Aberrant: 2011 - City Streets [Mature][Complete]

[White Light]

Lina smiled at Ravenshire. The Starbucks they stood in front of lit up the ground beneath them and the frequently opening door let a stream of heat onto the city streets. They smiled at each other while people walked around them, several of them admiring Lina's and Ravenshire's looks.

They walked into the coffee shop, and everyone turned their heads. People smiled, and others tried not to stare. Lina and Ravenshire moved to the line, where three people were currently watching them. The person in front of them, who looked to be a local college frat boy, offered to let them go ahead of him in line. Lina smiled politely and declined, and leaned into Ravenshire. "Let's not go back there, to the Blackburn. Lets go somewhere else, your decision.". She took a step forward as someone moved out of the line with his coffee.

[Ravenshire]

Daniel smiles back and had to stop himself from kissing her again.

'Man, I could get used to being next to her ... down boy ... think fifteen ... think fifteen,' he thought.

"Let me see ... what do you like to do? I'm sure that there is something, somewhere in this city that will at least come close."

His eyes sparkle with at thought and he grins.

Coming up in line, Ravenshire gives Lina an quick look before ordering.

"Two Hot Chocolates with whipped cream."

The attendant hurries to fill their orders and blushes to see the novas holding hands. Hot cocoas in hand, they go to a window table and sip the chocolatey goodness. Ravenshire licks some of the cream off of his lip when another thought occurs to him.

"When do I have to have you home?"

[White Light]

Lina sits, smiling at Ravenshire. She used her finger to eat some of the whip cream, being more like a kid than being sexy. Most of the eyes in the shop were on them, but Lina was doing her best to ignore them. That was a good thing of living in a small town, that everyone was used to you.

Lina kept smiling when he asked her a question. "You don't." She sipped the hot chocolate, and wiped the whip cream from her upper lip. "Remember how I said my parents don't care what I do?" She took another sip. "This is really good!"

[Ravenshire]

'How do you tell a girl I only want to keep you safe without coming across as a total ass? Don't over-think it. Trust her to know what she's doing and to ask for help if she needs it.'

"I know the feeling. My father rarely cared were I was unless I got in trouble," he said, his voice tinged with memory.

He takes another sip.

"Do you want to indulge me with one of the things I've wanted to do, but never made time for?"

Lina eyed him inquisitively.

"I want to go ice skating. All these years in New York and I've never been."

With an impish grin, he adds,

"We can indulge my bowling fantasy on a later date."

[White Light]

"Ice skating! I love ice skating. It's one of the only things that there is to do in Bruno, Wisconsin. I'll admit, though, that I've never done so without the fear of falling in and drowning." She was smiling brighter than she'd done all night. "But I suppose I won't have to worry about it, with the lack of lakes here in the City, will I?"

She reached her hand across the table, placing it softly on his.

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire positively beams when Lina responds.

"I don't think so. It's articial ice. I don't think they use water, but some other substance that feels like ice, but stays solid in warmer temps."

Another shot of cocoa and he pulls out his phone. I few clicks and he's found a place that's open til 1 a.m.

"I found a place and we've got plenty of time."

Standing up, he places his phone back in his slacks and pulls out his car keys. With barely a thought, Daniel holds them out to Lina.

"Do you drive?"

[White Light]

Lina ponders on the question for a minute. "Yeah, sure. I drive, though I don't have a permit or anything." She'd never driven a day in her life. "Also, remember the drinks we had at the Blackburn? I'm not sure any authority figure would be fine with that short of my parents." She let out a giggle. Lina puts her hand out as to take the keys, but grabs his wrist. She pulls him close, and down to her eye level, kissing him softly on the lips.

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire savors the kiss and when they finish, he rubs his nose against hers.

"Okay," he says softly," ... well I'm already going to jail then. Thankfully, I've got some legal knowledge somewhere up here," he says, taping his temple.

He hands the keys to Lina and stands up from his chair. He steps to Lina's side and nestles her hair, breathing in her scent. After helping Lina into his jacket, the couple takes their drinks and heads back out into the night. Daniel rests his arm across her shoulders in a lazy kind of hug. They walk back toward the club, but deviate around the unwelcome crowd and to the parking lot. Standing there for a moment, staring at the various cars, Ravenshire only smiles. Lina hits the car-lock button and a pristine silver jaguar convertible responds.

