RP:All Too Well

Summary: It’s been five days since Lanara left Tiberius, as she walked in on him kissing her enemy, Corrine Venger. The Catalian is confused and upset and decides to repaint the master bedroom and decorate differently, so that if the Kelvarian returns home, she won’t be hit with flashbacks. Naturally, the witch isn’t anywhere to be found until she’s ready to face the public again, and she does so in a reckless way. A drunken Lana dresses seductively and takes to the stage, performing a little musical she designed, in an effort to make Tiber angry. Near the end of the night, she pours out her heart and Tiber coaxes her into going for a cup of tea. The couple figures out that Corrine has used a glamour potion and tricked Tiber into having a scandalous affair! Tiber and Lanara patch things up and head home together, vowing to find irrefutable proof of Corrine’s meddling.

OOC NOTE: Parodies were made from modern day songs and thanks is given to the original artists; Britney Spears, Pat Benatar, and Taylor Swift.

Part of the New Moon, New Motion Arc

(Post 1 of 5) Tiber :: It was after the night before; it was day one. The morning set. The light shined through the blinds which was the tainted bedroom. A whisky bottle sat empty upon the bed that… it had to numb the pain of a broken heart. Alcohol cured everything, right? Besides feeding the animals throughout the house, Tiber did not wake up with the morning, but instead, today was the day to lay in bed and sleep and stare; sleep and stare.

(Post 2 of 5) Day two. Tiber got up… not with the morning, but with the afternoon. The man ate a bowl of fruit and a side of bacon and stared at the sketched portrait in the living room of the Catalian proposing to the Kelvarian. That was the second part of separation… the ache of what was lost. After a long time of staring, the man went back upstairs--oh, he fed the animals--and laid back in bed. Ranger hopped up to lick the man’s hand and sat in comfort and sadness because the witch was gone. Tiber placed his hand on the dog and wondered what could have been.

(Post 3 of 5) Day three. Tiber woke up, and it was still morning. There was no whisky by his bedside since he had not gone out to buy local since Lanara left, and although it felt like his world was split down the middle, he was still able to carry on today. He was okay not to drink. It was okay to feel the aches and pains from the Kelvarian. She was gone, but… she was still alive in his head. Today was a day where he still would not shower, however, but instead, he went down to the shop outside the large home for a can of paint. With the lack of nutrition, he struggled to move some furniture out of the bedroom, but… he managed. The man decided to paint the tainted bedroom. Deep, calming blue slaps the empty white wall of the couple’s bedroom. Only one wall was painted, the wall where the bed rested. He needed a change. Maybe Lanara would like a change too. She would be back… she would be back.

(Post 4 of 5) Day four. Tiber showered that day. The man fixed himself. The man got up with the morning, went downstairs, and made a hearty breakfast. Today was a day to put the furniture back, but replace the bedding to make the room look different. The man went into Cenril. It was easy to find thick, fluffy white bedding with thick-knit throw pillows. The ones Lanara liked and ogled and placed all about the house. Grey throw blankets and blue accent pillows. The colors reminded him of the sea. Of when Lanara and him first met. Was the man in denial? Was he wasting his time and money for nothing? Or did he just know that Lanara could not let a possibility be unsolved…? There was something off. She had to feel it too. Either way, the lycan heads home, washes the new bedding, and settles in for the evening avoiding everyone and anything entirely. Greyson also knocked on the door that night, and the door was left unanswered.

(Post 5 of 5) Day five. The thoughts of Lanara would never fade, for Tiberius had to know he would run into Lanara at one point. Five days. Don’t worry. Live and fix what one can. Control. Control what one can, Tiber. The newly furnished bedroom was complete. No more looking at Corrine on four walls as some blue washed over. New bedding took place. Lanara would like this if she came home, right? Or would he have to sell it? Knock, knock. Tiber shakes his head out of his trance of coffee at the dining table before rushing to the door to see… the blonde bard. Nick. “Hey, uh, ready for the gig?” The bard was short and shifting his eyes to the side. There was something wrong, but maybe it was because of the moment Corrine, Lanara, and him had. “Uh, yeah, let me grab my guitar.” Tiber then turns to grab his musicianial belongings before moving out of the house into fresh fall air. The two men trek their way in absolute silence to their destination which is… Cenril. Tiber’s old home. The Whaler’s. Mostly men who work on cargo ships. Nick and Tiber were… home and ready to please the opposite sex with a little jam. Tiber swivels his way to the bartender. “Hey, uh, we want to book to play tonight. Augustus Rivers should be the gig name feat Nick Garter.” The bartender, Darius Steel, leans against the counter while all the other patrons laugh and snark around the Catalian, “Sorry, man. Some chick named Elle Banks booked us last minute. She stole your spot. See these men?” Darius looks around at all the grimy men who work out at sea. “They’re looking for something to set their eyes on, and… well, although you’re good looking, my guy, we have a preference for tonight’s performance. Feel free to order and stay if you like.” Tiber sighs and rubs a hand through his hair before looking at Nick. “What do you think, Nick?” Nick rolls his eyes. “I knew this place would blow. I was saying The Green Fairy. So many screaming girls, dude.” The bard then decides to start to depart away from Tiber in annoyance due to the trek and the thought of Tiber macking on Corrine. “Nick, can I at least get you a beer on the house?” Tiberius felt bad on Nick’s end for what happened. But by then, Nick had sunk through the crowd. So instead, the man turns, looks to Darius. “Just me. I’ll take a shot of whiskey.” Pause. The man shakes his head. “No, no. Just let me buy the bottle.” The Catalian decides. Darius nods, the two exchange coin and the bottle, and Tiber is off to sit at some dank table near the back to watch the glorious “Elle Banks” while he tips the whiskey back with a swig.

(Post 1 of 4) Lanara :: After ending things with Tiber and running off into the night, Lanara hadn’t been seen from or heard of from anyone that she was close to, as though she never wanted to be found. She didn’t go to stay with Penelope in Kelay, nor did she head up the mountain to mourn at Talyara’s cottage in Frostmaw. The University of Schezerade had to call in a substitute teacher to give dance lessons, and Happy Tails was under the supervision of Venin, as Lana hadn’t bothered to show up for work. None of the taverns had anyone with her name renting a room, and even the Kelvarian refugees wondered where the woodland witch could be. For all intents and purposes, Lanara had seemingly disappeared from the realm, gone without a trace.

