Rally the Whers.

[panther]

She could feel the anger and his wantonness ebbing from him like the tide, it stifled the air about her, and made her nervous, but his stillness was een more disconcerting, if he continued walking, she could resign herself to remorse, self loathing and such, if he approached her she could fear, she could worry, and feel anger heat in her stomach, but the stillness brought uncertainty. She hesitated.

His movements were too quick, his hand caught her face, stopping her from backing up, Her hands balled beside her, tensing up as though she might hit him. It was natural instinct, the option of flight was taken from her so the option left – instinctively was to fight – but the blow never landed, her eyes screwed shut for what felt like an eternity, instead she felthim crash onto her, forcing a kiss to her, she couldn’t help but be mildly pliant, for his hand and whatnot forced her to. She had no option, but something was blank in her mind. A space, devoid of anything in there. She could not deal with flurries of emotion, and this was the consequence, a complete blank settling into her mind.

But Alder pulled away almost as fast as he had set into her. Her hand were still balled beside her, her face atleast mildly contorted by echoes of her rage but mainly the forefront of confusion. He apologised, he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Then backhanded complemented her, she looked at the floor, not trusting herself to not totally give away the thoughts in her head.

He might have looked at her, but she didn’t met his eye, though she could feel it almost oppressive upon her. She shuddered and opened her mouth as he finished as though she might say something, but closed it again, she looked up at him, brow furrowed in confusion. But face and eyes almost a perfectly blank canvas.

She took a step back from him, and shook her head. “You know. You agreed. You said…” She shook her head, glowering at him again, anger rising once more, “You agreed with me, at the feast! You and I Agreed That it would be no more, and especially after that incident – my fault admittedly” She was referring of course to the event at the hatching feast at the weyr ((ooc: yet to happen, but izzy and I know what I mean)) , “And yet, you persist. You make this HARDER.” She shook her head, and took another step from him. ”You’re unreal.”

[Xennai]

The look on the other handler’s face was not very comforting or encouraging. Alder glanced up from his own embarrassment, wondering what in all of Pern Danae was thinking about. He realized he shouldn’t have invaded her space as he had—he knew, of course, of her claustrophobia—but he hadn’t been able to help it. He wasn’t able to think around Danae, not when she looked so supremely furious and so amazingly glorious all at once.

Her words were like blows, slapping against him, digging into him with sharp claws, tunneling into him like poisonous insects. He should have expected though. He took one step toward her and she always took two steps back. Alder stood there for a second, nonplussed. But he wasn’t having it this time.

He grabbed her wrist, fingers wrapped tight. He wasn’t going to allow her to back away this time. She was going to listen to him, shard it, whether she liked it or not. His eyes were blazing, the headache that was pressed tight to his skull making him less patient and kind than he would have intended. “No.” It was just one simple word, but it carried several implications. “Don’t back away from me, Danae. Listen to me. I did for you and it’s only kind you do the same. I agreed only because I knew I couldn’t be around you any either way.” He shook his head, frustration wrinkling his forehead. “I told you that I only turn to others because I can’t have you.” He shook her with frustration, the pounding of his brain making his voice sharp. “Hester and I are friends, Danae. We enjoy flirting, we enjoy playing a little game, but she and I? We are completely incompatible because we are much too the same.”

He stared into her eyes, trying to impress the truth upon her. “I am so sorry for the feast,” he whispered. “I did not mean to hurt you. We said we were going as friends, as comrades. If you had but told me…if you’d given me any indication…” He frowned, one hand sweeping down the curtain of hair at her back. “Believe me, Danae. Believe me because I swear it on Aldesk’s life. If I could have you, if you would allow me that honor, I would die a very happy old man. Devoted only to you…”

He’d said it. Alder, the notorious playboy, the man who had moved to Southern because of rumors of him impregnating a girl, had said it. He’d made a commitment. He’d admitted to his affections and now had put himself out on a limb for the first time in his female-filled life.

Mine[/color], Aldesk murmured in discomfiture. I am not sure I like this…

[panther]

She pulled at her wrist, trying to pry herself from his grasp she even considered biting him for a moment, She glowered at him darkly from under her lashes, and begrudgingly stayed put in his grasp as he talked. He told her again, that she was the one. The one he would look for, the one he would bend over backwards for, but in so many words. That with her, he would die a happy man.

