open rp post

[stellationing]

Leave me a scenario (one of your own or choose from here) and include any particular preferences as well if you wish.

Or, if you want to just leave a comment with a picture or a word as a prompt and suggest which muse of mine you want, that works too! I might just be a bit slow with those.

Make a reply asking for anyone here on the subject title.

If you choose a character on the maybe list, I will definitely be slow with them.

If you know a specific "verse" of character you want, specify. If it's a cross-canon scene and you don't specify, you might get a CR AU.

Alternately, if you'd rather place a comment on the muse's contact post. Or if you want to do something a little more privately, let me know and I'll set something up elsewhere.

Go to the RNG if you don't have a specific scenario in mind.

Have fun!

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[vampere]

It's been some time coming, this particular excursion. Not that he wouldn't have been willing to wait longer still, but he might not have exactly borne it well - patience is only sometimes one of his virtues and never mind that he would have had to wait for it to actually become spring either way. But the company hasn't been bad and there's been any of a number of things to keep him busy in the Sanctuary itself.

That and he expects that there are any of a number of things that need to be done before their little vacation to Vienna, besides. No matter what else, Helen is still Helen and to be honest, he's not sure she still remembers how to take a vacation. Not that he says as much, of course, but it's still there, lurking quietly in the back of his mind, as winter turns slowly to spring and life in Sanctuary continues on much as it always has despite the change in location.

(He does, sometimes, miss the night sky, but not so much yet that he wants to actually leave, especially with the promise of Vienna near at hand.)

It comes as something of a pleasant surprise, then, when he turns up at her office bright and early on the day she's chosen for their trip only to find that - as far as he's able to tell - she's not in the middle of some bit of Important Sanctuary Business and he can't help but grin at it. Still he doesn't immediately speak up, and if she wants to head off whatever half-smug comment he no doubt has in mind at the pass, now is probably the best time to do so.

[lifelines]

Helen has, quite honestly, been surprised that Nikola hasn't run off after a fashion. Either her Sanctuary has managed to keep his attention brilliantly, he hasn't wanted to leave her so soon after finding her again, or he really is looking forward to Vienna. Perhaps it has been a combination of all three.

He has his own room, though she often invites him for a talk in her office or her room. For now, she refrains from asking him to stay the night. That offer she has plans for and they aren't for her Sanctuary.

The day he finally turns up in her office to remind her that it's time for their trip, she has decided to forego being a complete troll. This time, she is just reading a paper they've managed to get their hands on down here, which is easily set aside when she spots him. He would be right in assuming that she hasn't had a vacation in a long time and might not remember. After all, previously she only took one for a week once every seven years. God only knows what it's like now.

She tilts her head, eyebrows arching for a few seconds before she stands. "Don't get any ideas, Nikola," she warns, her tone teasing. She knows exactly what's on his mind. "Are you ready?"

It's meant as a needling question more than anything, a slight return to her trollish nature, before they can get underway.

"I've got our IDs, passports, and everything else we'll need. Private charter to Vienna. Just the way you like it."

Just the way she likes it, too.

[vampere]

It's mostly those last two, really. Not that the Sanctuary isn't lovely, of course, but that alone isn't always enough to hold his attention. Although he has to admit that it's a genuine novelty to have his own room, as opposed to simply one that he happens to be staying in until such time as he heads off elsewhere. And if the fact that leaving is a little bit more involved than it might have been otherwise has helped a little in keeping him Sanctuary bound, he isn't about to mention.

(There is, after all, no sense in giving Helen any more ammunition that he strictly needs to.)

"But the ideas are some the best parts," he counters, although there's no real heat to it. It's not wrong, of course, but neither is there a need to offer anything further at the moment. There will be time for that later, both on the plane and after they arrive, and he expects she knows to expect some amount of that sort of thing besides. "And absolutely."

He will, of course, deny the fact that he's essentially been counting down the days until their little trip. But he has been, and his eyes are all but gleaming with the prospect over having a not insignificant amount of time alone with Helen besides.

"And my favorite sort of flight, besides. It's almost like you know me."

Like her question, it's a gentle sort of teasing. He knows very well that she much prefers to fly a private charter, and had, in fact, been expecting nothing else since she'd decided on when they'd actually be going.

