<span style="color: #FF0000"> The day wore on and Athanase slept peacefully with Tempest in his arms. There was not even the thought or concern about possibly being burned by the sunlight. All thought, concern and worry left him mind and he slept peacefully....soundly. When he finally did awaken, night had fallen and he found himself instantly awake. Though that was not the reason why he was awake. <br/><br/>No. It was something else that had roused him from his sleep. For a moment he was concerned as he could not figure out what it was, then Tempest shifted and he knew. His hunger. It had returned, stronger than the night before, which meant he had to feed, but he could not do that with her there. If he could get back to his apartment he had a stash there he could get, but that would mean leaving her and he did not want it to seem like some one night stand. <br/><br/>Which meant only one thing, “Tempest....” he whispered he name while he kissed and nibbled on her neck. “Time to get up....”</span><br/><br/>The first thing she noticed when she started to stir was a headache. It wasn’t overly bad, but enough to make her wince and feel nauseated, enough to regret the amount of champagne she’d drunk the night before, having not kept to her standard two flutes.<br/><br/>What she<span style="font-style: italic">didn’t</span>notice initially was the reason she awoke. The headache was enough that she heard her pulse in her ears, the dull throbbing sounding almost like far off gunshots, blocking out any sound. But, something else made its way through in delayed form: her name, along with the kissing and nibbling. Confusion set in as she tried to figure out who was doing it, nothing really clicking…<br/><br/>…Until she registered the feel of his body against hers. She was intimately familiar with it now, and the kissing, the voice… Suddenly, she felt extremely self-conscious, unsure of how her hair looked, how she looked, if her makeup was all over her face. The thought to dive out of the bed and rush to her bathroom crossed her mind, but then again…the kissing and nibbling wasn’t exactly a bad thing to wake up to, even if she were shocked he was still there.<br/><br/>Eyes slowly opening, blinking a few times as they sought to focus, a sleepy sort of smile slid onto her lips, body starting its usual involuntary stretch, even more aware of his body as she shifted. “Mmmmyou sure it’s time to get up?” Temp yawned at him, a hand rubbing her eyes as she nestled more into her pillow. “Think it’s still…early…” she added, with another yawn.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Yes, but I need to get home for a change of clothes and a shower,” he nibbled up to her ear. “Could I persuade you with a gourmet breakfast at my place?” he offered with some more kisses and nibbles. Even as he felt his hunger, he felt content and at peace with her. There was no need to rush, no desire to scurry away and if he had previously fed, he likely would not have even thought about getting out of bed. At least not right away.</span><br/><br/>Another groan, partially from the feel of him nibbling on her ear, and partially for her dislike at the idea of moving from bed right then, resounded. But, the idea of his place had her waking up a bit more.<br/><br/>Out of all the rehearsals since they began dancing together, they’d never once gone to his house. Secretly, she’d wondered if his apartment felt as disconnected as he had in the beginning, and now was her chance to take a peek. That, and the idea of spending a little more time with him wasn’t too bad.<br/><br/>“A gourmet breakfast…hmmm…” she teased, a hand playfully stroking her chin. “I…suppose that I could be persuaded to go…if only to continue keeping you safe, of course. That’s my job, right? Can’t do it on an empty stomach…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He chuckled and pushed up on the bed to look down at her, “Hmm...that is very true. I mean if I went by myself, I might end up getting hurt....” With skill and care, he lowered himself down to kiss her softly on the lips, “I need those guns of yours to protect me from the big bad world.” Another kiss was given, though this time it lasted a bit longer and for a moment he thought to ignore his hunger and instead indulge in another round with her.</span><br/><br/>The kiss was met with a smile, and the next met with a happy sort of sound, a hand rising to caress the side of his cheek and hold him just that little bit longer. “What ever would you do without me?” she asked, eyes looking up at him with a teasing gleam. “So…you may want to let me up before I fall back asleep…Otherwise, you’ll be left to defend yourself, and we can’t have that, now can we?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Sleep? Are you sure that is what we would end up doing?” he asked while his went to nibble and kiss down along her neck. “I am thinking that we could do something else....something....fun....” the last bit was said almost like a purr and was accompanied with a sharp bite at her shoulder. They should probably move along and get going to his place, but she just felt so good beneath him. It would not be hard at all to just stay in bed with her and ignore his hunger a bit longer.</span><br/><br/>Another groan and she was starting to feel the familiar ache all over again, a sharp intake of breath resounding as he bit her shoulder. Pushing him up lightly, careful to keep the blanket up, she took on an innocentish smile. “Thought you needed a shower?” she asked, nose wrinkling. “I mean…how can we do something fun if you smell?” It’d taken a lot to keep her mind from going back to where it’d been some hours before, and, the only way to keep it from doing so, is to get a shower herself and<span style="font-style: italic">try</span>to ignore the kisses and nibbles.