Yes, Dear [Dhara]

[Flynn]

Dhara It had been a couple days since she had seen or heard from Flynn, which meant one of two things. He was very busy, or he had no interest in continuing their friendship. She had hopes that it was the former and not the latter, but at the same token was afraid to text him in case it was the latter. After all, he hadn’t promised to continue their friendship. He’d only promised not to stab her to death.

She put a mug of blood in the microwave and gazed at her phone, then set it on the table with the pile of paperwork. She had to do payroll, and since University had started, she also had some papers to grade. Staring at her phone and wishing he would text wouldn’t get the payroll done or papers graded. Taking her mug from the microwave, she stirred the contents and sat down, phone nearby, pen in hand and set to work. Her eyes strayed to the window as the dusky light turned to full night and lights began to twinkle across the skyline. “Focus, Dhara.” She muttered, sipping from her mug, she bent her head to apply herself to her work.

FLYNN “****!” Flynn muttered under his breath, blood pooling across the shoulder of his t-shirt. Several ancient zombies and a single mooncalf lay still at his feet, evidence of the skirmishes that had just occurred. The zombies had proven to be little trouble, but the mooncalf had been a handful. It had refused to stay down, and on it’s last leg, managed to take a few vicious swipes. A few across his abdomen stung, but there was little blood. He knew that they would heal in no time, but the slash on his shoulder was bleeding rather profusely. If he didn’t take care of it as soon as possible, he may find himself passed out on the catacombs floor from blood loss. Supernatural enchantments or not, he was still human. To a degree.

He bent down to retrieve his dagger that was lodged in the beast’s neck, wiping the blood off on his pant leg. All the while, his thoughts raced. There was no way that he would make it back to his apartment before blood loss got the best of him. That meant he needed a place to rest and tend to the wound, and sooner rather than later. Frowning in thought, he suddenly knew where he could do just that. Turning on his heel and leaving the mess of bodies behind, he went off in search of the portal that would take him back to Quartermaine Creations. Exiting the shop without a backward glance, his purposeful steps took him outside and down the street toward Sanctuary. He could only hope that she was home.

Several humans gave him worried glances as he passed by, but he ignored them. By the time he reached the apartment building, he was practically running, slamming his finger into the elevator call button repeatedly. “Come on….” he muttered, just as the doors swung open. In only a minute, he was at Dhara’s apartment door. Reigning in his impatience, he knocked as politely as he could. “Please be home, please be home, please be home…”

Dhara The knock on the door had her head lifting and a frown curving her lips. She never had visitors. Rising from her chair, she neared the door and her frown deepened. She could smell blood, and not from her dinner. Yanking the door open, she stared up at Flynn and blinked. “Jesus…” She muttered, taking his hand on the uninjured side, she tugged him in and shut the door, locking it securely behind him. Just in case.

“Come in…” She mumbled belatedly, leading him straight to the couch. “Sit… I will get my first aid kit.” She bustled off to do just that, taking the time to twist her hair up off her face and wash her hands. She came back with the red bag and frowned, amber eyes assessing. She was all business as she took in his ruined shirt, quickly finding the shoulder wound to be the worst. “Take off your shirt and let me see.” She ordered, setting her first aid kit down, she moved to collect several towels. Then she headed to the kitchen and filled a bowl with water so hot it steamed. Dropping a washcloth into the bowl, she came back and set it on the table, then kneeled on the couch next to him, peering at his shoulder and looking at him expectantly.

FLYNN When the door swung open, he practically sighed with relief. If Dhara hadn’t been home, he was sure where he would have gone. Either way, she tugged him inside almost immediately, to which he hissed in pain. It seemed to radiate, and now that more time had passed, the cuts across his abdomen were starting to throb in the most uncomfortable of ways. Before he could say a thing, she ordered him to sit. Too surprised by her authoritative tone to argue, he simply lowered himself down onto the couch and watched as she bustled about gathering the first aid kit.

As she ordered the removal of his t-shirt, his eyes narrowed and he shook his head. “I can do this myself, you know. I did manage to care for my own wounds before you came along…” he said with a huff, though he did as she requested with more effort than should have been necessary. Another hiss escaped his lips as he pulled the shirt free, the injured shoulder screaming in protest. Tossing the now ruined shirt aside, he looked down at the slash and winced. It was bad, that much was obvious. “Dammit…” he muttered, glaring at the wound as if it had personally offended him.

“I’m sorry...for barging in on you like this. You were the closest place I knew I could get to…” he explained, dropping his gaze to her’s with a frown.

Dhara There was no shyness, no modesty this time as his shirt hit the floor. She was all business as she assessed his wounds. Amber eyes lifted to his and she smiled, cupping his cheek gently. “It is alright. I am glad you came here.” She didn’t add that she’d missed his company because this wasn’t exactly the time for that conversation. “I am sorry, but this is going to hurt.” She stated, reaching for the washcloth in the bowl.

“Lean back.” She commanded, though her tone was gentle. When he sat up straight, she began to wash his ridiculously toned abs, cleaning the wounds and examining them carefully. Fingers poked and prodded gently, checking to see if anything remained inside. They seemed to be fairly shallow and she figured some antibiotic cream and gauze would be adequate. She set her washcloth in the the now pink water and opened her kit. “You are lucky these are not deeper. Stomach wounds can be deadly.” She lectured, there was a hint of something in her voice that said her lecture came from a place of worry. Looking back down, she began to apply the clear salve to his wounds, her breath falling softly against his skin every so often.

FLYNN He was able to manage a small grin as she assured him it was okay, but it quickly faded when she turned her attention to his torso. The poking was the worst and he had to fight back the urge to swat at her hands so she would stop. It was new, having someone care for the wounds that he had masterfully taken care of on his own before now. Still, it was nice to have a gentler touch, even if it did still hurt like hell each time she touched them. Groaning, he leaned his head back against the couch, his uninjured arm wrapping over his eyes to block out the light from her apartment.

“Yes, dear. I promise to be more careful,” he replied sarcastically, though he was smirking as he said so. His eyes still covered, he tensed as she put the cool salve over the wounds, her breath causing them to tickle in a way that was very unlike the throbbing pain. Frowning, he removed his arm from his face and stared up at the ceiling. “Injuries come with the job, though, Dhara. And while I know you say so because you don’t want to see me hurt...well, that just isn’t realistic.” His tone was gentle, but held no hints of ********. He wouldn’t lie to her and pretend that these kind of injuries didn’t happen more often than she probably would have liked.

[Dhara]

Dhara She applied the gauze and taped it down, then sat back with a sigh. “I know they do, but that does not mean I wish they did not.” She smiled, giving him a break. Rising from the couch, she moved to the table where she’d been working and picked up her mug. The scent of blood reminding her she hadn’t finished dinner. She downed the contents, then rinsed her mug and put on a pot of coffee. When that was done, she drank half a glass of water to wash the scent off her lips. She really didn’t want to make him nervous since he was bleeding all over her couch. After all, she’d promised not to bite him and feed, she’d never said anything about open wounds and feeding. Thankfully, she wasn’t that kind of girl.

