WHO: Michael [followingseas] and Victoria [littletootall] WHERE: Michael's Home WHAT: Suit measurements and drinks WHEN: Saturday April 2nd / 2016 Evening WARNING: PG 13 for a Kiss, Complete
Victoria had given her driver the directions to Michael's place but they seemed to be a little lost. At least, that's what Victoria had thought. She hadn't traveled off the strip much since arriving in Vegas. She lived in a hotel and it was easy to get everything you needed there. Even when she'd met with Mathias, he'd come to her place for them to rendezvous. That had been nice, a delicious meal of course as Mathias was always very good at what he did, but it had by no means been a date. Victoria just didn't do that.
And yet her she was, having arrived finally at Michael's door, bag in hand (her bathing suit was packed along with her iPad to keep his measurements safe and a tape measure because she still did it old school. This was her date. It was one of the strangest dates she'd ever been on, to be sure. Smoothing down her skirt raised her hand to knock and then paused. He bit her lip, her fangs raking across the skin lightly.
What was she doing? Meeting strange mermen off the internet. Sure she'd met him in person once before, and the man had managed to make her feel a little sheepish. She was used to being able to talk to people, be in control, and when he'd managed to out talk her, she'd been a little thrown for a loop. Now, she was subjecting herself to it once again and it was something she wasn't sure why she doing. She had...things to sew, people to see, inventory to count. She shouldn't be on a date.
She wasn't hungry after all. She could easily call somebody on her retainer. And if she really needed that itch scratched, calling her old incubus friend could help with that. She had all that she needed at the touch of her finger tips...
Victoria almost stepped away, almost yelled for the cabbie but the door opened before any of that could happen... and that was that. She easily slid in to a smile. "Hello Mister Fairwater." She teased a little.
The large, Mediterranean style house he lived in was located in the development around Lake Las Vegas. It boasted two pools, which he'd had adapted to saltwater pools, two spas, a stream, and other water features, as any mer person would prefer to have. The rest of the features paled in comparison for Michael, though they made the place opulent and comfortable.
Michael had just gotten out of the shower by the appointed time. Why, when he was planning to take her for a swim? He just liked the water. Besides, it was polite to be fresh and clean when someone was going to measure you, especially when she was someone who interested him, and even more especially when he planned to be shirtless.
He couldn't have timed it better. When she knocked on the door, he was dressed in only a pair of slacks, with a white towel draped around his dark, muscular shoulders. Though he was used to company, she was the only person Michael was expecting that evening. Privacy, after all, was important. There was a dry erase board hung near the front door with various reminders--all necessary, because even though he was fairly decent about it, he still struggled with the notoriously fishy memory of the mer--which included his date for tonight, both the time and her name. How embarrassing would it be to forget her name after the sweet talking he'd done just to get her over here?
Seeing her on his porch brought a smile to Michael's face. "Good evening, gorgeous," he greeted her, as he leaned against the entry opposite the arched door. He was unapologetically half naked, and it showed in the way his smile reached his eyes. "Come on in and help yourself to anything you'd like. Did you remember to bring a bathing suit?" Michael asked as he stepped aside to make room for her. He may have reviewed their conversation before taking his shower, just to refresh his memory.
Victoria's smile when he'd first opened the door had been the one she had worn at the Speed Dating event, fine enough, but there wasn't familiarity in it yet. It was the automatic one that came to her after shaking out of her head, but it was very quickly replaced with more of a soft smirk, her eyes moving over him, her own unabashed appreciation of his form warming her up in more ways then one. She adored good looking people with beautiful bodies. All types of bodies. She loved to see bodies bend and move and she loved putting beautiful clothing on them. It was something of a weakness for her. When she spoke about dressing one's form she really didn't mean it as a come on. She really just did adore dressing people.
Eventually however, Victoria demurred and her eyes cast away. She would have been pink if her body had allowed it. Victoria hadn't really gotten a chance to take the house in it's entirety in, she'd been too busy introvert-ing on the fact that she didn't want to be there suddenly and she was surprised when she walked through the door and saw how expansive it was. She herself had owned a beautiful penthouse apartment in New York, and still did of course, but it was nothing compared to the lavishness of this. "Thank you Michael." She said quietly, as he ushered her in.
She turned to him, her eyes meeting his once she was inside. "I remembered it. Though you may still have to lure me in to the pool first." She said, giving a tiny amused shrug and then turning back to the home. "It's just you that lives here right? You don't have a school of Merpeople staying with you?" She asked. The place was a little ridiculous, but Victoria couldn't say she didn't love it. Grandeur. The vampire could get behind it. "I only planned to make one suit not 100." She teased pushing some of her hair back.
Michael was very much aware of the way she looked at him. Good. That's exactly what he had wanted. He lingered as long as he needed so she could get all of the looking she wanted out of her system. If he happened to look a little smug about it, he couldn't help that. It was an unspoken compliment that he was happy to accept, and why he worked to keep his torso in such good, muscular condition.
