|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:33 am
The expression on Suri's face was an incredulous one, as if to say, 'Really? That's it?' Her heightened eyebrows didn't seem to betray any disappointment, but the curiosity never quite left her gaze, and it seemed as if she took a moment to process whether or not she approved.
Unfortunately for Tony, it seemed that the waiter appeared the moment that she had discerned anything, and she turned her attentions to him for the first time this evening.
"Yes, I think we're ready," responded Suri, glancing down at her menu once again. Her eyes darted from one entry to the other, and then they rested on the waiter, though it never seemed like she was quite looking at him, but rather through him, like he was some sort of input machine. "I'll have the...hmm, what's your opinion on the cedar salmon?"
The waiter prattled on something that sounded vaguely rehearsed, and Suri nodded like she was almost actually interested. Almost. With a nonchalant turn of a finger, she closed her menu and lay it on the table. "Very well, I'll go with the salmon. Green beans for the vegetable, garnish on the side, please."
She cast a flippant glance to Tony, then back to the waiter. "He'll have the ribs." Talk about your role reversal: emboldened by the last few rounds of cat and mouse, Suri couldn't help but succumb to temptation. She simply had to see where this game landed her.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:50 am
Tony looked at her, as if suddenly realizing that she was really, truly testing him. It wasn't a game, so much as a demonstration, with him being the presenter despite not knowing about it in advance. Or was he completely wrong and just over reacting to her placing his order for him? He wasn't sure, but he had to keep his eyes open now.
Just in case.
He at least managed to say how he wanted his ribs done and with what sides, then the waiter went off to get them the wine Tony had asked for in addition to the meal, thinking every good date had wine. He wouldn't drink much, of course, as he was driving and tended to be very law abiding when he wasn't... breaking the law.
But she didn't need to know about that.
Tony looked at her from his place across the table, picking up a daring conversation while they waited for their food. He leaned forward a bit, tilting his head to the side.
"Do you often order for your partners, or am I lucky?" he asked. It was a dual sided question, as he was interested in the first point in it, if she often ordered for her date and what that might mean, and the second point, which he found much more interesting, of how often she dated. He felt out of his depth a bit, of course, as he was lacking in experience in recent years.
The waiter wasn't too long with the wine, and Tony held the glasses as the young man poured, offering one to Suri and keeping his own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:50 pm
Suri had never had time for dating in college, except perhaps the late nights with her textbooks at the library. Everything had always been about the grade, the letter of recommendations, the term papers, the lab reports. She had a bookshelf in her bedroom full of notes and theories and reference materials, none of which had any use now, but they'd taken a lifetime to collect at the sacrifice of many of the social interactions she should have experienced as a college student.
Needless to say, she'd missed out on a lot of would-be suitors.
Would Tony have realized that, though? He'd seen her many a Saturday night at the library, but perhaps she didn't have to reveal how plain-jane her love life had been in the past few years...or, you know, ever. "Need the two statements be mutually exclusive?" asked the woman with an ambivalent tone, accepting the glass of wine with practiced poise. The edges of her lips curled upwards as she took a small sip, admiring the flavor for a moment, and then she returned the glass to the table again, searching his eyes.
"Though I'm wondering when we became partners," she added with a curious tilt to her head. From the smile on her face, she didn't seem all that disappointed by that turn of events.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:07 pm
Tony arched his eyebrow at her response, nodding his head slowly. He laughed, realizing that he would have to stay on his toes if he was going to walk away from this encounter with any Man Points left. And he was certainly going to try, damn it.
The librarian sputtered a bit when she asked about his word choice, though.
"Uhm. I meant. Uh. Date... partners. Uh. Well. I mean, I certainly didn't mean to imply anything like... hm. Well, uh," he saw her smile though, and couldn't help but relax and return it. He shrugged his shoulders and opted not to backtrack any more, rolling with it. "I think walking arm in arm sealed the title for the night. You can veto that if I do anything to make you not want to take it again by the time the night is over, of course."
He offered a small toast, as if to seal the deal.
