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The winged man did not see the punch coming. He had long since forgotten/ignored that there was anyone with the slight girl. Of course anyone that would be drunk enough to grab an underage girl at a bar concert deserved what he got. He got the hit good –and easy too. It swung the man’s head around and back giving him a taste of his own feathers. No chance of hitting Relm really, unless he lifted her up which he did not. His hold on the little female held though he reeled and staggered at the unexpected attack. His motion dragged a furious -and now surprised, shocked and scared in a new way- Relm with him. This caused her life-size painting of the man to snap and pull as if yanked by invisible strings to her brush as it followed the pictomancer until she gave it a command. This left it looking like it would fall over or pitch forward suddenly, unbalanced.

Beer scented drool fell to his shoulder as he turned back to try and see what had hit him. “Ha! She was begging to be touched! She wants to be touched!” Relm shuddered with revulsion at the man’s words, now certain that he would take even that action in a ‘favorable’ way that was anything but the truth. Her conclusion was proven by the immediate wolfish grin and double handed squeeze that followed it. His wings were moving to strike back at Elijah and keep the dog from ‘his’ girl. Relm did not wait. "Not. By. You!” She growled angrily.

Swinging her brush the artist instructed her painting -now fully solid though still smelling of paint- to attack. It grabbed its model’s wings and yanked forcefully, pulling them back and out from each other in ways wings were not meant to move. The man howled in pain but it had the result Relm had hoped as he tossed up his hands to reach for where the pain stemmed. Tossed his hands up and tossed Relm too.

In a minute she might register what Elijah had actually said that added to her odd ‘good’ feeling from seeing (and feeling) him punch the guy. Perhaps then she might pick up on the approaching bouncer and that the band was still playing. Right now… Relm was wondering where she would land. She could not toss up a ‘float’ spell while she was ‘controlling’ her art. This could hurt…

"ooof!" Relm felt herself land and was surprised to not only be conscious, but almost comfortable. Very comfortable. Soft. Warm. Safe. A smell that she associated with Elijah...

He had caught her.

Relm started to shake with relief and fear -and so likewise did her painting tremble slightly as it held the hawk anthro back in the artist-mage's dizziness and subsequent lack of concentration. The tone of Elijah's voice at his question caused her eyelids to droop against her will as she relaxed just as irrepressibly into him and the arms that held her safe. "...I am now..."

She was in so much trouble. Even as Relm heard herself utter the soft-spoken phrase she knew. Wonderful as this was... it was more frightening to the seasoned adventurer than the lecher. Vile men Relm knew how to take on. This... this was something else entirely.

And... and now he had seen her magic in action.

The large bouncer came up angrily behind the offender and muscled him into a hold. There was a look of apology as well as what could be taken as indicating that this fiasco was not their fault as he nodded to the dog and the carbunkle that things were all right now and he had it under control. Guilt too, because the bouncer felt he should have known better. It was harder to watch everything on band nights though. Especially with one of the bigger bands like this.

The hawk-anthro struggled at first, trying to protest until cut off short by the larger bouncer. The hawk might be taller by an inch, but the bouncer was thick and muscular and knew how to use it.

Afraid now... Relm flicked her brush to dispell her painting. It fell over to the ground like a puppet with its strings severed then melted into paint before globules of it lifted and dissipated back into magic.

A look of gratitude that also hopefully told the bouncer she did not hold him in the blame in the slightest was all Relm could manage as the man was taken away. Even as tied up as she was inside about -well- what was coming to be 'the Elijah situation', the girl who was once a precocious child with a lip on her who knew far more than any child of her age should have known on adult matters realized that she had come away lucky. The beer had likely over boosted his confidence, causing him to strike now rather than after the concert. Not to mention Relm being who and what she was. Another girl would not have been so lucky in that. And might not have had someone like Elijah to protect her.

Elijah. Espers... was this what she was wanting? What she would not let herself think of? Even now, Relm could not make heads or tails on whether she wanted to freeze this moment forever or bolt. Things tumbled around awkwardly inside her, making her insides feel made of bouncy, quivering jello that could bend and stretch like silly-putty into indiscernible knots. But they were soft too. Warm and comfortable somehow. Like a damn thneed...! The pictomancer half cursed, half groaned inside.

