The First Age - Here's to Forgetting

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Hood's features hardened in apparent irritation when she 'bonked' his nose; the girl wasn't suited to being in that part of town. But, at least she wasn't walking home alone. Last thing he needed was a news headline of some pretty young thing being raped and killed in his neighborhood; that drew all sorts of unwanted attention. The pretty ones always did.

Next thing he knew there'd be some group of hippy-liberal shit-brains campaigning for increased police presence in the area. That would lead to more cops, angry cops who had been pulled off their familiar beats, meaning they'd be more prone to looking for trouble. And to most, he screamed trouble.

Hood took her keys and pocketed them as he slid out of the booth and stood up, glancing around the bar as he did before turning his gaze back to Ivan and Zoya. "Twelve klicks north of here. Avoid Vorobyovy Gory bridge. Down for construction. Forty, forty-five minutes drive. Traffic is never light in this city."

He had little doubt that Ivan'd be able to get her home safely. The man was motivated, after all...although he did doubt that Ivan would try anything with her in her current state. Didn't seem the type.

"Don't have too much fun tonight, you two."
He had work to do. Round a posse up, go check out the old factory she had been talking about. If there was a Rakshasa there, alive, he'd have a good night ahead of him. And if it were already dead...well, he'd let the Atharim deal with it and go back to his place.

He nodded to Ivan and Zoya then turned to leave. He'd have her point out which vehicle was hers once they were outside, then would drop it off in his garage before heading to the factory to check in on Zoya's monster.

Ivan watched as Zoya took the card and read it. It amused Ivan, a guy like "White" giving out business cards. Definitely freelance. Of what, he wasn't sure. More than likely it was making trouble. The man had an air about him, as if he just looked for opportunities.

Ivan liked the guy, but he hoped he'd not have to round him up some time. He didn't relish the idea- the guy clearly knew how to handle himself and he was fit. Ivan was no slouch either. He was a big guy, and strong, and he grew up doing the normal fighting a guy did. More than normal, really. Some guys liked to see what a cop's son was about, knowing he'd not run to his dad for protection, nor was his dad likely to give it. He wanted his kids to know how to handle themselves. And Ivan had no problem showing them what was what. And of course, he'd had all the departmental combat training. On top of that, the 3 years on the force had seen him in more than one altercation- including here in this very bar. But that didn't mean he'd killed people with his bare hands. He suspected 'White' had. But regardless of the odds, he'd do his job if called upon. It's why he was a cop. You didn't get to choose your assignments or what you thought you could handle. You did what you did to keep your people safe. Simple as that.

Clearly Zoya had no idea. She agreed to go with Ivan. “You are right, Ivan… and don’t let that get to your head, now.”
Hah! He rolled his eyes. Typical woman. But it was an amused affectionate thought. Even when they were admitting they were wrong, it was clear that they were really just changing their definition of what they were right about. She was right about admitting she was wrong. And he'd better not forget it. He laughed.

She took White's card and then did a foolish thing, bonking his nose. His reaction was priceless. Ivan imagined that White seldom had people treat him so flippantly. Heh...The guy was funny. Yeah, Ivan hoped if their paths crossed, it would always be in a casual setting.

He made his way out of the booth and Ivan stood up. After giving some advice about the roads- like he needed to to a cop who'd been driving these streets for years as a civilian and the last 3 as a cop who worked this very area- he said "Don't have too much fun tonight, you two,"
and then turned to go.

Ivan looked at Zoya and it was pretty clear she was pretty far gone. He was sure the man was joking. No way would Ivan take advantage of a girl in her condition. Douchebags did that sort of thing and got what they deserved if he was around to hear about it. And Zoya was a great girl in a fun lets-go-out-and-save-the-world-but-not-think-about-the-consequences-and-maybe-I-saw-a-monster-but-also-don't-notice-how-pretty-I-am sort of way. Well, no. That was wrong. She knew she was pretty. Despite her...foolishness, for lack of a better word, she was also smart and he wanted more than just to sleep with her. Even if she had been sober, he would have liked to just hang out with her and see what made Zoya Bocharov tick. Well, okay. Hang out and sleep with her. He shrugged mentally. Who was he kidding.

"Well, lets get you home Zoya. Take my hand"

Her eyes focused on Ivan’s hand for a moment before she slipped he smaller one in his palm. His grip felt solid: something that at that moment she could appreciate. Her head seemed to have done well while she had tried to slip out of the booth but the moment she tried to stand, all the alcohol she had consumed gave her a neat little reminder. She was pretty sure the room wobbled, but her footing remained steady.