He was just as smug when he saw the way she looked at his house, and used his first name, as he'd requested previously. That was better. At her challenge--or so he was taking it as a challenge--Michael grinned and chuckled. "I only have to lure you close enough to it. Then I can just push you in the water. Don't worry if you're not a strong swimmer; I am, and I'd love to play lifeguard." He waggled his dark eyebrows at her with another chuckle.
Michael looked around the room as if he needed some reminder that he lived in a big house. "Full time? Yes, it's just me living here. I do have family who come to visit, though. Parents, children, some old friends from out of town. I've even let some people stay over who weren't that close to me, and no, I don't just mean dates, though you're welcome to spend the night here if you don't feel like going home tonight," he threw in slyly.
"Tonight, it's just us here. So what would you like to do first, madame? I can give you a tour, I can take you straight to the bar, we can do the fitting first, or we can skip straight to a swim." He removed the towel from his shoulders while he spoke and folded it absently.
Victoria could appreciate muscles. She could appreciate his muscles particularly, but had he been less fit, more thin and lithe, she'd appreciate him the same. Curves, edges, sharp points and soft peaks, Victoria loved them all. She wanted to touch, feel and dress all of them, it didn't matter she wanted to make beautiful bodies beautiful clothing. His mentioned however of getting her in to the pool by such ways had her eyebrow perking and a smaller smirk creep up her lips. Victoria was rarely tied with what to say, but he'd managed it again. Almost at least. "I'm not sure how many women you've been with Michael, but I don't know too many who enjoy being thrown in to a pool without any warning..." She didn't say she liked the idea, and she didn't say she didn't. Yes. A challenge indeed.
Oh wasn't he charming. The idea of staying here...well mostly it appealed because she was so damn tired of living in the hotel. She wasn't Eloise, she didn't enjoy it. It was unfortunately just how it was currently panning out. The opening of her store was to happen this month and things were...not going to plan. It was annoying and frustrating. She knew eventually she would either settle in Vegas for a while or go back to New York, but right now she was up in the air. "Quite kind considering this is a first date and you know nothing about me, Michael." She said, ignoring the fact that he'd let people he didn't know stay there. He was so different than she was used to.
"A drink, and then while we do that, perhaps measurements. You already seem to think you don't need your clothes on for any of these activities so we might as well start with the business end of things and then roll in to the pleasure..." She mused, waiting to be directed tow here she needed to go. She studied him again as he folded his towel. "Those pants need to be tailored." She said, without tone or inflection. Truly that was just how she felt about them. "And if they are you need to fire your tailor." She said a slow smile creeping up her lips again.
"Of course they don't enjoy being thrown in. They enjoy the swimming part, they enjoy the playing, but not the actual throwing. Sometimes you just need a push to get you to the thing you really want. It's how baby birds learn how to fly. It might have to be how I get you to have a little, unsophisticated fun." Michael grinned at her. They might be old, but he didn't always have to act it. Being with a pretty woman could sometimes bring out his old boyish ways.
"I know you're a strict business woman who's not likely to do anything to hurt a well paying client, like myself. I know you're not used to being asked on dates, which might have made this experience a tad uncomfortable for you, but I'd like to make it as fun as possible with no actual pressure. I know you're a beautiful woman with good taste in clothes, and I also know you're a vampire, which is why I've stocked some A positive in the fridge for the first time in a long time. I hope that's a good enough type for you." Michael shrugged. "I know plenty for now, and I'd like to get to know more."
He glanced down at his slacks. "These? They're just for relaxing around the house, but if the lady insists." Michael couldn't deny that he was enjoying the idea of being at least shirtless for a good portion of the night's activities. "It's in my nature. You don't wear pants when your tail is out. Give me some credit, Victoria; at least I have those on. Besides, having a shirt on might interfere with your measurements." With a chuckle he beckoned over his shoulder for her to follow him. "This way, if you please," he said as he led her to the bar area. "What are you drinking? I have most of the basics."
Victoria wasn’t sure what to say to that. It seemed so much like something out of a movie, to be tossed in to a pool and to play about like kids. She had long since been ‘old’ and she played old a lot more than she deserved to be. She wasn’t even 100 yet, but she acted over a 1000. She supposed she’d hardened up because of the business world. She had to work hard for what she wanted, but there was a tiny bit of her that didn’t mind for a little bit of fun. Nostalgia and whimsy. “I suppose I can get behind a little unsophisticated fun.” She said, a warmer smile tugging on her face. He was too darn charming.
Her smile though turned in to something else when he began to talk about how much he knew her. It was impressive, especially for a merman. She’d worked with a few over the years and sometimes it was near impossible, but Michael was winning her over that 10 yards away, she usually kept people. What he’d listed off was about as much as Mathias knew her. And he knew her ‘pretty well’ considering. She really would have been red if possible, but instead she decided to shy away a little, much like she’d done at the Speed Dating Event. “Well then.” She said, again finding herself lost for words. She tipped her head a little bit. “Then let’s get to know each other.”