She wanted to close her eyes, lean back into the dog anthro's warmth and avoid the whole magic issue when all at once her eyes snapped open. With a surge of Relm-anger she twisted on Elijah's lap in the now loosened hold around her as her green eyes flashed angrily. Her whole slight body was shaking, but not only from anger. A myriad of feelings over him knowing something he should not possibly know --along with everything in her that was wanting only to stay in the warmth of his arms. Hadn't she been good about not using too much magic around him? Especially when it came to her art? The compliments and his liking it would -hopefully- register later. Relm HEARD them... but she didn't.

"When'd you learn... about my magic? I'd only shown you my pockets..." Her tone was dangerously low and steady. Nothing to rise above the music to be heard past them but trembling with fury and emotion. Most of all... she was angry at herself.

The rest was probably misplaced fear and relief. That it was not Elijah she was angry with could be discerned best by one simple subconscious action on the artist's part. Or lack thereof really: She had yet to remove herself from her friend's lap.

Perhaps two -she had not 'painted' him yet either. But then... that was not likely to ever happen. Not the way even now butterflies were fluttering within the confines of the twisted thneed in her gut.

She. Was going. To cry.

The response was so unlike Relm (unless of course she was acting and tears would advance her cause) that of course she fought them. But the traitorous little beasties welled up in her flashing green eyes regardless of the artist's wishes as she felt that -somehow- she had hurt her friend. Which was the last thing she wanted. Never mind the matter that she was trying to deny even knowing what it was she most wanted.

When his green eyes were no longer looking at hers... Relm felt everything ache inside.

And yet she still could not bring herself to say what she was really feeling, hearing her voice as if it was far away and from some other person as words formed and fell from her mouth. "Yes you do. Fail at normal reactions."

But then... so did she. Relm just was not sure how to take Elijah's casual acceptance and liking of her magic. Which might be discernible in the oddness of her tone -not at all well controlled for one who prided herself on her acting.

What the hell did he mean about more important things anyway? If Relm was thinking and not involved she probably would have come to the right conclusion and laughed.

'You're not going to melt now......right?' "I might..." Chin having fallen Relm whispered the words serendipitously near the dog's ear without realizing the thought had been spoken at all. She could. She could melt right into him. And it terrified her. Especially on top of him finding out she could do magic. Relm had so wanted -for whatever strange reason she had put the notion in her head- to just be a 'normal' girl with the musician. Now... now what? She trusted him not to blab... but it was with him she had wanted to be normal, and that was now forever shot.

'Is that it, Artist?'

Perception skills be damned. Except for hearing the band's music continue to play Relm was not noticing anything outside the circle of her friend's arms. Not even that they where on the floor of the bar. The music was not exactly helping either. If anything, it was heightening the effect of Elijah's scent in the carbunkle's nose.

And it made it near impossible to resist being drawn closer into the almost hug. Irrational feelings and even reactions that wanted to be permitted were assailing her from all over. This... it was foolish to want more... wasn't it?

With a sigh Relm conceded to one temptation and permitted herself to curl up on Elijah's lap and snuggle a little into his chest and torso. It was something she could do as a friend, right? The artist's usual certainty and know-how wobbled like jelly within her. The first time that had ever happened. Relm ALWAYS knew what to do. Even if it was not right.

So this was pretty much a first.

"I trust you." It was said simply enough but there was a slight inflection of tone that almost made it seem something else was being said. Or being withheld from being said. A burgeoning feeling rippling beneath the girl's surface that crept out hidden in her own voice.

Which thankfully Relm did not hear in herself.

Only a few eyes in all the bar even glanced their way, and those where in concern as if keeping tabs on what they could see of the top of the two brown-haired heads through patrons and furniture alike. Those were content for the moment to see no apparent trouble... not that they could do much about it. Most had either ignored the scuffle that had occurred or were now passing it off as old news. Nothing big.

Yeah right. It was anything but 'nothing big' to the small carbunkle girl on the floor. Technically, on her friend's lap on the floor. At some point Relm had turned sideways in his lap -so she could wrap her arms around him and press her cheek against his chest. If Elijah's heart was racing she could not discern it from the pounding of her own, even as frighteningly wonderful as his embrace was making her feel.