Her mind slowly came through a strange peace, into a slow mounting fear. Her mind began to throw up walls, to make excuses, her tongue fumbled with words. She was so not good when put on the spot or surprised like this!

Danae… Cool tone rumbled through her thoughts, Danae! Danask boomed.

What! What! As though I don’t have enough things in my head!
Stop! He’s putting self forward. You hurt him.
I will not! He is teasing me, torturing me, he’s doing it on purpose[/b]
No! Listen. Listen to words.
He would blind you with words, whisper golden secrets into girls ear to make her comply, I will not comply! Alder shook her, and took her form Danask’s mind, her eyes flowering back into his now.

“This is why I didn’t say anything! I don’t know, I’m not sure! I’m certain of a grand total of Zilch right about now.” She growled, discontent, “I look like a buffoon to my handlers, they think me incompetent. And why? Why Alder?” She shook her head fiercely,
“Because you undo me. You take everything I do and make it explode into a thousand and one tiny fragments of what order they once resembled.” As she spoke of the explosion, her hands made a similar suggestion, fingers stretching out all together.

But his hand was at her back, and he was whispering to her now, so secretive, so intimately that alarm bells began to ring, but Danask’s mind quietened them, the Wher placated her in an unusual turn of events.

“I…” She stopped again, taking a deep breath, the resilience of her stance buckling slightly as she was slightly enveloped within him. “I can promise you nothing Alder. I .. don’t know. I’m not certain. I do…” She paused, not looking at him, and glaring down sideways, away from both of them, at the cobbled floor below.

Courage…

Danae breathed deeply. And swallowed hard, she didn’t like this one piece. “I am undone around you… my mind scatters in the same way my order does. You make me obscenely comfortable, and I’d prefer to cater to your wishes than to the Wher holds…” She said, face a picture of confusion, she was not used to putting anything before the wher hold except Danask. Her order of Priorities went:
Danask,
Wher hold
Her friends,
and finally herself.
But yet, Alder had crept into unfamiliar territory. It was alien, obtuse and peculiar to her. “You’re like – I don’t know, you ruin me. You absolutely cast me to tatters… and I cannot explain it. Yet, I’m comfortable around you… more so than I’ve ever been, with anyone.” She spoke softly, “but I can’t.” She said.

Her mind was going to the Run now… What if, what if she done this. Confessed it all out, told him she was certain, then, Aldesk did not win her Run? And she was paired with some other forsaken Bronze handler? Could she bear that? Could either of them bear that….

He might have been almost phobic of commitment before, but she was a novice at the game he played professionally. And he could wipe her clean of any mark she was willing to gamble, and she knew it. All too well…

[Xennai]

Her confusion was endearing and terrifying all at once. He could make no sense out of it. She looked adorable for her perplexity, absolutely adorable. The furrowing of her ivory brow, the downturn of her soft lips, the confused light that shone within amber eyes…But it was terrifying, absolutely terrifying at the same time. Because her confusion meant she wasn’t sure, it meant that she didn’t know. It meant that he was putting himself out there—actually, for the first time, in full—putting himself out there and there was the chance of being actually rejected.

She exploded into words and he listened, hanging on every syllable, on every curve of her lips and tongue. But she just admitted her perplexity, she admitted that she was confused. But she admitted something else. She admitted what he did to her. She admitted that which he knew, she confessed how he made her feel. Glorious, incandescent, victorious triumph soared through him and he smiled, unable to contain it.

He listened to her still, recognizing the glazing over of her eyes as she was talking to her wher. He wondered, he wondered what the two females might be saying, but the thought was gone as he continued listening to her.

And then his stomach fell.

She was saying no again, she was saying that she couldn’t, that she wouldn’t. Despair hit him with a crippling strength, sapping him of his strength. He had gone out on a limb and been denied. But he couldn’t let it go at this…he couldn’t…

Hand cradled his cheek as he gazed down at her. “Look at me,” he murmured. “Danae, I’m not saying that everything will be perfect. I’m not saying that everything will work out miraculously. I just want you to try. Please, just try, baby, just try.” His forehead fell to hers and he wrapped her in a hug, unable to stop himself. “You undo me as well,” he murmured. “You confuse me, you irritate me, you aggravate me. You make me want to kiss you until I can’t any longer, you make me want to hold you never let you go, you make me want to shake you and do so many things to you.”