"My last car got ... ummm ... totaled. I just got it today, but she handles like a dream."

[White Light]

Lina smiled as he made the comment about going to jail. "Aw, come on. You're too pretty to go to jail." She said, smiling. "And besides. I'm sure I can find someone with pull, and I know my parents wouldn't press charges." She sits a little awkwardly while he nestles her hair, and complies with the jacket and hug. Her face looks the color of the lights that she passes, yellow on white. When Lina found the car, she smiled. She never dreamed that the first car she'd ever driven would be a Jaguar. "Are you sure about this?" She wondered if it would be obvious that she had never driven before, but she'd just laugh about it if it happened.

[Ravenshire]

The car moved in fits and starts, only made worse by the giggling and laughing coming from the driver and her passenger. Lina missed backing into someone's Ferrari by millimeters. She nearly ran over to paparazzi that didn't get out of the street fast enough - aided by Lina missing the brake and hitting the accelerator instead and then there was the whole problem of traffic lights.

Somehow, the magic around the Blackburn held and by the time they were on to the ice rink, Lina had grasped the basics - with Daniel reaching across and touching the proper knee to use - enough to get them racing across town. Braking and starting still had is moments and Lina burned her share of rubber all across the city. To make matters worse for the young nova, between stoplights, Ravenshire would lean in and kiss her ear, her jaw-line just below the ear, her neck, or her shoulder with long, lingering kisses.

For Ravenshire, it was a heart-racing and enlightening experience. He discovered that his car didn't matter. It was a thing and that realization added to his happiness and sense of freedom. He was no longer a prisoner to his possessions. Then there was the flush of Lina's skin when the engine raced and the car took off, as well as her delicate hand holding tight to the wheel. Running his hands along her silken skin about the knees didn't hurt his mood either. She was warm, vibrant, and alive.

She spoke and brought him out of his revelry,

"Are we going the right way?"

"Next Street up, we take a left," he responded before planting another kiss on her neck.

[White Light]

Trying to keep the Jaguar on the road was easy compared to the feeling that she was getting from Ravenshire. She wanted to stop the car, and take him. She wanted to kiss him, to feel him, and to love him.

Lina was feeling truely at peace. The stress of her everyday self was completely gone, and her parents were the furthest away in her mind. She fishtailed around the corner, laughing and giggling, and spun out in the middle of the street. She was too busy laughing and being happy to realize they were in front of the skating rink. She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled his head to her face. She held it there for a minute, staring into his eyes. Her eyes were forest green, and were brought out by her surrounding white skin. She didn't wear make up, and her lips were a blood red naturally. She pulled him a bit closer, and kissed him roughly. She moved her hands to his back and felt along his body. "I really like you" She said in between a kiss, and moving the kisses across his cheek, and down to his neck.

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire pulled away, but only momentarily. He shifted his position in his seat then wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her gently but firmly over to him until she sat on top of him, straddling his body. Daniel planted the first of many kisses between her breasts and slowly kissed his way up he chest, to he neck and only stopping at your chin. In a haze, he was aware of a car blaring past them, but he didn't care. Instead, he pulled he face down to his and kissed her fully and passionately on the lips. Separating slightly, he smiled up at her and said,

"Not yet."

[White Light]

Lina stared at him for over a minute, sitting on his lap. She'd never been kissed like that before, on her body and between her small breasts. Eventually, she smiled broadly at him. Her thin lips spread across her face, than went back to normal for a final kiss. She looked around, noticing that their car in the middle of the street was almost holding up traffic, but bringing a lot of attention to themselves. Cars were moving around theirs, screaming in high pitched horns. "Their a place to park?" She said with a smile, than moved over to the drivers seat.

She took this easy, finding a parking spot. There was a lot down the street that was nearly empty, but still had a toll. She eased it in, and was surprised not to have hit anything. "I don't think I need to tell you.." She giggled "But that was my first time." She handed him the keys and got out of the car.

[Ravenshire]

"I was going to ask you that," he joked. Ravenshire pocketed the keys and put his arm around Lina. Together, they went into the Skating Rink. The matronly attendant glared at them as he paid, but they didn't seem to mind.

Inside, the music played and roughly a dozen people were around, or about the Olympic style rink.

"Slow night," he whispered to her. Together they rented some skates and sat down to put them on.