That was more than half the problem, wasn't it?

Amid the scents of the concert and bar his scent was stronger in her nose then them all. It was wonderful, and the wonderfulness of it frightened Relm even as she snuggled closer into both him and his scent.

Almost unwanted the memory of how they came to be like this flashed within the artist's mind. She gave a startled sound and pulled her head back to look up into Elijah's face as her hands came round between them to rest upon his chest, but not so much as to draw away from him or force the dog-anthro to release any bit of his hold on her. Now she thought she felt the strong thump of his heart though it did not really sink in over this other realization. "You caught me."

There was wonder in what could be termed Relm's accusation, for it was more that than a statement or certainly a question. The green eyes that searched for his were startled and more than that... touched.

More real emotion shone in those eyes at that moment than Relm had ever shown anyone other than Interceptor. She could thank the bar's dim lighting and the concert's alternate lighting for anything Elijah might not be able to see within them. Softly her lips moved, as if contemplating what to do or what to say next. "Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere, 'Lijah? I'll Heal you --oh!"

A moment only and she was leaning back into him. her arms wrapped around his neck as her cheek gently brushed his. Lips near his ear whispered, "After the concert. Ask me then -give me til then, okay 'Lijah?" Her alto voice shook with feeling near the soft dog's ear and she somehow resisted stroking it to remind herself its softness. Worry for her friend, gratitude and more for what he had done for her, fear of the speed of her heart beating mightily against his chest where she leaned against him -all were there and more in her soft and slightly breathless plea.

She could feel his head nod, probably his ear moving her hair. Listening to the music Relm closed her eyes trying to get a grip over herself. Somehow, even over the erotic music of the band another song she had heard at home wormed its way into her thoughts and blended into the background though some of the words lingered and made her chest ache.

'When you're near me, darlin' can't you hear me? SOS.'

This was so unlike her, wanting to stay in his arms. Wanting to be consoled as a child. As she seldom if ever had been as a child, at least after her mother's death. it was not just that though. That was just the act she was tempted to play to remain in her friend's arms. It was the closest 'act' that would fit. Yet she did not want to pull the helpless child act. On some level... Relm wanted no falseness. More... She did not wish to be a child to Elijah, even more than she had wanted to be normal for him. Her relief that Elijah was not hurt could be felt as her five foot frame relaxed against his. 'I could do it all over again I bet.' Why did Elijah saying that have her trembling softly inside, even so much as to divulge a faint shiver that he could probably feel -as close as they were?

The little actress did not trust herself to speak as the dog anthro's words trailed off about where they were sitting because she felt irrationally warm inside -like just having eaten a bowl of soup- that he might hate to move her. That little part of her hoping ... hoping he wanted her there like she wanted him there. Her cheek fell to rest on his shoulder as she faced his neck, eyes still closed, and nodded. Agreement or understanding... it really did not matter. Thoughts at the back of her mind wondered if he would pick her up and carry her to their seats nearby or just let her go and maybe help her to her feet. If it was the former... Relm wondered if she should let him. She wanted to...

Then she pulled her face away, arms around Elijah's neck loosening until her hands almost laced behind his head. She had to focus not to play with his hair there as her attention was diverted on what he had said and her own reaction to that. "Sorry?!?" Her voice was incredulous and slightly sharp with it as green eyes searched his face. Were... were his cheeks darker or was that just shadow? Relm could not tell with this lighting nor the way her head felt light and all of her so warm already. "Whatever have you to be sorry for, 'Lijah? Nothing's your fault, hear me?"

Except maybe the way you're making me feel... but then you don't know what you're doing to me. Hell I don't know what you're doing to me! Only a hint of her thoughts glimmered in her otherwise 'don't you dare argue with me' gaze. Then both eyes and tone softened, exposing something quite likely Relm never intended even if she did not come to terms with it. "Your fault, for saving me?"

Her heart pounded frantically, her eyes on his imploring silently. "Do you know that if I'd have hit I'd probably be knocked out now." More than a bit of her frustration at her ease of being knocked out at battle colored her tone.