She shook her head at his assessment and reasoning about why he was shirtless but decided not to comment. She’d let it go. She had to. He was leading her away and she was watching him from behind and she got a good look at his shoulders and she took a deep, calming breath. Alcohol, would have been fine by her, but since he’d gone out of his way… “I’ll take the A Positive, since you so kindly made the effort.” She said as they made their way. “And it’s my favourite.” She added, for good measure.
Once they were at the bar, she placed down her bag and immediately pulled out her iPad and her tape measure. It was a very old one, the numbers mostly rubbed off, but Victoria knew this tape measure like the back of her hand, and she didn’t need the numbers to know. She waited for him, her warm smile returning to her lips. She watched him move around, but mostly, it was his face she was interested in. He was a handsome man, she couldn’t deny that, but he was…there was something there she hadn’t quite figured out. Mirth, perhaps. It was a nice change.
Her concession and smile were all the reply he needed to that to know that he had won her over, if only a little. That was enough for now. He didn't mind longer term wooing, so long as there was some glimmer of hope, which was what she had just shown him. Under that hard working, tough exterior, Michael was sure there had to be some girly tendencies. That she had no comeback to his assessment of her made him smirk. He had worked hard to commit details about her to memory. That would have been an embarrassment he didn't need if he hadn't, and already it had paid off.
"One glass of A positive, coming right up," he acknowledged as he took up a place behind the bar. As he searched around for a glass and the container of blood, he also paused to scribble down a note on a Post It about this being her favorite type. That was placed with the blood back in the mini refrigerator located under the bar. "I can warm this up," Michael offered. He'd had experience with other vampires, and they each had their preferences, but he didn't want to assume she wanted hers warm just because that's how it came from the source.
He also poured himself a Scotch, then carried both to the outside of the bar and set them on the counter, hers within reach of her. A hand lingered nearby it in case she wanted the drink heated. In the meantime, he sipped at his own drink. "You can start measuring whenever you want. Just tell me where you want me," he said, and though he was smiling, there was no innuendo intended in the words. He was just smiling at her because he enjoyed looking at her.
Victoria waved her hand at the idea that it needed to be warm. Truly over the years that they'd started to sell bottled blood it didn't make a difference to her. It was always better coming out of a human warm, it was much richer and much more divine to drink it that way, when it came out of the bottle it didn't matter much to her. "It's fine cold. I prefer it out of a person warm of course, but cold out of a bottle is just fine." She smiled at him again, having a hard time not smiling at him because he always just seemed to have that look on his face. It wasn't one that Victoria knew yet, but she liked it. "Kind of like a beer. Depends on where your drinking it." She mused. She reached for the glass and took it from him and took a small sip. It was just fine.
Her lip quirked up when he mentioned where she wanted him. Truly it was easier at her studio, she had places to put people up on so that she could measure them more easily, but she'd manage with him standing on the ground. "Well just stand away from the bar a little, I can do there rest." She said, putting her glass down, a look coming over her face as she guided him, gently with a touch of her hand to his arm where she could easily move around him. She just needed room. Opening up her iPad she opened the app she used to take notes on, and spoke in to it. "Michael Fairwater, Merman, Large Build, Muscular, 6'3ish? Black Hair and Dark Brown Eyes." She finished speaking and then paused the recorder. She had files on her clients, what they looked best in what colors they liked. It was all part of the service she prided herself on.
She didn't ignore him, but she wasn't paying him rapt attention either, not because she wasn't interested in him, but right now she had a task to do, and she was going to do it. She could be very one minded, especially when it came to clothing. Deciding to start from the top down, he really should have probably been wearing a shirt, but Victoria was amazing at what she did so she could anticipate what was needed. Standing behind the man, she took the worn out tape and started by going around his chest. "Arms up." she said to him before slipping her arms around him and sliding the tape measure towards the back her finger tips grazing his skin a little as she did. She memorized where the tape ended and then dropped it from around him. She raked her fangs over her lip when she studied his back, being able to take him in a little closer and without him seeing. Victoria then measured across his shoulders, this time a little slower to do so, fingers brushing against his skin a little more. Once that measurement was taken, she took his arm measurements again brushing careful fingers down his skin. She was taking some liberties, she knew that, but it was fun.
If he'd known her better, Michael might have offered to let her take a bite from him. Hell, that could be sexy as long as she was experienced enough to have the proper restraint--which, at her age, he certainly hoped she would be. However, since it was still a first date and he didn't exactly have a bite fetish, he refrained from suggesting it. Maybe on a second or third date. "I don't know about that. I don't think warm beer is ever really acceptable, but I'm glad cold blood works for you."
