Always Waiting for the Night [m]

[Draconian]

Part of her had been expecting it.

The other part of her jumped and she whipped around, eyes wide because people didn't just appear out of no where. Still, there he was and she looked at his open arms for a moment before going close, against her better judgement, and wrapping her arms around his torso. Perhaps he craved touch, and who was she to deny him something as innocent as a hug?

With her head resting on his shoulder she leaned back and smiled at him, " I almost forgot," she said quietly, "Do you always...?" She motioned to the stars and then him, not sure how to describe simply appearing.

[DaGlobster]

Varian accepted her into the hug, wrapping his arms around her. He let her speak, basking silently in her affection until it was his turn to open his mouth.

"My magic allows me to slip into many places without being seen or noticed."

He continued to hold her silently for a few more seconds before he let her go.

"Have you anywhere to sit and talk in your room?"

[Draconian]

Gardenia looked past him into her room, looking between the one chair in the corner beside the bookshelf and the larger bed opposite that. She supposed they could sit on that. "Just the bed. I don't usually have guests in my room, so... Not many places to sit."  Gently she took his hand  and guided him to her bed before letting him go and moving to sit on it.

Hands on her knees, legs tucked underneath her she smiled at Varian. "Shall we get started?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian sat down next to Gardenia, nothing but friendliness on his face. He scooted a bit closer, wanting to see how much he could pierce those intimate barriers.

"Yes, we should."

Varian covered one of Gardenia's hands with both of his. He looked at her rather tenderly.

"Tell me as much as you can about your family history."

[Draconian]

Gardenia watched him as he moved closer and while her instant reaction was to lean away she resisted and stayed where she was, blinking at him. Perhaps being so starved of affection had made him a little more insistent on being close to someone else. His hand on hers had her looking down and she turned her hand around so they were palm to palm.

Instantly she frowned and then looked down at herself, her family history?

"Uhm... My mother is the daughter of an Adelan merchant family." Which would only partly explain why she was so much more dark than Sereniens. Of course she knew the real story. He already knew she was a werewolf and it was one of those unspoken secrets everyone knew about, "The man who got her pregnant was not my father, it was a man she'd brought here from Adela. He was Duhjari. I don't know anything about him and I've never cared to ask and I don't mean to."

She leaned in smiling slightly, "Trying to see if this curse of mine was passed down from someone? Or are you just curious about why I look nothing like my father."

[DaGlobster]

"Duhjari... That's interesting..."

Varian felt Gardenia's hands, felt her palms. For a brief moment he wondered what it would be like if she could do the same to him? He didn't want her to see his hands...

"The Duhjari have a strong connection to the primal magics. Their traditions are not too far away from my practices. It's feasible some kind of blood taint came from that side of the family. Something that resurfaced in you."

[Draconian]

Gardenia frowned, her free hand clenching her nightgown. Angry at her mother and the man she'd been with. If her mother had just been faithful. If that woman hadn't done something so selfish then none of this... Gardenia went quiet and seethed. If this man was right, if it was that part of her that was at fault.

"I have even less of an interest in learning about him now." She gave a cold stare to Varian, her shoulders straightened, "What else is there you wish to know so that you can fix me?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian tightened his hand on Gardenia's, reassuring her with the sensation. His face grew somber and sympathetic, eyes softening up.

"Well, are there any more instances of lycanthropy in the family? Any aunts, uncles, or cousins?"

[Draconian]

Slowly she looked down at their hands and then tilted her head to look better at his face. Slowly she sighed, her shoulders dropped, "No. My mother is dead and I don't know where he was from."

Frowning, knowing she'd walked into this she gently removed her hand from Varian's and moved to lay down on her bed, her back to him.  She'd never noticed how much it bothered her to talk about that, probably because no one ever mentioned it. "Is there anything else?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian looked down at Gardenia, taking some odd pleasure in the fact that she was viewing him upside down. Given the geometrically non-euclidean nature of his ancestry, it brought a small degree of warmth to his heart.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, we don't have to, Gardenia. We can always just... Talk."