He pulled back, hands falling back from her, giving her back the space he knew she would want, would need. His eyes were pleading liquid emeralds as he took her hands, fingers threading through hers. “Is that enough? Is all of myself—my heart and soul and anything else you want—enough? Danae…” He glanced down and back up. “I don’t want anyone but you. Ever.”

[panther]

Danae felt cold as he retreated, but it was the first moment she felt a breath enter her to fill her lungs, she hadn’t noticed the claustrophobia enter, but she felt it exit.

She didn’t want to hear his words, she didn’t want to listen, she didn’t want to fall for it, and by Faranth she didn’t want to take it to heart. But she was. Her ears and an over romanticised mind by Fairy tales and grand love stories as a child, wished for every word to be true. But some realistic part of her echoed…
Ever is a long time

She looked up at him when he commanded her, his hand was oh so warm against her cheek, his arms looped about her and pulled her to him, herself as limp in his arms as a cloth doll, moving as asked, mainly because her mind was so furiously full of thought that it could not render orders to any other places.

She waited, he finished, and withdrew again, that cold drifting around her, making her feel it’s cool grasp prominently. She looked up at him, her fingers laced with his now. “It’s too much.” She told him. Honestly. “I, don’t know what to do with it, It’s like I can’t tell whether you’ve given me a Southerncat that’s not been fed for five months, or a fledgling bird that has a break in its wing.” She was still confused, she looked at their hands twined together in such a manner, that her pale skin showed up brilliantly against his richer colour.

“Ever’s a long time, Alder… don’t ever make me a promise you can’t keep… I couldn’t bear that…” She said, slowly opening.

She shook her head and looked at him stiffly, resolve filtering in again from the depths of somewhere within. “Try I will, I can say no more. I can’t jump into this head long, it’ll be slow… that much I can say. You know, you know that I’m… I’ve not… “ She paused, as though saying it in the open now, whilst sober, would be an awful confession.

Confession. Oh yes, that was right. They were there because of the murder. Her hand felt for the glove in her pocket that was not her own, and she gained a new, a different thoughtful air. He brow furrowed, though it wasn’t confusion or any of the like. It was curiousity, “Some one lost a glove…” She mentioned idly, as though changing the subject might help her out just a snippet.

[Xennai]

He was waiting, hanging on a precipice, dangling on hope that was thin as a string. He had no idea what she was going to stay. She was a constantly evolving enigma to him, she was constantly changing, always surprising him. He had no idea what she was going to say, no idea at all.

And it scared the shells out of him.

She seemed confused, even a little befuddled, as if what he was saying was incomprehensible, completely beyond her levels of understanding. She had no idea. She had no idea at all. Alder loved her. He would do anything for her, anything at all. There were limitations; he wouldn't drown himself just at her say so, but if it made sense...Anything. Anything at all.

He bit his lip, listening when she finally spoke. His spirits fell; he had fought for this, made himself more vulnerable than he'd ever been, and she was denying him...Or was she? His fingers tightened around hers, the hope blazing in his eyes again. Could she possibly? Could she even...

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]

"I'm giving you a Queen Egg. I'm giving you something like Ramoth," he whispered. "And I only promise ever because it's the longest concept of time I could think of. If I could, I would have you beyond between or in any other life I have after this one." She looked at him and he felt a thrill of expectation, he felt that something incredible was drawing nigh.

And it came.

She promised to try. She promised to try. The thrill turned into a giddiness that swept through him. He seemed radiant, he seemed absolutely amazing. He felt humbled. He felt amazing. He held her face lightly, holding her as if she were the most precious thing to him in all of Pern. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, eyes closing. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you, sweetheart." He nuzzled against her temple, nodding lightly.

"I know, sweetheart, I know." He drew back, eyes light and glorious. "It's okay. I promise it's okay." He ran his fingers through her vivid hair, hand cradling her face. He felt as if nothing could bring him down now. "I don't mind it being slow, darling. I don't mind at all as long as I have you..."

He pulled back, but he was beaming. He was glorious. He didn't think he'd ever been happier. He'd never been so attached to another female, never loved another woman. And he never would again. Alder frowned, glancing down to see if she was holding the glove. "Yes. Someone dropped a glove...

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]" He obviously wasn't following her train of thought.

[panther]

His affection was lost on her at that moment, she was oblivious to the hand in her hair, to the words, soft and gooey as they were. To the hand on her face and to his elite sense of happiness.

