World of Darkness World of Darkness: Attrition - Serious Steak [Complete]

[z-Amber Wren]

August 27, 2008

The name 'Serious Steak' was innoculous, but it did serve college students, so it wasn't surprising that it has a light-hearted name. It was just off campus and the interior was designed with the kind of yuppie knick-knack foolishness that Amber despised because it felt so artifical. Amber had never been here before, so she hoped that it was as cheap as Antoine had implied. Otherwise, it was going to be a interesting meal, seeing if she could juggle her budget and her desire to not appear desperately poor.

Tonight, she'd gone more casual, since steakhouse didn't scream 'elegant.' The shirt was just a skin-tight baby-doll cotton t-shirt which had a picture of New Jersey on it. It stated, "New Jersey girls aren't trash. (Trash gets picked up)." The jeans she wore were just as tight as the shirt, and she vowed yet again that the first thing she was doing when she got from free money was to buy less scandelous outfits.

The hostess looked at her closely, but Amber was dressed like a lot of other girls here and it felt like simple assessment of another woman rather than outright hostility. For once, the Uratha didn't feel quite so scandelous; there were other women in here dressed just like her. Feeling a little better, she said, "Two, non-smoking."

"Would you like to wait at the bar while the rest of your party gets here?" the hostess asked.

"No, I'd like to wait at my table," Amber replied, wondering why the woman thought she'd want to wait there. The hostess seemed put out by Amber's request, but she handled it like a champ, scurrying off to prepare a table. Amber had learned a while ago not to follow when they did that, so she patiently waited until the woman came back and got her.

"Your waitress will be here in a minute," she said and started to walk away, but Amber caught her arm.

"Hey, do you what Antoine LaSalle looks like?" At the hostess' nod, Amber said, "I'm meeting him here, so send him on back when he gets here."

The hostess' eyes said, There is no way in hell you are meeting the star quarterback. But she smiled and said, "Sure will. Enjoy your meal."

Amber rolled her eyes as the hostess walked away. The woman thought she was lying; Amber didn't need to be an Elodoth to know that. But why would she think that? Why would someone lie about that? Tilting her chair back on two legs, Amber stared out the window and considered the strange behavior of humans.

[William Rose]

7:35 pm

Antoine got there a little late, due in part to being rather more cautious when walking off campus nowadays. Still he walked in and approached the hostess. By the look on the hostess's face he figured that Amber was already here and waiting. "Hi, I'm looking for my ... date, I'm Antoine."

A dumbstruck look and a silent nod from the hostess was followed by a hasty, "Yes, of course, right with way." The look on her face was something that Antoine would have expected had he walked into a clothing store for short people, "What is he doing here?" Still she lead Antoine to the table and Antoine thanked her as he sat down, grateful that it was a table and not a booth.

"Hi, you look nice tonight. Glad you could make it, I've got a lot to talk to you about. But first ... let's see about some food, I'm starving." Antoine opened the menu in front of him laying it on the table so as not to come between the two of them. "Anything you don't like or can't eat?"

[z-Amber Wren]

"I'm a vegetarian," Amber said. Antoine blinked at her and then gave her a 'pull the other one' look. And he was right to do so; she was a werewolf who had admitted to knowing how to butcher a cow. Amber chuckled. "Sorry... had to do it. I'll eat just about anything, but I was thinking about one of their ground-steak burgers." It was the cheapest thing on the menu and the high fat content would give her some nice calories.

She paused in her consideration of the menu, studied him closely for a moment and admitted softly, "You look nice, too. But then you always look nice, so I'm not surprised." She smiled at him before dropping her eyes to the menu. "What were you looking at?"

Before he could answer, a waitress took their drink orders and left a bucket of peanuts for them. As Amber dug into the peanuts, she said, "Are you a meataterian? I hope so, since life with me will get awkward otherwise."

[William Rose]

Antoine heaved an audible sigh of relief that she hadn't been serious. "Babe, you don't get to be seven foot three by eating nothin' but veggies. Fact is I eat damn near anything, and usually a lot of that. As for tonight, I'm looking at the twenty ounce porterhouse." He saw Amber's expression, "Hey, order whatever you want, really. My treat, and besides, the owner is a huge Bruins fan, I've not paid a bill here yet! I try not to abuse it, but a boy's got to eat." Antoine looked over the menu but kept an eye on Amber to see if she was re-reviewing the menu. "If it'd make you feel better I can just order for you. You like spicy food by the way? I was thinking about starting off with some buffalo wings ... you know, chicken?" He smiled at her and pointed to the picture in the menu of a heaping pile of red chicken wings.

