. "Kinda nice when someone helps you out, huh?" She teases lightly, then lets out a breath. "You don't need to try, Hank. You do a great job already of letting me focus. It's just being around you, it's more grounding and less... mm, hard to explain fully. You don't need to try, you're already doing it."

Hank Hall has posed:
That earns a snicker. "Yeah, pretty nice. Now I know what it feels like what I did for all of those people all of the time, huh?" Hank laughs, and then lets out a long, slow sigh. "Good. I'm glad. Because I'd have no idea how to do what you just did." He shakes his head. "I don't even feel bad about it. That's the crazy thing." A pause. "Or maybe not so crazy, compared to everything else."

Dawn Granger has posed:
"You're comfortable to talk to," Dawn says after a moment. "I know things are complicated and emotions are high and it's hard. I don't have it all figured out myself, but I want to try. I want to make sure you're okay." She laughs. "You'd do just fine if I needed to cry on you, though."

Hank Hall has posed:
"Well. You're pretty damn good at it yourself." Hank sighs deeply, and lets himself relax a bit more against the couch, even though he seems to be recovering from the moment. He nods, and gives her a gentle squeeze. "I think we're doing a pretty good job of figuring it out, actually." He smiles. "Bit by bit, but I've got all the confidence in the world."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn leans in, resting her head on his shoulder. "That's a lot of confidence, don't get cocky now, Hall," she teases, then shuts her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to break down on you at some point so we're even. Maybe I'll cry on you in the hot tub and if anyone comes onto the roof they can give you weird looks."

Hank Hall has posed:
"What can I say, I got a good feeling about us." Hank grins, and reaches up with a hand to brush against Dawn's braid for a moment: "Yeah, maybe." Then he laughs. "Oh no, sorry, last thing I need is to get a reputation for making beautiful women cry in hot tubs."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn laughs, flashing a smile at him. "Oh, and you know you'll be the talk of the Tower. Such a bad reputation, troublemaker." She nudges him gently. "They might just assume you're bad at flirting. Or that I'm really bad at taking complements."

Hank Hall has posed:
"Yeah. Because that totally tracks with my usual sociable self." Hank rolls his eyes a bit, He looks at her for a long moment. "I feel like both of those are probably true, huh?"

Dawn Granger has posed:
"You're charming," Dawn says, giving him a nudge. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm pretty bad at compliments, too, because I'm a perfectionist and I'll always find some flaw to pick at for myself. So, good luck with that."

Hank Hall has posed:
"I'll make you a deal. I'll stop beating myself up for things, you accept it when I tell you how wonderful you are." Hank gives her a nudge back. "We'll just hold each other accountable like that." He considers. "Although if I start believing what you say about me, I might get insufferable."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn laughs softly, glancing back over at him. "Would you? If I believed what you said about me maybe /I'd/ be insufferable. I think we're both even at this point." She does nudge him again, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's nice to be complimented sometimes, though. It feels nice to be appreciated."

Hank Hall has posed:
His hand comes up to gently brush against the cheek not resting against his shoulder. "We can call it even if you want." Something about Hank's tone indicates that he's not entirely convinced of this. "Listen. I might stop complimenting you if it makes you squirrely instead of happy." He leans his head against hers. "But I'm never going to not appreciate you."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn smiles at the touch, tipping her head a little so she can look at him better. "I'm not going to run off if you call me beautiful, Hank," she chuckles. "I'll sheepishly accept the compliment, alright?" She smiles at him, then rests her head again. She feels comfortable where she is. Safe. At home. "I hope I can do the same for you. Because I do appreciate you, even if you don't always appreciate yourself."

Hank Hall has posed:
"Well, that's a good thing, Dawn, because I'm not sure I can avoid doing that from time to time." Hank smiles over at her, shaking his head a bit before nestling it against hers. Calm, tranquil, peaceful. For the first time in a long time that he can remember. "And you do. You already do." He grins. "You appreciate me enough for the both of us." He sighs deeply, allowing himself to truly accept what she is saying. "I'm a lucky guy." he offers.

Dawn Granger has posed:
"You're a wonderful person," Dawn follows up with, "and I think I'm pretty lucky too. You've got an incredibly comfortable shoulder." She teases him, but lets her eyes rest simply because she's comfortable. There's a long pause before she adds, "The pizza was an excuse."

Hank Hall has posed:
"If you think my shoulder is comfortable..." Hank starts, but then he lets it trail off. The hand continues to brush against her temple absently, as he sighs softly. Comfortable just sitting there with her. He nods at her confession. "I kind of figured," he says softly. He turns his head gently and brushes a soft kiss against her temple. "I think we can safely drop excuses now too, huh?"

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn does seem at ease, smiling faintly at the soft kiss at her temple. "We can probably drop excuses," she agrees. "I can't always just come by your door with pizza and claim that's the only reason why I'm there. It /is/ good pizza, though, and I thought you might be hungry. It killed two birds with one stone."

Hank Hall has posed:
Hank breathes out softly, resting his forehead against the side of Dawn's head after that brief kiss. "I mean. You _could_, I wouldn't judge you for it." He chuckles. "No one else would either, of course." He laughs softly. "Because as you said, I'm damn charming." A pause. "The pizza was ok. The company was way better."

