The Sweet Taste of Disappointment

[Draconian]

Conditioned to take orders, the tone of voice wasnt quedtioned and she moved quickly enough. Have a seat he said. Where? A glance down at the floor and it was easy enough to park her butt on the tile of the kitchen. Wings giving little trembles.

Varali slipped the tank top off easily enough, wincing when it pressed her feathers together. A surprised pained little moan and she took a deep breath before dropping it to the tile. Leaning forward, pulling her knees to her chest, covering her breasts. Pulling her hair away.

Another little tremble and she closed her eyes. Relieved and feeling a little light headed. "I'm sorry for making a mess," she grumbled miserably. "Helping me out is very nice of you," another whisper and her hands moved to her hair.

[Lion]

Not at the table? On the floor it was then. Apollo disappeared for a second, returning with a first aid kit, and opened it up to rummage through it's contents. All that really needed cleaning up was her back, however it was better to be as thorough as possible.

"Shit, Varali. Don't ever hesitate to ask if you need me for something. This is how bad things happen. I'm not a bad guy, I swear," he murmured, taking the towel he'd gotten and rolling it up under his knees seeing as she'd gotten to covering her boobs herself.

Dampening the washcloth with alcohol, he wiped at the crevices, cleaning out the stained blood, and at the nubs where wings met flesh. "Don't worry about repaying me," he said, finishing off and reaching the towel around her torso now, hugging her with it.

Apollo stayed like that on the floor with her, and turned his head over her shoulder. "I'm your friend remember?"

[Draconian]

Was he really?

Varali didn't protest when he cleaned the blood from her. It had slowed and finally stopped, the broken feather no longer acting as an open vein. A sigh and her eyes falling closed at the warmth. For a time.

"You... Dont have a woman here do you?" She looked at him, head on her shoulders, the pressure of her wingd against his chest comforting. The dull throb ebbing away. "I'm sorry. I interrupted... something, didn't I?"

[Lion]

Could he really blame her if she thought he'd been busy gettin' busy? Apollo internally snorted. Not that it was at all far fetched. She was a big girl, she could use her imagination. Or so he hoped. It wasn't something he was open to discuss, but nor did he deny it when she asked after his absent partner.

"i sent him home much earlier. Yeah, he.  But that was that. Nothing special. They never are," he sighed and leaned more into her. "You didn't interrupt a thing.  I was out, prostrated on my bed for the better part of 12 hours."

He laid his lips to her neck, pressing a soft kiss to it, holding her a little tighter and shifting his hand underneath the pool towel to feel at her breast. A soft squeeze and nothing more than that, a test, and letting his hand rest just underneath it, focusing instead on her not having a heart attack.

"So how did you fall? Did you, uh, do something by yourself, you might have needed help with and didn't bother to ask me?"

[Draconian]

Oh.

Varali flushed. Eyes closed while she just soaked in the warmth of another body. There had never been much physical contant for her and the cool tile under her was a nice contrast for the warmth Apollo offered.

When he leaned in, she tucked her wings tighter, giving a little moan at the unfamiliar pressure holding them closed. "Why..." his lips were on her neck and her breath hitched. Memories of the wine encouraged kisses made her flush and she turned her head away from his. Varali wasn't sure if it gave him more neck to nuzzle or so she wouldn't have to watch.

"Why aren't they special," she finally whispered, breath hitching at his hand against her breast. The jolt of pleasure it shot through her. How warm his hand was, slowly she moved her hand over his throigh the towel. "I was just moving furniture and slipped," she whispered, shifting slightly.

Hating how heated he could make her with a simple hand on her breast. It was hard to not guide it up. To leave it against her ribs. She wouldn't be special though, so what was the point? "Why... Why do that with someone if it isn't going to be special?" She asked again, looking back over her shoulder, letting go of the pool towel to hang open at the front.

Hopefully his kitchen didn't have eyes.