[z-Amber Wren]

"I like food," Amber said, grinning and showing human-looking teeth. Antoine was the only person here who knew what a lie that was. "Chicken, steak, pork... bring it on!" She'd share his appetizers, but if she changed her order, then it would just confirm that she was broke. She could add to that order, though, and see what she could take home in a doggie-bag. Leftovers from here would beat eating cat again.

Again the waitress returned with their drinks and took the order for the wings before leaving them alone again. Amber watched him for a moment before she asked, "How old are you?"

[William Rose]

He nodded, "Good to hear, how about seafood? Creole is big on fresh seafood, it'll be harder for me to cook for you if you're not into seafood. I can do it but it may not be the same." After she asked his age Antoine gave Amber an odd look, "Twenty-one, why?" He popped a drumstick into his mouth an chewed off the chicken savoring the spicy tangy flavor. Dropping the stripped bone into the bag he picked up another and started in on it while waited for her reply.

[z-Amber Wren]

"I just wanted to know how old you are," she said, giving him a little smile. "Can't I be curious about my friend? Can't I ask questions about his life?" Then she caught what he'd said about seafood.

Amber blinked in surprise. "Cook? For me? I didn't think human males did that willingly," she said. "I like all food, especially meat, and seafood is meat... Do you really cook? My skills are, um... mimimal in that area."

She was pleased by the idea of him cooking for her. It reminded her of home; men had cooked there, but Ray had made it clear to her that no real man cooked. Amber was relieved to find out that was just more bullshit.

[William Rose]

Antoine felt bad, he hadn't meant it to come across that way, "No it's fine, just an odd question given all the other things between us." He smiled as he dipped a carrot stick in the blue cheese. "How about yourself? I'd have thought you were in college here but you said you weren't when we talked at the party."

Antoine registered her shock with mild amusement, "Yes I can cook, many of the best are men. But I suppose you may not be aware of that. Well did you eat anything at the party? I made some of that. I cook when I get the chance, it can be hard in the dorm though. Shame you can't cook, everybody should be able to do so I think. Maybe I can teach you sometime, maybe next time I'll cook for you." He wondered just how much of his implied meaning she caught. I'd be more obvious but let's see how this goes as is.

[z-Amber Wren]

"I just turned twenty," she said, pausing to rip into a wing. The spicy food made her eyes water and raised her hackles, but it was also good. She cleaned the bones and was a hairsbreath away from cracking open the bones to get at the marrow when she rememebered where she was. Regretfully, she put the piece down and picked up a stalk of celery. "I'm not in college - I didn't even get my high school diploma. I have a GED certificate. I'm not exactly college material."

Cleaning her fingers, Amber added, "Oh, yeah... no, I didn't get to eat any. I was... well, you know what I was there for." Her glance at him was both amused and sultry - a reminder that had things gone differently that night, they might be having a very different conversation. "Sure, I'll give cooking a stab. Always willing to learn a new skill, and food is a good thing."

[William Rose]

"I remember, as I recall it took Anita to mess that up. You know, I'm guessing she's not going to be here tonight..." Antoine let that hang for a moment as he devoured another wing. The flavor was ok but the heat wasn't there for him, he'd ordered mild not knowing what Amber's palette could handle. He recalled her saying that she'd run away and kind flubbed up her life before. Still she's getting it together it seems, and I don't think there's much call for a fancy college degree when you are a werewolf. That though caused Antoine to laugh and then he started coughing. He was forced to swill down a couple gulps of soda before he could breath normally again.

"Sorry, swallowed wrong. Yeah, I can teach ya to cook. Say looks like the waitress is coming over, you know what you want? Trust me, get a steak, you won't be disappointed." Antoine noted her glance at the menu. "Hey, I told you, this is on me, even if I do actually have to pay tonight. It's cool, get the porterhouse, they cook 'em up perfectly here."

[z-Amber Wren]

"Yes we do," the waitress agreed with a bright smile, stopping at their table. "What can I get you?"

"Well, Antoine's recommending the porterhouse," Amber said, clear desire in her voice. Fuck it. Just do it. "And that sounds good."

"You going to try to share with Big Easy here?" the waitress laughed. "Honey, you'll be lucky to get an ounce."

