<span style="color: #FF0000">At the office again, it was obvious that something was up. A light skip in his step, practically whistling as he made his way back to his desk. Backpack tossed under the desk, fingers drummed happily on the top while he looked over some paperwork.  <br/> <br/>“So...” Tim began as soon as he popped his head up over the wall. “Was it lunch with Chrystal, with an h?”  <br/> <br/>“Yes, it actually was,” mood so upbeat that for the moment he forgot about the teasing he suffered at her hand about Tim's true intentions.  <br/> <br/>“I would ask if it went well, but from how you practically floated on air when you strolled in, I will just go out on a limb and say it did,” he chuckled.  <br/> <br/>“It did and it looks like it is going to continue going well,” a smile that reached nearly from ear to ear seemed a permanent fixture on his face now.  <br/> <br/>“Good for you, Elijah. Nice to see you happy,” Tim's final remark before he disappears back behind the wall.  <br/> <br/>Alone with his thoughts, he tried to get back to work, though he did check his phone relentlessly just encase she sent something that he might have missed.</span><br/><br/>Back at work, her phone remained untouched next to the computer as she banged out some of the work that she’d been leaving be for the entire morning. A few of the employees watched her curiously, walking by her desk one too many times to see if they could catch site of what she was doing, only to be disappointed that she wasn’t doing anything of consequence in their mind. Just work, a shocking concept at work.<br/><br/>“Excuse me, Miss?” she heard, finishing what she was typing while glancing up at the gentleman that’d asked her attention.<br/><br/>“Can I help you?”<br/><br/>He smiled and nodded. “I was looking for a book in th-“<br/><br/>“I’m sure one of our associates would be more than willing to help you out,” she answered without thinking, going back to her work before he cleared his throat again. Another glance up and her head tilted a bit. “Yes?”<br/><br/>“I’m sure one of them could help, but, truth be told it was just an excuse,” he replied, a hand rubbing the back of his neck as his smile turned slightly shyer.<br/><br/>“An excuse…” she repeated.<br/><br/>“Yes, to talk to you,” he finished, as though it weren’t obvious.<br/><br/>Getting up from her desk, she smiled her usual smile when dealing with a customer, and gently took his arm to guide him toward another of the associates. “Amanda would be more than happy to assist you in anything you may need. Right, Amanda?” Chrystal asked without waiting for confirmation, wandering back to her desk and settling in. Then, even though a few hours had gone by, she decided to text him.<br/><br/>*Getting anything done? Or were you checking your phone for my text like I envisioned?*<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> Hope had just about been given up when his phone went off and Elijah once again had to play a game of <span style="font-style: italic">Catch that phone!</span>. Lucky for him he seemed to be on his way to the pros. The message was read, a smile brought to his lips while he looked at the stack of reports he had yet to go through. *I got a bit done.....and there was some phone checking. :P *  <br/> <br/>*How about you? Were you actually working? Or were you like trying to resist the urge to contact me?*</span><br/><br/>*Some phone checking? If it was only some phone checking…maybe I’m not as wanted as I thought I was…* she sent back, resisting the urge to put a smiley at the end of it and neglecting to answer his own questions.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> * FINEEEEEE....I checked it like a thousand times....* he sent back, though the smile never did leave his face. * I swear you can read my mind or something. :P *</span><br/><br/>*;) That’s what I thought. Don’t downplay it; Honesty is always the best policy* she sent back with a grin, hiding behind her computer’s monitor. Then, as an afterthought, *So, how much work have you neglected? If you want, I could let you get back to it. Wouldn’t want to distract you too terribly much.*<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> * Work is already pretty much shot to hell for me today and I am not even remotely mad about it lol* now fully kicked back in his chair he gave up on work and focused more Chrystal, which is where his mind had been for the bulk of the day anyway. * Anything interesting happen since our parting? Perhaps the pope came into the store to buy a Karma Sutra? Lol *</span><br/><br/>*The Pope coming for the Kama Sutra…no, but I think some of the priests did. Or was that too far?* she sent before following it up. *Only thing even remotely interesting is someone trying to chat me up. Apparently you and I are on the desirables list today. You had a waitress, and I had a man come up to me with the excuse of needing help for a book he couldn’t even name, just to talk to me. Lol.*<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> An emotion, a feeling he had not felt before came forth at the thought of someone else trying to pick her up. There was no reason to feel this and no real right for him to feel that way, not like she belonged to him or anything. * That makes sense as to why we are together. You know two desirable people should be together. It is the logic of it all *</span><br/><br/>That had her brow raising a touch, glancing around for a moment even if no one there would have any idea what she was reading or discussing.*Together? But we aren’t together, are we?*<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> * Not at this very given moment...but we will be later. Right? *</span><br/><br/>*I don’t know…will we?* she sent back.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> *Yes....unless the Pope comes in to hit on you too :P*</span><br/><br/>She paused this time, before taking a picture of the man who was still lingering in the store, sending it with the caption: *Still have some competition, it’d seem, since this guy hasn’t left yet. Could go for a round two.*<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> Again that feeling and his thumbs moved before he even thought about it, * Maybe I should just...you know...show up...Chase the creeper guy away... *</span><br/><br/>*How can you show up at a place you don’t know? Someone feeling a little…jealous?* she sent back, highly amused he was already feeling the need to chase people away.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> * Me Jealous? Not even sure what that words means....*  he lied of course.</span><br/><br/>*Well…if that’s the case…Guess you wouldn’t mind if I spoke to him?* Getting up from her seat, she took a video snapchat of herself walking up to him and reaching to tap him on the shoulder, the video cutting off.