"I'll be right back", Ravenshire told Lina. He leaned in and kissed her before getting up. Daniel quickly made his way to the Men's Room.

[White Light]

Lina waited for a moment, than decide to go to the bathroom herself. She wandered in to find that there were a few girls already there, all various ages. They glanced at Lina for more than a moment, but she looked at the ground and went into the stall. She decided to reshape her euphiber to fit the occassion.

The euphiber formed into a red hooded sweat shirt and black sweat pants. A red and black scarf wrapped around her neck, and she had wore a black beanie hat. When she exited the stall, the three girls were gone. Lina checked her appearance in the mirror, and decided that she looked fine. She felt prettier than normal. She exited the bathroom, and found that as she does so, more and more eyes are on her. Her eyes scanned for Ravenshire.

[Ravenshire]

Getting out of the club was a good idea. Not having Gabriel Law around took the edge off his competitive streak. There was nothing around to keep his mind off of Lina. The two other men around weren't a distraction as Ravenshire took care of business and cleaned up. The pinch of the cold was leaving his features and he was looking forward to skating when he stepped back out. Daniel nearly stumbled when he saw her once more.

Coming up to Lina,

"Wow. I would say you clean up nice, but you were nice to begin with. Woof."

As he sat down and laced up he couldn't take his pale-blue eyes off of her.

"You've got a real knack fo style," he finally said.

Ravenshire wobbled a little when he stood up and offered Lina his hand. "Let's get on the ice."

He really didn't want to have to deal the other boys gawking, and try to hold back the wrath of a dozen jilted women was downright frightening. He couldn't keep the laughter out of his eyes.

[White Light]

Lina smiled and took his hand as they walked to the ice. She wondered if he'd ever skated before, because she could have easily been a pro. She took it easy with him at first, going slowly. Lina soon found quickly that he was pretty good himself, so Lina decided to step it up a notch. Before long, Lina was twirling, jumping, and skating backwards, with Ravenshire doing pretty good himself. After a few minutes though, she stopped showing off, realizing that it was drawing a lot of attention. Some people cheered, and others looked angry to be showed up. Sunrise, sunset Lina thought to herself, than decided to take Ravenshire's hand. "I'm really happy with you" she tried to say sweetly. She spied a clock on the wall, and it read twelve fifteen AM. "It's getting late." She said solemnly.

[Ravenshire]

Skating was great! It stressed different attributes, but his body seemed to 'remember' this brand new exhilaration. It also highlighted Lina's lithe but muscular form, which was its own exhilaration.

"It's getting late."

Ravenshire glanced to the clock and back again.

"Only the night is ending, Lina."

He skated beside her and let his arm wrap around her. They skated to an exit in tandem, hip to hip.

"Let's go back to my place."

With reassurance in his eyes, he continued.

"No funny business. You can have the waterbed and I'll give you one of my flannel shirts to sleep in. I'll take to guest bedroom, and no arguments," he emphasizes with a finger to her precious red lips.

"Your parents may not care were you are tonight, but I do. Spend the night with me."

[White Light]

Lina was near frightened when he suggested going back to his place. She wasn't sure if he was just putting the moves on her like she assumed he did so often before, or what, but when he added the seperate comment, she was reassured that he was just being nice. At least someone cared. "No.. you don't need to give me the bed. I am fine with just the couch." She smiled at him, and pushed herself into him more, just enough to throw him off balance. She moved ahead of him and turned around, laughing at him as he tried to keep his balance. "I like couches, thank you very much."

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire gives a mock disapproving expression, going so far as to cross his arms.

"This discussion isn't over, young lady," he says, giving her 'the eyebrow'. The act is ruined by Ravenshire nearly fallin over when they left the ice and he carreened, cartwheeling into a bench. Once again, Lina had to save him.

Wrapped up in her arms, he smiles quickly enough and kissed her nose.

Once they had sat down they began to take off their skates and put their shoes back on. He carried both their skates up to the counter. Skates dealt with, Daniel locked arms with Lina and the walked arm in arm out into the cold. Ravenshire wiggled against her and pulled out the keys. He tossed them up and raced ahead to catch them. Looking over his should, eyes glittering with child-like glee, he called back to her,

"This time, I drive," and he started the race to the car.

