Casablanca and Dynamite

[Rhett Keyes]

Backdated to June 21st

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: “Well, ****. I don’t know what to wear.” Rhett looked at the shirts he put on the bed. Four of them. He actually went and bought new ones for tonight, only because all he had were tank tops and sport team shirts. In the end as he stood there, looking at the shirts, Rhett silently wondered if it mattered. He nodded his head and decided it did matter and picked up the dark red button down he snagged at a store and put the other three back in the closet. Just because Dhara was a friend didn’t mean he should look like a bum, especially not tonight. With this being a...date. A friend date? Or a date-date? No one specified, but neither of them seemed to care what it was. He left the shirt unbuttoned for now, wearing a grey tank top underneath with a dark, stonewashed jeans, black name brand tennis shoes with bright blue (almost aqua) splashes of colors in it. He opened his phone, pulled up her number and shot her a text. ‘So, I’m leaving in about twenty minutes. Need more time, or will I see you then?’ Rhett hit send and moved to the living room. He might not have dated, but he had cousins who were girls and he knew how long they needed to be in a bathroom before they went anywhere.

Dhara: She was in the midst of finding something to wear when her phone chimed. Glancing at the message, she smiled warmly. She could be ready in twenty, but what she didn’t know, was where she was meeting him. “I can be there, so long as you tell me where there is.” She sent back. She slid into an ankle length black skirt and stared at the half dozen peasant style blouses she had, trying to choose a color. She drew in a breath and picked a white one, figuring it would go nicely with her pale, sky blue hair. In the time since she’d last seen Rhett, she’d finally gotten rid of the white hair and the black streak. She was done mourning over what would never be again, and was ready to start living.

Standing in front of the mirror, she adjusted her shirt so it exposed her slender white shoulders, her skin almost as pale as the shirt she wore. Her long hair was pulled up into a loose bun, leaving a few tendrils to caress her face and shoulders. Since she never wore makeup, all she had to do was put on her shoes. Moving to the front door, she tucked her phone in her pocket along with a small pouch that held a little money and her I.D. After that it was a simple matter of stepping into her soft, knee length boots and locking the apartment. Might as well get a jump on heading to the city while she waited for his reply.

Rhett: Her text made him feel like an idiot. Right. Where did she need to meet him? Duh, Rhett. Good going, man. He gave it some serious thought and then sent a reply, ‘Meet me at the Newborough station?’ Rhett didn’t live too far from there, which was why he knew what was going on in the area really well. He just happened to be lucky when picking this weekend.

She would have a while to get there, which was good for him because Rhett needed to grab a couple things. Not for himself, but for Dhara. He made a mental list of things she might need for the night as he walked down the long, dimly lit corridor of the shitty apartment complex he lived in and headed down the stairs and out to the city streets. Instead of heading right to the station, Rhett stopped at a store on a corner and grabbed the items he thought she might appreciate on their...whatever. A big bottle of water. Candy; all sorts. Some chocolate, some along the lines of Skittles and Sprees. Chips, plain and flavored and then finally, he grabbed some fruit. A banana and an apple. He obviously had no idea what the hell she might want to eat, but variety was good he figured. With two bags, one in each hand, Rhett finally made his way to the station to meet up with Dhara.

Dhara: Her walk through the sewers was mercifully uneventful and rather clean, two things she was very thankful for as she climbed the ladder in Wickbridge. She opened the small door of the shed that hid the manhole cover. Taking a deep breath of the fresh night air, she ran a hand over her hair to make sure it still looked okay, then pressed a hand to her stomach. Butterflies, these were definitely butterflies she was feeling. A smile touched her lips as she checked her phone and then stepped on the train. She hadn’t felt butterflies in ages. It was a nice, and yet oddly disconcerting feeling. Newborough Station was just a short ride away, certainly not enough time to stop feeling nervous. As the train stopped, the feeling intensified, and she clenched her hands together as she stepped off the train.

It wasn’t hard to find him, he stood head and shoulders above the rest. Casual in an open button down shirt, tank top and jeans, she found his appearance rather striking and smiled even more as she saw him. A light blush touched her pale cheeks and she silently admonished herself. She didn’t need to be so nervous, but for some reason, she couldn’t help herself. And so she did what she usually did when she got nervous. She took a deep breath, walked straight over to him and smiled. “Good evening, Rhett. You look wonderful tonight.”

Rhett: He was looking for her, which was a difficult task because Dhara was a pretty short woman and easily lost in a crowd. Until he saw someone coming for him and instantly recognized who it was, hair and all. “Your hair.” He blurted out, not thinking about how that might sound. “It’s...wow.” Rhett hadn’t seen anything like it before. “I mean, it’s not bad looking-just really unexpected.” He followed up, because he didn’t want to offend her and because it didn’t look bad. It actually looked really good with her skin complexion. “Oh. Thanks.” Rhett realized she had complimented him while he was standing there staring at her like an idiot. Complement her back, you doof. The voice in his head kicked him. “You look, really good.” Rhett said with a big smile as a hand, still holding a bag, came up to the back of his neck and rubbed at it. “Yeah, so there’s this thing on the campus down here.” Rhett started to talk about what they were going to be doing. “I saw some flyers up about it earlier in the week. Ready?” He turned his attention away from her then, because he kept staring like an idiot at her. Was it because he was still in shock over her hair, the way she was dressed or something different? He wasn't sure, but he didn’t want her to think he was an idiot.

Dhara: Her laugh was soft and warm, she recognized his babbling for what it was, simply because it was taking everything in her not to do the same. At the mention of the campus, her smile faltered slightly but she shoved her thoughts away and looked up at him, amber eyes shining in the lights. “Thank you.” She said as he complimented her hair, oddly pleased that he liked it. “I’m ready when you are.” She looked at the bags in his hands curiously, but didn’t ask what was in them. Instead she held out one tiny hand. “May I take one of those?” came first, followed by “I’m nervous, too.”

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: The guy didn’t notice her smile falter, mostly because he was still looking at her hair. Dhara and he were the same in a lot of things and then different in others. She was maybe a little more bold than he was, and she was definitely more outgoing. Rhett wasn’t exactly a recluse or liked to be alone, but he was the sort of guy that blended in when he was in a group of people, and that was fine by him. “Uh, yeah. Okay. It’s for you anyways.” He added in, handing her the bag with the banana and apple in it. “For the thing tonight. I didn't know if you ate anything, or might be hungry at some point.” Rhett admitted, thinking about her confession. Was he nervous? He wasn’t uncomfortable. He was just unfamiliar with all this. The hanging out with people outside of work, and then the dating thing.

