Each touch belongs to each new sound Who: Gray and Seer When: Late night or early morning (depending on one's perspective) Where: Heme for starts
The ache of Neil leaving and lying to her yet again was becoming more tolerable to Saoirse each day. Even without sleep to bridge the passage of time, it still went on, and it still made things easier. With so many new things to deal with every day, older things went on the back-burner. Today, she'd been primarily relieved no new bodies popped up. And of course, secondarily skeptical that whatever the hell was going on would just magically stop on its own. She was nothing if not a cynic.
And of course, what was that saying? In the heart of ever cynic lies a frustrated romantic? Yeah, so not thinking about that. Doing a very good job of not thinking about that, thank you. At least the chaos had been a good distraction.
Seer had worked til close, and waved goodbye to the last barmaid as she finished wiping down the bar-top. Things were blessedly quiet, a sensation always welcomed after a long night of loud music and even louder people. Finally, she could hear herself think.
The last few days had been long for Grayson, and not because he couldn't sleep. It seemed like his phone was ringing off the hook as news of the vampire drainings spread, and they all expected Grayson to have the answers they were looking for. In truth, he had no idea who was responsible and that was probably a good thing. He couldn't do anything himself to bring things under control other than the PR he'd been doing. The fact that they'd gone a day without any more bad news was amazing, and he'd take what he could get.
He'd spent tonight in the VIP area and was just grabbing a few things from his office when he came back out into the bar, spotting Saoirse wiping down the bar. "Hey, you," he said, genuine smile lighting up his face as he made his way over to her. "Anything still left to be done? Perhaps I can give you a hand." After all, when was the last time he'd just seen her outside of the chaos that was Heme on any given night?
Maybe space to think wasn't such a great thing after all, Seer thought. Because the second it was just the two of them, she felt that little inner lift, and was reminded all over again why crushes were the absolute devil. "Hmm, I don't know," she replied thoughtfully, not missing a beat. "Are we sure everyone is gone? It wouldn't do for you to be seen cavorting with the help," she teased. In reality, there wasn't much to be done. Seer kept a clean space as much as humanly (haha) possible, and vampire speed helped her keep that up. "The chairs need to be stacked for the cleaner in the morning. We can make fast work of that and be out of here."
Grinning, Grayson checked first over one shoulder, then the other. "You know, I think we're good." In truth, he didn't really care if someone saw them together. Most of the staff knew they were friends and he was allowed to spend time with whoever he wanted. If something more came of that, he'd be happy, but he wouldn't force it. And work was still work, but Heme's doors were closed. He didn't have to be Grayson the Boss now. "I like this idea," he said, setting down the papers he was carrying and moving to start stacking the chairs. "Any big plans for the evening?"
"You know, I'm still not used to it being this time of morning and talking like the night's just beginning," Seer pointed out with a small smirk. "That might take another year." She tossed the rag in its proper place, and walked around the bar to help with the chairs. "Not a one. Not that there are a lot of options at this time of night..." Or, if there were, she just wasn't aware of them yet. At least there was always something going on at the house. Benefits of a group vampire home. "I believe I am going to start piano shopping in the proper morning," she added with a grin. "But that's several hours away. How about you? Something not work-related, I hope?"
"You'll get used to it eventually," he said. "It helps if you were more nocturnal to begin with." The fact that Grayson had always worked nights helped when he'd been turned, anyway, but it wasn't like there was much open this time of night in a place this small. He constantly had to remind himself that this wasn't New York, and therefore last call was earlier than he was used to. "And it's about time," he teased lightly, "I see no reason why you shouldn't have your own piano, I know you'll certainly make good use of it." She was talented, he'd always known that. At her question, Grayson gave a small shrug. "I haven't decided. Nothing set in stone, that's for sure, and nothing to do with Heme. My sanity needs a bit of a break." He glanced over his shoulder at her, "Perhaps we could find something to pass the time?"