Blowing out a slow breath, she moved back to the couch and kneeled beside him once more. She reached for the washcloth and began the careful work of cleaning his shoulder. She was so close to him, that her hair brushed his jaw when she bent her head to work on the wounds. She muttered to herself in German, not liking what she saw. When all was said and done, she frowned again, probing gently to check for embedded objects. “You need sutures. I can do it, but it will hurt. Try not to yell at me too much?”

FLYNN As she moved away, he glanced down at his torso and the decorated patches of gauze. They would likely be gone by tomorrow night, the way his body healed. But, for now, they would do. Even if the tape was uncomfortable when he moved around. He sat up with a grimace, watching her move off to the table where her papers were spread around. She must have been working, which made a knot of guilt settle in his chest for interrupting her. He would apologize again, later, but now was not the time to worry about it as his shoulder still needed tending to. There was no smell of coffee in the air, and that led him to believe that her mug was hardly filled with it. As soon as she grabbed the water, he knew it had been blood.

Smirking, he considered teasing her, but wasn’t sure how she would take it. Before he could say anything, she was back at his side and peering down at his shoulder. Her hair brushed across his jaw and a rush of vanilla greeted his nose. It suited her, somehow, and a small voice urged him to lean in, if only to smell it again. At that, he groaned again and sat back, but it had nothing to do with the pain as she began to poke around at his shoulder. “Do you have anything that I could bite down on, then? I can’t promise I won’t curse you to high heaven, otherwise…” he teased, though it was a bit forced as he grit his teeth in the anticipation for what was to come. “Or...do you have any alcohol? I could always drown out the pain with a good buzz?”

Dhara “I am sorry… I do not drink and so I have none.” She looked sheepish. “I can get you something to bite down on.” She said with a small smile. Rising once more, she went and got a wash cloth, rolled for him to bite on. She handed it to him and dug out a fresh suture kit. “Ready?” She asked, looking up at him and searching his eyes. He’d stuffed the cloth between his teeth and gave her a nod. She gave the smallest of smiles and bent to her work. Literally holding the breath she didn’t need, she proceeded to do the smallest, neatest stitches seen outside of a hospital. Her hands were steady, and she was utterly focused as she repaired the damage to his shoulder. Her technique, while it took longer, would guarantee a minimal amount of scarring.

It was probably 45 minutes later when she sat back and sighed. She dipped her hands in the now cold bowl to rinse them, sighing softly. “Done.” She said quietly, looking him over. Guilt shown in her eyes for the pain she had put him through. “If you want to look, then I will bandage you up.”

FLYNN The process seemed to take forever, even as he knew that it couldn’t have been more than an hour. As she started, the pain grew, but by the time she was wrapping up, the shoulder had practically gone numb from the abuse it had suffered. Flynn wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not, but at least he could relax enough to make her job a little bit easier. His eyes stayed closed the entire time, and only when she spoke again did he open them. There was no rush to look over at his shoulder, because he knew what he would find. Fresh sutures, fresh and dried blood, and a whole lot of bruising and swelling. “If it’s alright with you, I would prefer you just bandage it up. I trust you…” he mumbled, wanting nothing more than for it all to be over with.

Dhara nodded to him and went about bandaging the wound as she had the others. When she sat back, finally finished, he turned to look over at her handy work. “Impressive...how many people have you had to patch up in the past?” he asked, knowing that there was no way she could be quite so skilled with a needle if she hadn’t done so before. Bracing himself, he sat up and sighed, tentatively moving the injured shoulder in a small circle to prevent it growing still. It felt terrible, but it got done. “Thank you…I didn’t mean to get in the way of work, I assume. I can get out of your hair so you can finish up. Besides, I need to go home and get myself new clothes…” he said, staring down at his naked torso and blood stained jeans. And they were his favorite pair, too….

Dhara She rubbed the back of her neck and shoulders, trying to ease the ache from the muscles. She was stiff from sitting. “Coffee.” She said, instead of answering his question. She got up and poured two mugs, adding cream and sugar to his as she had watched him do. Coming back, she sat on the opposite side of him, closer than she realized, and handed him his cup.

“It really is okay. Payroll is not going anywhere and the students do not need their grades for a few days yet.” She tipped her head side to side, and rubbed her neck again. “ Not many.” She said, to answer his question about treating people. “I have been sewing all of my life. Lots of practice there. But you are only the second person I have ever sutured.”

She smiled at him, though when he said he was going to go, the smile turned into a frown. “You should just give me your keys. I will go get Athena and some clean clothes for you. Consider yourself held hostage for the night.” She said firmly, looking up at him with a challenge in her gaze. There was no way she was letting him wander off when he looked like he’d been a chew toy to a mountain lion. She gazed at his jeans and her nose crinkled before she spoke again. “I can get the blood out of those as well.”

FLYNN Flynn blinked in surprise as she quickly exited the room to go and grab coffee for them, both. He wasn’t going to complain, of course, because it was small comfort after the night he had had. When she came back with two mugs in hand, he was surprised to that she had made his just the way he liked it. He smiled at her in thanks, taking it in his hands and letting it warm his now cool hands after the blood loss. Her close proximity wasn’t missed, either, but for her sake, he didn’t mention it.

Her explanation for her skill made enough sense, though he was surprised to learn that he was the second person she had ever had to sew up. “Only the second? Well, the first must have given you plenty of practice?” he teased, though it wasn’t a joking matter that she had even had to do so once before. With a hum, he realized that he had no idea how old Dhara actually was, or if she had been a vampire for very long. It was never appropriate to ask a lady her age, though, and so he had no idea how to go about asking.

Of course, she never gave him the chance before she demanded he stay put for the night. His mouth dropped open in shock, like she had thrown cold water on his face. “What?” That was the best he had for a moment, looking at her as if she had grown a second head. “No, Dhara. I will be fine. I can make it home, and Athena will look out for me.” It was hard to gauge why he was so adamant that he not spend the night at her apartment, but there it was. “And, I have plenty of jeans. One blood stained pair won’t ruin my wardrobe…”

[Flynn]

Dhara “She did.” She said softly, remembering her best friend, and the horror she’d felt. The guilt that still surfaced when she thought about it. “I was still human at the time. She was a vampire. Hunters broke into our apartment and tried to kill her.” She gave the bare basics, no details. “I expanded my first aid kit and installed new locks. Learned where and how to buy blood to keep her safe.” She shrugged and sipped her coffee. Her head tilted to the side, resting on his shoulder. It was clearly something done without thinking, for about 30 seconds later, she lifted her head again and rubbed her aching neck.

“Either you give me your keys so I can fetch Athena and some clothing for you, or I pack a bag and sleep on your couch. Those are your only two options. Lest you would prefer me to sit up all night and worry about you.” She sipped her coffee and looked up at him as if to say ‘Well?’. Her chin was lifted and her mouth set in a stubborn line. His options were to be stuck with her or to be stuck with her, she was just giving him the choice of environment.