[Lion]

Apollo could relish in every little noise she made. For the hackles on the back of his neck began to stand on end and he could feel her wings twitching against his chest through the thin fabric of the towel. The proximity of their strange reverse hugging made his own heart speed up a little, little tendrils of electricity dancing up and down his spine, and he pressed those tendrils along her own nerve endings.

But not too much. Just enough to ignite gooseflesh along exposed parts of her skin.

"Why? Must there be a reason? There's nothing wrong with wanting to have a good time once in a while, doing something to relieve the tension, some relenting that stress." Apollo felt her head turn away from him and he carefully let her go, slipping off from behind her.

His front missed that warmth, whatever lacked there acquiescing into a snarky grin. "Come on, I'll get you a t-shirt.  And we can go back to your apartment and fix your furniture," he said, keeping his eyes on hers. "Look, I even cleaned up around this place."

[Draconian]

It had felt like a cold wind pushed through his kitchen. Except she wasn't cold and in fact would say she was downright toasty. Even with the lack of shirt. Varali moved her hands from his when he started to move away, moved to pull the towel closed.

Mostly.

Varali slowly stood up, turning around. She'd say it was an accient when the the corners of the towel slipped and put her front on full display. It was quickly remedied by pulling the towel closed and she ducked her head.

"I..." Varali shrugged, unable to come up with an excuse, "I wouldn't... Want to do that with someone if it didn't mean anything," her voice was soft and she collected her bloodied tank top from his floor. "I know. I'm weird," another smile and a tilt of her head, "you don't have to help."

But he wanted to.

But remember what happened the last time he was over. Varali closed her eyes and took a breath, "I can scuttle down the hall like this," she whispered.

"How about... You stay here and bathe," the unspoken words hung in the air about his nightly activities, "and when you're done... You can come over for some brunch and coffee." A glance around his apartment and she moved closer to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "okay?"  A moments pause before she started to leave, "I'm sorry for ignoring you," she said softly, "you make me feel things I'm not comfortable feeling, especially not for a man it will mean nothing to. But I'll get over it."

A quick smile over her shoulder and she made her way to the door to go back to her apartment.

[Lion]

Why did it have to mean something? Why couldn't she understand that that didn't not make it worthwhile. Besides, what did she know. She was probably a virgin anyway? And was clearly inexperienced. So why then did Apollo abruptly feel a small pang in his chest when she uttered those final words before vanishing. She still had his shirt, his towel. 

And he still had Tix. The little critter was nestled up with Critter in the cutest way possible. Apollo snapped a picture before he did as she asked him. Yeah, he smelled fairly rank. A quick shower, and fixing up his bed and brushing his hair back, Apollo threw on some simple jeans and a t-shirt and headed next door.

No reason to get dressed up. Why bother trying to impress a girl that clearly wasn't interested? It wouldn't meany anything she said. Apollo decided having brunch with her was better than nothing. He couldn't stand being cooped up in that apartment any longer.

He didn't even bother with shoes and gently knocked on he door, leaving Tix and Critter to nap at his place. The worst they could do was get into the treats again.

[Draconian]

There was a moment of panic when she realized Tix wasnt here. Fuck. Stupid window. Varali grumbled and put the towel on the back of a chair before going to her room to pull on another tank top. The bloodied one was dropped into the laundry bin.

Varali also dug out Apollo's shirt and put that on the back of the chair as well. While she'd never admit it, she wore it a few times and had to resist slicing little holes in the back for her wings.

Good thing too.

Varali cleaned up what blood she could from the floor. The smear on the door. Then went to making breakfast. It was simple. Eggs -because eggs couldn't talk - fried potato bits. Peanut butter on toast and half a grapefruit.  Well. It was a whole grapfruit right now.

Her whole wing throbbed when there was a knock at the door.

With a hesitant smile she opened it, standing aside to let Apollo in.