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Fair enough,” he replied. “But....I think you should just grab something to throw on and we can get in the shower at my place,” he instructed while he kissed her again. This one lasted longer than the last, his hand reached up behind her head to hold her close. When it ended he smiled and made his way out of bed taking his time in gather up his clothing which had ended up all over the place.</span><br/><br/>“A shower a-” Her words were cut off with a kiss that had her toes curling and the self-consciousness coming back in full swing. A shower at his place meant she couldn’t shave, and she had no idea how prickly she felt. Not to mention, she had certain…parts of herself that needed cleaning after last night…<br/><br/>But, him meandering about to pick up his things gave her pause, watching his movements instead of moving herself, teeth embedding in her lower lip. Slowly extricating herself from the bed, sheet dragged with her and wrapped about her to afford her some modesty, she started picking up her clothes and putting them away before finding something to throw on herself. “So, where<span style="font-style: italic">do</span>you live, anyway?” Temp asked, making light conversation to distract from her inner awkward feeling at the coming shower.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “An apartment uptown,” he said while he pulled on his pants. “About....ten minutes from here, not to far, figure we can all a car to come and pick us up,” he stood where for a moment, shirt in hand, eyes on her while she got her clothing together. “Modesty? After last night,” he teased, then shrugged on his shirt and sat back down on the bed to put his shoes on. <br/><br/>“What about eggs benedict? How does that sound for breakfast?” he asked while he finished getting dressed.</span><br/><br/>A blush crept into her cheeks at his crack about modesty, but she didn’t say anything, picking out some pants and a bra, dropping the blanket to pull her shirt on. “Eggs Benedict?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder as she pulled her hair up, certain it looked way too messy to leave out and keep her dignity. “Never had it.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Then you are in  for a treat,” he said with a smile. “Especially, since you have not had mine,” he stood and smoothed his shirt free of wrinkles. “I might have to run to the store to get what we need, but there is a corner grocer not too far from the apartment,” he said with a  casual shrug. “Ready?” he held his hand out to her. <br/><br/>Whatever this was, this was not what he had planned. This feeling of being nice,  content....happy. It was weird. There had been countless nights, years upon years of him waiting for something more in his life. Waiting for a taste of being human felt like again. Even if this would not last, even if it was just a short while he would enjoy it.</span><br/><br/>As his hands smoothed down his shirt, her eyes followed, remembering quite fondly what the body under the shirt felt like. Her mind wandered back to the night before, and it took her shaking her head to get back on track. “Ready,” she replied, having missed most everything else, eyes dropping down to his hand before taking it.<br/><br/>Tempest…wasn’t sure what to make of this, of whatever she and Athan now had. The fact he’d remained in her bed rather than leaving either directly after or after she fell asleep had been shock enough. Now he was taking her back to his place, a place she’d not seen or had the offer to see until now? And, everything felt…different now. Part of her wondered if it was a good different, or if it’d come back to bite her in the ass.<br/><br/>Until that time, she’d enjoy it…and sneakily shave in the shower while he cooked.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The car was called and he held the door open for her before he slid into the seat beside her. Instructed on where to go the drive pulled out, which left Athan and Tempest some alone time in the backseat. Hand intertwined with her own, he brought it to his lips to kiss a simple tender gesture, that may have conveyed more than he wished. <br/><br/>When the car finally arrived at his building, he paid the man and exited the vehicle, door held open so that he could assist her out. Once she stood before him again, he kissed her. As if it were the most natural thing in the world to do, he kissed her and held her close. It ended and he just smiled while he looked into her eyes. His hand found its way to her own once more and he held it, while he walked with her down to the corner store. <br/><br/>“Would you like anything with breakfast? Juice, fresh fruit? Anything at all?”</span><br/><br/>Sliding into the seat, she opted for the middle rather than the farthest over, without even thinking about it. Which afforded her the space of being close, hand intertwined, a kiss placed on the back, and her head resting on his shoulder while she just enjoyed the time, the touch. Her only regret was that the ride wasn’t longer.<br/><br/>…A regret that was instantly nullified by the next kiss. It caught her wholly off guard, having only just stood up and suddenly his lips were on hers. Her breath hitched in her chest, eyes drifting closed as she melted against him. Even after it ended, she felt breathless, eyes looking back up into his for something; What something, she didn’t know. But, his hand took hers again, and they started walking, giving her a moment to breathe, to think.