Seer grinned at the response. "You know, I was? I never slept much. I was always one of those 'there are never enough hours in the day' kind of people. Funny how that works." And this was expressed without the usual hint of bitterness that would usually be present. She could have pegged the source of sudden optimism, but those were thoughts she didn't want to be having. "I'd like that," she confirmed, possibly more than she cared to admit. Okay, more than possibly. Saoirse Shaddock did not deal well with crushes. Never had.
"I can somehow see that about you," he said. "I was very much a night person, used to sleep until nearly noon, somedays. It helped that I worked mostly nights, and went out on the ones I was off." What? You would too if you were a young man running an illegal speakeasy. Regardless, to hear Saoirse speak without a hint of bitterness was definitely good, and it made Grayson smile even more. "As would I," he said, grabbing a few more chairs and setting them into place. Even if it was nothing more than driving her home and spending some time together before calling a night, as it were.
"So you did know how to cut loose!" Seer exclaimed, her grin going wider. "Glad to hear it. I hope shenanigans were had." Either way, she would have quite liked to see it. Then again, she was kind of overwhelmingly curious about anything to do with Gray's human life. "Reminds me of that idea I was going to tell you. Since we're still technically at work, I feel I can say it now. Theme-nights. A night dedicated to different time periods. Like turning Heme into a speakeasy for the night. Everyone could dress up, I could learn appropriate music. Even do nights from other centuries. I bet there's a lot of old vampires out there who would kill just to hear songs they haven't heard since their human days again."
Grayson's only reaction to that was a full-blown grin. "You have no idea," he said, wondering if Eric would tell Saoirse stories some day, if the two of them ever met. Not that Grayson was opposed, it was just not a meeting he'd ever thought about before. At her suggestion, he paused for a moment and thought about it. "That's not such a bad idea," he said. "It would take some thought to make it all work, but thinking of this place as a speakeasy..." He trailed a hand along the table he was standing near, "perhaps. I do have some of my things from that time period, you know." Would she play some of his favorites from his youth? Grayson couldn't lie, he hoped so.
"I want stories," Seer said, giving him a pointed look before going back to stacking. "Lots of them. The worse the better." Though she was willing not to push it too much tonight. She watched his face as he considered her idea, and smiled faintly when it wasn't immediately dismissed. "I know it would take work to make this place look different. But it could be done. Get a couple of theater and art geeks, we could put up fake walls over the fountains, tone things down. It'd probably bring a big tourist crowd and a big vampire crowd, and it might do well to humanize us a bit. It'd be good for humans to see vampires reminiscing of the times they were human. Bring everything a little closer to home."
"And you," he said, "are one of the few people here who are capable of getting said stories from me. All depends on what you want to know." It was something of an invitation for her to ask him anything, and Grayson honestly didn't mind that. He wasn't the type of person with a lot of skeletons in his closet to begin with, and he trusted Saoirse for sure. "You're right, too often people think of vampires as being completely different from what they are - perhaps they need the reminder that we used to be human, too. That we still feel the same things they do, hold much of the same memories." He tried to imagine the look on Eric's face if he made Heme look like RiRa's had when they'd owned it. Maybe he'd have to do it just for that moment.
The statement flooded Seer with a lot of things. Primarily the warm and fuzzies, to the ultimate degree. She smiled softly and looked down at her hands, reaching for one of the last chairs to stack. "And how on earth did I get to be so special?" Wait, I'm getting shy. Why am I getting shy? That is not allowed! She looked up at him and forced herself to speak again, hurriedly, with one of the first questions that came to mind. It wasn't terribly on track with what they'd just been speaking about, but Seer was an easily overwhelmed person who wanted to know everything. And didn't necessarily want to expose how touched she could be by the smallest of things. "Is there anything you didn't do as a human that you wished you had? Any regrets?"