“How’s your week been?” Rhett thought about texting her a couple times, especially when he had a huge mistake, but didn’t want to bother her or scare Dhara away. How do you tell someone that you suffer from the same thing your sire does? That when he bites someone to feed, they’ll more than likely become a vampire? How fucked is that? Rhett didn’t even want to make anyone a vampire, but one night he had. He really needed to find out where that pig farm was at.

Dhara: She took the bag and peeked inside with a smile. “Thank you. I hadn’t even thought about eating.” She said honestly. She was painfully thin, her bone structure delicate and her skin nearly translucent. She certainly didn’t starve herself on purpose, but she simply forgot, getting too wrapped up in projects or work. “It was okay. I’ve weaned myself off work and now I only have one job.” She hooked the bag over her arm, then linked her arm around his, starting to walk towards the campus. “I’ve had a lot of free time which is strange.” She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “I thought about texting you to see if you wanted to get a coffee or something, but…” She paused, what was she going to say? She didn’t want to sound desperate? “But I figured you might be busy.” She finished lamely. “Oh I did talk to my friend about his farm. I have the directions whenever you want to go.”


Rhett: Rhett slowed his pace when she mentioned the whole not eating thing. Wasn’t eating something that someone had to do? It was funny that Dhara had many jobs and here Rhett had none. Well, he had one and then for some strange reason, just a couple days later, they let him go. No reason why, no transferring him to a different department, just fired. That’s what Rhett got for being spontaneous, maybe. “Free time is good. I didn’t have a lot of it until, well, you know.” He wasn't going to say ‘when I became a vampire’ in public, for obvious reasons. “Can’t drink coffee, but I would have came. Ample free time here too.” He said as he looked down at the arm she linked through his. “Yeah? How does tomorrow sound?” Rhett asked, maybe a little too eagerly, then laughed at himself. “I’m just trying to not bite..you know,” he paused to look around. “people.” His gaze returned to her after he said that. “Ever.” He wanted to assure her, even though she didn’t know, that he wasn’t going to bite her and make her a vampire. “So, it’s this way.” Rhett pointed across the large campus lawn, towards the science building. Other people, quite a few could be seen heading in that direction, all with various items, but mostly the obvious (which Rhett forgot like an idiot), a blanket of some description.

Dhara: “Making an entire weekend of it?” She asked curiously, giving his arm a light squeeze. “I like that idea.” She looked around, watching the people gather near the science building. She was intensely curious about what they were doing but she didn’t ask, waiting to be surprised. “And I do know. You can always text me or drop by, the fridge is always stocked.” She brushed one of the curls from her eyes and looked up at him with a smile. “In fact, you can just drop by any time. No reason needed.” It was an incredibly bold statement but she meant it. She enjoyed spending time with him and if he wanted to drop by and spend the evening talking about anything and everything, she wasn’t going to say no.

Rhett: “Well, I, ahhh.” Rhett thought about what she asked, not realizing at first how that might come across. Overeager? Clingy? Rhett certainly wasn’t that, but here he was suggesting they spend tonight and tomorrow together. As they kept walking, it would become obvious where they were heading. With the large mass of other people (primarily college kids), all finding spots to put blankets on and a large white backdrop that was tied to a building. Along with the chit-chat of people they passed that mentioned ‘already seeing the movie,’ or other things about a movie Rhett didn’t know anything about, but they both hadn’t ever been to one and out here he felt they could watch the movie and enjoy talking. Much like everyone else out here. “Yeah?” He asked as he looked over at Dhara, then finally helped her with her hair issue and tucked the wayward strand behind her ear for added measure. “I might.” He added to the question he previously asked, implying that he very well may take her up on the offer.

Dhara: “Might works.” She said it rather softly, because his touch had surprised her. The gesture sweet, simple, as he tucked her hair back. “I hope you do.” She said in reference to him dropping by. She looked around, listening to the chatter and watching students find places to lay their blankets. “A movie?” she couldn’t contain the excitement in her voice as she spotted the large white screen. “This is a wonderful idea.” She grinned up at him and then pointed. There was a large tree some what off to the side with no one sitting beneath it. It also afforded a great view of the movie screen. “What about over there?” She suggested, pointing to the tree.

Rhett: “Yeah. Why not? We can make a weekend out of it, or whatever.” Rhett said with a nod of his head before Dhara questioned the activity he picked for them to do. Rhett just nodded and rubbed at the back of his neck, “Yeah, but I kind of forgot the main essential.” He pointed to a blanket that a guy was sitting on by himself as he took them in the direction Dhara pointed to. “I guess you can tell how often I don’t do this sort of thing.” Or anything, he thought to himself as he stopped at the tree. “And just wait before saying it’s a wonderful idea? I’m not sure what the movie is about, but it’s supposed to be funny. Something about Napoleon.” Rhett figured it was actually about the famous guy in history, but wouldn’t he be in for a big surprise?

Dhara: “Well I suppose I could sit in your lap.” She teased, as she set the bag down and then sat, not caring about the fallen leaves or dirt. She leaned against the tree and looked up at him. “How can any thing about Napoleon be funny?” She asked curiously. “And I still think it’s a wonderful idea, simply because the company is great.” She patted a spot of grass and leaves next to her. “Come on down here and relax with me?”

[Rhett Keyes]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: “I uhhh, actually don’t know.” He admitted with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “Maybe it’s his early life?” He offered, not knowing what else to suggest or say, because Dhara had a fair point. The comment about her sitting on his lap made Rhett recognize that this was in fact probably a date. Not a friend date. Friends don’t say that sort of stuff to friends. And Rhett was okay with that. This being an actual date. He watched her take a seat, not at all bothered by the absence of a blanket and as she asked him to join her, he was already on his way to the ground to sit next to her. “If it’s too bad of a movie, we could always skip out early.” He offered, but hoped it wasn’t all that bad of a movie. A sucky first date probably wasn’t something that would be followed up a second go around. Not that he was counting on that. Well, maybe he was. Why not?

