Welcome to Gaia! ::

David had just gotten home from his shift at the clinic when Namini approached him. She kept a finger to her lips, her cerulean eyes flickering over to a hidden silhouette on the couch. David nodded in understanding, though he would have kept quiet just the same, with or without her suggestion. It had been days since Prajna had left its spot on the couch and it had also been way too long since noise resided within the Nao household. The television was rarely turned on. The computer speakers were kept on low. Namini's shower belting had turned into soft hums that could barely be heard over the water. Everything was so..gloomy. As the man let out a small sigh, heading towards his room, his path was suddenly cut off as his sister tip-toed in front of him. David raised a brow. Namini forced a smile and pointed to the door. She pointed to herself and then at her brother, then at the door. The Nao's exited quietly.

"What's up?" David asked, genuine curiosity dripping in his voice. Had Prajna finally shown signs of improvement? Had the Lab finally been contacted? Namini's sapphire eyes turned to her brother's and then turned back to her bare toes.

"David, I need you to go somewhere for me."

"Are we out of groceries?"

The teen shook her chocolate colored curls side to side and then held out a small piece of paper. David took the carefully folded note with a suspicious glimmer in his eyes, "What is--"

"Please," came his sister's soft pleading voice, before she turned back into the house. There was a soft -click- and David was locked out. The older Nao looked at the piece of paper and then started heading towards his car, wondering what kind of desperate trip his sister was sending him on now.

Within about a half hour, David found himself outside a small coffee shop. He looked at the paper again. Yes, this was the right address.. He entered the warm-smelling building and glanced around, immediately ignoring the welcoming cashier. What was he supposed to be looking for? Coffee beans? Pastries?

His heart stopped.

Ebony.

David's heart beat returned when it saw Ebony gesture a hand in his direction but his blood ran thick, slow. Cold. Namini had set this up? No. His sister, no matter how loving, no matter how worried she was, knew better than to directly interfere with his affairs. Especially when they involved other woman. He walked over to the awaiting Brit. And the way Ebony looked, so sharp and foreign. As he took the seat across from his companion, David was suddenly hit with an air of brisk defensiveness, a sensation he did not particularly enjoy. This feeling of foreshadowed rejection forced the man to pull up his own wall. As his sapphire eyes seemed to dig into Ebony's elegant features within the first few silent moments, prying for some kind of answer to why he was called out here, his question was suddenly answered, "How's Prajna?"

This was some kind of guilt trip?

David's temper began to boil, his heart began to pump harder, but his blood continued to run cold. The man scanned Ebony's distant features and closed-off body language. She was still..very pretty, though why one would expect any kind of major physical change since their last encounter just weeks prior made no sense. The older Nao let out a heavy sigh, trying to clear his head, bouncing feelings and logic around like a children's toy. The time ticked by slowly and David suddenly realized he hadn't answered.

"Hm. How do you think Prajna's holding up?"

The words came out with more bite than David intended, but a small part of him was temporarily satisfied. Was he looking to hurt her? No. But what did he want from her?...

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she was infected at the time."

David's face softened at the bitter, unfamiliar tone Ebony's usually strong voice had taken on. Under the table, the open palms that had been warming his kneecaps coiled up into fists of restraint. Ebony's features had flickered in the same tortured way Namini's were permanently set in now and David thought he felt bile rise up his tightening throat. His heart felt like someone's fingers with intertwining with the arteries and ventricles, applying pressure and then releasing it again and again, as if trying to see just how much will he had to live. Wow, he was being such a jerk. The dark haired man released another extended breathe as he re shifted his weight, still attempting to hold his composure but also trying to seem a little less stiff and evaluating. He placed his elbows on the small table top separating them and threw his sharp eyes to the table's design.

Her comment rang through his ears, refusing him peace. Now it was time to understand what she had just said..Infected? ..Wait. SHE? Not 'it'?

"Infected?" David growled. He choked, taking a step back. He needed to be more in control. He needed to calm down. He closed his eyes, his face becoming smooth, unreadable, almost at peace, as he tried again, his velvety voice returning, "Cordelia, your Frei, was infected? And she came in contact with Prajna, or rather, Prajna made contact with her.."

His expression changed a bit, as if in pain but then returned to its flawless state as he spoke more slowly, "That. Would explain...a lot. Prajna's not been in the best of health. It seems to be out of control, of how it feels, how its powers work, everything."

