The Sweet Taste of Disappointment

[Draconian]

The look Apollo got for his cherishing comment was probably hard. A cold icy green before she looked away, frowning and flushed. A moment to chew on the inside of her cheek she took the glass back to the table to eat the slowly chilling meal. "I don't," she said simply. It was true. Her parents weren't part of the usual Aedolian make-up. They'd married young and stayed together, as their parents did before them. From the same neighbourhood, her parents had grown up together.  Both of them children of immigrants to some degree.

"I imagine I'm going to die alone and my funeral will be as pristine as my apartment," Her voice was hollow sounding after she took her seat, sipping the wine. It tasted disgusting - it always did, she'd never acquired the taste for it - but she refrained from making a face and simply let it wash over her tongue. Another mouthful of food and another sip of wine. It was an easy little dance.

His question to her own question caught her off guard and the warmth the wine spread through her from her belly let her tongue loosen a little.

"You have a reputation," she said simply, looking away, "I'm just unsure if you're trying to get my panties off for a quick romp or if you're... Trying to be my friend." Varali frowned again, looking at her wineglass before taking the last sip. It was fine that she'd finished it in a short amount of time, right? She was eating the whole while! Her meal was almost finished!

There was even a delightful buzz on her tongue from the spices.

"You confuse me," She sighed, glancing away, wine induced flush on her cheeks, "You're all flirty but I don't feel like you intend to be. Like... You don't know how to be anything other than... Messy-apartment-pretend-to-be-sick-bachelor-who-lets-dishes-rot-in-his-sink-but-has-a-nice-chest-and-can-pick-up-girls Doctor Guy.." She frowned at her glass and poked at her food with her fork, "Just like I don't know how to be anything but a neurotic bird-brain."

[Lion]

Ugh, did she hate to mention funerals over dinner. He had to fight the urge to gag and he merely shrugged in response. Honestly, entertaining the thought of her dying wasn't his idea of a good time so instead he sipped his wine and ate quietly all the while she seemed to take a sip of wine. The look Not-Enjoyment on her face was evident and Apollo quietly snorted to himself.

"I won't lie. Yeah, I get around. Have some fun. It's Aedolis."  He shrugged, nonchalant about it. He wasn't ashamed of himself, it was just a fact of life for him. Sometimes there was a hot body that needed cooling off. Sometimes he was the hot body. It was never anything serious.

"I also know not everyone is into that," he chuckled. "I like to flirt. I can't help myself. It's all in good fun anyway, I mean no harm by it. Although, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can't promise that I'll stop." He snickered, another sip of wine to wash down the noodles stuck in his throat.

"You're not at all a bird-brain. I personally think you're very sexy. I just like you is all. What's wrong with that?"

[Draconian]

"I know where I am," She snapped, frowning. Looking at Apollo over the table. Her hand clenched around her fork and she pushed around the last bits of food on her plate. Varali sighed, head ducking down for a moment. Wondering for a moment if she'd be any different if she hadn't... Been here. If she'd been born somewhere else.

A moment and she squeezed her eyes shut, pushing the thoughts away.

"You're free to do what you like," She said softly, eating the last bites of her food before she cleared her throat and pushed her plate away. A glance to Apollo and then to her wineglass, empty as it was. Sighing, she glanced away and rolled her shoulders, wings opening and closing before she stood up and put her hands on the table.

"Men don't like me," She said simply, "I'm quiet and weird and..." Varali frowned and grabbed her wineglass before she went to the bottle and filled her glass back up. Another sip and she put her empty plate in the sink, leaning against the counter and watching him, "Broken." She finally finished, frowning at her glass.

"I don't do well with touch," She wiggled her hand at Apollo, gloved still, "so it's easier to just... Not..." She glanced away, "Ever." Clearing her throat, she tried to fight away the blush and finish half the wine in her glass. What was she ever saying? Clearing her throat she glanced away and pursed her lips, "Sorry. Too much information. How's dinner? Is it okay? Do you..." she flushed and glanced away, "Want to come over for dinner again? You have to clean your apartment though."

[Lion]

Location Location Location? That was the entrepreneur's motto was it not. People were the same all over, and if it wasn't him, who else would it be that she would allow to have dinner with her. He couldn't be all that bad if she thought he was at least decent company to eat with. Sure his apartment was trashed, but maybe if he cleaned it she would come over more often.