White had already started to make his way towards the door and Ivan was ready to follow. She supposed he offered her hand to help steady her, but Zoya started to make her way to the door as if he’d get lost without her help. She liked him, and to her surprise, she liked the way her hand was fitting in his. “Come then, Sarkozy. We wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

Once she got them both outside, Zoya pointed out her car to White. It was, of course, one of those exceedingly environmentally friendly vehicles. The sort most men tended to avoid. Not the newest model, but it was quiet and it did what she wanted; and while it wasn’t the most masculine of transportation means, it at least was a deep shade of blue.

All was great, up until the moment Zoya decided to take a deep breath of cold fresh air. As she exhaled, her world got just a tad bit more wobbly. It was then that she faintly realized, that she was indeed a shots over her limit and holding on to Ivan was perhaps a great idea.

Zoya took his hand. He was surprised at how small it was. That was something he didn't think of until he actually held a woman's hand. They could seem so larger than life, so exuberant and take-charge and yet when you really looked at them, held their hand in yours, you realized how small it was. He wasn't drunk, by any means. But he'd had enough that he was feeling more than he normally allowed. And he felt protective of her.

Course Zoya being Zoya, she opened her mouth. Clearly, she was two steps shy of a face plant into the floor of the bar. She may have thought that her footing was fine, but the way that she used his hand for balance indicated that walking was going to be her 24-7 at least until they got to the car. And yet....and yet he had to laugh. “Come then, Sarkozy. We wouldn’t want you to get lost.”
Sassy to the end. He held her left hand in his left hand so his right arm could go around her and gently steady her as she walked. He wasn't sure if she noticed, but he didn't mind. He just wanted her to be safe.

They made their way carefully to the his car after Zoya helpfully pointed out hers to White. Ivan laughed at the thought. Poor White. Ivan bet he didn't want to be caught dead in an eco-car. If the car had a bumper sticker that said "Coexist" or "Mother Gaia" or "Visualize World Peace" Ivan would have laughed and laughed.

The air outside was invigorating, especially after the stale humid air of the bar. He was chuckling to himself at the thought of White in that car when Zoya suddenly clutched at his arm. Zoya appeared to be concentrating very hard to walk carefully. He whispered, "It's ok Zoya, just a few more steps and the world will stop moving."
Slowly and carefully he guided her to his car's passenger side and let her in.

She wasn't a doll to usually need help, he knew that. But it seemed like it took her a moment to steady herself so he buckled her in. Then he crouched down and looked her in the eye for a moment. They were definitely glassy though. He smiled at her. "You alright?"
She looked at him and grinned. God, but she was beautiful and for a moment he felt something deep tug at his heart. He pushed the thought away. Careful man.

He closed the door gently and got in the driver's side and started the engine up. The radio came on and he turned it off. The less there was vying for her attention, the better she could stay focused- at least that's what he knew from his own experience when drunk. He turn the fan on slightly so the cool breeze would blow in her face, to help control any nausea she was feeling. "Does the breeze help?"
He began driving, carefully executing the turns so as to minimize any discomfort to Zoya. He didn't feel like teasing her now. Course, she hadn't opened her mouth yet, so he knew that might change. She did have a way.

As he took a turn, Zoya was a little discomforted. The ride was smooth, but she still felt her head go the wrong way. "Um... I think you took that turn too slowly."

He looked over at her and smiled. "I'm sorry. I'll be careful. Just lie back. If you need to sleep or want to close your eyes, go ahead. It may help."
He turned up the air slightly. He hoped she wouldn't puke in his car. He liked her and all. But that didn't mean he wanted that smell in his car for the next few weeks. That kinda stuff was a bitch to clean out from all the seams and crevices of the seats, not to mention the carpet. He watched the traffic and made sure to take the longest smoothest ride possible.

The car was quiet for a while. He looked over at her, saw the way the belt slung over her jacket and shirt, the way the curves of her body lit up from the shadows and street lights. Again, he felt drawn to her. Sure he was attracted to her. He had been from the start, from the moment he'd busted her in that office. But seeing her, quiet, thoughts locked up inside her head, he felt drawn to her in another way as well. Knock it off, Ivan. He looked back at the road, and focused on getting her home safely.