Her mind was whirring on cogs again, not on air. A glove? Hadn’t a glove been found at the scene of the murder? Hadn’t the person been missing one? The murderer that was of course, hadn’t the murderer been missing one?

She looked closely at the clove there were stains on it, old stains, darkened patches from rain or water saturation, or…something less pure.

She looked thoughfully into the belly of her wher hold, knowing the place was rife with discontent a the moment – well that was if you weren’t Alder – “This isn’t yours is it? It’s not mine, that’s certain…” She trailed off her thoughts absent as her eyes remained on the glove, she jammed into back into her pocket, resolving to solve that mystery later.

“And don’t liken it to a dragon, please, of all things, you know how riders are arsey and laborious to deal with.” She intoned with a dismissive air, “But the metaphor doesn’t go unnoticed.” She reassured him after.

“Do we have to tell them?” By them of course she meant: Fyg and Laier. Danae didn’t feel all too happy to go spreading news that she wasn’t certain on, she wasn’t even sure that Alder quite grasped how slow progress would be with her, shells she didn’t know herself. She’d never done this, not once, relationships were not her forte. She knew she should do things and respect him but she was so adverse to so much, and so withdrawn and unfamiliar with such… actions… that she would likely leave a great deal to be desired. Especially by him.

Would he even be able to put up with it? She looked at him, eyebrows pulling closer, “How will you cope?” Then she paused, realising their location and her eyes widened, she was discussing this in the open! For all (nocturnal) to see! “Come on, some where a little less open eh?” She set off ignoring any protest he might have. Naturally she was headed for the one place she felt safest. Her Dig, with Her wher. Danask.

Danask was awake this time, and she would likely stop Alder before he entered, Danae hadn’t even thought on it.

[Xennai]

Alder didn't care that Danae didn't seem to notice him or his affections. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was willing to try...He did notice her preoccupation though and drew back from her, stuffing his hands into her pockets. He looked down at what she had in her hands and he frowned.

A glove...

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]

He recalled the details of the murder and he almost gasped. A glove...a glove had been left at the scene...And now they'd found one here? Alder frowned, leaning forward, fingering the glove in the other handler's hands thoughtfully. His dark head shook as he straightened. "No, it's not mine...I'm wearing mine." He wriggled his fingers to show her. "Is it Fyg's or Laier's? I thought I saw Fyg drop hers..." But had she picked it up? He didn't remember. Try as hard as he could, his violent swing in emotions were stopping him from recalling.

"Riders may be but you wouldn't," he murmured absently, nodding at her reassurance. He understood, of course, but right now he wasn't thinking about that. A glove where the girl had died...A glove where the whers had met...What did this mean?

Attention snapped back to Danae and Alder shook his head, smiling softly. "Not if you don't want to. Just now? I'd rather just keep it to ourselves." He didn't want to soil something so shiny and new, something so glorious and radiant, by telling any people. She wanted to savor this, wanted to savor her. He played with the ends of her fiery hair and frowned.

"How will I cope?" He didn't quite grasp what she was saying and then he did, eyes going wide. "Oh! Danae, I--" But she overrode him, insisting they go somewhere else. Alder bit at his lip to hide a smile, not wanting to let her in on his humor. She didn't want to be in the open, hmmm? He didn't mind. He fell in step beside her, reaching out, fingers twining with hers. The twins chirped softly and the bronze handler nearly laughed. They were right--things were good.

Alder leaned closer to the gold handler, inhaling her scent softly. Wher and woman and something else, something much more Danae. It was a clean sort of spiciness that was very curious. Very intriguing. "Thank you," he whispered. "Danae, I cannot even tell you how grateful I am..." He wasn't used to feeling this way, wasn't used to being so over the moons happy about a woman. But this wasn't just any woman. It was Danae. That made all the difference.

[panther]

She glossed over the talk of the glove now, she felt it was hardly relevant to the moment. Her mind was on his hand, the one that had twined with hers, the one that was lingering within her grasp, she went to pull back from the contact, then got slightly overwhelmed with guilt, and left it be, those loose enough for her to pull it free almost immediately if anyone crossed their path.