At her direction, Michael set his Scotch on the counter and stepped away a few feet to allow her more room and better access. "Six-three is right on the money," he confirmed quietly after she had finished her verbal notes. "In this form, at least." His tail was proportional to him for what it was, but still added quite a bit of length to his form when he was in the water. He moved however she instructed, holding perfectly still until told otherwise. Though he couldn't see her expression, her cool fingertips felt good whenever they touched his skin. Some of those touches had to have been unnecessary for the measurements. Oh, yes, he was glad to have not worn a shirt.
He was tempted to look over his shoulder at her, but remained looking straight ahead. "Do you do your own measurements for yourself or do you have someone else do them when you want to make your own clothes?" he asked conversationally. Clothing normally didn't interest him--if it looked good and professional, that was as much as he cared--but she interested him, and this interested her, so he'd try.
She smiled, over the fact that she could peg the man's height. It wasn't hard really. They were almost eye level. Victoria was already five ten, and so when you tacked on her 100mm Pigales she was just about an inch shorter than he was. In this form at least. She wasn't sure just how large Michael would be once he slipped his tail back on. "Good thing I'm dressing you as a human than." She mused quietly behind him. "Because I'm not sure I'm good enough to make a suit bottom for a handsome tail as well." She teased a little. Though she was curious to see what it looked like. Some mermaids looked like fish, others sharks. There were a few mammals thrown in there too. Victoria didn't have much experience with an of them though.
"Hmm?" She murmured as she did the last of the measurements around his back area. Now the neck and then the pants. She came around front to him, after a moment of pause and she smiled at him, slipping her arms around his neck gently. "I"ve known my own measurements since 1951." She said, sliding the measuring tape around his neck and forward. "So I haven't had anybody measure me in a long time." She took the measurement in her mind and then lingered there a moment studying his face intently and quietly before lowering her eyes and her instrument.
"Just the trousers now." She said, bending as lady like as she could to kneel before him. It was...well comical considering. The skirt she was in wasn't really meant for kneeling and the top not for modesty's sake but she made it work as she slipped her tape measure up the inside of his inseam first, making a mental note of it and then looking up at him. "Used to women falling to their knees before you?" She teased, moving to measure the outer seam of his trouser.
Michael chuckled at her teasing. "That's just fine. Tails aren't meant to be dressed. Clothes would only slow me down in the water. I'll have a chance to show it to you when we're done here. I just need to be in the water," he added with a winning smile. Yes, he was still pushing that idea of a swim, and he didn't plan on taking no for an answer. She'd teased something about a swimsuit, if he recalled correctly, and he would love to see her in that.
He couldn't help himself with this talk of measurements. His eyes swept over her, not too slowly, but also not quickly. "I guess you wouldn't have changed since then, yeah," Michael mused, trying not to let his gaze linger for too long. It was amusing to watch her struggling to get to her knees in that skirt. A true gentleman would have offered to help her do it, but while he did have his gentlemanly ways, this was entertaining.
His thoughts were also very ungentlemanly with her in that position. Michael inhaled deeply and forced himself to look away before things got uncomfortable. It was a spectacular view, and he wanted to do all kinds of things with her, but he was trying to behave himself on this first date. First of many, if he played his cards right. Her hand against his leg did not make things any better.
Michael grinned at her joke, and looked back down at her, against his better judgment. "Not really. At least half of the time, it's the other way around. You just beat me to it," he teased back with a wink. How could he resist? To his credit, he refrained from asking if it would be easier with his pants off. No, no it would not be, not for him. "Have you always wanted to be a designer or is there something else you'd love to do?" he asked, his merman memory making him forget until afterward that he had already asked her a similar question at speed dating. It sounded vaguely familiar to him, but he hoped she didn't remember that.
Victoria was becoming more and more intrigued just what this tail looked like. Of course, she wasn’t going to say that but it was there in the back of her head. He seemed so proud of it, which was something that Victoria was always drawn to. People who were proud of what they were rather than hid in the shadows. It was likely why she appreciated Mathias, who tended to be more upfront with himself, and why she adored Henny and Levi, both Vampires that weren’t afraid to be who they were either. Their little club of Vamps.
Victoria smiled to herself a little. “I was bitten in late December of that year. Haven’t changed a bit since.” She said thinking about how she no longer fit in to what societies standard of beauty was, tiny and lithe, but she was just as happy with herself today as she was back in the 50’s. It was just harder to get the clothing to fit right, which she rendered herself a solution. She had always been handy with a sewing needle and thread, but she’d expanded her skills over the decades, and she seemed to have a keen sense of what would look good on people.
Victoria couldn’t help but let out a laugh when he mentioned he was on his knees sometimes. A man that could have a little humility was always attractive. “Well that’s good to know that you don’t expect to always be the one worshiped.” She jested, and easily took his measurement on the outside of his leg. “I’m quite happy with being a designer. I haven’t had the time to get bored of yet. One day, I’m sure I’ll just run the empire and not actually work at it, but right now I still like the hands on stuff. I like meeting with the clients, and being there. I like to make beautiful bodies beautiful clothing.” She was done, but not without some regrets. She held out her hand and expected him to take it. “Help a lady up.” She said, and then stood, smoothing down her clothing as she did so. She had all the measurements in her head and would just note them down on her iPad (which is what she did next) and the process was finished. Now for the fun bit.
