[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/6Yi4gad.png[/img] [/center] [right][h1][color=f49ac2]Edict[/color][/h1][/right] [hr] [right][code]Edict’s Apartment[/code][/right] [hr] Edict was quick to get a ride back to his own apartment; and with his Uncle’s establishment only a short walk away, both he and Linqian were able to enjoy a few more drinks while Edict poured his woes onto the man behind the counter. From the perspective of a first hand observer, it was incredulous how much of the story Edict was able to leave out while keeping it believable. But, bias was bias: The man seemed to take Edict’s side almost instantly, citing some pretty serious feelings about the other establishment in question. By the time Edict’s ride arrived, a not-so-subtle agreement had been made. Hands were shaking, and the man himself had disappeared into the back room for more than a few seconds to leave Linqian drinking by herself. When he came back, he was all smiles, and led Linqian out to the front where a clean Mercedes sedan was parked. A man was in the driver’s seat, and there was another car behind it. Edict grinned. [color=f49ac2][i]European shitbox. Bugged to high heaven. I hope you love it, Lin.[/i][/color] [color=f49ac2]”Oh, hey, would you look at that? Surprise, it’s your new car! Whaddya know?”[/color] He laughed, moving toward the back seat and opening it up for her. [color=f49ac2]”The driver service ain’t included though, after this you’re on your own there…”[/color] he finished, waving her into the back seat of the definitely-not-stolen car. [color=f49ac2][i]Beat free, you big mother-loving cultist… Fucking Toyota? Come on.[/i][/color] [color=CD5C5C]”Fuck.”[/color] Linqian very eloquently said, eyes widening as she just stared at the car for a moment. Sure, she’d known she was getting a not quite legit car from Edict, but actually seeing it made it a whole lot more real. She was really going up in the world, from a poor as fuck shit car owner to a poor as fuck two car owner! Hah, at least this one didn’t need to be insured. With a slightly incredulous smile, she slid into the back seat. [color=CD5C5C]”Didn’t want a driver service, so good.”[/color] He got in behind her, and in a gentleman’s flourish, slid into the seat brandishing another drink for the road with the bar’s glasses and all. The way he figured, now was a good time to forget what had happened since payback was a done deal. He could simply enjoy his night now, no trouble. The drive back into the city’s centre was a smooth affair. Edict kept his trap shut for the most part, knowing that tip-toeing around Linqian’s personal brand of volcanism was the only logical option after he’d very openly been himself. So, in that; he decided that he didn’t need to be himself. He needed to be who his loving Mother and Aunt thought he was. Even with the splitting pain still in his wrist from the earlier raid, even covered in beer and good tequila, he had to be [i]The Man.[/i] Eventually they made it, and the car was parked in the lot at the base of the building. The driver handed over the keys to Linqian with a smile, and after breaking Edict’s balls for a moment about being covered in booze he hopped into the tail car and was gone into the night. [color=F49AC2]G[/color][color=F48CBA]r[/color][color=F47EB2]e[/color][color=F470AA]y[/color][color=F462A3]s[/color][color=F4549B]o[/color][color=F44693]n[/color] and Linqian were left alone once again. He couldn’t help but smile as he pulled his cigarettes out and handed one off to her before taking another. May as well for the walk to the elevator. He lit hers first, twisting his body slightly to steal the flame off the cherry tip to light his own. Smiling, Greyson pulled away and laughed. [color=F5388C]”So… Do you remember, I think it was the summer we all started working together, I took a bunch of us to that college party out on Where's Pier? And we spent the whole night messing with the Blinds while we were pulling free drinks?”[/color] It was a very clear demeanour shift. No more nervous energy or desire for frenetic verbal combat. He wasn’t looking for an opening, not hunting for a fix or a mark; For once, with someone who wasn’t totally under his spell, he just wanted to [b]be[/b]. [color=CD5C5C]”Of course,”[/color] Linqian said, taking a drag of her cigarette and gently blowing out the smoke. It pushed away any thoughts about what had happened back at the bar which the following drinks hadn't. It was helped by Greyson's sudden change - he suddenly wasn't acting so much like a just about tolerable dick. It was a lot easier to relax when he wasn't prodding. She was just going to have a good night, and not think about all the other shit going on. She leaned towards him slightly with a grin. [color=CD5C5C]”That was fun as fuck. You practically had them eating out your hands… Didn't some of the more 'sensible' members get pissed off afterwards? Some bullshit about not using our powers on blind… not our fault they can't resist it.”[/color] She rolled her eyes, but clearly not at him. She remembered now - Jinhai had been one of the ones pissed about it. It had been one of the first times she went somewhere [i]without[/i] him and it had ended with a massive argument between the two of them. That hadn't been quite as good as the night itself. [color=CD5C5C]”Can’t say I remember the whole night - how much did I have to drink? It was a lot, and I wasn’t quite as experienced with it then. Fuck, you showed us a lot of good times back then.”[/color] She laughed lightly, taking another smoke. [color=CD5C5C]”Shit hasn’t been quite as good since.”[/color] Greyson smiled widely as they passed row after row of parked cars. [color=F5388C]”Oh everybody gets pissy until they need something done for them. It’s life. I like to think if more people were willing to ease up a little, we’d be a lot better off.”