FLYNN He hadn’t been expecting many details regarding the first person she had tended to, but Dhara opened up with the basics of the story. There was a lot of emotion under her words, making him frown. Her head dropped to his shoulder and he reached out a hand to brush over her hair, but she raised it once more before he could do so. “Wait, so you lived with a vampire when you were a human? How the hell did that work?” he asked, staring at her in surprise. In most cases, humans and vampires kept their distance from each other when it came to social interaction. But, somehow, Dhara had had a vampire roommate? And one that even put her human roommate at risk with hunters.

Clearing his throat, he considered her offered. Either way, it was obvious that she was going to be joining him for the night. And while he didn’t want her to worry, he still wondered if he could convince her to stay here. “I’m not sure how comfortable I would feel being in your apartment alone…” he sighed, looking around the space. It wasn’t uninviting, but it wasn’t home and without Dhara, it was just feel odd. “Alright...fine...you can come with me, but only so I can convince you to go home once you know I am safely at my apartment.” He nodded his head once, as if that ended the conversation. Leaning down with a wince he tried to hide, he took up the ruined shirt and slipped it over his head. It was blood covered and torn, but at least he wouldn’t be walking around with a naked torso.

Dhara “We can take my car.” She said, pleased he had agreed. Rising, she moved to her bedroom, leaving the door open so she could talk to him as she grabbed a change of clothes and something to sleep in. “It worked well. She was my best friend.” She said, finishing stuffing things in her bag. She walked back out and picked up her book, adding it to the satchel.

“She and I had a lot in common and would stay up until dawn talking.” She frowned slightly as she found her car and house keys. “I do not know where she is now, and I still miss her. I still hope she comes back, but time will tell.” She toyed with her keys, staring at the floor. She shook herself visibly and smiled at him. “Ready?” She asked, assessing him, even in his bloody shirt, as if she could see the wounds beneath.

FLYNN A vampire best friend? Only Dhara would manage that one, but instead of saying something about it, he let the subject drop. It was clear that she cared deeply for the woman who had disappeared, and worried for her. “I’m sorry that she is gone. I’m sure it would make you happy to see her,” he commented, instead, straightening as she came out with her bag in hand. It was clear that she had no intentions of coming back here, and he inwardly groaned. She was really going to spend the night on his couch, and he doubted that he would be able to make her change her mind.

“I’m ready…” he sighed, letting her lead the way out of the building to her car. The ride to his apartment was quiet, and he stared at the window as they drove through the city streets. When Dhara pulled up into the parking lot of his apartment building, he held up a finger, telling her to wait. Getting out, he circled around the car and opened the door for her and then led them both inside.

As soon as the door opened, Athena came bounding toward him. “Wait, wait! Athena, no!” he called out, and she came to a screeching halt in front of them. Knowing that his command confused her, he knelt down and gave her some love with his good arm. “Sorry, girl...I can’t have you jumping on me right now...but Dhara is here, and she is free game!”

At that, the dog happily turned her attention to the blonde woman who was taking off her shoes. Laughing, he shook his head and moved further into the apartment toward his closet. Pulling it open, he pulled out a clean blanket and fresh pillowcases. Without any preamble, he tossed them to the couch and went off to his bedroom, grabbing a couple of pillows from his bed. “If you want, you can have the bed? The couch is probably even more comfortable than the bed, but that is totally your choice,” he said, pulling the pillows free of their cases and replacing them with fresh ones.

Dhara She yelped, the sound quickly turning to laughter. Athena had pounced and since she was bent over taking off her shoes, she’d fallen into the wall and slid to the floor. Her arms came around the beast and she buried her face in the dogs neck, finding the sweet spot behind her ears and giving her a good scratching. She was still there when he returned and she peeked around him with a grin. “I am not kicking you out of your bed.” She said firmly. “The couch is fine.” She looked up at Athena, who was still pinning her to the wall. “Athena, I would like to get up now, please.” She told the dog, pleased when she backed up.

Dhara got to her feet and removed the pen that held her hair up and had poked her in the head when she tumbled. Shaking out the long white tresses, she tucked her pen away and smiled at Flynn. “Apologies for intruding on your space, but you are under my care and I would do nothing but worry for you if you went home alone.” She gave him a gentle smile, twisting her hair around her finger. “Thank you for putting up with me tonight.” She said with that same gentle smile.

[Dhara]

FLYNN He found the two of them still piled against the wall when he returned, making him laugh. Athena had never taken to anyone quite so well as she had Dhara. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that his dog loved the woman as much as loved him. Okay, maybe not that much, but pretty damn close. Flynn watched as Dhara got up from the floor, once Athena had moved and he gestured for her to follow him into the kitchen where he went about making her a pot of coffee, seeing as she hadn’t gotten to finish before. As the coffee was brewing, he put on a pot of water, content to have his tea tonight.

“You cannot intrude on my space if I invited you inside, now can you?” he asked, raising a brow up in question, though he knew the answer and so did she. “Besides, I never was very good at telling a beautiful woman ‘no.’” With a smirk and a wink, he turned away to get fresh lemon from the fridge. “And since you are here...what is it that you would like to do? I don’t see you letting me leave, so...a movie, maybe?” he asked over his shoulder, going about grabbing a cutting board and knife to cut the lemon for his tea. There wasn’t much else they could do, really. Other than talk, which he was quite positive they would have ended up doing, anyway.

Dhara She followed him to the kitchen and leaned against the counter, watching him. He seemed so… domestic. The smell of coffee was heavenly and distracted her like nothing else could. “You are right, I will not let you leave.” Though she had no earthly idea how she could forbid it when he could literally pick her up and move her to the side. “A movie sounds lovely. Dealer’s choice.” She said, nodding at him. “After all, you are the one convalescing.” She grinned and rubbed her neck. “Do you mind if I change into pj’s?” She asked, and when he nodded and pointed to the bathroom, she grabbed her bag and slipped behind the closed door.

She set her bag on the counter, studiously avoiding the mirror since it was disconcerting not to see her reflection. Poking around, she stared in wide eyed horror at the contents. Underthings, skirt, tunic and the t-shirt she slept in. The t-shirt that was wildly inappropriate, even if it did fall almost to her knees. She sighed, realizing she’d been distracted while packing and had grabbed her normal sleepwear instead of her more modest dressing gown that fell to the floor. And if she didn’t change, she’d just look like an idiot for saying she was going to and then not doing it. With a sigh, she stripped down to her plain white underthings and pulled the too large t-shirt over her head. It hung off one shoulder and she grumbled at herself again, calling herself an idiot in every language she knew how to speak. Emerging from the bathroom and tugging the shirt over her shoulder, repeatedly as it kept falling off, she only hoped he wouldn’t tease her. She set her bag by her shoes and returned to the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee.

FLYNN While Dhara got comfortable in the bathroom, he went into his bedroom and shut the door behind him, in case she came out. With slow and precise movements, he managed to remove the tattered shirt with as little pain as possible, though it still throbbed in the worst way. Rather than put a new shirt on to avoid the pain, he remained shirtless and striped out of his stained jeans and into a similar pair of plaid pajamas pants as he had the first night she was there. Sighing, he left his room to return to the kitchen and waited patiently for Dhara to finish in the bathroom. Resolving to get some aspirin as soon as he could, he took the water from the stove and poured in into his mug. It was followed by a single tea bag, letting to steep to his desired strength.