<br/><br/>“Hmm…” The sound came from under her breath while she thought, giving a light shrug. “Surprise me? I’m not too picky, really. Where the rest of the breakfast is in your hands, perhaps you can pick what would pair best with it?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“We can get a mixture of things,” he said. “Simple enough, really. That way you can pick and choose what you want,” he smiled and kissed the back of her hand again. In the store his shifted his grip so that his arm draped over her shoulder, “You hold the basket and I will put stuff in it. I am sure, that you and your guns can handle it easily, no?” he teased and walked with her down the aisles. Eggs, bread, jelly, jam, some oranges and apples. <br/><br/>“This should be enough for a breakfast,” he walked with her back to the casher. <br/><br/>“Evening, Mr. Durant. I hope that you to found everything you wanted?” the man behind the register said. <br/><br/>“Yes, we did. We found everything we came here for and a few extras. Can I put it on my tab?” <br/><br/>“Of course, Mr. Durant,” the man said with a bright smile to Tempest before he rung them up and bagged their groceries.  <br/><br/>When it was all said and done, they headed for the exit though Athan stopped at the flower stand. A single rose he took and held it out to Tempest, “This as well...” he said to the man at the register then walked with her out of the store and back to his building.</span><br/><br/>This felt weird, in a way, him suddenly being so different with her. That they’d ever be walking hand in hand, sharing in kisses, or sharing a bed…had never been any sort of outcome that she’d considered. At best, she thought they’d come out of this with, at least, some form of professional respect for the other. But, now…<br/><br/>She had no idea what any of this was, or whether it was even good to be indulging in. At the moment, Tempest was happy, ecstatic really, and fairly tripping over herself not to do something stupid; Right then, she was almost afraid she’d knock over some display of glass jars and be the cause of a scene and insane mess with how out of touch with reality she was. It was almost like the pair were in a bubble, the rest of the world fading in and out of existence. The only time it fazed back in was when another item was dropped into the basket, or when someone spoke directly to them; Him, really, as he was the one handling it all.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">A tab…he has a tab for the grocery store…Sounds like he cooks more than I do,</span>came an thought, glancing up at him in a pensive manner.<br/><br/>The only other time it came back was while they were on their way out, he stopped. Had his hand not been in hers, Temp would have likely continued on until the lack of presence was no longer noticed. So, when they stopped, the sound of scanners going off and people shuffling passed all came back into focus, glancing back to look at that rather than what he was doing. When she turned back and saw the single rose, her eyes widened, glancing up at him as she accepted it, unsure of what to say except a quiet, “thank you”.<br/><br/>On the way back to his building, she glanced over at him again (having been continuously telling herself over and over not to stare). “Where’d you learn to cook?” was the first thing that came to mind; It was better than any of the nonsensical, confusing thoughts she was having. “I mean, first you tell me you can make Eggs Benedict, and next you’ll tell me you can make something like…a perfect Beef Wellington.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Not perfect, but it is pretty good,” he said with a smirk and stepped out of the elevator when it stopped. “However, as to where I learned how to cook I spent some time in France learning to cook and dance,” the keys were fished out of his pocket when they came to his door at the end of a long hallway. “I enjoy the pleasure people get from enjoying my cooking,” he explained as the tumblers in the lock were turned and he stepped aside to allow her to enter first.<br/><br/>“Make yourself at home,” he said as he hit a switch on the wall and turned the lights on. Keys and wallet, out of habit were placed on the small table at the door. “There is a bathroom through there and there is one in the Master Bedroom,” he gestured while he removed his jacket. “How about we eat first and then get that shower?” he asked with a smile and look that said more than words ever could. “Kitchen is right over here,” the sleeves of his shirt unbuttoned and rolled up while he took the bags into the kitchen.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">So he’s passionate about cooking…another surprise,</span>she thought, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. Though she said nothing more on the subject, she continued to think on it, try to imagine him cooking, with no visual coming to mind. Instead, all she could see was someone cooking for him, with how he generally handled things, but not him having people over for dinners.<br/><br/>And, when they got into his apartment, she was initially struck with how huge it was, with the view…but it slowly dawned on her that it looked unlived in, and didn’t fit with what she’d tried to justify moments before. Momentarily, she was distracted by the look he gave, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks, but soon it was replaced by just how…unhomey the apartment was.