Dhara: “This is true.” She smiled as he sat beside her. Opening the bag she held, she pulled out the apple and polished it on her sleeve. She was about to offer to share when she remembered that he couldn’t eat anything. She wondered how that felt, going from being able to enjoy your favorite things any time you wanted to never being able to have those things again. She took a bite of the fruit, savoring the juice and the crunch it made. She chewed and swallowed before speaking again. “How did you find out about this event?” She asked curiously, looking from him to the people all around them. She loved to people watch.

Rhett: “Dumb luck,” Rhett tells her with a laugh and then shook his head. “I only live a few blocks off campus. I rent a place a little less than a mile, that way.” Rhett points to the east of them as he watches her eat. He remembers what all the things taste like that he got for her tonight, but they don’t smell as they once did for him. It was probably because he couldn’t eat them, his body didn’t need the nourishment from real food anymore. “So I was walking a couple nights ago and saw a flier. Wasn’t hard to miss. They’re all on some bright colored paper, sticking to just about everything. And I remembered we hadn’t really seen many-or any movies...I thought it would be better than going to a movie theater.” He finally said as he looked in the direction she had just been looking at, wondering what held her attention for those few seconds. “It will mostly be college kids, but I figure we can deal with them for a couple hours.” He grinned at her, watching her chew for a second or two. Eating was a lot more easier than getting blood. That was for sure.

Dhara: “Well it’s not like we don’t blend in.” She said with a soft laugh, then she decided to inch closer, closing the small gap that was between them. She wasn’t quite leaning on him, but her arm brushed his with every breath she took. Her nose crinkled as she thought about the direction he pointed. Those apartments weren’t exactly safe, or nice. Not that she was one to judge on safety. “I hope you’re careful living there. Those don’t exactly seem… um… safe.” She rolled her eyes at herself and how stupid she sounded. She had a feeling that Rhett could take care of himself quite easily. A movement caught her attention and her head turned the other way, only for her to look away just as quickly, a blush touching her cheek. It seemed that not all couples were interested in keeping their PDA to a minimum. She idly thought to herself at the rate they were going, someone was going to chew someone else’s face off. She cleared her throat and studied her apple intently. “Have you found a job to occupy your time yet?” She asked curiously, wondering if he would ever find a job that inspired just as much passion as his previous career had.

Rhett: “Yeah, they’re almost as bad as the apartments that house great big monsters and things that are known for wanting to eat pretty girl’s brains.” Rhett commented with a chuckle as he gave her a small nudge with an elbow at about the time she came in closer to him. At the mention of a job, Rhett frowned a little and sighed. “I was working for some pawn place. I liked it and was learning fast, but then one night I was let go without much of a reason why. I wasn’t too slow of a learner, didn’t steal anything, so now I’m unemployed once again. Being a, well, you know, has kind of made getting a job, a really good one, hard to get. Even finding one to work in my nightly schedule outside of clubs is damn near impossible.” Rhett shrugged and sighed. “I’ll find something when the time is right.” He added in. While he was frustrated, Rhett wasn’t one to dwell in the unfortunate circumstances he found his way into. He climbed out of one bad stereotype as a human, he could do it again as a vampire.

Dhara: “That’s a good way to think about it.” She said with a nod. She had finished the apple while they talked and tucked the core into the bag that had held it. The banana she had set aside. And this time she did lean on him as a hush fell over the crowd and the white screen lit up. The movie was about to start and she was intensely curious to see the comedy about Napoleon. She tilted her head to the side as the words Napoleon Dynamite appeared on the screen. Her eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity, then widened a bit as the movie started. She laughed, unable to help herself. “I do not think this is about Napoleon Bonaparte. Unless he was an awkward high school kid with an afro and snow boots…” Still, she leaned gently against his arm, content to watch what was probably a terrible movie.

Rhett: As soon as the movie started, Rhett knew right away that this wasn’t anything to do with THE NAPOLEON, but was something different altogether. “Well,” Rhett said with an awkward glance to Dhara before he shrugged. What else could be done about it? Not much, other than leave the movie and find something else to do or watch. But when Dhara leaned against him, Rhett was sure the decision to stay had been made and so, they would watch whatever this was, and hopefully it wasn’t a big bomb. If it was, Rhett might have to try and take her to another movie (which, he wasn't against), the next one though, he would research a little better than he had with this one. He let the movie start for a little while before Rhett looked over at Dhara, figuring this wasn’t his type of movie and gave her an appreciative smile. “Thanks for coming.” Well, his first movie would be rememberable, that was for sure. How can someone forget that the first movie they saw, sucked?

Dhara: She chuckled softly and looked up at him. “Thanks for inviting me.” She said quietly, turning her attention to the screen. The movie was terrible and she couldn’t focus on it. It wasn’t even cheesy funny. She sighed quietly and tucked her hair back behind her ear. After fifteen or twenty long, agonizing minutes dragged by, she tugged on his sleeve gently, sitting up straight to murmur in his ear, she didn’t want to disturb anyone who might actually be enjoying the movie. “Please, don’t take this the wrong way… but this movie really sucks.” She smiled gently, hoping she didn’t hurt his feelings. “Do you want to go do something else?” She left it in his hands, but wanted him to know she was open to the idea.

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


Rhett: There was a tug on his sleeve and Rhett turned to look at Dhara. She was close. Really close to him. In his face, close. She confessed her true feelings about the movie and all Rhett could do was nod a little and chuckle lightly. “It does. Suck.” He admitted, looking her in the face. Do something else? He could think of one thing he wanted to do right then and there since she was so close to him. “Yeah. We can go do something.” He nodded and jumped right up. “You still hungry?” Rhett couldn’t eat, but that didn't mean he would stop Dhara from eating. At least there would be a table space between them to keep him from thinking about all those things he would like to do to those lips of hers when she was as close as she was just now.

Dhara: She watched him as he spoke and she couldn’t help how her eyes drifted to his mouth and then back up to his own eyes. She felt slightly enthralled in that moment but the spell was broken when he jumped up. She laughed softly and got to her feet, gathering the bag with the apple core and shaking her head. “No, but I would kill for a coffee.” She linked her arm around his and began leading him to the part of campus where one of her favorite coffee kiosks was. “What about you? Are you hungry? We could go out to the ranch if you want?” She used her free hand to brush a few wandering strands of hair from her eyes. “Really though, I’m up for pretty much anything.”