The couch was sideways and the smear on the white wall was still there. Missed because she'd been obsessively cleaning the kitchen. "Hi," she said simply, moving to get two cups of coffee.

"I didn't mean to... belittle your... Fun," she said simply, glancing over her shoulder, "I just... I like your company and it makes me feel... not so good that if... If i hadn't stopped us before it would have meant nothing to you." Her wings pulled tight to her back, ignoring the sting of the wound, "Because I'm weird and it would have meant plenty to me." A small weary smile over her shoulder.

"Anyway, breakfast is still hot, sit!" She smiled again, putting the cup of coffee down beside containers of cream and sugar. Her own was done and she took a sip, seating herself across from where she planned on him sitting.

"I washed it. Your shirt. Sorry if it smells like..  uh. Me."

[Lion]

"Mmmm, Varali. Girl where have you been all my life?" Apollo murmured. He was trying exceptionally hard not to focus on the fact that she was rather intent on focusing on his love life. What did it matter to her if she wasn't apart of it and her rather poignant intentions being little more than to apologize constantly and cook him food.

The latter of which he would NOT be complaining about. The girl could fix a meal. And he was fairly determined to return the favor. Some day. Making vegetarian cuisine was nothing he was personally acquainted with.

"Varali," he murmured, smiling and moving across to her, taking her hand in his. "Stop it. Let's just eat shall we? The last time we ate, we didn't even get to really talk. I mean just talk. Like regular adults. I do enjoy a good conversation here and there. What shall we discuss?"

He saw the bloody mark on the wall. "So why were you moving furniture by yourself?"

[Draconian]

Varali looked down at their hands, eyes lingering for a moment. Her pulse picked up ever so slightly and she turned her hand so her palm faced up.

"Well," she started, slipping her hand away to take another sip of coffee glancing at the couch. "I'm a grown woman and i wanted to move my couch," was the simple answer before she sighed, "I wanted something different. That wasn't cutting my hair. Because I like my hair."

She moved the eggs around on her plate before she remembered the grapefruit. A rather sharp knife had been set down for it and she sliced the grapefruit in two. So easily though, that the knife sank into the meat of her palm.

A surprised hiss and she shot up and out of the chair, rushing to the sink and putting her hand under the water before it started to bleed. While it stung like a bitch and she was angry she tried to keep up the simple conversation. "I noticed your apartment looked nice-ish," she stated like nothing was wrong, "was there an occasion?"

[Lion]

Apollo was rather impartial to grapefruits. He had no disgust for them, yet their relationship was little more than one of mutual indifference. That was until the knife Varali was using to slice into that fruit's thick peel was also hungry for her blood. He was on his feet and right behind her the moment she rushed to the sink.  He was a doctor. He wasn't going to just let her bleed out.

She just seemed to be bleeding all over the place today. Hopefully her wings and her hand were the only two places that would experience such tonight.

Yes good. She knew enough in caring for herself to run her hand under water, and he moved around behind her, carefully avoiding her wings. "Do you have a bandage somewhere? We'll get that taped up," he murmured. When she directed him, he returned with a box and bottle of alcohol and once again found himself administering medical care.

"I'm glad you noticed. Because I probably wouldn't have cleaned it otherwise," he admitted, flashing pearly white teeth at her. "My brother has been getting on me for months trying to get me to pick up the place. But just when I think I'm  making a dent there it goes again, just piling up. There's not enough hours in a day to get that place properly fixed up. And...if it'll let me spend more time with you, yeah I'll clean it up."

Honey colored eyes flicked at her, warmed and his fingers worked mindlessly to dab alcohol on the palm, then stretched the length of a bandage across it.  Pressing his own thumbs to the sticky tabs, securing it down, he kept his gaze on her still, looking at her lips and that soft touch of a flush she had on those cheeks.

"Why do you have such an effect on me, Varali? It's all your fault...  You made me....clean," he replied, and stuck his tongue out at her.

