Who: Adrian and Dez Where: London multiplex and Dez's flat When: Saturday Evening Summary: A friendly outing to the movies turns into discussions of a serious nature and a decision is reached. Status: Complete
As the lights came up in the theater, Dez turned to grin at Adrian, wondering what he had thought of it. Her brown eyes danced with delight. The evening had started out with discussion and conversation that delved into their friendship and solidified things between them. If nothing else, they were friends and it was a solid and stable relationship a mix of serious conversation and laughter that no one else seemed to match between them.
Now they had finished the movie and Dez had plans for dinner - a whole selection of tapas back at her place and the chance at - possible - seduction. "So what did you think?" Dez asked as the credits finished rolling up the screen.
Dez wouldn't know it, but she'd almost been stood up. The new case Adrian was working on was becoming more and more tangled, the evidence hinting at one person's hand in the mix and he was desperately hoping the evidence would prove wrong. So although he had showered, shaved and dressed in preparation for the night out, he started reviewing notes and it was only when his flown rang that he actually noted the time. It was easy enough to get his mother off the flown (she being the one who called) and he once more blessed the fact he was a wizard because if he couldn't apparate then he would have been very late indeed. As it was, he was five minutes early.
He let Dez lead the way when they got to the theatre, allowing her to buy popcorn and drinks (even if he soon found out he despised cola) and settled down to watch this movie thing with an open mind. After all, one day he might have to go undercover as a muggle for his job and therefore it would be useful to know about these things. It did take a while to get into it, especially since there was no use of magic in the whole thing and the characters kept referring to things he didn't know about - not that he was going to ask Dez - but soon he found himself laughing at the black humour and enjoying the show. This was actually better than the theatre!
Glancing at her, Adrian grinned. "I'm relieved you didn't take me to that romance playing in the other room."
"But you could have romantically held my hand and when it was all over, professed how much you loved me," Dez teased, adding dramatic gestures to emphasise her words. Her brown eyes danced with laughter though and she reached out and took his hand and brought it dramatically to her cheeks with a deep sigh of delight.
Letting go of his hand, she laughed and shook her head. "Come on then my pureblood friend. It's time for dinner," she said, rising up and stretching out, her shirt riding up in an unconscious display of her skin.
"Didn't we have this discussion about fantasy and reality?" Adrian queried, shooting her an amused look. "Besides, you picked the best genre for a first outing," he was fair enough to admit this. "I'm more prepared to see more of these things," a musing look crossed his face as Adrian pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Wonder if something similar could be adapted for the magical world," Adrian made a mental note to talk to Cassius about the possibilities. He lit his cigarette, inhaled and exhaled, ensuring the smoke didn't wander past Dez's nose.
"What is on the menu?"
"Then I have several more of these to introduce you to," Dez said, thrilled that he had enjoyed himself to such an extent as to be willing to see another. Impulsively, she wrapped an arm around his waist and hugged him towards her. "And yes, we did have the discussion about reality versus fantasy and I suppose I can tell you my secret then."
Blushing slight, Dez leaned toward him and whispered, "I much prefer you in reality to any fantasy."
Stepping back from him, continuing to blush bright red. Dez gestured for him to follow her. "Come on. I made a bunch of tapas for dinner back at my place. You'll like it."
"What have I put myself in for?" Adrian mused jokingly. He was startled when she hugged him towards her and looked down at her with raised brows, his cigarette dangling between his fingers. Her confession aroused mixed feelings, but the one he could identify most was happiness and a sort of resignation. Somehow Dez had managed to worm her way under his shell and while Adrian wouldn't go far to say he was head over heels in love with her, he did have to admit he was definitely fonder of her than any other girl he'd associated with.
"Tapas, hm?" he took a drag on the cigarette, not addressing her confession at this point. Perhaps later. "All right."
Dez wasn't all that bothered by Adrian's lack of comment on her secret and in fact she was rather relieved that he said nothing, but instead shrugged it off. A sigh of relief slipped from her that he ignored her. Putting on her light coat, Dez led Adrian out of the theatre and down to where they could apparate back to her flat.
They arrived just outside the door which Dez quickly opened and ushered Adrian inside. She pulled off her light coat and tossed it over the rack beside the door. "Want an ale or cider? I've just got to warm things up and then we can eat. You can have a seat on the sofa to wait," Dez said, offering Adrian a grin as she fluffed out her hair and pulled up the sleeves to her casual shirt.
