No Picnic

[Lovely]

November 8, 2008
11am
Veinna Estate - Kitchen


*crunches*... "sure you don't want any?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"I'd say so." *grins and folds arms* ... "So what do you want?"

"You."

"Me? I'm not crunchy, though," he grinned.

She chuckled in return and smiled. "No but you're salty... and that covers half the craving." She shook her head, her appetite had been increasing lately. She assumed it was due to getting more comfortable and starting to really relax and feel less on edge here.

"And the other half?" Her smile was contagious. "Whatever you want..."

She walked over to him, unfolding his arms and wrapping them around herself. "This is a good start.. we can talk about the other half... after you give me the first." She leaned up on tip toes to kiss him softly. She was becoming less and less shy abot showing him affection, whether they were in his room or elsewhere. She'd been very hesitant when she first came back, nervous about Aberto and Marc mostly, wanting to avoid a big clash.. she knew her gut instinct would be to run if that happened and she promised Richie she wasn't going to. So she avoided the situation for awhile.. which was unlike her, normally she would just confront it head on and have at it, much like she and Marcus had started in the ring that night.

His fingers laced where she draped his hands at her back, holding her there a moment longer. "Hmmm... salty and sweet, hm? The other half have anything to do with being in here? Wondered if you might want to venture out in a while."

She hesitated, a couple breaths passed in still silence and then she nipped his lips softly with hers. "Where are we going?" She asked, with a curious smile.

"Nowhere... somewhere... out... that-a-way," he smiled finally, motioning with his thumbs. "Out of here.. for a while. Up to a hike?"

Her gentle laugh floated into the air between them as she smiled brightly up at him. "You think we can get food involved in this hike? Something small.. " She shook her head. "I am soo hungry lately... You know what.. I need a hike, I think I'm gaining weight.. I've never gained weight, always just what i was supposed to be." She gave him a look of mock horror. "This real life stuff is going to make me fat!" She teased, leaning against him, with a slight playful pout.

"Look over there," he nodded behind her to the counter where a basket was set out. "C'mon.. tell me if this suits you. Last warm day before winter.. maybe... who knows in Colorado. We have... bread, a little meat... a little cheese... a little wine," he looked at the bottle. "Sorta... doctor says sparkling cider's better anyway... grapes and apples ... and you."

"And YOU!" She bounced a little and then laughed at herself for being so peppy, certainly not a word that would normally describe her. But maybe now it was, things were changing.. she was changing, no.. not really changing, she was less shy and timid about being and expressing herself. Well at least in Richie's company, she felt alive, happy, safe, loved, all new and wonderous things she could barely remember ever feeling.

Her eyes travelled over the basket and she nodded. "Hmmm so you were planning to steal away with me for awhile." The shine in her eyes never seemed to fade lately. She may not have fallen instantly and easily into the place she was intended to take, but she was coming around now. Wanting to be where 'they' had wanted her to be, at Richie's side... there was really no other place she wanted to be now. The urge to bolt was less everyday, in the morning when she woke up next to him, it was the best place to be. The fears were slowly being soothed and smoothed away, she still didn't like the ideas that Aberto had, but she was behaving.

[Lovely]

"Wasn't really much of a plan. Kinda happened in the last ten minutes, but whatever works, right? So, yes.. I was.. am... will... in about five minutes. Something I have to do first," he said, as if meaning to go out of the room, but instead came back to her, taking her in a long, blissful kiss.

"Christ... can't you two stay in your room and do that shit?"

Fauve froze and started to pull back from Richie, going a bit rigid as she heard the voice. She snapped before she could stop herself. "You're just pissed cause you didn't get to take care of me like you wanted to... Don't think I forgot what you said." She was starting to move around Richie to face off with him again.

"Make that two things I need to do first," he murmured before reaching for her to hold her back. "Don't... please... it's not worth it. We'll just go... leave him here to wallow in his disrespect and insults, okay? Please?"

He chuckled, pulling a beer from the fridge, opening it near Richie's face, letting the spray sting his skin as it popped. "When did you let yourself get so whipped, Rich-man? She got you so tied by the nads you can't think straight anymore?"

She paused and shifted back when Richie asked her to, but when Marcus made his comment and such, she piped up. "You're still angry about that pencil dick aren't you? You know I heard the more you use it.. the bigger it will get.." She said in a snide tone, though at Richie's request she made no move towards the other man, even though she wanted to rip his face off for the insults to herself and to Richie.

"I'll remember that," he sneered at her, looking at Richie with cold silver in his feral eyes. "Might take a little personal reminding... know what I mean? Show me how to use it right and all? I wouldn't leave her alone Richie... never know... she might choke on her words or something, hm?" He chuckled, patting Richie on the arm as he moved away.

As if lightning had struck the room, Richie had Marcus' arm off his shoulder and twisted behind the man, his face mashed to the wall. "If I ever... ever... hear you threaten her again... so much as look at her or me.. like that again... or even have the thought cross your mind of laying so much as a breath on her, you're done. Got it? Done." Richie pulled up harshly on Marcus arm, the snap echoing in the hallway.