[White Light]

Lina makes an act to run for the keys, but doesn't really try. She liked driving well enough, but didn't want to run the risk of damaging his Jag. She makes for the passenger seat as they advance further, and she hops in as he unlocks the doors. "You're lucky I'm tired. I don't think your car could handle me again." She laughs. "I don't think you could handle me either" she says with a smirk.

[Ravenshire]

'She looks so beautiful when she does that', he thinks. Ravenshire slips into the seat and starts driving them to his apartment. The traffic has started to thin. Its past the theaters letting out, but before last call. Soon enough, they reach the high rise building, a tiny fraction of which he calls home. Daniel parks the car in the basement and pulls Lina close to him while they wait for the elevator.

Once inside the elevator, Ravenshire lead Lina into a corner and slowly kisses her on the lips, nose, and eyelids. He senses her discomfort and uncertainty so he tells her,

"You don't need to worry tonight. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The elevator chimes and door opens, allowing Lina to escape from his trap, but she looks back at him with a beckoning glance. Ravenshire follows, takes her around the waist and leads her to his door. The security system recognizes him and the door clicks open. Daniel pushes the door open, but stands aside so that Lina can enter first. Already the lights to the den turn on, going from dim to bright in a quick progression. Steps lead down to the den and a walkway leads to the side and the other rooms.

The den is something out of a Town and Country, or GQ catalog, but it lacks a personal touch. It looks more like a show room, not like a home.

"The building has a maid service. I'm not all that neat."

[White Light]

Lina is in a continued state of awe as she moves through the apartment. It was so pretty and rich, she wondered how Daniel could afford these things. "Yes you are" She responds, to his neat comment. She moves to the kitchen, just moving about. "This place is extravigent, it must be wonderful to live in such a place." She says, than opens the fridge. She pulls out a coke can, and opens it continuing into the next rooms. Soon enough she finds herself in the bed room, with him not far behind her. She moves to his bed, and flops down on it. She lays for a moment, than sits up. "Nice room." She smirks and winks.

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire looks at her and bites his lower lip.

"Yeah, its certainly a whole lot nicer now," he says with a shake of his head.

He walks over to the bed and sits down beside her. With little effort, he leans in and kisses her. It is a brief fluttering of the lips before Daniel breaks away. Looking deep into her eyes, he continues,

"I want you so bad, but I'm not going do this."

With an effort, he takes in a deep breath.

"Tomorrow, if you still want to think about what might become of us, we can talk. Right now, I'm too close to doing something I'm going to regret, so I'm going to get up, get a night shirt, and go sleep down the hall."

He stills her protest with a finger held up to his lips.

"Ssshhh ... No back talk now. You are like no one I've ever met, and I would like for you to trust me tonight."

[White Light]

Lina smiled at Ravenshire, waiting for him to began moving away before she spoke. "You're making me so happy." She was thinking it, but it just came out. "And all I wanted was a kiss goodnight, anyway." That was a truth, but she was curious as to how far it would go. In half, she was testing him. She wasn't planning on having sex, but wasn't sure if she could stop herself when the time came.

He is just so cute.

Lina stood up and made sure the door was closed after he made his exit. She removed the euphiber, and sighed. She liked sleeping with her blankets, but this would have to do. She took off her underwear and bra. This'll be a nice present for him to think about

She crawled under the blankets, and cuddled with a pillow. Lina assumed that the linens had been changed earlier that day, because the smell of him was only faint. Still, though. It was enough to comfort her, and to let her fall asleep while dreaming of him.

[Ravenshire]

Scrambled eggs, Melon slices, bacon strips, orange juice, coffee, cream, English muffins and real butter ... Ravenshire made sure everything was on the tray before taking it up from the kitchen and heading into the bedroom. He had a white, silk rose pretending to be a real flower as well. He had already gotten up and showered. Daniel had peeked in earlier to find Lina still asleep, curled up around one of his pillows and her hair splashed about like the curtain of night, all black and shimmering.

He had gotten some cooking tips form a phone-in line and others from the Food Network which he had listened to while he cooked. Bringing it all together had been his own special symmetry.

Daniel eased the door open with his foot and stealthed into the room. Leaning down, he planted a gentle kiss on one of her eyelids. Lina smiled up at him while she stretched and yawned. She quickly took in all the smells wafting off of the tray. Her eyes opened wide and she sat up.

Only then did Ravenshire discover that she was naked.

