Seeing in the New Year! (For Will)

[thewinterlady]

If she was honest, she probably could have stayed at the party a little longer, but she realised early in the evening that she didn't really want to be there. She had fun and she was glad to have seen Thea, but her heart wasn't in it. Her heart was back at Bramford with Will and now she was itching to get back there, back to him, to see in the new year with the person she wanted to spend the next one with.

She looked at her watch again as she reached their building and dashed up the stairs, tapping in the code to open the front door and then heading straight to Will's apartment. She straightened her hair and knocked, bouncing from foot to foot, with the cold and with the determination to get her lips on his before midnight.

Comments

[wgraham]

Will hadn't been waiting around for Molly to come home exactly, but he hadn't really been able to sit still knowing she was out at the party. He was relieved that she hadn't asked him to go with her, even just the idea of being in such a large crowd making his anxiety flare, though he would have gone if she'd wanted him to.

Still, being apart from Molly made Will feel a little bereft these days, the distance between them yawning like an emptiness inside him. He could tell when she came back to the building, warmth blooming around him, and he stood inside his door, waiting for the knock to come.

He closed his eyes when he heard it, filling his senses with her and then moving to open his door, the sight of her taking his breath away. He smiled and reached out to take her hand, drawing her into his apartment and closing the door behind her. "How was the party?" he asked her, taking her other hand, barely resisting the urge to take her fully into his arms and not let her go until morning.

[thewinterlady]

"Loud and obnoxious and crowded. You would have hated it." Molly said, dropping his hands and lifting hers to his shoulders and up to his face. He was dressed easily, soft shirt and loose pants that made him look comfortable and relaxed, and the knot of anticipation she'd felt all the way here eased just to be around him.

The countdown was starting and she smiled at him. "I had to get back here. There was something I wanted to do when midnight came around." She said and flicked her eyes to his before pressing her cold lips to his warm ones, bathing in him as the clock struck twelve.

[wgraham]

God, Will loved that Molly knew him so well already, that he hated crowds and noise, that he would be more than happy if she went to the New Years Eve party on her own as long as she came home to him later. He still couldn't believe he was so lucky to have such a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman who wanted him, who had spent so many days in a row just being with him, coexisting with him. And here she was, moments before midnight, just in time so that he could pull her into his arms and kiss her, the first kisses of 2016.

Her lips were cold and his were comparatively hot, and he moaned into her mouth as she leaned into him. It started slow and warm and shallow, but Will wrapped his arms around her, his hands sliding against her back and pulling her close, opening his mouth and meeting her tongue with his own, sighing against her, content and instantly turned on.

[thewinterlady]

Everything relaxed as soon as Will put his arms around her and Molly made a content noise, pressing closer and soaking up the warmth of him. She could hear the chants and chimes of crowd in the city square but it all faded when Will deepened the kiss. She'd never stop being amazed at how much she felt from him when they were together like this. Now she was getting to start the year with a man she felt more for than she had for anyone and she was so, so happy to be here.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, arching in, body responding to his kiss and his hands on her, warm even though her coat. She pulled back to suck on his lower lip, tasting him, nipping there and then soothing it with gentle kisses before she kissed him hard again, loving the playful way she could explore him. They were still learning what the other liked but Molly couldn't get enough of it.

[wgraham]

Rubbing his hands up and down Molly's back, Will warmed her as they kissed, but it was all a means to an end and he moved his hands to open her coat, then slid it off her shoulders. He wanted more contact with her, to be able to push a palm up the back of her shirt and touch her skin. The touch made him moan into her mouth, loving the way she felt, soft and warm.

He cupped his free hand against Molly's cheek and eased her gently out of the kiss, drawing back just enough that they could look into each other's eyes. "Happy New Year, Beautiful," he told her, stroking his thumb along the arch of her cheekbone.

[thewinterlady]

Molly let her coat fall to the floor and whined happily at the warm hand that found it's way under her top. She smiled when he pulled back and leant into his hand, kissing the heel of it.

"Happy New Year." She replied, gazing back at him. "I'm glad I got home in time."

[wgraham]

"So am I," Will replied with a warm smile, tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear.

He leaned in to kiss her again, gently, but stopped as he heard a growling sound behind him. Turning, he looked over his shoulder to see his little dog, Snickers, running toward them, snarling.