"We're both getting one," Amber said then glanced at Antoine. "Or did you change your mind?"

"Nope," the big man said, nodding at the waitress. "I'll have one too - you know my usual order."

"That's a lot of meat for you," the waitress said, her tone still light and friendly.

"I like dead animals," Amber replied easily - perhaps a bit too easily. For a moment, Amber seemed a bit feral.

The waitress went pale and lost her smile. "Right, got it, enjoy your meal," she said and hurried away.

Amber didn't seem to notice her unusual behavior. She was too busy thinking about what Antoine had said about Anita. That seemed like a random statement, unless the cheerleader had tried to interfere with their meeting. But Antoine had been referencing Anita butting between them sexually - hadn't he?

Amber was confused now. Could he be interested in pursuing a relationship now? She wasn't sure so she stomped her hope down and waited for him to say something definitive. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked instead, jerking her head toward the departing waitress.

[William Rose]

Antoine laughed again, it felt good, double so given the source. "No, it's just not the kind of order that a woman with your outward appearance would place. Don't worry about it. There's an awful lot of shallow women around here. I'd bet dollars to dough nuts that they would love to get a steak like that, but their figure couldn't handle it." He smiled again, "You should feel lucky, you can eat like a normal person but still look like a knockout."

Antoine took a drink from his glass, trying to decide how to proceed. She had seemingly not gotten his comment about Anita. I suppose I could just lean over and plant one on her, but then again that might lead to a stronger response than would be appropriate just now. Wow, I never really thought about how fucking complicated this whole bullshit process is. Antoine smiled at the thought and decided to venture more small talk, "So what do you do apart from hunting down the spiritual invaders in our world? Do you work at all? What do you do for fun?"

[z-Amber Wren]

Amber chewed her lip for a moment. And now came the awkward moment when she had to start telling him who she really was, well, besides being a werewolf. "Right now, I'm uh," What do they call it? Oh, yeah... "-between jobs," Amber said, playing with her silverware compulsively. "I was working at a gas station in West Hollywood, not far from where I live, but I found out the glass wasn't bullet-proof and I quit. I'm looking for work but not having much luck." Amber shrugged. "Something will turn up.

"I don't have many hobbies," she added. "Or, um... any. I've never had time for them. Not as a kid, working for the family, and then later I was too busy being dumb. Now, I'm patrolling when I'm not helping D-the other werewolves. And job hunting. Which I'm really, really bad at." Frustration gleamed in her gray eyes. "I'd give my right arm for an Ur- a werewolf employer, just to cut through the bullshit."

[William Rose]

"Other werewolves? How many of you are there around here?" Antoine looked shaken for a moment, Did you expect her to be the only one in LA? This isn't some TV show ... "I guess I should bring this up now, since we're kinda talking about 'work'. I told you about that vampire right? Well he asked me to ask you for permission to work your territory, he's kinda an undead PI. Oh and he said I could tell you his name was Adrian. He's been helping me out some. He's got a thing working at the moment but we've been discussing Crimson." Antoine laid out what he knew of the drug to Amber over the remains of the wings.

He broke off as the waitress came over. Two massive steaks were put down in front of each of them. Fully an inch and a half thick they were suitably seared and smelled wonderful. The waitress then placed two smaller plates on the table. Each held a baked potato that was nearly the size of Antoine's fist and cut open, topped with butter, bacon, and cheese. Roasted carrots came last, smelling sweet and savory at once and crowding the table already full of the other food. The waitress cleared away the appetizers and took their glasses for refills. Alone again Antoine commented, "Bet you are glad you didn't get a sissy little burger now eh? Listen, any help you can give me with the ... the red stuff, would be great."

[z-Amber Wren]

"Oh, there's two packs," Amber said, then grimaced and corrected herself. "Well, my 'pack' is just getting started, so it's more like one and a half. The other pack is up in Topanga State Park." Her voice was ice cold as she spoke of the Topangians. "You don't have a thing to worry about, so if you wanted to go up to their territory, that's cool. But I strongly suggest that you don't let them know you're wolf-blooded; some of the People have different definitions of who is and isn't a member of the He- humans. Some say the wolf-blooded are allowed, because they are like us. Some say you can reveal yourself to the leeches, because they're not human."