(Post 2 of 4) Lanara sits in the back room of the busy tavern, applying a fresh coat of crimson lip stain, and nervously giggling as she chats with the other two members of The Undeniably Pretty Reckless. Amie, a leggy blonde with big blue eyes, is yammering about how she has fallen in love with yet another guy that she knew all of three minutes. Shiloh, a heavily tattooed brunette with a mohawk and vivid green eyes, shakes her head at the two women, “Amie. You need to stop giving it up for -every- guy you see! Have some respect for yourself! The whole purpose of forming this band was so we can sing and dance and work through our heartbreak. It’s supposed to be therapeutic and here you are, just sleazing it up with every bloke that gives you a second glance!” The tomboy then turns to Lana, “And Elle! I found you five days ago, puking in a bush, crying your eyes out over some jerk! You need to stop getting drunk! I can’t keep carrying you offstage and fighting men that try to lure you into dark corners. Plus! You -still- haven’t sang a solo song or worked through your heartbreak. You’re in denial and just drinking your pain away.” The woman sighs heavily, “Our job for this gig is to look sexy and to self-medicate with song. We may not be the next Lithrydel Idol, and once you two are whole again I will find two replacements that need my help, but for now can you both at least try not to screw up so much?!” Shiloh storms out of the room and proceeds to the stage to speak to the musicians and test the microphones, leaving Amie and Lana behind to hopefully sober up before their performance.

(Post 3 of 4) The witch feels a little anxious because she’s due to give a solo performance after their first two songs tonight, and because she has a feeling that -he- will be in the audience. Tiberius Lowell. The man of her dreams that are now nightmares, her twin flame that has gone up in flames, and the happy ending that unhappily ended. If Shiloh hadn’t found her that first night, Lana likely would have taken her own life, because an existence without Tiber isn’t a life she wants to live. She drinks from sunrise to sunset, the nightmares have returned tenfold, and she spends her days learning to play guitar and writing heartbroken lyrics in a diary. Twice, she had to have her stomach pumped at some foreign healer, due to alcohol poisoning. She can’t remember the last time she ate or truly smiled, and although she’s grateful for the distraction of being in a band, she had joined under false pretenses. No one in the band seems to recognize her from somewhere, and no one in the audience has either, as she normally wears some sort of face covering with her dance outfit. Elle Banks is her play-on-words alias, and when they arrived at The Whaler’s Bar she charmed Darius Steel and stole the spot for entertainer of the evening. Tiber is from Cenril. It’s where he drank away his sorrow the last time she left town, and she has fleeting hopes that he will be in the audience. She chose the angry heartbroken music that’s directed specifically at him! Will Tiber be angry at her bold move? Did he even care about her anymore? Was he in bed with Corrine this very second? Blinking back tears, the witch throws back another shot of tequila, before she joins Amie and they head backstage. Tonight, she’s forgoing the mask, because she’s tired of hiding her feelings. It’s supposed to be therapeutic, right? The music starts and as Shiloh announces the band, Lana takes a deep breath and heads up the steps and moves to the center of the stage.

(Post 4 of 4) The three women couldn’t be more different from each other as they all have a very different look and their personalities are at opposite ends, but one thing they all have in common is their beauty. Slender, toned physiques are squeezed into a one piece leather suit that shows more than covers their skin. Clunky black stiletto heels are on their feet, leather pants cling to their legs and sit low on their hips, and thin strips of leather wrap around their bare midsections in a crisscross pattern. The leather threads meet in the center and move upwards to a leather bra that shows off a tantalizing amount of cleavage, and each woman wears sparkly bangles and spiked bracelets on their wrists. Lanara’s curves are completely on display as she seductively moves to the music, and it’s obvious that she was the choreographer, while Amie had the voice, and Shiloh tended to the musical aspect. The trio writhe about the stage in a sensual display, oozing sex appeal, and every man in the audience watches with a little bit of drool escaping their mouths. Tiber has never seen Lana dance, and although ballet is her favorite form, her body and flexibility cater more to this exotic style. The low dips, hip sways, splits, hair flips, and rolls of her tummy captivate the crowd, drawing people closer to the stage. If one is able to tear their gaze from Lana’s derriere or sultry poses, they will hear that this is a song about infidelity, and that she’s also a bit drunk and slurring her words horribly, “Womanizer-oh, Womanizer-oh, you’re a stupid geyser, baby! Boy don’t try that font, I-I know that you did fart, oh-oh, Womanizer, rabies!”

Tiber throws back the bottle and stares stoically at the front of the makeshift stage through the mix of howling men asking specifically for the three babes about to take the stage. The man leans back with his arms back unamused that the gig was taken for the evening since music was supposed to be a therapeutic method for the blonde. The man got through his brother’s supposed loss with music. The man was getting through the heartbreak of Lanara’s leaving him off to Kelvar, and he was doing it again. When the music starts with the upbeat melody, the man still stays in that stiff posture. The man hated pop-like music, but then again, he was coming on a very popular night. As the women step up on stage in leather attire, he almost swears one has a familiar body-type like the witch. When Lanara turns around to face the crowd in that daze and with skin and curves revealed, Tiber has to blink several times before realizing that… it was her. He coughs up some of the whiskey that swirls in his mouth at the lyrics and the outfit she wears. “Womanizer”? The man has a hard stare at the Kelvarian who dances and sings with the other two girls. His arms cross again as he glares at the stage. Was this going to be a torture session? How could she be here tonight? Cenril of all places? It clicks. Elle Banks is Lanara Banks. As the men howl at the three ladies, Tiber stands and shuffles his way through the crowd where he would finally be slightly in Lanara’s vision. Not front row, but noticeable between the chaotic men. Men who might deserve to get punched out. There would be a very jealous expression touching the man’s eyes with that thin line of lip. Yeah, this song was not up Tiberius’ alley.