Rhett: Anything. That sounded...well, very open, to Rhett, and could be construed in multiple ways. Why was he even thinking like this?! That Dhara might really mean anything? Rhett needed a good, cold shower. That’s what he really needed. He should say goodnight to Dhara, make up some lie about why he has to leave so abruptly and get far, far away from her. Rhett was not the type of person to have these sorts of ideas running in his head. Except for that one time. With that Russian chick. The thought even made him shudder. Did she open up some sort of pandora’s box the night they met?

Rhett can’t be rude. It’s not in his nature. “Coffee, first.” He agrees because Rhett is stalling. He’s still thinking of doing a runner, while battling deep inside with his conscious. What is right and what is wrong. It’s wrong to ditch Dhara when she didn’t actually do anything. But it’s right to ditch her before he does something. Something unwelcomed. How far is too far? Rhett wants to find out, but instead he just keeps his focus forward as she takes them towards the coffee stand. “Did you live around here too?” Rhett asked, because wasn’t it weird she knew just where to go to get coffee? Rhett didn’t even know that.

Dhara: “No. But I used to spend a lot of time here.” She grew quiet for a moment as memories swarmed over her. She let out a slow breath and shoved them aside, gently clearing her throat. “I dated a Professor here for a while. He’s in Italy now.” She hoped that her words were as casual as she tried to make them. She saw the kiosk come insight and reached in to her pocket, managing to open the small pouch that held her cash, and extract some bills. The barista already had a black coffee waiting for her as she approached with a smile. “How do you know campus so well, Rhett? Just by living nearby?”

Rhett: “Oh.” Rhett nodded. He wasn’t surprised she dates someone, just that she dated someone that worked here. A professor. Why did that seem weird? How old was Dhara anyways? He should ask. Rhett will ask next time when it wasn’t weird. “Well, sort of.” Rhett admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, letting Dhara order before he continued on. “I work, worked, at a Youth Center around here. On the weekends.” Rhett rubbed the back of his neck. “Little League, and we actually use the outdoor field here because the center doesn’t have one.” He nudged his head towards the athletic building. “But obviously, I had to quit.” Rhett moved to the other side of Dhara so she could get her coffee. “So, that’s pretty much my story for the last decade or so. Worked a lot...did some mentoring for some kids. I used to play baseball when I was in high school. But I blew my shoulder out my junior year and wasn’t able to go hardcore after that.” He shrugged. “I guess I was living vicariously through them, as some people would say.” He laughed as he nudged her.

Dhara: She paid for her coffee and dropped the change in the tip jar as she accepted the cup. She listened to his voice as he explained what he used to do, then nodded and smiled when he nudged her. “There’s really nothing wrong with that, living vicariously I mean. As long as it was something you enjoyed. Have you ever thought of starting a night team?” She took a sip of her coffee and sighed happily. Black and strong, it was perfect. “You know, there’s nothing better than a strong cup of black coffee.” She looked around and reached for his arm again, but at the last moment, she wrapped both hands around the warm cup. She didn’t want make him uncomfortable by holding on to him if he didn’t like it, though she rather enjoyed walking arm and arm with him. “Where would you like to go from here?”

Rhett: “I hadn’t. Is that a common thing? For adults it’s not so bad, I guess. But telling parents their kids have a game at eight or nine at night on a school night always gets strange looks. Or pissed off parents.” Rhett chuckled and then shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll find a new passion, or figure something out at some point.” He smiled, not overly phased by his current situation. Sure, it sucked, but life could be a lot worse. He could have ended up dead.

Dhara was leaving it up to him to figure out what to do again. His mind went there again. What would she say if he said, ‘let’s go back to my place?’ Rhett should slap himself for even thinking about that on what might potentially be a first date. Though, he could suggest it and then leave it up to her if she wanted to leave after they watched a movie. Or something. If she didn’t leave, great. If she did, that was fine too. Rhett was going to go for it. “We could go back to my place. It’s just a few blocks away.” He pointed in the direction quickly. “There’s a video place that I might have a subscription to still. Or might need to get a new one. But easy enough to fix, right?” Rhett rubbed at the back of his neck as his eyes trailed down from her face to, well, her breasts. “Or maybe back to yours? Just because this movie sucked, doesn’t mean another will.” With that his eyes returned back to Dhara’s face, as quick as they could, hoping she hadn’t seen him staring at her breasts.

Dhara: “I think it is in the summer? I mean, parents can’t be mad if there’s no school, right?” She chuckled softly, even as he spoke. With the way she was looking up at him, she hadn’t missed how his eyes had traveled from her face down to her less than spectacular breasts and back up. Her cheeks turned pink and she hoped he hadn’t seen how his gaze made her blush. It wasn’t so much where he was looking, but the fact that he was looking at all that made her feel so shy suddenly. Men just didn’t look at her like that, like she was desirable. She realized she was staring and cleared her throat, taking a long swallow of her coffee. “Well your place is closer, and probably less um… you know…” She was referring to the zombies that roamed the lobby of her building. “I’m fine with going there and watching a movie if you are.”

[Rhett Keyes]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: Rhett should take the suggestion back. He hadn’t actually thought of inviting her to his place tonight when he was getting ready. He was sure he had a couple piles of mail in random places, some magazines of the athletic kind and did he even have food? Or something to drink other than water? It probably should all get thrown out by now. There’s no point in keeping gatorades around, or other things like jelly, butter and syrup. That didn’t even include things in the freezer or the cabinets. When did he clean the apartment last? Three weeks ago? Four? He wasn’t a slob, but he couldn’t really do anything during the daytime hours. It’s like the world goes on, but he doesn’t know what’s going on when it goes on. Rhett doubt he would even hear a fire alarm go off in the apartment building. Rhett would just burn right up to a crisp. The thought made him frown. Maybe he should get a roommate. Or move out and move into Jesse’s place.

It’s then he realizes he’s thinking of things that don’t really matter right now. Not with Dhara next to him. Those things he could think about when she wasn’t around. Rhett looked in Dhara’s direction and didn’t miss the flush to her cheeks. Was she cold? It wasn’t cold to him, but the cold or hot didn’t really bother him. Or had she seen him gawking at her breasts like a teenager would? Real smooth, Rhett. He kicked himself internally. “Cool and good suggestion. Something to keep in mind for next year, maybe..” He said with a nod of his head before Rhett wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her close to him and to keep her going in the right direction. Sure, he gave her a general idea, but at some point they would have to turn left and head down a small side street with five or six other small complexes that were probably owned by the same slum landlord.

“It’s nothing great. Kind of small.” Rhett admitted after a few seconds of silence. “So, stop by the movie place first?” He asked her as they crossed the street and left the campus grounds.