She let Antoine think about that for a second while she ate and tried to calm down. The second she'd heard him say 'Adrian' she'd felt the warmth of rage spread through her. A tick had been around her Antoine. "Adrian? I may have met it already," she said, her voice no warmer than it was before. "It's a very busy little leech." Sighing, she dropped her fork and focusing on calming for a moment. "Ok, Antoine, I'll help as much as I can with the 'red stuff.'" She managed a smile. "All you have to do is ask, and I'll be there for you as much as I can."

[William Rose]

"Good, cause I'm asking. After Denise, I started poking into the issue more, found all that stuff out. Adrian thinks we need to find a dealer and work our way up. You called him a leech, maybe he is, maybe not. I trust him, trust him enough to do a favor for him and ask you about letting him work your territory." Antoine popped a hunk of steak into his mouth and made favorable noises as he chewed it. "I understand your concern, but I gave him all the chances I gave you, well not all the chances... Anyways, he proven himself thus far."

Antoine ate some more steak and dove into the humongous potato and the golden carrots. Around a mouthful of food he said, "You should eat before it gets cold." It came out more like, "ouf shouf ep befur ets cold," but the intent was clear to Amber who wasted no further time to get into her meal. Based on the pleased sounds that she uttered Antoine was certain she thought it was good. Based on how quickly she ate it was clear she was hungry.

[z-Amber Wren]

Amber ate and thought. At first, all she did was really enjoy the steak; she hadn't had a treat like this in years. It was completely silly, but for one moment she felt incredibly special and all because Antoine was treating her to nice things as well as treating her nicely.

But she didn't like his defense of the leech. It made her nervous and afraid for him. She didn't want to find his bloodless corpse or for him to get hurt by the blood-sucking monsters.

A sudden idea occured to her and she stopped eating, feeling a little nervous and ill. "Well, getting to a dealer will be a problem. Dealers don't like strangers, because they might be narcs. But I can get it," she said. "I already have the in I need to get the contact to a Crimson dealer." She took a deep breath and swallowed. "I'll need money and time to get the deal done."

[William Rose]

Antoine nodded but didn't reply until he was finished with the bite in his mouth. "I don't want to put you into that position, not unless you are ... no, not even then. I don't want you exposing yourself to that temptation for me. I appreciate the offer, but I'll let Adrian do that legwork." Antoine reached across the table and put his hand on hers and looked into her eyes, "I'll never ask you to face that again, even if that means I need to go to somebody else for that help."

[z-Amber Wren]

"Ok," Amber said, trying not to feel guilty about accepting so rapidly. Her guilt didn't stop her from turning her hand over as it lay under his. Maybe she shouldn't have done that, but she didn't care - she liked touching him. Let none see or tend to your weakness. Amber drew a deep breath and reminded herself she wasn't a Storm Lord. "I could do it. You don't have to shield me from it." She gave him a crooked smile. "Herion was my thing, not Crimson. And I learned my lesson." Her life on the skids, her daughter taken - so much gone wrong because she hadn't been smarter.

The thought of Melody worried her. Males didn't react well to the presence of other males' offspring around them. She wondered how Antoine would react. She vowed to herself she'd tell him before things got too serious. It wasn't any business of his until then.

[William Rose]

Antoine noted that she responded to his touch and smiled a little more. Come on, that shouldn't surprise you at all, she wants to get in your pants so bad it's obvious to anybody with two eyes and a brain. "Just because it's not the same doesn't mean it's not a temptation. I can get somebody else to do it, somebody who's just as comfortable doing so. Maybe I'm shielding you, I know you probably don't like that, but you need to understand that just because you are not a typical woman doesn't mean I'm not a typical man. I'm sure there'll be plenty of chances for you to be strong for me, but right now I'm being strong for you so that you don't have to be." His left hand speared a hunk of steak and popped into his mouth as he finished as if to say, "And that is all there is to say about that."

[z-Amber Wren]

This completely brought back memories of having THE TALK with her mother. Luna's Fist had never been anything less than blunt with her daughter, and one of those truths included how to handle human males. "Most of them don't handle a woman who is stronger than them well. They freak out and insist on being tough. Some do handle it better than others. For peace in your household, pretend once in a while - let them have their way. Insist it's unnecessary but don't stop them. It's the only way to let them save face."

"Ok," Amber said. "I won't get your sample for you. But I do know a cop who will help us. Adrian knows her too, so he should be ok working with her." His hand was still in hers, and she dared to stroke her thumb over his skin. He'd probably pull away, but a wolf is always interested in testing the prey.