Quote:

Unfazeable

[White Light]

Lina smiles broadly at Ravenshire. "Oh! Breakfast in bed! You're such a sweet heart!" She said before she elevated herself to give him a kiss, knocking the blanket down to her lap. Lina sat back down and nearly didn't notice. When Ravenshire didn't respond immediately, Lina suspects something is wrong. She looked at him questionably, and he made a head gesture, bringing Lina's attention to the blanket, and lack thereof.

Lina squeeled, and pulled the blanket above her head while curling up in a ball on her side. Stupid idea! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!. She didn't move or speak for several seconds, than slowly moved the blanket down to eye level, and peered up at him. Her face was bright red. "I.. " She covered herself with the blanket again.

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire slowly lowered his head to the blanketed form. He would have been blushing too if the blood hadn't desperately been needed elsewhere.

"I'm not made of iron," he whispered softly to Lina, with just a hint of laughter," you know."

He gently placed the tray down and walked around the bed to the closet. He glanced down and saw the bra and panties ... he sighed.

Think clean thoughts Daniel told himself Think clean thoughts.

With another deep breath, Ravenshire opened the closet door and pulled out one of his shirts - a nice cotton silk blend. He came back to the bed and sat down. He bundled the shirt up and slowly slid his hand under the blanket.

"Do me a favor and put this on. Otherwise I'm going to have to go put an glycerin capsule under my tongue," he joked.

[White Light]

Lina smiled as he spoke, but still didn't move her head. When she heard him moving away, she peaked her head out to see what he was doing. He saw her stop near her panties and bra. Oh God! She moved her head back under the blanket, and felt like she was going to cry.

She felt him sit down on the bed, than she felt his hand moving beneath the blanket. She grabbed it softly, and removed the shirt with one hand while still holding onto it with the other. She almost pulled back until she gripped him with both hands, and moved his hand up to her chest. Lina put his hand flat against her chest, above her small left breast, where his hand felt cold, but relaxing. Her heart was going a mile a minute. "Thats how nervous I am" She said softly.

[Ravenshire]

No, no, no ... not good ... hmmmm,the tortured man thought as she pulled him across her luminescent skin. He couldn't stop himself from rubbing his little finger down toward her nipple as his had transmitted her racing passion to his already confused senses.

"I don't want you to be nervous," he whispered back, only a hair's breath away from he lips. "I would like it very much if you would get used to this ... seeing me in the morning when you wake."

With an effort of will, Ravenshire pulled his hand away, still clutching her hand in his and kissed her on the fingers. Slowly he rotated the hand over and placed another kiss on the palm, followed by another on the wrist. Another kiss followed even closer down, eliciting a shudder from Lina.

"You are doing all kinds of wicked things to me, Lina. Last night I had all these preconceptions about right and wrong and what I wanted ... and that didn't last fifteen seconds after meeting you."

"I would like to get used to seeing you first thing every morning, sharing your warmth beneath the covers, and knowing that neither of us had on anything underneath. That is where I want to get to and that means that today," a seething intake of breath," I wait."

[White Light]

Lina was near pushing his hand away before he had taken it back. She liked how it felt, but knew it wasn't something to do. "I wasn't trying to tease you, you know." She spoke softly, still under the covers. "I wanted you to know how nervous I am."

Lina shuttered as he kissed up her arm, reaching the elbow. She withdrew her arm to back under the covers, and he began to speak.

"You are doing all kinds of wicked things to me, Lina. Last night I had all these preconceptions about right and wrong and what I wanted ... and that didn't last fifteen seconds after meeting you."

"I would like to get used to seeing you first thing every morning, sharing your warmth beneath the covers, and knowing that neither of us had on anything underneath. That is where I want to get to and that means that today," a seething intake of breath," I wait."

Lina smiled, knowing how he felt. She moved around under the covers for a second, putting on the shirt. After few moments, she finished and lay under the covers for a little time longer. Lina poked her head out from under the blankets, her cheeks still a little flushed and her hair wild. "I really, really like you too" She whispered, thoughts and fantasies running through her head. After a few moments, she sat up. The shirt was a combination of blues, and one side hung off of her petite shoulder. She tried fixing it, but it would just fall back over. It made her giggle. "Let's get us some of this breakfast" She said, smiling and reaching for a slice of toast. She held it front of his mouth for him to eat. "You gotta make sure it's not poisoned for me"

[Ravenshire]

"You gotta make sure it's not poisoned for me."