Dhara: When his arm came around her, a small smile curved her lips. Rather than pull away, she snuggled against his side, slipping an arm around his waist. She let him guide her and listened as he talked. Being as close as she was, she could feel his voice rumble through his body as much as she could hear it. And she couldn’t help but secretly appreciate how he shortened his stride for her. He was actually walking with her instead of dragging her along or making her practically run to keep pace.

“Movie place first.” She agreed, taking in their surroundings as they walked. She couldn’t remember being in this part of town since she never wandered past the campus when she came to visit. “What kind of movies do you like?” She hadn’t really seen many movies in her life. As a child it was all about music lessons and rigorous schooling. What movies she was allowed to see were black and white classics, and she’d never been to an actual movie theater. “Have you ever seen Casablanca?”

Rhett: “No. But I’ve heard about it. And I’m not sure.” Rhett admitted rather sheepishly before he looked down at Dhara. The small movie store popped into view, some brick building with a dark, hunter green corrugated plastic sheeting as a roof, with a small, matching sign on the wall that said “Odd Obsession, Movie Rentals,” in bright yellow lettering. “Want to watch it tonight?” He asked as the arm that wasn’t around her shoulder pulled open the door for them to walk through. Only, as soon as he opened it, Rhett realized that they both couldn’t fit through it at the same time. “You first.” He waited until she went in, followed after and placed his arm back on her shoulder. He liked keeping them close together and had been reluctant, and maybe she noticed it, when he had to drop the arm from around her.

“Isn’t that some old romantic movie?” Rhett asked her, trying to figure out where to start looking section wise. His best guess was either ‘classics,’ or ‘Romance.’

Dhara: “It is. It’s got Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It’s a romance of sort. It’s a man who has to decide between the woman he loves and helping her husband escape capture.” She linked her arm around him once more, nestling into his side as soon as his arm came back around her. “But I know the classics aren’t for everyone.” She looked up at him and smiled before her gaze fell back to the selection of movies that lined shelf after shelf in the small store. “What are you interested in seeing? I wouldn’t mind trying something new.”

Rhett: Rhett doesn’t know who those people are. The male’s name sounds familiar, but he hasn’t seen anything that the guy was in. He is pretty sure he remembers his parents talking about wanting to watch the movie at some point when he was a kid, after he went to bed.

“Uhm.” Rhett stopped in the middle of the rental place and looked around at all the sections. As he did this, he wondered if his arm felt heavy to Dhara. Did he feel different now that he was dead? More added weight? Colder? Clamy? He figured if he felt too weird or heavy, she would have said something by now. Even shrugged him off her shoulders. “Action.” The guy shook his head. He had enough action from living wild on the streets when he was in his early to mid teens. He could do without watching someone die on the streets. Again. Even if it was just a movie. Rhett swallowed hard before looking away. “Drama…”Another shake of his head. “Musicals.” An even quicker shake of his head. “Documentaries.” Rhett wouldn’t mind watching something like that, depending on what it was. But not tonight. “Comedy?” He shook his head. They already have an unsuccessful attempt at watching a comedy earlier in the night. “Let’s go with the classics. Can’t go wrong, right? It’s what makes them a classic, because everyone likes them.” That made sense to him. Something wouldn’t still be around and popular if it sucked.

Dhara: “I thought age is what made them a classic.” She chuckled softly, having listened to him run through a list of things he liked. She gave a small tug around his waist and began wandering slowly through the shelves with him, her eyes scanning the titles. “I like documentaries…” She mused as she read title after title. There were so many movies she wasn’t sure where to start. It was really a little overwhelming. She let out a slow breath and scanned title after title.

If she were honest with herself, and with him, she would admit she was stalling. She was dragging out their time in the video store because she enjoyed being held against him. She liked the weight of his arm across her shoulders. But before long, her eyes landed on a familiar case and she reached out to grab the movie. “Here it is…” She murmured, holding it up to show him.

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: He laughed with her chuckling before shrugging his shoulders. “I actually don’t know.” He smiled, staring at her as she pulled him with her and started looking at the titles of movies. “You do? Got any good suggestions for a documentary?” He put a free hand at the back of his neck and rubbed at it. “Maybe we could get one of those and watch it too. Unless you have a curfew?” Rhett looked over at the movie she found and nodded his head. Would they actually watch the whole thing, or any of them or was this just something they had good intentions of doing and then they wouldn’t? He stared at the cover, hard and kicked himself. No, they should definitely watch the movie. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea on their first date. Because Rhett was hoping they would have at least another date. “Let’s get both and sort it out at my place?” He tugged Dhara to the documentary section and gave it a quick scan, seeing something about the ozone, fast food and children. Lots of things about children and society. “Hm.” He said as he looked at the rest of the movies. “Maybe when we have more time?” He suggested, because damnit if Rhett didn’t want to get out of here and be on his couch already with Dhara sitting next and close to him.

Dhara: “I agree. Perhaps documentaries are better served on a second date.” She teased him, only half joking. She knew she wouldn’t mind a second date, or even a third and fourth, but she didn’t want to get ahead of herself. “And no curfew, or turning into a pumpkin at midnight.” She laughed and linked an arm around his, leading him to the checkout counter. She set the movie down and waited quietly for Rhett to do what he needed.

While he took care of the rental, her mind wandered. Unknowingly it was along the same track as Rhett’s unspoken thoughts. Would they really watch the movie? Or did he have something else in mind? And if he did, would she really object? She honestly couldn’t answer that question, and decided it was best to put her mind on something else. She heard the register slam closed and brought her focus back to her date. “Are we ready then?” She asked with a smile.

Rhett: He did have an account once upon a time, but it went inactive a couple years ago. Rhett wasn’t surprised. All he needed was a driver’s license and phone number and bam. Re-activated once again. While the guy behind the counter was taking care of business, Rhett was thinking over what she said. Would they have a second date? He wasn’t against it. And she had suggested it. Rhett decided he would definitely ask her on a second date as he grabbed the movie with one hand and allowed his arm to reclaim her shoulder again. “Ready.” He said with a nod before walking out of the movie rental place with her.