He leaned into her, and thanked her, in a far too… intimate way, she jerked back from him, eyes narrowing with suspicion for a moment, she again felt an awful guilt rot in the bottom of her stomach, she looked at the floor guiltily, then back at him, “I…” She paused, and gave him a shooting look that would melt ice, “I don’t want a firelizard Alder, I’ve got one of those…” Romeo crooned – almost as though to make a point as he flew over head, the midnight skies flitter glaring with jealousy swirling in his faceted eyes at Alder. That was his Danae, not Alder’s… But the flitter had no choice, his keeper wanted the man, at least for now. But Romeo knew otherwise. As he always did. Deluded little creature.

Danae smirked up at the flitter, and turned the handle to her dig, and pushed through the curtain to the main room. She widened her eyes as she walked almost nose to nose with Danask.

What he do here?
It’s fine, I didn’t want to talk to him in the open. Don’t worry Danask… please.
He behave?
Yes! Of course he will Danae didn’t allow her doubt to filter through to the wher.

Danask grumbled and pushed her head through the hide curtain to see Alder behind, she sniffed at him as though he were foreign, and narrowed her eyes, like a mother might to her daughters newest courting, scrutinizing the male to judge his worth. The wher huffed loudly and growled low, a threat, but a mild one, almost to say, if you hurt her, I’ll do worse. And as a Wher? She would.

Danask, turned at that moment, and purposefully hit Alder in the calf with a fair whack of her tail not enough to take him from his feet, but enough to leave a bruise.

The gold stalked back into her dig, where she announced that in a little while she would take a bath, and that would occur after her hunt.

Danae looked relieved and looked to Alder, “I think she likes you.” She smirked and walked deeper to the Dig, into her own private quarters, knowing Alder would follow without hesitation. That male never hesitated. He probably didn’t know the meaning of the word.

[Xennai]

He could tell that she wasn't used to this. From the first brush of their fingers, she seemed to stiffen, seemed to become very uncomfortable. Alder would have sighed but didn't. He'd show her, he'd teach her. She would get used to this. Who wouldn't? Being with someone was a glorious feeling and he didn't mean just between the furs. He meant just being together, being with someone other than yourself and your wher.

Still, when she jerked away from him, the suspicion in her eyes, the bronze handler felt a spasm of hurt ripple through him that he quickly suppressed. She wasn't used to this, she wasn't used to being in a relationship. It didn't help that she thought he was some pig and was whispering false promises to get into her trousers. She glared at him, saying she didn't need another firelizard. He frowned, not exactly sure of what she meant, but understanding he was doing something wrong.

He glanced up, amusement touching at his sleepy eyes as the firelizard she did have flew above his head, anger in his little eyes. Apparently the little fellow was jealous. Alder followed Danae into her Dig and almost straight into the teeth of a disgruntled Queen. He stopped, watching as the wher and her handler conversed mind-to-mind.

And then the gold sniffed at him, mere inches away. He knew she had razorsharp teeth that could snap his bones in seconds. He knew she could sit on him and crush him. And wasn't that a frightening thought? He heard the growl and the threat implied. He nodded once, a bit cowed but standing his ground. Danae. He was here with Danae. That mattered more than an angry gold.

He grunted as the tail thwaped against his leg. He felt the sting and knew it would bruise but couldn't much care. Alder snorted, eyeing the Queen as he followed her handler. "Right," he muttered sarcastically, keeping to her side. "It's obvious she must love me." He glanced back at the woman and brushed the back of her hand with soft fingertips. "Are we allowed to talk now, love?" he asked quietly.

[panther]

Danae, having no couch in her private quarters (though she’d fix that soon), and crawled onto her bed, and sat with her back against the wall as she rearranged her pillows to be more accommodating to sitting. “She’s been a lot nastier to that with better intentions. She’s in a decent mood enough tonight, helps that she calmed-.” She paused and then moved gracefully onto another topic, “We can talk, though, I’m not sure the pet names are quite appropriate yet… we’ve still got to be normal around people, I know you agreed to not telling people yet, but something like that is as good as.” She warned him, tapping a the bed for him to join her, not indicating anywhere in particular, just anywhere he deemed.

She thought over what she had done, and his frown at her comment, She looked a little hurt for a moment, “And… I know… you’re… happy, but, I don’t want you being suffocating-ly romantic. I don’t want to be depended upon, I’ve got enough that depends on me already Alder…” She sounded unsure, and very, very nervous, but she had to tell him before anything would be too late, “And I apologise now, for what I’ve done, and what I’ll continue to do for a while” She trailed off, and felt guilty.