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> Unsure of what to do, but knowing he had to stop her somehow he hit call on his phone. What he would say when she answered that was a horse of a different color, but he just could not let her go and talk to some guy who had tried to pick her up.  <br/> <br/>Right?</span><br/><br/>The phone startled her, nearly dropping it as it caught her off guard enough to have her darting behind another book display before nonchalantly making her way back to her desk. “You rang?” she answered.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Um...yeah....” he managed to stumble out. “Just wanted to hear your voice and stuff....” another fumbled lie or more half truth.</span><br/><br/>“Well, I am at work…and trying to help a ‘customer’ find that book… but I’m flattered you wanted to hear my voice,” she commented casually. “Is there anything that I can help you with? Shouldn’t you be working, anyway?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "I was actually wondering if you had a book there," he began. "A first edition copy of Knights of the Round table, I forget the author. But, could you look for me?" ignoring the question about work for the moment.</span><br/><br/>“Perhaps you should have called on the landline then…but then, that’d mean you had to know where I work, like the gentleman I was about to talk to before you called. This wouldn’t have anything to do with that…would it?” she asked instead, ignoring his question completely.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “I am not going to lie,” he stated then paused for a moment. “It does. I just did not want you to talk to him,” voice confident and sure of himself. “At least not without me being there to...well properly plead my case.”</span><br/><br/>“Properly plead your case?” she repeated, perking her brow as she settled back into her seat. “What case?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "My case to be the one....seeing you? I guess would be how you phrase it."</span><br/><br/>A smile pulled at her lips, lower being nibbled on thoughtfully.<span style="font-style: italic">He wants to plead his case to be the one seeing me…even if we’ve only met a few days prior and nothing’s even remotely official…</span>“So, you want me to wait until you’re off work, and hope that he’s still here…so you can plead your case for something we’ve not even begun to talk about?” she asked, a light bit of humor in her voice, the smile clearly evident.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Yes. I think that is only fair, I mean you were there to well stake a claim with the waitress. I want that chance as well," he said in a matter of fact tone.</span><br/><br/>“I’d like to point out it was you that initiated the claim-staking. Your arm was draped over me long before I played along with it. You broke out the ‘honey’ and paying attention so intently, not I,” she replied, the tone of her voice turning into more of a grin.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “I was not there to see her, I was there to have lunch with and talk to you. I wanted her to understand that very clearly. That I was not interested in the slightest with her,” tone calm even and still confident.</span><br/><br/>Leaning back in her chair, the man still in her sights (even if she’d not intended to actually talk to him), she pretended to mull it over. “Hmm….Admit it one more time that you were calling solely to keep me from talking to him…and I won’t.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "I panicked at the thought of you talking to another man and instantly dialed you to prevent that from happening."</span><br/><br/>The smile that’d been on her lips grew all the more, heart rate rising a touch as her mind wandered. “You really panicked?” she repeated, voice on the quieter side. “…Well, if it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t actually going to talk to him; Just wanted to see what you’d do if I mentioned it. Nothing about him appealed to me. At all. You’re safe.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "So, there are things about me that appeal to you?" he asked. "Like what?"</span><br/><br/>“That’s for me to know,” she answered easily, glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention to her. “Shouldn’t you be working? Not talking to me?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Eh, work is boring and you are not. Plus, long as you are talking to me creeper guys should leave you alone. Since you could be on an important business call, right?" he asked.</span><br/><br/>“Not necessarily. Being on a personal phone doesn’t look too professional when in a bookstore. It’s not as though I’m some head exec that has her own direct line to things,” she reasoned. “But, if you’re not going to work…what’s the point of staying there?” Her tone was more curious than anything; Playing a sort of devil’s advocate, as it were.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Long as I am here I can pretend to work and well, what am I to do in the middle of the day if I am not at work?"</span><br/><br/>“I don’t know…” she replied. “Come to stake your claim on me in a shop you don’t know the location of? Whisking me away for something more fun to do? Go save a cat that’s stuck in a tree? Loads of things you could be doing.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> A soft laugh, smile clear as day in his voice. "Hmm...well, then you should give me that address so that I can come and do all of those things. Well, most of them, I can't control the actions of cats."</span><br/><br/>“What’s the fun of telling you where I am? Wouldn’t that take away from the thrill of the hunt? Or…did you rethink wanting things to be easy?” came her reply, a subtle laugh in her tone as she reclined all the more, keeping the customers in her sights, just in case (the man in question, included, as he’d yet to leave).<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "True, but there is something about at least giving me some clues and allowing me to find my way to you? That would be fun and not too easy either. What do you say?" he offered a compromise.</span><br/><br/>“Hmmm…” She went silent for a while, trying to figure what she could say without giving too much away. “I could say it’s not too far from my apartment…within walking distance that I don’t bother with public transport during my ‘commute’? But not close enough that I can see it from my place.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Landmarks, perchance?" he asked.</span><br/><br/>“There’s a florist en route…and one of the many stereotypical Asian seamstress shops. Does that narrow your search?” she asked, tone thoughtful.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Hmm...a bit. Any parks nearby?" he asked.</span><br/><br/>“A small one. I’d barely consider it a park, more of a small spot to sit in with a few flowers and a bench or two,” she answered. “That’s all I can say. If you can find me, wonderful. If not…I may just have to help out this customer in the interim…” And with that, she hung up.