[/color] he shrugged, taking a drag for himself and blowing it up into the air away from his companion. [color=F5388C]”Like with all the artefact theft. Back in those days, we were all taking whatever we could. There was a monster eating through our city. But when it was all over, ‘Hey we’ve gotta hand our stuff over and go back to living like normal!’. Fuckin’ nuts.”[/color] Getting to the elevator, he slapped the button and waited for the machine to make its descent to the ground floor they stood on. Edict’s eyes were slightly narrow, in the same way a cat in contentedness does, scrunched up ever so slightly in the bridge of the nose with a smile pulled up just so around the mouth. He absolutely reeked of booze; something that’d have to be cleaned out of the back of the seat later. [color=F5388C]”But, as far as that night? I think I remember people eating out of your hand quite literally… You, aaaand Tayla, and… I believe I brought Brit? And Leon’s oldest sister, on the rare night she made it out. Sully, Kali, my cousin Dio. I think Drake might have shown up with Jade? Pretty sure he was the one who ratted me out to the girls on top, but I never wanted to start a beef with that guy. Liable to do something crazy.”[/color] he laughed to himself. [color=CD5C5C]”Heh, you're right, they were. What can I say, I was always this hot,"[/color] Linqian smirked, leaning against the wall next to the elevator. Her cigarette was raised back to her lips, taking a shorter drag and tilting her head to the side to blow it away. The smell of the smoke helped cover up the pungent odour of alcohol coming from Greyson just slightly… though honestly, neither particularly bothered her. She didn’t bother commenting on the artefact theft stuff - she hadn’t had many thoughts either way back then, and still didn’t. Frankly, she didn’t care whether Greyson had taken them or not. None had been hers. Of course Jinhai had been one of the most vocal about kicking him out… But whether he truly believed it was him or if he just saw it as an excuse to get rid of Greyson, Linqian wasn’t sure. [color=CD5C5C]”Yup, that was the group, Drake and Jade included. He might've ratted you out… But it also could’ve been my fault.”[/color] It was ten years ago, so it wasn't exactly a big deal. She furrowed her brow for just a moment as she tried to remember what had happened after that night. Ah, she remembered now. [color=CD5C5C]”Oh yeah, probably me… not actually ratting you out, fuck no. Just couldn't exactly hide it from Jinhai when we lived together, and he was [i]pissed[/i].Pretty sure he threatened to tell Ashley… He could be a right fucking asshole, I swear.”[/color] She shrugged, lips tugging back up into a smile. [color=CD5C5C]”But Drake doesn’t seem to have changed there, with y’know,”[/color] she gestured to her very unbroken nose, [color=CD5C5C]”Sloane. Bitch probably deserved it.”[/color] The elevator gave a gentle notifying ping as its doors slid open. The inside was simple, wood panelled like it was made in the 70's, and had the essence of stale cigarettes practically baked into the old carpet. [color=F5388C]“What?” Edict furrowed his brow. “What happened to Sloane? Drake wasn't even there…”[/color] The gears turned vaguely as he began to piece two and two together. The brief glimpses he got of Sloane's face weren't out of the ordinary from a distant glance. A moment where they got close, however, was when she was chatting up that Fed at the church fire. [color=F5388C]“Wait, don't be tellin’ me that Mr. Badditude actually [i]hit[/i] that woman? Shit, what would Jade think?”[/color] The elevator bobbed up and down slightly as they both stepped on. It was a quiet, well running machine at least, and as the doors closed, Greyson pulled his keyring from his pocket and slid one into a slot on the elevator's panel. It had to be one of those fancy apartments where one doesn't have a “door” per se. Rather, the elevator leads directly into the unit, otherwise inaccessible due to the keyhole being built into this lift. [color=CD5C5C]”Oh yeah, he did,”[/color] Linqian shrugged one shoulder, eyeing the keys… She’d been convinced this kind of apartment only existed in movies. Being rich sure must be nice. Though she supposed she had a house, even if it was an older build and with a mortgage she could barely afford. She watched the floor display as it started to tick up. [color=CD5C5C]”I overheard Anya talking to Sloane about it… Dunno how or why, but he hit her yesterday. I’m sure if Jade was here, he wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”[/color] Which would have been a shame, since Sloane deserved every punch she got. [color=CD5C5C]”It was before you got there, but her face looked fucked. Probably why Drake wasn’t there.”[/color] That was just a guess, but Drake was a better person than her - if she’d punched Sloane, she would’ve turned up the next day and bragged about it. Greyson’s eyebrows nearly lifted off his head with how high they raised up. He stuck that little bit of ammunition into a magazine for future target shooting, but was quick to turn the vindication metre down before he ended up sounding like a petty baby again. Not that Linqian seemed to care about it at this moment, it was way more fun gossiping. [color=F5388C]“Y’know it’s honestly more surprising he didn’t show up. If it was one of us guys, he’d have been there to brag.”