"Because you are?" Saoirse was one of the first friends Grayson had made here in Scarlet Oak, and regardless of whatever feelings were starting to stir within him, he would always be grateful for that. He paused when she asked that question, though, having expected her to ask about his crazy younger days, for a story about the speakeasy, perhaps. Grayson leaned against the chair he was stacking, thinking. "That I'd gone back to London to see my parents," he said. "I'd been so consumed with the bar and my own problems, and travel was not as easy to do in those days. I think - had I been there, I would have taken the restaurant when my father passed, my life going in a completely different direction." He'd never settled down either, had children like most people did, but he knew that if he had, the Grayson back then didn't have his shit together. It was for the best that he didn't. "But then again, had I gone back, I wouldn't be here now."
Seer was glad he didn't seem to mind her randomness, but Grayson did have that wonderful skill of being able to put up with her. She smiled and nodded, trying to imagine the additional burdens of this life before modern technologies at least gave them a little boost. "I'm glad you're here now," she offered, angling the last chair just right before she allowed herself to speak again. "Okay. I'm not going to let all my vampire conversations go to sad, depressing stuff. Tell me something the elders would hate about your human days," she grinned. "There's gotta be something."
Why would he mind? He'd given her permission to ask him anything, after all, and he wasn't going to take that back because the question had been an unexpected one. "As am I," he said, glancing around the bar one last time, making sure everything was in its place. They had a good closing crew tonight, and there wasn't much they'd had to pick up after all. Her next question had Grayson smiling, glad to talk about something else besides the life he'd left in London. "I drank like a fish," he said, laughing. "My sire had told them as much beforehand, but I don't think they realized the extent of it. Eric and I used to joke that we each remembered different pieces of our young adulthood, and together it made one complete memory." What? At least Gray was being honest.
Why oh why was Seer always drawn to the guys with substance abuse problems? The thought - which was more of a joke than anything else - had her smirking faintly. She'd yet to walk into Heme to find Gray tripping balls on psychic blood, and if such a thing ever did happen, she'd probably die of shock. "Did you try to substitute it with different bloods when you first came over to the dark side?" she asked, a touch of humor in her voice. They were treading, perhaps, down dark paths, but she did so with a light heart.
And she'd never walk into the bar to find him tripping balls on psychic blood, either. He'd tried it a few times in his youth and didn't care for it much, and besides, he had too much of a reputation to keep up in town. Grayson's job was more important to him now, as was his position in the House. He had his demons under control... he thought. "Yes," he said, wishing to be honest with her, and the subject was still light enough where he didn't feel as if he was burdening her with too much at once. "Though it's never the same as the real thing - at least, what I remember the real thing being like. One year my sire brought me vials of blood, each with a different liquor in their system." The first year had been horrible, as far as withdrawals were concerned, and he was not about to discuss it. The conversation was going so well so far.
For a moment, Seer felt a brief pang of envy at the mention of his sire. Every day she wished things had gone differently with Zachary. She immediately buried those thoughts, focusing instead on another thought the subject reminded her of. "Rose asked me earlier if you were my sire," she said, chuckling faintly. "She's a very curious girl." And head over heels about Grayson. Well, join the club. Dammit. "I told her I didn't think you'd sired anybody."
Grayson was aware that Hasim had been something of a blessing to him. First, for choosing to sire him and thus giving him a way to overcome some of his own major problems; and second, for still being around. Though he did not speak to or about his sire often, the fact that he still could was reassuring. Especially when that vampire mess a few days ago hit the news, he'd needed someone then. He didn't wish to burden Saoirse so. "Indeed, she is," he said, grabbing the last of his things from the end of the bar - merely his phone and a few bits of paperwork - putting the Blackberry into his pocket as he did so. "And you're correct, I have not." Though, had he met Saoirse as a human, he might have turned her. Might. He could not be sure, if she would have wanted this life instead of being thrust into it. "It's not something I've thought about, really. And the elders have never asked if I had anyone in mind for such a thing."