Oh yeah, that was an idea he could get behind. Maybe get behind her.

Apollo stood up when his plate was finished and he polished off the rest of his glass, leaving a very solid print of his lower lip on the rim of it. He gently licked it and licked his lips. Apollo kept his gaze hooded, feeling the wine make him all warm and giddy inside.

Hmmm, she was pretty. 

"You're fascinating, you know that? You claim that people don't like you - in particular men - and yet somehow here I am, in your apartment. And having dinner and wine. Which I happily share with you by the way. Yet you don't drink either. I have forced none of these things, although I think I seem to have a very...hmmm, exploratory effect on you," he said, voice low, a purr.

He shifted himself over to her and carefully maneuvered close enough to pick up the plate, although this was her apartment and these were her dishes. "Yes the food was absolutely delicious," he said, gently scraping his arm against hers and taking the dishes to the sink. He washed them and put them on the rack. Even took his time about drying them.

"So is that how it's going to be? I clean my apartment, I get to spend time with you? Because again, the answer is yes."  He grinned at her, shining pearly whites. Apollo crossed back to her and his face abruptly changed. "Oh my. Varali...your face....What's wrong with your lips?"

[Draconian]

The dishes were a surprise.

Varali opened her mouth to protest but her tongue felt heavy  and the words didn't come out. Instead, she watched as he did her dishes.  Leaning against the counter, second glass of wine done. She almost whined when he took it away to wash but... It would probably be for the best if she didn't drink more than one glass. Two glasses, rather. Her cheeks felt warm and she wanted to lean.

Maybe lean on him?

But he was busy. Doing her dishes.

He didn't even do his own dishes, why was he doing hers? Why hadn't he popped up when he finished his meal and scuttled home? Why stay? Varali was half bent over the counter, head on her hand while she watched him clean, eyes hooded in a wine induced stupor. Of course, his attention back on her hand her stand up, back straight, wings relaxed against her back  before she tightened them to keep them out of the way.

"What?"

In a panic, her hands moved to her mouth, fingers pressing against her lips, "What's wrong with my lips?" Her eyes were wide, cheeks were flushed. Her hands went to Apollo's shoulders like she was trying to steady him - or herself - to better examine just what was wrong with her. "I'm not allergic to anything," She whined, eyebrows drawn together, heart thumping faster in the slowly growing panic.

"Apollo!" She whined, licking her lips because - what if there was something on them still? - Her hand pressed to them again and she frowned, "Can you see? You're a doctor, fix me!"

[Lion]

And why not do those dishes? He was a guest wasn't he? It wasn't good manners to just let her clean up after him. He could do what he wanted in his own place. He could do what he wanted in any place. And right now he wanted to do her dishes. Once they were dried, he even put them away and slipped placed the towel out to dry.

And hook line and...oh, better not have her have another panic attack again.

His hands expertly slipped to her sides, gripping them tightly. "Yes, yes, I can fix it. You seem to have something on them, and it's a condition that is sometimes gained after drinking wine after not having had any for a very long time. You have caught a very mild case of the Sugarlips, Varali. But you're okay," he said, nodding vigorously.

"I know just the thing to fix it."  And he wasted no more time in leaning in and kissing her hard, coaxing her mouth to open and teasing her tongue with his.

[Draconian]

The hands on her sent shivers across her skin. Like a ripple of unfamiliar warmth. Gooseflesh crawled from where his hands rested across her chest, over her arms. Wings opened up and she gave them a little stretch. Heated breath left her and she leaned against the counter.

"Apollo, whats sugar--hm!" but her question was cut off. What if it was contagious?! What if he got it? A different heat bloomed through her, moved to rest in her belly while her hands moved from holding his shoulders to cluching at the counter top.

Varali gave in for a moment. Let the unfamiliar warmth coax her to relax against him, press into the kiss. A whimper left her throat and she pulled away after a few moments, flushed and breathing a little heavier. "I'm not sure if I should be angry about that or worry that the fake illness is contagious," she whispered, wings giving helpless flutters behind her.

Apollo was close now, she noticed, she'd pulled him closer. "Is it gone?" She whispered, looking honestly a little concerned, head tilted so he could look at her lips. Varali ignored the tingling that was running through her. There were important medical things that needed to be adressed.

"Am I cured?"

