Getting to Know You (Flynn)

[Dhara]

FLYNN Then sun was finally setting over the dog park, and many owners began to pack up their things and lead their dogs back to their cars or down the street in the direction of their homes. Rather than follow suit, Flynn took in the location and found his favorite center bench unoccupied. He had arrived only several minutes before, his plans in place to meet Dhara here, so that she could spend some with Athena. And with him. Not that that was the important part of the meeting, of course.

Settling down onto the bench, he unhooked his beloved pet from her leash and ran a hand over her well-groomed fur. “You wanna play ball? I bet I can throw it further than you can run…” he said in a sing-song voice, as if that were really even possible. But, Athena took it as a challenge and jumped away from him, crouching down into a playful stance and ready to pounce. Laughing at her antics, he took her tennis ball from his bag and gave it his hardest throw. Like lightening, Athena took off after it at full speed.

”I knew you would be here…” a quiet voice greeted him, so familiar and yet so unwelcome that he whipped around in surprise. Vanessa stood behind him, hands clasped together in front of her. Her long, dark locks whipped up in the breeze, partly obscuring her face from his view. The tension in her shoulders was obvious. She did not feel comfortable being there any more than he did. “Vanessa. What are you doing here?”

The woman sighed softly and circled around the bench so that she stood in front of him, just as Athena came rushing back. Immediately, the dog grew agitated with Vanessa’s presence, quickly retreating to her master’s side. A guard, watchful. Ignoring her, Vanessa spoke, ”I...have something to ask you.”

Hazel eyes narrowed in suspicion, half expecting a cell phone to come flying at his face for the second time. “Out with it, then…and make it quick…” he demanded, a hand resting on Athena to keep her still, but it was hard to calm her when he felt as on edge as he did.

Dhara He’d texted not long ago and invited her out, with Athena, had come the qualifier. She grinned and headed for the dog park. She paused by the kiosk and ordered a black coffee and a black tea with lemon. Drinks in hand, she made her way over. She managed to work her way through the fences and spied Flynn. And a statuesque dark haired woman. He sat, she stood and Athena lurked. The tension was palpable and she frowned. This must be Vanessa.

With a soft sigh, she lingered by the gate and wondered what she should do. She should leave, to be honest, since this was between Flynn and his ex, but clearly he and Athena had no desire to be around this woman. She made up her mind and marched over to him, a smile on her lips. Moving around Vanessa, she smiled brightly. “Darling! Apologies for being late.” She leaned in and brushed her lips against his, still smiling. “I stopped for a tea for you and a coffee for myself.”

She handed him the cup and then set hers on the bench. Athena had relaxed and she gave the pooch a kiss on the head and a scratch behind the ears. “And of course I couldn’t forget my favorite girl!” She tugged a canvas frisbee from her bag and tossed it, sending Athena running. Picking up her cup, she settled on the bench, snuggling into his side, and looked at Vanessa. “Oh, hello! Forgive me, I did not see you standing there.” Lie! It was a total lie because the woman was beautiful and hard to miss. She was also insignificant to Dhara in light of the fact that the woman was intruding and making her friend uncomfortable.

FLYNN Vanessa was tall, and knew she was beautiful. She was the kind of woman to believe that no man could resist her, and for the longest time, she was Flynn’s equivalent in female form. She enjoyed the one night stands and bar flings, but for some reason, she saw something in Flynn that she had been determined to hold on to. And when it slipped through her fingers, the only emotion she could easily muster was anger. Apparently, that anger had faded enough for her to confront him. And he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

Before she had a chance to explain herself, though, Dhara arrived in full swing. His eyes widened at the petname, and just as he was going to ask her where the hell it had come from, her lips made contact with his. Every muscle in his body tensed. Before he could register what had just happened, she was gone and sitting at his side, a warm tea now in his hand. He looked down at the cup, and then to Dhara with clear question in his eyes. But, her gaze was locked on Vanessa. The sickly sweet tone pushed him back into gear and he smirked, running his free hand over his jaw.

Once he looked back at his ex, he could see the steam coming from her ears and the look of murder in her eyes. It was obvious that Dhara’s bold move had fired her up, and she was ready to bring out the cat claws. Hoping to keep a fight from breaking out (Vanessa was ******* crazy, after all), he cleared his throat and made a grab for Dhara’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “What was it that you needed, Vanessa?”

Her icy stare shifted to him, slowly, but it softened ever so subtly as she spoke, ”You are still my plus one. I wanted to see if you would still be my date to the wedding.”

Dhara She held his hand, letting her head fall to his shoulder with a smile as Vanessa spoke. Seriously? She wanted to know if he’d still go to something as intimate as a wedding with her when they had broken up? She barely managed to keep from snorting and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, she glanced at him to gauge his reaction and then spoke up anyways. She was having fun being catty it seemed.

“Mmm is that not the weekend you said you would take me to the coast? I already reserved the bed and breakfast… one room with a single queen sized bed, like you requested.” She grinned up at him, then smiled at Vanessa. “You must be Vanessa. I would say it is lovely to meet you, but it really is not.” She took the frisbee from Athena and tossed it again, then smiled sweetly at the woman. “In fact, it is quite rude to interrupt a date, do you not agree?”