[lifelines]

"After so long, I ought to," Helen returns, her smirk very telling of the state of their relationship over the years. She likes the privacy of her own charter, her own cabin, her own life. Sharing that with someone else always means a great deal, even without the preference for being out of the public eye that they both have. Thankfully, even though she is supposedly "dead" in the public view, she still has enough influence and know-how and contacts to be able to manage to get those charters without too much fuss.

Customs has also already been taken care of, so they get through everything fairly easily. Once they're in the air -- Helen having looked bright-eyed the entire way to the charter and while they waited to become airborne, as though she's on her way to capture a particularly rare Abnormal -- settles back in her seat. Pointedly not looking at Nikola, she readies for their excessively long flight.

They have several hours on this plane. Alone. And then several weeks in Vienna. Also alone. Just the two of them. It would be romantic if either of them were particularly the type.

"We have several hours now," she comments, as though they have nothing better to talk about than the weather. "What shall we do?"

She is, of course, well aware that she is leaving herself wide open. And, perhaps, that was entirely the point.

[vampere]

It's surprising how much influence one can have even when one is supposed to be dead. Admittedly, sometimes it comes with a side of needing to come up with new pseudonyms periodically, but Tesla's done well enough for himself over the last 60 years or so, even if a lot of that was as much keeping off the radar as anything. (Not that he hadn't been entirely idle, but he always has known the Sanctuary well enough to not draw too much attention, most of the time.)

Still, it is a relief to not have to bother too much with customs, and he seems to be very nearly as glad to be in the air as Helen is, although how much of this is the prospect of what's yet to come is a little less than clear. Especially given that he knows very well that she's left herself wide open with that comment, and far be it for him to not take that and run with it.

(And he expects she expects no less of him, just as he expects she's aware that he at least suspects that she's left herself wide open on purpose.)

"Well," he begins, consideringly, "I can think of any of number of things, but I think any larger scale experiments involving magnetism might want to wait until we land. I wouldn't want to end up damaging any sensitive instruments." A pause. "Unless you thought to shield the cabin?"

Going on the words alone, it sounds very nearly harmless; a simple observation that planes are not well equipped the sort of thing he could bring to the table. By the tone of his voice and the crooked half-smile that accompanies his comment, however, he's talking about something very different.

[lifelines]

At times they really do know each other far too well. Sometimes Helen thinks this is both blessing and curse. Today it is both, but she isn't really complaining for once. She supposes she ought to be, at least a little bit. But she isn't. Rather, she's amused by his response, entertained for once. This is likely due to their updated relationship status, even if nothing has formally or officially changed. Not as far as labels are concerned.

Even if everything has changed.

"I didn't, actually," she answers, her lips twisting with barely-concealed amusement. Badly-concealed. "Besides, if you remove the clasp to my seatbelt, I'm certain someone will notice and complain about it. The captain hasn't turned off the light yet."

In the strictest sense, they are still within the range that they should have seatbelts fastened. In a much looser sense, the captain, as in Helen herself, hasn't yet given Nikola the go-ahead for that little intimate endeavor yet.

[vampere]

Their life has never really been one defined by labels. And maybe that's just because he's done so much to make sure that he can't be neatly set into categories, but either way, they get by and that's good enough for him.

(Although she's not wrong about his response being at least in part because of the recent shift in their relationship.)

Still, for all that her comment is essentially a denial it tells him more than a few things. Most notably that while she hasn't yet given him the go-ahead for that sort of intimacy, it's not entirely off the table either. And it's not as if he hasn't needed to learn to patient before, to say nothing of the fact that while he would be interested in everything he's implied and more he's not about to rush her. Their slow dance is worth too much for him to want to jeopardize it for the sake of what he might want.

"I suppose we'll have to come up with something else, then."

It's offered easily, as if he doesn't mind that his previous idea has been shot down, and while he hasn't got another suggestion ready and waiting, it's not like they don't have time to brainstorm, as it were.

[lifelines]

One word in that whole statement of hers is the most important: "yet." He had picked up on it, as she had known he would. They know each other far too well by now for him not to have picked up on her deliberate word choice. Sometimes that is entirely the point of their conversations. Wordplay is fun when you've known each other for over a hundred years.