[Draconian]

What a confusing man.

Eager to help her. In many ways. Her not-hurt hand rubbed her boob where he'd touched earlier and she watched him go grab the kit of bandaids and bandages and various other sticky-medical-things. Let him guide her along.

Turned the water off once all was said and done and she watched him... fix her hand. Kind of. Varali wiggled her fingers while she listened to him. Glancing down at the floor when he mentioned his home being clean for her was a motivator.

Why? She kept... Running away.

"I'm a bad influence on people?" She questioned in a whisper, nodding to the table and the grapefruit. "Your coffee will get cold," looking at her hand and wiggling her finger, she resumed breakfast-at-lunch and ate her half of the grapefruit. Would save the other half if Apollo didnt want his.

"I was making more room for Tix," she said softly, "I'm not... comfortable with him jumping across the decks, so i was going to give you a key so you could drop Critter off and pick her up. I mean," she glanced away, "I figured Critter gets lonely and... They get along. I wasn't going to mention the key, but sometimes i have weird hours. I'm sure you do too."

Varali finished off her plate of food and sighed, "It just makes me sad that Critter is all alone when she could be here snuggling and playing with Tix. Y'know?"

[Lion]

"Oh you're the worst. I don't know how I put up with you," he murmured. Voice soft and his thumbs finished their application of the bandage. Back to the table, back to brunch. And yes, his coffee was getting cold. Nevermind the fact that there was something else very much on his mind to keep him warm enough.

Apollo crossed back, resumed his seating and stuck a knife, gently this time, into the grapefruit, scooping it out and slurping at the juices. "Hmm, delicious," he whispered.Because it was and he'd be damned if he was going to waste a perfectly good meal. "You'll have to let me cook for you sometime. You only eat veggies? I'd be down to make some kind of stir fry. Although i can't guarantee it'd be as good as yours."

At the mention of keys, he perked up over the rim of his coffee cup. Critter was playing with Tix, exchanging swats before curling up and cleaning his ears.  Then back at it again. She really did love being here and being with her friend. Far be it from Apollo to deny his sweet kitten a chance to have a real friend. He wasn't always home. Critter didn't always complain to him, but he knew that her being bored was a definite threat to her well being.

"Absolutely," he agreed without hesitation. "Hell yes. And vice versa so that you can get in if you need something, sugar. Or just want to pick up Tix. Critter never jumps from the deck, and I'd rather she didn't get it in her head if she ought to or not. So yeah that's a great idea. They like each other a lot."

He split a toothy grin at her, scooping out more grapefruit. "You have wonderful ideas, Varali. You're so smart."

[Draconian]

The look of suspicion just for Apollo over her coffee cup wasnt hidden. She wasnt sure if he called her sugar. Wasn't sure if he thought she was smart or just felt like she needed a compliment. Varali licked her lips and rested her elbows on the table, looking down at her hands, palms up.

Her fingers traced the bandage and she glanced to Apollo, smiling slightly. Yeah. She could get used to being his friend. Chewing on her lower lip for a moment she looked to the crooked couch and then back to her honey coloured companion.

"Where are your parents from?" She asked softly, looking at his hair, leaning forward to look at his eyes. Varali always thought he had lovely eyes.

[Lion]

He meant every word. Apollo was quickly finding Varali was one of the few people he was incapable of being ingenuine with. He wanted very much to enjoy her company and soak up any and all attention she was willing to give him.

Apollo kept that gaze for as long as he could, blinking slowly like he did at Critter sometimes. "My family is an old Aedolian clan. House Hecates is steeped in history, mystery, and all kinds of other wonderful things. What about yours?" he murmured, leaning in and pushing her hair behind her ears. A stray one, one that might have gone unnoticed by any other.

[Draconian]

Was it a staring contest?

Either way, Varali lost because she looked away. His answer left her wanting and she just pursed her lips at him after a few moments. Didn't say what kind of things. Varali looked back at him, eyes widening when he pushed hair behind her ear.