Ravenshire bit into the toast, very close to one of her fingers.

'Tastes better with love,' he thought, followed too closely by, 'Love?!?! Were did that come from ... calm down."

Daniel chewed the toast as if contemplating its texture. He took another piece of toast and smeared some jam on it before offering it for Lina to taste. Ravenshire wasn't looking at her, but past her, wondering what had become of his old life and if he would really miss it.

'Too soon,' he thought. 'Too soon.'

As Lina started to bite in, he whispered to the room.

"I think I love you."

He said it with a calm confidence from his heart and it felt as it had been torn from his breast, a thought too strong to keep chained by fear.

[White Light]

They were quiet while sharing the toast. Lina was smiling, but lost in thought. She was wondering if this was intimacy without intercourse, she'd heard of it before. Daniel began to spread jam onto another piece of toast, and Lina knew it was her turn to have some toast. She wasn't feeling very hungry, but was thirsty. She waited anyway, and even leaned into him while he spread. Lina slightly kissed his neck, but he seemed distracted.

Words filled the room, and all color was gone from Lina. She was mid-bite, and she just froze. She drew back, pulled the food out of her mouth, and placed it on the plate. She stood up on the bed, and walked off and out of the room without saying a word. She moved through the hall and into the bathroom, and locked the door behind her.

[Ravenshire]

Too soon ... the words ate at him. He had wanted something. He had reached for it, and it had slipped away.

Too much, too soon.

Ravenshire gathered Lina's clothes gingerly and walked to the closed bathroom door. He didn't even try to the lock. He knocked and said,

"Your clothes are at the door. I'll get dressed and take you to the airport when you're ready."

Numbly, Daniel went to his room, quickly changed, and made his way back to the living room. He took up the remote and activated one of the monitors. Tapping the keyboard on the coffee table, he quickly drew up a list of flights to Wisconsin. The soonest one was still two hours away. Time enough to sit in silence, but Ravenshire vowed 'No regrets.'

He had enjoyed himself with Lina. He wanted to spend more time with her and he wasn't going to hide that desire.

Alone, he sat and waited.

[White Light]

Lina sat, wondering about many things. She stood and looked in the full body mirror, than removed the shirt over her. She stared at her overly thin body, her small breast and the large patch of black hair. She examined her face for a time, thinking that hours had passed when she heard Ravenshire from the otherside of the door. He spoke a few words that Lina didn't quite hear, than moved away. Lina looked in the mirror for a few minutes longer.

Lina replaced the shirt over her, as it went down to her thighs. She opened the door to find her stuff in front of it, but passed right over it. She walked in the direction that she heard Ravenshire walk in, and found him on the couch. She moved to him silently, but in plain sight. Ravenshire watched her, and and Lina laid him down on his side, than she laid next to him, facing him, and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't think I love you." She said in a whisper. "But I want to someday."

[Ravenshire]

Ravenshire looked at Lina and nodded.

"Loves not about me only being in love with you if you're in love with me. Its how I feel. I wanted to be honest with you and I don't expect you to be in love with me. We just met last night."

Ravenshire reached out and stroked her hair.

"All I ask is that you tell me how you feel. Living a lie is bad. Living a lie for someone else is worse."

He leaned forward and kissed her. His free hand rand down her side to the bottom of the shirt and back again.

"We still have to live our lives. I'd just like to live a little more of mine with you."

Daniel kissed her again.

"If ever you feel like I'm moving too fast, or piling on too much, tell me. I'm not going to run away. I'm a big boy and I can handle the truth."

[White Light]

Lina listens to his words, quiet and understandingly. It was hard to concentrate with their bodies pressed against each other as they were, with such little clothing between them. She smiled and laughed as he moved his hand up and down her, but several words weighed too heavy on her.

"Living a lie is bad. Living a lie for someone else is worse."

She was quiet until he finished. "You know how I stand in the eyes of some Christians?" She said softly. "I've got eleven tattoos on my body. Find them, and solve the puzzle, and I will give you my phone number. If not, than I will not see you until I see you." She smiled at him politely, and rolled onto her back.

[Ravenshire]

The smile left Ravenshire's face to be replaced by firm determination. He layed Lina out on her stomach and crouched over her. His hand started at mid-thigh. Daniel inched it forward slowly and steadily, barely brushing her flesh. Goosebumps rose on her flesh were his breath caressed her.

