Welcome to Gaia! ::

Candace was anything but excited for this. She had told Dakota how she felt; she didn't want a house, she didn't want to live away from the main headquarters, she liked the safety and security of living under Exalibur's shield. She was already tense just being out in this town, a frown on her face as she constantly looked over her shoulder or down between two empty houses. The slightest snap of a branch, the rustle of leaves, the breeze making her hair brush her skin; all of it drove her crazy.

But Dakota wanted a house. A house that would take him two years to finish renovating.

She'd let him have his little pet project for now.

She just wished he wasn't making her come and help him pick a house. Candace didn't want to be here. She didn't want a house. This was not okay.

She gave him a forced smile when Dakota assured her she didn't need to worry, sticking close to his side and tightly holding his hand. "I know..just..." I really don't like this area.

Still trying to talk him out of it, eh?

Of course I am.

It didn't matter that Cass and Gale lived out here, that was actually the problem. She didn't like them living out here. If this place was safer she wouldn't be so bothered, if it was a place where Excalibur's protection extended it would be safer; even if the entire island was just an impenetrable fortress that would be acceptable.

But it wasn't any of those things.

"You need a large house with two floors to it, right?" You. Not me. Not we. You.

Candace was actually startled by the intensity of Dakota's correction, stopping and looking up at him with surprise. He really wanted this, he really wanted a house out here. The corner of her mouth twitched in a little smile as Dakota kissed her hands, the simple action enough to make her heart race. "I love you, too.." Candace replied quietly, raising a brow and giving Dakota a look when he said what he loved her more than. "Is you living near Marcus such a good idea? I don't handle competition well, darling."

He could protect her. Dakota already did. He kept her sane, he made her happy. Candace was pretty sure Dakota was the healthiest relationship she had ever had, and it was one she didn't want to let go of in the near or even distant future. She could rely on him, she did want to, but he couldn't always be around. They were busy people who led busy lives. "You're a fine Moon Hunter, Dakota. I trust you with my life, I just...don't.." want a house.

When he tightened his grip on her she looked down at their hands. See, Dakota? This place even made you nervous. That was a sign, right? But Candace stayed quiet for once, following alongside Dakota and just observing everything around them. She didn't see this place the way Dakota saw it. All Candace saw was a town that was being reconstructed again because it had been destroyed.

Again.

He stopped them in front of a house and Candace looked up at it, tightening her grip on Dakota's hand. It wasn't the idea of living with Dakota that made her nervous, they already pretty much did live with each other, it was the thought of someday possibly living out here away from the safety of home that made her nervous.

She would just..focus on what Dakota wanted. Candace gave Dakota a wary smile. "Sure, we can do that." She was ready.

Ready in case something jumped out at them.

Candace followed him to the door, swallowing quietly and tensing when she heard the door creaking. Just the door. Just. The door. It was okay. Doors did that, her own door at her dad's house did that. It was okay. She followed him into the house with some reluctance, letting him go when Dakota released her hand.

She watched him walk away, her hands holding her elbows as she crossed her arms across her middle. He was so cute when he was happy, Candace couldn't help but smile. Sometimes she forgot he was still just a kid who was being forced to grow up quickly.

She was being selfish. Normally that wasn't something that bothered Candace, she was a very selfish person, but for some reason disappointing Dakota didn't sit well with her. It was the only reason she was even letting him have this pet project. It would take him two years, she would get to stay in their safe home for two more years. Maybe by then things could change for the better and she would be okay with moving.

Maybe.

She didn't see it happening yet.

"You are so adorable sometimes," Candace told him as he laughed, looking around the large space. It reminded her of the house she had grown up in. "It's not bad." She was being honest. It could've been worse. Candace remembered clearing out the Mist house with the other Mists, it had been a horrible experience.

This was almost...normal. Looking at houses with her boyfriend for them to live together in. Under normal circumstances she knew she wouldn't be uncomfortable, she wouldn't be looking over her shoulder every two seconds for what could possibly go wrong. They could be looking for a house for them and a family, maybe even a cat. She always did want a cat. Something close to work. Something they could have a family in.

Her smile faltered for a moment. They couldn't have a family or a cat. They would always only have each other and their weapons; that had never been a thought that bothered her until now.

Candace's smile returned. It could just be the two of them, it was fine. He kept her sane, grounded, happy. She loved him, needed him. He wasn't the kind of man she usually went for but she had no regrets in choosing him. "Dakota," she called out to get his attention again, "I love you." She just felt like saying it. It was also partly an apology for how she was acting. Candace did love Dakota and she wanted him to be happy, she could stand to be a little more cooperative for him. It was unfair of her to be so rude about this. It meant a lot to him, he'd even explained why. She would pretend for him.