[Flynn]

b]FLYNN[/b] Before he could even offer up a reason not to go, Dhara was on it. Her sassy response made him snort, which he quickly covered up with a cough. Vanessa wasn’t fooled, though, because her already furious stare only hardened. They zeroed in on Dhara, like a bug that she needed to squash. ”As a matter of fact, YOU are the one interrupting, as we were having our discussion before you even arrived. And, he already committed to the wedding, whether we broke up or not.” Flynn couldn’t exactly disagree with that assessment, but he wasn’t about to openly choose Vanessa’s side. That would only encourage her, and that was the last thing that he needed.

Not willing to let it progress much further, he released Dhara’s hand and stood, positioning himself between the two women. “Vanessa, I agreed when we were together and spending time at a wedding wouldn’t feel like utter torture for the both of us. Do you truly, honestly, want me to go with you?” he asked, quite serious in his question. Yes, Dhara had come up with a great reason for him to decline, but he had to wonder why it was that Vanessa even considered the idea of them going together.

From the look on the woman’s face, he knew the answer before she uttered a soft ‘I don’t know’ under her breath. A flicker of emotion appeared in her expression, like she really wanted to say ‘yes.’ His nose wrinkled at the thought. “I’ll...give you a call. At the very least, I will pay for my spot, so that no money was lost by lack of attendance?” he said in the form of a question, as if it was an acceptance reason for him not to go.

Vanessa opened her mouth, ready to argue, before shooting a glare at Dhara and stalked away. Flynn didn’t move, nor turn toward Dhara until the raven-haired woman was completely out of the park. “What...the hell was that?” he finally said, looking at the slight blonde over his shoulder. There was no anger, or annoyance at her actions. But, that was still quite the leap, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

Dhara She sat calmly, sipping her coffee and playing with Athena while he confronted Vanessa. Once the woman was gone, and Flynn turned to her, well looked over his shoulder, she smiled and shrugged slightly. “You looked a little… tense. When I got here.” She was now settled on the bench with her coffee in hand and a smile on her lips. “So I figured I would pretend to be your girlfriend and hopefully spare you.”

She licked her bottom lip, as if she could remember their brief, albeit not unpleasant kiss. “Apologies if I crossed the line. I really was not certain how to approach the situation.” She sipped her coffee and grinned at him. “I will admit that it was kind of fun… I have never done anything like that before.” She let her eyes rove over his back. “I really am sorry…”

FLYNN He wasn’t quite sure how to feel about Dhara’s first instinct being to act as his girlfriend in the face of his ex, but it was good to know where her head was at. Flynn didn’t look away in time to not see her lick her lip, and his eyes immediately followed the contours of her mouth. His gaze locked onto them for only an instant before he forced it away to instead look in her eyes. Not that it helped keep his mind busy, because it was still back 5 minutes ago, when the kiss happened in the first place.

Turning around, he groaned and dropped down beside her. “No need. You probably did save me from a very unpleasant conversation. It has confirmed for me one thing, though...she is very much not over me. If she had it her way, I probably would have left with her tonight…” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. A deep breath and he turned back to her with a small smile, “But, hey...at least you enjoyed yourself, hm? Making other women jealous of you…”

Dhara She snorted softly, even as she rubbed his back gently. “I really do not think she was jealous. Catty, certainly quite rude, but not jealous.” She smiled at him, nibbling on her bottom lip in thought. “Would you though? Have left with her? Something tells me you would not have. You do not seem the type to be easily persuaded to do something you are not interested in.”
She smiled and took the frisbee from Athena. “I hope you do not mind, I saw this and thought of her.” She showed him the durable canvas frisbee before tossing it off for the dog. She then took her coffee and took a long swallow. Gazing at him, she batted her lashes and leaned close. “Unless you really do want to go to the coast, darling…” She teased with a laugh, bumping her shoulder against his with a chuckle.

FLYNN He actually laughed, then, lifting her chin so that she was looking straight up at him. “Dhara, darling...that woman was very much jealous of the fact that you single-handedly monopolized the situation, rather than allowing her to be the center of it. And, if I am right about her desires, why wouldn’t she be jealous of the woman keeping me from her, hm?” He raised his eyebrows, just asking for her to try and argue that logic. He knew Vanessa, and she was a vain, possessive kind of crazy. The ‘if she couldn’t have him, no one could’ kind of mentality.

Releasing his hold on her chin, he consider her question and looked away to watch Athena chase after the frisbee that Dhara had gotten for her. “Honestly? I don’t know. Probably not, but I am a man, and I don’t need to talk to her to get what I would want out of the deal…” he answered honestly, even if it was an answer that Dhara didn’t care to hear. “If I had, I can promise you that I would most definitely regret it.”

With a shake of his head, he took the frisbee from Athena as she arrived with it, turning it this way and that. “Of course I don’t mind. Athena loves to be spoiled, after all…” he said, sending the frisbee out across the park once more. And just as he went to turn back to her, she was leaning in. Eyes growing wide for the second time that night, he leaned back ever so slightly, keeping a safe distance between the two of them. Clearing his throat, he shook his head, “The coast, huh? I am sure Athena would love that.”

Dhara She laughed at the way he leaned back. “Relax, I will not kiss you again, no matter how much I, and possibly you, enjoyed it.” She teased, sipping her coffee. She put some space between them, even though she honestly felt a chill now that her arm was no longer pressed against his. She watched him toss the frisbee and sipped her coffee again.

His words ran through her mind and she snorted softly again. “I do not think anyone has ever been jealous because of me.” She chuckled over the idea and shook her head. “Though it is good to know that regret is what kept you from leaving, and not that we had plans.” She teased, unable to resist. “Though if meaningless sex is what you want, I suppose you could put a bag over her head so you do not have to look at her?”