[/color] Before either of them knew, the telltale ding came as they reached the tenth floor. St. Portwell’s skyline was well regulated, and from Greyson’s understanding, the town ordinance council only let a few buildings get over ten stories. The doors slid open to reveal a nice open floor plan: Immediately on entry, one is met by large windows that look out across some of the smaller buildings and out toward the harbour. There were no blinds or anything, the darkness of the windows indicating that the tint was more than sufficient. Otherwise, the place was fairly scarce on furniture; turning left meant turning into the living room and kitchen. There were no televisions anywhere in sight, though there was a sizable sound system and a whole wall full of records, CDs and other physical media. Otherwise, there was a couple of couches, one being a sectional that had the roman style end cap, and a glass coffee table between them. The kitchen was well lit by a dozen dim ceiling fixtures, providing gentle but consistent light that illuminated the warm wood of the cabinets and bounced off the stainless steel appliances. The whole apartment had hardwood floors and tucked away light fixtures, so there was almost nowhere where bulbs had direct access to one’s eyes. [color=F5388C]“Casa Devola. Hungry? Want another drink?”[/color] he offered, waving his hands about. [color=F5388C]”Feel free to explore, get comfy. I’m just gonna change out of these clothes and wash my hair. Unless you want me smelling like a bar room the whole time.”[/color] Linqian glanced around the place with eyes filled with interest. It was far fancier than anywhere she’d ever stayed, and practically had as much space as her own house, but it lacked a… home feeling to her. Well, it wasn’t like she was here for that. She tilted her head towards Greyson with a smile. [color=CD5C5C]”Very nice. Another drink would be good, and-”[/color] she paused, about to say she didn’t need to eat but then realising she really [i]did[/i] if she wanted to continue drinking without quickly getting very drunk. Which wasn’t quite her aim for now. [color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, food. If you have anything in your kitchen I can handle that myself.”[/color] She then wrinkled her nose, somewhat exaggerated because the smell wasn’t really that bad - if anything, she could smell the tear gas still clinging to her more. [color=CD5C5C]”Please, I don’t want to be reminded of that bar anymore than I have to be. Though,”[/color] she then vaguely gestured to the couches, which looked expensive enough to her, [color=CD5C5C]”not sure how you feel about tear gas getting on those. I might need to borrow some clothes.”[/color] Greyson grinned a devious little smirk, taking a breath in and stepping closer to Linqian. He purposefully stuck his hands in his pockets, approaching her in a vaguely coy manner. [color=F5388C]”Linqian… Are you asking [i]me[/i] for clothing?”[/color] He nodded his head directionally, having her turn around before leading her down the hall in the direction opposite the living and kitchen. As he walked past a doorway, he flicked a lightswitch, and the vent of a bathroom began to hum. But he walked on past it, leading her into a sizable bedroom with a california king bed and some more sitting furniture along with dressers and the expected bedroom furnishings. He made way for the biggest dresser, pulling open one of the bottom drawers revealed a plethora of women’s clothes. Everything from club dresses to evening gowns, even undergarments still packaged and sealed. [color=F5388C]”It’s been a while since I’ve been back here, but I had it stocked up before I got back. Just in case, y’know? Take what you want, use the bathroom out in the hall.”[/color] He was already taking his shirt off, tossing it and the undershirt into a nearby hamper. His arm flicked a lightswitch, and the ensuite bathroom that was more “his” lit up from around a corner. Linqian could get a good look at the physique he kept mostly hidden; he had that kind of Bruce Lee body going on, where the muscle mass wasn’t bulky and grotesque, but rather tight and controlled. As his arms moved about, there was rippling movement beneath the skin as he not-so-purposefully flexed his own assets. The fabled sunglasses, still missing a lens, got placed on the top of the dresser as Greyson smiled at Linqian. He even wiggled his eyebrows slightly before turning away from her to head into the bathroom. As he did, Linqian would have a perfect view of the massive back tattoo he had. Ominously, it was a large sycamore tree, and a countless number of axes were buried in its tall trunk. Linqian was rendered speechless by the whole drawer of women’s clothes, so shocked that she was almost completely thrown out of the mood that had started building when Greyson had gotten closer to her. Just in case? How many women was he having over that needed a change of clothes to stock up like this? Not that she could judge, but she didn’t have a drawer full of clothes for- Then she noticed that Greyson had taken his shirt off, and all thoughts of how weird it was were thrown to the wind. He looked [i]good[/i]. She was incredibly open about her looking, eyes scanning across his chest and down towards his abdominal muscles. Her lips curved up into a suggestive smile. There certainly was plenty to look at, and he was clearly happy to show it off. Damn. Good decision going back to his place. Or not? Her gaze stilled on the tattoo. Shit. Was this going to turn from a fun night to her own murder scene? Probably not, why would he go through so much effort when he could just have someone push her down a flight of stairs. Feeling a bit more confident in her safety, Linqian bluntly asked, [color=CD5C5C]”what made you get that tattoo?”[/color] Greyson, behind the wall of the bathroom, had a cold feeling rush across him. See, having a tattoo is a thing of vanity that can just disappear into the background noise of one’s life. The ones he could see were one thing: His grandmother’s rosary on his hand and arm, the lotus on his chest, the different religious iconography… But the mural? He never saw it. And, for most girls, it had no context or bearing. He never had to worry. But here was someone who knew… He only hoped she didn’t recognize what kind of tree it was. [color=F5388C]”After I got blamed for being scum and all my ‘friends’ abandoned me, I was… Pretty upset. Young hothead I was, I got my feelings tattooed on me. Kind of ironic coming back here now to help, huh?”