She shook her head. Sleeping was probably not a good idea. What then? Talk? Yes. That sounded good. Talking was always good. "No thank you. If I sleep now you might have to carry me home. After a couple flights of stairs, I get heavier than I look."
She smiled at him and tried to keep her world from spinning. Likely, she wasn't making the best of impressions, but at that moment she wasn't sure she cared.

She hadn't known she needed to drink her night away until she'd seen the bar's sign in front of her, but Zoya was glad it had happened. Grabby hands and all, she was glad. After all, it wasn't every day that a girl like her had two guys hurry on to save her hide.

Zoya seemed to rouse herself, as if she'd made a conscious effort not to sleep. She made a valiant effort to start talking, but of course her words set his imagination afire. He could imagine himself picking her up in his arms- despite what she said, she wasn't more than 105 pounds tops, if that- and carrying her up the stairs. He liked the thought. Part of him wanted to do just that. What is wrong with you? He'd dated lots of women. Had his share of stolen kisses and sweet nights.

Hell, tonight he'd been with Stephania. They'd been out quite a few times and he did like her. And yet he'd blown her off after a second's notice so that he could be with this woman he'd met once before-and part of that was an actual arrest. Why, he wondered.

Small talk would be good. "So tomorrow...aside from sleepin in, what is on your agenda? Got anymore buildings you wanna break into? If I get a heads up, maybe I can make sure there are no monsters- or guys grabbing your ass."
He smiled at her, hoping she'd see that he meant....well, he meant something in there. He wasn't sure what it was.

An agenda? After all that had happened she hadn't even imagined a next day. She wrecked her mind trying to remember if she'd had any plans, but nothing sprung to mind. "If I'm not dying, I might go to the river. I usually run. But... oh look... that looks like fun!"
A sign advertising Karaoke went past them... or they they went past it... as the two drove by. "Doubt I'll get out of bed. Bed is good."

She was probably sounding like an idiot, and was obviously easily distracted, but she was too focused on trying to keep her stomach together to care. "Do you have anything planned out? Thank you for coming to get me, by the way. I didn't mean to pull you away from any plans."

She made him laugh. His grin was ear to ear as he watched her seem to switch from subject to subject. She asked him about his plans. Again, he thought of Stephania. And yet, even now, he didn't regret it. "No, no plans. Nothing important anyway. I didn't mind at all."

He slowed down as they arrived at her place. "Well we're here."
There was gonna be no waiting outside this time. He got out of his car and went to the passenger side to open her door. "Here we go Zoya,"
he said as he unbuckled her and took her hand and helped her out. "You'll be ok once you're in your bed."

When they made it to her place, she was glad he remembered the way. In fact, Zoya wasn't sure she would have been able to lead him out of a paper bag. Her gaze followed him as he got out of the car and walked around to let her out. Secretly, she thanked him for the gesture.

For a moment she wasn't sure she would have been able to find the handle in order to open the door without a few missed tries. As she tried to tried to slide out of the car, she reached for him in the hopes that he could steady her. He was rather solid. Not excessively bulky. She liked that. "Bed sounds nice. Might need some help. Um... that's my door."
She pointed to the main building despite the fact that he was probably aware of where they were going. "My keys... wait..."
Her hand slipped forcefully into her pocket then pulled the little turtle key chain out.

Her limbs felt heavy. And she was dizzy. So very dizzy. Her world spinned for a moment, and unable to hold it all in, Zoya bent over as her stomach contracted. The resulting mess wasn't huge, but it wasn't pretty. Luckily, most of it ended in the sidewalk. Sadly, she suspected some of it splattered on poor Ivan's shoes. Well now that was sexy...

He took a deep breath. This was the rub. Hot girl you really like....puke on your shoe. But he looked at her and his feeling melted. Poor Zoya. He well remembered the last time he'd been piss drunk. And there had been no guys grabbing his ass or anything talk about monsters. Course any guy that tried to grab his ass was gonna be askin why he was on the ground with a bloody nose. But still. Poor girl.

Ivan helped Zoya to her buiilding. She was fumbling with keys on a turtle keychain so he took them gently from her hand. "Is it this one?"
he asked holding up a key. At her nod, he unlocked the door and led her in. She was leaning against him now- God he loved the feel of her against him- and he helped her up the stairs. They arrived at a door that she indicated was hers. He asked her to show him which key and after she did, they went inside. "Ok, Zoya, where is your bedroom?"