She folded up the measuring tape and slipped it along with her electronics back in to her bag and picked up her blood as well as his abandoned drink and handing it to him smiling, looking more relaxed. “I think you’ll look handsome in pinstripe. Solids are fine, but…sexy in pinstripes.” She mused, tipping her head and regarding him. “Navy. Or grey. A lighter grey. But Navy with a lighter stripe, maybe a periwinkle shirt. Pink Tie.” She nodded her head. That would be…well she’d want to take the clothing off of him even more than put it on, and that was a rarity.
"Tell me about that bite," he prodded curiously, since she had brought it up. "Is vampirism something you entered into willingly, or was it forced on you? Since I was born the way I am, I've never quite been able to empathize with that sort of life change. The closest I ever came was that my parents were very briefly enslaved, but trying to keep merfolk as slaves on an island..." he trailed off, chuckling.
One dark eyebrow raised at her joke. Michael knew he was good looking, but he did try to stay humble about it. No one liked an utter narcissist. "Of course I don't. Any woman who expects to do all the worshiping doesn't have the kind of self confidence I find attractive. Because confidence is almost as beautiful as the lady herself." He looked at her pointedly, and offered her the bare arm up that she was looking for.
He waited for her to complete marking the measurements, idly looking out through the room's large windows at the Las Vegas sunset. It was a beautiful time of night for this and would be a perfect backdrop for a swim. He was glad those old vampire myths about going out in daylight weren't true. The reflection issue had to be a pain, though.
Work was over, he thought, and now it would be time for play. He took the drink and smiled with amusement as she described the sort of outfit he assumed she was going to have made for him. "This is why I leave this to the professionals; I don't even remember which shade periwinkle is," he said with a laugh. A pink tie wasn't something he would normally pick for himself, but he trusted her judgment. Even if he didn't, he'd go with it anyway, because she was pretty and he liked her.
Finishing his Scotch quickly, he set the empty glass down on the counter and clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Now that business is over, how about some pleasure? It's a great time for a swim, don't you think?"
"A loosing battle." She commented on his parents being slave on an island. Victoria wasn't all surprised when he asked about the bite. More people were curious about it now more than than ever, after all the media hype around the species. She touched her tongue to one of her fangs inside her mouth while she thought about what to tell him. It was something she'd started after being bitten. Thought about what had happened by reminding herself about what was in her mouth. She tipped her head and regarded him. "It was forced. I had no idea what a Vampire was back then." She was about to say he could probably recall 60 years ago, but then remembered his species and stopped herself. "It was quite the time back then. The world was just starting to wake up again....It wasn't a time to wonder about things that go bump in the night...or rather in the day." She looked down thinking back. "I was being courted by a man, which was of course, quite the to do because I was so old at the time." She chuckled at that. She had been spinster age really. "He was kind though, and older. We'd gone to the theater that night and had seen a play, on the way home we stopped for a cigarette outside of my apartment. A cab came by, which was always hard to get back then, and so Vincent took it. I stayed outside to finish and that's when..." She smiled and shrugged, waving her hand. "It was a bloody nightmare, literally. My sire was...not kind or gentle or nice. It was a miracle he didn't kill me. I wouldn't have chosen it for myself, but now that I am what I am, I wouldn't change it either." She didn't mention what had happened to her sire. That was.. not a topic for a first date.
His comment about a woman who did all the worshiping though did amuse her. "I've always experienced about a 25/75 percent split." She mused with a quirk of her eyebrow, though didn't mention which she was...the lower or the higher number. To his comment about the suit, she looked confident. "It's a blue. You'll like it." She promised. The redhead was very good at her job after all. She had a zero percent return rate. As in, nobody returned what she picked out. They all liked it too much.
Victoria was more of a sipper when it came to blood but she figured he wouldn't mind if she took it out with her to the pool. Looking outside when he mentioned the swim she couldn't help it, she took a small breath in. "Yes. It does seem like a good time..." She gave him a look, but she was still smiling. "Are there facilities I can use to change?" She asked, waiting for directions before taking her bag and slipping it over her shoulder. "I'll be back..." She said her heels ringing on the floor as she followed his directions and went to change. This was...well...she had no idea how this was going to go, but she was looking forward to his tail.
Michael nodded in acknowledgement of her answer, and that was the most sympathy he would offer for the forced bite. After all, it had been more than half a century since it had happened, so she was probably over it by then, or should be. She seemed well adjusted enough. "Ah, yes, the purer days of G-rated entertainment, the fear of Communism, wars, and rampant racism and sexism." The different decades usually blurred together for him, especially from earlier than the 1900s, but these days there were plenty of reminders of what happened when. "So it wasn't the man you were seeing, but some stranger who took advantage of a woman outside by herself?"
