Home Sweet... Home | Sach/Alise

Sacha had apparated them to the edge of the property. He'd wanted to bring her to the cabin - to his real home, at the moment - before, but the timing never seemed quite appropriate. Alise was legally his wife, now, however. He was about to have her staying at the townhouse alone. It was farther away than he preferred. Besides, Durmstrang Isle was heavily protected by wards stronger than that which surrounded the townhouse. She would be safer.

"Well," he said, gesturing to the wooden cabin before. "Welcome. Welcome home, Alise."

Alise appeared next to the man, bag in hand one hand, his in the other. The cabin was splier than she had imagined, which she didn't mind in the least. Simple was great.

"It's quiant," she smiled, hand leaving his and finding the slight curve now prensent in her stomach. She doubted other people could notice it, of course, but it was there. Proof.

"Are you sure I should move? I like the town house. Just got the place the way I liked," she paused, "But, I'm sure that I'll like this place better,"

He returned her smile, noting the way her hand moved to her stomach. Sacha pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I know," the man responded simply, "and I apologize for that. But I'd rather not have you so far away. Furthermore, this is my home - our home, now.

"Shall we go inside?"

Sacha took her bag for her and led the way, holding the door for her until she had moved all the way inside. The cabin was indeed a simple place. It was decorated in earth tones, and furniture and the like were kept to the necessities.

"I realize it may seem a bit... barren," Sacha remarked. "Ketty has given up on me in that respect, I'm afraid. If you want to change the colors or add anything to be more comfortable, you may. Ketty would be thrilled to assist.

"This is the living area, of course, and the kitchen is there in the back. This hall contains the bathroom and bedrooms." He guided her along said hallway, pointing out the bathroom, across from which was Matthew's bedroom. "Ketty has her room up in the attic. She prefers it up there - the ceilings aren't quite so high," he remarked as he led her to one of the two rooms facing each other at the end of the hall.

It was different from the rest of the cabin. The walls were brightly painted, a soft, thick carpet covering the floor. A crib with overhanging mobile stood at one side of the room. There was a changing table, chest of drawers and a small chest. A four-poster stood in the far corner.

"I elected to put another bed in here, just in case..." Sacha ducked his head slightly, giving a faint grimace. "I didn't wish to make any assumptions. I know that you married me for the sake of our child. You... needn't feel as though you must do anything you do not want."

Alise gazed around the room, smiling happily. She would definitely change a few things, but she liked the place overall.

Matthew would be in this house. That was a bit scary. The boy already hated her and she doubted sharing a living space would improve their relationship by very much. "It's a very cute place,

"I'm sure Ketty loves it up there-" she broke off at the site of the next room. She blinked a few times, clasping her hands together at her mouth. Not usually an emotional person, Alise found herself holding back a few tears. She blamed pregnancy and all those darn hormones.

"It's perfect!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him, "Amazing!" She nodded towards the bed, "We could use it for the first few weeks, you know. I doubt you'd want to walk very far in the night,"

She planned to share a bed with the man. She preferred the presences of someone else near her.

Sacha put his arms lightly around Alise as she suddenly hugged him, a surprised chuckle escaping his lips. Despite the fact that he spent a great deal of his time around others, he was quickly finding that he was unaccustomed to frequent contact outside the context of the occasional hookup - and even those had been rare.

This was... disorienting. Not in an unpleasant way, but Sacha could not recall the last time he had felt so very awkward, in any situation.

He smiled at her. "That's a brilliant idea," he replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Sacha gestured to the room across. "This is... the other room. It's not much, really. Drawers, closet and bed, but it's comfortable."

Alise let go before giving him a small peck on the lips. The moment seemed... off. Forced, almost. She'd note to do that less.

She strode across the hall into the room, beelining for the bed. She appraised it for a moment before sitting upon the foot, beaming. "It'll do," she joked, rolling her shoulders, "It'll definitely do,"

She crossed her legs and started to play with a strand of hair, avoiding the conversation she wanted to start.