FLYNN Flynn wasn’t sure if she realized it, but she had just admitted to the fact that she had enjoyed kissing him. And while she had implied that he had, too, he had been too surprised by it to really take it in. Had he been prepared, he probably would have liked it, that much was true. Tempted, he consider the consequences of shocking her with a kiss, but immediately thought better of it. More than one kiss has the potential of leading to things. Dhara was his friend, and he was in short supply. Hitting on his existing friends seemed like the wrong course of action.

As Dhara offered him a solution to his Vanessa problem, he laughed. “I’m not sure if the bag would be enough. I may not be able to see her, but I would still know…” he pointed out, nodding sadly, like it really did take away from the whole experience. “Though...meaningless sex would be the perfect way to relax after a long day?” He phrased it as a question, opening the door for her deny it. As it was, he had gone without since his breakup. It left him feeling unfulfilled and oddly lonely. Not that he was going to admit as much. “And, for what it matters, the majority of women should be jealous of you. Beauty and talent don’t usually come as a package.”

[Dhara]

Dhara “I would not know.” She said in reference to his meaningless sex comment. She wasn’t the type to indulge and since her divorce, she’d been alone. She’d been curious, but never brave enough to take that step. She drank her coffee and took the frisbee from Athena, tossing it again.

His compliment caught her off guard and she ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Thank you.” She said shyly, staring at her hands, then at Athena as she came back. “I think she is thirsty.” She said to him, reaching for the small bag he carried that had the dogs bowl and some water. As she began to fill the bowl, she glanced up at him. “I forgot to ask… how was your day? Another day successfully managed or are you going to call me up at some point and ask for bail money once the polizei find you?”

FLYNN He had to fight the urge to say something in response to her admission. It wasn’t a bad thing, really. A woman that set standards for herself, and actually had enough self-respect to stick to them was a rare breed. Still, he had to wonder what level of experience that left her with. How many men had come and gone? His hum was soft and noncommittal, giving away nothing of his thoughts on her sex life. It wasn’t his damn business, no matter how much he wanted to know. Maybe he would ask, eventually, but now was hardly the time. That was a whole new level of personal question. Then again, he probably knew more about her than she even knew.

“My day? Well...I did manage to make it here in one piece, so that must be saying something. However, I may just take you up on that bail money. You never know what could happen, after all…” he teased, shooting her his best and brightest smile. Not that he needed to dazzle her, or anything. “And what about you? Have the three jobs kept you busy enough? It’s a wonder you find time to come and sit with lil’ ol’ me!” He had the nerve to pout at her, as if he were a neglected child looking for attention.

Dhara She laughed at his pout, it was utterly charming. Maybe even more so than the dazzling smile he’d just given. “And you got a kiss out of it, even if it was in an effort to scare off your ex.” She pointed out. Athena was done with her water and was gazing expectantly at her. Taking up the frisbee, she tossed it across the park again, then deposited her empty cup in a bin.

“Now, do not be expecting that every time. It was a one off.” She assured him, laughing again over his pout. Reaching out, she gently cupped his cheek and stroked her thumb over his skin. “Aww do not pout, even if it is quite charming.” She said, sitting down beside him again. “As for work, it was good. I have a few things to do at home this evening, but not so much that I cannot make time for you.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Be careful, I do not have a lot of funds. I could not bail you out for murder. But I think I could handle assault.” She teased, tucking her hair behind her ear and chuckling softly.

FLYNN Once again, Flynn hummed in response to Dhara and her joking over their shared kiss. Was it really a shared kiss, though, if he hadn’t had the chance to respond to it? Knowing that was probably best, he simply laughed it off with a shake of his head. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you just used that as an excuse…” he retorted with a playful smirk. He didn’t really believe that, though it was a nice thought, nonetheless.

When she reached out to him, he didn’t move, but he did grow tense and unsure. It was a gentle touch, the kind he could come to appreciate. But, even as she promised to make time for him, the alarm bells were sounding in his head. They were reaching a point of no return, and it was place forbidden to him. He had a role to play, and it did not involve being quite so close to someone like Dhara. Regardless, he didn’t pull away, allowing her to touch him as she pleased. Gesturing for Athena to come to him, he reached down rest his head against the top of hers, though his gaze remained on his current company “Well, that’s good to hear. I would expect an assault charge over murder…” Yeah. Okay, Flynn. Keep telling yourself that.

Dhara She drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and watched him with a small smile. “I think you would like that. If I were using it as an excuse.” She teased back. She was tired and her mind wandered, wondering when the last time she ate was. She’d realized it had been a couple of days, but it would be kind of rude to just bail on him to go home and make herself a cup of dinner.

She tucked her hair behind her ear again, smiling as he leaned his head on the dog, who had a blissful smile on her face. “She loves you. Quite devoted I see.” She paused and lifted her head slightly. “Why would you expect an assault charge? You do not strike me as the type to explode. You seem quite controlled, actually.” She grinned suddenly and narrowed her eyes at him. “Then again, as you said, there are a great many things I do not know about Flynn… international man of mystery.” Another laugh and a wiggle of her fingers like he had done. “Like your last name, for one.”