As Dhara emerged, he had to do a double take. When she had said she was going to get in her pajamas, he had imagined a nightgown or, at the very least, some pants. But, here she was in only a long t-shirt, leaving plenty to his imagination. “Uhm…” he stammered, shamelessly giving her a once over, and spending more than an acceptable moment of time appreciating her bare legs. “Here.” With just that one word, he offered her the mug of coffee that he had set aside for her, hardly bothering to appear phased by her state of relative undress.

He had yet to pick a movie, and to be fair, it was now the last thing on his mind. “So...what kind of movies are you interested in?” he asked after clearing his throat, being sure to keep his gaze from the neck up from that point forward. He had appreciated what he could see, but he had no desire to make her uncomfortable.

Dhara Her toes curled into the floor and she peeked shyly at him. His gaze lingered and gave her butterflies. She cleared her throat and accepted the mug, her fingers brushing his. “Apologies… I was not paying attention when I was collecting my things.” She said in reference to her choice of sleepwear, implying she would have packed something more modest if she’d given it thought. For her part, she looked him over, letting her eyes travel over his bare torso, under the guise of checking his wounds of course. “How do you feel?” She asked, then sipped her coffee, giving a small sigh of pleasure. It was then she remembered that she hadn’t turned her coffee pot off. Thankfully it would turn off automatically in an hour.

“Movies?” She asked, then looked thoughtful. “Anything, really. Though if it is a scary movie I can promise you I will scream like a girl and hide my eyes.” She chuckled and took another swallow of coffee. She liked horror movies, enjoyed being scared if she were honest. At least by movies. “What about you?”

FLYNN Flynn waved a dismissive hand as she apologized for clothing choice. “There are a lot of things I could complain about, and I assure you, what you are wearing is not one them,” he responded with a smirk, lifting his own mug to test the strength of his tea. Satisfied that it was good enough, he pull the bag free and rung it out with a spoon before dropping it in the garbage. Then, taking the freshly cut lemon, he took two wedges to squeeze into the dark liquid. Taking another test sip, he nodded his approval and quickly stored the remaining lemon wedges in the fridge. “As for how I am feeling...I feel like I was attacked by a mooncalf,” he teased, picking up his mug once more and leading Dhara out into the living room.

Pulling the entertainment center cabinets open, he revealed his collection of DVDs within. “Hmm...it is always a pleasure to watch a horror movie, especially with someone who is easily frightened. So, horror it is!” he proclaimed, scouring the titles until he found one that he felt would suitably meet their needs. “Hmm...how about...The Hills Have Eyes? That’s a classic horror movie. Get some good terror and gore in there.” He looked over his shoulder at her, waiting for her approval. If not, he had plenty of other options. Horror was his kind of movie, and there was no end to the titles at his disposal.

[Flynn]

Dhara She followed after him, reading the titles in his collection. “You must like horror movies.” She said as he scanned for a good movie. When he held one up, she studied the cover and then nodded. It was one she hadn’t seen yet. Especially since she didn’t watch horror movies by herself. For one it was lame, and for two, she frightened easily. She was a firm believer that horror movies should be watched with at least one other person.

Once the movie was in, they settled on the couch. She sat on his left side so she wouldn’t inadvertently bump his shoulder. She clung to her coffee cup, then decided it was probably best to set it down. She drank half of it and put it on the coffee table. Her feet were tucked under her, leaving her leaning slightly towards him. Athena was in her chair, unphased by anything. The lights went out and she shivered as the movie started, glancing up at him she murmured “Do not say I did not warn you.”

FLYNN Once the lights were off and they were settled down on the couch, he couldn’t help but notice how close Dhara actually was. Sure, they weren’t touching or anything, but if he moved in just the right way, they would be. Athena had propped herself up in her chair, watching the television as if she actually understood anything that as going on. For all he knew, she did. A few times, she had barked at the horror movies he watched, so she had to know they weren’t meant to be happy.

Keeping his mug in hand, he sipped slowly at his tea as the beginning scenes of the movie played, setting up the premise for what was to come. “I think I can handle a little bit of screaming,” he answered with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “There is couple of pillows readily available to you if you feel the need to hide your face from the horrors you are about to witness,” he teased, gesturing to the pillows he had brought out his room for her to sleep on. Having seen it before, he knew what to expect. Depending on her reactions, maybe he would give her a little scare, but only if he thought she could handle it.

“You may be surprised. This movie is more...gory than it is scary. At least, in my opinion. Maybe it won’t bother you?” he phrased a question, seeing as if he knew nothing about her tolerance for scary and gory. But, what better time was there to learn?

Dhara “Do not get your hopes up.” She murmured. The movie started off innocently enough. A family on vacation with their two dogs. She figured it would be the typical wrong turn type of scenario. What she hadn’t figured on was the family being led into a trap. So far, so good. She thought to herself as she relaxed against the cushions, trying to ignore how close he was. Moving would look silly, and frankly, she didn’t want to move because if things got scary, she wanted him close by for comfort.

“Oh no…” She whispered when the dog ran off, a hand coming up to toy with a lock of hair. She was riveted to the screen and when the boy fell off the cliff and was knocked unconscious, she snorted softly. For a fall from that height, there would have been more blood. When the boy woke and found his dead dog, she made a soft sound and turned away, directly into his shoulder, using him to hide her eyes. She couldn’t look at dead animals, even if it was fake. It just broke her heart.

FLYNN With the number of times that he had watched this movie, nothing was a surprise to him and so he spent his time paying more attention to her reactions than the movie itself. From the look of it, this was movie she had never seen before. Stifling laughter at her absolute fascination, he turned back to the television in time to see the boy wake up to find the dog. Dhara soon turned her head into his shoulder and he offered her an open hand, “Do you want to squeeze my hand? I can promise you, this is only going to get worse. “

With a thought, he shifted enough that his entire side was open to her. “Come on…” he gestured, holding his arm open so that she could curl up there. It wasn’t meant to be a romantic gesture, even if it did get them closer than they had really ever been to each other. Assuming she accepted the offer. “If you are gonna look to me, then you might as well go all the way, right?” he joked with a laugh, knowing that before long, the family would become the next targets by the occupants of the small desert village that had long been forgotten.

Dhara She looked up at him and smiled shyly, scooting over, curling against his side carefully and when his arm came around her narrow shoulders, she lifted a hand to tangle her fingers with his. In spite of having been mauled earlier, she could still smell his aftershave, and the warmth coming off his skin was quite soothing. She was always cold, but not because she was a vampire, it was just how she was, even as a human.

Several times, she squeaked and hid her face. Especially the scene where the father was tied to a tree and burned alive. When the mutants broke into the trailer, she actually flinched and screamed, though she cut the sound short. She stayed pressed close to his side, one hand locked with his, the other resting on his thigh. At least on occasion, because she kept bringing her hand up as if to hide her eyes, only to let it fall back to his thigh. This was, to date, the scariest movie she’d seen. The gore didn’t bother her too much, though there were a couple of scenes where she had to look away.