He stubbed out his cigarette before they entered the flat and evaporated it. Adrian respected the wishes of others not to fill their homes up with smoke. Removing his leather jacket and placing it on the rack beside hers, he strolled over the sofa that he was so familiar with after several night's sleeping on it. "Cider, thanks," he sprawled out, leaning his head back. Funny how now he was here and starting to relax, the late nights of work suddenly hit and he felt sleepy. "So... I never asked, but how's the novel progressing?"
In the kitchen, Dez slid the trays of tapas into the oven to warm and made sure everything was ready for the moment that they came from the oven. With all that settled and just needing a few minutes to warm up, Dez grabbed two ciders and popped them open, pouring each of them into a glass. Glasses in hand, she came back into the living room and handed one to Adrian before settling down on the sofa beside him.
"I ran into a road block - well a mental one - and I'm trying to figure out how to tackle it," Dez admitted, looking ruefully over at the piles of parchment on the table. "I swear I've stood on my head and tried to write and nothing yet has made sense." She shook her head with a small wry smile on her features, sad to admit to feeling so frustrated.
"I know the feeling... well, not exactly, but the feeling of frustration when what you're doing just doesn't make sense," Adrian thought of his present case. Yes, he was feeling that frustration well, along with a resignation that in the end the result wouldn't work out the way he really wanted. However, he was dealing with facts that couldn't be twisted, at least Dez had a chance to push through her problem. "Would it help to talk it out? What's the block - do you know?"
"It's that the perpetrator doesn't seem to be who I planned," Dez said with a shake of her head. Setting down her cider, she went to the kitchen and retrieved the done tapas, bringing them out to Adrian on a large tray. It was covered with various offerings of finger food, all of them showing a bit of spice and heat that came from their Spanish ancestry. Handing Adrian a plate, she returned to her outward musings. "I had it all set up to be someone in particular, but somehow the story seems to be wending itself in another direction. I'm just afraid it's becoming too predictable."
"Sounds like life," Adrian commented as he took a plate. "Just when you think you've got things sussed out, something happens and you have to reassess."
"Exactly," Dez agreed with a nod of understanding. With her plate pulled towards her, Dez curled up on the couch, tucking her legs underneath herself as she cuddled into the sofa. She offered him a smile. "Unfortunately, I don't like who it seems to have picked so I am attempting to decide how I feel about what it is presenting to me." There was a soft sigh as she thought about things.
"But what's up with you? You seem rather distracted tonight," Dez noted, taking a bite of the tapas.
Her perception was both surprising and expected, Adrian swallowed the food in his mouth and shook his head. "Just the new case and before you ask, there isn't anything you can do to help. It's reach a point where everything is highly confidential, so all I can say is that it's a bit like your book - not turning out the way I'd have liked."
By this time, Dez took his refusal to open up to her not as a personal insult, but as a fact of his job. "Well at least you can relax and not let it bother you for a moment because the minute you get uptight, I'm going to make you sit down and deal with my novel's apparent lack of direction," Dez teased, poking him with a foot that curled out from under her. Smirking, Dez waited for retaliation.
"There's a threat," he said mildly with a slight lift of his eyebrows. One hand shot out with lightening quick speed to grab the errant foot and hold it tight. "Planning to try that again?"
"I could, but you appear to be holding on that appendage," Dez said, grinning and setting aside her plate. There was a battle about to be waged and she didn't want to be burdened down by trying to keep her plate balanced. Her other foot though, reached out and nudged him and attempted to slide far enough away from him.
In retaliation, Adrian tickled the bottom of her captured foot and watched for her reaction, but not saying anything.
The tickling touch immediate elicited a reactionary squeal and a struggle to get away. Though desperate laughter, Dez begged Adrian, reaching forward to attempt to pull his hands off her foot. "No! No! I didn't mean it!"
"Really?" Adrian was merciless and resisted her attempts, tickling more. His grin was devilish and his grip firm. "I don't know..."
"I don't mean it!" Dez squealed as loudly as possible, attempting to pry him off of her feet. "No! Adrian! Don't!" Tears were forming in her eyes as she attempted to get away from him.
He let go abruptly and leaned back, frowning at the tears in her eyes and not sure if they were tears of laughter or not. "Stopped," he said simply, without any apology.