FLYNN Flynn went quiet for a moment as she teased him, considering his next words carefully. He pet over Athena’s gorgeous fur, idly, his mind far away. What harm could come from him telling her the truth? Did he really expect her to simply accept not knowing such small details about his life, especially when they claimed to be friends? The thought made him frown, and only after the fact did he realize that she might believe he was frowning at her, rather than his thoughts. “Maybe I would like it, Dhara...maybe I would…” he finally replied, taking his head from his dog’s with a shake of his head and a subtle smirk.

“She is quite devoted. And shares my last name, even…” he pointed out, as if that were some mystery that he was giving her the answer to. “She doesn’t enjoy being nearly as mysterious as I do, though. So, I will tell you her last name, and you can pretend that I didn’t just tell you mine?” That made him chuckle, like it even mattered. “This is Athena Connors. And you would do best to remember that name, since she will obviously become quite the famous pooch someday.”

Dhara “Conners…” She repeated, then looked at Athena, since, after all, Flynn hadn’t told her his last name. “A very distinguished name, for a very lovely lady.” She grinned, her fingers toying with the violin at her throat. She always fidgeted more when she was hungry. “And probably the only lady who will share your last name?” She teased with a soft chuckle. Stretching her legs out, she stood up and moved a few feet away, pushing her hands through her hair, then stretching lazily. She kept her back to Flynn and had a mental conversation with her stomach, informing the organ in no uncertain terms that it could wait for a meal.

She turned back to her friend and smiled, tipping her head to the side. “I could use another coffee, how about you?” She asked, motioning to his tea. Then a rather rash thought filtered through her brain and came out of her mouth before she had a chance to bite back the words or even really process what she was saying. “Perhaps my place this time?”

[Flynn]

FLYNN Flynn smirked as Dhara played along, only speaking to his pet in regards to the last namet. “Who needs another leading lady, when I have the best one right here?” he asked in response to her teasing question, shamelessly watching her stretch while her back was turned. The very idea of marriage was enough to give him a headache, though, but mostly due to his total lack of interest in it, rather than a belief that he would someday be a…’husband.’ “Besides, I don’t think a woman alive would be satisfied knowing that I love my dog more than I love her.” He laughed, but wasn’t totally kidding. When it came down to it, Athena was there for life. Anyone else? Not so much.

Her sudden offer to have coffee at her place was a surprise, making him sit back from Athena with a low whistle. “Wow...I never thought I would see the day that you invited me back to your place. That usually leads to things, and I don’t know that you could keep up…” he teased, as she had done to him. He did stand, nonetheless, and pack up Athena’s things. Of course, he was going to go. Even as his mind shouted vulgarity at him for his stupidity in doing so. That was thing about Flynn, he rarely listened to reason.

“I suppose I could stand another night with coffee...you may be a bad influence, though. I never drank this much coffee before you came along…” he mumbled, doing his best to appear upset in regards to the matter. “But, please...lead the way.”

Dhara She laughed softly. “If she does not understand, then she is not the right person. My first love is and always will be music. And while it is not the same as having a companion like Athena, it would take a very patient man to understand the long hours in front of the piano or with my violin.”

His low whistle made her duck her head and what came next made her cover her face in embarrassment. She peeked at him from between her fingers, her laugh was muffled behind her hands. “Do you ever say something and then wonder where in the world it came from?” She said, still laughing. She watched him stand and moved to grab her satchel. She tugged it over her head and chuckled as she pulled her hair free of the strap.

“Sabria.” She said to him, though she was looking at Athena and appeared to be speaking to the dog as the three of them headed for her apartment. “My last name, Athena, is Sabria. I thought you should know since you are coming home with me.” She fell silent as they walked, but it was companionable, and she was surprised to learn she didn’t live far from the dog park. It was actually pretty equidistant between their places.

For her part, she took the elevator to her floor since it was up on ten. Unlocking her door, she stepped inside and waved him and Athena in. “Please come in.” She said, gesturing grandly to the small but cozy space. She knew Jay was out for the night with his band, and by the time he got home, her friend and his canine companion would be gone. She set her bag beside the door and slipped off her shoes. “I will make the coffee.” She paused and gave him a cheeky smile. “Unless you want to do the counter surfing this time?”


FLYNN He didn’t say anything in response to her comment on the piano, but that was due to his own internal battle. Part of him had to wonder if he would ever have enough patience for someone like Dhara, and in a way, he doubted it. And because he was even bothering to wonder, he was also busy kicking himself. There was very little reason for him to wonder about it. Because they were friends and he would keep it that way. For both their sakes.

“Sabria…” he finally said under his breath, since Dhara obviously wasn’t talking to him. She was clearly telling Athena, who deserved to know that information after giving up her’s. The husky seemed to practically bounce in joy at the attention she was getting, and the fact she wasn’t going home. “You may have made her entire night by bringing her back here. She loves a good adventure,” he commented, watching with amusement.

He followed dutifully up to her apartment, bending to release Athena before fully taking in the scope of the place. It was small, but homey. It was everything he would have expected of her, based on what he did know. The piano interested him most, but before he moved too far from the door he slipped his own shoes off. “Unlike you, my darling, I have no need for counter surfing. And how could I deny you the joy of it?” he teased, gesturing his head toward the instrument. “Could I? In the meantime?”

Dhara She smiled at the pet name. He’d been using it since she said it to him, and she had a feeling he was teasing her. She liked it though, so she didn’t say anything. She watched Athena, and was pleasantly surprised when he took his shoes off. Athena wandered over and curled up in the arm chair, contentedly making herself at home. She moved into the kitchen, but paused when he asked about the piano.