FLYNN If he was going to be honest, as soon as she pressed against him, he paid very little attention to the movie. Every move she made distracted him, keeping him from really paying too much attention to what it was that was making her jump. Each time she gave his hand a squeeze, he would return the pressure with an occasional swipe of his thumb over her knuckles. It was a small comfort, but one that he could offer her when she was enraptured by the scenes playing out. And he had to give her credit for how well she seemed to handle it. “You had me thinking that you would barely be able to keep your eyes on the movie,” he teased, noting that it would soon come to an end. Horrors movies always seemed to go by fast to him, but maybe that was due to the rush of adrenaline and fear. “I would say you handled yourself pretty well, for a scaredy cat.”

Being careful not to disturb her too much, he released his arm from around her so that he could stretch with his good arm. Immediately he felt her absence, and had fight down the urge to simply put his arm back around her. “Since we are talking horror and fear....what are you most afraid of?” he asked her, hazel eyes locking onto her. The shoulder of her shirt had fallen once more, and without asking, he quickly adjusted it for her. “Something deeper than spiders.”

[Dhara]

Dhara She missed the comforting weight of his arm as soon as he removed it. She realized she should probably put some distance between them now. The credits were rolling, casting the room in a dim light and making her feel like they were the only two people in the world. “I credit my wonderful companion. Though once or twice I nearly ended up in your lap and it was only recalling your injuries that stopped me.” She chuckled softly, sucking in a breath when he adjusted her shirt. He was the perfect gentleman it seemed.

“I am not afraid of spiders.” She said before her eyes dropped away from his. Her deepest fear? It was probably stupid to most people. Even when she thought of it, it felt stupid to be afraid of such a thing. But she was, because experience had pretty much told her it was her fate. She twisted her fingers together in her lap. “Being abandoned and alone.” She said quietly, nibbling on her lower lip. “I do not mean just in the romantic sense, but in the general sense. Nearly everyone I have ever gotten close to has disappeared. It feels like a curse has been put upon me. It is stupid really, but there it is.”

FLYNN Flynn shrugged with a grin, accepting her assessment of his role in her handling of the movie, “If you insist that it was all my doing, I will gladly accept the praise.” He laughed then, turning on the couch so that his back was resting against the arm and he was facing her fully. “I will thank you for thinking of my injuries before using me as your new seat, though. I doubt my wounds would appreciate it very much.” The wounds might not have, but he certainly wouldn’t have minded. Then again, with how small Dhara was, he somewhat doubted that she could hurt him all that much.

He went quiet as she described her fear, a small frown taking over his expression. It was obvious that it truly was something that stuck with her, and he had to wonder just how she must feel. If enough people left, at what point did she stop trying to get close to people, for fear that they would simply leave one day. “I would say that qualifies. I’m sorry that you feel you are doomed to be alone, based on past experience. That must be a horrible feeling…” he sighed, leaning in to brush her hair over her shoulder. “I would promise to always stick around, but...I would hate to break it one day.”

Dhara She looked up at him and smiled, but it lacked the usual bubbly-ness. The barest brush of his fingers making her shiver when he pushed her hair back. She searched his face, surprised that he hadn’t laughed at her. “It is. And I am not sure how to deal with it, so… I just try not to get close to people. But I fail at that. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps repeating itself. And since I am virtually immortal, I fear it will do so for eternity.”

She twisted the black streak around her finger, biting her bottom lip. She was probably saying too much, getting too close, yet again. But he wasn’t laughing and it felt good to have someone to talk to. “The funny thing is… I used to travel so much that I was alone. But it did not bother me because there was always something new to see, new people to meet. Then I came here. I intended to leave. I do not know why I did not. I met my best friend, I met a man that I thought would be forever. Both of them are gone. I am fortunate that my sire… also known as my ex husband,” Her lips quirked in a small smile, “Is still around. He has been the only real constant I have ever had. And even then, only since my turning.”

FLYNN His lips pursed as she gave him a little deeper of a glimpse into her life. All three of the people she spoke of had come up before, but this was the first time he could see the raw emotion behind their memory. It was a thought that had never occurred to him, really. How vampires are immortal, meaning that people would come and go for them for the rest of their lives. If anyone managed to stick around for the long haul, well...it was probably a rather rare thing. “Well...I know the best friend is a vampire. Maybe she’ll come back around someday. As for the man...you never know, Dhara. Life has funny ways of surprising you when you least expect it…” he sighed, searching her face for something that he couldn’t even begin to describe.

Humming, he put a finger under her chin to ensure that she didn’t look away and held his gaze. “As I said, I won’t promise you that I won’t ever leave. But, I will promise you this…” he began, brushing his thumb over her lip with a small grin. “While I am here, I will do my best to remind you that you are not alone. Even if it feels like it.” He held her there for a moment longer, needing to know that she was taking him seriously. Once he was satisfied, he lowered his hand back down to his lap, but his focus never shifted from her.

Dhara “Maybe.” She said, but there wasn’t much heart in her answer. She’d given up hope, and for her that was an incredibly rare thing to do. She often considered going to therapy to help her move on. As she’d mentioned, she was virtually immortal, clinging to the past couldn’t be healthy for her. At least not as tightly as she held on.

His touch alone was startling enough for her to look up, which was funny considering they had been cuddled up minutes ago. She met his hazel eyes and licked her bottom lip, brushing her tongue against the pad of his finger. It was a reflex action that she didn’t know she’d made until she tasted the salt on her tongue. His words struck something in her that was almost painful. She recognized it as desperation. She desperately wanted him around, desperately wanted to believe him, and she was desperately afraid to. She smiled faintly when his hand dropped.

“How does the saying go? ‘Promise me no promises’?” She said softly. Her hand reached out and her fingers laced with his. “I will always be around, if you need or want me. But I am given to flights of fancy… I just got my fourth passport and I have a habit of leaving on a whim. But I always come back.” She felt, sitting in this dark room with him, as if they were making some sort of unspoken pledge to each other. To always be there for the other person. She was okay with that, as long as it remained unspoken.

FLYNN The way she took his hand, their fingers lacing together...it was somehow so much more intimate. Like a step forward that he wasn’t sure he was ready for, even as he remained still. Offering a gentle pressure, he looked down at their locked hands, chewing on his lip as she spoke. When she finished, he chuckled and shook his head. “The wonderful thing about a friendship, Dhara...is that I’m not chaining you here. It’s not my place to tell you not to go, when to go, or how long you are gone. If you never came back...I can’t rightfully be upset with you.” Even as he said those words, he knew they weren’t entirely truthful. He could certainly be upset, and he likely would be. But, not because she left...more just because she wasn’t there with him.

With a very visible shake of his head as he tried to clear away those thoughts, he blinked. “Did you just...lick me, by the way?” It was a very delayed reaction, but he had been distracted by the moment, and now it was all catching up to him. “You did lick me…” His eyes widened, slightly, looking down at the thumb her tongue had brushed against. There was literally no reason to be so shocked by the revelation, but there it was. At least it would lighten the mood, if nothing else.

