She wakes up, shifting with a quiet hum, her eyes fluttering open. She sees him and smiles. She knows he has to go, but also that it won't be that long before he's back.
"Mmm. I should probably get dressed so Sherlock can come in if he wants." She doesn't necessarily think she needs such close observation, but she knows it would make Sherlock feel better. Ted too, probably.
"I'll get your clothes," he says, and gives her a quick kiss before getting out of bed and grabbing the bathrobe. "And my clothes too, for that matter," he adds with a smile. "I'll probably stop by my apartment and grab some more stuff."
Ted goes to pick up her clothes, then pauses as he sees that's clearly a jersey, and he holds it out to see what it is. Then he gives Sherlock a look of entirely unconvincing exasperated disapproval, though it gets replaced by an amused smile almost immediately.
He heads back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "I'm afraid you're gonna have to go topless, as this was the only thing Sherlock brought back," he says, holding up the jersey.
Sherlock lifts an eyebrow at Ted's clearly teasing disapproval, smiling a little to himself as he refocuses his attention on his laptop.
Joan laughs and rolls her eyes when Ted shows her the jersey. "Oh please. Joe Namath is gold. He led the Jets to a Super Bowl championship in 1969. And he's my dad's favorite player."
"Yeah, and what have they been doing since then, huh?" Ted asks, playfully antagonistic and teasing. "Very next year, who won then? That's right, KC Chiefs, that's who," he says, grinning and holding up his own Kansas City t-shirt (that isn't sports related, but still gets the point across). "Then who won last year, huh? The Chiefs, baby!"
She laughs, her smile wide and fond. "You're cute when you're bragging about your team," she says. "I'll grant you that the Chiefs are a better team. Joe Namath is still a legend."
Her smile widens.
"But get me a Chief's jersey and I'll gladly wear it. Occasionally."
She kisses him back as enthusiastically as she can. She loves how happy this makes him. Football and Kansas City both mean so much to him, so they mean a lot to her, too.
"Two-time MVP," she agrees, taking the jersey. "Help me put it on?"
Ted nods, grabbing the jersey and finding the right holes for her to put her arms through, then her head. Then he grabs her underwear, and helps her on with that as well. "You know, I'm much more used to taking this off than putting it on," he jokes with a smile.
Joan shifts and moves to help out as much as possible. She smiles at his quip. "I'm looking forward to getting back to that," she says, her expression playfully sultry. She enjoys their sex life. It's also part of the normal she's wanting to get back to.
Ted smiles, almost shy-looking in the face of her sultriness, but still very much part of the flirting. "Well, when we do, keep in mind that if you want to just lie back and relax, I am more than happy to pick up the slack," he points out, almost cheeky.
"Mmm...that sounds nice," she says with a smile. She raises her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe we can do that a little sooner."
Not at that very moment, of course, since he needs to go and she needs to rest, but she wouldn't exactly object that evening or perhaps sometime tomorrow.
Ted grins and nods, then goes to sit next to her to kiss her. He has to rein himself in a little to make sure it's not the kind of kiss where they get carried away, because yes, he needs to go before the team finishes for the day. If they're going to do that, he definitely wants to take their time with it.
The kiss is definitely sexually charged, and Joan pulls back at the same time Ted does, knowing that if the kiss were to continue they might not be able to stop. She smiles at him, her pupils wide, her cheeks pink, and her breath just a little heavier.
Ted sighs. "The truth. As Roy put it, just with more swear words," he says with a soft smile. "But I also want to reassure them that what Rupert tried to do failed. That I'm still there for them, whether Rupert likes it or not."
He won't pretend that this hasn't shaken him, that there hasn't been moments where he's doubted when or even if he would return to coaching them. But he knows it's worth it, even if it's hard.
"Yup. Stopping by the apartment to grab some stuff too, but I won't be too long," he answers. He's using both crutches now too, to make sure he doesn't do too much careless walking on his cast.
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"Heading out?"
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Ted will find that Sherlock brought over Joan's green Joe Namath New York Jets jersey, doubtlessly for Ted's amusement.
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He heads back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "I'm afraid you're gonna have to go topless, as this was the only thing Sherlock brought back," he says, holding up the jersey.
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Joan laughs and rolls her eyes when Ted shows her the jersey. "Oh please. Joe Namath is gold. He led the Jets to a Super Bowl championship in 1969. And he's my dad's favorite player."
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Her smile widens.
"But get me a Chief's jersey and I'll gladly wear it. Occasionally."
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He sits down next to her and gives her an excited, happy kiss.
"Namath is pretty legendary," he concedes gladly, handing her the jersey.
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"Two-time MVP," she agrees, taking the jersey. "Help me put it on?"
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Not at that very moment, of course, since he needs to go and she needs to rest, but she wouldn't exactly object that evening or perhaps sometime tomorrow.
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"I love you," she murmurs.
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"You too," he answers, touching her cheek, and giving her a quick peck on the lips before he gets to his feet.
He puts on underwear before he takes off the robe this time, then continues to get dressed.
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"What are you going to tell the team?" she asks quietly. She imagines it's probably something he's been thinking a lot about.
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He won't pretend that this hasn't shaken him, that there hasn't been moments where he's doubted when or even if he would return to coaching them. But he knows it's worth it, even if it's hard.
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Rupert is going to jail, and Moriarty...well. She isn't the sort to not follow through with her declarations.
"I bet they'll be happy to have you back, once you're ready."
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When Ted leaves the room Sherlock looks up. "On your way to the club?" he asks.
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"I shall keep her company until your return."
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