[/color] [color=f49ac2][i]No, it wasn’t ironic: It was poignant. He’d chop the fucking tree down and burn the remnants.[/i][/color] Greyson slipped back around the corner to look at her. [color=F5388C]”Kinda makes me feel like a stupid jerk now that I think about it, but hey… I spent a lot of money on it, so now I guess it can be a reminder about how childish we can all be.”[/color] he shrugged. Linqian had a sightline from her position into the bathroom, where a mirror was shining a bright clear picture of Greyson’s bare ass. How could one fear a man with so little to hide? [color=CD5C5C]”[i]Righhhht.[/i].. Yeah, pretty ironic.”[/color] Linqian wasn’t quite sure how to process that. Of course he would have been upset at being kicked out for doing something he possibly didn’t do, but getting it tattooed was a whole process. You had to cough up a shit ton of money and sit through hours for that. She’d backed out of getting one herself a few years back. Her expression didn’t change much as she thought about it, lips slightly parted and eyes narrowed in thought. [color=CD5C5C]”Aside from the murderous implication, it looks good.”[/color] So did his ass. Damn. Linqian stared at the clear reflection for a few moments, before realising she should also get changed. She wasn’t too worried about the tattoo now, and honestly didn’t want to dwell on it. The rest of his body, though? Oh, she’d keep thinking about that. Linqian turned back to the drawer, rummaging through it for something that seemed her size. Eventually she settled for a relatively simple black dress, low cut but with a loose enough skirt she didn’t have to worry about it perfectly flattering her figure. She was reluctant to leave with the sight she currently had - but she was sure she’d see plenty more later. With a slight smirk, Linqian went to the bathroom he’d directed her to. Thankfully there was a shower in there, so she could get rid of all the tear gas stuck to her. Her hair would have to wait for whenever she got home, since doing it without proper products would just result in it being incredibly frizzy and it would take ages to do anyway. She leaned forward and pulled her hair up into a messy bun, before quickly stripping off and stepping into the shower. It was nice to get all of the grime off her skin, the burning sensation fading with it. With a sigh of relief she shut off the shower, and stepped out. Shit. She hadn’t thought to ask for a towel, used to her own bathroom with everything already in it. The only one in here was a hand towel which… she could use, but it would take ages. Linqian moved to the bathroom door, opening it a bit and sticking her head out. Most of her was hidden behind the door, with only her face and slender shoulders visible - but it was more than enough to make it very clear she didn’t have any clothes on. She raised her voice enough to hopefully be heard from the other bathroom. [color=CD5C5C]”Hey, Greyson, can I have a towel?”[/color] Greyson was whistling, dancing to himself as the steamy water poured over him. Taking a shower together would’ve been nice, but he wasn’t going to push his luck after she mentioned his tattoo’s implications. He often wondered how people could work so easily against their own gut feelings, wooing themselves into false security as if he couldn’t blow her away that evening. But. there they were! She was in his apartment after he’d made himself the ass of the town, and the only thing that would ruin his night (maybe) was if she got to him first! Not like if she poked around the house she couldn’t find a weapon; there were a dozen at least. Various calibres, all loaded and ready for the almost inevitable home invasion. Butt ass naked, Greyson heard Linqian calling from the other room. He quickly washed the soap out of his eyes and made for a towel that he wrapped around his waist. Having been under the water, he didn’t catch the finer details of the yelling, instead poking the door open a bit to ask her what she wanted. He quickly found out it was, in fact, a towel. Keeping the bathroom door mostly closed, he pulled the one from around his own waist off and slipped it through the door. It was big and fluffy, and not wet enough that it’d make much of a difference to someone who was already soaked. [color=F5388C]”I can come and dry you off too!”[/color] he offered through the crack in the door with a joking tone in his voice. [color=CD5C5C]”Oh, how sexy,”[/color] Linqian laughed, taking the towel and wrapping it around herself. It was very tempting to fasttrack the evening, but she wasn’t in a rush. If she made him wait, the pay off would be that much nicer. It wasn’t as fun to just jump right to it. [color=CD5C5C]”Tempting as that is, I need some food before I’m trapped in a bathroom for the rest of the night.”[/color] She didn’t bother to properly close the door - if he got a peek, he got a peek - before drying herself off. Since she hadn’t washed her hair it didn’t take too long, and she pulled on the black dress she’d borrowed. It was a bit shorter than she’d expected, because she’d misjudged the sizing, but it just about covered everything it had to. Not that it necessarily had to. Now dressed, she bent down and felt through her coat pockets, pulling out a small pouch. It had all the essentials she needed if her makeup was ruined - which it had been by the teargas. She reapplied concealer to the areas with the worst damage, and redid her soft red lipstick too. Of course, Greyson had already seen her post tear gassing, but that was beside the point. She needed to look good [i]now[/i]. Pleased enough, Linqian bundled up her discarded clothes in her jacket, and made her way back to the living room. Greyson had the chance to peek as much as someone trying their hardest to not be themselves could have. A casual onceover, the opposite of the slow building volcano