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The hunt was on, it would seem. An excuse given to his boss, wave to Tim who gave him a look that only made him roll his eyes somewhat. Already his phone was out and he began to pull up the various businesses and locations in the area. Cross reference that with the local bookshops and soon he had a general area to look in.  <br/> <br/>Robotic directions given through the headphones, a store here and a store there, but he at last came to the one he thought was her's. All of this was tucked away while he entered, eyes glancing about the general consumers before he stopped someone whom he thought worked there.  <br/> <br/>“Excuse me?”  <br/> <br/>“Yes,” the young woman smiled at him.  <br/> <br/>“I am looking for Chrystal Jenkins? Does she work here?”  <br/> <br/>“You would be?” now curious of this man asking for her boss. <br/> <br/>“Elijah Maddox,” his hand extended to take her own in a formal introduction.  <br/> <br/>“Oh, um. Just wait here a second, ok?”  <br/> <br/>“Sure thing.”  <br/> <br/>Amber eyes followed the woman as she walked off until he was unable to see where she disappeared to, which left him with a chance to check out the store more closely.</span><br/><br/>Focusing on her work for (what she hoped) would be a brief interval, she halfheartedly listened to the rest of what was going on around her. The rest seemed to have it sorted: the little old lady who wanted a self-help book, the kid who couldn’t reach the books on a taller shelf, the gentleman still waiting for a legitimate excuse to talk to her or for her to come out from behind her desk. Fingers gliding across the keys, she actually got some work done, occasionally glancing up to see if she caught sight of anyone resembling Elijah.<br/><br/>“Chrystal!”<br/><br/>Eyes snapping up at the girl who seemed to be impatient for her attention, as she assumed the poor girl had been trying for her attention for a good few minutes, she shook her head. “What is it?”<br/><br/>“There’s an…Elijah Maddox to see you?” Her voice turned curious, a giddy sort of curiosity that came with women who had the equivalent of a high-school crush. “Is he a…boyfriend of yours?”<br/><br/>That earned her a look, as she got up from her desk, walking around her without glancing back. “Tell him to meet me by the rare books section? I think that I found his inquiry.”<br/><br/>The other man, too, caught sight of her darting down the many aisles and followed suit, this time with a book in hand and a prepared excuse to talk to her about it, completely unnoticed by Chrystal. Her focus was on finding the book he’d mentioned as his first excuse to talk to her, knowing they had a copy somewhere that he may, at least, appreciate seeing even if not serious about buying it.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The woman returned and instructed him where he could find Chrystal. A glance up at the signs and he found the section along with Chrystal.  <br/> <br/>“Found you,” he said with a smile while he came up beside her. “Your directions were actually very good and it was rather fun to do the whole, hunting you down thing,” he smirked. “So, shall I whisk you away now or later?”</span><br/><br/>Just as her hand touched the binding of the first edition, a voice caught her attention and pulled her attention, the man who’d only just come up on her other side completely forgotten as Elijah spoke. Her lips parted to reply, ready to say what she thought would be witty, only to be interrupted.<br/><br/>“Whisk her away?” the man repeated, weaseling his way in between the pair as best he could, book in hand, eyes confused and still clinging to hope. “But…she was helping me with this, and I needed her to finish helping me find the rest of what I need. Right?” His eyes sought hers, and she glanced around him to Elijah to see if he’d do anything to dissuade him. After all, he’d wanted his shot to lay claim.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> There was a small moment of confusion and even hesitation in his eyes, before the confident side reared its head once more and Elijah smiled. “Ah, yes. We were due for a late staff lunch and I joking refer to it as whisking her away,” hand extended and quick to grab the other man's. “The name is Elijah and you would be?”  <br/> <br/>“M...Mark,” the stunned customer stammered.  <br/> <br/>“Mark, let me see here...” book taken from his grasp and the title reviewed. “Oh? <span style="font-style: italic">This series!</span> It happens to be one of my favorites and is in the section over there,” hand gestured to some aisles away. “Let me help you,” he started to lead the man off to one of the other section.</span><br/><br/>Her eyes would have widened then, if it’d not have given him away. Instead, she nodded and allowed Elijah to lead him away while disappearing to another section entirely, waiting for him to come back around.<br/><br/>“So, who’s that?” the girl asked her again, seeing him leading the customer away and jabbering at the poor guy.<br/><br/>“That would be a friend,” was all she said, pretending to be enthralled with work.<br/><br/>“A friend who suddenly works here?” Her brow rose.<br/><br/>“He was helping me out,” Chrystal said in a dismissive way as the other shrugged.<br/><br/>“Helping you…right…more like helping himself out,” was the last she said as she left to go to other work, leaving Chrys to keep peering around the corner at Elijah while halfheartedly fingering the bindings of books, pretending to care what was on them.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> After a few moments and a lot of random comments, Elijah finally left the confused man in some section of the store. That done he returned to last place he saw Chrystal, “Chrystal?”</span><br/><br/>"You sure you don't want to work here?" she joked, peeking around the corner, before motioning him over. "You seemed to handle that customer...interestingly."<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Maybe,” he stated then grinned. “That would probably though be moving forward too fast,” he laughed and smiled. “So, where would you like to be whisked away?”</span><br/><br/>“Well, you put all that effort to scare this guy away with whatever mumbo jumbo you threw at him, so…now, unless you want him to take another shot at the claim you’re trying to stake?” she replied with her own grin, walking away to her desk to get her things. “Where are we whisking away to, anyway?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Not sure. I do not generally do much or take many days off, so how about we just walk and wing it?”  he asked.