The door shut behind them and Zoya took a minute to look around. The place was empty. At first she wouldn't understand why, but later remembered the girls were all gone visiting their respective families. Pointing to the right, she blinked and did her best to focus. "I'm that way. Hey, you can crash on the couch if you like, but that's me."

Smiling at him, she gently pushed off him and took the steps leading to her bedroom door. As she walked, she slipped off her jacket and tossed it on the couch. The place was pleasantly decorated. There was no mistake that women lived and ruled there and that comfort did not dismiss a certain level of sophistication.

As she approached her door, Zoya paused and turned around. "I'm sorry. Should I offer you coffee?"
She swayed a little and leaned against the door frame. Glancing down at his shoes, she really felt awful. "Um... maybe I can clean your shoes?"
First, however, she really wanted to rinse her mouth and wash her face.

They got inside and the old Zoya- at least the one he knew from the other day- seemed to reassert herself. Part of him liked that. But.....part of him wished she had leaned on him a bit longer, had shown vulnerability to him a little bit more. She offered him coffee, and then to clean his shoes.

"No, I'm ok."
He was tired. And staying here....well. Why not? He was tired. And to be honest, he fucking just didn't want to leave her. He sat on the couch and waited. He didnt know what she was doing. But he wanted to see her one more time. He waited five minutes and then knocked on her door. "Zoya?"
He hoped she'd answer him.

After going into her room and shutting the door, she'd been busy trying to lessen the gross factor. As she stumbled around and eventually found a pair of shorts and another tank to to change into she thought over the idea of letting Ivan crash on her couch. After a bit, she heard him calling, and deciding she was presentable enough. She opened her door to answer him. "Yes? I'm fine... really."
There was a blanket folded at the end of one of the two couches in the room and she gestured to it as she pushed away from the door frame. "You can use this if you like."

Ivan saw her in shorts and a tank top and for a moment any tiredness he felt disappeared. God but what a body she had! He pushed those thoughts away. He'd wanted to make sure she was ok. But Zoya was back. He liked that Zoya, the independent-I-don't-need-anyone-to-help-me-Zoya. But he'd have liked to see the needy Zoya just a little longer. But she wasn't there. "I just wanted to see if you needed anything. Water. To make sure you were ok."

He thought for a moment. Fuck it. I am not gonna be left wishing I had done more this night. He stepped forward, confident. She could say no or not. "Look. I've gotten you this far. Let me take care of you the rest of the night. At least let me tuck you in and make sure you are comfortable."

She tilted her head slightly as her green eyes studied him. Tuck her in? A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth but she shook her head. "Not tonight supercop. I can find my own bed and tuck myself in just fine."
Her bare feet padded across the floor as she made her way to him, and without thinking, she stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his, her hands resting against his chest. The feel of his lips was nice, and before she knew it, she'd nipped at them before stepping away.

"Good night, and thank you. If you need a pillow I'll toss you one, otherwise the cushions should be comfortable."
Looking over her shoulder, Zoya smiled as her hand held on to the door handle. "I'll make us coffee tomorrow."
After that, she closed her door and stumbled to her bed. Sleep was a great idea and both of them could probably make good use of it.

Ivan stood there, the taste of her still on his lips, a goofy smile plastered on his face. It was a good night. And hot damn, she had looked sweet in her bottoms. They were definitely not goin out shorts. She had made his blood boil. Going to bed was going to be tough. Knowing she was in her room and he on the couch....he counted sheep, went over case files, tried to remember old girlfriends. Eventually, a long time into the night, he fell asleep.

Edited by Ivan Sarkozy, Jul 4 2014, 11:18 AM.

Despite the late night she'd had, Zoya still managed to wake up a lot earlier than she would have liked. Not only that, but her head didn't seem to be agreeing with her. After stretching, she threw back her covers and crawled out of bed. The floor was cold beneath her bare feet but she didn't mind that so much. The events of her night were fuzzy, and though she remembered bits and pieces, Zoya was pretty sure that more would come to her later on.

Wanting some water, she ran her fingers through her hair and opened the door to her room. She didn't usually close her door, and with the other girls gone, there really was no reason to do so. In fact, she didn't even remember having done so before going to sleep. So, when she spotted the bulk of a man on her couch her first reaction was a startled gasp.

Quietly, she walked over to grab one of the cushions from the opposite side of the living room. She couldn't exactly see his face, and until she knew exactly who was crashing on her couch, she didn't want to go near him. She tossed the cushion at the shape, then watched it bounce right off on to the floor. "Good Morning?"
How did one wake up a stranger? Obviously she'd let this person on her couch, right? Who the fuck are you wouldn't have exactly been the most polite thing to say to him.