David tried to concentrate on what Ebony was saying but it was becoming harder and harder,as he quickly realized..this was no one's fault. It was so much harder to accept things when there was really no one to blame. David tried to push whatever anger had built up in him to the back of his mind as he tentatively stretched out a hand and cupped Ebony's cheek with it, raising her head so that their gazes could meet. Her eyes. He cracked a bittersweet smile. They looked just as weary as his, how unfortunate.

"Don't worry then. If the Doctor knows about this situation, then things will clear up," he purred, trying his best to sound reassuring. He needed Namini to teach him how to do that, to give off that warm aura of hers. David's thumb gently caressed Ebony's soft cheek and he felt his blood regain some warmth, if just a minuscule amount. She was still so very pretty, even if her eyes looked so sad. Soon though, the older Nao removed his hand.

"So, is that why you called me out here? To tell me about this...'virus'?" he questioned calmly, his hands back into fists on his knees. He had to focus on the topic at hand. He had to remain strong, if not for him, but for Ebony too.

David resisted an agitated frown as Ebony addressed him suddenly, with a bite to her voice. As if this was all his fault! But he shook his head lightly, as if to physically brush aside the idea of a blame game; He knew there was no one to call out. His eyes returned to her hardening features, wondering what had caused this unforeseen change in her body language. The violet haired woman turned her face, preventing his eyes to read more than they should, but that act in itself said enough: She was hurting. And somehow it was David's fault. The man felt whatever ice left in his veins melt away instantly, causing him to hold back a shudder. Ebony was..upset. And David felt his composure slipping. So many things raced through his head: questions, explanations, feelings!

But was now really the time? the place? Was there really a right decision for David to act upon?! The man felt torn between rage and confusion, heartbreak and pride, seeing Ebony so sad and ..and knowing exactly how to fix it, how to help her, in his own way at least but was it really worth the risk? If he helped her now, who could say how long that relief would last? If he gave her wanted she wanted (or what he thought she wanted), if he gave her everything to bring her back to happiness now, just how long would it stay with her? David knew his time was running out.

And he uncovered his eyes (during his thoughts, he had unknowingly guarded them behind his shaking fingers) and took one last look into Ebony's face, looking for any sign of hope or sass. When he found none, he removed his hands from his face and laid them flat on the table's cold surface. His tired features came back and in a pained manner, now it was time for David to turn and hide his face. Suddenly, he stood up and glowered down at the woman, a deep frown on his face.

"Get up Ebony," he seemed to growl, though his voice wavered uncertainly in the middle of his demand.

A playful but irritated smirk cracked through David's serious features. So NOW she decided to go back to her normal self, how fitting of Ebony Shade. David watched as the woman childishly crossed her arms and legs, openly rejecting him. Fine, if she wanted to be like that, two could play at that game. The small grin dropped from the man's face. In one quick motion, David kicked the small table aside, roughly enough to produce a loud, eerie squeal as the legs dragged across the floor but not hard enough to force the table to topple over. This left Ebony exposed and though she was on the defensive, nothing could stop what David was about to do. The staff looked fearful for a minute, but David ignored the girls' pathetic expressions. This was his business and he would see to it that it was finished, with or without consequences.

"Fine, if you're going to be that way, Ebony.." he hissed darkly, and just as swiftly as David had kicked the table away, the man suddenly dipped low and pulled the closed off woman straight up out of her chair. And into his arms. One might say the embrace was incredibly awkward as Ebony's arms remained crossed over her chest and her elbows were like dull knives poking into David's chest. One might say the pressure applied was too much. But David felt immediately satisfied at the contact, the very thing he had wanted since he walked through the door. He laughed a bit as he continued to hug the violet-haired feline, "So. Let's talk."

"Well, you made it seem like you wanted to keeping talking. So? Talk. You wouldn't get up like I asked you though, so we're going to do what you want, talk, but my way, like this," and David gave Ebony a small squeeze, as if to remind her of the position they were in. His eyes flickered about their audience and his smirk widened. His decision was final: He would make sure Ebony was happy, for the time being, since that was also what made him happy and, until Fate decided to test them, he'd stay like this. If there were consequences to being happy, he'd take them. Ebony was a tough girl. Even someone like her, though, deserved to let loose every now and then, lean on someone else every now and then. David let another chuckle ripple through their intertwined bodies again as he noted Ebony's shock and embarrassment then.

"Where's the fight you had just a minute ago? Hm? Drink some coffee that was just a little too hot for you, Ebony?" He relaxed a little and gave the woman some space, smiling brilliantly now. In the next blink, David brushed his lips against hers and let out another wholesome laugh. Who knew being with a woman you WANTED to be with could bring such joy! He waited to let it all sink in.