"You know, sweetie," she added the nickname in good nature, "We should talk about baby names soon,"

Sacha smiled, amused by her antics. He moved across the room to sit beside her.

"We should," he agreed. "Have any in mind?"

Alise paused, hand finding his. She smiled, then shrugged. "For a girl? Kaiya. Kira. Something like that. Maybe Laura."

Alise placed a kiss on Sacha's temple, unsure of any other names, "I'm not good with boy names. Ivan? Leon? Anything but Fred. Or Junior. Every Junior I know is a douche,"

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, grey eyes settled on her face. "Pretty," he remarked. "Though, I think, for myself, I should like to stay clear of girls' names beginning with 'L'.

"Is that so?" Sacha laughed. "Fine. No Fred, or Junior. Matthew already has my name, anyhow. Matthew Sacha. Hmm... Ivan's alright for a name, I suppose. I'm more inclined towards Andrian or Mikhail."

"Andrian's nice," Alise sighed, flopping back in the bed. She closed her eyes in thought, frustrated. This was big. Life changing. She didn't want a poorly name child. In fact, she was barely sure she wanted a child at all.

"I want a cigarette," she opened an eye before adding, "Don't lecture me- I already quit when I found out." Even though she doubted the affects would be drastic. Her mother smoked when she was pregnant and Alise seemed fine. She pressed a hand to her stoamch again in thought.

Sacha gazed back at her, amusement playing in his eyes.

"I wasn't about to lecture you," he told her. "You are a grown woman, after all." The man stretched out on the bed next to her on his side, propped up on an elbow. Lightly, he rested his hand on her stomach beside hers. Something tender entered his expression as he turn his gaze to hers.

Leaning down, Sacha kissed her cheek. "We'll find the perfect name," he said.

Alise snorted, taking his hand that was resting on her stomach. She moved it more towards the moddle, where the small bump had begun to form between her hips bones.

"Here. It's right here," she smiled, "Or, it will be. That's where the baby is." She thought back to one of the many books she read, "It's pretty small right now, but it'll grow soon enough."

Sacha chuckled. "A bit off, wasn't I?" he spoke softly, gaze still on her face. He found that she had a rather fetching smile.

Suddenly, Sacha wanted to kiss her. Not on the cheek or the forehead, or anywhere that could be construed as simultaneously affectionate and diffident, but the on the lips. Because... Because she was beautiful, and because she was the mother of his child. Because she was Alise, and a part of him was beginning to feel fond for her.

So, he leaned down again, slowly, hesitantly. Pausing a second or two, uncertain, he then pressed his lips gently to hers.

"Just a bit," Alise turned her head to face him and met his gray gaze. Her smile faded into a warm half smirk as she gently squeezed his hand. The kiss was unexpected, catching her a bit off guard.

Not that she didn't enjoy it.

She pulled away softly and giggled, "Someone's affectionate today." she rested a hand on the side of his face, "You're liking the thought of another kid, aren't you?"

He leaned into her touch, a faint smile gracing his features. "Perhaps, I am also liking the company," he replied lightly. Taking her hand in his, he turned his head to pressed a kiss to her palm. Pulling back, he paused a moment to lean down a place another kiss on her stomach and the bump that was forming there, before sitting up entirely.

Sacha sat on the edge of the bed again, turned slightly to gaze back at Alise.

"I do like the thought of being a father, again," he agreed. "I've always wanted a family of my own. And now, I have one. It makes me rather content."

Alise ran a hand through his hair, all of this mushy-gushy stuff making her feel like a teenager again. But, god, she enjoyed it. When he watched out for her like that... she felt safe again.

"I'm certainly liking my company," she hinted, remaining laying. She watched him happily, almost proud of her new husband.

"I'm glad, then," she nodded, closing her eyes, "We can be a family; You, me, Mattie- if he wants us- and the little one,"

Sacha nodded as well. "Matthew has endured more change in his life this past year than a boy his age should need to," the man stated. "It has been hard for him. I'm certain that once he has grown accustomed to the idea, he won't be nearly so opposed to all this.