While they were chattering and subtly teasing each other with this silent game, the cooks were getting their food prepared. service was surprisingly fast, though that didn't lose quality. Maybe it was because the place was not over large, and on top of that it wasn't particularly busy. So it wasn't like the cooks had anything else to focus on, besides each meal one at a time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:55 am
There it was: an awkward little cough, the way his eyes widened. It was Suri's assurance that she wasn't the only one feeling out of place in this arrangement, and that seemed to put her more at ease. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand and listened carefully to his response, then finally chuckled to herself. "A little thing like that, sealing the deal? I'd have thought in this day and age you'd have to sexually assault them in some way."
Nevertheless, she raised her glass and leaned over the table, lightly clinking hers to his with the same important air as a foreign dignitary, or perhaps a child pretending to be one. After all, even she had played such games as a little girl, before the dream had been all-consuming and tea sets were discarded for play space stations and freeze-dried snacks. Her self-confident expression faulted as she returned the wine to her lips, and quietly she sipped as a testament to her toast.
"I'm too serious," she said in a matter-of-fact tone, and as the phrase lingered on the air, it seemed she took a moment to process it, as if even she herself was hearing it for the first time. In the Negaverse, there was no room for levity, and as Lieutenant Zircon she had always prided herself on handling herself with the utmost professionalism and poise. But here, at a relaxing dinner with a man who appeased her game of cat and mouse, she couldn't help but feeling a little out of place for her gravity.
Then again, he would understand. Surely, he would understand. And she didn't want a fellow officer of the Negaverse to see her as weak, even if they were playing under civilian guises.
"That is to say...," she quickly amended, giving pause to frame her words. By all accounts she should have been projecting a strong, worthy lieutenant, with a penchant for obeying orders. And yet, looking into the eyes of someone who'd known her before she was corrupted...it's not the part she wanted to play tonight, Negaverse or otherwise. For once, she wanted to be Suri, not Zircon. And part of that meant being straight with this man.
"I don't even know what I'm doing," she finally admitted, looking away to avoid his gaze. She laughed, shaking her head incredulously. To not know something was an unfamiliar feeling to the woman, admitting it even more so. "The last time I even went to dinner with someone, it was senior prom, and the whole thing was practically scripted."
She didn't know why she was telling him this, but she felt like someone needed to know. She already tired of pretending that the statement wasn't true.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:26 am
"Well, I would not really consider assault the best method of getting someone to be your partner, would you? And anyway, there are lots of different ways for one to be considered a partner. You don't have to be... uh... sexual partners. I mean, you could, if that was the kind... not... wait. You know, every time I open my mouth I feel like I'm walking into a trap."
He grinned at her, meeting her glass with his and taking a modest sip of his drink before putting the glass down.
He imagined he could be serious when he wanted to, but most of the time his general state of being seemed to be 'awkward with a touch of sweetness'. It made him easy to walk all over, and no one feared him. Sometimes he wondered if anyone respected him, but he was sure, in the library at least, he had enough clout to at least garner the 'he might throw me out' respect from the patrons that considered him the boss of that land filled with books. He didn't believe her, though, when she said she was too serious. As far as he found her, she was charming and engaging, and he liked the straight forward air she had about her.
Not that he was growing to be bias in any way, and that was affecting his overall judgment.
Tony smiled at her, nodding his head.
"Believe me, I understand. When I think about it, I don't recall ever going on a date like this. I mean, going out for a nice dinner, relaxing here with someone I genuinely like and want to get to know. When I was younger, I wasn't the nicest guy, as far as women were concerned. When I grew up, I look back on the things I did, that kind of 'use them for one thing' attitude, and regret it. I guess I never thought I should be... uh... allowed near women again, until I understood myself and them a bit better. And could be... this all sounds very silly out loud, and I wish I had kept it in my head, but... I think I didn't date for so long because I didn't think I was worthy of being dated."
He frowned at how that sounded, shaking his head.
"Not in a 'I cut myself to feel alive' kind of way. I mean, as a man. Until I was sure I wasn't the guy I used to be any more, and I could offer what a date would deserve. Admittedly, I am still worried I'm falling short. In any case, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I find you lovely, and I'm enjoying the time we spend together."
He blushed slightly, smiling at her.