</span><br/><br/>Grabbing up her coat and slipping her arms into the sleeves, bag slung over her shoulder and shoes replaced for boots, she shrugged. “I suppose walking and winging it is good,” Chrys started. “So long as I don’t freeze since we’ve established that you’re…not up to keeping me warm yet.” A glance at him with a rueful wink before leading him out of the store, she held her coat in tightly against the cold; Not out of necessity, but solely for the normalcy of it. “Which direction would you like to start in?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Hey now,” he began while he followed after her. “I am working on that whole...warming you up thing...” he blushed just a bit before he looked about the place. “This way,” and walked in a direction that was opposite his work and different than the direction they went for lunch. “That guy was actually worse than me when it comes to the whole awkward situation thing,” conversation started at random while they walked.</span><br/><br/>The blush didn’t go unnoticed, a knowing gleam in her eye as she glanced at him for a brief moment before focusing more on where they were walking. “And he was?” A gasp was given. “I didn’t think that was possible! I feel…faint!” Holding that for only a moment longer, she burst out laughing. “In all seriousness, he seemed rather…certain of himself talking to me. Maybe it’s just you that he’s awkward around.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Really? So, either I like infect people with awkwardness,” he smirked. “Or, I am intimidating?” he shrugged. “Which one do you think?”  </span><br/><br/>“Your presence can be…intimidating, if carried correctly,” she mused, another shrug moving through her shoulders. “Perhaps that’s what keeps you from getting mugged while out and about, not the penis part. I just have to be more intimidating.” Then, giving him a look, brow perked, she tilted her head. “I can be intimidating, right?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Oh yeah, the most intimidating,” he smirked. “I mean you are able to make me beg and plead with nothing but a look, so that would mean you are pretty intimidating, right?”</span><br/><br/>“So, I could scare anyone off with a look? Or, I can get what I want with a look?” she pressed, a light grin of her own, because either way…it could work to my advantage…but you didn’t seem to have such faith in me the night we met…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Ah, well that was my mistake with the whole thinking that because of your appearance and me thinking that someone would want to hurt you because of it," he smiled. "So, more that you can get what you want with a look. Yep, that one."</span><br/><br/>Her look turned into a more…intense curiosity. “And…if I wanted someone, not a something, do you think it’d work the same?” she asked, tone casual despite the intense curiosity in her icy depths.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Yes," answered without hesitation. "I do."</span><br/><br/>“And, it would work on any someone I wanted?” she pressed, her steps slowing just a touch so as to give him more of her attention, devoting less of it to the snowy and icy ground beneath her feet.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Yes," again answer given freely. "Why is that surprising?"</span><br/><br/>"For the same reason that it was surprising to you the waitress wanted you," she answered easily, resuming her pace and letting the silence lapse once more.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">For some reason that was far more curious than he thought he would feel about it. The fact that she did not understand, or did not see the potential and power that she had over people... Even if she wanted to argue the point that it was only him and no one else, the guy in the bookstore would have been more than enough proof of her effect on people.<br/> <br/>“Ever been iceskating?” he asked suddenly.</span><br/><br/>The subject change was noticed, but she didn’t say much on it; At least, not on the literal change of it, but she did answer his question. “You could say that,” Chrys replied. It’s true, she’d been<span style="font-style: italic">sort or</span>ice skating. Translation: She’d tested out powers, found her ability to create ice and used to run and slide across it, while pretending to actually skate. But, ice was her element, her power. How hard could actual ice skating be? “Why? Are you any good?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Somewhat. There is a place in the park we can skate and then maybe go for some hot chocolate?"  </span><br/><br/>The idea of having hot chocolate was less than desirable, given she’d never quite mastered the ability to keep drinks hot. In fact, the idea of being hot for any given amount of time was always taxing, so she’d never opted to drink anything hot, not even for show…but after a long day of skating, normal people got cold, so hot chocolate would make sense. “Sounds perfect…except I don’t own any skates,” she replied. “Is there at least a place to rent some?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “All of that is taken care of there,” he smiled and with a bold thought, extended his arm for her to take while they walked to the park.</span><br/><br/>“Taken care of, huh?” she repeated, eyeing the arm, considering it, but instead taking a few steps ahead so she could walk backward and talk with him simultaneously. “And just how is it taken care of, good sir? A client needs to know what she’s getting into, does she not?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> A bit put off that she turned down his offered arm, it took him a moment to recover before he merely continued on with the walk. “Well, there is the place to rent skates. The place to sit while we put on the skates that we have rented and then there is even a place to sit and drink hot chocolate when we are done with falling on our butts in front of complete strangers,” he explained, hands now tucked in the pockets of his jacket.</span><br/><br/>She could tell he was put off, but it was how she worked. Get close, dance around the subject, and then dance away from it just as fast. It was what she did. If he were the man she thought him, he’d recover. “Hey, who said I’d be the one doing the falling?” Chrystal countered, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I may flail ‘gracefully’ and take you out, but I’ll keep standing! I don’t fall on my butt; I glide to the ground in style.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> A chuckle or more like a snicker, he just shook his head. “You say this, but then again you are also the girl with no experience. Plus, in case you have forgotten, I have a great center of gravity. So, you will be the one to fall. Unless of course I go out of my way to catch you and make sure that does not happen,” the grin playful and confident, already over her dismissal of his gentleman like behavior.</span><br/><br/>“I never said I had no experience,” she countered, raising a brow and taking on an exceptionally confident look. “Besides, as you said, I’m your only client. My wellbeing and happiness are in your hand, I don’t think breaking my backside on the ice is good for my wellbeing, do you?