“Please, by all means.” She said with a smile. Hopping onto her counters, she pulled down a couple of mugs and started the coffee, humming under her breath. “I did not know you played piano.” She said by way of conversation. “Flynn Conners… oh wait… Flynn no last name, international man of mystery.” She teased as she set about making the coffee. She leaned against the counter and watched him with a small smile on her lips.


FLYNN Once he had her permission, he made his way over and sat down on the bench. At first, he simply ran the pads of his fingers over the keys, but keeping his focus on Dhara. “I am going to resort back to… ‘There is a lot you do not know about me,’” he replied with a wink. At least she could keep up, “And yes, that last one sounds great. We will stick with that. Each time you call, I am gonna need you to greet me as such…” he continued with a slow nod, like there was no way that she was going to talk him out of it now. “The international part really sells it…”
Laughing, he looked away and down at the piano. It had been several years since he had played. It would be no trouble for him to purchase one of his own, but he lacked the space. One day, he would have one, though. Humming, he set about playing Fur Elise, just as she had once before. “You might know this one, even…” he teased as he played, watching her move about the kitchen for the coffee. As the song came to an end, he flawlessly began to play Greensleeves without a moment’s hesitation. “My mother used to play this for me when I was little...it was the first song I learned how I play.”

[Dhara]

Dhara “Alas my love you do me wrong, to cast me out discourteously.” She sang as she brought over two cups of black coffee. She set one on the coaster in front of him and one on another coaster, indicating two people usually sat at this piano. Settling on the bench, she played the song with him, though she no longer sang. “I have not heard Greensleeves in years.” She admitted. “It is not one I often played. And I am not going to call you International Man of Mystery whenever we chat. It ruins it’s effectiveness.” She teased with a laugh.

She quit playing and simply sat beside him, sipping her coffee and listening to him play. It was nice to be entertained instead of being the entertainer. She hummed softly along with him in between sips of coffee. She kind of wished she could make herself some dinner so that her stomach would quit grabbing her spine and shaking it, but that would come later.

FLYNN He paused in playing once Greensleeves was over, but only long enough to glance at her with a small smile. “It hardly ruins its effectiveness. I think it would feed my ego tremendously, in fact.” With that, he picked up a new song that he only knew by ‘The Rain.’ It reminded him a bit of jazz, but with its own flare. Either way, it wasn’t quite so depressing as Greensleeves. Playing again made him realize how much he had missed it, and made a mental note to throw out his couch. He could sit on the piano bench if he had to.

Without finishing the song, he slowed the tempo down until he eventually stopped and reached out for his mug. Seeing the dark liquid within, he immediately made a face, tongue out and all. “I think you forgot two very important details…” he mumbled, standing from the bench and backing up toward the kitchen. “Tell me, please, that you have cream or milk, or at the very least, sugar?” he asked, reaching out to grab for the refrigerator door.

Turning around, he swung the door open enough to get a good look inside. What he didn’t find was milk or creamer. What he did find was quite the stash of blood packs. They were stacked neatly, showing the care that went into delivering them safely, to avoid any possible punctures to the bags. His grip on the handle of the door tightened, his eyes closing. It was one thing to know, it was another to be faced with the reality of it.

Dhara “There is cream in the fridge, sugar in the cabinet.” She said without thinking, sipping her coffee. Her relaxed state vanished in seconds. The cream. Was in. The Fridge. With her blood. “No wait!” She cried out, practically falling off the bench in her effort to get up. She tripped over her skirt, cursed in German and bolted, slamming into the door and shutting the fridge.

She pressed her back against the door, her palms behind her back. She looked stricken as she gazed up at him, her eyes bright, looking to large in her petite face. “Flynn…” She said softly, his name almost desperate as it passed her lips. The look on his face silenced her, not that she knew what to say. It was an odd picture, her pressed against the fridge in a half crouch, him standing above her, hand still out where it had held the handle of the door. Athena’s head lifted and she stared at the two.

FLYNN He wasn’t expecting her to slam into the doors, shutting them before he had reopened his eyes. When he did, all he saw her. His teeth pressed down hard on his lower lip as his eyebrows furrowed. For once, everything in his head was quiet. There was no solution, no excuses, and no words. Try as he might, he simply couldn’t think of a damn thing to say, so he just stared at a point over her right shoulder. Flynn knew, if he didn’t say something, then Dhara would quite possibly think the worst...and still, he was silent.

Finally, his mouth fell open and he took a deep breath in as if he was about to speak. In the end, he let it out in a rush and took a step away from the fridge, and thus, Dhara. Circling back around the counter, he put a fair amount of distance between them, his mug still in hand. “Would you mind, terribly, getting the cream for me? Please?” he finally said, voice soft and low, but otherwise lacking any signs of outward emotion. He would ignore this...he could ignore this…

Dhara The silence stretched forever. Or so it felt. The longer they stood there, the more freaked out she became, though aside from being paler than normal one wouldn’t be able to tell. Then he moved away and a single damning tear spilled over and tracked down her cheek. It was now the proverbial elephant in the room. He moved across the kitchen and her gaze dropped to the floor.

