World War Z

[Zihark Faroda]

Ricard couldn't help but grin at how embarrassed Ashley was getting. It was so cute how she was averting her eyes and how red her cheeks progressively got. "Well, it is the beginning of Summer, so I wouldn't have to worry too much about the cold," he teased with a chuckle. "But tell you what, you might feel a bit safer if you had something to cuddle up with, and since Harley seems to have decided on sleeping by the door, I guess you could use me." For a brief moment Ricard wondered if he took the teasing a bit far with the last statement considering that even though she was trusting him more and more, she was still sheltered and had a phobia of men. He also realized that it wasn't so much teasing as he did also have a desire to hold her and keep her safe.  

[Nikki Faroda]

As he pointed out the time of year, her cheeks turn bright red. "Are you sure, it's for me to feel safer and not for you to regain the manliness you lost when i comforted you earlier?" She was looking at the ground that entire time she spoke, hoping it would take down some of the heat out of her cheek but feeling that it only made it worse. So while waiting for a resonance she practiced some deep breathing, with any luck it would calm he heart as well as her cheeks, which by this point would be vibrantly red.  

[Zihark Faroda]

"Pfft, manliness, yeah right," Ricard scoffed with a laugh. "Do I look like one of those testosterone filled rage monkeys to you?" Ashley must have been growing more comfortable if she was able to tease back instead of simply being embarrassed like before. She was still clearly embarrassed, but it was still an improvement. Ricard slipped one of his hands from the pile and grabbed her chin, raising her head so he could stare into her beautiful green eyes. He gave her a warm, reassuring smile as he said, "you know, why don't we just say it's for both our benefit and call it a tie."  

[Nikki Faroda]

Ashley mumbled, "testosterone filled, definitely, monkey, maybe , but rage never." Smiling and with cheeks ablazing he pulled her eyes to meet his. She got trapped in those eyes like she always does, he just has that power over her. Some of the blushing fading, leaving a soft glow. She relaxed as she nearly melt from that smile, it was the most handsome smile ever. So perfect it matched Ricard right down to the protection she knew it meant. She was so swept away by his eyes, smile and voice, that she barely heard the words. Realizing what they meant she simply nodded and bit the inside of her lower lip.  

[Zihark Faroda]

"Maybe," Ricard said in a mockingly insulted, yet humorous, tone about the monkey comment. "Better get your camera then. Not everyday you get to see a monkey fighting zombies." He chuckled. Ashley, however, seemed to have gone into her own little world, as if she were daydreaming, or lost in thought, happy thoughts by the look on her face, but lost in them nonetheless. She barely even responded to his comment about the sleeping arrangements, managing just a bit of a nod and biting her lower lip. "Good then, it's a date," Ricard said happily without even realizing what he just said. "But first," still holding her chin with one hand Ricard stood up and moved closer to her, "we should probably check your head and make sure everything's ok. Should have done it earlier but we got distracted with everything happening. Now just hold still." Ricard unwrapped the tape from around the gauze on her head and then carefully lifted up the gauze to prevent any pain. There was blood soaked into it, though it had dried long ago, and fortunately it hadn’t been saturated to the point where it should have been changed hours ago. With the gauze gone, Ricard proceeded to examine the wound. It was still pretty nasty looking, but it was scabbed over nicely and at least for the time being there seemed to be no signs of infection. “So far so good I think. We’ll let it air out a bit tonight and in the morning put some more alcohol and a clean piece of gauze on it.”  

[Nikki Faroda]

Ashley snapped out of it just in time to hear him call it a date. Her smile got really wide, it quickly turned into a look of hope and shock. 'Was he, he wouldn't, but it would be nice if he did.' before she knew it he was... looking at her head wound. The look on her face sadden since the suddenness had caught her off guard. 'maybe it was better that he didn't.' She tried her hardest to hide the emotions in her voice, "of course, that sounds like a great idea." As some as he was done she walked over and picked up the Pj's. "Well i want to change, do you mind standing in the hall be a little then i will so you can." She flashed him a slight smile from over her shoulder.  

[Zihark Faroda]

As Ricard tossed away the tape and gauze into the nearby wastebasket, Ashley had hopped down off the desk and walked over to where the bedding was to grab her PJs. The way she flashed a smile over her shoulder made her seem much older than her years, and considering her sheltered home life she should not have known how to do something that sexy. "Well..." Ricard teased amusedly, "it's not like it's anything I haven't seen before." Ricard chuckled. "But nobody can accuse me of not being a gentleman. If that is what you wish milady, than so be it." Ricard bowed playfully toward her and then made his way to the door. "I'll just go make sure the stairwell door is closed and locked while you get dressed."  