[Lion]

Whatever she was feeling, he was definitely feeling it too and his arms wound themselves around to the small of her back. Apollo was no stranger to such situations, and as a trained medical professional, it was important that he remained calm in the event that his patients were prone to panic. So he secured his arms around her, just in case Varali began to flail.

It was better that she didn't hurt herself anyway.

When his lips broke the contact at last, he gave her a half-lidded smile with his eyes. They were squinted somewhat, and he peered down at her, although she was fixated on his mouth. "Almost, I think you have a little bit left over just on the sides there. I better get them just to be sure. If anything, I am thorough," he whispered.

He plucked lightly at her lips, releasing her from that hold at long last and clutching the side of the counter. "There, all better now. How do you feel now?"

[Draconian]

Varali just looked up at him, mouth hanging open. Flushed. Needy. What was that? Her hands moved to the counter as well, though she did her best to make sure her top wasn't pressed tightly against her front. A shiver ran through her and she was about to lean in.

"Like I need more wine," she whispered, licking her lips before looking away. What a show. How easily she was distracted. How easily she succumbed to any notion of pleasure. "Is there a perscription for those?" She breathed, watching Apollo's neck because facing his face would be embarrassing.

"The cure for sugarlips, i mean," two could play the game and Varali's mouth and sense of humour was well washed by wine. Slowly, her gloved hands moved up his arms, over his shoulders and she cupped his cheeks.

[Lion]

"I could write you up one, but the cure can be mighty powerful for those that aren't prepared for it," he said. "I'm sorry I caught you off guard. Hmm, well, not that sorry."  He leaned into her touch, loving how relaxed she was, how utter uninhibited she could be. Sure, it wasn't the shyness that endeared him, but this side of her, that low and slow burn, made his blood run hot and his head was already swimming with wine and good food.

"More wine. Good suggestion," he murmured and moved back to the table to take the bottle and fill his glass.  He raised it and took a deep sip, letting the sting of it burn away any further hesitation, such as it was.

"Would you like another?  But I guess, that's kinda beside the point now, isn't it? Lest you need another taste of the that cure," he murmured.  The dragging flesh against her bottom lip had  a shiver dart up his spine, and his hands fell back around her waist, squeezing at hips that were far too good to be legal.

"You got a license for this body, Varali? Because you look good, doll.  I might be a little durnk. Just a little. Pffft, drunk. Deeerrruuunk,"  Apollo laughed lightly and leaned in to kiss her again. Without a ruse this time. Maybe it would still taste the same.

[Draconian]

When they met those few weeks ago over some sugar Varali hadn't intended on seeing him again. Let alone feeding him in her kitchen.  Feeding him in her home. Clinging to him in her kitchen. Her first real kiss since forever. Though the ploy had been momentary panic.

The heat was real and the tingling that slowly consumed her lower half was very quite real. "I could do with some powerful medicine," she breathed against his lips when he leaned back in. This time, she pressed into the kiss, her hands pushing through his hair. One leg moving to rub her knee against his thigh, trying to tuck him between her own. "Apollo, I need..." she panted against his lips, pulling him as close as she could with an eager little noise, wings stretching and closing with the strange pulses of pleasure running through her.

[Lion]

She was practically putty in his hands, and it was this very notion that had Apollo melting in hers. Who knew that wine would do just the trick? Ah, pfft, well he knew. Wine always did the trick. Few things that seemed too good to be true often were. Maybe he was taking a chance on her was finally going to pay off?

He could feel that thrumming in her body. She was giving it off like a lodestone, radiating with such vitality. And he couldn't help but be drawn to it that energy like a moth to a flame. Finding her nervous system giving off such power much like his own.

Apollo kissed her eagerly, with a growing hunger not completely unfamiliar. He hummed into it, pressing himself so that he had any excuse to be close to her.  And his hands were busy trying to find the spaces in her clothing, prying it apart to spread a warm palm to the small of her back. A little further up and he'd be reaching her wings.

"I know what you need. And I'd be happy to provide," he panted, turning to press her back against the counter.

[Draconian]

Varali gave a whimpered little yes, rolled herself against him with unfamiliar need. Wanted to press his hands to her or push him to the floor of the kitchen or something. Tightly wound and ready to let all that coiled energy loose.