"We are a family now, after all, even if we are still finding our footing." He watched her quietly. Already, he himself had become used to the thought of having her in his life. Of course, Sacha was not self-deluded. He knew they weren't in love.

But, somehow, there was a small, optimistic part of him that kept whispering, Yet.

Alise nodded and moved father back on to the bed. She rested her head on a pillow with a sigh, then flashed a grin. "I really do like him, you know. He's a sweetie when he's not upset," she said, equally placid as him, "And he makes the same face as you sometimes,"

She patted the space next to her, waiting for him to join her. "We'll be a strong family. One of the best." she gave a small laugh, "Just the four of us,"

He tilted his head thoughtfully, before moving back to lay on the pillow beside her. Sacha kept his gaze on her face.

"We will be," the man agreed. Rolling onto his side towards her, he placed a kiss against her temple. "The absolute best." On a rare impulse, Sacha trailed a series of light kisses down the side of her face and along her jaw. Pulling back a bit, though his face was still within inches of her own, he smiled, a wide, open smile that was nearly as rare as his impulsiveness and made him look years younger.

Alise snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his back. The kisses gave her shivers, feelings of contentment and ...an almost love for the man. She leaned in to return the kiss, then paused to giggle.

"Why don't you smile like this more?" she scolded, jokingly pinching a cheek, "It's so attractive! Makes you look my age!"

She completed her kiss, almost as a reward, then started dotting kisses down his jaw and neck, just like he had.

Sacha pulled away a bit from the pinch, though not entirely. "I smile," he said. It wasn't a protest, nor an argument. If anything, he was conceding her point, at least insofar as he seldom smiled in such a way.

He savored the kiss, a hand coming to rest at her hip. His breath hitched slightly as she peppered more kisses along his throat.

Sacha turned on his back, bringing Alise with him so she was laying atop of him. The man gently stroked the hair back from her face, eyes studying her intently. With one hand, he then traced her features; across her brow and down her cheek, then forward along her jaw. Lightly, he brushed his fingertips over her lips, before moving his hand to caress her cheek.

"You really are beautiful," Sacha said, tone quiet. "I... find it difficult to believe that, by whatever twist in fate, you have really become my wife. It's a strange feeling, really. Rather disorienting, but nice. Rather nice."

"You smile, but you don't smile," Alise muttered vaguely, allowing him to pull her along. She lay across him, rather comfortable in this position. To be this close to someone she knew was a pleasant change, especially when he acted like this. She careened into his touch, sighing happily.

"You don't deserve someone like me, really. You need a smart woman with motherly skills, not me," she smiled at his compliments, nonetheless. Taking his hand, she peppered on his palm in appreciation.

"You're not allowed to leave me now," she declared slowly, "You belong to me and... I can't deal with another break up."

"And you deserve a man that is warm and affectionate. Who smiles. That isn't me," he responded, pausing a second before continuing, "but perhaps... it could be. Perhaps..." Sacha found he wasn't quite certain how to express what he was trying to say, so he simply trailed off.

The man regarded her steadily. "The opposite is also true. You are mine, as well, and you cannot leave me, not for any reason. I cannot endure another break up, either." Sacha gently cupped her face between his hands. "We can make this work. We are making this work, and I am committed to continuing to do so. We may not have married for love, but I...

"I want to love you, Alise."

Alise watched his face for a moment, surveying his face before letting out a small chuckle. She sat up, nodding at his statement with a knowing gaze.

"Love isn't a wanting thing, Sacha. It just happens," she stuck out her tongue, teasing, "I think you love me,"

She took his hand and brought it to her stomach again, "And I might just love you too,"

Sacha sat as well, inclining his head as he considered her words. He smiled again, then nuzzled his face against hers.

"But maybe it is," he murmured. "Maybe it is the wanting that makes it happen." Sacha lightly stroked his thumb back and forth across Alise's stomach, hand caressing the life developing unseen within her womb. His lips moved to hers, gentle and persistent.

He thought she might be right.