"Mine?" She glanced over her shoulder, looking at the wing with the gap in it from the missing feather. "Mutts," she shrugged simply, "Nothing concrete," Varali smiled slightly, looking away, "my great grandmothers great grandmother was apparently a harpy." Her wings gave a flutter and she looked away.

"Whatever I am, it craves nature," she pressed her gloved hands to the top of the table, "I... I can talk to plants, too. They dont say... Words.... But..." Varali shrugged and played with her finger tips, "they let me know if someones been by."

[Lion]

"I like all the voodoo, that you do, so well, dollface," he murmured, and let his eyes melt into something that much googlier. Oh, it was a mess, but for Apollo such things were so natural. So easy! And if for no other reason than because with Varali, it didn't matter if he came in with sweats or a tuxedo. She herself wasn't overly dressed up.

"I like mutts. In fact, it makes for a much stronger bloodline," he whispered. "All that diverse breeding. Harpies, fantastical folks. Amazing.  Gets you the kind of looks you have, as well as other assets."

Apollo leaned in and reached across to take her gloved hands. "What kinds of things do they see? Not anything to gossip about I hope. I'm sure they'd chitter chatter all day."

[Draconian]

Was he quoting a movie?

Varali frowned off to the side for a moment, eyes squinting, trying to think of just what he might have been quoting. Not that she'd know. The last time she saw a movie was... Ages. No doubt the TV in her apartment - facing away from her couch- had collected so much dust it just didn't work anymore. Varali blinked at him, wings tucking tight to her back before she hissed and pulled them away to hang open loosely.

"It's all gossip," She whispered, looking down at her palm, ignoring his assets comment. No doubt he was talking about her breasts, which he'd groped not much earlier. Varali curled her hand into a fist for a moment before she let him touch the gloves. "Items have memories and I see them. Sometimes it's a lot. Sometimes it's a voice. Sometimes it's... A feeling. Or a smell." She shrugged slightly, looking at the glove, "But I can't not do it, so... Unless I need to, I don't." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to think of an example.

"If I touched a coffee cup," she nodded towards the cup he had, "I'd... See the most recent thing, which would be us sitting at this coffee table. Maybe I'd hear some of the conversation. Maybe I'd... I don't know. See it from your eyes." There was a shrug, "I avoid it because it's uncontrollable and therefore useless." Clearing her throat she reached forward with her other hand to hold one of his between hers.

"And you? I talk to plants and animals and see an items memories. What do you do, Doctor?"

[Lion]

So that's why she wore those awful gloves. Not that they were awful-awful but rather because they prevented her hands from truly being able to appreciate all the was beautiful before her. By beautiful of course he meant he wanted her fingers perfectly played out against the hardness and curvature of his lower abdomen and lower still until they were cupped against the firmness of his ass.

He wished she'd just take them off, to just let herself go. To touch him to her heart's content. He knew she wanted to.  Or was that him being presumptuous again?

Apollo projected these little thoughts to Varali. Vibrant visualizations of his hands plastered over her, and likewise to him. Little flashes of her fingers curling into the leather of his belt and prying it over, slipping into the hem of his pants.

Was he wearing a belt?  He didn't remember. And he couldn't be bothered to check, his eyes kept plastered to hers, and he let his hands drift inward toward her arms and his touch scrape softly, curiously against her forearms.

"My little gifts generally involve little sparks of excitement, here and there," he said with a purr. Apollo's fingers curled into her touch.  "I'm electrokinetic, focusing on the pulses and senses of the nervous system in relation to my work as a doctor. It helps me detect where people are hurting. I can make it hurt more or less depending on how much charge I stimulate along your nerve endings. I can make your heart beat just a little bit faster too."

Apollo leaned in and planted soft lips to her cheek, letting his skin touch hers. "Does your little gift also work with other parts of contact? Like this for example?"