The what ifs were an interesting thing that had already occurred to Seer, back when Rose had asked in the first place. How different would things be if he was? Or perhaps more importantly, if she'd had this life proposed to her rather than forced upon her, would she want it? She had spent so much time hating it and being angry over it that it was hard to see it in other ways. She tried again to imagine it, and knew it would have been tempting. She would have been holding on to blind hate and anger not to admit that. "It's gotta be a big thing to commit to. I've come to look at it almost like a marriage, albeit without any of the romance." In most cases, anyway.
Grayson wasn't sure how their relationship would change if he was her sire on top of being her boss, and close friend. He certainly thought she fit into this life, and adapted to it well, and knew she would have done the same if she'd been asked into it like most of the other members of their House. Perhaps her first year of vampirism would have been much easier on her, psychologically speaking, but he couldn't predict that. No one really could. "I agree. Hence why it's an important decision, and not one to be taken lightly." After all, he was the one who'd never actually been married, not out of some fear of commitment, but simply because he'd never found someone he cared enough about settle down with, at least when he was human. It was different now that he was a vampire. "I could see that. Whatever you do, that's still your childe, you'll always have that bond." And that? Was something to be a bit envious of, truth be told, even if he tried not to admit it to himself.
Unintentionally, Seer had steered the conversation in a way that brought up more questions for her - questions she wasn't sure if she should ask or not. They didn't really fall in line with the 'get out of jail free' he'd given her earlier on his wild human days. She couldn't bring herself to say the other thing that she was thinking though - that she wished Zachary was still alive. She wasn't sure she could ever speak that aloud. Her heart might burst in guilt. "Were you ever married?" she asked. "As a human?" Why the hell not.
Grayson never mind Saoirse's questions, and he had told her she could ask him whatever she wanted. This was both expected and unexpected - it was not an uncommon question, after all, and he did not mind it taking a bit more of a personal turn. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Never. Not as a human, not as a vampire. I'd like to say I never found the time for it, but to be honest? I would not have married me as I was then. I still had a fair bit of growing up to do. I never found the right one to settle down with."
Seer decided that was a pretty good answer. Honest, and a little surprising. Not just because he was Grayson - who half the female staff and most of the female customers lusted after, either. "I would have liked to know you when you were human," she decided. "It's hard to imagine you being anything but very grown up." I sound a bit too much like I'm hero-worshipping for my own good, she thought. Oh well. "And it makes me wonder about the kinds of things you did when you 'drank, a lot'." This was said with a hint of a smirk though, keeping it at least a little light.
He managed a bit of a chuckle at that. It was not to say he didn't have relationships in his past, everyone did, but he'd like to be as honest with Seer as he could. Grayson wasn't the kind of man who kept many secrets, regardless. "I think I'll take that as a compliment," he said with a smile. "And my best friend and I made the best of the London nightlife, of course. Tearing up the town like the young men we were. And I always had the liquid courage to toss out those who were causing trouble in my bar, too, even when I was most certainly not strong enough to take them down." It usually resulted in more of a fight, but that was to be expected. Grayson's impatience would always get the best of him then.
She couldn't help but grin. "You could start doing that here," she teased. "Rub elbows with the bouncers, show off them vampire skills. Make the girls swoon more than they already do." Dangerous territory (considering she'd probably be one of them), but she had to tease him about it anyway. She did another once-over of the room and headed back to the bar to grab her bag. "People might come just to see that."
Now, Grayson full out laughed. "Because now I don't have to," he said, "I can hire people for that sort of thing. If there's a situation so out of hand that even I get involved... well, that'll be something to see, won't it?" At the mention of making the girls swoon, Grayson simply gave her a smile, one not everyone saw, one more revealing than he probably realized. "Perhaps, it's a very nice side effect. You'll have to let me know if it works." He was really only concerned with impressing her, after all.
Oh, Jesus. Seer found herself half-wishing she hadn't turned around in time to see that smile. That smile made her feel like her legs were going to give out, vampire strength be damned. She smiled back, a possibly goofy smile, what with her brain being reduced to jello. She couldn't be held accountable for these things. "You know it would," she said. "Or, maybe you don't. Are you aware of the amount of fangirls you have?"