"It is a lot of space. Does it have enough rooms for what you want to do, sweetheart?" He wanted what? A den to make into a man cave?

"So it'll be a maybe," Candace noted aloud for Dakota's benefit, looking around. "We should look at the rest of the house before anything's decided, hm? That's how it would work even if we were buying a house off island." She gestured to a nearby doorway. She had no idea where it went but she would humor Dakota and check out the house, and she would take it seriously. For him.

Candace had been about to move when Dakota asked his question. She blinked. "..I thought we agreed neither of us would be living here until you were finished with it?" Was he staying here? No. She wouldn't allow it. She would allow him to build and renovate all he wanted but Candace would put her foot down at moving in early; she would not allow him to live in an unfinished house. Every now and then he could overnight because he could be busy an tired, and she would come stay with him and keep him company if he wished it, but he was not allowed to live here. Over her dead body.

She smiled and stepped up to Dakota, raising her arms to drape them over his shoulders and lean in close. "If you had asked me to move in with you a year ago I would give you a no, or if you'd even asked months ago I'd tell you not on your life." A hand moved to lightly trace her finger along Dakota's lower lip, her eyes following her own movements. "I love you. I will live with you in whatever house you pick, when you've finished it. I'm sure by then I'll be ready for that." Candace then leaned in to brush her lips against Dakota's, giving him a light, affectionate kiss. "I don't do 'boyfriends' casually, Dakota. I don't put myself in a relationship unless I feel like I can commit to it. I can count how many boyfriends I've had on one hand." Candace held her hand up, her fingers closed in a fist.

"High school, I dated him for something around..nine months? Could've been ten." She shrugged and held one finger up, and then another. "Jerry. Well..we know how that ended." Candace sighed and shook her head. So much regret. Finally she raised one more finger. "You. Now...how many of those boyfriends did I loooove..hm..let's see..." Candace looked to her own hand and lowered one finger and then another until she was only holding up the one finger.

"Well would you look at that." She grinned up at him again before wrapping her arms around his neck again. "I'm okay with it. Did you want to move into my apartment in the meantime or something?" Would it mean she'd have to make Molly move? She felt bad just thinking that.

The kiss didn't come as a surprise and was readily returned, allowing him to pick her up and even holding herself up with her arms around his neck. She did love him. He wasn't perfect by any means, something that Candace always said she wouldn't stand for in a partner, but she loved his imperfections. He had what was important; a huge heart, infinite love for her, devotion, loyalty, kindness, warmth, and he didn't judge her or others for their indiscretions. He let her be her, he let her do things at her pace. That was perfect.

"I like sleepovers," Candace said in a soft whisper, smiling up at Dakota before she leaned in to kiss him again.

He set her down and she whined softly in protest. Fine, fine.

"Yes, the rest of the house. Let's start upstairs and work our way down, hmm?" Sounded reasonable. Candace had started to climb the stairs up when he brought up being his wife. She held the banister tightly and stopped, just staring ahead. Right..his wife.

That was...a lot of commitment. It wasn't that she wasn't willing just..that was too much commitment. It was too soon. "I forget, did you want to put in a guest room? I know there's the master and then my office, and my closet, but what about a room for guests?" She wasn't going to comment on the wife thing. She was going to run far from that subject.

Candace took slow, deliberate steps ahead of Dakota. She knew he was watching.

"Two guest rooms?" She blinked, stopping at the top of the stairs and waiting for Dakota to catch up. "Aw, no. Don't give up your den. It could be on the first floor, I'm sure there's room for it." He wanted so much, it was getting hard to keep humoring him. She didn't want to live out here. Ugh.

A mama and a wife. Candace raised a brow and leaned on the banister. "You can't marry Molly. And yes, I do remember~." She remembered everything about her time with Jerry, it was one of her biggest regrets.

At the mention of Molly's cards she chuckled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I've seen them. It's pretty adorable. Do you ever wake up new trainees?"

Candace pouted. "When I first awakened we were taken to the lesson with H about golems and then flown to a little training location where we were attacked by zombies and all fled into a shed until they were gone. Was pretty rough, you had it easy in comparison." She shook her head and pushed off the banister to start exploring the second floor. The first door she opened revealed a rather large room. The master bedroom, maybe?

"..Speedos? Well, if two men could pull it off I suppose it's the two of you," Candace said with a soft purr to her voice. "Mine aren't usually terribly exciting. I like to inform them what I would have liked to know upon waking up, and I keep them from falling on their ******** faces..." She opened the closet. "Hm.."