[William Rose]

Antoine fairly well beamed, "Good! I was worried you were going to insist, and I didn't want to fight about it. That's fine too, so long as he knows her ... wait, what? Hell now I feel like the odd man out. I'm the token black guy aren't I and the token normal guy to boot? Oh man..." Antoine burst out laughing as he realized that he was indeed the odd man out. It was a laugh of genuine mirth filled humor though and Amber couldn't help but laugh along with him. If he noticed her caress of his hand he made no sign instead continuing to chuckle as he ate his dinner.

Finally Antoine pushed his plate away, clear of anything that even remotely resembled food Antoine threw his arm over his chair and took a moment to feel satisfied. After a bit the waitress cleared the plates from the table. Before she could inquire after dessert the manage came up to the table. "Mr. LaSalle, so glad to have you back again! And your lovely guest as well. Please order dessert and be assured that your meal is on us! We at Serious Steak can only hope that our team will once again go the distance this year under your leadership!"

Antoine blushed, as much as was possible, and thanked the manager profusely. Once the man was gone Antoine winked across the table at Amber, "See, no problem. What do you want to get for dessert?"

[z-Amber Wren]

Amber leaned back and stretched, pulling her shirt up a few inches before she lowered her arms and tugged it back down. "Mmm, no dessert - refined sugars and I won't always get along." When I turn into a wolf and run around, she silently added. Chocolate made her sicker than a domestic canine when she shifted with it in her system. Refined sugars made her feel like she was running about six inches off the ground and made her jumpy. "But knock yourself out."

[William Rose]

Antoine nodded as he stretched as well. When he waitress arrived he said, "New York Cheesecake, and two forks." The waitress nodded and then meandered off, "You have to at least try it. Lucky for you I don't bake myself, so I don't usually do dessert unless I'm out like this. Maybe some Oreos or ice cream but that's about it." The dessert arrived quickly and Antoine took up a fork, "You first, after that, if you still don't want any ... well it won't be pretty but I'll eat it."

[z-Amber Wren]

"Ok, a little bit won't hurt," Amber said, picking up a fork and trying a bit. She avoided more than a forkful, though, in case she had to shift form later. She was quite content with watching Antoine eat. Also, her jeans were at their limits for what they'd allow her to eat. She looked damn good in them but they weren't exactly comfortable.

After Antoine was done, they walked outside, the humid night air like a slap across their lungs as they tried to breathe. "Mmm... smog after a nice meal - it's August in LA," Amber chuckled, taking a deep breath even as she winced from the taste of the foul air. Glancing up at him, she broached the next subject. "So did you want to meet with your leech-friend tonight or were we just doing dinner? Or did you have another thing planned?"

[William Rose]

Antoine was caught off guard, he hadn't though this far ahead, mostly because he wasn't sure how well this was going to go. "Umm ... I actually hadn't thought that far ahead." It was embarrassing to admit that but he knew that Amber wouldn't care, with so much of the pretense of normal folk stripped away, Antoine hoped that she would find it endearing or at least not disappointing. "Well, we could play pool or go bowling if you'd like. If you are free I mean. Or if you'd rather not we could maybe go to the beach and just walk..." ... and maybe make out some ...

[z-Amber Wren]

Was this a date or business dinner? Amber wasn't sure and Antoine wasn't clearing it up much. Just... roll with the punches, like you always do. "I'm free. I have to patrol my territory later, but I can do that at any point, so long as it gets done. I have an ally watching it right now," she said. And that little ally had better keep his mandibles off her essence.

"I like the beach and I'm ok at pool. I haven't bowled ever... fuck it. Antoine, I don't know what the hell I'm doing," Amber said. "I've never had a guy just want to hang with me, and I'm not sure what to do. Pick something fun, and I'll make sure I enjoy it." She grinned at him. "Half the fun is being with friends, right?"

[William Rose]

A mixture of concern and pity filled Antoine's eyes, "Amber, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you were raised in such a way that you can't even just enjoy the company of a guy without it being something sexual. I'm sorry too, that I'm having trouble not being direct. I'm trying." Antoine took a deep breath and looked Amber up and down. You can do it, first date or not, she's been waiting on you. Besides, its been two weeks almost, plenty of time to get your shit together.