But why shouldn't she see that smile, when he got that one back in return? Totally worth it in his opinion; he liked to see Saoirse so happy. And there was a definite warmth that curled within his chest - imagined, of course, seeing that he was a vampire - at the thought that it was because of something he'd done. "Aside from Rose?" he asked, knowing she'd checked him out more than once while working in the bar. For the most part, Grayson was flattered, even if he didn't see her that way.
Okay. It probably secured her spot in hell, but Seer couldn't help but laugh a little. "Rose is... kind of on her own special level of fangirling. She's got it bad for you. I had that figured out within five minutes of our first conversation." And she felt guilty, like she was breaking some sort of girl law, just for saying that, but... aw hell, there was no way Grayson could not know.
Grayson raised an eyebrow at that. There was a special level of fangirling? Really? He didn't know it was that extreme, he just thought the girl had herself a bit of a crush. Just because he didn't return those feelings didn't mean there was any harm in it, at least, not that he could see. "I figured as much, but I didn't know the extent of it," he said, shaking his head. Eventually they'd have to have that conversation, and all Grayson knew was that he had no intention of hurting the girl.
Seer smiled softly, sure that whatever happened, he'd handle it well enough. She was also of the opinion that Rose was just a little bit of a... well, a tourist. Vampires were very glamorous to her, and this place and Grayson probably had her more than a little starstruck. Then again, the theory could easily fall apart. Why wouldn't a straight woman that came to know Grayson completely adore him? "I think you have that effect on girls," she went back to teasing. "But it's good for business."
He was aware that Rose was a vanilla human, and that vampires were still very much a new thing to her. It almost made sense that she'd have that sort of fascination with it, and want to be working so closely with them. She was lucky that Grayson wasn't the sort of guy to take advantage of that. "Do I, now?" he asked, looking over at Saoirse. "Even you?" The words were out before he could stop them, but he was curious. If pressed, he could play it off like he was teasing.
Seer had just leaned back against the bar not two seconds before he said it. This was probably a blessing. If she had been, say, walking - she probably would have tripped. Vampires weren't supposed to trip, so she was told. Now she was in the position of figuring out how to answer that.
Had her heart still functioned normally, she was sure it would have skipped a beat, and at the same time she was absolutely sure her face would have been flaming red if she were still capable of blushing. If she wanted to, she could play this all off as joking and teasing, and she even had the feeling he'd let her. Or maybe he was completely joking himself - that was entirely possible. Still, Seer stopped herself, and made herself think about why it was so terrifying to admit to. Because crushes were scary, scary things, and it dated back to the junior high school mindset of what if he doesn't like me back, oh my God it'll be so humiliating. Or even the slight variation of it could ruin things, things could get weird. But when she stopped and thought about it, she didn't think they'd let that happen. They were both adults (seriously, now, Grayson had an entire lifetime on her), and she trusted Grayson. And it felt wrong to not be honest with him. She could have joked it off, but it would have felt cheap to her.
This, of course, was all great in theory. Slightly more difficult in execution - especially for a girl with a track record like hers. You couldn't throw a dart without hitting a woman The Mistake had known in the Biblical sense. So she settled for a compromise between her options. She grinned, and tried not to look shy (she failed - miserably). Her gaze faltered slightly, and she found herself looking everywhere but at him, before she told herself to knock it the fuck off and act her age already. She forced herself to stop biting her lip and look at him again, her slight, unsure grin still in place. "If I said yes? Would it make everything weird?"
There was a moment in which Saoirse paused, and Grayson was sure he'd said the wrong thing. It was a good thing they were alone in the bar, and there wasn't anyone around to hear this conversation - because this was meant to be kept just between them. He wasn't sure what her answer would, and had he needed to breathe, he likely would have been holding his breath. Because, whether Saoirse realized it or not, he had feelings for her as well. Ones he knew that, as her boss, he shouldn't act on, that weren't proper to act on. But then again, when was the last time he'd allowed himself to even approach that level of closeness with anyone? Too much work, too much time spent in the bar (not drinking) and not enough time letting himself go out and have a life. Saoirse herself had told him as much.