The walk to his apartment was shorter than the walk from campus to the movie rental place. “The neighbor across the hall has a dog that escapes sometimes. Scratches at my door. Just so you know it’s not a zom-you know what.” He smiled at her. He doubted she would think that was what it was if and when she heard it, but he wanted to give her a fair heads up. “And the lady down the hall on the main floor cooks a lot of stuff. All the time. The halls always smell different. Sometimes, not so good.” Rhett was a little nervous. He should have moved by now already, but with dying and other things, he had pretty much stuck to Jesse’s places. It just seemed smarter and safer. Rhett slid a card in the entryway door and it buzzed open. He grabbed the door with the hand that had the movie in it and led her up to the second floor. The smell of something Italian hanging thickly in the air, even as they ascended to the second floor.

They would go down the second floor hall and he would stop at the first apartment on the left side of the hall. He pulled a key out of his pocket, letting go of Dhara to do this, put it in the lock and opened the door. He went in first because wouldn’t it be weird to let her go in first on the first time inside his place? She wouldn’t know where to go, not that his apartment was all that big.

The first room they stepped into was the living room, which was adjoined by a very small dining room space, which would lead to an average sized kitchen. From there next to the kitchen was a small hallway that would lead to bedroom one and a very small bedroom two that was used for a office and between those two rooms was a typical bathroom. Thankfully, not too many papers were out and about because Rhett had very little bills and tossed junk mail away asap. When you worked all the time, you had money to pay for things and didn’t have time to read trash. At least that was his stance on things. As they walked through the place, he gave a quick tour, pointing to the most important places she might need. Bathroom, kitchen and the living room. “I don’t know what I have in my fridge, but if it’s not expired or looks bad, you’re free to it.” Next time he would make sure he knew what was in there before offering her something. “So, this is home. I guess.” He chuckled before looking at Dhara, the movie finding a home on the couch once they returned to the living room.

Dhara: She stepped in behind him, rather enjoying the lingering aroma of authentic Italian cooking. She took her shoes off just inside the door and left them neatly against the wall. The tour was brief and she walked with him in silence, taking everything in. As they made it back to the living room, she looked at the couch, then up at him as he spoke. A playful grin crossed her lips. “I have a policy not to raid the fridge until at least the third date.”

However, she took his invitation to make herself comfortable by curling up on his couch and pulling the pins from her hair. While she didn’t mind wearing it up, it gave her a headache and she avoided it as much as possible. The pale blue locks spilled and tumbled over and around her creamy white shoulders, falling down her back in a riot of loose curls that looked like ocean waves thanks to the color. “You know… something tells me you were humoring me about the movie choice. I hope you’re not bored with it.” She knew old black and white films were not every ones cup of tea, and she really hoped he liked the movie she’d picked. “Next time you choose.” She said without thinking, simply assuming there would be a next time.

Rhett: He watched her, probably longer than he should have as she took her hair down. And his mind roamed to a lot of scenarios with her on the couch like that. “Next time.” Rhett agreed, still watching Dhara. He wouldn’t know what he would pick, but he would give it a shot. “I won’t be bored.” Rhett promised her, because he was sure that it would be difficult to be bored with her around. “Let’s do this.” Rhett said awkwardly. It was clear he didn’t have a lot of company over a lot-or ever as Rhett took a few minutes to sort out how to even put the DVD in the DVD player he was talked into getting a couple christmases ago when they were on sale for really cheap.

Finally, the movie started playing with some advert about not stealing or pirating and refurbishing the old classics and how it’s all possible as Rhett took a seat next to Dhara and tugged her over to him so she came to rest at his side.

[Rhett Keyes]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Dhara: She happily snuggled into his side, her feet tucked beneath her, hidden under the long black skirt she wore. Her head came to rest on his chest and she slid an arm across his abdomen. She couldn’t help the momentary surprise at the lack of heartbeat. She was so used to humans, living, breathing creatures with blood pumping through their heart. While she knew that vampire hearts didn’t beat, she never really gave it much thought. Then again, she’d never snuggled with a vampire either. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, it was gone again. To her, it didn’t matter that his heart wasn’t beating, he was still a person. Her head tipped back and she looked up at him with a grin. “Who, honestly, would pirate old movies? Is that even a thing, really?”

Rhett: “Pirating?” Rhett shrugged his shoulders as he stared down at Dhara. He didn’t have any pirated movies, and he wasn’t sure he knew anyone that did either. Though, his list of friends was small. To Dhara and Jesse mostly. “People would do anything for money if they need it, I guess.” Rhett leaned down and brushed his lips against the top of her forehead before returning his gaze to the television. He should be focusing on the movie and not Dhara on the couch with him so much. Rhett felt like he was acting like some kid in highschool with a pretty girl next to them. Like an idiot. He watched the opening of the movie, eyes glaring at the television as he tried to focus on the movie, only to sigh. “I can’t watch this.” He admitted, eyes swinging back to Dhara. “Not when I’d rather be doing this.” It was then he brought a hand to her chin and captured her lips with his, in a searing kiss. Yeah, he’d been wanting to do that since they were on the college campus grounds and now seemed like as good of a time as any.

Dhara: She nodded in agreement at his comment about needing money. It was something she could kind of relate to. After all, she stood on street corners and played her lute and violin for spare pocket change, it was how she funded her travels all over the world. The light touch of his lips made her smile shyly and she tried to focus on the movie. Barely any time had passed before he sighed and she was certain that he was bored. His next statement confirmed her suspicion, and yet not in the way she thought. She looked up at him, lips parted to reply when he continued speaking. Before she had a chance to process his words, he was kissing her.

It felt like time had stopped and her brain seemed to take a hike, along with all logical cognitive reasoning. She wasn’t sure how long she just sat there, but it felt like forever before she could even think again. And her first thought was to move her hand from around his stomach to the back of his neck, followed by her second thought, moving closer. So she sat up straighter and actively kissed him in return instead of just being a bystander in their first kiss.

Rhett: Dhara could stop him at any time and Rhett wouldn’t be one of those guys. There was a time in his life that he was one of those guys, when he ran with the wrong crowd before he got his **** together, but he recognized what a dick he was and partnered up with the death of the three guys he was closest to in that group, Rhett kicked his own *** into gear. Maybe it was fear he would end up like them, or maybe it was Jesse. Meeting him. Jesse was worse off than Rhett at the time and inspired Rhett to help the guy out. And in essence, help himself out. So if Dhara had rejected Rhett’s advances, as awkward as it would have been, Rhett wouldn’t have been that guy.