Helen's eyes glance towards Nikola's face, that smile of hers in typical cautiously amused fashion, then down and then back up before she turns away. Likely he will notice that as she shifts in her seat, her hand moves. It's slow, not hurried or pointed in its motions, but obviously deliberate for someone who knows her so well. With his hand perched on the arm rest, hers finds it easily enough, fingers curling around his and resting lightly enough for anyone else to think nothing of it.

But between the two of them, that single touch means the world. That fact that she keeps it there means even more.

"I suppose we shall," she says, still not quite looking at him, though her smile is still mischievous and amused. "We could sit here and tell stories." Beat. "Except for the fact that there really aren't many stories we don't know between us."

Or she could suggest something else in a minute or two. She may or may not be working up to it.

[vampere]

Far too well indeed. And he's never minded a bit of wordplay besides. Not when it offers such promise, for whenever that 'yet' happens to become 'now'. And besides, she always has had a way of making the waiting worthwhile - that and he doesn't mean to leave now. Oh, he might drift away for a bit, but he'll always come back in the end, and he expects she wouldn't expect anything less.

(He always has needed that bit of freedom, sooner or later.)

For now, however, he's content enough to watch her: the curve of her smile; the way she shifts gently in her seat, and the movement of her hand, which he makes no movement to avoid nor halt. And then he can't anyway, as her hand comes to rest on his. Or rather, doesn't want to, when he knows exactly what this means, both that her hand has come to rest on his at all as well as the fact that there it stays.

"I'm sure I could find something, if you really wanted," he offers with a one-shouldered shrug, so as to not accidentally dislodge her hand. And no doubt he could, given that he'd all but vanished for 60 years. But he suspects that there's more to her comment than she first suggested, and an echo of that suspicion - and a trace of amusement - lingers in his voice. He's not going to hurry her on to whatever else she has in mind, but he's willing enough to wait, if she feels so inclined.

[lifelines]

A very long time has passed since Helen has been this light and free with her words, her tone, and her actions. Her very body practically screams of a great weight having been lifted from her shoulders. The last 114 years weighed her down immeasurably. Now that everything has come to fruition and she no longer has anything to hide, life is so much better. She feels better.

So much better that her hand remains even still in its place.

"Knowing you, I don't think I want to find out what you would come up with," she teases, her eyebrows rising and her smirk continuing to grow as she finally does glance in his direction. "Unless it involves recounting previous adventures in Vienna. Or Italy."

Italy, where her musical secret still rests. She swore Declan to secrecy long ago, but she has no doubt that Nikola has figured that one out somewhere along the line.

[vampere]

Even Tesla would have to admit that there's a lightness in not needing to hide things. Which isn't to say that he hasn't, sometimes, but there's a truth to the devil-may-care attitude he often adopts too. If people think that you're giving them the truth (and he usually is, by one definition or another) then they don't care nearly as much for what you aren't saying. Of course, Helen always has had a way of seeing through to the heart of him, but he's never really minded that, entirely.

(Which doesn't keep him from sometimes being less than forthcoming, but far be it for him to stop now, when they've long since settled into into a familiar sort of pattern.)

"Why, Helen," he begins, with mock reproach that is almost entirely overshadowed by the grin on his face, "you wound me."

And yes, she has a right to be concerned about what else he might come up with, conversationally speaking, but that doesn't mean he's actually going to go so far as to admit. Instead, he turns his attention to the rest of what she mentions, and by the flicker of amusement in his eyes when she mentions Italy it's entirely likely that he has figured out her musical secret, although he makes no mention of it, past that brief look in his eye.

"I could," he answers instead. "But I'd rather let this particular trip stand on its own merits."

Reminiscing is all well and good, but the times they've both taken a genuine vacation are few and far between and given the newness to the way their relationship has shifted over the past few weeks he'd much rather pay attention to what is instead of what has been.

[lifelines]

"Don't be bitter," is Helen's near-instant response, the twinkle in her eye suggesting amusement. She also doesn't expect that he truly is bitter this time. Not like so many times in the past. He has, honestly, has plenty of reasons to be bitter during certain events in his life and she will admit that. However, now is not one of those times and she is happy to let the tease stand on its own.

That look in his own eye suggests that he knows more than she perhaps would like him to. Such is the nature of their relationship and likely always will be.

At his last words and the way they stand out, she turns a little further to face him. Her hand remains over top his own for now, though the other moves to gently cup his cheek, as she has done only a scant handful of times before.