Ivan tossed and turned. The room was warm and he kept kicking the blanket off and then covering his legs except for his feet. In his mind, though, as he slept the thought of Zoya and that kiss kept playing out and his heart wouldn't stop beating. Finally, despite the god-awful hour he'd gone to bed at he still woke up early. The light just kept poking him in the eye. What the fuck!! Can't you get some real curtains woman?!? The light insisted and finally he was awake. Zoya was in the other room. He looked down. Great. Yeah, good luck buddy. So....what to do. He heard a door open. The light through his eyelids pissed him off. Well, so did the headache. He felt something hit him lightly and then heard a voice.

"Good morning?"

He cracked one eye open and looked and smiled. Zoya. Her hair was a fright and she was still a mess. But he was happy to see her even through the sleep haze. He was feeling punchy. He wanted to mess with her. Why. he did not know. But playing with Zoya was fun. "Zoya....finally. You gonna let back into your room now? Please?"
Heh. Such a dick. Yeah, he was feeling playful. And playing with Zoya seemed a hell of a lot of fun.

“What?! Back…back in my room?”
She grabbed another cushion and threw it at him. Zoya faintly remembered getting out of his car and… his shoes! Her mouth dropped open and a hand flew up to cover it. What had gone on the night before? The more she looked at him, and that twinkle he seemed to have in his eyes, the more she felt like frowning. “You were never in my room and you know it!”

Usually, she would probably have invited him right into her room and closed the door behind him. He wanted in there, fine, but that didn’t mean she would have joined him. Then again, she was of half the mind to play his little game. Except her headache reminded her that she needed water. And pills, pills would probably be of some help. “Get up Ivan, you might as well come to the kitchen. Want any water?”
Suddenly conscious of her how her hair must have looked, she made her way to the small kitchen where she was sure she at least had a hair tie.

She spluttered and denied. He let his head drop back on the cushion, let it spread around his ears while he squeezed his eyes shut. But he spoke out loud. "God woman. You know how to ruin a dream. I was with you in your room… and it was hot. We were playing a killer board game and I was winning too..."
He opened one eye. Gahh...I hate mornings. He sat up and regretted it. Zoya was walking to the kitchen. At least she had those shorts on.

He stared longer than he should have. Then again his sense of time was totally jacked up. "Water? Yeah. I need that."
He sat up and just watched her. He was glad his hair was buzzed. He didn’t’ have to worry about it. His breath was another story. Maybe the water would help. He still remembered the kiss from last night. He threw his head back against the pillow. He was so tired. "God woman. Is there a reason you need to get up so early? If we cuddle will you go back to sleep? Please?"

As he redacted his supposed dream, Zoya smirked and shook her head. “If you were winning, then you were cheating, Sarkozy, and you can stop staring at my ass.”
She didn’t have eyes in the back of her head, but since he was obviously bent on poking fun at her, she might as well give him a taste of his own medicine. After reaching up and getting a couple of glasses out of the cabinet, she sat them on the counter beneath it and turned to get some cold water out of the fridge.

“Trust me, I didn’t want to be up right now either, and talk to me next week and I’ll consider letting you cuddle.”
After returning the water to the fridge, Zoya opened one of the cabinet drawers to pull out the bottle of pills she wanted. “Here, catch.”
She tossed the small bottle at him, hoping he’d move fast enough before it fell on his lap, then grabbed the glasses to take them back to main living space. “Thank you for bringing me home. The night is coming back to me now… I’m really sorry about your shoes.”

The bottle hit him in the crotch and he breathed for moment. Mother of God... He closed his eyes as any excitement he'd had bled away. Cuddle? She'd kick him in the nuts as soon as cuddle. Course with that ass in those shorts...no. Too painful. He cracked open the the bottle. In a way it was good shed responded that way. Sporting wood was not the best way to get a girls attention. He drank the water and hoped it would help the pounding in his head.

Though..Shoes? "What you do to my shoes?"
He looked at them. "Awww man!!! Well at least tell me that you like me woman!!"

As she as Zoya made it back to the couch, she handed him one of the glasses and motioned for him to move his feet out of the way so she could sit down. She really couldn’t help it, and started to laugh despite the fact that she did feel terrible about his shoes. She looked at them, brow rising. They could have been a lot worse. “Consider them collateral damage. It could have been worse… I like you?”
The last came out as a little squeak of a question, then she took a sip from her glass. “Pass me that when you are done, will you?”