Dawn Granger has posed:
"I can keep bringing you pizza if you want," Dawn points out, "but I do like being able to say I came because I wanted your company. After all, you're damn charming. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She turns her head a bit so she can look back at him. "You don't need an excuse to come by and see me either, just so you know. Putting that out there as an open invitation."

Hank Hall has posed:
"I don't need the pizza, Dawn." Hank pats his belly. "Remember, gotta keep my trim physique." He pulls his head back a bit, reluctantly to break that contact, but at the same time, enjoying looking into her eyes. "Good to know. I hope you realize you've got the same." He pauses, looking at her for a moment, and then he sighs contentedly. "Good thing we communicate well like this, huh, otherwise we'd never know what we want." He grins.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn cracks a smile as she looks back at him. "I'll find something other than pizza, then. Going to be tricky to come up with something to give you every time I drop by, though." She's still teasing even if she's caught his gaze. "Communication is important in any partnership, regardless of nature. We could awkwardly dance around saying we like to be around each other for days, maybe even weeks. Excuses would get harder and flimsier every time."

Hank Hall has posed:
There is a long moment while Hank just looks at Dawn, listening. Considering her words. Nodding in agreement. Returning her gaze. "Screw excuses." he says emphatically. And then he leans forward to rest his forehead against hers. "I don't need any more excuses. Do you?"

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn rests her forehead against his, smiling. "I mean, we could hide behind excuses but it wouldn't fool anyone, including us. You knew the pizza was an excuse the moment you opened that door. If you didn't, I'd say I must be very convincing about my pizza delivery." Her smile broadens. "I'm okay with no excuses."

Hank Hall has posed:
There is a slow nod, his forehead still resting against hers, his nose brushing against the side of hers. "You are very convincing," Hank murmurs softly. "Not about that though." He reaches up with his hand to brush it gently against Dawn's cheek. "Ok. No excuses." Softer this time, words more felt than heard as his breath is warm against her lips.

Dawn Granger has posed:
The soft words against her lips catch Dawn's breath for a moment, eyes still watching him as he speaks. "No excuses," she echos the words, her lips barely brushing against his. "Next time I'll just tell you I came to see you." Her hand comes to rest over his, eyes meeting his own briefly before she lets them drift shut as she leans forward to kiss him fully.

Hank Hall has posed:
Another slow nod from Hank, this time his nose drifts down the other side of hers. "Deal." He watches Dawn's eyes close, and as she leans forward he meets her lips with his own, returning the kiss, his fingers spreading slightly against her cheek to allow a space for her own to nestle against his.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn weaves her fingers with his, the entirety of her body seeming relaxed as she draws the kiss out, unwilling to let the moment end too soon. She squeezes his fingers with her own, the other hand coming to rest against his chest. When she /does/ break the kiss, it's only just slightly, pulling back just enough to look at him, her lips still just barely brushing his.

Hank Hall has posed:
Hank seems more than content to allow the moment to linger, the soft, gentle kiss enduring without greater pressure or urgency. It just is. He feels Dawn's fingers against his own, and then as her hand comes against his chest she would feel his heart pounding away. And yet somehow still tranquil and relaxed. He looks back at her as she withdraws slightly, and he says nothing still. Just another slow nod, his lips right there against hers. Breathing slow. Calm. Focused.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn remains close, her nose rubbing lightly against his and the slow nod seems to melt any last bits of tension away. Her eyes shut and she leans in again, this time drawing it out longer than before, this time feeling out how long he'll linger in it with her. Her thumb rubs lightly against the skin of the hand against her cheek.

Hank Hall has posed:
There appears to be no limit to how long Hank will linger in the soft kiss. Feeling that connection, the physical representation of what he had already been feeling, magical or not, emotionally, just filled him with a sense of rightness. His fingers resting at her cheek, the slightest of pressures as he holds against her face, feeling her fingers with his. It may have started to feel inevitable at some point, but that does not make its arrival any less wonderful or appreciated. Hank gives himself over entirely to the moment, savoring the kiss.

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn isn't entirely sure how long they linger in the kiss. He doesn't pull back and neither does she, so she's content to remain in the kiss as long as possible. The feeling of his warm hand against her face, the touch of his fingers alongside hers, it's all a moment she treasures enough to draw out. Eventually when she does break the kiss, she remains close again, not wanting to move too far from him. "How long have you been wanting to do that?" She murmurs, breath still warm against his lips.

Hank Hall has posed:
Certainly, Hank is in no hurry either. He knows that this moment is important, and one that he cares to commit to memory, convinced that its recollection could help him in future dark times. Not that he expects too many as long as Dawn is there. He laughs softly at her question. "As long as you have." comes his reply before he brushes his lips against hers in a brief greeting. "Totally worth the wait, too."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn laughs in response, forehead remaining against his so she can remain close, her voice soft against him. "I'm glad to know the feeling's mutual." Her fingers squeeze his, and she makes no move to pull back any further than she has, revelling in the connection and feeling the most at ease she's ever felt. That kiss had certainly been a long time coming.