"Whoa," Will said, stooping to get down to Snickers's level. "Calm down, buddy," he said calmly, reaching out a hand, but Snickers snapped at him. Will drew back only to have Snickers come at him again, biting at Will's ankle, hard enough to mean business.

"He's not normally like this," Will told Molly, looking up at her as he reached to grab Snickers's collar, holding him tightly as he fought to free himself.

[thewinterlady]

The kiss was over almost as quickly as it had begun and Molly was left spinning a little, stepping back sharply as Snickers charged at them until Will caught him.

"Will..." Molly said, frowning down at where the dog was trying it's best to get out of Wills grip and attack. "Somethings not right."

And it wasn't. There was something in the air around the dog, an aura that felt malevolent, something pressing in around the little creature, driving him, controlling him. She'd seen something like it before and she grit her teeth.

"There's something else here. Somethings working on him." She said, voice terse as she stepped back, focusing on the dog and at the same time beginning to gather her power around herself, reaching down to pull the beaten up piece of chalk she always kept on her out of her coat pocket. "I'll explain it after but right now you have to trust me to help him. It won't hurt him, I promise. I'm going to draw a circle around you both but before I close it, you're going to let him go and jump out of the way. Okay?"

[wgraham]

Will looked at Molly as she explained to him what was going on, and it made sense. Even at his most timid, before Will had convinced Snickers to trust him and let Will take him in, he'd never been aggressive like this. He nodded as Molly explained what she was going to do, and he trusted her, knowing his dog would be safe when she was done with him.

He was also immensely interested to see Molly put her magic into action. He'd felt her use it before, not just in the connection they shared but when he'd met her at Kagura and she'd tested the spell used on the mistletoe. He'd been able to feel the power of it in the air around them, could smell it like ozone, and he wondered if that's what it was always like, or if it depended on the magic she was doing. Either way, he'd never seen her perform a spell and he was very curious what it looked like, what it felt like.

"Okay," Will said, taking a breath, grip still tight on Snickers' collar as he snarled and snapped, trying to break free. "Tell me when, and I'll let him go."

[thewinterlady]

Molly nodded and made quick work of the circle, drawing a simple unbroken line around them as she drew in her will, gathering power and pouring it into the chalk, into the boundary. It was a simple containment and isolation spell and the power came easily so she looked at Will and nodded.

"Okay it's ready. Be careful when you let go. Don't break the chalk line but be quick." She said seriously. "On three. One, two, three!"

Will got out of the way, pushing Snickers back ever so slightly as he jumped clear and Molly dragged the circle shut, the energy snapping into place the second the chalk edges connected. There was nothing to see. No glowing lights or sparkling energy. Just an abruptly cut off snarl and a small dog standing inside a big circle of chalk.

And then the room was silent but for the sound of the TV playing in the background. Snickers hit the floor with a thud and Molly spun to catch Will as he rose.

"He's fine!" She said quickly. "He's fine. He's just sleeping. It was a strong influence on him and he's only small. The circle cut it off abruptly, that's all. He'll be up again when his brain has worked out its back in charge." She said, smiling and rubbing Wills arm, letting her hand fall to hold his, squeezing reassuringly. "He's really okay, I promise."

[wgraham]

The whole thing happened very quickly, Will jumping aside and Molly completing the circle, then Snickers went down, completely silent. At first Will had worried the dog was dead, but Molly assured him Snickers was only sleeping, and Will quickly verified that he could see the dog's chest moving as he breathed.

As before at Kagura, there had been no physical proof that magic had occurred here. The only thing Will could see was the chalk circle on the floor. But he could feel the pulse of Molly's power inside him, throbbing softly at his temples, could smell the barely there burn of it at the back of his sinuses, tasted a hint of it on his tongue.

Will took a breath, and it was only then that he noticed the way his heart was racing. He'd always been quick on his feet, never hesitating to act when it was needed, but the anxiety of the moment poured into him as soon as things were calm, and he shook as he tried to process it. He held Molly's hand gratefully, looking up into her eyes.

"Can you tell what it was that was affecting him?" he asked, looking back to where Snickers slept in the center of the circle, peaceful now in all appearances.

[thewinterlady]

Will was anxious and Molly wanted to help him, but she had to focus on the circle. Whatever the influence on the dog was, it was fighting her control. She took a breath and turned back towards it.