“I’m not used to this Alder, I’m not used to it at all. You know that, but I don’t think you quite… grasp it.” She told him, feeling rather guilty to be pointing out already, quite so strongly.

[Xennai]

Alder stepped into the inner sanctuary and stopped, watching as Danae crawled into her bed. Now, if this didn't bring back memories...He watched her for a moment, unsure of what she wanted. He merely stepped closer, to the foot of the bed, watching her. A soft nod answered her. "Mmm, right." And then she switched topics. Curiosity rose and settled.

There was a warning but also an invitation for him. Alder slipped off his boots, stepping on the heels of each and slid onto the bed, feet clad in socks. He hadn't wanted to get her bed dirty. He looked at her and then purposefully around her Dig. "D'you see anyone here but us and Danask?" He shook his head. "I know, Dan, but I'm not going to stop it when we're alone. I can hold my tongue with others, but I won't now. We agreed on that before tonight, I'll have you remember."

Lips quirked and then fell. Of course there were more warnings. His back settled against the pillows as he sat beside her, ankles crossing. He glanced over at her from the corner of sleepy green eyes, face uncommoningly serious. "I'm not going to depend on you, Dan. We're equals here, equals in a relationship. When it matters, you have rank on me, but when we're together, when we're alone, we're equals. There's no dependency."

He sighed softly, turning to face her head on, reaching out to sweep a thumb over her cheek. "I know you're not, sweetheart, and maybe I don't quite grasp it, but I can teach you...I can help you..." He frowned, his eyes soft and pleading. "You just have to let me."

[panther]

She stiffened slightly, she had never been fond of pet names. Shortenings of her own name, but she found a lot of it, the ‘lover’ talk quite sickly. And it wasn’t doing anything to aid her comfort in this situation. But she had tried her excuse and it hadn’t worked, she sighed inwardly and carried on.

“What exactly… did we agree?” She asked him, not certain she recalled what it was they had agreed, she had been rather incredibly drunk at the time. “Sorry, I’m a little fuzzy on that, I remember bits and pieces… but I don’t really remember all of it.” She grimaced at him, looking to him tentatively, hoping he wouldn’t disapprove too much, “sorry…” She added.

But as he told her that he wouldn’t depend on her, and settled in beside her, she relaxed a little, he felt large and presence-ful beside her, and it made her feel small, and comfortable, which she guessed was good, she relaxed a little more, but still not to the levels she had been with him. “That’s… not exactly what I meant. I meant, like you’re very.” She paused hands clatching and releasing periodically at the air before her, her palms skywards as she did so, as though she were grasping for the word, “intense? Cute seems a little too… far in that direction, but along those lines,” She nodded her head, “And I can say one thing, I preferred it when you were spontaneous…” She smirked a little, embarrassed as she was to admit such a thing, it was true.

Her face grew red, and she could feel the heat from her neck trapped under her hair, radiating her embarrassment more than a mare in heat! She shifted her hair to the side, and shirked off her coat, which she threw, quite well practised, onto the chest at the foot of her bed. “Well, I can only try… I’m… I’m not sure on any of it. Just… don’t press me” She shook her head, “I throw up walls and try to run if you press me…” she looked a little guilt ridden again, pulling a sort of half smile, “Which, I’m sure you’ve figured.”

[Xennai]

Alder laughed quietly, softly, and nodded, smirking lightly. "I know you were drunk. How do you think I got in your bed in the first place?" Head shook and he watched her, lips curling into a broader smile. "We agreed on the pet names as long as no one was around. That was my understanding, at least. And that went for both of us, Dan." An innocent smile graced his handsome face.

He felt her relaxing beside him and felt a small wave of some sort of happiness he was foreign with rise. He felt almost proud for telling her the truth of their confusion over themselves and their ranks, but it wasn't smugness. It was something more akin to getting her to see the truth but it was very difficult to describe. He watched her, watched as she tried to describe what she meant and then he smirked. "I'm sorry, Danae. I don't mean to be. I'm just..." he sighed, head shaking. "Too well-versed in my ways and habits, I think. Would you have me try to change them?"

Her comment about him being spontaneous was a surprising one. He thought she liked knowing what was coming, thought she liked certainty. Well, that was apparently the wrong assumption on his part. He noticed the heat that seemed to come from her skin and noticed the red tinge to her skin as she took off her coat. He nodded and smiled, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Believe me, I have noticed." He laughed wryly. "I won't press you, Danae. I know you'll need your time." But he also knew something about spontaneity, about taking her by surprise. She was a strange one, Danae was.