Lanara does a sexy shimmy with her shoulders that causes her cleavage to slightly bounce, and as predicted, the men flood the front of the stage, all cupping gold in their greedy palms. They hope to spill their coin beneath that leather, but Lana has a strict ‘look but don’t touch’ policy, even in her heavily buzzed stupor. Amie bends and accepts the offerings of coin, while Lana and Shiloh focus on their fancy footwork, motioning to a cup labeled ‘tips’ that rests at the edge of the stage. Whether it’s the liquor or the fact that the next song is starting, it seems that the witch really lets loose, shaking her rear and throwing her hair wildly about her head. She’s beautiful and free, and it seems that for the first time in five days, she’s having fun. “You’re a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker, don’t you mess around with me!” She gets the lines right, so perhaps all that adrenaline and the lycanthropy in her veins is working to absorb all the liquor. As she’s dipping low and touching her ankles prepared to arch her back like a cat and seductively rise up and scream ‘Heartbreaker’ it’s then that those dark chocolate eyes lock with a familiar amber. Asha stirs and those butterflies hit Lana as hard as the moment when Tiber dropped to one knee and asked her to be his for eternity. She forgets to sing. She forgets to dance. She forgets that five days ago she removed her engagement ring and witnessed her fiance making out with a packmate. Flashbacks flood her mind and tears spring to her eyes as one of the men in the audience grabs her by the ankle and squeezes hard, urging her to continue the performance. A few throw gold her way, wondering why she’s standing there looking sexy, yet frozen in place, her eyes big and her lush lips parted. “Heartbreaker!” She points a finger at Tiber and finishes the song, before she quickly turns tail and runs backstage, clearly needing a minute to compose herself. Shiloh exchanges a look with Amie, before she addresses their audience, “Elle will be back in a bit! She had a little too much to drink and has to use the restroom. But stay tuned! She’s going to be singing a song that she wrote over the past few days as she’s mending a broken heart. Why don’t you all buy her a drink?” The band kicks up a new song, the lyrics equally as insulting, but the crowd continues to go wild. Darius is pouring drinks like a madman as dozens of men are buying rounds of drinks for Lana, all of which are left on a tray to the side.

Tiber’s eyes shift over the men who flood the stage with coin. He watches the men cat-call and reach out to the women on the stage. His eyes are watching every move those men make. Meanwhile, Lanara looks free… like she moved on…? Was she better without him? He scratches the side of his head as the anxiety begins to flood in. But then, Lanara catches his amber look and she is frozen. Does she feel it too? The stir in the pits of her belly? That chocolate gaze seeps into his and his face slightly loosens until “heartbreaker” and then his glare is tight again. What sets him off, however, is the man who gropes the woman’s ankle. “Hey!” Tiber yells before pushing himself through the men to the man who grabbed his… ex-fiance. He whips the man around by the shoulder and pushes him down. “Back off, creep!” The man is so drunkenly stunned that he just throws his hands up in a rocker motion and does not even fathom that he got thrown down on purpose he’s so drunk. Tiber then watches Lanara leave and then watches as men toss money at the bar for drinks for Lanara. Time for a new chaotic solution. He plows through the men to try to get to Darius. “Stop. Don’t let her drink anymore. She obviously had too much and needs a break.” Darius does not even look at Tiberius. “Sorry, man. I’m not going to deny business,” and the bartender still tends to the patrons for their money for Lanara. “You’re joking! You’re going to kill the girl!” Tiber bursts. This was a nightmare of an evening. The crowd was getting thicker and the men were getting drunker.

(Post 1 of 3) Lanara :: After two more songs, Amie and Shiloh exit the stage, and Lanara walks up the few steps. She’s changed into something much more wholesome, a halter-style flowing white gown with beige flowers sewn into the hem that reaches mid-thigh, and a pair of tan knee-high leather boots. The crimson lipstick is gone and is replaced with a clear gloss, her long hair falls in loose waves to her elbows, and she holds a guitar in her hand. Taking a seat on a stool in the center of the stage, she adjusts the guitar sling, and nervously glances back at the band and gives a hesitant nod. Her fingertips have blisters as she has been playing the same chords for the past three days, trying to learn her song, and commit it to memory. It’s important that she gets her thoughts out, and that he realizes how much she’s hurting. Lanara looks at the audience until she marks Tiber’s location, before she closes her eyes and begins to sing. “I walked through Cenril with you, after I was nearly sold. But you saved my life from that sleaze, somehow. Fast forward three years, and we just bought a house. And you still live there, but sadly, I’ve moved out… Oh your sly disposition and my wide eyed gaze, you proposed on a scenic mountain way upstate. Autumn leaves falling down like pictures into place, and I can picture it, after all these days…And I know it’s long gone and that magic’s not here no more, and I might be okay, but I’m not fine at all… Cause there we are again on West Beloy Street, we settled for a poinsettia instead of a Yuletide tree. Wind in my hair, I was there, I remember it all too well.” Most of the men in the crowd are drinking and not really paying attention, as they prefer the scantily clad version of the brunette. Her voice is soft and soothing, a lovely soprano brimming with emotion, though the pauses in the lyrics are haunting. An indicator of what was lost and what could have been. She can carry a tune, though she’s a tad pitchy at some of the high notes, but for this song it seems that she hits every single strum of the guitar. Darius shakes his head as he looks from Tiber to Lanara, as though he can feel the tension between their stare, and he cannot help but smirk, “Serendipity.” What are the chances that Elle Banks stole the gig from Augustus Rivers?! He hopes he gets more nights like this, because that chick brings in some serious coin!