He asked for cream and it took her a minute to register his request. She turned, pulling open the fridge and pulling out the cream. She placed it on the counter, then got the sugar down as well, setting it beside the cream and adding a spoon from the drawer. Her movements were stiff, hands trembling slightly. When all was said and done, she retreated, giving him space. She curled up in the corner of the couch, drawing her knees up, toes hidden by her skirt. She hugged her bent legs and stared at the dark t.v. screen. She had no idea what to say now. And the fact he’d asked for cream had thrown her for a loop. She expected him to grab Athena and bolt.

FLYNN The silence continued after she provided him with the things he needed for his coffee, to which he nodded in thanks. While she moved over to the couch, he went about making his cup of coffee, his own hands shaking. He hadn’t missed the tear, and his reaction had hurt her. There wasn’t any way to take that back, now, so he would have to fix it by moving forward. Whether it was by choice or not, Dhara had just had perhaps her deepest secret revealed. She had showed her hand. Now, it was his turn.

With a soft sigh, Flynn grabbed his mug and went out into the living room. He carefully put his mug back on the coaster she had set out for him earlier and then moved over to sit in front of Dhara, on the floor. Bringing his knees up toward his chest, he rest his arms on his knees and frowned. “I already knew…” he whispered, purposely keeping his gaze directed on the opposite wall. “I knew almost the moment we met.” There was no other explanation offered, not yet. It didn’t change his reaction, but maybe she wouldn’t feel quite so alienated. If he had already known, and it bothered him, he would have been the last man to stick around. He just...wasn’t the average, run of the mill guy.

Dhara She watched him move around from the corner of her eye. Her only movement was to blot at the tears that slid down her cheeks with her sleeve. How stupid to cry over this. But there she was, doing two of the things she hated most. Crying and crying in front of someone. She went still when he sat on the floor in front of her. And she didn’t miss how he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

His voice was soft, but she could hear him as if he’d shouted. Her gaze dropped from the blank t.v. to his face, wishing he would look at her. “I cannot hypnotize you with my eyes.” She whispered, her accent thick because of her high running emotions. She was attempting to tease him, but it probably fell flat. She swiped at her face again, then tangled her fingers in her long tresses. “How?” She finally asked him. They hadn’t touched very much, certainly not in anyway that would give away her lack of heartbeat. “How did you know?” It was the one thing she really wanted to know, the one question that leaped to the pile of what felt like hundreds more.

[Flynn]

FLYNN Despite the tension between the two of them, he couldn’t help but laugh at her attempted joke. “I know you can’t do that, too,” he replied, bowing his head for a minute while he tried to collect his thoughts. Just as he knew she would, she was soon asking how. How would he have known that she was vampire, when she hadn’t given him any reason to suspect? He couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for the vampire race, at times, but that didn’t make him any less what he was.

Groaning, he lifted his head and turned back so he was now facing her, legs crossed in front of him. “Since your big secret got revealed...I guess it’s only fair I tell you mine?” he said in the form of a question, even though he had no intentions of letting her actually answer it. “That night you were at my apartment...you didn’t look very closely at my tattoos…” he began, pulling up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal some of the intricate artwork underneath.

“If you had...you probably would have recognized them. Most vampires do…” he continued, canting his head. He paused for only a moment, keeping his eyes on hers to gauge her reaction to his next words. “I’m a Paladin. That’s how I knew.”

Dhara She held her breath when he moved, meeting his eyes. Her gaze dropped to watch what he was doing. Partly to watch, and partly to hide her tears, ashamed of them. This time, as he spoke, she studied the ink work. He kept talking, but she had gone cold all over, numb. He was right, she recognized his tattoo’s even as he said the words. Paladin. In her apartment. She cursed herself silently for putting her childe in danger. She hadn’t realized she’d hissed quietly in recognition. Her eyes had gone wide, fixated on the inkwork.

She felt the weight of his eyes on her and her amber gaze met his. She was silent, still as she thought. Did she really endanger herself and her childe by making a friend? She studied the man on her floor, swiping at her cheek as her tears began to trickle, mercifully, to a stop. If he’d known from the beginning, wouldn’t he have done something the night they met? Or the time after that? Or even before coming here? Would he really have invited her to his apartment, accepted the invitation to hers? She didn’t think so. She exhaled slowly and blinked, looking into his eyes. She licked her bottom lip, tugging on the black streak of hair. “What happens now?” She asked in the same whispered tone that their conversation had become.

FLYNN Flynn had been expecting that reaction. It was one thing to learn that she was a vampire. It was another for her to learn that he hunted and killed the very thing she was. When it came to the undead, most Paladins didn’t care to make the differentiation. He liked to think that he kept up fairly high standards on who or what deserved his attention. Of course, to most vampires, that didn’t matter. He was a threat to them and their kind. All of the them were. Eventually, one of the two groups would have to make a move, but there was no telling when that would be. Or who would come out on top.

And so, for now, he was sitting here on a vampire’s floor and trying to think of the best way to answer her question. The best that he could give her was a shrug, as disappointing as it might be. “Honestly? That depends a lot more on you, than it does me. Finding out you are a vampire isn’t exactly a deal breaker. However, finding out that I...work...for the same group that hunts and kills your kind may be one for you. So...you tell me?” he asked, leaning forward so that he could swipe a trail of moisture from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “And I am sorry that I made you cry.”

Dhara He apologized for making her cry. Of all the things that she’d been prepared to hear, that wasn’t one of them. Nor did she expect the gentle stroke of his thumb on her skin. She managed a smile, though her lower lip trembled slightly. He was leaving it up to her to decide. Her hand came up, fingers curling gently around his, she held his hand loosely, giving him the option to pull away if he wanted.