"Tell me." He pulled back, releasing her, but turning to look at her, moving to sit in front of her, legs crossed before him. "What is it you see in me, Dan?" His head cocked, his eyes puzzled. "I'm still a bit confused over it. I thought you loathed me and what I am." He chuckled, but his question was serious. He honestly wanted to know.

[panther]

She flicked the embarrassment dial up a notch when he mentioned about getting to her bed in the first place, and worried at her lip, lookin at the covers that had mysteriously bunched in her hand. “Oh… ok, but. I didn’t… call you anything did I?” She asked, now sounding rather immensely nervous, no wonder the guy was left so darned perplexed as to the state of what was going on between them.

She looked at him as he asked the question, unsure, as to whether that was right or not. “Well, maybe some of them. I’m not too fond of some of your traits, you’re fool hardy, and too quick to anger, but, we all have our faults, and I’m sure you would be infuriating if you were anywhere near perfect,” Subtle playful jibe sent his way, she was beginning to relax now, big benefit.

A kiss pressed to her forehead, she reddened again at his words, and shrunk a little on herself, “Thank you,” Her words were quiet, and a little drawn, as though she really didn’t want to say it, but it felt better to answer him than ignore him. He had been to good to her so far for her to just blank things he said.

As he asked her, moving to sit opposite from her, like she may have done with friends as a child as they played dares or such, usually that friend would have been little Ezieki. But he asked an awkward question, and she didn’t really know what the answer was.

“I do, and I don’t, ask me what I see in you in a few months, I may have put my finger on it then, but for now? It eludes me.” She smirked, “You have some roguish charm, or maybe you’ve got magic of some descript, I’m not certain,” She shook her head. She guessed it might be common in this situation for her to pose the same question back at him, but she really couldn’t bring herself to do such a thing, instead, she concentrated on keeping herself firmly within her own reach, and firmly unattached to hi. And despite her discretion, personally, it was still quite an air of awkwardness about her. She was not natural. Not as she likely would have been when drunk – in which instance she could not remember.. she hated alcohol. Severely.

Yet she could think of nothing better to ease this situation.

[Xennai]

Alder frowned slightly, trying to recall if she had or not. She might have, but he didn't remember specifics."I think you might have, but I don't quite remember what exactly." He smiled and shrugged, hands spreading. He didn't know what else he could say. There was no way to appease her, not really. He wasn't going to lie to her.

A soft laugh left him and he nodded winking. "There's a girl. That's right. No perfections. I have my faults but there you are. They make everything all the better, don't you agree?" It was the flaws after all that made a person, not their perfections. It was the imperfections, the little annoyances that made a person who they were. They made them interesting.

He sighed as he felt her tense up again. Shards, what could he do to help her? He'd ply her with drink but that didn't feel right, that didn't feel right at all. He wasn't going to get her drunk just so things could be easier for the two of them to muddle through this and come out on the side of the clear.

A smirk pulled at his lips and he laughed, nodding. "Well, well. The elusive chemistry is the answer then." His eyes sparkled, his smile beaming. He idly reached for her hand and toyed with her fingers, finding all of this effortless. It wasn't for her though. Maybe..."Do you need anything?" he asked, head cocking. "I'm sure you haven't eaten anything, what with worrying over the murder and everything."

[panther]

She shrugged, “I’ve been worrying alright, but it’s nothing too profound…” She mumbled, thoughts returning to the glove they’d found. Her mind oblivious to how he played with her fingers, his fingers expectedly calloused against hers, she looked distant for a while, calculating evaluating, and a lot less like herself, stern, and true. Righteous maybe, even.

But she came back to reality, “Sorry, I got distracted, anything?” Worry riddled her systems for a moment, but then a strange undermining trust weedled it’s way in, it was quick enough for the worry to be fleeting in existence, “such as what Alder? Oooh Food, uhm, no, no, not hungry. The thought of it turns my stomach” She shook her head and looked thoroughly disinterested, “But by all means, sent a flit and get some for yourself delivered her if it’s convenient for you, or, go back to your own dig if you’d rather…” She trailed off, her thought going elsewhere again.