he felt pushing magma up toward his throat. He managed to keep his friend in check and headed back to his room, pulling the clothes drawer open to check exactly what she took. Little black dress, for a nice evening. He smiled, thinking about actually enjoying a glass of wine instead of having a bottle of booze poured on him. So he was back in the shower for another minute as he made sure there weren’t any more sticky alcohol stains left on him. Then, out and immediately patted down with another towel before applying some cocoa butter and a little bit of cologne. He walked back out into his room without the cover of a towel, unable to help but figure that if she was there to see it, she was expecting to. But it was quiet; a good thing probably. He made way for the nightstand next to his normal side of the bed and popped the drawer open, sighing in relief at the black sealed packs shining in the low light. Then, getting re-dressed was a simple ordeal. Boxers, black slacks with the brown house shoes, a fresh tank top and something nice and silky with sleeves that came in the form of a dark blue collared shirt that he didn’t bother getting a tie to go with. Rather, he left it with an extra button open, and he rolled the sleeves up to his elbows before cinching them off in the fashion his father taught him. Suspenders clipped onto his belt, and he admired himself in the mirror as he pulled them up and swept his hand back through his hair. Amazingly he took longer than she did, but he took the time to pop the painting in the hallway open and grab a nice bottle of wine for dinner from the unit hidden in the wall. He gave a quick glance down the hall to see if she’d see, and quickly closed it back down once he had the bottle in question. [color=F5388C]”So, I can call someone? They’ll be here in ten minutes, cook us anything we want? Or, are we gonna have a nice cooking date?”[/color] he asked, holding up the bottle and making way to a cabinet for a couple glasses to bring down. [color=CD5C5C]”Ah, the perks of being rich.”[/color] Linqian had made herself comfortable on one of the couches while waiting, leaning to the side against the armrest with her legs bent up beside her. Her phone was in her hand as she boredly checked it. There was a text from her brother with his flight details, which she gave a perfunctory response to. She put it down with Greyson now in the room, pushing aside any thoughts about her regular, mundane life. He’d pulled a bottle of wine out of nowhere - his bedroom, perhaps? Didn’t matter. [color=CD5C5C]”I’ll cook. It’s nicer to not have someone else intrude.”[/color] She stood back up, stretching her arms above her as if they’d cramped up just from using her phone. The dress rode up as she did, revealing the top of her thighs for just a moment. She approached Greyson, leaning in close enough to catch a whiff of his cologne - it was nice, and not too overpowering. He’d put a lot of effort into how he looked, and looked just as attractive with his clothes back on as he had when they were off. She tilted her head back to look up at him with a smile. [color=CD5C5C]”Do you know enough to help? If not, I can do it all. Name anything and I can probably make it just as well as they could, if there’s the ingredients.”[/color] This was one thing she was very confident in. She rarely got the opportunity to cook more than simple meals nowadays, and simply couldn’t afford to. It would be nice to impress… And she’d simply ignore him calling it a date. Just the word had her chest constricting slightly. But this was just casual. She was able to suppress the impending panic by thinking that. [color=F5388C]”Oh, I mean… Probably not good enough to keep up, but I can chop things or twist knobs. How about instead, while you work away, I give you a little massage? Purely for pleasure, no poking or prodding.”[/color] The inclusion at the end was enough to tell that he didn’t mean a shoulder rub. Greyson casually went to the fridge, which he’d had stocked up with the things he liked and a bunch of other food that was probably going to get thrown away because he almost never ate at home or at a normal time. But, regardless of that, he stared into the fridge full of [i]things[/i] and couldn’t bring himself to make a decision. [color=f49ac2][i]What kind of dinner is sexy? Can’t ask her to get up on the table, that’d be too much. Fuck, why’s it always the easy things?[/i][/color] [color=F5388C]”I… I don’t know, honestly. I’m usually eating egg whites and cashews, I don’t ever have the time or the reasoning to figure food out.”[/color] he laughed to himself, finally pulling away to look at her. [color=F5388C]”I mean the place is packed, like I’ve only been here a couple nights. I had the grocer service stock it up before I got here, but I haven’t even looked. Why don’t we surprise each other?[/color] he offered, the suggestion a little vague as to what he’d surprise her with. [color=CD5C5C]”Alright, alright, I’ll surprise you,”[/color] Linqian waved him out of the way so she could look in the fridge, slipping in in front of him. She tried not to feel too jealous about the sheer amount of food in there… What a waste, honestly. Even if Greyson cooked a full three meals a day he’d have to throw some of this out. Maybe she could take some on the way out… She put that thought aside for later. A surprise, sure. She’d just go for something simple and nice, because she was hungry and wanted to show off a little but not to the point of spending ages cooking. There were better things to be getting to that the food would fuel. And what the fuck was he going to surprise her with? A strip tease while she cooked? [color=CD5C5C]”I’m not so sure about the ‘massage’,”[/color] she said as she reached into the fridge. She pulled out salmon, spinach, mushrooms, and some asparagus. A simple pasta dish seemed safest… and most of this would help with [I]other[/I] things. She moved back out from in front of the fridge, closing it and beginning to search through his cupboards for everything else she needed. With all of that gathered, she pulled out a chopping board and the sharpest knife she could find. She then turned to Greyson, brandishing the knife and lips pulled up into a teasing smile. [color=CD5C5C]”How do I know you won’t try to do what you did back in the bar?”