She probably didn't think it would turn into this, but he hadn't, either. He wouldn't take any of it back, however.
So, Grayson took a step closer to her, waiting for her to look at him again, wondering what he'd seen in her eyes. That grin he took as a good sign. "No, I shouldn't think so." Then his own smile shifted a little, the first sign that perhaps he had nerves involved in this too. "I would like for it to be." And in his experience? This reaction meant that her answer to his question was "yes."
Seer would be able to relate to that breathing thing. She felt the phantom of a giant exhale that needed to be released (that of course wasn't there at all). Holy hell. Why, no. No, it hadn't occurred to her that he may return her feelings in any form. Perhaps she was too much of a pessimist these days. Now she felt overwhelmed with potential reactions. Like screaming, running a marathon around the bar, and dancing for joy. Passing out would have been an option, were she human. After a brief, surprised expression, her grin brightened. "Good," she decided, with a little nod. Yeah, that was a word for it, alright. Fucking great. Superb. Amazing. She wasn't even thinking anywhere past this moment - the thought of any of it being improper had never occurred to her, and where this goodness could lead or what it could mean between them... right now, things were good. Great. Amazing. "Then, yes. Even me." Blink. "Maybe... especially me, but I'm really not prepared to battle Rose for the title of who fangirls you more, if it's all the same to you."
Grayson was not the kind of guy who showed all his emotions at once. He'd spent too long working on a public image, that face he could never let go, and it was rare that anyone saw past the charisma and charm that kept the place from falling apart. Right now, though? Grayson was just being himself, and he was damn happy. The smile on his face said as much, and he moved so he was leaning against the bar next to her, feeling very much like the schoolboy he'd once been a lifetime ago. Perhaps Saoirse would be able to tell. "I'm very glad for that," he said, the words coming easier than he might have expected prior to this conversation. "And while Rose is a sweet girl, is it wrong of me to say I hope it would be you who won that title?" Because hello, he was a bit head over heels himself. At least he was being honest about it.
She briefly put her hand over her mouth and laughed. Damn if everything didn't feel lighter now. Everything. Maybe even her hair. Any second now she might start flying, like this was a damned cartoon. She'd be okay with that. She was probably gonna be okay until late February right about now. "Poor Rose," she sighed, shaking her head. "It kind of sucks trying to get over you. I think I've been trying all along. I don't do well in denial." It was easy to be honest, now. Of course, now how worked up she'd been over everything just felt silly.
Getting her to laugh was the best thing he'd heard in a long time, and it had Gray laughing with her. "I don't know, I've never tried to get over me," he said, shaking his head. "She'll be all right, I have every hope and faith in that." And he did. Rose was a sweetheart, he just didn't feel like that about her, regardless of whether or not she did. "Then you have nothing to deny anymore, because I know that what I'm feeling just - won't go away." With only the slightest bit of hesitation, he reached over to brush his fingers over hers. "Though I'll admit, I did not particularly try as you had."
This all made Seer feel stunningly human. And a little bit like a teenager all over again. Neither of these were bad things. She was possibly and probably overdue for both. She smiled, and closed her hand around his. That felt good. It didn't feel like a small thing at all, and yet it felt very natural and normal. All good things. "I guess I shouldn't have," she replied, shrugging it off. "I have this nasty, pessimistic side I need to tell to shut up more often, I guess."
The fact that she closed her hand around his was good. Very, very good. In contrary to the opinion that Grayson could have his pick of any woman he wanted, he often did not have anyone at all. To realize that the one he liked had feelings back for him was beyond amazing. And was likely going to be gossip fodder at Heme as soon as it got out, but that was something he'd deal with when the time came. No one wanted to deal with a pissed off Grayson, after all. "I think we all do, in situations like this," he said, smiling. "Sometimes it's harder to ignore than others. And sometimes, you learn to let it go and go for what you want."