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “True, but then I get to take care of you which would mean some serious overtime. That is something that I can live with and maybe even enjoy,” he grinned and continued to follow her. “So, how much experience have you had?”</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Overtime he’d enjoy…Wonder if that would include warming up, or if he’s still thinking on that,</span>came an idle thought. “I didn’t say I had experience, either…” she commented offhand. “Just that I didn’t have no experience...Why? Were you a figure skater in another life? Will you be doing loops around me, spinning all graceful while I just try to stay up?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Why do I feel like I am talking to someone who is like, the glass is half empty, but also half full? You say something but then you don't say something,” he chuckled. “And no, but I have been skating for a bit. I enjoy the exercise and the fun. I have taken a few of the foster kids to skate a few times, you know just to give them that moment of normalcy that they are lacking in their current lives,” he explained.</span><br/><br/>And, just like that, she was reminded of Elijah’s status, of how good he was, and the feeling of guilt was all the worse. Taking foster kids skating so that they could have normalcy in their lives…<span style="font-style: italic">Is there anything he doesn’t do?</span>“Like I said: I have to keep the mystery up. I can’t have you knowing how I think and how I view things or the air of mystery diminishes and the woman behind the fog is revealed.” A waggle of her brows later, and she slowed down, falling into step beside him. “So, how much further?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Ah, right. The whole thing of mystery thing that you continue to keep up. To try and keep me interested?” he asked though he choose to answer her question before she could answer the one he gave to her. “Not much. Tired of walking already?”</span><br/><br/>“Of course not; If I were tired, I’d make you carry me again. Or, is that off the table?” she countered with a laugh. “I was merely curious, but, where curiosity killed the cat, I’ll have to watch what I’m so curious about.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “I would carry you and protect you from whatever may happen to you,” he assured her. “After all it is my job and you did sign that contract, right?”  <br/> <br/>The steps carried them into the park and only after but a few more steps they were at the location Elijah had in mind. Before them stood a pond frozen completely over, the surface perfect from afar though one could guess it held its own bumps and imperfections. Couples of various, skill and relationships skated about seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world around them. Old couples who had been together for year and years. Young newlyweds perhaps, who still enjoyed that fresh newness that came from a new relationship. Those who were now on a first, maybe even second date with a keen desire to not mess up and embarrass themselves to the point of friend-zone. Then of course there were those who were just friends, trying to help one another but at the same time sought to make their companion fall for the sake of a video to blast all over social media.  <br/> <br/>For all of his social awkwardness, Elijah seemed to have picked a place that was the epicenter for close social interactions.  <br/> <br/>“This way,” he said with a gesture to the small shack by the pond that housed those who sold the skates. Some bit from there was a small outdoor cafe' where the patrons of the pond could go for a hot beverage to warm up. Especially if they suffered a fall or two upon their backsides.  <br/> <br/>“I need a size 12 in men and she will have....” his voice trailed off as he waited for her to tell the booth attendant her show size.</span><br/><br/>All she did was grin at that, continuing to walk beside him in comfortable silence until she spotted the pond, a sense of relief filling her. She’d envisioned a stuffy, overly perfect rink in the middle of the park, kept smooth by a Zamboni. But no, to her pleasant surprise it was a pond that had its imperfections, had the ripples solidified in ice from the water’s edge as ice took its hold. It had bits of what lay floating on its surface as everything became frozen in time.<br/><br/>It made her feel all the more at peace.<br/><br/>Breathing in deeply and letting out a sigh of contentment, she followed him easily, though her eyes remained transfixed on the pond. Only when it hit her that they were waiting for a response did she turn back with a smile. “A size eight, please,” she asked, a hand making its way about his arm without even much thought, focus back on the pond.<br/><br/>What little worry she had about falling slipped away. Even if she wasn’t the best skater (and she was, by no means, even remotely close to the best skater), she could even things out a touch…flex her powers a bit; That always kept her calm, and it’d give her an outlet for all the nervous excitement she seemed to be harboring.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The hand about his arm was not missed and he hoped that no one noticed the blush he felt creep up upon his cheeks. The clerk cleared his throat and Elijah paid the rental fee, then took the ticket they would use to check their own shoes and went to find a bench to change.  <br/> <br/>“Ok, so....I might have lied a bit about my skating skills....” he began while he swapped a shoe for a skate and then did the same to the other. When she looked up, he explained further, “I won a gold medal in the winter Olympics....”</span><br/><br/>“Oh, did you?” she replied to that, after getting a seat next to him and switching her shoes for skates. What little “skating” she’d done was shoe to ice, practicing her control, but to have actual blades would be interesting. Halting her actions she gave him her full attention for that brief moment. “And, did you know that I lied as well? My name’s not Chrystal…” Dramatic pause. “It’s the Queen of Sheba.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> He grinned, “Well then your highness, we shall enjoy ourselves quite a bit today, no?”  <br/> <br/>With that he stood and took their shoes over to the shack to be stored until they were done skating. A graceful bow at the waist from Elijah, before he stepped onto the ice promptly slipped and fell right on his ass.</span><br/><br/>It was a slow to grow laugh, starting silently as her shoulders moved with the motion of what could be presumed laughter, though no sound came. Then, it was quiet, the laughter so much that she could barely breathe and, because of this, hardly any sound escaped. And then it became uproarious, doubling over as she laughed, entire body into it, pointing even if her eyes were closed as she just continued to laugh at him.