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"Did you know? Ms. Ebony's getting a Raevan soon too. Prajna will be getting another new friend soon," Namini squealed in the passenger seat as David slowed at a red light. His eyebrows raised slightly, slowly as he took in his words. Prajna watched the man's expression change in the rear view mirror and snorted. Mention a woman and his interest is always secured. How predictable and boring, the Frei thought, returning its attention back out the window.

"Oh yeah? How soon?" he asked casually, continuing the drive. Namini shrugged and David sighed. But within the next moment a smirk fluttered onto his features. "..Did you get her number, Mini?" Namini turned slowly to her brother, wondering why the sudden curiousity..
- - - - - -

Riiiinnnngggg. . . . Rinnnnnngggggg.

David tapped his fingers against the tabletop lightly but impatiently. The woman had to be home by now. This was the third time he'd called. Where was she now? Out on some adventure again? David's one free hand flexed into a tight fist as he recalled their last encounter. ..Things. They had to be different this time around.

David listened intently as a familiar voice echoed a maternal tone of voice to someone new and unknown. Cordelia? He made sure to remember that name for future reference. Perhaps it was the name of her newborn? Instinctively, David's dark eyes flickered over to Prajna's silhouette on the couch before glancing back to his unmoving fingers, having stopped the nervous tapping the minute the receiver had clicked on. He let the Brit finish her scolding, starting off his reply with a soft chuckle, "Go easy on her, sweet cheeks, but then again, maybe getting burned from playing with fire will teach her. What's up Ebony?"

David's voice seemed to sing playfully, confidently over the phone, though the silent clenching and unclenching of his hand now would quickly reveal his anxiety. It was just a date, just a date, and yet sickeningly romantic daydream-like images fuzzed in and out of the man's vision, like some kind of messed up television channel or weak radio frequency. One second, an image of the violet haired woman's cute mannerism of nose crinkling would flash forth before, the next second, being replaced with a desolate look of parting on her face. David flexed his hand painfully.

He hated being uncertain.

David's immediate response was a wholehearted laugh, one that came across almost smug and one that made Prajna cringe with a mixture of curiosity and irritation. He was also so noisy when he picked up the "teelafoon." Another female the Frei assumed, rolling its eyes. That's when it heard a tone of voice a woman never got with the Chinese man: she was screaming at him. Prajna turned its head ever so slightly, its left eye fixated on the small red cell phone, a smirk pulling at its lips. Finally? Was David finally conversing with a woman who hated him as much as Prajna did? Somewhere in the back of the flame's mind Namini's voice said something about rudeness and eavesdropping but the genderless Frei pushed the thoughts away. It could not be bothered when someone who equally disliked the man could be met.

"Mmhm, whatever you say..sweet cheeks," David purred teasingly, but quickly moved along. His racing heartbeat seemed to quicken his speech and he tried his best to keep the rushed sound of his voice under control...but was failing ever so slightly. As she screamed something about a debt, David shrugged and continued, ignoring her comment. "Hey.. Ebony. Got any plans tonight?-Well, cancel them. I.."

David seemed to choke and made quite the face. This was NOT like him, not in the least. What happened to all of his poise, his charm?! What had a year's worth of experience as a host gotten him? Was he back in high school?! David dragged a hand across his face, ashamed of himself, as he contemplated a way to save the conversation. That's when it clicked. Beginning slowly but confidently, David tried a new approach. His voice smooth as silk, the man cooed into the phone, "Ebony, you want to pay off the debt right? You said you'd do anything. Would you be willing to make it up to me tonight?"

He paused, allowing a soft grin to pull at his features, before finishing with, "And don't worry. It's nothing lewd, I promised, right?"

Prajna watched the variety in David's features in deep thought. ...What..was going on here?

David couldn't help but produce a soft sigh of relief as Ebony's hate-dripping question reached his ears. At least this meant she wasn't opposed to some kind of consideration involving meeting up with him. The Asian man leaned into his laptop's screen and scrolled up and down the page again, double checking his information before explaining it to his acquaintance. He had to present this in just the right light, otherwise Ebony would either 1. figure out his true intentions or 2. turn him down without a second thought. The charm. It was time to turn the host's charm back on. Prajna read David's face and immediately knew what was up: Whenever this fool was out of tricks, his back to the wall, it was always back to this expression, this stupid smug look of definite victory. The flame returned to the television, knowing what would happen next. All it needed to figure out was if it was directly involved or not. Cartoons.

"There's this event going on downtown I wanted to attend. Tonight. Semi-formal shindig. You can dress to the nines can't you? You have before," David teased, remembering the flattering outfit Ebony had worn only once before, though as a disguise. "I need a date and all my other lady friends are a little tied up you see. You know, boyfriends and husbands and whatnot. You won't have to do anything really. Just come with me, or meet me there, look pretty, pretend you're having a good time and last the night. After that.."

David paused, partially for dramatic effect and partially out of the fact that he wasn't sure if, by that time, he was going to want the night to end. He bit his lip but continued just as smoothly, "After that, you're a free woman Ebony Shade. So, what do you say?... You can bring your newborn along too if you don't trust me."

He broke out into a grin and Prajna irritably turned the channel to the Animal Planet, just in time to witness a zebra being slaughtered by a lioness pack. Oh yes. It was involved. Directly.

David's heart raced at her acceptance, fighting back the urge to let out a long, obnoxious sigh of relief and victory. Instead, he punched the air enthusiastically and stood up, stretching, scrolling up and down the website one final time.

"It'll start at seven, in the Durem plaza by the clock tower. I'll be the debonair gentleman in blue and my company will be the red half-torso beside me. We shouldn't be too hard to spot out right, baby cakes? You, on the other hand...Will you be a smoking hot blonde this time around or will I get to see your pretty violet locks again?" David teased, closing the window and turning towards a sulking Prajna. The Frei shot him a dangerous look but David strolled past the flame towards his own room. He laughed softly, "And Ebony. Seriously? Dress nicely but not too over the top. Something you can move in. I'll see you at seven."