(Post 2 of 3) Lanara watches as a few men in the rear of the bar begin to catcall and tell her to tear off her clothes and shake her body, but she tries to ignore them and have her therapeutic moment. She fumbles with a chord from their disruption, but quickly finds her rhythm again, “You hail from Catal and speak many a language. You spent your younger years, sadly, in an orphanage. You have a close friend by the name of Nadine, you tell me about your past, thinking your future was me… But I know it’s long gone and there was nothing else I could do. I forget about it long enough, then I think of you kissing that redheaded shrew…Cause there we are again in the middle of the night, we’re dancing on the balcony, beneath the moonlight… It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well.” Lana’s voice increases slightly, her heart bleeding before the audience as she locks eyes with Tiber, but she maintains her composure. “Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much, but maybe this thing was a masterpiece, ‘til you tore it all up! Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well.... Yeah-Yeah!” The lead guitarist has a mini solo as the witch catches her breath, terrified that she’s showing her vulnerability to complete strangers. Finally, the song is nearing its end, “Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it. I’d like to be my old self again, but I’m still trying to find it. After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own… Now I pack up my things and I don’t have a home… But you keep that ink mark from that very first week! When I returned from Kelvar, tattooed by Meri… You can’t get rid of it, and you remember us, all, all, all, too well… ‘Cause there we are again, when I loved you so, back before you lost the one real thing you’ve ever known, wind in my hair, you remember it. It was rare, you remember it, all! Running scared, you remember it, all! It’s unfair, I was there, I remember it all too well…”

(Post 3 of 3) That final chord is strung and a single tear trickles onto her cheek, as Lana unslings the guitar from around her form, and bashfully departs the stage. She needs air. Now. Her emotions are scattered, her heart is racing, Asha is bouncing around so much that she’s making Lana nauseas, and the room seems to have grown twenty degrees warmer. Lana pauses backstage to receive praise from Shiloh and Amie, and after giving them brief hugs, she makes up an excuse about how she has to leave early and isn’t feeling well. Grabbing her purse, she makes for the rear exit, and lights up a cigarette the second she’s outdoors. Moving to a barrel, she perches atop it and crosses her legs, trembling from the experience she just had on stage. Tiber is really here, but rather than talk to him, she’s terrified of confrontation. Since when?! Maybe because he could reject her as his mate? A fate worse than death. Taking another long drag, Lana closes her eyes and tries to steady her breathing, her cheeks flush and her hands shaking. “Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry…” The mantra is repeated over and over as the moon shines down on the woman, spotlighting her location. “Just stop, Lana! Get a grip…” Asha whines and seems to want to go back inside the bar, but the witch is clearly having a moment and ignoring her inner wolf.

(Post 1 of 3) Tiber had been so annoyed he took a few more swigs of that bottle before he heard the acoustics. The man looks over his shoulder where Lanara is perched alone with a… guitar. He places the bottle without thought down on the counter before turning to stare at her. The repetitive acoustics echo through the bar and the men seem to die down in their cat-calls as they are busy with their drunken antics. The soprano fills the bar and Tiber cannot help but loosen that tightened gaze. Although his expression was loose, there was still that deep ache in his chest. Darius stares at him and makes his comment and Tiber finds a stool to sit on and watch. Listen. Her story was true, and despite her previous slurs, she was finally finding her voice. He remembered it too. All too well. He still kept her belongings. He was waiting for her to come home. He no longer touches the bottle he purchased, but instead he sits with hands on his knees. The song she sings speaks to him and moves him. This was her. This was raw. This was truly from her heart. The thought of her hair flowing. Her freedom. Her laugh. Her innocence. There was a moment where he felt the mist build up in amber eyes, but he blinked that easily away due to the other men in the bar. He had to find a way to talk to her. To find a way for her to listen.

(Post 2 of 3):: The moment is almost ruined when the men tell her to rip her clothes off. Tiber stands in that moment, but he realizes Lanara is ignoring it and staring at him. The man paces through the crowd where he is able to stand in front of everyone else. Patient. Tentative. Lanara knew him. Remembered him, but he remembered her too. As the bridge hits about getting lost in translation, his heart sinks because this was not it. He was never lost with her. If anything she found him… He remembered that all too well. Her words flow throughout the bar and another man next to him does another call which has Tiber elbow the man in the gut. Another dude supports Tiber by telling the guy this was an “emotional moment” and the guy needs to be in more touch with his feelings. Tiber was winning tonight through jealousy. Everything Lanara was pouring did not need to be poured, or maybe it did. Each lyric flashes a memory of their time together and at one point he touches the tattoo behind his ear.

(Post 3 of 3):: The last chord brushes through the air and he finds himself reaching for his face to wipe a palm over his eyes in defeat. The pain the song held. She held him like an oath, but so did he with her. As Lanara departs from the stage in flush, he watches her leave and instantly pivots to maneuver through the bar to the open salty air. He looks left, right before walking around to try to find the alley she was in on a barrel. She drags from a cigarette, and from the distance, he just watches her. She is drunk, smoking, and completely not in her skin. The man puts on a brave face before approaching her. The man dressed in a white button-up with a cream sweater over it, and a brown jacket draped over. He wears black denim and those loafers. When he approaches, he instantly reaches out to snag the cigarette from the witch. “I thought you told -me- that smoke kills. Hypocrite,” he is jesting in his way. “Your song… uh, you learned guitar,” he breathes a little unevenly for a moment because looking at her brought back the flood of… her. Anxiety of saying the wrong thing. Luca echoes in the back of his mind, “Be you, Tiber. You know you. You know what happened.” In that moment, Tiber stands straight in confidence. He looks clear-headed for the moment. “I liked your song. I remember it. All I do is think of you. Think of our moments. I need you to listen to me. And after you do, I’ll leave you alone for good, Lana. I promise. I won’t come looking for you. I’ll obey everything, but you need to let me speak my mind. Can you at least give me that chance?”

Lanara can feel the cold creeping into the night, despite the fact that she’s in Cenril. Winter is right around the corner it seems, as icy and empty as her heart, that constant ache never relenting. Her stomach growls and she imagines a slice of warm apple pie, but she shakes her head and opens her eyes, because the last time she had apple pie was with him. Tiber. As if on cue, the man is standing directly in front of her, but she hadn’t been listening to Asha who had likely alerted her to his arrival. How long was he standing there, watching her having a panic attack?! The cigarette is plucked from her hand and their fingers brush briefly, the electricity in that single sensation floods through the woman, though he likely thinks her gasp is related to the fact that he snatched her smoke. Lana is so caught off guard that she merely looks into his amber eyes and has a lost look for a moment, before he comments on her song. “Oh. Um. Thanks.” Nervous, she crosses her arms and stares at the ground, “I can only play that song… It’s rather simple, and the chords repeat a few times.” If she was so talented then why did he end up kissing Corrine?! She tries to show some backbone and defiantly looks up at him beneath curled painted lashes, “Did you like the other two songs, too? I think those are more your style.” Womanizer. Heartbreaker. It dawns on her that he’s probably here to pick up chicks or that he heard of the girl group, so she feels small again and just sadly drops her gaze in surrender. The man straightens up and asks if he can have a chance to hear his side of the story, not that there’s much to figure out. He was almost naked, tasting Corrine’s tonsils, in their bedroom, while they were engaged. “Okay… Where can we go?” She wants to kick herself for giving him this opportunity. She wants to praise herself for giving him a chance. Things hadn’t quite added up, she admits, but once a cheater always a cheater in her book! Lana hesitantly stands up, indicating that she doesn’t want to chat in the chilly back alley of a bar.