Seer thought about it and sighed (she had come to accept that she would never stop doing this, whether or not she needed to). "Well, when you put it like that..." she said, before turning back towards him again. She leaned in towards him and reached up, lightly cupping his face with her spare hand while she brushed her lips over his. Apparently she had all the nerve in the world now, and it felt amazing. Again, it was small, but it made her world seem full of light.
That might not have been what Gray expected Seer to do next, but could he say no? Absolutely not. The word never even entered his mind. It was simple, sweet, and so few things in this world were anymore and to be reminded that it still existed was always a good thing. His thumb brushed lightly over the side of her hand as he kept this first kiss simple, leaning his forehead against hers. "Just," he said with a smile, "like that." And, because he now knew he could, he leaned in for another one.
Totally worth it. Seer felt something very like a headrush, and briefly marveled at how right this felt. There wasn't really another word for it. Sometime, months ago, when she was just starting to adjust to this new life, she'd wondered if getting close to someone could ever feel the same as it had. Now, she would have been cliche enough to say it felt better. The heightened senses were a great thing right about now, and she felt rather drunk on all of them. Or maybe just him.
His other hand came up to push back some of her hair, tucking it behind her ear as they kissed. The heightened senses always came in handy in situations like this, not that it wouldn't have been enjoyable anyway. It just was and Grayson had the feeling they should have gotten to this sooner. How, he did not know, but it felt right to him too, in a way it hadn't in a very long time. In the back of his mind, he wondered if she'd ever kissed another vampire before, and as such was mindful of his fangs. And again he thanked whatever gods were out there, the Hindu ones he'd been raised with and Eric's God alike, that everyone else had already gone home.
The fangs were a matter of question and curiosity, but Seer found them not to be much of a hindrance. Maybe she was just so used to her own by now. Or maybe she was just too busy reveling, and feeling a bit like she'd been touched by an electrical currant. Her world was a series of marvels right now. Definitely should have gotten to this sooner. Wow. How was she such a moody person? None of that really made sense right now. And it occurred to her that, without the need to stop and breathe or OH MY GOD SLEEP this kind of thing could go on forever. Her head spun at the thought. I have not been looking at this whole vampire thing in the right light at all. "You're going to turn me back into an optimist yet," she murmured, not really pulling away to do so. That would have required just a touch more willpower than she had at this current second.
Grayson too was getting caught up in this, and he couldn't lie, he didn't mind in the slightest. Why should he? This felt too good to let it stop any time soon, even if they'd both been so composed with each other up until this point. The hand still holding hers still tugged her closer, glad there wasn't the idea of sleep to deal with, giving what time of day it was and how a normal person would have been exhausted by now. He didn't pull back either, liking the way they were currently holding each other. "I can certainly try," he said against her, smiling at the thought. So long as they were both happy, that was all he wanted. And them being together was certainly a nice thought, too.
"Please," Seer confirmed easily. "I don't mind at all. Keep trying." She liked things better this way. Sure, she was probably the mental twin of some smitten Disney princess right about now, but did she care? Hell no. Actually, she felt overdue for it. It was great to be able to feel this way, and she was happy to embrace it. She nuzzled against him, and a moment of random curiosity caused her to flip her awareness. She decided they even looked right together, and this was a very triumphant feeling. She flipped immediately back to her normal vision, first person so to speak, not wanting to feel disconnected from this at all.
He chuckled against her lips. "Then I shall." Right now? It didn't take much effort on his part, as he loved the way she looked when she was this happy. If that wasn't incentive enough for Grayson to keep it going for her, then what was? He didn't use his powers the way she did, already knowing that the pale of her skin next to the darker tones in his already looked right together and, likewise, deciding he didn't care. In the back of his mind he realized that they, at some point, should probably think about heading home and not spending the rest of the night making out in the bar like teenagers. As it was, Seer had not been a teenager in a while and Grayson not in a legit century. Eventually, they'd move it elsewhere. And after half a second's thought, Grayson decided he didn't care.