His abrupt stop left Dez uncertain and still giggling and as she was still reaching towards him, she abruptly feel forward towards him, still swallowing giggles of delight. Her forehead rested against his leg as she attempted to get her breath and her hands held on to his to keep them from further retaliation.
"Still alive down there?" he asked with mild amusement on seeing that she wasn't that upset. He jiggled his leg gently. "See, this is why you should always consider the consequences of your actions."
Gasping for air from her giggle spree, Dez only squeezed his hands in response. It took her a few minutes to get things together, but when she managed to cease sniggering under her breath and instead retaliated by attempting to tickle him. She moved quick as possible to try and tickle him, reaching up his chest to tickle his waist.
Unfortunately for Dez, Adrian was one of those fortunate sorts who wasn't very ticklish at all. He smirked down at her, barely twitching and looking very smug - provokingly so. "Wasting your energy there, love," he drawled and ran a teasing finger up her spine.
His finger's delicate touch left shivers running up and down her spine, but Dez took a deep breath and ignored them. Instead she looked up at him, raising slightly on to her knees. "Maybe I just need to change retaliation tactics," Dez whispered, leaning towards him. Her face ran up the outside of his neck, touching his skin ever so lightly before she kissed him, deeply and passionately. It lasted only for the count of ten before she pulled back and retreated to her side of the sofa, taking her plate and returning to eating her meal.
He was hardly unaffected, starting to respond before she abruptly pulled away. Adrian blinked and his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. The plate was hardly a barrier really, but after a moment of consideration, he didn't retaliate, since he was sure that was precisely what she expected - and probably wanted. Instead, he picked up his own plate and continued to eat as if nothing had happened. "Good recipe," he said blandly after some silent munching.
"Glad to hear it," Dez said, attempting to be unaffected by his ignoring of her. Damn the man. He was too provacative by half. Munching further, Dez said, "I wasn't sure it was your thing, but I figured it was enjoyable and should be worth trying if nothing else." Part of her was considering throwing aside the plate and just shagging the man senseless, but she was attempting to manage some kind of restraint.
"I'm always open to trying new things," Adrian couldn't help the slight smirk in his tone and curving his lips. He could tell she was annoyed by his actions, but his nature was such that he didn't like to do what others expected.
"Are you now?" Dez asked, raising a light eyebrow to consider him. Her head tipped to the side. "I don't believe you. Perhaps you'd care to prove it."
He gave her a quizzical look. "I'm eating something I haven't eaten before and enjoying it, I don't know how much more proof you need to see I'm open to trying new dishes," Adrian remarked with a shrug and then washed down his mouthful with drink. "If you're referring to new experiences then I have just shown my willingness to try by going to that movie," he shot her a wolfish grin. "You need a new tact, love."
"Crap," Dez swore without even thinking. Annoyed with him and his smug look, Dez grabbed one of the tapas and threw it at him. "Blasted man!"
Adrian was so busy laughing at her reaction that he didn't duck in time and the tapas splattered right on his shirt. He stopped laughing abruptly and glared down at the mess and then at her. "Food wasting, destructive woman," he growled, putting his plate down to get out his wand and clean up.
"Sorry," Dez whispered, dropping her eyes down and refusing to look at him.
The mess cleaned thanks to a couple of spells, Adrian pocketed his wand and sighed. "What sort of reaction was that?" he asked, shooting her an exasperated look.
Dez had had it. Frustration and games were making her tired and irritable. She wanted more than these tantalizing games that left her desperate and begging for more at the same time. Raising her brown eyes, she gave Adrian a pointed look and spilled everything out.
"The reaction you get when you are constantly teasing and tormenting me with some kind of dance that tells me nothing," Dez said, her voice quiet and still. It wasn't passionate, just matter of fact. "I'm sick of these games between us Adrian, so let me be clear. I want you. Well, that's not quite it. I care about you. I want friendship and romance and mind drugging kisses that lead to bed and wherein we never get out again."
A wry smile tinged her face as she looked at Adrian. "Funnily enough, I want forever and I want it with you. I don't know what you want, in fact I doubt you ever offer me any kind of emotional commitment. I don't want to just be friends. I'm sick of pretending to be friends with you when I want so much more. So if all you want to do is be friends, I'm going to ask you to walk out that door and not come back." There was a gulp as she said the last, worried that she had lost now and forever someone she felt was all she needed.