[Flynn]

Dhara She gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return, smiling at him. “I know. But I also know what it is like to have someone disappear with nary a word. It hurts, even if you pretend it does not. I would not do that to you.” She was content to hold his hand, though his next words made her laugh outright.

“Uhh…” She hedged, it was hard to explain why she’d licked him. It was a terrible habit she had when anything touched her bottom lip. She licked it. Hair, pens, coffee, his thumb apparently. “Well you see… I was just having a taste test. For when you fall asleep.” She tugged her hand from his, crooking all ten fingers into ‘claws’ and lunging playfully at him, mindful of his wounds. “I vant to suck your blood. Bla bla blah!” She said through her laughter. The intimate tension of moments ago was now completely gone.

FLYNN The comment about leaving him was quickly passed over, and he didn’t return to it. It was beginning to feel a lot like admitting to feelings that he DID NOT have. And he would continue to tell himself that until it was true, if that was what was necessary. So, he focused on her laughter as she tried to explain away the fact that had licked his thumb. In only a moment, she was relaxed, again with that easygoing smile gracing her lips. Beautiful, and she probably had no idea. Without too much thought, he started to lean in toward her. A hand settled against the side of neck, keeping her still as he got that much closer.

“Dhara…” he whispered, letting it hang between them. He was literally only inches away, and the slightest movement in and he could kiss her. But, at the last second, he closed his eyes and shifted so that his lips fell against her forehead. The kiss lingered for only a moment, and it was over as quickly as it had happened. “That was the worst impression of Dracula I have ever heard,” he offered as he pulled away, his hand now returning to his lap and a smirk on his lips.

Dhara Just like that the tension was back, but it was flavored with anticipation. She held her breath, waiting to see what he was going to do. What if he kissed her? What would she do? Luckily she was spared from her rambling thoughts because when his lips did touch her, it was on her forehead. Her eyes closed for a brief second, and then he was leaning back and making fun of her impression.

“Be still my heart!” She said fanning herself and making goo-goo eyes at him. Complete with over exaggerated eyelash batting. “He kissed me!” She giggled, clearly a false sound as she tried out the part of vapid, boy crazy vampire. She couldn’t keep the act up because she started laughing at herself. She gave his left shoulder a shove. “I think it was a great impression.” She sniffed, looking haughty as she could manage. Which didn’t really work for her. She pushed a hand through her hair to pull it off her face and shoulders. “Shall we watch another movie? Or continue with our girl talk? You never did tell me what your deepest fear is. And not spiders either.”

FLYNN “That hardly counts as a kiss to fawn over, Dhara. Geez, give me some credit here!” he cried out, mimicking a hand over his heart, wounded. Still, he couldn’t fight the laughter at how ridiculous she looked, trying to be something that she very clearly wasn’t. A shake of his head was his reply to her insistence that it was a great impression, his smile never faltering. Leaning back against the arm of the couch, he crossed his arms over his chest and considered her question. For a long moment, he was quiet and contemplative, just watching her across from him.

Eventually, he sighed and gave the only answer that he could think of that made sense, “Losing myself. Getting into something bigger than me, and forgetting who I am in the process.” It was a reference to being a Paladin, but he didn’t say as much. Around vampires, his body reacted on instinct, a natural violent urge. And he feared it’s strength and control. He wasn’t sure Dhara needed to know the details, should it bring her even more fear of what he was and what it meant for them. “And, I take offense to you calling it girl talk! Now, we have to stop talking. You ruined it…” he sighed dramatically, quickly getting up from the couch to make his way over to his entertainment stand for a new movie.

Dhara She laughed softly at his mock emotional pain. Then listened to his answer. She focused on him, watching his face as he talked. She wasn’t sure what to say to his confession. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and nodded to show she understood. The tension was back, morphed into the worry that trust had been given and could easily be broken. She searched his face for a long moment, then sighed.

“Well… since we have to stop talking now,then yes, we should put on another movie, as you suggested.” She nodded firmly and got up joining him at the DvD cabinet. She studied the titles and pulled out one called The Blair Witch Project. She swapped the DvD’s, putting The Hills Have Eyes exactly back where it came from. When she returned to the couch, she made a rather bold decision and curled up in his lap, mindful of his injuries. Since he was still sitting sideways, it put her back to the couch proper and her head on his uninjured left shoulder. “Just in case I get scared.” She said, by way of explanation. “But if you are not comfortable, I can move.”

[Dhara]

FLYNN When Dhara appeared beside him at the cabinet to scan the movies, he quickly retreated to let her make the final decision. So, he settled back down on the couch, stretching out as best he could without causing too much pain. His gaze never left her as she switched the movies and took the time to put the other back where it belonged, making him grin. As she made her way back over, he glanced around her to get a look at the movie she chose. Because his focus was on the television, he was utterly unprepared when she dropped down into his lap. Blinking in surprise, his attention shot to her. He opened his mouth to ask, but closed it soon after and only shrugged, “Oh, I’m fine…” And as soon as those words left his mouth, he shifted only enough to wrap his arms around her waist.

As distracted as she had him, he did manage to catch on that the movie was the Blair Witch Project as soon as it began, thanks to the selfie-style camera angles. “Good choice…” he added, glancing over to her with a smirk. “I can almost guarantee that you won’t make it through this movie without screaming at least once, if you screamed at The Hills Have Eyes. So, I suppose your choice of seat makes sense?” Tone playful, he relaxed back against the arm of the chair, his grip on her tightening ever so slightly.

Dhara She chuckled softly and nestled carefully against his bare chest. The warmth of his skin seeped through her shirt and the steady thump of his heart was relaxing. She found she liked the feeling of his arms around her, even more so when his grip tightened. She’d never admit it out loud. They were just friends, after all. Weren’t they? She was growing more and more confused about her feelings towards him and resolved to think about it when he went to bed.

“I have never seen a movie like this. It is like they are using those little hand-held cameras to film. Or maybe a cell phone.” Her hands covered his, idly tapping against his skin. It wasn’t random tapping, as she was actually playing Moonlight Sonata, even though she wasn’t seated at the piano. She was kind of bored, watching a bunch of kids head into the woods and set up camp. Nothing good ever came out of camping in the woods. But she kept watching as they bedded down for the night.

The kids had gone quiet, curled in their tents and sleeping bags. The quiet night sounds of the woods had stopped and all was dark. Which is why the first scream from the movie drew an answering scream from her, causing her to flinch in his arms and snuggle closer. She laughed nervously, only to jump again at the next scream. But at least she didn’t scream… this time.

FLYNN The tapping was easy for him to recognize, as he knew that song as well as he knew Fur Elise or Greensleeves. And while she watched the teens head into the woods, he took the time to really think about what they were doing. For being friends, they were awfully close. Not in the sense of their connection, but physically. There was no desire to move her, nor for her to move herself. He liked the feeling of her in his lap, pressed against him. He liked that he could smell her hair each time she moved. And that was not necessarily a good thing.