So Zoya was sitting next to him in cute shorts.....and she said she liked him. Or had she? He was still so out of it. He hoped she had. Yeah, it was hard to cut through the fog, but he was pretty sure she had. He breathed a sigh of relief. She could puke everything she'd ever eaten on his shoes he wouldn’t have cared. He smiled. Cutie Zoya was sitting next to him. The universe was right alright. "Ok Zo....any breakfast you want you name it. Your call."

The thought of food right then was less than pleasant. “No thank you.”
Shaking her head, she put her glass on the coffee table before taking the bottle from him. After pouring a few of the pills out onto her hand, Zoya replaced the cap and exchanged the container for her glass. The pills went down smoothly, and she finished a good amount of her water in the process.

Leaning back against the back of the couch, she curled her legs beneath her and turned so she could face the man. “I’m not sure I could handle any food right now. There is plenty of stuff in the fridge to make something if you are hungry though.”

She declined the food, but then offered to make him breakfast if he was hungry. But from the way she palmed those pills, she was still suffering quite a bit. Yeah, that was dumb. Food was not a good idea. Besides, she was sitting next to him on the couch and he liked her there. "Nah, I'll be ok. Thanks though."
He shook his head to clear it. Then he just looked at her for a moment. A grin came over him. "You really should model, you know."
He waited a moment, then added with a wink, "Set a new fashion trend with that hair."
But then his grin became a real smile then and he thought for a moment. He really did like her. "I'd ask you if you wanted do something together today, but I'm guessing you're going to say no."
His face fell a bit. "But maybe tomorrow? If you don't have plans?"

His comment reminded her that she had meant to tie her hair up, and though she felt her cheeks heat up, Zoya refused to comb her hands through her hair again. She didn’t look that bad in any case. This was the second time he’d ask her to spend time together. The fact that he was looking at her, hung over and in her pajamas, after having puked on his shoes, and still considered the idea of making plans with her, made her want to smile. “I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere tomorrow. Something tells me this headache will linger for a bit. Haven’t had them for a while, but once they start, they tend to set up camp. Do you have any plans Thursday night?”

She was looking at him and he wondered what she was thinking. He'd gone from joking to serious very quickly. Humor was always his way of saying what he felt in such a way as to deflect any possible rejection. But this was now the second time he'd asked her out- and there was no question that hungover in pjs with messed up hair or not, she still made his heart jump. He hoped she'd say yes. He wanted to see more of her. Definitely more of her.

At first his heart began to sink at her answer. But then "Do you have plans Thursday night?"
He couldn't help the idiot grin that broke his face. He just stared at her like a moron. Finally he spoke.

"Yep, I do have plans. With you. We'll have fun."
He sat there for a moment just enjoying being next to her. Course he knew he was looking like a buffoon. "So I really don't have any stupid quips right now. But give me a minute and I might think of one."
Well something did come to mind. He was such a butthead. "Maybe show me your music collection. I bet I think of something."
What an asshole I am, he thought laughing to himself.

She tilted her head a little as she looked at him. Apparently, he hadn’t expected her to say yes to him. Chuckling softly, she stood and walked to the window in order to draw the curtains shut. For a winter day, it was a little brighter than she liked at that moment. “My music tastes are just fine, Ivan. What I’m more interested in finding out, is what it is that you consider fun.”
She was teasing, of course, but a girl needed to have an idea of where she was going. “You’ve already arrested and rescued me… ok, nearly… what else is left?”

She got up and walked to the curtains to close them. While he wished she had stayed next to him, he did like watching her. And she seemed to enjoy their game.

And now she wanted to know what he thought they could do for fun. While the fog was still there it had lessened enough for him to think straight. So...to plan a date with Zoya. What would she like? She was into animals and saving the earth and stuff like that. Nature appealed to her. He cast his mind to the city's offerings.

"Well there's the Moscow State University Zoological Museum. I'm sure you'd love that. And maybe a walk in Filevsky Park along the Moskva. After that who knows? We could go dancing at a disco or whatever. I'll have to put it together. But I promise you Zoya, we will have fun."

He meant it. He’d probably throw in a surprise or two. Not paintball. She might not like that. And it was too cold, way too cold. But maybe something....different. Heh. Very different. Get reaction from her. He’d have to think on it. But from what he knew of her, she seemed like she'd enjoy surprises.