<br/><br/>Even when she started to recover, she continued to laugh, standing and offering a hand to help him up. “Serves you right, Mr. Olympian!” she managed to squeak out between laughs.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> All he could do was laugh along with her at his own fault and failure. “I meant to do that,” he proclaimed proudly while he struggled to get to his feet. “There was a stick in the ice and I tripped over it and....” he began to stumble through a half ass excuse, though he merely joked. “Can you do any better, my Queen?”</span><br/><br/>Taking hold of his hand, she tried to pull him to his feet, but the stumbling was too much. Had she let go soon enough, he’d have fallen by himself, but…His weight was too much, off-setting her own too much to keep standing, causing her to fall along with him in a fit of laughter, hardly able to breathe while she just stayed there. “Apparently not!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> There was not much else to say and he was so caught up in the fit of laughter that he could not even begin to think of anything else but how silly they both looked. She atop him a mess of laughter and he just there on the cold ice, not a care in the world as he laughed his ass off. The other patrons of the pond looked on for a moment, then just shook their heads and left the two where they lay. <br/> <br/>“Ok, so want to try that again?” he asked.</span><br/><br/>Nodding once she had the ability to breathe again, she braced on the ice and tried to get up. “Alright, let’s try this again,” was all she said as she pushed herself up, using the picks on the front to get a steady enough grip on the ice that she managed to stand, holding her hand out to him for the second time. “I can’t guarantee we’ll stay up long, but I’ll try to pull you up again…If you don’t wobble too terribly much, we should be good!” came her chipper remark, the remnants of her laughter still in her voice, smile broad on her lips.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “I make no promises in regard to my fat ass,” he chuckled and took her hand to try this standing thing once again. It took a bit of effort, mostly on his part as he did not want to pull her down with him, but eventually he was on his feet once more.  <br/> <br/>“Ok, so would this be a take three?” he asked, a smile now firmly frozen on his face from the sheer amount of fun that he had with her; even if most of it had recently just been on the cold ice.</span><br/><br/>“For you, it’d be take three,” she replied matter-of-fact. “For me, since I only fell the one time trying to pick you up, it’s my second, and that’s<span style="font-style: italic">me</span>being generous.” With a wink, she mentally braced, eyes looking at him, but mind focused on the ice.<br/><br/>It was so rough, so bumpy. Though the seasoned skaters were managing well enough, they’d already proven to fall more than skate, so she started smoothing it out. Nothing would be noticed, not to him initially, anyway. But, in reality, from her feet outward, the ice began to glisten just that little bit more. A trick of light, perhaps? Something of a glint from the shack selling the skates, or a shimmer from a passing skater?<br/><br/>To the untrained eye, it’d almost be akin to a frosting, to too many skaters passing over its harsh surface and shaving layer by layer off.<br/><br/>Her hand leaving his—partly to try skating on her own and partly to keep from feeling too cold to him while she worked—she moved just that little bit away. Occasionally, she’d glance back while gliding across the slowly evening pond, arms wobbling to keep balance when she did so.<span style="font-style: italic">Not falling yet!</span>she thought to herself with relief.<span style="font-style: italic">Good start!</span><br/><br/>“How’re you doing back there?” Chrys asked with a grin over her shoulder.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> Now back on his feet he stood there and watched her for a moment. This would be his <span style="font-style: italic">third</span>, as she generously put it. So, there was time for him to just stand there and watch her. It was weird that he found her actions to be...well...cute. As she moved and kept her arms out to the side for balance, the slight wobble in her arm and the uncertainty he sees in her actions. All of them were cute to him, endearing really and he wondered more and more just what it was about her, about the two of them that had caused this odd spark of a relationship to start.  <br/> <br/>At her question he began to skate, this time with a bit more skill than before. Especially over the place where she had been. It seemed to be smoother, at least to him or maybe it was just a matter of him being more comfortable on the ice.  <br/> <br/>“I am actually not doing so bad now, I think your comments and assistance earlier have paid off,” amusement in his voice while skated a bit ahead of her.</span><br/><br/>Watching him skate passed, she had to shake her head.<span style="font-style: italic">My assistance…you have no idea…</span>came a humorous thought. “Don’t get too cocky now…never know if you’ll hit a bump!” Pushing herself to skate a little faster, she tried not to flail so much, forcing herself to push the ice a little more, to make it smoother. Just that little bit to help so he wouldn’t be too bruised by the time they were done.<br/><br/>However, trying to keep up with him while doing that was proving more difficult than she realized, so she let herself glide, giving herself a push here or there to keep moving while she focused on smoothing out the ice. But that focus proved to be faulty, missing a bump that her skate hit, catching her off guard, and causing her to fall. Another fit of laughs consumed her as she just lay on the ice, not even bothering to attempt to get back up yet.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The fun that came with skating with her could not even begin to be measured. A glance over his shoulder and he was able to see her as she fell. By the grace of some god he was able to keep himself from laughing, at least a lot. A chuckle still escaped as he made his way back over to her, “Had a nice trip?” he asked with a smile.</span><br/><br/>“Oh, it was lovely!” she replied amid the mirthful laughter. Reaching a hand up, “Mind helping me up?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> His hand extended for her to take hold, but then paused “Did you bring me back something?”</span><br/><br/>“I did, yes…” Grabbing his hand and using all of her weight, she yanked him down into the pile. “A trip for one!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> As he was so far bent over there was little that he could do to save himself, except to at least attempt to catch himself so that he did not crush her completely. The laughter started before he even made contact with her body and once down there is only got louder. “We are certainly a sight, huh?”