“It is okay.” She said softly in reference to his apology. She exhaled and gazed at him, managing another small smile that didn’t feel as forced as the first one had. “It is not. A deal breaker I mean.” She clarified, her eyes roved over his face before landing on his eyes once more. “Logically speaking, you have known since our first meeting, and yet, here I sit, healthy and unharmed. And here you sit in the same fashion.” She nibbled on her lip and sucked in a slow breath that slipped equally slowly back out of her lungs. “Do things really have to change, just because of what we know about each other? You are still the same International Man of Mystery and I am still the same wandering minstrel…” She looked hopeful as she held his hand, she couldn’t help it. She liked him, enjoyed his company, and, truthfully, really didn’t want things to change.

FLYNN The touch of her fingers as they closed around his hand made his thumb still, simply resting against her cheek as he continued to keep eye contact. He had never told anyone the truth about being a Paladin. It was a part of his life that he kept carefully contained and controlled, and for good reason. And, for some reason that he wasn’t sure he entirely understood, she was fine with it. Maybe ‘fine’ was the wrong word, but she wasn’t telling him to leave. That had to be worth something.

Even though the atmosphere the of the room had drastically changed, he chuckled at his new nickname. “You can’t be ‘wandering’ if you stay in one place, Dhara...but, I suppose, for the sake of argument, I can agree to that,” he assured her, finally lowering his hand from her cheek, his fingertips just barely grazing over her lower lip. Leaning back so his palms fell to the floor and he was slightly reclined, he frowned up at her. “There...is one thing you need to be aware of. Should another Paladin find you with me, I can’t guarantee your protection. Not that you necessarily need it, I am sure you can hold your own. I just...can’t promise you that they won’t get violent.”

[Dhara]

Dhara She found she missed the feeling of his hand in hers, and she swore her bottom lip tingled where he had stroked his thumb across it. She smiled at his technical definition of ‘wandering’. “Well, I did go to Tokyo recently, and I wander around the city. So it still fits.” She felt odd, sitting on the couch above him, so she eased herself to the floor. Her legs crossed and she demurely tucked her skirt around herself, keeping her legs covered. Her knees touched his, her hands in her lap as she listened to him.

“I know. It is a risk I take every time I leave my apartment.” She snorted softly when he said she could hold her own. “You would be surprised.” She admitted. “I really cannot. I do not know how to use a weapon, I am… very much against violence of any sort.” She sighed, still looking at her hands. “I know I should learn, a lot of people say so. My sire among them.” She licked her bottom lip and sighed again. “I ended up… I have a childe… I made him a vampire because he was trying to protect me and he got hurt. Fatally so. And even still, I just cannot bring myself to learn.” She looked up at him as she confessed her deepest guilt. “I am not a very good vampire I suppose.”

FLYNN He offered her a small smile as she tried to make up an excuse to keep the ‘wandering’ prefix. Instead of telling her that neither of those examples really counted, he only nodded sagely with a soft agreement. When she lowered herself down to the floor, he blinked in surprise, but didn’t argue the matter, even as her knees knocked against his. For her modesty’s sake, he looked away for only a moment as she fixed her skirt, even though he wouldn’t have been able to see anything, anyway.

His attention returned to her as she began to talk about her pacifist nature and how she came to sire her first childe. Canting his head, he listened quietly and stayed quiet for a long minute before he finally spoke, “Well...if you ever do want to learn...I happen to be quite good with a blade. I have to be,” he sniffed, running a hand through his hair. Being a Paladin left him with quite a few skills that came fairly natural to him, thanks to the enchantments adorning his skins. “And, I have to agree with everyone else. You really should learn to protect yourself, somehow. Especially when things could escalate between humans and vampires any day.”

Shifting on the ground, he glanced down at his arm to follow the tattoos before they disappeared beneath the sleeve of his shirt. “There is no such thing as good and bad vampires, Dhara. If you manage to survive, then you are doing alright for yourself…” he assured her, looking at her through his eyelashes with a subtle smile. He could tell that her words came from a place she didn’t share very often. “As it so happens...I probably am not the best Paladin, myself. I can...sense vampires, because my body reacts to their...aura, I suppose. But, I tend to fight against the instincts to attack them. I don’t know if that makes me better or worse than the others.”

Dhara Leaning forward, she reached out without thinking, calloused fingers stroking along his arm. She studied his Paladin marks, and the ink that overlay them. Her touch was gentle, curious as she examined his skin. She didn’t say anything, listening to his offer to teach her. It wasn’t the first one she’d received. She continued to study his tattoo’s but didn’t ask what any of them meant. She knew that tattoo’s were a personal thing. She left off examining his arm and sat up straight with a small smile.

“I did not realize you could cover Paladin marks.” She said, meeting his hazel gaze. Her hands folded in her lap and she shook her head. “I appreciate your offer, but I fear I would become a bit of a danger to you.” She chuckled ruefully, “Not because I have any desire to hurt you, but because… I am very frightened of weapons, and I am a little bit clumsy. It is probably safer for you if my only weapons are screaming and running away. And I can run quite fast.”

FLYNN Flynn didn’t expect to reach out, nor did he expect her to trace over that tattoos there. She did not ask about them, and for that, he was thankful. His tattoos were more just mere artwork, and he took pride in them. All of them; not just the enchanted ones. Of course, what she was seeing was not even a fourth of the artwork that adorned his upper body. Showing her the rest seemed inappropriate, for the setting they found themselves in, even if did have the modesty level of a teaspoon. So, when she sat back, he once again leaned back on his palms, putting a bit of distance between them beyond their still touching knees.