He had his own assumption about which number represented herself. "Obviously you're the one worshiping only twenty five percent of the time." Michael didn't bother asking if he was right. If he was somehow wrong about that, then she and the men she'd associated with previously clearly did not value her properly. "A blue," he repeated with a slight nod. If he could remember later, he'd look up which shade. But he probably wouldn't remember.
Michael couldn't help but to chuckle. Facilities? In a house this size? "I've got ten and a half baths here and so many other rooms you could duck into. You could even try the elevators, if you really wanted to. The nearest bathroom, though, is just down the hall and to the left." He pointed in that direction for emphasis.
While she was gone, Michael headed outside to the pool area, making sure to bring a towel for each of them. There were two pools, two spas, a stream, and other water features. He didn't need swim trunks for this. He just hoped she didn't mind a little bit of platonic nudity. Already only half-dressed, Michael stripped himself of his pants and set them off to the side. Rather than standing there naked for too long, he got into the water whether she was outside already or not. If she was, she'd get a good view of both versions of his tail.
Once he was in deep enough, Michael let the transformation happen. The tail could come and go at his bidding, but he had to be in the water, which he was. His legs melded together, grew, and lengthened until they were replaced with a proportionate orca tail, complete with a fin on the back. It wasn't the most nimble of tails among his species, but it was powerful and impressive.
"Isn't that always the way though..." She said tipping her head. It was true. Strangers taking advantage of other strangers. Misfortune was bred that way though she had always believed that misery was bred through people who knew each other and yet still took advantage of the ones in their lives. There would always be somebody trying to get something from somebody else. She smiled though. It really wasn't something she worried about anymore, for the most part.
His comment about the ratio caused her to smile, fangs full out, which was a new smile that Michael had yet to see. She rarely smiled with her teeth, mostly because it was rare that Victoria had a real honest to goodness smile on her face. Maybe at home, and maybe with her friends but rarely with somebody she'd known for so little time. She liked him, even if he'd likely forget about this conversation, perhaps even an hour from now.
Victoria changed in to her bathing suit and fluffed her hair a moment. Not that it mattered she was going in to the water and it was bound to get wet. As a last minute idea she pulled her hair up in to a quick pony tail. That might save her hair a little. She adjusted her assets and then sighed. It was what it was. Folding her clothing carefully she took them with her and placed them on the bar with her bag and picked up her glass. She assumed Michael was likely out by the pool already.
And he was. Buck naked but facing away from her. She stood for a moment, amused, and giving his body a nice long look. She couldn't help it. He was beautiful after all. Once he slipped in to the pool she made her away outside, just in time to see his beautiful tail begin to form. She bit her lip as she watched, hoping he didn't mind. She'd seen this before with the models she'd worked with but they had both been fish. She let out a long breath, she hadn't realized she'd been holding when she saw his tail.
"You're absolutely beautiful Michael." She said, drawing attention to herself. She walked to the edge of the water where he was and placed her glass on the ground as she sat at the end of the pool, her legs dangled in to the water. "Stunning really." She said to him, smiling as she waved her legs back and forth. She'd forgotten to be coy about her own bathing attire because Michael had distracted her so.
He liked her smile, but he'd already assumed that he would. Michael wasn't specifically aware of the rarity of that particular smile, but it was just as pleasant to him. The thing he enjoyed most about smiles was when he was the cause. The same could be said of other reactions, of course, depending on the situation. Angry outbursts or tears in a competitive setting, especially court, for example...
Michael could almost sense the pair of eyes watching him. If he'd known early enough that he had her as an audience, he might have lingered by the poolside a little bit longer so she could have a better look. He dove underwater for a brief second before resurfacing. Her voice drew his attention. It was slightly muffled as he emerged from the water, but he caught the gist of it. He floated upright, with his tail barely swaying and his arms out to the side while he gave her a look over.
"I'm sorry, you were talking about yourself, right?" he asked, as if he hadn't heard her clearly, but the grin on his face belied the question. The look in his eyes spoke volumes of his approval for her choice in swimwear. "I do love a good bathing suit. I can't tell you how glad I am that they got rid of those full body numbers from the turn of the century, but this is the kind of retro I like." The cleavage helped. The cleavage helped a lot.
He swam closer to her then, and rested his forearms against the edge of the pool. "How about you join me in here, gorgeous?" he asked with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Swimsuits are meant for the water. I promise I won't try to drown you. Scout's honor." Michael smirked at her.
"Hardly." She answered, her face clearly amused by the situation. He was on the ball, and she liked that. Perhaps even so much as to consider him something more than just an evening out. She liked that she was having a good time. It was a nice change from the general hustle and bustle of her life. She preferred to delegate when she could but recently more things had landed on her plate than not, especially with her third store launching in just a few weeks. It was going to be such a huge thing for her, and the pressure had been put on even more so than usual. Laughing was something she hadn't done in a while.