</span><br/><br/>She just laughed for a good while, lying beneath him on the ice, not even caring what the others would think of her right then. For once, she was having fun without thinking about how things looked to others, and was glad for it. Only when he brought it up did she nod, still laughing though fighting it a bit more and hazarding a look around to the other skaters. Most just smirked and shook their heads, while the others ignored them completely, lost in their own conversations.<br/><br/>“Definitely,” Chrys agreed with a nod, keeping relatively still despite the laughter. “But that’s fine. I’m having loads of fun, even if I’ll be bruised later for it. What’s your policy on bruises?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Hmm...” he mused, his hands used to push himself up while he pondered her question. “I think we have a <span style="font-style: italic">booboo</span> clause that allows you to have kisses and of course being carried while they heal. Not to mention the complementary hot chocolate,” he grinned and began the task to get to his feet.</span><br/><br/>That had her grinning, brow quirking as she watched him struggling to get back to his feet, making the task more difficult by keeping hold about his shoulders. “Oh, the<span style="font-style: italic">booboo</span>clause…so that means you want to kiss my ass where all the bruising will be?” she asked mischievously.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> A smirk he gave, though the blush still crept up on his cheeks, “Perhaps...” He grabbed her about the waist and lifted her as he stood. “Is that what the lady wishes?'</span><br/><br/>One arm remained about his neck while the other helped to push off of the ice and assist him in standing. “I don’t know…I may just take you sharing your warmth with me when this is through; Maybe I’ll have you kiss a bruise or two. We’ll see if you can handle the heat-sharing first, and work our way up?” A light laugh as she pressed a light kiss to his blush. “You’re lucky it’s cold…otherwise, most would know you’re blushing at our conversation…or is it the proximity…or both?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The kiss only fueled the blush and caused it to burn hotter upon his cheeks, “I think that it is a bit of both.” He finally managed to get out just as he stood, with her in his arms held somewhat against his own body for stability. “So, how about that hot chocolate and we can give our asses a break for a bit?” he asked with a smile.</span><br/><br/>Grin on her lips growing at his reply, at the reddening of his cheeks even deeper, she pressed another kiss into his cheek, and nodded. “I think our asses could use a break…so hot chocolate sounds good…If we can get off of the ice in one piece. I can’t guarantee I won’t drag you down again in the process,” she cautioned, glancing over his shoulder toward the hot chocolate shack.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> Another kiss and he felt himself blush even more, “Well...if you trust me....I am sure that we can make it back there without too much trouble.” That said he turned her about on the ice, his hands still there on her waist, “Alright, now just....well hold still...” he said then pushed off with one foot and began to skate them back toward the edge of the pond.</span><br/><br/>“I dunno…I’ll try and trust you and hold as still as possible…”<br/><br/>With that, she kept still, but eased his travel just that little bit more. This time, since he was holding her, she’d have felt cold, colder than she was prior, but possibly explained away by the ice they’d just lain on. Ice smoothing, her body remaining still as her arms held him to keep with him without pulling him down, she continued her efforts until they finally left the ice, thankful for solid, smooth, not slippery ground beneath her feet. Even if it was awkward walking with skates, it was better than trying to skate on the pond.<br/><br/>“So, how’s your ass doing? Do you need some of the<span style="font-style: italic">booboo</span>clause, or is it relatively unscathed?” she asked coyly, mirth in her eyes.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The trip back was better than the trip out. Whatever had been wrong with the ice seemed to have corrected itself and Elijah actually felt rather accomplished with the fact that he had been able to help her get back without either of them falling.  <br/> <br/>“It is pretty sore, but I think I will live without the <span style="font-style: italic">booboo</span> clause,” he said with a chuckle. “But, I am not opposed to this whole warmth thing we keep discussing,” he grinned and gave a wink before he left her at a small table to go and get them each a hot chocolate.</span><br/><br/>Settling into the table, she relaxed a bit more, ankles given a rest now that she wasn’t trying to stand on a thin blade. But, just as she thought she was going to relax even further, her phone buzzed. Glancing down at her pocket, narrowing her eyes at it, she slowly removed it from her pocket.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">“Looks like you two are getting cozy. Seems like you got over your aversion to this pretty quick. Drink some ‘hot’ chocolate for me?”</span>it read, causing her to tense and glance up at their surroundings. She’d not seen Aerilynne, not once, since they’d gotten there, but she continued to know what they were doing and when. Craning her neck, and spinning in her seat to try and see where she was, a light frown on her features, as she quickly sent off a text back.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">“Stalking doesn’t suit you…Why not come out?”</span><br/><br/>The next text she got back was quick, accompanied by a breath of hot air on her neck that had her jump, but when she turned there was no one there.<span style="font-weight: bold">“Not stalking when we both have an invested interest. I’ll see you around. Count on it.”</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “And two hot chocolates, with extra marshmallows and whip cream,” completely oblivious to what had transpired. “I figured we deserved the whip cream for all the hard work we put in on the ice,” he joked, his seat reclaimed while he passed her the cup that contained her beverage.</span><br/><br/>Taking the beverage with what she hoped was the same smile she’d had before he left, she just held it. “Why thank you,” came her reply to that, brow quirking a bit. “I take it you make your way over there alright? No falling along the way or getting lost? Did any other people hit on you like the waitress?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Nope. No issues, I made it there without tripping even once," voice rather proud of himself while he removed the lid to his cup to aid in it cooling faster.