The crashing sound of the candle stick on the table jolted her out of her lustfilled haze. A gasp and a jerk and very quickly Varali went ramrod straight, wings snapping closed. She wiggled away from Apollo on the counter and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

She'd just let that happen.

Luckily the wax from the candle snuffed the flame, Tix and Critter were sitting on opposite chairs watching the pair curiously.

Scooping Critter into one arm and grabbing the neck of the bottle of wine in the other she moved to Apollo and pushed both into his arms. "You need to leave," she whispered, not making eye contact. Staring off to the side like if she looked at his face her eyes would melt.

"I hope you enjoyed dinner," she whispered, moving to her apartment door, wings tight to her back and head down, "have a good evening, Apollo." Her voice was firm and when she finally did look at him, her expression was stoic and she was still holding the door open.

[Lion]

It was moment's like these that made him question why he ever went to work at all. Clearly his skills were put to better use when they were wrapped tightly around a warm body, sharing that heat, that friction that warmth. WHo else could possibly bear the title of 'Love Doctor'? That list was awfully with just his name gracing it's standard.

A name he wanted Varali to be screaming at the end of the night. She was wriggling against him. Gods she was hungry for him, he could just feel it! So much so it was like she was thin air! The electrical pulses that energized within him made him numb to all other stimuli save the one she was giving off and giving freely at that.

Was Varali always so generous? Oh, he couldn't wait to find out.

Wait? Where was she?  Apollo tilted around, feeling himself against the counter, whirling at the sight of her snatching Critter and shoving the wine bottle in hand. "What did I do!? Oh, come on! It was just getting warm in her," he whined, and when he was met with that wall of stoicism, he balked at her.

His face was red, flushed with heat and fury and he chewed on his lower lip, fighting the urge to throw a tantrum right there. Mostly for Critter's sake because she probably wouldn't appreciate being flung around, and then for his own because women tended to dislike that Toddler look.

He bowed his head. "Have a good night Varali. I had a good time," he smirked at her, washing himself over with a wave of cool nonchalance.  He walked out, and tucked Critter underneath his arm. "Girl, at least you had fun right?"

She mewled and jumped right into his arms as soon as he opened his own apartment door. Right...he had to get to cleaning.

[Draconian]

Varali checked twice to make sure the door was locked. Hated how she ached and needed. Angry that she'd let herself get so carried away. He was a player! An Aedolian player who probably had twice as many lovers as his age. Someone who probably only wanted her because she was hard to get.

Blowing out a puff of air, she squeezed her eyes shut and pressed a gloved hand to her face. What a mess. She let wine ruin a perfectly decent friendship. With stupid kisses and teenage grinding.

That night held a cold shower for her.

The dreams were concerning too. Starring her neighbour. Left her waking up with a strange ache only cold showers could fix.

Varali made a point of leaving and entering her apartment quietly. The window remained closed and part of her hated how lethargic and sad Tix was without his friend. Hated how many times she had to resist knocking on the door to ask Apollo if Critter could come over and play.

It was a regular day, a few weeks after ... the dinner incident. Everytime she thought of it shame wracked her body. Varali was moving furniture, needing something fresh looking. A feeling of new. It was a simple enough job, or rather, it could have been.

One false move had sent her reeling backwards, back slamming into a wall. Aside from the wind being knocked out of her and a terrible ache in her wing she paid it no mind until she felt her back wet.

Her hand moved back and she looked at it. Blood. Why was there blood?

It was panic that made her move. First the window was opened because at the very least, Critter still had a kitty door and Tix would get ti.play with his friend.

A blind panic, she finally, after weeks of silence and maybe a little ignoring, she went and knocked on the door. Frantic, doing her best not to leave blood smears. "Apollo?" She whispered, guilt crawling up her throat with her pounding heart, "Apollo I really need your help, I can't reach it on my own."

Today should have been his off day. Despite her attempts to ignore him she practically remembered his schedule. Unless he was out drinking. Which would suck for her. "Apollo, please. Im sorry."

[Lion]

Why? Why did it have to be weeks when she decided she was better off not talking to him, at all? Ever. They were neighbor's for crying out loud. She couldn't avoid him forever. Gods, he wasn't even that drunk that night and he hadn't even come on nearly as strong as he wanted to. He should have kissed her again, just one more time. A great big ol' sloppy wet one before he bounced on out of her life forever.