Hank Hall has posed:
That evokes a small laugh and a nod in agreement. "It would have really, _really_ sucked if that wasn't the case." Hank takes a deep breath, his body relaxing as he just settles into that casual lean against her. Content to just be there in the moment, basking in the afterglow of that first kiss, and all that it signifies.

Dawn Granger has posed:
"Would be a little awkward, yes," Dawn laughs her agreement. She tilts her head a little, leaning into the touch of his hand where their fingers are still joined. "This is the part where I say thank you." Even if it is a small tease, she's equally as serious. Just remaining there, the way they are, she's happy to just be.

Hank Hall has posed:
Finally, as Dawn tilts her head, Hank draws his fingertips down along the side of her cheek, bringing her fingers along with his, until the hand is simply clasped with hers. "Does that mean this is the part where I say I'm sorry?" He pulls her slightly towards him with that one hand as he shifts, sliding his arm around her shoulders and turning a bit so the two of them can lean against each other on the couch, one arm around her, the other holding her hand. Just occupying as much of each other's space as they can.

"Because I am _definitely_ not sorry."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn can't hide a laugh at that, resting her weight against him as she is content to be close. There's no rush, just a sense of ease and contentment in all of it. "I'm not sorry either," she replies. "I am, however, thankful to have you." She lets out a slow breath of air. "I'm so glad to be home. To be here." There's a soft squeeze of his fingers, and she takes a moment to just watch him. "Like I said, we'll get through this together. I meant that."

Hank Hall has posed:
"I know. I believe you." Hank nods, his eyes conveying just how much confidence he has in what Dawn is saying. What she is promising. What he is promising back. "I wouldn't have believed it before, of course," he murmurs softly. Still more than content to just linger there against her. "But I have seen it, felt it. The effect you have on me." He smiles. "I'm convinced."

Dawn Granger has posed:
"Seeing you at the airport was everything I hoped it would be," Dawn leans against him, her gaze catching his even as her fingers continue their gentle rub against his. "Hawk and Dove are strong, they want to be around each other, but there was so much relief seeing you and knowing that you were okay... and that I was okay because I was back." She smiles warmly at him. Just the kiss has eased so much tension, broken so much ice that things seem much clearer.

Hank Hall has posed:
"And here I was just thinking I was playing at being an Uber." Hank laughs at that, running his fingers back and forth over her own. "I was so nervous," he finally admits. "I thought I was going to lose my mind getting there so late, but there you were, perfectly poised. And then I was, too." He gives her a gentle squeeze. "Here's the thing. Hawk and Dove are strong. Hank and Dawn are stronger." He smiles at her, nodding gently. "We bring out the best in both of us, and guard us from our worst."

Dawn Granger has posed:
Dawn rests against him a little more, just enjoying the proximity. "I asked you specifically," she points out. "I wanted to see how it would feel seeing you again. You're right, though. We need each other. It feels good to have someone to care for and trust, someone who knows my flaws, what makes me uncomfortable or afraid." She smiles back at him. "I know we're still feeling things out, still learning about each other... but I feel good. I'd like to see where we're going with this. I like that Hawk and Dove dragged us to each other, but I'm really liking this 'Hank and Dawn' thing. You even trusted me enough to break down on me a bit. I can still break down on you in the hot tub if you want that reputation for making the ladies cry."

Hank Hall has posed:
"I know you did, but..." Hank laughs a bit at that. "We were dancing around things, then, I think. But we agreed to be done with that." He leans his head to rest against Dawn's again. "It feels amazing, and comfortable. And just like everything is right in the world." He smiles warmly at her, and gives her another squeeze. "I like this Hank and Dawn thing too. It's...it just feels..." He trails off, failing to find the words. He nods about the break down. "I don't trust, Dawn. I don't. That's not my thing. Except you. You, I trust with everything." Ah, the hot tub. That earns more than a little laugh. "Oh, if we go to the hot tub, I _promise you_, the last thing you're gonna wanna do is cry."

The laughter fades for a moment, and his voice turns serious again. "I don't care about a reputation. Or what anyone thinks. Just you."

Dawn Granger has posed:
There's something that touches Dawn at the way he mentions trusting her. She inhales deeply, resting her forehead to his. "I'm going to try everything in my power to make sure I never break that trust, okay? You trusted me enough to cry on my shoulder and be vulnerable and... that says a lot. I can't explain how fiercely I wanted to protect you when it hit you like that." She rubs her thumb lightly over the back of his hand. "In case you didn't know," she says after a moment. "I think very highly of you."

Hank Hall has posed:
A nod. Hank is still not even certain how he felt able to do that. But he knows that if he had to, he could do it again. "I know. I know that, and believe me, I'm going to do the same thing. I couldn't live with myself if I ever did otherwise." He sighs comfortably, fingers spreading a bit as hers move against his. "Yeah. Starting to get that idea." He leans his head forward to rest against hers once more.

"Just think if Xi Ban could see us now..." He grins, and rather than waiting for her to answer, he leans around to press his lips to hers again for another kiss.