"Shall I take that to mean you would much prefer to live in the present?" she asks quietly. One moment is spared to let her gaze meet his before she leans closer, using the hand at his cheek to pull him in to meet her. Lips part as hers meet his and she sinks into another mutual kiss, gentle this time, rather than the heated passion with which she has greeted him in recent memory.

[vampere]

Him knowing more than she might like him to will almost certainly continue to be a thing in their relationship, if he has anything to say about it. Which doesn't that he'll necessarily be any more like to talk about the things he's not supposed to know about than he is now, but that doesn't mean he won't still know. And besides, it's only fitting that he be able to figure out her secrets, given that she's so good at figuring out the things that he's tried to keep secret over the years.

(Not that he's always tried very hard, but the point still stands.)

He recognizes, too, that her comment is both meant in jest and not anything that needs to be answered verbally. Instead, he simply offers a brief shake of his head and a roll of his eyes.

And then her hand is moving to gently cup his cheek and anything else he might have had to say all but melts away under the sheer fact that this kind of touch has always been one that she's offered rarely, and is all the sweeter for it - and he knows, too, what it means from her. (He will also deny until the end of days that he leans into that touch a little, but he absolutely does, just a bit.) Nor does he really have a chance to answer her question before she's pulling him into a kiss, which - it occurs to him somewhat distantly - might well have been part of the point. But he relaxes into the kiss in much the same way that he'd relaxed into her earlier touch, because he's never had it in himself to do otherwise, with her.

He keeps what he offers in return gentle too, taking his cues from her as he's ever done, and that alone is perhaps answer enough to her question. If the present has such moments as these, then yes, he will gladly take it over the past.

[lifelines]

Nikola's reaction is exactly what Helen had expected and as he leans into her embrace so does she in turn. For now, gentle seems to be the order of the day, a chance to truly sink into their kiss without losing themselves in it. They can enjoy what they have and Helen intends to do just that.

When she finally breaks away, she keeps her hand over his, leaning perhaps more than strictly necessary against the arm rest between them as they talk. The air around them remains charged, but relaxed, and the only tension seems to be of the romantic type. How funny that her life would have romantic tension in it once more.

The rest of the journey to their hotel is uneventful. Between the two of them, they are fluent enough in German to bluff identities and make their way up to their room. Helen made a point of not telling Nikola that there would be just one bed. She will insist that the topic simply never came up.

Whatever the case, she lets them into the room where she begins to set their luggage on a rack before she turns to see how Nikola is taking to the accommodations and the implications of their single bed.

[vampere]

Much like Helen, Tesla absolutely means to enjoy what they have. It's still too much a dream for him to not to, and he knows very well that he's not likely to tire of any of this for a while yet. And it's comfortable, too. Like they've finally started to get used to the way things have shifted, in the same way that one begins to get used to a new pair of shoes.

(Which is a thought he regrets almost as soon as he has it. As romantic imagery goes, it's not anywhere near the top of the list.)

Still, it's easy enough to let things stay where they are for the rest of the flight, and if he enjoys not only the chance to use his German but also to bounce and build off what she offers while they bluff their way into false identities he at least manages to keep the most of it off his face. And out of his voice too, which is probably for the better.

The room, on the other hand, definitely raises some eyebrows, most of which - as she expected - is on account of there only being the one bed. Which he supposes is perhaps not so surprising, but it's also something he doesn't immediately know how to address while still leaving it essentially her decision whether or not to invite to share her bed. Naturally then, rather than immediately say something he disguises the fact that he needs a moment to put his thoughts together by taking a moment or three to look over the room first.

"Not bad. But it might be a little inconvenient if we both happen to be tired at the same time."

Which he knows is almost certainly going to be a rarity given how rarely he sleeps, and he knows she'll know it too. But it does manage to leave room for it to still be her decision on if and when he ends up in the same bed and figures that's good enough.

[lifelines]

Helen had expected a reaction like this one. While he examines their room, she makes her way to the bed, setting a few items on one of the nightstands so she has what she needs within reach while she's sleeping. Or, as is always the case with her, a carefully wrapped gun placed under her pillow. The joys of flying a private charter: never having to worry about airport security and any equivalent of TSA.

Fluffing the pillow to cover the gun better, she turns to him with her eyebrows raised. As though nothing is out of the ordinary here.