Tiber hears the gasp, but he is stubborn enough to ignore the intent behind it. He imagines that she is throwing a fit, but he stomps out the bud anyway into the cobble. She taunts him about the other two songs, but he just stares instead because he could care less for garbage. And did he really like the fact that men were trying to touch her and throw money at her? No. She would know the answer. He cringes at her taunt, but other than that, he does not feed into it. No more battles. All he wanted was the last word. As she stands and gives into his suggestion, he did not expect her to give him the time of day. He looks around before he jerks his chin to indicate to move away from the alley. He makes sure to not touch the woman, for that would be the last thing she wanted. “Here, I think the bakery is still open. It’s quiet at night. You can use some tea,” he suggests casually. He shrugs his jacket off to offer to her with one hand, “Here you probably need it more than me,” and if she does not grasp it, he will not be offended. She was angry. Either way, he leads the way until they are in front of the bakery. He does not say much. The place was only a few blocks away from the bar. He spares passing glances her way. The way her mascara was stained and the alcohol wafted off of her. She looked worn. He would look the same, but steadier. Clear. Once they reach the tearoom, he offers the door open for her to enter first. If she were to enter, there would be no one there except a single homeless man in the corner. The owners seemed to be cleaning up for the evening, but there was still time left with the evening to get one last cup of tea.

Lanara shivers, wanting to decline his offer of the coat out of spite, but she accepts it in silence. As she slides it over her arms she gets a whiff of his scent and she turns away so he cannot see the effect that it’s having. She loves him, still, despite what he had done with Corrine. She steals a few glances his way, but he seems to be handling their breakup much better, unlike he has in the past. Is he over her already? Is Corrine cuddling her dog and sleeping in her spot? She better not be wearing any more of her clothes! Lana doesn’t remember walking to the bakery, as she’s so caught up in her thoughts, that she looks surprised when Tiber holds the door open and coaxes her inside. There’s a homeless man in the corner that looks their way and she offers him a faint half smile, before she slides into a booth across from Tiber. The tea menu is eyed and she tucks her hair behind her ears as she deliberates, “Um. I’ll have the chamomile, please.” She then glances away and looks out the window, sensing that it’s getting late, but it’s not like she has anywhere else to be. “How are Ranger and Aspen?” Her attention returns to Tiber, but she keeps fidgeting, as though looking at him is painful. A hand lifts to rub her chest as that ache returns, and she nips her lower lip in worry. Is this the part where they finalize their breakup? Sever their bond for all eternity? What did he want to talk about? “I don’t have any gold…” She mentions, softly, in case he expects her to pay for the tea.

Tiber slides into the booth across from her, and he waits patiently to order from the tea menu. He decides he does not want anything, but he waits for her. That was his job. His duty. His love for her. Amber eyes watch her gaze trace to the window, and he follows it to look out it himself. The two sit in silence for a moment before she asks about the pets. He then looks at her calmly. “Ranger will barely eat anything without you around. Aspen, well, he isn’t the same as he used to be. The house is different.” His words were slow and careful. Quiet. He did not want to scare her away. He wanted to make her feel comfortable because clearly it was hard for her to even manage a glance his way. “The coin was never a problem. This is on me. You’ve had a long night.” He looks at her with sincerity. Grace. If grace ever fit the man, tonight would be the night. “I didn’t come here to woo you. Nor did I know you were doing a gig. I think I made Nick upset with coming here, honestly. It seems like I messed up in a lot of ways,” his golden stare looks back out the window. “Lanara, you can believe me, or you can believe her, but what you saw was not what it was.” He was calm, no longer pleading, but just explaining himself. He holds up a hand to let him finish. “Your relationship with Corrine has been bumpy. The woman pushed you off a cliff. I have been there from the start. That night,” he braces himself for her halt, but he would try to talk over her if she decided to deny what happened five nights ago. “I came home from the winery. Corrine never showed up for the sampling. I came home to you. I remember it… You were standing on the staircase and you came up and embraced me. It was you. I am damn clear of it. I drank, but I wasn’t that drunk. You said your voice was off due to screaming at the seamstress, so you told me not to worry. Luca… uh, he told me it wasn’t you or it just didn’t feel right, but I didn’t listen. I… I mean, you were off, but I just… pushed it aside because I wanted to trust in you. I love you that much to trust -you-. Doesn’t matter because I love you. I trust -you-.” The waitress comes with the cup of tea for Lanara and he gives a small smile that way before continuing. “I was very confused when you walked in because… I wasn’t kissing Corrine. I was kissing you. It was you, Lanara. It’s always been you. It always would have been you. Or will be. I don’t need you to decide tonight, I just need you to listen.” Pause. “If you don’t change your mind in the future and don’t come home, I understand. I really do. I know this was the one thing you never wanted. Nor would I ever do that because… you’re the only one I want. You’re my mate. But if you want me to… if you decide, and you don’t want me anymore, you can reject me. I know I can’t with you no matter how much you beg. I won’t.” He keeps steady in his foreign speech. His eyes are soft yet sincere. Tiber was sure he was telling the truth.

