You're Always You

Chapter Forty-Six

Lydia Petrov

David knew her... so well.

It was a bit shocking, really. Overly shocking. Anytime Lydia tried to tell him something about herself, it felt like David would turn around and give an 'I know'.

Regardless, Lydia felt like it was her obligation to find something that would surprise him. Something that he couldn't guess and get right.

When David left for work, Lydia rolled around on the couch and made it her goal to try to figure out what 'that surprise thing' would be. Eventually, it dawned on her.

And the moment Lydia walked through the door, she practically jumped on David to surprise him with something that he doesn't know. "Okay," Lydia said when he came through the door. She sat up, a blanket partially off of her lap, and glared over at him. "I've been brainstorming about things that you wouldn't know from guessing." She informed him.

David seemed to mask rolling his eyes, though a smile on his face.

"Did you know that I do graffiti?"

David opened his mouth, though he slowly shut it while staring over at her. The man set down his keys and frowned somewhat. "I knew you're an artist, but..." David started, then continued. "Graffiti? Honey, that's illegal."

Lydia intended on surprising him with something.

She didn't intend on being scolded for it.

Instead, she gave a soft hum and rubbed at her knees. "...I know~..." She said, shifting her gaze over to him.

"Why are you saying it like-..." David shook his head rapidly. "No." He said, continuing. "No no. You're not... You do art legally from now on. I will get you an easel. Jesus..." David said.

Lydia gave a soft laugh and stood up from her spot on the couch. It was close to bedtime, since he just came home from a night shift. Past bedtime for most normal people, but... life of a club, she supposed.

"It's not that bed," Lydia argued. "I don't make art on anything that isn't government owned," She pointed out. "And you should see some of the bridges I marked. They're beautiful."

David shook his head. "They are." He said, though she had never pointed out what she had made to him before. "But they're also vandalism. There are better places to express yourself, sweetheart."

Lydia knew that. She didn't do graffiti art often, just... sometimes. Which, she felt was important to point out. "I don't do it much," She insisted with a smile. "But I was just trying to surprise you with something you don't know. I'll take it I won?"

"You get half a point. I knew you liked art, just... not illegally."

"Full point." Lydia argued.

"No."

Lydia groaned and flopped herself back onto the couch. "Give me a can of spray paint and I'll make it a full point," She argued.

"Absolutely not."

Groaning once again, Lydia flopped back against the couch. "Military men are no fun. Always a stickler for the rules."

"I can think of plenty of fun things that are perfectly legal, Lydia."

Lydia crossed her arms stubbornly and stepped over to David. She had a smile on her face and laughed. "Like what?" She pressed.

"Football, checkers, Legoes, sex..." David trailed off, waving his hand in the air.

Though, a blush crossed Lydia's face at his last one. She rubbed at her face and puffed out her cheeks somewhat. "Good to know where your mind is at."

"You asked for fun things, I gave you fun things, that doesn't mean I'm saying we should do it."

Lydia chuckled. "You want to sleep with me, don't you?" She said bluntly with a hum, watching David from his spot.

"Well, only if you wanna sleep with me." David said, which caused Lydia to blush more at his own bluntness of the comment. "But... I don't think you do."

Lydia gave a soft smile and a nervous laugh, glancing down at her toes. She wiggled them slightly in thought. "I... doubt right now." She ended up saying, shaking her head to change subjects. "...How was the club? Was... Richie there?"

"Yeah, I saw him at one point. Been trying to avoid him, though. For... obvious reasons." With the subject change, David began to move himself over to the couch next to Lydia. He sat himself down and Lydia let herself lean against his shoulder somewhat in her own tiredness.

Though, Lydia did let out a slight yawn. "I'm on your bed," Lydia commented while giving a soft hum. "I can go back to your room and let you sleep."

"Oh, somebody sleepy?" David said, almost teasingly.

Lydia laughed and shoved his shoulder slightly. "If I stay here, I'll just end up falling asleep on you." She pointed out. "And you don't want that, I drool."

"I know, and I still wouldn't mind." David said to her. Lydia had just been about to open her mouth the ask how he could possibly know something like that, but David instead decided to take action. He swooped his arms under her body and began to lift her up into the air. "But alright," He said as he carried her towards the bedroom.

Lydia, on the other hand, started to laugh. She tossed back her head in laughter and hit at his arm lightly. "I've got two perfectly good legs," She argued with a blush on her face at David's actions.

"Now when you're sleepy, they're not." David informed her.

Which, made Lydia blink her eyes somewhat in surprise. She shook her head in slight confusion and let out a breath. "I... don't know how you know all of these things. You must be... very observant."

"Yeah. Let's... go with that." David said as he lowered her down onto the bed.

Lydia rubbed at her blushing cheeks softly before sitting up and gazing over at him with a soft smile and a soft frown. "...Are you sure you don't want your bed back at any point? I can take the couch, David. Really. You've had it for the past few nights. It's my turn, if you want."

"No, it's fine." David said as he sat himself down on the edge of the bed to talk to Lydia. "I've slept in an active warzone. The couch won't kill me."

Lydia leaned forward somewhat towards him and watched him speak, tilting her head. "...You should tell me about the military sometime." She informed him. "What it was... like in the military. I've never met someone in it before." Pausing, she fixed her statement. "...Actually talked to someone in it, I mean."

"It's... tough." David started while talking about his experiences. He gave a soft hum and shook his head. "Scary. I'm lucky I came back in one piece - physically and mentally."

Reaching forward, Lydia rubbed at his arm softly with a smile. "I'm glad you came back okay." She told him truthfully, though she decided to lean forward and give a nervous kiss against his cheek lightly.

Definitely a nervous one.

"Me too..." David murmured to her.

Giving him a soft smile, Lydia glanced down. "...Goodnight David."

"Goodnight."