"Or heaven forbid we might have to share," she says, leaning in conspiratorially. "I hear these beds are quite comfortable."

It isn't a direct invitation, exactly, but it is something along the lines of their little dance. An invitation of sorts for him to try the bed. Almost a challenge or a request to share with her tonight. It's like inviting a mystery into her space and she rather likes the idea of not knowing exactly what will come of it.

[vampere]

Not having to worry about airport security is handy, he has to admit. It's less hassle for one, and it also means that he doesn't mean to put up with an entire plane's worth of people besides. Not that he suspects that he couldn't manage a commercial flight, if he had to. But he much prefers to not need to, and if he keeps half an eye on her as he examines the room, surely that's no surprise.

(And he's not surprised, either, that she tucks a gun under her pillow. He's probably just as good - if not better - for actual protection, but he knows Helen well enough to be bothered by it. It is how it is, and that's enough.)

That said, it isn't until she comments on the relative comfort of the bed that he makes even the slightest effort to make his way over. Hers has always been the first move in their little dance and far be it for him to not react to something that can be read as something of a challenge.

He takes his time with it, though. Not hurrying, but simply making his way over as casually as he might have done if it really had been his decision and not something that has anything to do with what she's said. But neither does he waste any time in making his way over, and settling on the edge of the bed without so much as a second thought. And if he's conveniently just near enough to her to leave her room to sit while still having some space of her own, well, surely that's nothing more than chance?

(It's not, of course, but he's willing to at least pretend it hasn't been absolutely deliberate.)

"I think you might have heard right. But you could always come see for yourself, if you didn't want to take my word for it."

[lifelines]

Helen watches him make his way over. It's odd, how much she feels like a schoolgirl again. A schoolgirl with a crush. The strangest sensation in the entire world, but there it is. Except her crush knows she cares for him, perhaps even suspects that she loves him given their song and dance by now, but she hasn't spoken the words yet. Not as such.

So when he takes that seat on the bed, leaving her plenty of room to slide down next to him, that is exactly what she does. And if she places herself pointedly closer than she strictly needs to, well, no one will really tell on her, will they? As it stands, she crosses her legs at the ankles and leans back on both arms.

"Hmm, well I would take your word for it, but it does look too comfortable and we have the entire rest of the day to ourselves."

Technically, they have their entire stay to themselves, but that isn't the point at all. The point is that they're here in Vienna, that she's sitting right next to him, and that they have a something or other to work out. A relationship. Of sorts.

And if she might be leaning against his arm a little with hers, well... That's entirely coincidence.

"I wonder if we could perhaps decorate a touch, spread our belongings out to make this room more ours for the duration we're here."

[vampere]

Not as such, no. Admittedly, he hasn't said those words yet either. Not and really meant them anyway, in any way that would traditional go with more formal declarations of love.

On the other hand, maybe he doesn't need to. Not when he has, in one way or another, been saying it ever since they decided to see what the Source Blood would make of them. And if it hasn't ever really come in words, maybe it doesn't need to, when his actions have often spoken it just as loudly. And yes, one day he does want to hear her say those words, if only to have that much besides, but he knows it's not going to be something she gives easily.

(Which, to be honest, is part of thrill of it, for him.)

For now, however, he simply makes the most of the moment; of the fact that she's taken a side beside him without any further nudging on his end, and if he too has noticed the way she's sitting closer than she strictly needs to he certainly doesn't mind. Nor is he likely to mention it. This moment is theirs and he doesn't mean to share it with so much as another living soul.

He addresses none of this, of course, nor the fact that they probably should work out what might have changed in their relationship. Instead, he lets his eyes flicker briefly over what they've brought with them (not very much compared to the size of the room, though they probably could fetch things out their respective suitcases) and then returns his attention to her as a slow smirk spreads across his face.

"Was there anything in particular you had in mind?"

He might be thinking along the lines of the sort of thing he'd suggested during their flight, but neither is he going to push that particular line too hard, in light of her earlier comments on that front.

[lifelines]

Helen huffs out an amused laugh. Honestly, she had expected nothing less than that reaction from him. While they both know that when or if she ever says those words to him, it won't be right now and will take a bit of hemming and hawing. Not necessarily pushing, as Nikola is well aware of Helen's trait to shove back when she has been shoved.