</span><br/><br/>She didn’t even bother removing the lid, instead holding it as though using it for warmth. “Better than I would have done!” Chrys replied with a laugh. “Which is why I left it in your capable hands; You managed to get me back to the bank alright, so I figured the hot chocolate would be safe.” With a wink, she took her first sip and had to keep from curling her lip in distaste at it. It was just so…hot. And Hot Chocolate cold tasted disgusting in her experience. So, taking her lid off, she took a little of the whipped cream off the top with her finger.<br/><br/>“Alright, so, you take kids ice skating, volunteer, help those less fortunate…and you have a booboo clause…What else do you do, or have, that I might want to know about? Any other guys that hit on you that I may have to nonchalantly ‘stake a claim’ over?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> He blushed at her words and gave a small shrug, “Hmmm...not that I can think of, though I am happy that you feel you have to “stake a claim” on me. Makes me feel important.” A pause while he drank more of his own, “What about you? Anything else about you  that you wish to share?”</span><br/><br/>“I didn’t say I needed to…just that you seemed to enjoy it the first time, and it may just get Tim off of your back,” she replied with a grin. “As for me, there’s nothing to share. You know what there is to know; My life is far less interesting.”<br/><br/>The longer she held the cup, the more she began to loathe that cup, the heat of it making her hands hurt, her arms hurt, so it was released, left to sit alone on the table’s top. “Anything you want to know? Or did you ask enough the last time we played the question game?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Did you really just come to the city to manage a book store? Or, was there another reason?” he asked somewhat boldly while he took another drink from his cup.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Oh, there’s another reason. I’m actually part of this coven that needs me to complete them, but before that could happen, I needed to be tested and you happen to be a part of that, only I didn’t know that initially; I was just meant to be closer to them,</span>she rattled off in her mind. “I tend to float from place to place. My resume was up, I got called, and relocated.” A shrug. “What about you? If not for your grandmother, would you have moved elsewhere? Or stayed?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “I might have moved elsewhere. I have always wanted to travel the world, to see the different cultures and I guess be part of those whole groups that help people rebuild from a disaster and stuff,” he gave a shrug and took another sip. “I just feel like I should help more people, do more for others and such,” he said in an effort to try and further explain himself.</span><br/><br/>She wasn’t sure why she was surprised by the answer, but she was. Perhaps it was due to the selfless nature of everything he said and did that shocked her, that everything he did was for someone else. Maybe that’s why she asked, rather simply, “What about you?” as though he’d know exactly what she were talking about.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “You mean stuff for myself?”</span><br/><br/>“I mean, you’re constantly taking care of other people, doing things for them…what about you? Who takes care of you?” she asked plainly, head tilting to the side as her hand went back to the cup for something to do, even if it was uncomfortable.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> This he pondered for a long moment his mind focused on just who it was that took care of him, before he finally shrugged. “I don't know....I guess no one...” he said after a moment, his gaze left her own to stare down at the cup in his hands.</span><br/><br/>“When was the last time you did something for yourself?” she pressed, tone quiet, the smallest of frowns on her face.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "When...I....bought a book...." he answered slowly.</span><br/><br/>“…How long ago was that?” she asked again, voice even quieter.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> "Been....a while...." he said carefully. "I think a few months...."</span><br/><br/>That didn’t surprise her…not that it’d been a few months, nor that he seemed to lack the thought about it before she brought it up. He was just so…singularly focused on everyone else. “…If you could do anything, anything at all right now…what would you do?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> This caused him some paused as he thought it over and then with his gaze back on her once again, “Kiss you.” Simple statement given only after a brief moment of hesitation on his part.</span><br/><br/>…And just as the other answers hadn’t surprised her, his sudden turn for the bold did. In the blink of an eye the tables were turned, her heart’s beat picking up just that little bit more. “…So why don’t you?” she asked then, eyes remaining on his, voice barely above a whisper.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> The smile that crept onto his lips was a small one, shy at first but it shifted along with the look in his eyes. Carefully he pushed up from the table, leaned forward his lips paused just before he connected with her own and then with care he closed the distance between them.  <br/> <br/>It lasted but the span of a heartbeat and when it ended he slowly withdrew and sat back down. Nothing else was said, instead he just sat there and smiled.</span><br/><br/>The look in his eyes was something she hadn’t expected. Shyness, yes, an inherent quality of his, but an adorable one. When it shifted, though…she found her breath hitching just that fraction more, her lips parting while she watched him come closer, pause just before their lips touched, and then her head went light.<br/><br/>His lips were softer than she thought they’d be, and when the kiss was done, she almost wished it’d lasted that little bit more. But, he’d already sat back down, smile on his face, and it left her looking at him for that breath longer, teeth embedding in her lower lip. “So…anything else you wanted to do?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Hmm...not embarrass myself for a change in front of people?” he said with a small chuckle and a shrug. “But....I don't know. If I am not helping people I think about maybe having my own family someday. Once my grandmother passes on it will just be me and I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life,” another shrug and he picked at the rim of his cup slightly.</span><br/><br/>And, with that, her heart broke a little more and the guilt became almost unbearable. “You won’t be alone for the rest of your life…” came a quiet comment before she shook her head.<span style="font-style: italic">I can’t do this…I’ll look for someone else.</span>“I, um…I need the ticket to get our shoes…”