And with that, the man closed his phone.

"Mini! Yo!" David tapped on his sister's door. The brunette opened it curiously, a grin on her face and headphones around her neck. "Hm?"

"Prajna and I are going out to--"
"NAMINI. PRAJNA SAYS NO." a voice called from the living room, forcing David to cringe. The curly haired teen shot her brother a disapproving look as he shrugged.

"David, you make an exchange with Prajna. This is between you guys" the teen whined softly, closing her door in her brother's face. David sighed and turned to face Prajna.

The staring contest began.

“Ten more,” Prajna stated in its androgynously melodic voice, these two words frozen over with a sense of smugness.

“YEAH. Good job, Prajna. Ten comes after eleven. Just like eleven comes after twelve,” the Chinese man shot back, his words oozing sarcasm. “Could you please stop counting down the time? We’re here already, see? God.”

In just that moment, David pulled his vehicle into the small and horridly cramped parking lot behind the clock tower. They were only ten minutes early but the anxious man still hadn’t thought parking was going to be this discomforting. Upon exiting the vehicle, the Nao’s cursed simultaneously under their breath before glaring each other down.

“Now…Be good. This is important to me, Prajna. Please.”

The flame let out a soft snort of annoyance but followed David’s hesitant lead nonetheless, “Only good if David keeps side of promise. David told Prajna—”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember,” David murmured, cringing at the deal he had made with his Frei as his dark sapphire eyes scanned the crowd. Knowing Ebony, she was probably here already and prepared to give him an ear-full for his tardiness. The man couldn’t resist sighing a little. So feisty. Sometimes he wondered if the breathless feeling he got around her was really worth it. Though David’s distractive nature was obvious, the inverted flame did not stop its reminding, its own personal goal at hand seeming significantly more pressing than dealing with the current situation.

“Not stay long also. Prajna wants to be back and teelafoon Varun right back! David promise Prajna—” The Frei tensed instinctively, stopping abruptly mid-float towards the clock tower. Its glacier blues locked on to an interesting silhouette in the distance: another half-torso.

Prajna pursed its lips together tightly, its mind suddenly concentrating too hard on the somewhat familiar foreigner to be sidetracked by the recognition that it had reacted, again, simultaneously with David. There was a hesitation before both inhaled sharply: David, trying to catch his breath as he decided that Yes, whatever nonsense Ebony was going to throw at him for his tardiness, whatever fight she decided to put up with tonight, it’d all be worth it, while Prajna began its analysis of the other newborn. While its guardian’s mind raced with compliment after compliment, mentally preparing himself for the reunion ahead, Prajna immediately wondered aloud, its eyes still fixated on the dark haired stranger,

“ What is that ugly thing it wears?”

David choked alive and turned to frown at his accomplice, “BE. Good. Otherwise the deal’s off and I’ll make sure you never see Kinsey’s Raevan again.”

Prajna winced, re-acknowledging its mission and then followed David quietly once again, its jaw locked in irritation. Soon, the gap between the two parties was closed. David beamed at the—

Prajna’s eyes flickered over to the violet haired woman’s face and gasped, “LADY WITH THE PURPLE. This is YOUR Prajna?!”

David closed his eyes and counted to ten slowly. How could he forget that Prajna had met Ebony already? The Asian forced a soft chuckle and took liberty in answering his own charge’s question, though only with a nod before continuing with his charm, “Hey Ebony, don’t you look…breathtaking?”

Prajna’s wide eyes now shifted quickly to and fro, from Ebony’s face to her newborn’s. They had similar eyes, which created a wave of relate-ability to course through the flame’s partially formed torso, but the star was weary: If this female Frei proved to have any kind of similarity with the last female Frei..Lulu..then there would be trouble. And Prajna would be saddened to have to lose Varun as its prize, but when it came to Prajna’s tolerance, there was little flexibility available.

With the way Ebony breathed his name, casually but notably, David resisted the sudden chill that ran up his spine. It was like a small electrical current, just racing up his back, through his overworked heart, to every anxious fingertip and toe within a matter of seconds, or split-seconds. The sensation made the Asian suddenly crave feeling the violet haired beauty locked in his powerful hold, though David also wondered if this idea sought inspiration from his hormones, despite how carefully he made sure to keep them in check. He would have to discover by the end of the night, but for now, David strategically transferred all of the built up adrenaline into a gracious grin.

"Cordelia is such a lovely name. It's our pleasure," the host purred, though Prajna remained more wary. Yes, it wasn't a terrible name, the Star would agree, but it was not the best. It was very sweet sounding, almost too feminine for Prajna's tastes, but again, it was nothing as horrendous sounding as "LULU." The flame cringed at that memory, distracted for only a short second, when it felt cold lips pressing themselves against its equally cold cheek. What was this?

"My apologizes now for any frustration. She doesn't speak, or at least she hasn't yet. But she does try to clearly communicate with gestures and touching."

Somewhat in the back of Prajna's mind, David chuckled and murmured something like "That's cute." but the flame's icy blues remained wide and dangerous. The Basilisk had removed herself from the genderless Frei with a shy smile and Prajna's heart sunk lower. It took several moments for Prajna to recompose itself.

"Wh...Who are you to Prajna?" came the eventual response, dripping in dark offense. This..GIRL thought she could just up and kiss PRAJNA!? With a name like "Cordelia" and adorned with nothing like Varun's flowing crimson hair, Xiu's matching blue eyes, or Rivener's beautiful jewelry, this girl, Prajna decided, had a lot, a LOT of nerve.