Shaking her head, she glances away, something of a grin on her face. "I know what's on your mind." That isn't hard to figure out given this is Nikola and the look on his face.

"Or we could discuss tomorrow's agenda. The concert and dinner and everything before it."

The former is likely classical in nature, as this is Helen who planned it all out and made the reservations, but of course, Nikola is welcome to put in his ideas and preferences. They do have a few free days while they're here to do whatever they want on the fly.

[vampere]

He always has been more than a little transparent, when it comes to her. But he wouldn't have said it, if he hadn't expected that she'd know exactly what he was thinking of, and he takes the grin that follows as a good sign, even if he doesn't push any further. He knows where the boundaries are, and they have time yet to reassess the idea, he figures.

(That and he's not really in any hurry to get to that part of their relationship. Or rather, isn't so much so that he can't continue to wait.)

Not that he's in the least bit ashamed, to judge by the grin of his own that follows, but he lets the topic stand at that.

"I suppose it might be nice to know what we're seeing. But really, Helen, part of the point of a vacation is to relax."

He's aware, of course, that she has never really seemed to be entirely able to, and more so these past months. But as far as he's concerned that's all the more reason to find time to simply enjoy themselves, and not have everything neatly pinned down, for all that it's a gentle sort of needling, this time.

[lifelines]

So transparent that he's almost invisible, as she had once told him. At that point, she had been infuriated by it. Right now, she has come to expect it. This is how they work and even if she might have it in mind to make him wait just a while longer for that particular endeavor, it might not mean she will make him wait for everything.

Though, in all fairness, her lips haven't exactly recovered since their first mutual kiss.

"Is that what this is?" she asks, continuing their normal banter rather than draw attention to what's on both of their minds or the state of her lips. As though she had no idea what a vacation really was. For all anyone else knew, perhaps she didn't. Maybe she had long ago lost the definition of a vacation or holiday or anything like that. "And here I thought we had come for work."

She hadn't and he knows it, but really it does just add credence to his gentle needling. In her prime, she had only taken a vacation for a week once every seven years. Who knows if that has changed?

Pursing her lips, she shifts just slightly, the fingers of one hand barely drifting closer to him until they gently rest over his hand. No words spared towards what she's doing. Just the small action itself that speaks very little but says so much. Apparently, she is relaxing. Slowly, little by little, the tension eases from her and she allows herself, with Nikola of all people, to feel as she has not allowed herself to feel in years. Over an entire century.

The bonus with Nikola is that she won't be losing him anytime soon. Or ever, if she has anything to say about it. She won't lose him, not again. Her feelings for him have turned far too strong for her to survive losing him, too.

[vampere]

It always has been how they work, and he'd have expected nothing less. Besides, for all that he's not always patient in other areas of his life he can - and always will - wait for her. Besides, for all that he might tease and prod, the process of getting anywhere is just as enjoyable as anything else.

As is the fact that she's already drifting closer, until her hand is resting over his. It's a small thing, yes. But one that means just as much now as it had during there flight and even he can tell that she is relaxing, bit by bit. And to be entirely honest, he could ask for nothing more. Not when knows very well that asking her to not do anything to plan out their vacation would have been a lost cause.

(And he means to do everything in his power to make sure that she doesn't lose him any time soon. Not now that they have take their relationship to another level.)

"Why, Helen," he murmurs. "Are you saying you consider me important to your work?"

It's at least half-way a tease, given the amusement in his eyes, but he can't deny that he might like being important to her, if absolutely nothing else.

[lifelines]

A lost cause it might have been, but, oddly enough, she's feeling generous at this point. Quite generous, if the other things on her mind are anything to go by. The schoolgirl feeling hasn't really left and somehow she doubts it will for a long time to come.

That and what manages to claw its way out of her mouth before she even thinks to stop it: "I consider you important to my life."

And because she is Helen Magnus, Nikola can be assured that she means every syllable of what she just said.

However, the fact of the matter is that she is also not prone to expressions of affection that are quite that visible, especially with him. So, in an effort to combat the honesty and vulnerability she just laid bare in front of him, she lets go of him. Kicking off her shoes, she scoots back on the bed and shifts so that she's lying down on her side across the bed. Watching him to see his reaction, she pats the covers invitingly.

It may not be entirely what they both have in mind, as she isn't going to be easy and neither would expect her to be, but if things progress in that direction, she isn't about to stop them.