“I did not do it with the intentions of covering them, really. Moreso...enhancing them!” he explained with a proud grin. The Paladin marks were intricate and beautiful, but the tattoos that overlaid them only added to their beauty. At least, to his eyes. Maybe it was different for others, but his tattoos were hardly their concern. “As for being a danger to me...you are a danger to me, already. As am I, to you. Our kinds don’t mesh, and that alone is a danger. So, what would it matter if you added a little more?” He laughed, trying to make light of the fact that she did not know, or show any desire to know, how to defend herself. “But, I do respect your decision. Running can be just as effective as fighting, in the right situation.”

Dhara “I think they are quite lovely. I do not have tattoos. Or scars.” She said, then looked thoughtful. “No, that is not true. I do have a scar on my lower back near my spine.” Her lips quirked in a small smile. “Believe it or not, it is from a bullet. Happened not long after I came here and long before I was turned.”

She chuckled softly. “A regular Romeo and Juliet, you and I. But without the suicide and romance. I know I need to learn to defend myself, but getting over my fear is… well it stops me every time and I do not know a way to get over my past and be able to learn.” She rubbed the back of her neck and her nose crinkled. She was starving but she didn’t want to put him off any more than he already was. “If it is any consolation,” She began slowly, lifting her eyes to his, “You never have to worry of me feeding from you. I have no fangs… I have never fed off a living, breathing human.” She grinned, showing her even white teeth with no hint of fangs in her mouth.


FLYNN Though he hardly cared whether others cared for his choices, he couldn’t help the small smirk that formed at her compliment. Of course, she hadn’t seen a few of the others, that included more than one topless woman. Of course, in neither instance were they overly sexualized on his body, but that did not mean they were any less nude. “You say that, now. Maybe, some day, you will see them all. I have...quite a lot,” he noted, tilting his head toward his back as a means of gesturing to the remaining tattoos. “And, I have to say, only having the one scar is pretty impressive. I tend to scar as easily as a peach bruises.”

His lips pursed at Romeo and Juliet, even as she modified it. The expression didn’t change as she continued on to explain that she had no fangs. He knew of other vampires that did not seem to have fangs, making their means of a survival a little more complicated, but yet easier to blend in. It also explained the multitude of blood bags in her fridge. It dawned on him, then, that he had never seen her with anything other than a coffee in hand, and his pursed lips dropped into a frown. “If...you need to...don’t hide it on my account. That would be...more than a little unfair to ask of you.”

Sighing, he sat up before she could possibly move away. “Actually, I should probably be heading home for the night, anyway...I mean, look at poor Athena,” he joked, pointing out the canine fast asleep in the chair that she had claimed for her own in the apartment. Tonight had been tense on multiple occasions, and he had no problem with letting it come to an end sooner rather than later. Still, even as he said the words, a small and smothered part of him didn’t want to leave. Not yet. But, was it for the best? Probably.

[Flynn]

Dhara “Well, I am sure it is considered quite rude to ask you to disrobe when we yet hardly know each other.” She teased, “But perhaps someday I will see them.” She added in agreement, even as her brows inched towards her hairline at his comment. “As easily as a peach? I do find that hard to believe.” She said with a chuckle. The tension bled out of her shoulders and she twined a lock of hair around her finger. His next words caught her off guard and she blinked stupidly at him.

“Are you sure?” She asked with a small frown, having sat up straight. “I do not wish to make you uncomfortable… more than I already have.” She amended. She realized it was probably a silly question since he had always been forthright with her, and if he said it was okay, then he meant it. She was absolutely sure of it. She moved to get up, but then he was speaking again. Her face fell and she nodded, glancing at Athena. “She does look like she has had quite a difficult evening.” She said softly. She didn’t want him to go, selfishly enjoying his company. And there was a tiny voice in her head that said this goodbye would be permanent. She shoved that voice aside. “I will walk you both out, then.” She said instead, levering herself up with the help of the couch, she stuck out a hand to help him up.

FLYNN As she stood and offered her hand to help him up, he accepted it with a soft whistle that immediately had Athena’s head snapping up, wide awake. She hopped down from the chair and walked slowly over to the pair, looking up between them with her bright eyes. For having just woke up, she was surprisingly alert and ready to go. He smiled down at her, petting a hand on her head. “You don’t have to walk us out, if you would rather stay here. I am sure you are...hungry…” he finished with slow nod, implying that she must be needing the blood.

Heading toward the door with Athena in tow, he bent down to slip on his shoes and hook her up to the leash. It wouldn’t be too long of a walk home, and she would never complain about exercise, being the dog that she was. Once they were both situated and ready to go, he looked back at Dhara and offered her a small smile, “You make sure that you enjoy the rest of your night, and sleeping in until noon.”

Dhara “It would be rude not to.” She countered, tugging on he boots. She opened the door and lead him to the elevator in companionable silence. She pushed the call button for him, then gave Athena a couple of scratches behind the ear. “You can sleep in my chair any time.” She told the dog. When the elevator opened, she smiled up at Flynn. “Be safe on your walk. I do hope the coffee does not keep you awake.” She gave a little wave and headed back inside her apartment. She was starving, as he’d mentioned, and had a lot to think about.