"I too am glad that, that fashion went out of style. There are certain things I love about back then, but there are certain things that are better now." She laughed and did a small pose as she sat by the side of the swimming pool one arm behind her head and the other on her hip as she jaunted it out as much as she could, presenting herself with a chuckle. She'd never been a model she'd only ever directed them. She had to give it to them, this wasn't as comfortable as some of them made it look. She dropped the pose though as he approached.
She liked to watch him as his tail moved, mostly because it was interesting to her the way he could maneuver it. She wished she could get material to move like that. There was only so much you could do with fabric. "Wasn't there talk of you forcing me in?" She teased him though she didn't want to get tugged in so she waved her hand at him. "Bathing suits are also meant for laying about in, not that I get a chance to do that much." She said looking at how pale she was. Vampire pale. But she'd always been this pale. Ginger as she was.
She moved to slide in to the water though, as he requested, careful not to dunk herself just yet. She held on to the edge of the pool and looked at him now that they were eye to eye. He was really quite handsome, with water droplets on his face. "So, Michael what do you usually do with women once you've got them wet?" She grinned coyly.
Michael chuckled at her dramatic pose. He was no expert with models outside of admiring them, so if that wasn't the right kind of pose, he had no idea. It was cute, though, in its own way. This was the most playful he had seen her thus far, and it was a nice touch.
"Was there? I must have forgotten," he answered with a grin, which was true. He'd forgotten. He was glad she had reminded him, though, even though he didn't make a move immediately. "You're not exactly the sunbathing type," Michael pointed out with one raised eyebrow. She was decidedly pale, and probably would have been even as a member of some other species, but that was fine. It suited her.
She got into the pool, but not as fast as he would have. Still he made no move. Her joke made him chuckle again. "Well, when you put it that way..." he trailed off. Then, quick as a flash, he grabbed hold of her and immediately dragged her all the way into and then under the salty water of his specially designed pool. He knew better than to keep her under the surface for too long, but if she was going to make a joke about wetness, he would show her wetness.
Victoria hadn't planned on dunking her head, at least not yet. Drowned rat look was never good on anybody. So she was surprised when suddenly she was being tugged down and her hand slipped off of the wall that was holding her up. She managed to get in a breath before she was submerged completely. She struggled a moment in his arms before relaxing. The water stung her eyes a bit but it wasn't so bad. She could make out Michael's form underwater and it was odd to be there.
She was under for a fair few moments before she felt her almost dead lungs almost dying and she kicked a little bit to come to the surface, sputtering a little bit. She breathed in and reached for the pool edge. Her hair felt like it was everywhere and though she usually wore little make up-and today she'd made a point to wear water proof anything she could- she felt suddenly very self conscious.
"Michael!" She exclaimed but she was laughing, through her discomfort. She used her other hand to try and right her hair a little while she tried to blink through the water droplets falling out of her hair. She hadn't an idea if he had surfaced with her, she assumed he had much better lungs than she had, so she blinked as much as the water out of her eyes and then looked about for him.
As much as he enjoyed pristine and polished looks, the fact that he would happily spend half of his life living in the water meant that Michael could also appreciate wild, untamed, and soaked hair. He was far less concerned about that than Victoria was. He held his arms firmly around her as he dragged her underwater. This wasn't the deepest part of the pool, so there was only so far they could sink. The weight of his tail gave him fantastic leverage in keeping her submerged, however.
He held her under for a few minutes, fully conscious of how long non-aquatic folk could hold their breath. When she pushed toward the surface, he readily let her go, and even followed behind her to make sure that she was okay. Michael didn't need to inhale when he broke the water, because the gills on his ribs were already doing that for him.
Already laughing when she said his name indignantly, Michael joined her at the side of the pool and helped push her damp red locks out of her face. "You shouldn't challenge a merman to get you in the water. We can do it, and I like to win," he pointed out with an impish grin. He licked some of the salty water off of his lips. "Are you okay?" he added with a thoughtful look. "I still try to remember how fragile land dwellers' lungs are underwater."
Victoria felt his hands pushing her hair back and she felt both amused and embarrassed. She would never allow people to see her like this... ever. Not even her friends, possibly. Certainly not Henny or Levi. She didn't want to ever appear anything but perfect. Even at five am during an emergency she'd managed to put her hair up and some lipstick on. It was so unlike her, so messy. She didn't like messy but here she was in the mess of things. It was so very uncouth to her, but she was smiling and laughing even when she felt his hands again trying to get all that hair off her face. She had a lot of it.
She took in a deep breath when her hair was finally clear of her face and gave him a look, her lips quirked up in to a sardonic half smile. His laughter was nice though, and she couldn't help but join him for another chuckle shaking her head. "I float corrected. I float like a drowned rat, but i float none the less." She teased, changing up the words to the old adage. When he asked if she was okay though she was perhaps touched, or maybe pleased? She wasn't sure which.