Only, she didn’t and he wasn’t about to stop either. Rhett moved and manipulated Dhara so she was in his lap, facing him, never breaking the kiss. A hand went to her back only to make sure she didn’t fall off his lap from the unexpected movement, but wasn’t by any means keeping her pinned to him. If she wanted off of him, she was free too, after he grabbed another kiss from her and that would be that.

Dhara: She found herself in his lap, and was surprised to find she didn’t really mind. Her arms linked gently around his neck as they kissed, and she realized she was holding her breath unintentionally. Slowly she broke the kiss and exhaled. Her pale cheeks were flushed with color, revealing pale freckles that ran across her cheeks and nose. She searched his face for a moment, then smiled shyly and kissed him again. While it was certainly not how she had thought the evening would go, she wasn’t complaining either.
After several long moments, she almost reluctantly broke the kiss. She looked him over again and said the first thing that came to mind. “Hi…” it came out softly, almost a whisper and she mentally kicked herself for being so awkward. But then again, what did you say to the guy who literally took your breath away? She sincerely hoped that Rhett would see past her awkward shyness, and hope even more that he’d have the tact not to laugh at her.

Rhett: He was grinning at her when she broke the kiss and didn’t laugh at her when she said hi. In fact, Rhett replied with a “Hey,” to boot, as a hand came up to her hair and tucked it behind her ear. The hand on her back remained as Rhett just looked at Dhara, paying little attention to the background noise that was being played by the movie they had rented. He noted the flush of her cheeks and the freckles that painted those cheeks, but most of all, Rhett was lost in Dhara’s eyes. Was he attracted to her because she was so full of life? No, there was more to Dhara than the fact she was a person that needed to breathe and could eat.

Rhett cleared his throat and glanced down to her lips. “I hope you don’t mind me being blunt, but we’re going to do that again at some point tonight.” Rhett could kiss Dhara for hours, he decided and wanted to, but he could wait. He was a patient man. They would get there.

Dhara: He didn’t laugh, and he didn’t pull away, two pluses in her book. Infact, the hand on her back was a comfortable pressure, and she leaned slightly into his touch when he tucked her hair back. She studied him the way he studied her, a small smile playing on her lips, her amber eyes alight with happiness. She was an expressive person, and one could tell everything just by looking at her her face.

“I don’t mind…” She said, blushing at his comment. “You being blunt or kissing me again. I rather like the idea.” She brought her hand up and traced long, pale fingers lightly along his jaw. Her touch was barely there and she moved as if she was touching a master work sculpture. Light, delicate strokes of the pads of her fingers along the length of his jaw. “And in the spirit of bluntness, I’m telling you right now that I’m not moving from this spot.” And she wouldn’t until it was time to leave. Instead, she made herself comfortable in his lap, snuggled against him in such a way that they could watch the movie. And yet, the way she sat made it easy for her to be able to look up at him, and yes, easy for her or him to steal another kiss.

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: He didn’t mind. Wouldn’t mind. In fact, one arm came around her and rested comfortably on her as they continued to watch the movie. When Rehtt figured nothing too important was happening, he was initiating more kisses with Dhara - and sometimes, it just happened that it would be right before something that shouldn’t have been missed. So a movie that was already long enough would have to be back tracked just a little so that Rhett could catch up on what he missed, making the movie at least thirty minutes; more like forty-five minutes longer than it should have been. Keeping Dhara with him for a total of almost five hours that night; from the start of the date, until Casablanca ended. When Rhett cut the television off with the remote, along with the DVD player, it was only then, when the time of the night (now day,) was visible. “Shoot. I’m sorry about the time.” Rhett was and wasn’t. He had enjoyed himself, but he also haven’t meant to keep her here that long. “I can walk you back. I don’t mind. Or, if it’s not too forward of me, you can stay here. I have a couch. I don’t mind claiming it and you can have the bed. Or whatever.” Rhett was cool with whatever she decided she wanted to do for the night. Staying here was a plus on the whole getting to bed sooner than later scope, but some saw it as a no-no on the first date. Even if they were in opposite rooms. So whatever she picked, Rhett would respect. He wouldn’t crash for a couple hours anyways if Dhara decided she wanted to go back to her place.

Dhara: She checked the time and looked at him curiously. She had had a wonderful time, and even though she didn’t want their date to end, she was also kind of tired. She mused over the choices, nestled in his lap, her fingers stroking lightly along the back of his neck. “I couldn’t kick you out of your bed. I’ll take the couch, if you don’t mind me staying.” Was it forward? Absolutely. Was it completely out of the scope of normal for her? Most certainly. But she trusted Rhett to behave like a gentleman, as he had all night. He reminded her a lot of Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind. Not just his name, but his attitude. He was a gentleman, but she also had the feeling he wouldn’t put up with any kind of shenanigans.

Rhett: The couch it was. “I don’t mind.” He ensured her with a short nod, because her fingers on his neck felt great and he didn’t want Dhara to stop if he nodded too much. A couple thoughts came to mind now that he offered Dhara his place to stay for the night, and essentially the day too. Like the fact he would be sleeping most the day. Was there enough food for her? If she wanted to shower, he should tell her how the hot side needed to be turned almost all the way to make the shower warm and that if there wasn’t enough food, there was this small diner that was open twenty-four hours around the corner and down the block. “You can stay as long as you like to.” He told her, forgetting all that other stuff for the time being. “And you wouldn’t be kicking me out of my bed. I offered it to you.” He said with a small chuckle before Rhett placed his hand at the back of her head and grabbed another kiss.

Dhara: She melted against him, one dainty hand splayed against his chest as she pressed closer to him. A tiny voice inside her mind said she should offer to let him sleep in bed with her, but even though she was intensely attracted to him, she still had her morals. And while a small part of her wanted to sleep curled up against him, the greater part of her urged caution. She was still guarded. She didn’t want to have her heart broken again. And so she agreed with a small nod as she broke the kiss. “Fine then, you on the couch, I’ll take your bed.” She leaned in and kissed him again, then peeked at him from beneath her lashes. “Any chance I could borrow something to sleep in?” She asked shyly. She hadn’t brought anything with her. After all, what decent girl planned on staying at a man’s house on the first date?