[/color] Linqian had let him into her mind once, and it had helped. But that didn’t mean she trusted him - she could come back to his place, she could want to sleep with him, but she didn’t trust him. With what had happened at the bar, she was once again wary of opening up that door to him. [color=CD5C5C]”I know once you’re in you can do whatever you want.”[/color] As she said this she turned back around, no longer brandishing the knife quite so threateningly and preparing to cut up the mushrooms with it instead. Greyson smiled at her as she brandished the knife, biting his lip slightly as she drove the point home. The first thing he thought of saying was definitely never the right thing to say, so he let the moment linger on, his hand reaching out gently to brush across her arm while she washed and chopped mushrooms. Pulling away, he made his way toward the living room section, flipping through different CD cases until he found something he knew she’d recognize. It had never been his type of music, but with memories so tightly locked in his mind, music was a good way to induce Recollections. The disk slid into the stereo, and he skipped ahead a few songs. [hider=A Silly High School Song][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaOnipj3yc0[/youtube][/hider] It was that night again. He wasn’t even sure if he’d started dating Britney yet, but Linqian had always been [i]around[/i]. Just a cool girl looking for a good time, always trying to get rid of the bullshit that seemed to swirl up around her. He’d always tried to find himself, who he was and who he wanted to be in everyone’s eyes; but frankly she could never have given a flying fuck. [color=f49ac2][i]That’s not a bad thing. It’ll hurt less in the end.[/i][/color] The balmy summer night, another rain storm passing over the rocky coast. The Lighthouse Pier crew; it wasn’t ever his scene, but having freshly joined the Coven, he was looking to get to know people. See what the score was. He hadn’t found too many people to connect with in those days; it was never an easy thing when you’re a little psychopath with manipulative tendencies. But she was never pushy. He learned quickly that as long as you didn’t bark up the wrong tree, you’d stay out of the gunline. It made him think for a while that something was there that never was. The case of the CD was poorly written in sharpie marker. “[b][i]Summer Mix - Ɛ⇂0ᄅ[/i][/b]” The year was blurry, smudged out… [color=f49ac2][i]No. You made yourself forget. A lot.[/i][/color] Seeing the hazard made him feel a little sick, knowing that no matter how hard he’d try, he gave those years up to the ether. It was only recollections now, and the feelings after it. When everyone tried to be normal. Greyson flicked a few switches on the stereo system, setting it up to swap to a different disk in the deck after finishing the song, then gave a final smile to the plastic package before letting it touch down on the table. He finally returned to Linqian, playfulness in his smile. [color=F5388C]”The night we first met and talked, this was playing. I actually scarpered this CD and like a box of twenty others from Lindsey Yvette, so I’m pretty sure this is quite literally [i]the[/i] disk that was playing that night. You remember you stood up for me? When a few of those other prisses weren’t gonna let me stick around?”[/color] Linqian recognised the song a few beats in, eyebrows raising in shock. It had been a long time since she'd heard it… way back when the coven was just starting up, the early days before Bianca had even joined and while most of them were still alive. They'd just been reckless teens trying to find their way in a suddenly changing world, and hanging out like teens did. She'd been there since day one, so she'd known most of the group - but Greyson had been new and interesting. She gently nodded along to the music as she heated up oil in a pan, a few curls falling out of the loose bun she'd left her hair in. [color=CD5C5C]”No wonder the music quality suddenly went down at the parties,”[/color] Linqian laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly. It was more of a genuine smile than any she'd had recently - between the good memories and being in her comfort zone cooking, she felt pretty good. [color=CD5C5C]”Oh yeah, some of them had sticks so far up their ass it was hard to find them… Wasn't it Drake and Amanda and that?”[/color] She rolled her eyes, throwing two salmon fillets on the hot pan. She then went back to the fridge, making sure to brush past Greyson as she did, to get some milk and butter. She grabbed another pan and started making a basic white sauce. [color=CD5C5C]”They'd hardly even talked to you- fuck, I still remember how pissed I got then. We were having a nice conversation but then you said something they didn't like, because of [I]course[/I] they never said anything wrong, and got all pissy about you being there. Didn't Drake physically try to kick you out? I threatened to shove my burning hot knee in his crotch and he backed down real quickly.”[/color] The vegetables were put in the pan with the sauce, the salmon flipped, and the pasta cooking too. With everything cooking, she could step back and relax a bit. She moved closer to Greyson, leaning into his personal space without quite touching him. She smiled coquettishly up at him. [color=CD5C5C]”I don't think you ever thanked me for it.”