<br/><br/>“Have you lived here long?” Tempest asked, walking in further and meandering about the (she assumed) living room (even if it looked like a show room from a furniture store).<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “A few years,” he shrugged and set the bags down on the counter. “I am just not often home and really just use this place to sleep,” he said to her with a slight frown while he looked down at the counter. <br/><br/>There was a brief moment as he thought to just how often he was there...alone. Brooding about some dance or about his past. Wanting to feel something again. To feel anything again. A thought to those nights when he did bring someone home and often he left them alone in bed while he sat in the living room. <br/><br/>“Let me go and change out of this shirt and then I will get started,” another smile and into his bedroom he disappeared. The door mostly closed before he slipped into his walk in closet, knelt down and pushed aside some items to reveal the secret mini-fridge that he had there. The lock was disengaged, door opened and he hastily took a bag from inside. It took everything he had to not tear into the bag his hunger was so great. With more care than he truly wished to use, he used the valve on the side and sucked the blood down like it was no more than a juice pouch. A slight grimace at the cold blood, but he drank it all and then another before he felt himself satisfied enough to join her back in the kitchen. <br/><br/>A quick check in the mirror for blood and he removed his shirt, grabbed up a tank top and headed out to her. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said with the shirt just being pulled over his head. “Shall we get started?” he winked and started prepping to make them both breakfast.</span><br/><br/>A nod to acknowledge his leaving to change was all she gave, mind thoroughly in disbelief that he’d lived there for any amount of years.<span style="font-style: italic">It looks so…</span>She struggled with the word.<span style="font-style: italic">Cold…it looks cold.</span>Tempest supposed it made sense, though, in retrospect if he didn’t do much else there save for sleep. But then, wouldn’t he have any homey touches? Pictures of family, or even proudest moments? Maybe a rug that he’d chosen to brighten the place up? Even the walls looked cold, unwelcoming.<br/><br/>Had it not been him, she’d have thought that it might have been a realtor using a listing as their “humble abode”.<br/><br/>When he came back, she was looking out over the view, leaning against a window pane, his voice pulling her back into the room to appreciate the tank top he’d picked. The way it held, her eyes lingered on it, on his form, rather than moving away from the window right off. “I believe we shall,” as her powers of communication reappeared. “Though, I really should take a shower…” she mumbled under her breath.<span style="font-style: italic">Though, if he says there are two showers I could slip into one and shower while he’s in the other. No need to see watch me shave…Simple solution!</span><br/><br/>Following him into the kitchen, she leaned against the counter. “What would you like me to help with?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The fact that she had been at the view he noted, “You know?” He began while he got the pots out, “It is really the view that I love. I feel like I am in another world when I am up here....out there....” he pointed to the balcony. “How good are you at rendering down a sauce?” he asked with a smirk. “Here,” he nodded to his side. “You mix this until it is thicker and I will get the eggs going, ok?” <br/><br/>As they started to cook together all he could think about was when he was a young boy and he would help his mother in the kitchen. The way she smiled and laughed with him, the mess that they made when they cooked together. Later in his life he tried to cook again with someone, his sire. <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"> “I do not see your enjoyment of this task so much, Athanase. We don't need to eat, it is pointless and yet you waste such time and effort in the act. Come and hunt with me, instead? There are women out there whose voices ache to fill the night with their screams....</span><br/><br/>“I take it that you don't cook often?” he asked.</span><br/><br/>“Rendering…totally know what that is…” she managed to reply before he explained it and she set to it, stirring the whisk while stealing glances in his direction. Somehow, he seemed to fit in the kitchen, despite its unusually unused disposition; At least to her, it looked that way. The whisk continued to move, though her mind was long gone.<br/><br/>And remained that way until the realization he’d asked a question set in and she stopped, thinking and whisking suddenly too difficult to do simultaneously. “Oh, uh…I cook. Simple things, though,” came her reply, with a small smile and a shrug. “Live by myself. Don’t tend to have people over, so cooking for one person isn’t appealing more often than not.” There was a pause, eyes looking off while she considered what she actually cooked. “Guess that TV dinners and the occasional soup that I pack up and freeze for later reuse is all I do when actually cooking. If not that, then sandwiches or takeout.” Another shrug.<br/><br/>“Hey, how thick is thick?” she asked, changing the subject and focusing on the sauce. “Still pourable enough or…more the consistency of some sort of condiment?