Whatever he expected, this wasn't really it. For the first time, Adrian Pucey was rendered speechless. All Dez's signals - confusing as they were - indicated she wanted some sort of casual fling, which he wasn't prepared to get into because he... he what? Adrian had never really stopped to analyse what precisely was keeping him from just shagging her senseless and getting that over with. From someone he considered irritating, she had become a person he wanted to be around and casual sex would just ruin that, so he resisted and let things lapse into a competitive game where he could forget about the complicated issues and just let his contrary nature run free.
Standing up, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels, Adrian didn't look at Dez for a few minutes as he mulled things over in his mind. Logically it would likely be best for them both if he did just walk out the door, but he really didn't like logic very much right now, not when it meant he wouldn't see her again.
"I can't promise forever," he said finally, slowly turning his head to look directly at her. "I can't promise anyone forever, because people change all the time, and what you feel now might be completely different in a year or two. I'm also not a romantic, which you should have realised by now, but that doesn't mean I don't feel. If you want posies and candlelit dinners and flowery speeches delivered from down on one knee then I'm definitely not your man, but I can make a commitment," Adrian rubbed the back of his neck and started to pace. "You've been giving out mixed signals too, you know. I don't know when it was you started to matter to me, but when you did, I wasn't prepared to wreck the relationship by treating you as a fling and nothing more. You're a brat, Demelza Robins, with a head stuffed full of odd notions and sometimes you drive me crazy, but I like you more than any other woman I've been with. Is that love? I don't fucking know, but I don't mind finding out."
He crouched down in front of her then, his gaze intently searching her face. "Of course, if we start openly dating then you're going to have to deal with a lot of crap from my family... well, except for Danny. Are you prepared for that?"
When he stood up, Dez was certain that he was going to leave and not come back. Her heart was already breaking, but she was attempting to hold herself together. And then he began pacing and talking and Dez still remained confused for several long moments. Her brown eyes followed his path back and forth across while her mind made the logical jumps of what he was asking for. She nodded quietly to show that she understood. Dez wasn't sure that this was love either, but at the same time, it certainly had a different sort of feeling to it rather than anything that she had felt or dealt with before.
The fact that he called her a brat and that she drove him crazy made her smile slightly. At least they had that in common already. When he moved in front of her, Dez met his gaze. "Are you really willing to go through that? If you're willing to go through it then, I'm more than willing to take whatever it is that they throw at me." Ever so tentatively, she reached out and touched his face, wondering, but yet uncertain and finally daring to have a bit of hope of some kind.
He shrugged. "I've dealt with my mother's tantrums, I don't particularly like upsetting her, but at the same time she did marry for love the second time and for all her snobbery, she's more likely to come around after being unpleasant about if for a bit, so I can weather that. And Lucy is off to school soon so once that occupies her mind she'll calm down," Adrian let her touch his face with such tentative fingers, but didn't make any moves of his own. Perhaps some men would make some grand gesture of sweeping her into a passionate embrace, but he had said he wasn't a romantic and currently the idea of doing something over the top just made him want to laugh - and he doubted she would appreciate him laughing at such a crucial time.
If Dez had wanted some kind of grand romantic gesture, she would have pinned her hopes on someone else. Dez knew enough about Adrian now including the time that he had spent guarding her and living in her flat to rather appreciate the lack of over-the-topness. She knew she was madcap enough for both of them - someone needed to be the sane and rational one. "What do you want Adrian? What do we do?" Dez asked, uncertain and at the same time, wanting.
He couldn't help the small bark of laughter that escaped. "One minute you're issuing ultimatums and the next you're wondering what to do," Adrian shook his head and sat back on the couch. "You really don't listen carefully," but there was a fondness in the scold as he looked at her. "I wouldn't be wittering on about my family if I wasn't prepared to take the step forward. So we date, properly, that's all it is, no real difference to what we're doing already except now we know where we stand relationship wise."
Dez tsked at his scold, not minding it in the slightest. She hadn't been clear on purpose so therefore his reaction was anticipated. Grinning, Dez scooted over and sat astride his lap. "I figured that part out you ninny," Dez said again, laughing still. Amusement danced in her brown eyes. Shifting slightly, she then asked, "I just wondered if perhaps I might get a proper kiss then or perhaps you just need to be instructed in what that is exactly."