"I don't know." Molly said, reaching a hand out to where the force was most active, pressing against the circle trying to find a way in to get at Snickers. The power - whatever it was - shied away from her as she concentrated on it. That was a positive at least. "It's influence. It's like a wash of white noise meant to confuse, with an underlying malice meant to be aimed directly at us, at humans." She murmured, eyes closed, letting her senses out, colouring them with Winter to get a better grip on the magic behind the working. "There's something behind it, but it's too big to find the edges." She said, frustration colouring her tone as she dropped her hand and opened her eyes. "But it's not affecting us at least. I think I can work up a charm to keep it away from him."

[wgraham]

It probably shouldn't have felt like a familiar concept to Will, but the first thing that came to Will's mind was the noise he'd had in his own head, his brain a jumble of influence he hadn't realized had been planted there. Of course his had been caused by inflamed brain tissue and psychotherapy administered with dubious consent (if there'd been any at all). This seemed to be outside the scope of something like that, more broadly sweeping for one, but also something that had just set on his dog like a switch had been flipped.

The way Molly described what was happening it didn't sound like a trigger that had been planted. It seemed more like a broadcast, which made Will wonder if other animals were affected as well. Molly was concentrating on it, her eyes closed, and goosebumps rose on Will's arms as he felt suddenly cold from his proximity to her power.

"How complicated is that sort of thing?" he asked her carefully. "If it's working the way you think it is, Snickers is probably not the only animal reacting this way. I'm not sure what's out there, but if it's anything big, people could be in danger."

[thewinterlady]

"It's broad. Really wide. Probably the whole city if I couldn't feel a direction to it." She wasn't being conceited. Her magic was inherently made to seek out things like this type of magic. "If it's everywhere then...then this place is going to be a nightmare." She said and looked down at the peacefully sleeping Snickers. "But I can keep him safe at least. And us."

Molly leaned in to Will and kissed him gently. "I can't leave the circle, but I need some things from my place. There's a silver chain on my dresser and a bag full of herbs next to it. Could you get it for me, please?"

[wgraham]

There was a part of Will that disliked the idea of leaving the city to its own devices, hiding out and not finding a way to help. It was the law enforcement in his past, and though the lines there had been blurred, he couldn't deny that he had an ingrained desire to help people and save lives.

This wasn't something small like a single killer, though. He had no magical abilities of his own, and he wouldn't ask Molly to risk herself for the city, even if she wasn't what she was to him. And there was no telling if Molly could even affect something this big. This city wasn't like the worlds either of them came from; it had its own rules, and didn't play nice.

"Yes," he answered her request, leaning in to kiss her once more before stooping to get her coat and take her keys from the pocket. He gave her one last look, glanced over at Snickers, still peacefully sleeping, and headed out the door.

He took the stairs, climbing them two at a time. He didn't think Molly needed him to rush, but he thought it was better if he got back to his place quickly. Halfway up to Molly's apartment he cursed himself for not grabbing his firearm, or at least put on his shoes, but he pushed on, hitting Molly's landing and heading into the hall.

He passed a couple apartments on the way to her unit, and as he passed the one next to hers he heard something hit the door heavily. He had no idea what was on the other side, but he assumed it was someone's pet, similarly affected by whatever this bad energy was. Again, he wished he had his gun as he approached the door and knocked, listening as hard as he could through the door. All he heard was the animal, however; there didn't seem to be anyone home. He wasn't sure if Molly could charm the creature from outside the door, but it might be worth leaving a note for whoever lived in the apartment to proceed with caution when they got home.

Moving on to Molly's, he went into her bedroom and found the silver chain on the dresser easily, and next to it sat a bag that he assumed held the herbs Molly had asked for. Items in hand, he rushed back down to his own apartment, staying well away from the other doors as he did.

"Any idea if your next door neighbor has a dog?" he asked as he handed Molly the bag and chain.

[thewinterlady]

"My neighbour? She has a cat. Big ginger thing. Comes into my place sometimes to steal my jerky." Molly said, taking the bag and chain and smiling at him. "Did it sound like it was angry?" She asked.