[/color] In the height difference, Greyson loomed slightly. Standing behind Linqian, he smiled a toothy grin while she leaned back. He let his neck slink forward slowly, gently, until they were closer than they ever needed to be. Even his breath smelled good. His eyes stared into hers as he spoke. [color=F5388C]”Oh, gosh… You knew just where I was going. How about I get to it?”[/color] he cooed, letting his face slowly careen toward her own at glacial speed. He never knew when to go in for the kiss; it was always easier to disclude it and just get straight to things, but he just couldn’t help himself. [color=CD5C5C]”Mm, sounds good.”[/color] Linqian didn't actually wait for Greyson to close the distance, instead doing it herself. She tilted her head up and forward, pressing her lips against his. It wasn't a chaste kiss by any means (she didn't do those), her lips immediately parting and tongue poking out from between them. She properly leaned back into him, body pressing against his. Greyson was happy to lean back down into it, hands slowly tracing down her midriff to rest on her hips as he let it go a while. He managed to get lost in the moment; the sensation of physical touch and the surrounding scent of good food circling around her. He was mindful of his hands, not gripping or groping like an animal, but gently running his fingers up and down her legs. Finally, he pulled away and stared down at her, his forehead gently pressing against hers. [color=F5388C]”Thank you, Linqian… For always giving this piece of shit a chance.”[/color] He let his hands trail back up, moving a pan on the stove off the heat so it didn’t burn. Linqian hummed softly, suppressing a light shiver at the feeling of his hands trailing up and down her bare legs. She wanted to kiss him again, to feel his hands all over her, but she could feel the telltale pangs in her stomach that meant she couldn’t just skip eating and continue. The following dizzy spells would be much more annoying than a break now. [color=CD5C5C]”Well, someone has to,”[/color] Linqian teased. She was a bit confused about why he was thanking her - for a start, she was pretty shitty herself. She’d followed him back to his place purely for another drink and in the hopes of sleeping with him, because he was attractive and his company was good enough. It wasn’t like she’d agreed to date him or anything. He wasn’t the sort that thought you couldn’t casually make out with someone, was he? [color=CD5C5C]No way. This is Greyson we’re talking about.[/color] [color=CD5C5C]”Let’s eat before my efforts go to waste… We can continue after.”[/color] She couldn’t resist leaning in for another quick kiss, because fuck she enjoyed kissing, before forcing herself to pull back. Linqian turned back to the stove, giving the sauce a quick test and making sure the pasta was done. The salmon that Greyson had thankfully taken off before it burnt was flaked, and mixed through the sauce and vegetables along with the pasta. She shifted away from him to find some plates, before serving up the food. She automatically made one serving larger than the other - a habit from always prioritising her brothers. Ah, well. Greyson was larger than her anyway. She turned back to him with a smile. [color=CD5C5C]”Voila, all done.”[/color] There was a table and a set of chairs, and as Linqian presented the dishes, Greyson led her over and pulled one of them out for her to sit down. The wine was already sitting there, and before he sat himself, the gentlemanly Greyson went and procured cutlery and napkins from the kitchen drawers. He set them out for Linqian, then sat down to refill his glass. The date was just as blurry as the one on the mixtape… Looking at the beautiful spread of food made him thankful she was around. Again, not many chances for home cooked meals these days; so whatever he could take he would. His eyes traced across the beautiful flesh of the cooked fish, the light but sticky sauce that covered the noodles, the smells of it. He was compelled to raise his glass. [color=F5388C]”To you. Thank you for a wonderful night, and may we be exhausted enough to sleep through tomorrow.”[/color] he smirked, clinking his glass off hers. [color=CD5C5C]”Mm, I’m looking forward to getting good use out of your bed,”[/color] Linqian smiled suggestively, taking a sip of her wine. It was much nicer than what she was used to, which wasn’t particularly hard when she generally drank the cheapest wine she could find. The last nice bottle had been bought for Jinhai passing his exams… And that had gone to waste. Ah well, she got to taste some now. [color=CD5C5C]”Ah, I do have work tomorrow at eleven… or twelve if I’m pushing it. I'm also meeting Bianca in the afternoon, so I may need a couple of hours’ sleep to deal with that… but just a couple will do.”[/color] She shrugged before beginning to eat, carefully so not to accidentally get any on the dress she’d borrowed. To her the meal itself was relatively simple, the kind she could easily whip up on a busy day - but the ingredients themselves were much higher quality than she was used to. It was pretty good. She glanced at Greyson as she ate - more nervous than she wanted to admit that the food might not be up to his standards. [color=CD5C5C]"I suppose I can take the morning shift off if I have a good enough excuse.”[/color] Greyson ate just fine. In fact, he was thrilled by the flavour of the food and couldn’t help but dig in a little greedily. It was easy to notice that he spent far more time chewing than he probably needed to, which evened out the rather large mouthfuls of food he’d shove in with little delicacy. He laughed to himself, letting a gulp of wine chase the mashed amalgam into his gut before wiping his mouth with a napkin. [color=F5388C]”Fuck a job-”[/color] he laughed, throwing the napkin down to the side and picking his fork back up. [color=f49ac2]”-if we’re both still around by the time this is over, jump ship. Come run the tobacco distribution for me. Make yourself a rich woman.”