[Draconian]

Gardenia rolled over to face him, her knees tucked up with her hands pressed between them. Giving him an odd look she pursed her lips. "Talk about what?" Her tone brightened, pleased with the idea that they wouldn't be talking about her less than noble ancestry. "How old are you?"

[DaGlobster]

"How old?"

Varian chuckled a bit, and turned to face her a bit more.

"It's hardly an impressive number. I'm twenty-five."

[Draconian]

Gardenia relaxed, tucking her hands behind her head. That was it? "Oh. You seem... Older."  Gardenia smiled and wiggled closer to examine him. "Not that you look old. You just seem... Wise." Gardenia bit her lip and looked away. "Twenty-five is a good age. I suppose I'll be married and have children by that age. Do you? Have a wife and children?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian sat still so Gardenia could get as close as she desired. He placed his hand on her elbow, although it wasn't the kind of motion that told her to back off. It was an idle touch, perhaps even an invitation to come closer still.

At her question, Varian shook his head.

"No, I..."

He looked away for a few moments, before looking back at her.

"I'm a monster, Gardenia. There's a reason why even when inside, I wear all this clothing. But you've been the only one who's understood me, so far..."

He placed a hand on Gardenia's cheek.

"The only one who's ever really talked to me."

[Draconian]

With his hand on her cheek her face went hot and she stared at him. Gently she placed her hand over his and smiled kindly, still blushing. This was... Untraveled territory for her. A man in her room for one and now he was cupping her cheek. Audibly she swallowed and looked him up and down, what was he hiding under the clothing? Bestial fur? "Well, you met me when I was a monster." She gave his hand a pat and smiled brightly in an attempt to lighten the mood, "I can only show you the same courte--- shhhh"

Gardenia lifted her head and looked over at the door. Footsteps in the hallway. Gardenia threw back her covers, grabbed Varians hands and tugged him towards her before pushing him flat on his back and throwing the blanket over both of them.

"My lady?" It was a maids voice, Gardenia popped her head out from under the blankets, rubbing her eyes and generally just trying to look like she'd been woken up. "Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry. I thought I heard voices. Go back to sleep, Sweet Lamb." Gardenia nodded and laid back down, throwing the blanket over her head and giving an audible sigh of relief.

"I'm not supposed to have people in my room after dark." She informed her guest.

[DaGlobster]

Varian was about to say something when Gardenia pulled them both down, knowing better than to say anything or ask any questions. He was surprised that he wasn't noticed, given the fact that he was still wearing his full set of clothing.

However the moment passed, and he couldn't help but notice that Gardenia was content to stay under the covers with him. He continued speaking in a whisper.

"I could show you, but... You have to promise me to keep an open mind. I know it sounds silly of me to ask you, given what we both are, but you need to promise me."

[Draconian]

Still under the covers she stared at him, wide eyed and then nodded. "Well, I turn into a furry monster with fangs and claws." She looked at his chest, assuming he had some ... strange thing? What could be under there? A tiny pair of wings? Did he have a few breasts he was ashamed of? Varian looked like a man, was he actually a woman?

Gardenia pulled the covers under her chin and watched him before offering him a kind smile, "I promise not to... Be mean?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian sat up, and pushed the covers up off of himself. He was quiet for a few moments, just sitting there.

"I... I usually keep myself under magical concealment when I'm not wearing clothes. There's nothing wrong with my face, but the rest of my body gets different. very different. I... I didn't want to show you because I don't want you to be afraid of me, and... I'm afraid you'll push me away..."

[Draconian]

Gardenia sat up, also, but kept the covers close to her chin. She'd never seen someone look so vulnerable before, gently she inched closer and smiled at Varian. Her eyebrows were up and she looked at him, staying quiet for a moment before she looked at his arms, then his chest. "You sound like you want to propose marriage. You know we only met two days ago. It's alright if you don't want to show me."

[DaGlobster]

"I..."

Varian looked at the ground.

"You're right. I'm sorry I wasted your time..."

He sat back down next to her. He smiled.

"Perhaps another time."