"Get off me! Christ.. GAH!!! f*cking hell! Get off!"

Her eyes widened as she watched Richie, impressed at how he moved. She'd not expected him to react like this.. she wasn't really sure what she expected, but it hadn't been him 'defending' her. Apparently there was still some fear that Marcus's words had been truth, that she was just a wh*re to Richie.. She made no move to interfere with the two men, remaining where she was watching them.

He pulled the man and his broken limb roughly from the wall, pushing him toward the stairs. "Shut up Marcus... I don't want to hear your voice. Maybe I should break that for you too, hm?" His tone was every bit as raw as Marcus' s had been in his threat.

[Lovely]

Fave opened her mouth and took a step to stop Richie, but held back looking at him. "Richie.." She whispered softly.

He whirled around, pulling his injured arm away and biting back the pain. "Don't make me, man... I'll f*cking kill you and you know it," he shot back, backing away, the smiling grimace turning psychotic and cold as he put a space between himself and Richard. "Two seconds... two seconds and you're dead."

"Get out. Get your arm looked at and get out," he said flatly.

Fauve watched them both a bit wary and poised at the edge of lunging for Marcus, should he make a move. Her spikes had not come out since that night with Richie when she first arrived and as far as she knew no one but Aberto and Richie knew about them. Marcus would be up close and personal with them if he made so much as a move towards Richie.

"Yeah, sure thing Rich. All forgotten, right? Water under the bridge... no hard f*cking feelings...," he said, his tone undermined by the building fury, the fur building up on his back and his legs shifting beneath him as he changed. His final words fell to the back of his throat as the large wolf formed and readied. "Consider it forgotten."

Like his brothers and nephews, Richie was not one to travel light. As quickly as before, the cold metal gleamed at the end of his hand, poised to make a pointed and searing statement with lead if the wolf even twitched. "Less than two seconds, Marcus... what's it going to be? Leave now and this ends or make that step and stare at the ceiling for really long time?"

Fauve gasped in surprise from behind him as Richie pulled the gun out. She knew and shouldn't have been surprised, but perhaps had become a bit to relaxed, she reminded herself not let her guard down so much anymore. Her eyes shifting from one man to the other, still ready to make her move if Marcus made his.

His stance was off kilter, the shoulder having been pulled out of place. Staring at the barrel and the man behind it, his lip rose in a sneer not unlike the human one. His movement was to back away a step, testing his foreleg for balance and stumbling into it badly. It was dislocated. The growl seemed endless as he backed away further, hobbling to the stairs and slinking down them.

Fauve waited and then moved to Richie's side after Marcus moved away. "Richie." She whispered softly, placing her hand slowly and lightly to his shoulder.

The safety clicked and the arm lowered, but he kept it at the ready in case Marcus came bounding back or worse. "I'm sorry... he pissed me off."

She nodded. "He seems to have that affect on people.. well okay on me.. but you know.." She sighed softly. "I'm the one who should be sorry, I provoked him."

[Lovely]

His attention moved from the stairwell to her. "He's perpetually provoked. That's what makes him so useful... and such a pain the ass. Unfortunately he lacks a certain necessary discrimination.. and tends to bite the hand that feeds a little too often."

"Oh." She said softly, looking towards the stairs and then back at him. "I'm sorry... still if it wasn't for me.. he'd have less excuse.. and this would not have happened." She did not wish him to be at odds with anyone because of her. She shifted quietly away from him, feeling doubts rising again and not wanting them. Damn this being a 'regular' person with an actual life, was hard.

"Hey... what's up, hm? It's not him... what is it? Did I do something I missed?"

"What?" She turned her face to gaze at him, looking confused as she was lost in the swell of things she wanted to push down and had not fully heard or understood him.

He looked away a moment, stepping around her gently to reach for the basket. "Nothing... it's nothing. Let's just get out of here.. the air would be good."

"Yeah.. okay.." She whispered quietly, looking away from him and back towards the stairs. Part of her whispering that Richie would be better off without her here causing trouble for him. She wanted to ignore the voice, but was having trouble. The whole atmosphere of the room had changed and she rubbed her arms as if she was chilled.

"Cold?" His voice wasn't as his free arm encircled her once the other was loaded with their goodies. He kissed her cheek. "Sorry. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I lost my temper again and can't... I just can't do that."

She leaned into him, her head resting to his shoulder. "no.. it's okay.. It's me.." She pulled back and sighed softly. "Richie.. I don't.. "

"You don't... have to say anything else, okay? This is an outing. Starting now, getting out of this stuffy old place and enjoying the air and each other's company. If I may be so bold to request yours?"

She shook her head and stepped away to turn and face him. "Richie... I just don't belong here, do I? I've already caused you more trouble than I'm worth and I have this feeling things will not get better with me and Marcus."

"You're probably right about Marc, but he tends not to like anyone unless they pay him. About you, however... you belong... I want you to be here, anyway. What's really bugging you? Just that? C'mon... talk to me," he coaxed gently.