[/color] Edict’s grubby hands spread motivation like gems on the floor of a trap. For no real discernible reason besides the pleasure of being able to do so. Get the hopes up, envision a future, place them in it with prominence. Linqian wasn’t a sentimental woman by any means; Edict knew this. But, the chance to have a stable life? To regain purpose and usher in good times for her family? He figured she wasn’t gonna pass it up. Greyson cleared his throat. [color=F5388C]”Shit, we said no business. Well, can’t take it back; if you’re interested we’ll talk about it tomorrow. For now,-”[/color] he said, pointing his fork at the plate. His other hand gesticulated vaguely toward it. [color=F5388C]”-this is delicious. I mean, rustic, flavorful, beautifully presented? I’m probably talking it up to you, but half the time my diet is cigarettes and coffee. I don’t get much good food like this.”[/color] he finished, punctuating with another large bite of food and a close-mouthed smile as he chewed away. Linqian raised an eyebrow. The offer was incredibly tempting - though one with strings, she was sure. But at the end of the day she couldn't actually afford to be fussy. She didn't even want to be rich. Just stable enough to give her brother a better life than her, and maybe be able to think about her own future that she'd put on hold for most of her life. Edict had already given her a lot of money for very little work. She wasn't stupid enough to agree to anything today or even tomorrow, but what was the harm in agreeing to discuss it? [color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, let's talk about it tomorrow,”[/color] Linqian agreed, without appearing to feel one way or another about it. Aside from her extremes in temper, she was much better at hiding her feelings nowadays - years in service had seen to that. Though she couldn't hide the genuine smile at Greyson's compliments about the food, and the way he was clearly enjoying it as he ate. [color=CD5C5C]”It's nice to actually hear good things about my food. All I hear from my brother's is 'can I have more' and 'why did you put something I don't like in it.' Never any appreciation.”[/color] She smiled, tone half joking - but only half. Her younger brother did tell her he liked and missed her cooking, but was just as demanding about it. It was taken for granted in her home. [color=CD5C5C]”But-”[/color] she raised her fork and pointed at him with it. Her own food was practically done, having given herself less and perfected the quick but neat eating method. [color=CD5C5C]”That shit isn't healthy. Who's going to pay me if you die from not eating- I mean, I'll miss your [I]wonderful[/I] company.”[/color] [color=F5388C]”Oh, you’ll miss a lot more than the company in a little while.”[/color] Greyson raised his eyebrows at her in a playful manner, taking another sip from his glass. His fork dug into the flesh of the fish and split it apart in a beautiful line, and he dragged it through the pasta’s sauce to lap it up. [color=F5388C]”My Dad taught me how they eat pasta in the Motherland, with the uh… The spoon and the twirling. Finesse, it’s like everything they do over there has to be a little extra. But my Mama, she taught me how to eat. When I finally got her a place down in the Islands, I met my cousins and shit, they eat all kinds of just off the plate delicious shit.”[/color] He paused for a moment, thinking about the difference between the two, the love that was never meant to be. He had to stop himself from biting his cheek as old feelings welled up, and he crammed a fork full of pasta in his mouth to chew on instead. He shook his head with a smile, swallowing a bigger bite than he really wanted to. [color=F5388C]”This is… It’s a good balance. Makes me feel like I’m at home. I mean, here. It screams St. Portwell, I mean the fish, the mushrooms. It's all local, I mean honestly to me this is restaurant quality.”[/color] [color=CD5C5C]"Yeah, I never got the spoon and twirling thing… maybe because I'm more used to chopsticks than a fork,”[/color] Linqian laughed, before practically beaming. She tried not to let the compliment go to her head but very much failed. Cooking was one of the few things she had genuine talent in and enjoyed enough to develop. This wasn't even an overly complicated meal… she wondered how he'd react to a more intricate one. Wait, no. That would imply this would happen again. She finished over the last few bits on her plate, and moved onto just sipping wine, hiding her smile behind the glass and eyeing Greyson over it. [color=CD5C5C]”It is pretty homely, in the St Portwell way. I missed the fish here, if nothing else… You know, I did consider culinary school for a while. When I was failing highschool and my parents were still around.”[/color] She shrugged. Unlikely to happen. She pressed the wine glass to her lips, parting them slightly and taking a long, slow drink. Wine glass still in hand she leaned forward, lips curving into a more seductive smile. [color=CD5C5C]”I'm glad I was able to cook for you. I enjoy being appreciated.”[/color] Greyson let her words linger as he admired her smile, her lips, the way she held the glass, and for a second he was lost in it. All he could do was grin back, licking his lips and finishing the glass. His plate was empty, you’d think a person came with a scrub brush it was so clean. Wiping his face one last time, he pushed back on the chair and stood up to lean over the table. He had his hand outstretched to her. [color=F5388C]”Let me appreciate you better up close.”[/color] And the darker night still descended on St. Portwell. Another long and cold Autumn frost gripped the city. However, shining dimly in the distance, sirens and smoke. One of the oldest establishments in the Harbor was ablaze with the light of flames. Between it all, Greyson Devola watched a piece of history burn, and it transfixed him more than any pleasure of the flesh had ever done.