"The Museum and a walk sounds great to me. You got yourself a date, Ivan. Now, I think I offered you coffee last night. Do you still want some, or will you stick to the water?"

Coffee sounded good to her, and she headed back to the kitchen to start brewing some. It was becoming obvious to her that she was moving around a lot. Was she nervous? The idea struck her as peculiar. She'd not been nervous around him before, and she didn't think she was at that particular moment, but perhaps she was growing a little conscious about the way she looked.

Her wallet was connected to the display glass on the kitchen counter, and after letting her finger play around with the small set of buttons on the corer of the screen, a small screen appeared on the clear glass. She expanded the image a little and set the volume low. The news were displayed for both of them to watch.

For her part, Zoya kept an ear out for both Ivan's response and the news anchor while gathering the things she needed for a cup of coffee. She was curious to find out if anything concerning the factory was mentioned, but for the most part, she only heard the usual stuff.

Edited by Zoya Bocharov, Jul 18 2014, 03:07 PM.

It seemed that she'd liked his idea for a date. Sweet. Now he was happy. Then Zoya asked him if she wanted coffee. She got up and walked to the kitchen and he watched her. But it was lonely on the couch now that she was gone. "Yeah, I'll have some coffee. Whatever kind you have is fine. Just leave out the eggshells or whatever you save-the-world girls like to add to the grounds."
He thought that was what they did, then shrugged. "Black is fine. Thanks."

He got up and stretched and then walked to the kitchen so he could be near her. She'd turned on the news on her wallet, though at a low level. She seemed to be waiting for something. He smiled at her. "So, you think your little escapade last night might be on the news?"
He paused for a moment. "They don't report every bar fight a pretty girl causes you know."
He grinned at her, then kind of let it fade.

Quiet times like these, he usually kept cracking jokes and stuff, to ease any discomfort. But he liked this girl and didn't want her to think that he couldn't be serious. She'd gone out drinking for a reason. "So you really think you saw something at that plant? Is that why you're listening?"
He wouldn't say it to her, but he suspected the monster sighting may have come after she'd started throwing things back. Oh, she might have seen a creature. Maybe a cat or something. And in the dark they sure moved fast. Shadows and what not? Be pretty easy to imagine you saw something bad. Then you get to drinking and before you know it, you have a fully fledged monster sighting. He believed in magic- well, he kinda had to since he could use the power himself. But he figured Ascendancy would have warned him if the were weird creatures lurking about. He hoped he would, anyway. But he'd not tell her his thoughts on the subject. It wasn't his place.

Plus there was the date at all. He wasn't gonna blow that before it happened. Not a chance.

After starting the coffee maker, she leaned against the counter and glanced from Ivan to the news display. “I don’t know if they will be saying anything, I was just curious, but I did see something Ivan. I’m not crazy.”
Her tone was serious for a moment before becoming light hearted once more. “And what do you mean they don’t report every fight? Last night was worth an entire investigative team, on scene, I’ll have you know.”

Zoya wasn’t sure why it bothered her that Ivan may not have believed her story, but deep down inside, the idea unsettled her. She hadn’t imagined it, she was sure of that. Yet, she was also very aware of how absurd the whole thing sounded. Turning to grab the creamer from the fridge she pushed that line of thinking out of her head. “My coffee doesn’t have eggshells. It isn’t compost.”

When the brew was done, she poured some of the liquid in their mugs and placed one in front of him. To her cup she added the creamer and sugar before taking a sip. Later, she would have to call the man that helped her at the bar to get her car back, but for now all she wanted was to enjoy her coffee and forget her headache.

Ivan listened to her explain her fears. For that moment all pretense and game had stopped. "But I did see something Ivan. I'm not crazy."
Her eyes seemed to plead with him. Zoya was many things; she enjoyed confounding and subverting expectations, showing that she couldn't be pigeonholed. But above all, she seemed to be honest. It was the trait he found most endearing in her. She told the truth. Sometimes funny. Sometimes sharp. But she wasn't afraid to be herself no matter the cost to herself or others. It was a trait that he greatly...admired. He thought about his pops. You gotta look yourself in the mirror, he'd say. You gotta respect the person you see lookin back at you. Zoya lived by that code. She would be honest no matter what.