"If you don't mind me saying so."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:19 pm
Suri listened, somewhat confused, as Tony made his admission. She'd been told bits and pieces about his younger days, of course, but she couldn't imagine a Tony that wasn't handsomely dressed and gentleman-like, the candle-light dancing across his face and highlighting the angles of his features. She couldn't imagine a Tony that was rough and tumble or rude to women, but mostly she couldn't imagine a Tony that didn't think himself worthy of being dated. What sort of silly idea was that?
Perhaps it was the compliments winning her over, or perhaps it was the spark of genuine concern, but for whatever reason Suri reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his in a guarding fashion, looking him straight in the eye. "You're perfectly worthy of being dated," she asserted with a nod, "And I am having a wonderful time." Her tone seemed to imply an added, 'There's no reason for you to have these silly fancies, they're all wrong,' but to say such a thing out loud was not something you told someone out loud until at least the fifth date, Suri was sure.
She pulled away to allow the waiter to place their food on the table, taking the opportunity to readjust her hair clip, smiling at Tony all the way. "Why would I mind you telling the truth?" she asked with a quirked brow, pulling a piece of her salmon away with her fork and taking the first bite. She took a moment to pause, then nodded in satisfaction. "This is actually really good. You should try some," she suggested plainly, taking a small piece on her fork and extending it across the table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:12 am
Tony smiled, feeling silly and relieved at the same time. He nodded his head as she spoke, finding that, for the first time, the doubt in his head didn't fight for dominance over the reassurance she was offering. He believed her, maybe because he wanted to, maybe because he needed to. She had captured his attention, and he wanted to be worthy for her, specifically, not just any girl. If she told him he was, who was he to disbelieve? It was exactly what he wanted, what he was hoping for.
He was glad, then, to be told he was wrong.
"Well, if you think so, I'm certainly not going to argue," he chuckled, his attention drawn as the waiter came over to give them their food. He nodded and sat back a bit for his plate, looking at the food with a slightly eager smirk. He couldn't help it, really. It was rare that he got to eat any better than the microwave meals that Nathan liked so much, or pit stops at the library vending machine or nearby diner.
And mostly alone, to boot.
"I thought it would be good," he chuckled, then moved on instinct, with a slight blush, to lean forward and take the bite she was offering him. The food was good, perfectly prepared and seasoned, but Tony wasn't in the presence of mind to notice, watching her from over the fork for a moment, before reluctantly moving back into his seat, further away from her. He found he didn't like it. The distance, that was.
"Would you like to try some of mine?" he asked, opting to return the favor if only to cheat and draw her closer to him again. He took a small portion of the ribs, offering it to her in the same manner she had offered hers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:46 pm
Suri lightly curled the fork back towards her once he'd taken the offering, watching his pause with a curious stare that lingered as he retreated. There was something intoxicating about eye contact, and also somewhat terrifying, and yet the more she felt the need to look away the more she fought to hold his gaze. She felt like there had been some sort of opening, some reason for pause when he leaned across the table towards her, but in her moment of analysis she lost her chance, and ultimately decided that her mind was playing tricks on her.
She continued with her dinner silently, only looking up at the mention of trying some of his plate. Ribs had never been Suri's favorite, but they reminded her of home and summer barbeques, and so she nodded once and sipped her wine to clean her palate, leaning over the table and gingerly taking the piece from his fork.
The ribs were good, to be sure, but Suri found herself more interested in a closer glance at her date. A sense of urgency fluttered in her gut, like there was some hidden opportunity that she couldn't afford to miss. Instead of returning to her seat, she lingered at the halfway point between their two plates, as if she was waiting for something.
"They used a good marinade," she added after a moment, absentmindedly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:03 pm
Anthony Darrow was finding himself increasingly in over his head, and savoring every moment of it. It felt so fresh and honest, wholly new, which he was aware was rather sad for a man his age. But he couldn't blame who he had become, just who he had been. Now things were different, and he found someone he wanted to take a risk with.
He smiled dotingly as she accepted his offered sampling of ribs, half thinking he had seen her wince.
Or maybe he was seeing something else, and not reading it correctly.