"Impie ... Impious ... disloyal to God."

Ravenshire's forefinger traced the first tatoo.

He didn't take the tatoos as they came along, but sought out one random one followed by another. Each one was traced with Ravenshire's finger even though it left her naked under his touch. The inverted cross ... spiritual distress, loss, or denial. Athiest ... to deny spirituality ... that was just the first three. There were eight more.

[White Light]

Lina shivered as Ravenshire moved his finger along her left thigh and down to her calf where he found one of the tattoos. This was a shite idea.. I want him so bad.. she thought. When he spoke, Lina closed her eyes and waited. She was trying to calm herself, to limit herself.

He began moving his fingers across to her right calf and found the tattoo there. He seemed to know the meaning of it, as it was Greek. Lina shuttered, as his hand was moving up her thigh and to her mid-section. He lifted up the shirt slightly to reveal the upside down cross which resided on her right side of the hip, and simultaneously revealing her right butt cheek. Ravenshire slowly ran his fingers across to the otherside, very lightly and very slowly to reveal her next tattoo. It was the signal for the American Athiests Society, a mostly complete atom. She explained as much when he found it, and he seemed to run his fingers along it for more than a minute, with her full butt exposed now. His fingers retreated from her hip, and his other hand pushed the shirt back down. He searched her legs, looking but not finding, until he checked her feet. "S? T?" He spoke.

"You'll see." He had found six of the tattoos, and seem her exposed bum. He still needed to find five, and they were small and spaced far in between.

[Ravenshire]

"Five more," he purred softly. Lina's flesh was marble-white and inhumanly delicate. As she fought for control, he fought for the right to see her again ... and he wasn't going to lose. Ravenshire put a hand, palm down, on the back of either hip, just above each buttock. He slowly drove the hands upwards, pulling the shirt away from her back and bunching it toward her shoulders. Two tender kisses let Lina know he had found the tattoos on her should blades. "H" and "T" he whispered to her. With a slow exhalation of breath, Ravenshire pulled the shirt back down until her backside was covered once more, but now he hovered over her, hands on either side of her head.

Daniel lowered himself onto Lina, letting her feel a fraction of his weight. He nuzzled her neckline and kissed his way up to the base of her scalp. "A", he breathed into her ear. Ravenshire raised himself up slightly and transferred his weight from his hands and hips to his elbows and knees. Lina could feel his heat and presence above her, but she couldn't truly feel him, though he was mere inches away.

Delicate lines were traced up Lina's arms as three of his fingers played gingerly with her pulse. The fingers traced delicate lines across her palms before becoming intertwined with her own. Ravenshire pivoted his center and brought the hand up to his lips. He kissed the tattoo like a butterfly dancing across a flower. "E" he exhaled softly. The two hands went back down to the couch and he let his weight pin them there.

On the right side, Daniel started at the fingertips, matching them one on one, and slowly slid them down until they came together in the palm. They spilled over the cup of the palm to the wrist and then around the thumb, turning Lina's right hand over. This time Ravenshire stretched over and kissed the final tattoo. He kissed it and sucked on it slightly, trying to draw a hint of it into his breath. Fingers intertwined and there was strength in their embrace. Lina was pinned, stomach down, with Ravenshire bare inches over her.

"You loved God," he began. "God was a part of your life, in the same way as you had parents, and friends, and people who knew you around town. You liked that life and you were happy."

"You erupted and all that changed. They betrayed you; God, your parents, your friends and neighbors. They betrayed you because they stopped loving you and thy started loving this power inside you. This power ... heaven sent, took your life away. It stole everything you loved and left you with this empty shadow of deceit and dependence and false hope."

Ravenshire's words come out grim and fateful, with a great sorrow to them.

"You can't go back. You don't want to believe in a future, or a struggle, or some power on high dispensing justice ... because what happened to you wasn't justice ... it wasn't right."

Ravenshire shifted off of her and sat down on the floor, back to the sofa.

"You want to go back and you know you can't and you don't want to go forward because of all the pain and loss. You give hope to other and save nothing for yourself, because you don't want to Believe anymore."

The last words were choked out. Daniel turned to Lina.

"Even if you don't find happiness with me, Lina, don't give up. Life is pain and betrayal, but it has trust, joy and hope too. You have to keep reaching for it."

A tear escaped his eye.