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Enough to be a drizzle,” he tried to explain and looked over in the mixing bowl. “That should be good, how about you make the toast now while I slice us some fruit?” he checked the eggs once more then got out the cutting board and set to work on the fruit. “So, how long have you been doing the alone thing?” he asked in a casual manner. <br/><br/>Unlike last time, he wanted to know more about her. To know what she was about and what made her tick. It was different this time around, it was important, though why he was not sure, he just knew that it was.</span><br/><br/>“Sure thing,” she responded automatically, taking a few pieces of bread out of the bag and putting them in the toaster. The question took longer to think about, shrugging casually while she mulled it over. “Not sure I’ve been doing it intentionally? I’ve gone on a few dates, a couple have even made it back to the apartment, but…I don’t know…Either I was too into the dancing and my schedule didn’t work for them, or we just didn’t mesh. If they were a dancer, we never made it passed work.”<br/><br/>Her head tilted a bit as she leaned on the counter again, waiting for the toaster to pop. “What about you? How long have you been doing the ‘alone’ thing?” Temp asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Far too long,” he said as he set the fruit aside. “There have been...one night stands....a few women coming and going, but none of them stayed long and I never cared for them too,” he shrugged and retrieved the toast from her so that he could start to plate their meal. “I loved to dance and they were in love with the idea of being with a dancer. Thinking what I put into the dance I would put into a relationship with them just because they were a pretty face,” another shrug. “It has been sometime since any made it here and no none of them I ever cooked for....” another shrug though this one had a smile as well. <br/><br/>“I guess there was no one who I felt was an equal to me and made me strive to be....better than the man I already was,” he looked up from plating to meet her gaze, held it before he looked back to what he was doing. “And there we have it,” he said as he grabbed up the plates and took them to the small table. “You pour and bring the juice?” he asked.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">One night stands…women coming and going…no surprises there,</span>she thought while he spoke, listening to him answering her question. All of it made sense, that they’d expect him to put what he did into that into whatever relationship they hoped to have.<br/><br/>The surprises came, instead, when he mentioned how long it’d been since anyone made it there…and that he’d not cooked for any of them…Her eyes widened a touch, looking up at him as he continued, feeling the increasingly familiar breathless sensation taking hold as he held it, lips parting as though to say something, but he’d already grabbed up the plates, and asked her to handle the juice, which she complied with. Pouring it without much ado, and following behind him, she set them down on the table.<br/><br/>“It looks wonderful,” Tempest remarked, looking at the plates for the first time since he’d started assembling them, making to sit down and get comfortable. A few other questions lingered in her mind, but they could wait until after they’d started eating, at least.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">As was his usual manners, he was at her back the chair pulled out for her and then pushed back in. A kiss given, soft, sweet and tender on her neck before he went to his own seat. “I hope that you enjoy, been a while since I have been in the kitchen with another, but you were very natural in there with me,” he smiled and picked up a grape to snack on while he waited for her to try it.</span><br/><br/>The gesture didn’t go unnoticed, as most didn’t bother with such formalities anymore, but he seemed to do them constantly. And that kiss on her neck sent shivers down her spine, brought goosebumps up on her skin, tongue darting out over her lips.<span style="font-style: italic">Oh right…there’s this eating part now,</span>she reminded herself.<span style="font-style: italic">Don’t drop any on yourself, eh?</span><br/><br/>Fork and knife lifted, she cut into it and took a bite, careful to hide her actual feeling on the food, but instead feign mock disgust. “Oh, it’s…absolutely terrible,” she teased, pretending to spit it out in her napkin. “I can’t be bothered to eat it…” Taking another bite of the food, she smiled. “It tastes amazing, Athan. Despite your lack of cooking for however long it’s been, it doesn’t taste like you’ve stopped a day at it.”<br/><br/>A nice segue to get back on topic, mentally, she took a sip off of her juice. “So, you say it’s been a while since this…lonely thing started…a while since you’ve cooked, a few years since you moved here, but only seem to sleep here all the while…” Regarding him over the top of her glass, she paused. “May I ask how old the man I’m keeping safe is? Sometimes, I swear, you speak like you’ve lived for so much longer…but you don’t look a day over twenty-five.” It was asked casually, oblivious to what she hinted at, as she took a bit of fruit to nibble on, waiting for his answer.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The fact that she enjoyed his cooking brought a warm smile to his face, even as he ate his mind was more focused on the fact that she enjoyed his food. Perhaps that is why he had not quite registered the question right away and when it did he smirked, “Some days I feel like I am well over a hundred years old.” He winked at her but then continued on with an answer, “I am twenty-eight years old, but thank you for the compliment. Am I too old for you?” he asked with a chuckle.