When she remained close to him, even as he was thinking again how much he liked to be near her. In fact, he was contemplating another silly excuse to lean over the table, but it seemed she beat him to it by cutting out the middle man and just remaining where she was. He looked at her, bringing his arm back and lowering her fork to the plate.
He was getting lost in her eyes, and didn't even notice as his body moved forward of its own will, bringing him closer than he had been while they were offering each other food. He smiled softly, but his eyes were doing most of the expression work as he gazed at her. He took in everything about her, and noticed a stray hair falling near her eyes. Without an impulse check, his hand moved to gently brush it back behind her ear, his fingers tracing over her skin.
"Hm, yeah," he managed. He didn't know what they were talking about. Marinade? Oh, yes, the food. He couldn't bear it, every muscle in his body coiling so tightly he thought he might explode. "I-if you don't mind, I was... thinking... I might kiss you now..." he said softly, because of course he had to ask permission first. He did lean closer to his goal, his lips all but brushing hers as her scent overwhelmed his senses, and he found all he could breathe was her. He couldn't remember taking a better breath in his life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:37 pm
Something in her was frightened by his sudden approach, and in a moment of hesitation she nearly drew away from his approach. She knew there was something she had to give of herself, to sacrifice in order for this moment to proceed. Maybe it was her unrealistic pride, or the idea that she had to devote herself one-hundred percent to her ideals, but as he drew near something in her heart snagged, and fear flickered in her eyes as she looked into his, seeking reassurance or even hesitation in his.
It was a strange feeling, to be afraid of such little contact when she'd fought magical warriors that had left her broken and bleeding, inches from life, when she dealt with monsters and soldiers that had killed for the sake of a long-forgotten kingdom. There were so many things in Suri's world that she had a right to be afraid of, but these were things that she had always accepted as a part of the Negaverse, and as such a part of herself. After all, a crusader never feared his own sword.
No, the real danger came from those emerald-green eyes, staring straight through her boundaries and into her soul.
When he brushed her hair away, she visibly winced, seeming so much more fragile than any soldier of Earth ought to be. And yet she didn't pull away--she dared not pull away--for the equally disquieting fear of seeming weak. She found herself caught in limbo between the confident, flirtatious self she'd been projecting only moments ago and the cautious, reserved self she'd given to the rest of the world, who beckoned for her to return to her chair and continue the conversation politely, where she was safe and emotionally detached as she'd always been.
There was safety to oneself, and only destruction where she was headed.
No, she thought to herself, and in making her choice she pushed out any other doubt in her mind, leaving nothing of her caution with one rebellious sweep of her mind. And in that moment, the quiver to her eyes subsided, and she exhaled softly, somehow relieved. She would have spoken, but it seemed to ruin the suspended moment, so instead she responded by closing the rest of the distance herself, planting her lips softly, chastely on his. It was the sort of kiss given between hushed tones at the far end of a playground, a kiss that had never known the heat of of a summer night in the rain, and just when she realized what she'd done, she pulled away, searching his eyes for answers.
"I wouldn't have given you the opportunity if I'd minded," she said softly, almost breathlessly. Still, she didn't move away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:55 pm
Tony watched her carefully. He did not want to upset her in anyway, or push her beyond any wall he might not know was there. Or rather right into it. He was caring, cautious, and understanding, even as he was awkward, socially inept and out of his safety zone. He wasn't thinking about himself, letting his impulses take care of that, while his active mind focused on her.
Her eyes were beautiful, but he was meant to be reading them. He saw something, hesitation or fear, as she looked at him and he smiled with the reassurance he didn't consciously realize she needed. He would rather be dragged from the restaurant by every monster and bad guy the city had to offer than do one slight thing to hurt the woman sitting across from him. He wanted her to feel safe with him because, he promised himself and her in a silent gaze, she was.
There was a fraction of a second where he thought time had frozen, and they were trapped in a perpetual state of not knowing what was coming next. Neither taking the risk, though he had asked for permission to do it, his hesitance fueled by what his subconscious recognized as her own in Suri's eyes.