"Say things like that too often and you won't get any sort of kiss," but amusement coloured his tone and Adrian put an arm around her waist.
His words though, assuring her of an interest in a relationship, had lessened Dez's fear of Adrian's anger and occassionally cringe inducing comments. Not that she still wouldn't feel that edginess that he induced in her, but she knew it would be tempered by the understanding of his interest and desire. "Well then, I shall endeavor to practice patience," Dez said, moving ever so slightly as if she would slide off his lap and let him be, her lips curved up in a grin.
"Good for you," he stopped her slide by gripping her waist tighter and rewarding her with the kiss she wanted. This time it wasn't angry, hard or lustful, but tempered with a softer edge.
It was the softness that touched a part of Dez, nearly making her choke up with emotion - emotion that was beyond description even for a writer as talented as Dez. She leaned into the kiss, feeling the warmth flow through her at his touch. Her hand rose to touch his face and then slid into the soft fall of his hair.
There was a sense of relief now that they'd settled things and Adrian was happy to spend a few minutes exploring her lips slowly, but eventually he did pull back and firmly shifted her from his lap. "Now I'd like to finish my dinner," he said with a sly grin. He did want to end the evening in bed now, but suddenly pouncing and galloping off to her bedroom was too adolescent. Adrian wanted the experience to be slow and sensual for her, not over in seconds, and to banish ANY memory she had of Davies.
"As you wish," Dez said, moving back to her own side and reclaiming her own plate. Dez wasn't about to let him end the evening by leaving her flat. It was now merely a matter of which weapon to best choose, but she would have him. She'd settle that pounding desire that coursed through her ever time she considered him. But she didn't do anything other than eat her food and grin, slyly at him, pretending to be as pure and innocent as possible.
Not fooled for a second by her expression and telling her so with a roll of his eyes, Adrian applied himself to polishing off the rest of his meal. He was certainly relieved that Dez wasn't demanding overly romantic gestures, since he would have either laughed, snorted or both at the idea.
Someday Adrian might learn the value of romance, but Dez wasn't one of those who needed to constantly be romanced. She'd rather be admired and desired - no matter what the form took. There was a lot more in the world than merely romancing one another. There was something to definitely be said for passion and friendship and the desire coming together. Instead, she merely relaxed back, certain that just by being herself, she'd entice Adrian more than any other manner.
Finished with her own meal, Dez took his plate without comment and cleaned everything up in the kitchen, settling things before coming back to the sofa. Sitting down beside Adrian, Dez reached out and stroked a hand down his arm. "So," she said quietly, "is there anything I can do to convince you to spend the night?"
"What makes you think I need convincing?" he quirked an eyebrow at her. "Just because I didn't employ those caveman tactics you so admire doesn't mean I'm about to walk out the door," Adrian leaned forward with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "I'm just better at biding my time."
"Oh are you now?" Dez said, slightly raising her eyebrows, and moving slightly toward him. Her lips curved upwards with pleasure. "Should we test your resolve to bide your time?"
"Again she misunderstands," Adrian laughed and stood, pulling Dez up with him and - in one smooth move - picked her up in his arms. "I was biding my time earlier, in order to finish dinner, now is another matter entirely. I do hope you're ready," he teased, holding her firmly.
Laughing, Dez wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. Leaning towards him, she kissed his neck, nipping at the edge of his chin. "I don't know," she said, leaning back a bit and pretending to consider things carefully. "Maybe I should change clothing first. Primp a little. You know - test that resolve a little bit - just for further for future reference...."
"Changing clothes when the idea is not to be wearing any seems a tad ridiculous and if you try it, then I will go and we'll both lose out," Adrian retorted as he carried her into the bedroom. There was a note that said, even though he knew she was teasing, she might find him walking out the door if she messed about too much.
"Then how about if I help with clothing removal then, hm?" Dez asked, eyes dancing with mirth. It really was a good thing that she had remembered to clean some of the surfaces, straightening and even putting clean simple cotton sheets on the bed. Trusting him implicitly, she relaxed a bit of her hold on his shoulders so that she could lean in and again kiss his neck. It was gentle and teasing, but at the same time promising her enjoyment and willing cooperation with the tune Adrian played.
"I might allow that..." Adrian lowered her to the bed, his eyes holding promises for the night to come.