Antoine puffed out his breath, "OK here goes ... Amber, I thought a lot about what you said, and what I said last time. I've realized that the world I find myself in now wouldn't be kind to any relationship I could have with a woman who wasn't aware of everything I was." Antoine could see the perplexed look in Amber's eyes, Oh hell! "I'm trying to say that I've broken it off with Ashe, whomever she was she couldn't possibly understand all of this, vampires, and werewolves, and the rest. Not like you." More looks that said she didn't follow, Out with it, just say what you MEAN. "I ..." Say it! "I ..." Antoine didn't bother to finish the sentence. He threw caution to the wind and went for the long pass over the quick running play. He bent down cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. TOUCHDOWN!!!

[z-Amber Wren]

Amber quickly figured that Antoine was a man with a mission. He was trying to talk to her, to say something - and for once, he was saying it. This was what she'd been waiting for; just for him to admit he was trying, even if he wasn't getting it out quite right.

And then he went right back to hedging around something, girding the topic with innuendo and allusions. Amber just stared up at him, waiting patiently for him to either say something plainly or to just finish rambling. So she wasn't really prepared for his next move.

His warm hands slid over her face and she started to ask him if he had forgotten where not to touch her, and could he please stop or be prepared to finish what he was starting. Then he did finish it - or rather, he really started it. Amber's first reaction to the kiss was to grab Antoine and throw him down to the ground but she forced herself to be patient. Not too much, not too fast, or she'd scare him off. So Antoine received a gentle, searching kiss in return as her hands slipped around his back to hold him.

"So," Amber said softly when he released her from the sudden kiss, "what do you really want to do with me right now? Hint: the answer isn't bowling."

[William Rose]

Antoine straightened, "Wow ..." He realized that Amber's arms were around him and that she'd pulled closer to him as he'd broken the kiss. "I can think of a few things to do, but honestly this right here is enough for me." Antoine registered the starting glimmer of disappointment in her eyes and shut it down quickly with, "But I also understand that it's not enough for you. So if you want to go back to my place we can do that, if you want to go slower and maybe see what going to the beach holds, that'd be fine with me too." He bent down once more and wrapping her in his arms he lifted her off the ground and kissed her again, losing himself for another moment in the way she tasted and felt. After a bit he pulled away only to find his lower lip between her teeth still. Reluctantly she released him, "So, what do you want to do now? ... and no, I'm not really up for bowling either."

[z-Amber Wren]

She could either get a mouthful of blood and flesh now, or she could wait for the real kill. It was a matter of patience, of being willing to wait just a little bit longer. She didn't want to wait, and she sense he would be ok with not waiting, but Amber forced herself to ignore the cravings. Though he made it incredibly difficult by being so agreeable to doing other things.

Though to be honest - which Amber usually was, even with herself - she probably needed to come clean about the last hurdle he'd have to face with her. And it was a big one. And she should probably mention that before having sex with him. She wouldn't care about the order, but sex seemed important to Antoine and she was guessing he'd want to know about Melody before that point.

"The beach sounds fantastic," Amber said, her lips still tingling from the thorough kiss he'd given her. "We can walk, talk, whatever." She wasn't looking forward to the talking, but if she didn't tell him now, it'd just suck more later. "That sound good?"

[William Rose]

Antoine set her down reluctantly and nodded, he could certainly carry her but he wasn't certain she'd accept the offer. So instead he offered his hand, "Sounds good, let's grab my car and drive down to Santa Monica Beach." She took his hand and they walked back to his recently refurbished hunk of junk on wheels. "It's not pretty but at least it runs again!" he told her as they drove off toward the oceanside.

Fifteen minutes later the car was parked and they began walking down the beach, their shoes left in the car. The wet sand shifted under their feet, providing cool relief as the ocean's water bled away the heat of the day. "You know, I'm glad you were willing to wait. Not that I'd have protested otherwise, but I'm glad you are willing to slow down some to my speed." He looked down at her, the light from the moon was minimal but the overflow of city light made the beach dimly lit. "You're beautiful. I should have told you that weeks ago but then ... then I didn't know that I needed to be more direct with you. I'm saying it now though because I want to you know."

[z-Amber Wren]

There was a kind of peace here, standing on the cold, damp sands hand-in-hand with Antoine. It was a comforting, like touching a packmate and Amber found herself smiling for no reason. When he called her beautiful, the smile only widened. Some woman would have blushed or looked away, but Amber accepted what was being said without flinching. "There is only one reply to that," she murmured, standing on tiptoe. He was tall enough that he had to bend down a little to let her complete the kiss she wanted to give him. "You're too tall," she mock-complained.