Ugh, why did she have to have such nice lips? Lips he thought about when he had those weird food induced dreams. The kind that left him in a cold sweat and a nice warm feeling in his belly.

He was just getting up after a long hard night. He couldn't let himself be alone for long, even with Critter, but getting a random lay from a random stranger had a very brief appeal. Apollo heard that urgent knocking on his door and rolled out of bed with a loud thump.  "ohh fuck," he murmured, rubbing his head. "Not so loud. Please!"

His please would go unheard and he tilted his head toward the door, leaning against it, only then remember he didn't have any pants on, and quickly pulled up some sweats.

"I'm coming," he hissed, yanking the door open. "Yes?  Varali? What's the matter?" 

And saw the look on her face which pretty much snapped him to attention. His hand reached out to touch her arm, yanking her inside. "What's wrong?"

[Draconian]

The yank inside did little for her broken feathers.

The surprise had her snap them in a movement and no doubt there was a splatter of blood. "I fell," she said, pale and doing her best to remain calm. The blood dripped freely from the bent and broken feather.

Her hand was covered in it and she gave Apollo a helpless look. "I can't reach it to pull it out. Im sorry," she breathed, looking away. Why was it that everytime she bothered him he was topless.

Tix had, of course, made his way over and was trying in vain to make the sleepy kitty play with him untik he hunkered down with her.

"I just... Need you to pull it out. Please. Then... I'll clean up the blood and go. Okay? I woke you up," her voice was small with her panic, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. If i hadnt kicked you out we would have regretted it," she finally said, back to him with her wings spread out, feather dripping freely.

"It would have ruined whatever friendship we were building and..." she flushed, mind going a million miles a minute, thinking of anything, everything to keep it off of her feather, "I've never done anything before and I'd have been bad at it."

[Lion]

What was she saying? There was a noise coming out of her mouth. Little things, vibrations in the air that didn't quite register because the only thing he could really focus on was the blood seeping out of her back blood that was dripping all over his floor!

Holy shit.

"What talk Varali!? We are friends. We're neighbors. We'll see each other in the hallway and we'll say hello, good morning, and good night."

He prattled like she did. Prattling was good. It made the mind less focused on the fact there was red shit spilling from her back. So he guided her into the kitchen and ran the faucet. Water was quickly added with soap and he washed his hands, reached into her bleeding wing and examining the broken feathers.

"Friends help each other and share affection all the time. Nothing we did was wrong or out of the ordinary in anyway." Apollo reached his fingers in tenderly and grasped the point of it and yanked with a firm tug. One feather, then the other, seeing the vessels had been broken in the stem of each feather.  "See. I am your friend. I've got your back." And beamed at her with a snarky grin over her shoulder.

[Draconian]

The relief was instant.

The bleeding slowed immediately, though the cold swest picked up and she gave a hiccup of a sigh. The sting of having feathers ripped out had her moan and writhe against the counter. Eyes shut, fingers clenched tight.

"Thank you," she panted, pale and quite bloody. Hands wet. Top wet. It was impulsive when she put her hands to the bottom of her tank top. Though she hesitated, "can you help me?" She whined softly, "its... Sensitive," she whispered, looking at the bloodsoaked feathers.

"I... no," she took a step away, "I can do this in my apartment," she winced, each step causing the tender part of her wing to be touched. Licking her lips she looked at the mess, face heated. "I owe you again," she whispered, pressing her nore clean had to her face.

"How do you put up with me? I cant... Feed you every few weeks and expect you to help me."

[Lion]

Apollo threw the bloody feather into the sink, washing the red out of his hands with a deep and exfoliating scrub. He kept his hands wet and untouched for a time until he toweled them off. "Hey now," he murmured, and moved back to her wings to examine them, making sure that none of the others were bleeding.

Their colors were mottled by the blood, and his frown only deepened. A shame that such beauty could also be so delicate.

"Stop it. You're not leaving until you're better," he said matter of factly. Few things could get Apollo's attention and keep it. And even fewer still could make him actually want to give a damn. It seemed Varali had a way of getting him to stay still long enough to give that damn.  Just the one. And it was reserved for her.

"Have a seat. Now."

He moved back into his room and pulled out a set of towels.  One was large enough to be laid out by a pool side, and the other was a wash cloth. "Remove your shirt, Varali. Doctor's orders."