Molly looked around his apartment for a space to work and settled on the dining table. Will was neat and tidy, mostly, so she didn't have to do much to clear a space to work. She pulled out a small stone bowl and a box of matches, setting out a few sprigs of various herbs in the bowl, crushing them gently to release their energy. The silver chain held a protection amulet she'd been working on and Molly slid it free of the links to cup it in a hand. She breathed a few words over it and let it fall into the bowl gently.

The magic keeping the circle going wasn't being taxed all that much and she drew on it again, taking a tendril of it and wrapping it around the amulet in her minds eye, giving it her protection and watching as the ambient magic that had affected Snickers burnt away from the air around it.

Holding out a hand to Will, she beckoned him over. "Do you want to feel what it's like to do magic?" She asked, a little shy but wanting to share it with him. "If you let me, I can show you a little of it."

[wgraham]

"That was a cat?" Will replied in askance, his eyebrows rising. "It sounded extremely angry. And enormous," he told Molly with a huff of a laugh.

He trailed Molly to the table as she sat out the herbs and a bowl, working over them in a practiced way. Will watched her hands as she worked, could feel the low hum of her energy and confidence as she set about her task. He felt a great sense of admiration for her as he watched, able to see how talented she was at this, to feel how she knew and trusted that talent. She was a singular woman, and for the first time Will wondered how someone like him, with all the darkness in his mind, managed to meet and attract as someone as amazing as her.

Crossing the final few steps, he took Molly's proffered hand, holding it firmly. He nodded. "I'd like to feel that, yes," he responded aloud, though the thought in his mind was that he wanted to feel everything about her, anything she was willing to let him touch.

[thewinterlady]

"Just a second." Molly said and looked around for Snickers doggy bed. She went over and found a few of his dark hairs and brought them back, adding them to the bowl. She took Wills hand again and nodded.

"Okay this is going to be strange and I don't know how much of it you're going to see or feel." Molly said, intensely pleased he wanted to join her. She closed her eyes and tugged him closer.

Their connection was a constant, comfortable sensation in the back of her mind. It'd been there since the first time they'd touched at Kagura and the more time they spent together, the more it settled into being part of her. She was already learning to shield that connection and she did that now before she started. It would keep any residual magic from flowing back up it to Will at the very least. She opened it as wide as she could and tried to send her perspective up through it.

"The circle is protection. Everything inside it is protected from everything outside it. It cuts off magical energy and keeps that energy out as long as the circle stays intact." Molly explained as she drew her will in like she was taking a breath, a slow build up of energy that she felt as a ball of warmth, deep in her core. "When you enchant something, you have to find a way to connect it to the person or thing you're trying to work the effect on. Hair is good, blood is better, but really anything will do." She said, holding her hand out over the bowl and letting the weight of the power she was gathering flow down her arm and out through her palm, flowing over the contents. "I add intention to it and my power seals it all together." She felt the little dogs energy lingering on the hair and pulled that into the power, winding it around the amulet and taking the protective aspect of the circle, saturated the silver amulet until it glowed brightly, silver tinged with blue in her minds eye.

Opening her eyes, she looked down at the amulet and smiled, picking it up and turning it over. It didn't look any different, just a small silver disc that she'd liked the look of in a market one day, but it hummed with contained energy.

"Now we just have to get it on his collar." She said, turning to Will and holding it out to him.

[wgraham]

Will couldn't help holding his breath when Molly took his hand again, not just because every time they touched there was still an electric snap between them, like a circuit closing, but also in anticipation of feeling her magic, of feeling more of her. There was a part of Will that hoped, eventually, he'd be able to feel her power all the time, without restraint. Not to a point where either of them were in danger, but just enough of a connection that Molly wouldn't feel like she was holding an important part of herself back.

Will could feel the moment when Molly began drawing in her energy like a warm hum along the length of his arm. He could taste it at the back of his throat, almost like burnt spices, tingling like taking a sip of alcohol. The sensation grew and it made Will tremble a little, his heartbeat ticking up and an odd feeling of arousal stirring in his belly. She was powerful, and Will knew she was shielding the brunt of it from him, but he wondered if using her talents made her feel the way it was making him feel right now.

As Molly continued to draw her energy in, the feeling of it started to coalesce in Will's chest, like a little ball of heat behind his heart. It makes his pulse skip and his breath hitch, but Molly's steady voice keeps him grounded, and eh can feel power flowing through them, cooling him as Molly sends her magic over the bowl. After another moment, the power ebbed and then vanished, leaving behind the normal low level buzz of their connection.