Once the movie got into the depths of the horror and she jumped the first time, he laughed outright. Rather than tease her, though, he brushed a hand over her hair as she curled up closer to him, if that were even possible. “It’s not going to get much better for here...it’s kinda downhill, actually.” he warned her with a snort, resting his chin on the top of her head so that he could still clearly see the movie, but be her...protector...from the evil that was the movie. A quick glance at the clock told him it was getting later than he would have anticipated staying up, but they had began the movie and he would finish it at the very least. Assuming he didn’t find more reason to stay with Dhara.

Dhara “Yay…” she said dryly to his comment. When he rest his chin on her hair, she smiled. She would have been content to stay curled up like this even if there wasn’t a movie on. And that was a problem. They were friends, nothing more. Though there were times, like earlier when she thought he was going to kiss her that she wondered. Her thoughts were soon distracted by the movie once more.

The kids were hopelessly lost, and kept coming upon strange stick sculptures in the woods. It almost seemed as if they were moving around in circles as they tried to find their missing friend. She lost count of how many times she flinched, screamed or hid her face against his chest. Especially when they found teeth and a tongue wrapped up in a cloth. She was so frightened she was actually trembling slightly in his arms, but she was totally enjoying herself and the scary movie.

FLYNN At the point where the teens get hopelessly lost, he knew that Dhara would soon have more than one thing to jump at, and she proved it as the movie continued. The screams of their missing friend and the teeth were just the beginning. Soon, the remaining teens were chasing what they believed to be their lost friend, only to be lead deeper into the woods by the sounds. As she trembled in his arms, his hold tightened every so often in reassurance that he was still right there. Clearly the movie was accomplishing its goal.

Chewing on his lip, he pulled his head away from her’s and rest it against the back of the couch. His injured shoulder was starting throb, and he suddenly realized that he had never gotten the aspirin from the bathroom once Dhara was done changing. “Sorry to do this to you...but I need to leave you alone with the movie for a moment,” he warned her, lifting her into his arms just enough to shift out of his lap and onto the couch. Shooting her a wink, he left for the bathroom to search out his aspirin. And maybe a shot of vodka. Anything to take the edge off.

Dhara She gaped up at him, her eyes moving to the screen. “We can pause it.” She offered, but he was gone already. Her gaze moved back to the screen and stayed fixed. Her knees came up and she wrapped her arms around her legs, curled into a ball. She made soft noises every now again. Though when she heard the medicine cabinet snap shut, she actually screamed since the sound came from inside the apartment. She laughed softly at herself, wondering where he’d gone off to.

Her eyes moved to Athena and she contemplated calling her over for comfort, but the dog was sound asleep, ignoring the screams from the t.v. and the girl. Reaching out, she snagged a pillow and clung to it, peering over the top with wide eyes. She could smell his cologne and shampoo, even through the fresh linen pillow case and it was an adequate substitute to having him sitting there with her.

[Flynn]

FLYNN Before he returned to his spot on the couch, he went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of vodka from his liquor cabinet, downing a shot of it and then another. A grimace accompanied the action, due to the burning sensation in his throat. The warmth that flooded through him was, of course, due to the alcohol, but it also dulled the pain in his shoulder and that was all that mattered at this point. Nodding in satisfaction, he moved to the doorway of the living room. Without going inside, he simply watched Dhara watch the movie.

Fighting back the urge to snort at how cute she looked curled up with the pillow, he pushed from the doorframe and took soundless steps behind her. For the time being, he was quiet and still, waiting for the perfect time. And just as another scream sounded onscreen, he leaned and suddenly whispered, “Boo!” into her ear. Unsure if she would whip around with the pillow in hand, he quickly leaned back. Just in case.

Dhara She could hear him moving around, the sounds filed away as background noise as she stared at the tv. Suddenly it was quiet, too quiet. On screen and in the apartment. The hair on the back of her neck and on her arms rose and she curled into a tighter ball. She debated calling out to Flynn, but didn’t want to look like a chicken. Suddenly a presence, a whisper in her ear and a scream on tv. Several things happened at the same time.

She screamed and uncurled from around the pillow, sending it flying to the floor. She whipped around and tried to move away at the same time, which had the end result of sending her falling to the floor. Because she’d been turned around, she landed on her back, her feet on the couch cushions. She blinked at the ceiling and then her eyes focused on him and that impish, cocky grin he was now sporting. She started laughing as she lay there, speaking with gasped breaths. “That was mean!” She groped behind her and found the pillow, throwing it as best she could from her prone position, aiming for him with the fluffy missile.

FLYNN Loud laughter took over him as he doubled over, gripping at his side from the sting of his wounds, but it didn’t stop the amusement. The fall had been so dramatic, but adorable. He had been expecting a scream and maybe a swing of the pillow, but not for her to quite literally fall off the couch. Before he could collect himself, the pillow hit him in the face. Catching it before it fell back to the couch, he smirked down at her. “Was it mean? Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you could handle it,” he teased, circling around so that he was standing over her.

Without preamble, he dropped the pillow so that it was headed for her face as she lay on the ground. He followed the pillow soon after, sitting down on the floor next to her head. Her hair was spread over the floor, and he brushed it back and away from her face. “I couldn’t go through both movies and not get you at least once,” he explained, looking down at her apologetically, though his smirk did ruin the effect a bit. “I’m sorry for scaring you...even if it made my night.”

Dhara She chuckled when the pillow hit him, glad her aim was accurate. She watched him walk around the couch, staring up at him from where she lay. She laughed at his comment, rolling her eyes. “I can handle it. I did not run away.” She said with an answering smirk. When he dropped the pillow, she batted it away, refusing to fall victim to him a second time. She watched as he sat beside her, leaning into his touch when he brushed her hair away.

“I feel like you are not really sorry.” She said as she lay there. She contemplated sitting up, then wondered what was going on with the movie. She arched her back and tipped her head backwards, only to see the missing friend standing in the corner of a dark house and not moving. Yep that was creepy, so she settled back and gazed up at him. “Are your injuries okay? I hope you did not reopen your wounds whilst you were laughing at my terror.” She teased. She crossed her ankles, leaving her feet on the couch. It was a miracle she hadn’t hit the coffee table, but rather fallen to the side. “I like your laugh.” She said quietly, and it was true. His laugh was rich and warm, the type of laugh that made a person feel happy when they heard it.


FLYNN Flynn shrugged with another laugh, because he wasn’t quite so sorry. She was fine, and that left him little to feel guilty about. He followed her lead as she looked up at the screen, and he knew then that the movie would be coming to an end. In fact, he kept his gaze on the screen until the girl screamed a few more times, and then the camera drops. The television fades to black and the credits start to roll, so he turned his attention back to her to see her staring up at him and voicing her concerns under a veil of joking. “They are just fine, thank you, very much. They stung a little while I could barely breathe, but it’s settled down, now that you are no longer amusing…” he sighed, as if she had suddenly gotten very boring.

The movement of her ankles made his gaze shift to her legs and he once noted how very bare they were. Her t-shirt still covered all vital areas, but had ridden up enough to reveal more of her thighs. Closing his eyes for a second, he hummed and turned away before he did something stupid. Like touch them. When she spoke up once more about his laugh, he reopened his eyes and stared down at her. His lips pursed in hesitation as he rest an elbow on the couch, his chin coming down to rest on his arm. “Yeah? Well,” he whispered, using his free hand to brush his fingertips along her cheek. “...I like you.”