And then it was all alleviated as her lips met his. He closed his eyes and pushed himself slightly forward, to meet and deepen the kiss so she didn't feel like she was the only one in it. It wasn't meant to spoil the quiet, soft essence of the kiss itself, and when she pulled back he breathed a well contented sigh of relief. He smiled at her warmly, his green eyes filled with depth and intelligence, patience and, at least now, confidence.
"I appreciate the opportunity, then," he said softly, if only because she was speaking in a similar tone and he didn't want to cause the moment crack. He leaned forward to kiss her again, this time wanting to be the one to start it, if only to fulfill the permission he had asked for, like some point of pride. He wasn't a man to go back on his word, after all.
Everything felt like he had never known it to before. Being there on that date, slowly getting to know someone, going through bumpy moments and reaching sweet triumphs, and whatever the future held: everything seemed like it was falling into place. It was simply a place he had never imagined, never felt, and was scared and thrilled to discover more of. Tony had never let himself feel this way before, or had never had the chance, the reason, the desire. But now he had all those things, and they were all one and the same. Her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:52 pm
Something seemed to have fled from Suri's lips the moment she touched his, fleeting and electrifying, and in the moments after he spoke she stood perfectly still and breathless, her gaze wide-eyed and bewildered. Had she been any less enraptured by the moment she would likely be trembling, as tremulous and fluttering as her heart felt. If not for her soft exhalations, she might have been a statue, cold and marble in the flickering candlelight. Nevertheless, the hand against her cheek was warm and stable, steady against the tides of emotions that threatened to sweep her away.
Part of her stiffness was that she didn't want to break the moment, to pull away at an inopportune moment and ruin the strange, sudden high she was feeling. However, something in the soft clinks of plates and distant chatter wiped the glaze from her eyes and brought her back to reality with a sudden start, and politely she set his hand on the table and leaned back in her seat, placing her hand on the place where his had been only moments before and looking away, blushing. She seemed to think a thousand thoughts in one long turned-away glance, and then she looked down to her meal and took another bite with a stiff formality. She found that it seemed so much colder than before.
"I--I'm sorry," she said all at once, her fork clattering as she set it down again. "I don't know what just came over me, I'm usually never like this." Blushing, she looked away again, refusing to meet his gaze.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 8:34 pm
Tony was in a bit of a daze as Suri pulled away, not noticing the plates or glasses or silverware just yet. He hummed thoughtfully, taking a moment before he sat back as well and his dopey, kiss induced haze was lifted slowly.
He smiled at her.
He didn't notice her inner conflict, at least not right away. He thought she was fine, just distracted by how wonderful that little moment had been as he was. He looked down at his food and frowned at it, noticing that it had an indentation in it that was suspiciously elbow shaped.
"Oh."
He looked at his elbow and sighed, at least relieved to find that it had been his own, and not some random passer-by with the impulse to stick his arm in other people's food. Not that he thought that was likely, but one could never be too sure.
"Like what?" he asked, smiling at her dotingly as he wiped at his jacket with his napkin. "I don't think you have anything to apologize for. I found that to be very nice..."
He tilted his head as she looked away from him, concern settling in.
"Are you alright? I'm sorry if I upset you..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:48 am
"No."
Suri took a moment to breathe, and then with a couple of light brushes at her cheeks she forced the blush away and attended to Tony's poor jacket, dabbing at it with her own napkin. "You have nothing to apologize for," she said, tilting her head to get the last little piece of sauce he seemed to have missed. There was still a bit of staining, of course, but it didn't seem to be anything a good wash couldn't get rid of, and so with a resigned nod, she returned to her seat, this time determined to keep her eyes on him. The meek part of Suri Ellis was no longer permitted at this dinner: from now on, it was all confidence. It was nothing less than he should expect, after all.
"Unless, of course, you feel the need to apologize for being a gentleman on every account, genuinely sweet, or the first person to take me out for a good time since I was in college." She flipped up a smile, and it was back to the game, her intentions hidden behind amber eyes that sparkled in the low candle light. "If that's the case, then I suppose you have a lot to be sorry for."
At some point the waiter slid the check between their plates, but if Suri noticed she failed to show it. Her eyes were on Tony, and the ball was in his court. Your move.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