</span><br/><br/>She met his wink with an eye roll and a chuckle, taking another sip off of her juice. “Too old for me?” Temp repeated, looking playfully thoughtful. “…I’m afraid so…Twenty-eight is ancient. No wonder you need the protection! You’ll end up killing yourself if you sit down too hard in a chair…Perhaps I should set you up with a nanny and a padded room…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “More reason for you to make sure I don't slip and fall in the shower,” he grinned. “I could break a hip or something,” he waggled his eyebrows at her. “How old are you again?” he asked before he took a sip of his own drink.</span><br/><br/>“I don’t know if I can keep you from breaking a hip, though. I’d imagine your bones are fairly degraded now. Brittle…probably have dust running through your veins…”<br/><br/>She waggled her brows back at him, making an exaggerated kissy face and dissolving into a small fit of laughs. “As for how old I am…only twenty-five; A baby in comparison to you, Father Time. Having fun robbing the cradle? Or do I make you feel like a kid again?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Your giggles are rather cute, not to mention how blush on occasionally,” he smirked and held her gaze for a moment before he went back to his meal. “Besides, you have a maturity to you that speaks as if you have lived for....a long time. Think that is why I enjoy talking to you, I don't feel like you are some innocent and naive person I have to protect from the monsters of the world. If that makes any sense at all....” he laughed at himself.</span><br/><br/>As if on cue, a light blush slipped across her cheeks, a hand rising nonchalantly to try and hide it. But, the more he spoke, the more it dwindled, head tilting a bit to the side as she tried to understand. She didn’t think she spoke with that much worldly knowledge; Only that she didn’t speak like the valley girls she so loathed. “Ah yes…the monsters…so many monsters…” Shaking her head lightly, a sigh tumbled free of her lips. “If not for my guns, you and I would be goners.”<br/><br/>Then on a serious note, she nodded, shrugging a bit while going back to her meal. “I think I understand what you’re saying. I mean, I know I’d be a little…no,<span style="font-style: italic">a lot</span>annoyed if I felt I had to be the constant savior of sorts; The one to keep another person from being stupid and suicidal, save them from themselves in a way while keeping them from being easy prey to those around them.” Another shrug. “Could be way off base, but, if I am, feel free to correct me.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “No, that was basically it. Just nice to be with someone and not have them depend completely on me,” he said with a shrug. “Even with us dancing, I know you are dancing with me and that it is us together and not myself alone,” he shrugged. “Hard to trust someone and know they have your back as much as you have their's,” he said and went back to eating.<br/><br/>There was definitely something about Tempest, maybe she was witch? And had charmed him? To be so forth coming with someone, it was not like him at all. His very survival relied on being cloak and dagger, yet here he was just being open and honest with. Mostly honest anyway....</span><br/><br/>There was a light laugh, nibbling on a grape. “It took me a bit to trust you, I’ll admit,” she replied to that. “After that night you dropped me, I was ready to watch you burn. Not sure what it was that got me to trust you; Even with your word, I was skeptical… But, you’ve not broken it, and I know you won’t drop me…so long as you can help it.” A smile as she met his eyes was given, before dropping her gaze again. “Just glad to know someone else has my back, that it’s not one-sided. I know you want it to work as much as I do, and you’re not vapid like I thought you were. You should open up more; Think people would like this side of you more than the one I met.” The last was added with a hint of a grin, teasing, full of humor…even if the sentiment was a sincere one.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> “Not many deserve to see this side of me,” he replied easily, eyes up from his plate to find her own. “Over the years I have learned to...guard myself. Life is so fleeting and people are often driven by their whims and current desires. One moment you are the center of their world and then the next....” he he looked away yet again to his plate and shrugged. “I hurt them first to spare both of us the pain later....” he half mumbled and whispered while he finished his meal.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Not many deserve it…but you’re letting your guard down with me?</span>The notion didn’t make sense to her, that she’d be worthy of seeing this side of him. And what he said next only left her more confused, more conflicted, her fork pushing food around on her plate to make it look like she were eating when her mind was far elsewhere. “So…” Her voice, too, was quiet with this revelation. “…You hurt them to spare…the pain later…” A pause, sparing one glance up at him, but quickly dropping back down. “Am I a…current desire…one that should be…careful about that?”<br/><br/>The moment it was out on the table, she frowned, and shook her head, plastering an embarrassed smile on her lips as she stood, picking up her plate. “Forget I asked that,” Temp tried to recover. “Do you want me to grab you anything while I’m picking up?”