Will licked his lips, raising his eyes to Molly's. "Thank you," he said softly. "For sharing that with me." He squeezed her hand and took the amulet, crossing to where Snickers continued to sleep. He stooped and removed the dog's collar, threading the amulet onto the ring of it before he snapped it back around Snickers' neck.

"Will the magic eventually run out? Or will it always stay strong?" he asked as he walked back to Molly.

[thewinterlady]

Molly smiled at him tiredly, leaning against the table. The magic and holding the circle together along with the late night and general excitement of sharing this whole thing with Will were taking their toll.

"It'll last a good while. I'll have to refresh the magic every now and again, but he'll be well protected." She said, looking around the apartment. "I should put some wards up here too." She added, thoughtfully. She wanted this place to be a safe haven for Will and if she could make it magically so then so much the better.

[wgraham]

Will could feel the exhaustion coming from Molly, and he went to her side, slipping his arm around her. "Don't worry about that tonight," he said, and he'd thought a moment ago about mentioning the cat upstairs again, but he didn't want to tax Molly any further before she had a chance to rest.

"Go sit down and I'll make you some tea," he said, turning his head to kiss her cheek gently.

[thewinterlady]

"I get tea?" Molly asked, amused. "Black with three sugars, please."

She felt less tired already, having Will moving around his apartment, relaxed and relieved. Snickers was still quiet and peaceful and Molly went over to the dog, lifting him gently and laying him in his dog bed. He'd sleep for a while yet.

Moving over to the circle, she started to dust it away with sweeps of her fingers. It was gone as quickly as she'd drawn it and all the residual energy that'd gathered fell away.

She smiled and then went over to the couch, curling up on it, long legs tucked under her on the comfy seat, happy she'd done good work and happy she was where she wanted to be most in the whole world.

[wgraham]

Will nodded and smiled at Molly, heading to the kitchen and filling his kettle with water, setting it to boil. Will typically drank coffee, but he'd learned a long time ago that having the ability to make tea was something that could calm a person's mind, including his own. He glanced over in time to see Molly sweetly, gently pick up his little dog and lay him in his bed. He'd always known Molly was a kind soul, but seeing the way she treated Snickers, the love she had in her eyes, touched Will's heart.

He took down a mug and a tea bag (he knew he should start getting loose leaf tea for Molly, but he'd never made it before and he probably needed her help in choosing the right sort), then poured hot water over it, letting it steep. From the kitchen, he watched Molly arrange herself on the couch, and he couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her in his life. She was the most amazing woman he'd ever met, smart and strong and beautiful. And she wanted to be here with him. He wasn't sure what he did right, but he was so glad he'd done it.

Pulling the teabag and tossing it in the trashcan under the sink, Will added sugar to the mug and took it over to where Molly sat on the couch. "Thank you," he told her as he sat beside her. "For taking care of Snickers, for sharing your magic with me. For coming here tonight and kissing me at midnight," he added with a soft smile. "Did you know it was my first New Years kiss?"

[thewinterlady]

Molly took the mug gratefully, both her hands wrapped around it, waiting for him to settle before she shuffled a little closer and lean into him. Maybe she was greedy, but she loved touching him, being close to him. She wasn't going to beat herself up about taking advantage of his proximity.

"You're mine, but then you're pretty much all of my firsts." She said and smiled at him. "I'm surprised no one ever managed to pin you down at midnight though."

[wgraham]

When Molly moved to sit more closely, Will reached over and placed his hand on her thigh, not groping, only resting warmly, his thumb stroking her softly through her pants.

"I know this might surprise you, because you know how much of a social butterfly I am, but I'm not really much for parties," he joked, giving Molly a little smirk.

"I've been this weird my entire life, so I wasn't very well liked in school," he went on more seriously, but there was no bitterness or sorrow in his tone. "As an adult I've generally managed to find excuses to avoid social gatherings of any variety, holiday parties especially." He looked down at his hand on her leg, could almost see the comforting energy flowing between them.

"I've never wanted to kiss anyone at midnight before you," he said, still looking down at where he was touching her. "You make me want a lot of things I've never wanted before."