[Nikki Faroda]

"Well if it doesn't bother you then just look the other way, or change too." Ashley picked up the pants part of his PJ's and tossed them at him. (if he doesn't catch them they land on his head) Ashley didn't exactly want him to not look but it was a comfort thing. She wasn't sure if she would be about to change with him watching her. And if giving the chance she wasn't sure she would be able to keep herself from peeking. Let's just say she was still confused on what birds and bees had to do with the price of tea in China and Ricard looked the kind of people that would know, whether it was firsthand or because he just seemed to know stuff, she wasn't sure.  

[Zihark Faroda]

Before Ricard could walk out the door, his pajama bottoms landed atop his head. "So that's the way you want to play, huh?" he chuckled as he slid the pants off his head and turned away from the door. Ricard then glanced up at Ashley and grinned smugly. "But aw, no peeking? You're no fun." Ricard did his best to do a puppy-dog pout but it didn't last long before erupting into laughter. "So long as you're comfortable though." With that Ricard pulled off his shirt and then tossed it into the corner. He then proceeded to take off his pants, tossing them into the same corner once they were removed. Next came his socks, and once they were disposed of Ricard put on the pajama bottoms. "Just let me know when you're finished," he then said as he walked over to the computer desk and sat down.  

[Nikki Faroda]

Ashley turn away from him as he removed his shirt even if she didn't want to. She stripped of her shirt, bra and pants before picking up the green silk... night gown. It was a gown. A silky green gown with a slit and a silk robe type thing. She ignored the voice screaming in her head that it was a bad idea, and put it on anyway. Making sure the robe was closed, the problem with the robe was barely longer then the gown and they only went to her knees, leaving her smooth legs advertised. She knelt down and put all of her clothes in a neat pile on top of the PJ shirt meant for Ricard. He wouldn't miss it or at least she wouldn't that was for sure. Afterward, Ashley put the pile about the bedding and turned toward Ricard, "okay you can turn around." She was waiting to see if that chest was exactly how she remembered it.  

[Zihark Faroda]

While Ashley was getting changed Ricard started searching for some survival techniques like he planned to do earlier. He already had some inclinations of where to search since he had done some rudimentary searching before leaving for his road trip just in case something happened. As a result in no time at all he had brought up several pages from gathering water through unusual means and making it safe to drink, to identifying edible plants in the wild, starting a fire without lighters or matches and the like, and other such techniques. He had just finished hitting the print key for the articles when Ashley informed him she had finished changing. He grabbed his water bottle and took a swig as he spun the chair around. As soon as his eyes landed upon Ashley he involuntarily gasped while drinking and choked on the water. Finally swallowing the water and coughing up the last few bits caught in his throat, he looked back up at Ashley, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked, and how little she was actually wearing at that. "Wow," was all he could manage to cough up.  

[Nikki Faroda]

Ashley had a shy smile on her face as he turned and started choking. She ran over to him and knelt in fount of the computer chair and placing her hand on his back as he regained his ability to breathe. "Are you okay, Ricard?" A look of worry clocked her face and her voice was thick with concern. 'Did i do that to him?' A look of confusion crossed her face when at his words.'Wow what? wow me, no way that is ludicrous, right?' She looked him in the eyes moving her one hand the his cheek and the other top brush his hair back away from his face. Well at least he didn't choke to death.  

[Zihark Faroda]

Ricard was still sitting there in stunned silence as Ashley ran over and knelt by him. Her soft, warm hand on his bare back felt nice, but his mind was barely registering it. She seemed concerned over him choking on his water, and as he looked down into her now confused face, he could see that the top of her robe was open enough to see the silky green chemise beneath. Ricard felt another lump form in his throat and could feel his cheeks turning a slight shade of red as he noticed how little the chemise actually covered in the chest region. Ashley was just focused on him, brushing his hair out of his face. He looked her in the eyes, trying to find his voice. "Um...uh...you...uh, look very nice."  

[Nikki Faroda]

Ashley smiled at the cute rosy hue that came to his cheeks distracting her from discovering where his eyes had wandered. She listened intently definitely not expecting what she heard. "Oh umm... thank you" Her cheeks soon matched his as she stood up a little embarrassed but didn't turn away. "You look h... nice too." She looked him up and down from his soft hair down his chiseled face to his magnificent chest and spectacularly toned abs, but the rest of him was cover in a pair of grey pants the said 'Star Trek' down one of the pant legs. Then Ashley nodding as if agreeing with herself, 'he is hot' at that moment she realized exactly how much she wanted to be held in those arms.  

[Zihark Faroda]

"Thank you as well," Ricard replied, noticing the red tinge to her cheeks. He could see her looking him up and down and that combined with her earlier comment made him begin to wonder exactly how many new feelings and sensations this girl was currently experiencing. Ricard certainly couldn't deny he was flattered, and looking at her standing there with that silk robe and knowing there was something rather skimpy underneath, he couldn't deny several feelings and sensations of his own. "Well...um," he stammered out. Ricard wasn't quite sure why he was acting this way, especially considering everything going on around them, but then again perhaps that was it. Something good and natural against such darkness, it was a welcome sight. "I guess since we're both changed we should get to bed then."