And she would have been of the same mind. Of all the things important to Seer at the moment, location was simply not one of them. He was. She dropped his hand and draped her arm around his waist, resting her hand on his back as she moved a little closer. He was being committed to permanent memory -- the way he felt, smelled, sounded, and tasted. All of which was better than she could have even daydreamed (if she had ever allowed herself to do so, which she hadn't. Part of the denial process, after all).
Since he now had a hand free, Grayson let it slide up her arm to her shoulder, resting lightly against the side of her neck before moving down along her back. How long had he held off on touching her like this? It had been unconscious on his part, but once he recognized it in himself, the thought had been there. He was memorizing her as much as she was memorizing him, but he was sure now he would not forget it. In his mind, it was better because it had built up to this, to know it was what they both wanted, had looked forward to. Whether they admitted it or not.
A small part of Seer's brain (the part that was still really capable of thought) realized such a touch would have made her shiver in her human life. Goosebumps would rise and little hairs on the back of her neck would stand up. This didn't happen now, but it wasn't a bad thing. In place of it was an almost electric awareness, and even if it was just in her mind, it seemed to bring warmth to her skin. She made a contented sound and smiled against his lips, briefly opening her eyes to look up at him.
Grayson was no longer so interested in thinking. He could get back to that when he didn't have this woman in his arms, and as far as he was concerned, she could stay for as long as she wanted. That little noise she made got his attention, and he smiled back for her, glancing down at her through half-closed eyes. "What was that for?" he murmured, curious so that way he knew what to do again. They had all the time in the world to learn those sorts of things.
Her expression turned into something like a smirk. "I'm a vocal person," she answered. "When I'm happy, or content, or blissful, or anything in between... you're going to hear about it." Just like people were quick to hear about her less positive emotions. It was probably why after a year and a half of being a vampire she was still doing things like sighing. Sometimes you just didn't need words, and Seer had always been a believer in that. "And I'm thinking that this..." she briefly held a little tighter to punctuate her words, "is pretty amazing."
Grayson gave her a soft smile, more emotion behind it than he probably realized. He liked the fact that she was so vocal about everything - whether that be in sighs (needed or not), her words, the tiny reactions that gave her away. And while he knew she was also this open when she was upset and angry too, he welcomed that as well. "I will remember that," he said, shifting so she didn't let go of that tight grip she had on him, leaning his head down so he could whisper in her ear, "And so do I."
Jesus of Judea, the things that voice did to her. Seer closed her eyes and resisted the urge to groan. "The human part of me still living in my brain just shivered. And it was awesome," she informed him. Those little goosebump moments from a previous life had simply evolved, to a sort of... stillness. Like at certain times everything would just become so much more sharp. Stiller. Both good things.
He chuckled, keeping his mouth near her ear, not wanting to pull away just yet. He had not been human in decades, but he understood the feeling - much like how he felt like the young man he'd once been, running around London, in those moments when you really, truly felt alive. Sometimes you didn't need to feel your heart beating to recognize that in yourself, Grayson had found. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."
"It was meant as one," Seer confirmed, leaning against his shoulder and turning her face in against his neck. Her lips grazed across his skin and she smiled, and she would have agreed with his thoughts entirely. She certainly felt alive, and to her touch so did he. Eternity wasn't at all such a scary thought right now.
This? Grayson had not been this happy in quite some time. It was a confirmation of the fact that he'd made the right choice in accepting the elders' decision to send him here, that his social life was working out as well as his professional one was. And hell, they were both vampires, so he really couldn't say she was warm in his arms, but in his mind, there was. And it made him smile, the one not everyone saw, real and genuine and just perfect. It had been a good night.