"I'm fine, yes." She smiled at him a bit more, wiping a bit of water off her forehead. "I'm almost dead, but not quite dead yet. Unfortunately I still do need oxygen. One of the many disappointments of being a vampire." She declared, floating as close as she was, wondering if he was going to tug her down again. She knew about gills popping up on Mer-people once they were in the water and she looked in to the pool to see his, though it was difficult to see. She reached under water, one hand still holding the wall and traced over the top of where they started, interested. "How marvelous." She mused out loud.
Once the last moist lock was safely tucked away from her pale face, Michael rested his large hands on her cheeks. "There's the look I wanted to see," he said thoughtfully, as he stared at her face as politely as one could manage while staring. His eyes traveled over her features, and lingered especially on her smile. "It wasn't so bad to get a little playful with me, now, was it?" Michael winked at her.
Then his gaze followed the movements of her hand under the water. It was dark in there, sure, but his sight could adjust to it well enough, and the lily white skin stood out in the dimly lit water. Michael remained still for her, not sure what she was going for exactly, but willing to allow it all the same. When she touched his chest, even if she was going for his gills, it still brought a smirk to his face. He looked back up at her and enjoyed the feeling of her fingers tickling his gills.
"I know. I work out," he joked, as if she had meant his abs. More seriously, though still with a twinkle in his eye, he added, "If you'd like to see them better, I can pull up a bit. Although, if you'd rather just explore with your hands...I'm fine with that, too." His eyes dropped down to her mouth again, but this time it wasn't to admire her smile so much as the lips themselves.
Victoria kept hold of the side of the pool as Michael put his hands on her cheeks. It was an odd feeling to be so enveloped and intimate with somebody she had just met. She smiled at him though when he said it was the look he wanted to see. "Soaking wet and partially drowned?" She mused quietly. She was starting to understand Michael a little more. She hadn't had a dalliance with a Mereperson before she couldn't assume to know what he liked other than water of course. It was a little bothersome to her, but it'd been a while since she'd gotten to know somebody when it wasn't on her terms.
His question about being playful though was an interesting one. "No, I suppose not." She said closing her eyes and smiling down for a moment. Her fingers were careful, she didn't want to stick him in the proverbial wind pipe, and she was mindful not to linger too long. She laughed though when he mentioned his working out. "No, you don't need to go anywhere. Stay." She said quickly. She didn't want him moving.
Victoria wasn't without her own confidence. She could feel his eyes on her face and she was glad that he seemed to enjoy her so much. She wasn't particularly sure why. Studying his face back she moved closer to him in the water, and then tipped her head up to catch his lips for a brief kiss.
"That, too," he said dismissively. "But mostly the look of you having fun. Not so guarded. Smiling. It's a cliche, but you do look prettier when you smile. And that's quite a feat, considering how beautiful you are otherwise. You don't strike me as the type who lets loose that much, so it's nice to see you in this element." Having it be in his natural element--water--was a particularly nice bonus.
It felt more like a date now that they were in this situation and she wasn't fitting him for an outfit. Maybe that had made for a nice pretense to have her come over, but he'd wanted the date much more than the suit. He raised one dark eyebrow when she told him to stay, but complied.
He floated very still while she approached, watching her curiously and not wanting to do anything to discourage her. A smile spread slowly over his face. He kissed her back tenderly, letting her take the lead with it on when to pull away or not. It didn't last for long, but that was fine with him; first kisses weren't meant to be makeout sessions. The smile lingered on his face when it ended, and he looked at her from under hooded eyes. He traced her cheek with the back of an index finger. "My favorite part of a first date," Michael murmured contentedly.
Victoria regarded what he had to say. It wasn't like she wasn't expecting an answer like that. Michael seemed to know how he enjoyed his life, sharing it with her was only natural. She had things to do and people to overcome, playing about whimsically wasn't something she had much time for. She was a woman vampire in a man's world. She had two things she had to get over and overcome. It wasn't always easy, and she was young and ambitious. She could appreciate what he was saying though. "Well I'm glad it was with you. If it were anybody else they wouldn't have believed it."
The kiss was short, but she was smiling at the end of it as well. His lips had been sweet against hers and she'd enjoyed it. She wasn't sure she'd had such a chaste little kiss...in decades. She let out an amused noise when he said it was his favourite part of a date. "Can't say it wasn't my favourite." She teased back brushing her lips against his again just briefly before pulling back and away from the wall and him.
"But if you want another you'll have to catch me." She grinned and quickly turned around swimming away from him. She had no chance of course. He was a merman, but it was fun to make him work a little for it. Victoria hadn't anticipated this and truly, she had no idea what she was doing, but she was certainly having fun, and that was something unexpected. And to her, that was the perfect date.