Rhett: Something to sleep in. Rhett nodded his head, before standing, an arm around her waist as he took her with him off the couch. Once she was on both her feet, he waved a hand in the direction of his bedroom. “Come on.” He said, heading to the room and flicking on the light to reveal a mostly gray and white themed room. A white stone wall behind his dark gray headboard, gray sheets, a white floor rug under the bed that was on top of dark colored wood, and two night stands that were the same color gray as his bedding. The bed was partially made, a clear sign that he had slept in it the night before. Rhett moved around the bed to the single drawer nightstand and pulled it open. There were boxers and tank tops of three colors. Black, white and gray. He grabbed a gray one out of the drawer and handed it to her. “I hope gray works for you.” He said, the drawer still open in case she wanted a different color.

Dhara: She followed happily after him, leaning in the doorway while he moved to the nightstand. His room was very monochromatic, and so was his wardrobe it seemed. Funny thing was, in her white blouse and black skirt, she fit his color scheme, right up until the sky blue hair. Moving into the room, she took the shirt from his hands and smiled. “This is fine, thank you.” Her eyes moved to the bed and her mind wandered into dangerous territory. A blush touched her cheeks as she forcefully pulled her thoughts back to the present. Mentally she chided herself for thinking like a horny school girl and not a mature young woman. She gave just the tiniest shake of her head at her thoughts before looking up at him again. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to let me sleep on the couch? It’s only fair, this is your home after all.”

Rhett: Rhett focused on Dhara’s blush as he shook his head. “It doesn’t really matter where I sleep. Once I’m out, I’m sort of out...I’d be screwed if there was ever a fire.” He chuckled and then shrugged as he closed the single drawer in the dresser. “It’s fine. I promise.” He assured her before coming back around the bed and stopping in front of her. “I think there are a couple extra toothbrushes in the bathroom. Second drawer from the top on the right side. Anything in there is fair game. Towels are above the toilet if you want to shower during the day. There’s this weird thing with the water and temperature. The landlord comes once a month if we’re lucky to fix things we complain about. Only...it’s been a couple months. Sorry.” He said, looking down at her as Rhett rubbed at the back of his neck. “Everything else works good though. Last I knew.” He hadn’t used the stove or micro in a while, so he wasn’t exactly sure.

Dhara: “You don’t have to apologize.” She said softly, moving closer to him and sliding her arms around his waist. “Believe me, I’ve been in some places that would make you question my sanity. We can’t help how others do and do not maintain their properties.” She gave him a gentle squeeze and stepped back. “I’m just going to change…” She said softly, then slipped from the room, the soft click of the bathroom door was the next thing he would have heard. She found the tooth brushes right where he said and selected one for herself. A quick brushing of her teeth and she changed into the tank top he’d loaned her. The amount of skin that was revealed was scandalous to her, but by the same token, she still had on the simple, white cotton underthings beneath the shirt.

Worried about taking too much time, she opened the door and made her way to the living room, figuring she’d give him privacy in the bedroom to change. She toyed nervously with her hair as she perched on the edge of the couch, waiting for him to reappear. Perhaps the next date night they’d do at her apartment, that way he wouldn’t feel he had to constantly keep apologizing to her.

[Rhett Keyes]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: It was kind of funny how she said stuff and Rhett just felt better about a situation. She was right. It wasn’t his fault his landlord was a slime bag. It might have been his fault that he hadn’t moved yet, but Rhett was a busy guy and taking a couple days off work was unimaginable. Now though, that was a different story. When she left the room, Rhett took the time to change, grabbing a white tank a pair of his sleeping boxers. He was a boxer brief kind of guy, but at night, he liked a little more freedom. He would have offered a pair to Dhara, but truth was...he wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit of her thighs, and he doubted the things would have held up on her waist. A tank in his mind would have covered just enough, but let him see just enough too. And just because he saw it didn’t mean he was the type to act on it. Rhett had self-control and a little thing called respect for a woman. He heard her moving throughout the apartment, grabbed one of the three pillows on the bed, along with a sheet to some set from his closet, and left his room to join her. And just as he expected there was a little more skin to be seen. He caught himself grinning at that. “I can’t think of anything else you need to know. Or should know.” Rhett wanted to make sure her stay here was enjoyable enough so that there would be a second time to see her. Maybe he should try and get that second chance now. Rhett decided to go for it. “Maybe, if you don’t have anything planned for tomorrow, we could do breakfast. Or dinner. Whatever.” He said, claiming a wall with an outstretched arm, palm tight to the wall as he looked at her sitting on the arm of his couch.

Dhara: She looked up when he came in the room, her fingers stilling their nervous movements through her pale blue hair. Her mouth went dry and she swore she could feel her heart stop, then start again with a stutter. She blinked at him almost owlishly, and though she could hear him talking, she couldn’t seem to comprehend what he was saying. “Um… what?” She asked stupidly, then blinked again. A second date. That’s what he’d asked for. And she was certainly amenable to the idea. “Dinner…” She added belatedly, then smiled, redirecting her gaze just over his shoulder so she could think. “Dinner sounds lovely.”

Rhett: “Food. Humans still eat, right?” Rhett asked with a good hearted laugh before smiling wide. “Cool.” He even nodded before inching back a little from the wall he claimed. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow night?” Rhett asked, debating if he should kiss her because it was the end of their date, or because it was really like an interlude. They would see each other tomorrow night and have another date. He would figure it out when he got closer to her, because he was sleeping on the couch. Where she was sitting.

Rhett put the pillow down on the other end of the couch, along with the sheet and then decided that he would kiss Dhara. Tomorrow was a new day, even if they were sleeping in the same place. Rhett moved over to Dhara, lifted her chin up and leaned down to brush his lips against hers quickly. “Goodnight, Dhara.” He said after standing upright again, his eyes still on her; or really, the outfit she was in compliments of him.

Dhara: Her hands came to rest on the bare skin of his arms, her touch light, almost hesitant as she felt his skin for the first time. She returned his light kiss and rose from the couch when he stood up straight. She dallied slightly, lingering with him for a moment. Finally her hands slid down his arms, fingers catching his hands before letting go at last. “Good night, Rhett.” She said softly, then turned away and vanished into his room.

Rhett: Rhett waited until he heard Dhara settle in his room for the night before he made his ‘bed,’ moved to the bathroom to brush his teeth, made sure the place was locked up because Rhett couldn’t remember if he had locked the door when they got in and then would eventually settle down on the couch and fall asleep. His rest period would take him until the next night-about a half hour after the sun set and then, he would check on Dhara, do his usual to get ready and take her out to that promised dinner. What happened from there would be anyone’s guess, but Rhett hoped that when he asked her for a third date that night, she would agree.