Dhara “I am glad. Otherwise you would be stuck with me on your couch for more than one night.” She teased, the darkening of the room let her know the movie had ended, but she made no move to get up. When he tracked the small movement she made, she realized just how much skin she was showing and how compromising her position was. Ridiculously inappropriate, but again she made no move to get up. She felt his gaze as if it had a physical touch, stroking along her bare skin. She watched him as he dragged his eyes back to her face, ever the gentleman.

She leaned into his touch, but his words made her freeze, staring at him in silence. She replayed what he said, trying to figure out the context of what he meant. Of course he liked her, they were friends. Or did he like her as in liked her liked her. Like romantically liked her. She wasn’t sure what to say, or how to ask. She felt like she was drowning in the deep end, because she wasn’t very good at the whole reading of signals. She licked her bottom lip and slowly pulled her feet off the couch as she sat up. She searched his face and decided there was only one way to find out. Tucking her legs beneath her, she shifted to her knees, then cupped his cheek. She searched his eyes once more, then leaned forward and brushed her lips across his. Unlike the joking kiss in the park a few days ago, she let her lips linger on his, holding her breath as she waited for his reaction.

[Dhara]

FLYNN There was a parade of emotions across Dhara’s face after his confession, and for a moment, he thought she wasn’t going to say anything at all. Confused, he watched her sit up onto her knees. Her expression was unreadable at that point, leaving him only to guess what she could possibly be thinking. But he didn't have to wonder for long before her hand was against his cheek. Before he fully grasped what was happening, her lips were against his and his eyes widened. As shocked as he was, it didn't stop him from responding, his arms circling around her to bring her closer.

He kept the kiss tame and chaste, letting it only last a minute before he pulled away. Usually, this kind of invitation was one he took in stride, moving full on before he had a chance to regret it. This was different. Not wanting to push anything on them, he merely rest his forehead against her own and laughed. “I’m not gonna lie, I have no idea how to take that. The heat of the moment, or..?” It was okay, if she said it was. He could live with rejection. Maybe. If only because he still got a kiss out of it. One that he had had the chance to enjoy this time around.

Dhara She relaxed against him when he pulled her closer, looping her arms around his neck. Her eyes closed and she sighed softly, releasing the nervous breath she’d been holding. His kiss was probably one of the sweetest she’d ever received. Tender, chaste and completely sweet. She chuckled when he broke the kiss but kept them close. She didn’t open her eyes, simply taking the time to be in the moment. His laughter made her smiled and she leaned back to look at him.

“I should ask you the same. Heat of the moment? The vodka I smell on your breath, or…?” She smiled up at him, shifting so her legs were off to the side, taking the pressure off her knees. She was half across him as a result and she let her head fall to his bare chest, listening to his slightly elevated heartbeat. “I like you, too.” She confessed. She wasn’t sure when or how or why it happened, but she didn’t regret it, even if it was taboo for both of them. Tipping her head back, she smiled up at him. “And I mean… like you like you. Like… writing notes to ask your crush if they like you type like you.” She bit her bottom lip when she realized she was babbling, smiling up at him.

FLYNN Of course she could smell the vodka on his breath, and of course, she pointed it out. With a snort, he shook his head and tangled his fingers into her hair so she couldn’t pull away. Not that she seemed to plan on it. “While I am sure the vodka helped...that was of my own accord, because I wanted to. The last time a kiss between us happened, I didn’t even have the chance to enjoy it” he explained, pulling back just enough to tilt his head. “And thus, it’s something I’ve thought about doing since. Though, before...maybe with less honorable intentions.”

The fact that she began to babble after her confession only made him laugh all over again, “Do you always have word vomit when you get flustered?” he teased at her, tapping against her back with the fingers that were hopelessly tangled in her blonde tresses. “Even though you didn’t write me note, I promise I would have checked ‘yes.’” How he ended up here, in this particular position, he couldn’t say. Maybe it was that first kiss that had drawn him to her as more, or maybe it was just the natural course that they had set out on. Either way, he wasn’t about to complain. Though, this did make things a helluva a lot more complicated. And with that thought to ruin the mood, he frowned, suddenly.

Dhara She laughed softly and nodded, answering his last question first. “I do. I do not know why.” She said with a smile, content to sit there and snuggle. She liked the feel of his hand in her hair. “And are your intentions now less than honorable? Because it did not seem that way.” She kissed him again, but this time it was on his cheek and she couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot.

“I would have checked ‘yes’ as well.” She agreed, her fingers toyed with his hair, nails gently scratching along the base of his neck. Because she was watching his face, reading the emotions, she didn’t miss the frown. The expression drew a response from her and she went from relaxed to sitting up straight. She couldn’t move away from him because his arm was tight around her and his fingers held her hair. Her smile slowly faded as she searched his face. “Flynn? What is wrong?” She asked, far more afraid to learn the answer than she had been of the movie they’d watched.

FLYNN There was a time when he would said that he had the least honorable of intentions, maybe when they first met. Before he knew her, liked her. Now, things were different. “No, I assure you that they are...as honorable as I am capable of allowing them to be. I am still a rakish playboy by nature, aren’t I? I have to have something less than honorable on my mind,” he joked with her, giving her a quick once over as if he were imagining just what he would see under her t-shirt. That wasn’t the case, though, and he hoped she knew it as well as he did. “My mind is allowed to wander, is it not?” he asked with that signature smirk temporarily coming back to his lips.

It fell soon after, though, as she inquired as to what was wrong. He could read the fear in her eyes as easily as if she were a book, and he cringed at being the cause of it. Carefully removing his hand from her hair, he only moved it to rest against her cheek, pulling her in for another chaste kiss. As they parted, he sighed, but forced a small smile for her benefit. “It’s one thing to have a complicated friendship between a Paladin and vampire...it’s...really another to have a complicated relationship. It’s...well, different.” He could see most others overlooking a harmless friendship, but far less willing to overlook an actual couple. It was a whole other can of worms.

Dhara His chaste kiss made her smile return, though it faded as he spoke. “And is that what you want? A relationship? With me, I mean?” Because who else could it be, as she was the one sitting here in his arms. She sighed softly and let her head rest on his good shoulder. Her hands slid from behind his neck, only to curve gently around his waist, palms flattening against his back. She held him close and sighed again, her breath feathering against his skin. She was quiet, running through the possibilities in her mind.

She wanted to simply blurt out that she didn’t care, but she was actually taking the time to consider her answer, only to find that she really didn’t care. Him being a Paladin had no effect what so ever on how she felt about him. Her hands slid up his back as she lifted her head to look at him. “I do not care. That you are a Paladin, I mean. I trust you, and I know that if we were to have a relationship, you would do your best to keep me safe. As I hope you realize I would do for you.” She looked into his eyes and this time it was her turn for a chaste kiss against his lips. “I do realize it would be a complicated thing, but I am willing. Are you?”