Ivan wanted to believe her, almost believed her, just on that alone. Almost. Instead, he just held his cup and watched her. Such a pretty woman. But he'd had pretty women. Stephania was a pretty woman. No. Zoya was real. She was deeper than her beauty. No. Her beauty was only a reflection of something deeper.

She shifted gears back to joking. She was echoing his teasing. Suddenly he regretted the pattern he'd set. Here he was, standing across a kitchen table from a woman for whom he felt something. He didn't want to joke. He didn't want to lighten the mood.

But he could see she was tired. She'd drank a lot the previous night. Something had scared her. He believed that. And despite everything, he sort of believed her. He believed her enough. Zoya needed to stop the headache that was already thundering behind her eyes. You don't need to be here Vanya. She'll see you again. Let her rest.

He looked her in the eye as he stepped forward. "I believe you Zoya. I do."
He stopped. "I also know that your head hurts. And that you need to sleep."
He smiled down at her gently as he touched the cup in her hand. "You don't need this. So....I'm gonna go. Why don't you try to sleep a little while longer?"
He looked at her. Part of him hated what he was saying. He didn't want to go. Not at all. But he knew that she'd not appreciate his just hanging around. And it just wasn't his thing, to force himself where he wasn't wanted. She knew he was interested. He was very interested. Enough that a big part of him wanted to kiss her right then and there, tuck her in and caress her forehead. But the rational side of his brain said that it would be too much. So he'd do this much. Tell her he cared and that he'd give her her space. And hope in the next time they met.

He looked into her eyes, feeling that connection again, that feeling that he and her were old friends. His hand rose from her hand to her cheek, touching it lightly. He breathed not deeply but contentedly. Zoya Bocharov. Yeah. He liked her a whole hell of a lot. He smiled at her simply. "Okay?"

Edited by Ivan Sarkozy, Jul 21 2014, 12:42 PM.

Their difference in heights came to the front of her mind as he stepped forward. She was very aware of him then. The gentle look in his eyes made her pause, making her hold the cup still just shy of her lips. Then, the soft touch that followed seemed to guide the cup down the rest of the way. Not for the first time, she noted the way his brightened his face and that she wasn’t opposed to having it directed her way.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Zoya thought he would kiss her. She felt a strange tug towards him, a sort of familiarity she’d not recognized in others before, and frankly, it stunned her. Her cup touched the counter top just as his fingertips brushed her cheek, and without realizing it, she nodded in response to his simple question.

This vulnerability was a bit much for her, and the woman could feel the heat start to rise beneath her skin. Zoya had a tendency to wear her feelings out in the open, and usually saw her expressive nature as a positive attribute, but having a man turn her a pretty shade of pink wasn’t her idea of comfortable in the slightest.

Turning her face slightly she tried to focus on anything but the candid intimacy of that small moment, and nervously moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. When she looked back at him once more, her confidence seemed to be restored, her teasing nature renewed once more. “I’m not the only that could do with a nap. You weren’t exactly looking bright and bushy tailed five minutes ago, you know.”

She offered him a lopsided smile, then honest gratitude softened her features as she relaxed. “But, I think you are right. Thank you, Ivan. I mean it.”

Zoya looked up at him and he felt himself melting into her eyes. It was just a moment but an eternity passed, as if she could control time itself. His heart beat in time, the waves of river gently lapping against its banks. Her face flushed slightly and he felt himself also go red. He wanted to kiss her but something held him back. He wasn't sure what it was except that it made him wait too long.

She looked away for a moment and time started again. When she looked back, the old Zoya was back, the glint of play in her eyes. He grinned. She was something. She teased him and he laughed.

Then she gave him a half-smile and got serious, her face opening in honesty. “But, I think you are right. Thank you, Ivan. I mean it.”

He looked at her, smiling. "Not a problem Zoya. And I do look forward to Thursday. We'll have fun, I promise."
And then, because he decided he wasn't going to regret things later on, he moved closer to her and kissed her on the lips. He could smell the sweet scent of her, the soft feel of her lips on his. Perfect.

He stepped back and grinned at her. "It was my turn"
he said through his smile. "I hope that you feel better Zoya."
Then he went to the the couch to grab his jacket and his keys and wallet off the table. "I'll see you later."
He nodded to her bedroom. "Get some rest please."
He smiled at her and left, closing the door behind him.

It had been a good night. He was smiling as he walked down the stairs and went to his car. A very good night.

<small>[[continued in In the heat of the....tunnel]]</small>

Edited by Ivan Sarkozy, Sep 7 2014, 09:40 AM.

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