(Post 1 of 3) Lanara frowns when she learns that Ranger won’t eat and Aspen seems different, because she hadn’t meant for her departure to affect them negatively, “Oh. Maybe I can…” Her voice trails off and she shakes her head, not bothering to finish the sentence. What was she supposed to say!? That she can stop by her dream home when Corrine isn’t around so that her pets can eat!? She hasn’t even bothered to look for an apartment, all her coin had gone straight to the bottle, and the past five nights she’s slept in dark alleyways or in the woods. The tea arrives and she devotes all of her attention to Tiberius, as it cools, and her expression shifts from sadness, to anger, to stoic, to one of sheer confusion. The Catalian then tells her that he trusts her, that he loves her, and that if -she- wants to reject him that he will accept whatever her decision may be. A heavy silence falls over their table and Lanara is so still that she resembles a mannequin as she thinks over everything he’s told her about what transpired five nights ago.

(Post 2 of 3) The tea has gone cold by the time Lana’s able to speak, and she locks eyes with the man a hell of a lot steadier than she had moments prior, “So… You’re saying that the woman you were kissing and that you met when you went into the house was -me- but later -I- turned into -her- as in Corrine?!” She taps her chin and shakes her head, “Look, Tiber. I appreciate you telling me all of this, but it’s just hard to accept… Corrine has zero magical abilities, contacts, or coin. She’s incapable of casting an illusion and only a master of magic could create a glamour potion strong enough to replicate my every feature.” Her voice catches, “We’re talking high priestess level, such as myself, Taly, maybe a few others…” It’s possible though, isn’t it? Nick knows a -ton- of people and is loaded with gold! “I’m not sure if I want to believe you because it’s wishful thinking or because it -is- possible… Hey! Remember when we went camping in Rynvale? Corrine borrowed my hairbrush. I didn’t think much of it, but if she were to have some of my hair, a personal effect… It would be necessary to make the glamour potion.” How had she not connected these dots earlier?! Lana takes a sip of her tea and Tiber will notice how badly she’s shaking, as she realizes that she may have wrongly accused him and ended their engagement for something that wasn’t even in his control.

(Post 3 of 3) Lanara clears her throat and parts her lips to speak, but the owners are cleaning off tables and likely want to close for the night. She knows she needs to speak fast, and to tell her truth, because they may not have another chance. “The reason I fed into what I was seeing so quickly, is because it broke my heart.” Her voice cracks and she looks like she’s about to burst into tears, but she tries to stay strong, “I’m so used to being abandoned by those that promise to love me. I’ve been cheated on and left at the altar. I know you are different and I do trust you… But seeing you about to make love to someone other than me? I just… I wanted to die. It -killed- me, Tiber.” Her eyes sting and she blinks back tears and gives a curt nod to the homeless man that exits the bakery. “I don’t think I deserve you or the happiness we have, so it was so easy to accept that you wanted a future with someone that has less baggage. I mean, you were seriously kissing and touching her, and I…” Swiping at her tear stained cheeks, Lana shakes her head, “Look. I’m a throwaway girl and I accepted it, until we became serious, and you fixed all those broken pieces of me. I believed in us, I lived and breathed for you, and it still fracking happened.” The Kelvarian slides from the booth and it looks as though she’s about to exit, “I love you. I trust you. I believe that Corrine is evil and plotted against us. I’m determined to find out who she hired to make the potion and figure out the rest of her plans.” But what about their love, their engagement? “I’m sorry… I guess I was blinded by my own fears. I don’t know how we can go back to the way we were before… I doubted you. How can you just forgive -me-? Will I question every time you kiss me if it’s better than the way Corrine kissed you? I just… She deliberately messed up to paint you in a bad light, and I messed up by believing her lies. Neither of us deserve to be yours or to be Luna.”

Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber says a simple and collected, “Yes,” to Lanara’s connecting the dots that, to her, seemed unfathomable. The more collected he was, the more he felt like he had a grasp on the situation. He was not kept up in the emotional part right now, but he knew when Lanara would leave… he would break again. When she shakes her head, his face dims a little, but he keeps that steady look on her. Her voice catches. That faint glimpse of hope that her mind would see his side as small as it was. “I don’t know how she could’ve done it, Lanara. I have no idea, but… it just seems off. Nick of all people to run into after everything that happened? I mean, come on.” Tiber almost wanted to scream and question Lanara if she was blind, but he keeps his composed self. Once Lanara begins to connect dots that Tiber did not realize, the man presses his hands against the table in hope. “Yes, your hairbrush,” it made sense, right? More to him than her.

Tiber (2 of 2):: Tiberius listens to Lanara speak. Communication. The biggest key to a relationship. The man watches the shop-keepers start to slowly close up. There was not much time. Unless… she came home? The woman is almost bursting at the seams, but Tiber shakes his head with a furrowed brow. “No, you’re not abandoned. I would’ve never did that. You deserve to be loved, Lana. You’re everything to me.” He could almost not believe the threads that were unfolding with her. How insecure she felt around him due to past abusers. He would refuse to be one of them. “Lanara,” he says and almost reaches across the table, but he did not want her to break. He wanted her to be strong for herself. He would only be inches from her hand. “You deserve the world. I don’t care if that sounds like cheesy crap, but you and I both have baggage. I’m not the perfect prince. I would not be like this, who I am if it wasn’t for you. Those guys in the past were idiots. Don’t sell me out to be like them.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair. She was doubting so much. How would life return to normal? “The only thing that is standing in the way is your fear,” he begins. “Still you recognize that blinding of fear. It can still be what it was, Lana. I… did a lot while you were gone. I forgave you the moment you left. I never thought you could be unforgiven for leaving. Hell, I’d be angry too,” he shakes his head. He then flags down the waitress. “I know you’re closed, but we need this heated to go,” he mentions the chamomile and the waitress, although annoyed, moves on to the request. “Thing is, mistakes happen. That’s love. That’s figuring relationships. You taught me that. Corrine was not Corrine. It was you. Your lips… your touch…” he trailed. He did not know how to answer her insecurities. “You deserve, Lanara. You say that, and you hide behind all your past and insecurities, but you lead the rest better than I do. You are the part of me, I wish I had. Compassion, feeling free, just… you. I know you don’t feel secure now, but… if you need to take some time. I don’t know where you’re staying, but I’ll pay for it if you don’t think you can come home tonight.” Home was still home. The offer of home was still there. “Hell, I’ll sleep on the couch if you did want to come home.” He reaches down in his pocket to pull out what he owed for the new hot tea that was coming up to the table.