"Then I guess you just need a step stool," he chuckled, "but since none are out here, I'll have to do this." He picked her up and she hooked her legs around him automatically, her eyes going wide with surprise. "Better?"

Amber leaned forward and kissed him easily. "Much," she murmured against his lips before daring to kiss at his neck. He buried his nose in her hair and when she moved her head, he gave some soft kisses to her neck, pulling a soft growl from her.

"Wow," he said, drawing back.

"Sorry," Amber murmured as she played with his short hair, "that really felt good." She glanced around at the beach, relunctant to stop this but knowing that if she didn't, she'd forget to talk to him about it later. Never one to shy from potential conflict, she said, "Mind putting me down for a moment? My turn to confess something."

Frowning, he did as she asked, quiet and instantly somber. Oddly, he didn't looked confused as he waited for her to speak. It was like he knew what she was going to say. Taking a breath, she delivered the news with her usual tact. "Now that you want to get serious... before you get serious, I have to tell you that part of my stupid phase involved getting knocked up by my dealer. The reason I'm not at home with her right now is because I fucked up and Family Services took her away. They say I can have her back, if I can find a stable job and prove I'm all better."

[William Rose]

Antoine's jaw dropped open and his eyes grew wide, "Wha...?" The question died in mid word and for a moment he was too stunned to even think. His mind raced, A kid? She's got a kid? ... That's means she's a MILF then, that's kinda cool ... still, wow, that's a heavy load right there. Starting back to productive thinking he began to wonder what this all meant. She could have waited, could have gotten you on the hook, tied, trussed, and ready, but she didn't she held back from having sex and now she's letting you know her big secret... Why now? Why not two weeks ago?!... She's doing it now because now she knows you want to get serious you dummy, you're involved enough with her that she'd have to tell you eventually, but you mean enough that she's telling you up front ... Does it change anything? Yes, but also no. It only changes things if you let it, and if you want it. ... oh boy ...

For a long moment Antoine simply stood there thinking. For the first time Amber started to worry that his reaction was going to be to pull away, end it before it began, before it got serious. Finally Antoine looked down at her, he features harder to read in the dark. "You have a daughter?" She nodded. "How old is she?" About six months she told him, worry creeping into her eyes. "What's her name?" She told him, Melody. He smiled, "Melody, that's a beautiful name. Have I told you that I'm a music major?" She shook her head confused at the abrupt change of subject. He nodded, "Jazz. I love jazz, I love music in general, but I have a gift for football as well, and it gets me a free ride..." Amber was unsure what he was saying, it was matter of fact, but seemingly unrelated to the conversation.

Antoine pulled Amber close, reminding himself of everything he had learned lately. Most important was accepting Amber for who and what she was, and learning that people needed protection. Sometimes you had to let them go to do that, Like Ashe... Other times people needed more active protection, families needed to be reunited, Amber and Melody, monsters destroyed, the thing that was Denise Taylor, friends made with those who were lost, Adrian. This is right thing... I'm doing the right thing ... "I'm glad you told me about her now, and I'm glad that you chose to tell me before we were involved, before we'd had sex. I'm sure she's as beautiful as her mother, and I'll help you get her back from child services. Together we'll get her back."

[z-Amber Wren]

"There are," Luna's Fist said, her cold gray eyes warming a touch, "some wolf-blooded who will surprise you with their generosity, warmth and strength. You'll need them to help you pretend to be human, to be patient with you with you only feel the wolf and to hold you when your claws are stained with the blood of a friend."

Amber could believe it now, as she looked up at Antoine, at the man who had pledged to help her fix her fuckups. Emotion overwhelmed her, and she turned away from him, hiding the expression on her face. "Amber, what's wrong?"

That moment had given her time to calm herself, and when she turned back to him, she was beaming. If her eyes were glistening overly much, it didn't have to be tears. She wasn't a Storm Lord, but some things were ingrained - Let none see or tend to your weakness. "Nothing, Antoine. Nothing's wrong," she said, reaching up for him. He met her for the kiss, pulling her close and then up into his arms as she kissed him. There wasn't lust in this kiss - there were more emotions, too many for Amber to understand or notice, so caught up was she in the feel and taste of the man holding her. She pressed her lips and tongue to him, learning him, learning her man. Lifting her head, her heart full of dizzying emotions, she simply said, "In fact, it's never been this right before."