She smirked, realising he’d mentioned about imperfections make things interesting, “Aye, yes, I think they do, maybe that’s that unfathomable reasoning of mine, you’re remarkable flawed beyond compare? Would that be reason enough for you?” She smirked, toying with him a little, she could relax when she wanted to. She shook her head, “if what ever I called you, is embarrassing? Never repeat it, I beg of you, no! I don’t beg of you, as your Queen handler, I order it of you.” She smirked, then grinned cheekily at him, feeling a little more at home in her own Digs now.

[Xennai]

Alder watched her, smiling as she seemed to respond to him absentmindedly. With her thoughts elsewhere, she was relaxed and didn't flinch under his touch. He continued toying with her fingers, needing to touch her for some unexplainable reason and finding this the only suitable way to without alarming her.

He watched as she thought, memorizing the cuirve of her cheek, the fall of her lashes, the color of her eyes and the way her hair looked in the semi-darkness. She was beautiful. She wasn't the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, but her feelings for her made her so. That was what he thought anyhow...

A negligent shrug and a shake of the head. "Food, yes. Or something to drink." He frowned, watching her. He didn't like how she looked. She looked paler than normal and slightly waif-like. "I'll send one of mine to get some for both of us. You need to eat, darling. Gotta keep your strength up." The twins unwound from his person, fluttering down to land at the bed by his knees. He looked at them sternly. "Go and get food for two. Only carry as much as you can. Do not eat it, do not drop it, do not do anything." He glanced from one set of whirling eyes to another, looking like a father reprimanding his children. "Got it?" There were twin creels of dismayed agreement and then pops as they disappeared.

"Yes, that would be enough." He laughed and shook his dark head. "It's the flaws that draw people in." He winked and laughed quietly. "You're pulling rank on me now? You wicked wench! I don't think I can take orders such as those." He poked her shoulder gently, eyes rolling. "You're a cunning one, Danae, you really are. But that's not going to stop the entire Hold from knowing you like to call me sweetcheeks." He winked, clearly jesting.

[panther]

She smirked as he took onto giving his own new flitters orders to carry food, she spoke softly, “You know, it would be easier if you asked them to get a drudge to bring the food… I know we’re not terribly affluent with staff, but – we have enough for that. “ She laughed. “But please, at least for now, I know we agreed otherwise when I was drunk, but can we at least cut down on the cutesy name calling? I totally don’t like that… it makes me uncomfortable.” She shrugged, as though to indicate it was a very small matter, negligible in fact, but if he knew her at all, he’d know that she didn’t consider it a small thing, else she wouldn’t have mentioned it to him. She wouldn’t talk about something unless she deemed it worth talking about.

“And you really don’t have to fuss over me, I’m a big girl now, I can look after myself, believe it or not.” She raised her eyebrows and looked at his with a brazen air.

She looked affronted, and then backhand slapped him across the shoulder, “Alder! I’d prefer pet names to wench! Wicked… I can take…. But Wench?” She looked hurt and pouted slightly. “I’ll pull rank when I want Alder, it’s the benefit of being the queen handler, I can pull rank as and when I want.” She shrugged and settle back into herself.

She blushed furiously. “I’ve never called you sweetcheeks! Even drunk as a fart I’d never call you such.” She looked unhappy. A little disconcerted, but most of it was false.

“But yes… Flaws are more pulling than perfections.” She mused, still avoiding asking him why he was interested in her.

[Xennai]

Head cocked and Alder watched the gold handler curiously, sure she would have figured out by now why he sent his flitts to get food rather than asking them to find a drudge and relay his orders. "I sent Loki and Iago to get it because I thought we were being secret about this. I didn't think you'd want anyone to see me in here, let alone a drudge. The gossip would be around Caspian within a day."

A negligent shrug and a nod answered her. "All right, Dan, I can cut down on it. I can't guarantee there won't be slips though. Only when we're alone though." He winked, playing with her fingers still, his callused digits slipping lightly over hers. "It's my job to look after you!" he exclaimed, looking affronted in a comical way. Alder pretending to be insulted was nowhere near Alder being insulted.

"Oww!" He frowned, sleepy green eyes slightly darker as he rubbed at her shoulder from where she'd hit him. The girl knew how to slap. "I'll call you darling then and you can settle with it." He pouted and then grinned, leaning over her, his eyes wicked. "You know that, but they don't." His smirk spread as he cupped her cheek, leaning down to kiss her soft and quick. "But I promise not to tell just because you taste so good, all right?"