Lanara almost smiles when Tiber asks the waitress to reheat the tea and place it in a to-go cup, because he truly takes care of her every need. She hates that she’s standing there, a hot mess, and that her emotions are all over the place. Vulnerability was the woman's weakness, for she rarely opens up until it's too late, but Tiberius can read her like a book. She isn’t capable of hiding her raw truths from her mate, and she’s grateful that neither of them revoked their lycan bond. Lana listens to Tiber’s speech, feeling the strength and admiration in his words, and she nearly melts when he hints that she should come home and he will even sleep on the couch. She doesn’t respond, she merely mulls over his words and tries to see herself in a new light, as she accepts the scalding cup of tea and they head outside. The moon shines on the man like a beacon and for a moment she’s so caught up in his beauty that she realizes she’s blatantly staring. How could she have been so naive and believed Corrine over Tiber? She’s going to dwell on that fact for some time, especially after they find irrefutable proof of her wrongdoings. And Nick’s, too, if he’s involved! She drinks in the sight of those wavy blond locks, sincere amber eyes, and his hopeful expression, and she feels comforted in the fact that they are still solid. Always solid, no matter how shaky their foundation can be from time to time. Lanara turns in the direction of their home and begins to walk, “I’m not staying anywhere that would cost coin… I’ve been sort of living it up homeless style since I left.” Dangerous, but she didn’t care what became of her, after losing the lycan. She takes a sip of tea and walks a little closer to Tiber, so their arms are briefly touching as they walk, but she doesn’t want to force any contact on him. After all, he was fooled by a glamoured version of her and it nearly landed him in bed doing the deed with a woman he detested. Lana pauses, “Um… How do you know it’s -me- now? I mean… It -could- happen again, right? We don’t know if she has more potions lined up.” Her heart races and Asha stirs, because they cannot go through this again.

Tiber stands up and wanders outside when the cup is given. The Catalian lets her keep the coat he offers. He stares at her in the moonlight in return and just sees… her. That’s all he needs. Her simplicity despite the drain in her face. She was still the sun. Always the sun. Golden eyes reflect the moon above to await her response, but she walks, and she walks west which gives him mild hope. When she says she has been living homeless, he frowns. Should he respond? Scold? Maybe a later time when times were not vulnerable. He wants to wrap around her, but he refrains and only nods. She can hold her own, he knew. When she sways closer and is almost brushing arms with him, he feels the anxiety almost break, but… he would take his time. Patience was a virtue. She was the one he was waiting for all along and he would wait longer. Comparison of Corrine and Lanara seep from the seams. “Well, the difference, I didn’t listen to my inner instinct,” Luca… “I trusted you, but… I need to be in my mind,” he concludes. “You… talk,” he grins, although he knows the scenario is dangerous, “and even if you talk a lot, you don’t talk that much during… me undressing you. You’ve learned to take your time because of me.” He nods. “But most of all, you have this look in your eye. Not seduction nor eagerness, but… assurance. Faith. Everytime I take you to.. Uh, bed, your eyes show me you’re.. Okay. That you feel love and trust for me too. I know what happened in Kelvar with the past… It makes me okay which is why I kept you… or her… in one place…” He feels strange talking about the woman’s past about the vampire who abused her, but Tiberius had learnt that he would wait for her. The woods begins to clear in with the walk and he is surprised she has walked this far with him. Perhaps she would stay.

Lanara feels relief when he reassures her that he can tell the difference between the ‘real’ Lana and someone posing as a glamoured version. It’s confusing, because she can easily spot a glamour spell a mile away, but Tiber doesn’t have any magical abilities or radars. “I could enchant something for you, if you like, to help you spot when someone isn’t who they appear to be? It wouldn’t be a hundred percent foolproof, but if a mage less powerful than I made the potion, you could tell when someone is a fake.” It would be a difficult process to gather all the materials and take a while, so it likely wouldn’t be until -after- they fix this fiasco with Corrine. The woods clear and they are only a few hundred feet from the house, but Lana stops, because she’s not sure if this is truly what Tiber wants. He speaks a little about her time back in Kelvar, about her torture and abuse, and she drops her gaze to her nearly empty cup of tea. A faint growling sound fills the air and she smirks and rubs her stomach, “Sorry.” Lana deliberates on what she should do, because she doesn’t want to leave Tiber’s side and wants to continue talking and regaining their footing. The past five days were unbearable to the witch and she fears another sleepless night of awful dreams that have her waking up in tears. “Do you think it’s safe for us to stay in the same house? I mean… If Corrine’s plan was to separate us and she sees that we’re together, she may start on the next phase.” Lana sighs, not wanting that evil wench to be the reason they can’t be in a relationship. “I don’t want to put you in that position again.” She’s hopeful that he will invite her back into their home, but she will leave, if he’s more comfortable. “I just… Want things to be okay again and for us to be on the same page.”

Tiber :: They walk and he breathes in her scent and the fresh night air. She is there, and he feels almost complete. The bottle that was left at the Whaler’s is forgotten because… he needed her. “Enchant something…?” He is unsure of what that means, but she explains which makes him feel secure. “That would’ve helped from the start,” he smirks, but Luca growls because Tiberius did not believe the inner wolf from the start of the fiasco. As they walk and she sips her tea, he watches the moon, trees, or any immediate threat like he always did and then they were back into reality as they come into the clear of the built house. “I think we will be okay,” he observes. “Thing is, I was planning on you adjusting… I would sleep wherever you would want me.” He pauses. “Thing is… We are onto Corrine this time… we let our guards down to see the best.” He pauses and he simply gazes over the Kelvarian. A stare that was like he was seeing her for the first time. Wide-eyed. He inches, but he keeps that touch from her in order to keep the control and trust between them. “I want you to come home whether you want us or not. I want you safe.” He pauses. “You tell me where to go, and I’ll go… I… uh, might have done something to our bedroom, if you’re ready to go back up there. If not, I understand. We’ll go steady… I just… want you home. I love you, Lanara.”

Lanara rolls her eyes as he comments on how she didn’t make him the enchanted item in the first place and she playfully elbows him, “Hey. I made you that werewolf talisman, remember? I only have so much time to predict what troubles may occur in our future.” She’s jesting, but she speaks of their future and it’s the first time she’s mentioned still wanting that with the male. Not that she ever had any doubts. She just didn’t want to be with someone unfaithful, but that’s no longer an issue. Their beautiful wedding that she had tirelessly planned isn’t happening, and she sighs, “Corrine did ruin our wedding… So… I guess I have to return everything.” Their theme was ‘falling in love’ and meant to take place in autumn, however, the deadline is narrowly approaching before winter sets in. “She never mailed the invitations, and it won’t be autumn much longer. Unless we wait until next year.” It pains her to say that, especially after they just lost each other. Should she even be discussing this with Tiber right now? The man is fragile! She went from accusing him of something horrible, disappeared for five days, and then designed a musical just to get under his skin! “Sorry. I know. Not the time.” Lana steadies herself as Tiber drinks in her appearance and she stares right on back, and it takes every ounce of power to hold herself back from kissing him so passionately that he ever forgets Corrine’s lips where upon his own. “I want us. I always want us, Tiber…” Slowly, she reaches out and gently takes his hand, tugging him towards their front door. He’s right, they are onto Corrine and her crazy antics, they just need to figure out her motive and try to always be one step ahead. Plus, once they have evidence of everything, they can kill or exile her from the Pack! The witch stops at the front door and eyes Tiber from the side as he finds his keys, “What did you do to our room? Of course you can sleep there with me… I’m just not ready to do -it- quite yet… I honestly don’t have the energy and just want to cuddle. If you want that, that is… And… I should warn you. My nightmares have returned.” Ashamed, she pretends to be busy looking for items in her purse as the door is opened, and she doesn’t even hesitate as she steps over the threshold. She’s home, she’s somehow earned Tiber’s forgiveness, and she feels whole again. “I love you, Tiberius.”

Tiber gazes over her before the threshold. The jest is given and silently taken. He does not want to push his luck, nor have her feel like manipulation has taken hold. “Corrine did ruin our wedding,” it made sense because the redhead planned it. The theme of ‘falling in love’ was not an option. Taken away by the scheme of things. Corrine tainted everything. The venue, the cake, the favors… whatever she had a hold of. “Next year…?” Tiber questions, but shakes off. No… that would not be an option, but if things were resolved… he might have a different idea in mind. As she steadies herself he shakes his head. “It’s okay. Just focus. Now. Now is all I care about,” it was true. Marriage was… the last thing on his mind. Being with her was the first thing. When she reaches out to take his hand, a wave of melt washes over him. The anxiousness was gone and he knew. He knew that she was slightly back. She was moving towards the front door. He was right--maybe--would she come home? He tangles with his keys and glances at her slightly. “I uh, arranged some stuff to make you feel at home,” he glazed over what had really happened during those five days of grief. The door unlocks and the two step through the threshold. He looks down on her. She wants to cuddle… cuddle after five days of no contact… “Let’s go to bed. No pressure. No more talking let’s just… be. Because… I love you too, Lana.” The man then guides her hand to go up to the newly painted bedroom.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara smiles, her first true smile in what seems like so long, as Tiber agrees to just cuddling and being themselves for the rest of the night. It sounds heavenly, and after not having any comfort or contact in five days, she craves his touch and attention. She nods, “We can do this.” Lana proceeds up the stairs but is stopped on the landing, as Ranger barrels into her and yips in joy. The dog's tail is wagging swiftly, and he cannot stop kissing the woman as she bends to give him a hug. After a few moments, he decides to race into the kitchen and eat some kibble, as he had gone on a starvation diet since her departure. Aspen lurks in the hallway, shy and silent, as though afraid that if he does something wrong Lana will run off again. The witch takes her time coaxing him closer, and before long he’s his old self, and gives her leg a big bear hug. Lana is all smiles as she coos at her fur babies, and she scratches Salem behind his ears, too! It felt good to be home!

(Post 2 of 2) There is a small hesitation before the couple enters the master bedroom, and Lana’s praying she won’t have flashbacks of Corrine’s corruption, but once she opens the door and takes in the room she finds that her fears are unfounded. The walls are painted in a lovely shade of blue, there is a new blanket on the bed, and the fluffy pillows she had been eyeing for months add to the beautiful decor. She’s speechless and her eyes brim with tears, because she knows that the past five days had to be as painful for her mate as they were for her. Turning around, she rushes into Tiber’s arms and gives him a tight hug, “I love it… I love you… Thank you for redoing the room. I hate that she tried to tarnish our beautiful new home. But you fixed it, Babe.” He had fixed everything tonight and she’s touched by how much he cares about her comfort. Lana excuses herself briefly to take a shower and freshen up, before she slips into one of Tiber’s oversized flannel shirts, and returns to their room. She smiles and pulls back the covers, before she slides onto the bed and expectantly waits for him to open his arms. Once she has the green light, Lana cuddles as close as physically possible and rests her head on his chest, and she falls asleep in a matter of minutes. His touch and his scent are all the witch and the wolf within need for a restful night's slumber. She’s safe in his embrace and perhaps it’s enough to keep the nightmares from returning, but she’s sure that the nightmare of Corrine Venger will be over soon enough.

Tiber follows behind Lanara and as the fur babies sense their momma, he smirks because… Ranger has been in a mood for days without her, and it seems like he is happiest when she is home. Just like Tiberius. Happier that his love was home. He leans against the wall to watch her have her moment with Aspen, Ranger, and Salem. The man then walks behind Lanara to the bedroom where he is hesitant to find her reaction. Would she still feel like Corrine ruined their home? When Lanara turns to run back into the Catalian’s arms he breathes in relief for the first time in days. Had he been holding his breath despite his composure? He holds onto her tightly. “I wasn’t going to let her destroy what we made.” He does not kiss her, for he still feels cautious because he does not want her to think that he was just in it for… lust. She breaks away and he moves to change into plaid pajama pants. The man moves into the bed and she comes back into the room and moves through. He stares at her as they lay there in each other’s company before he moves closer to embrace her. She is home. Safe. Clean. The man finally feels secure. At ease. She was home. Home.