RP:Sleazy is Always Easy

Synopsis: Tiber runs into Lanara after a year of not seeing each other. The two hash out their old past, although not pretty. The confessions of chemistry are real. Tiber is mean and bitter and Lanara is sensitive to the lycan's rash behavior. Tiber gets fed up and walks away, as he always does, but it is not too long that things unravel after Lanara punches a swinger. Yeah, this relationship is a rollercoaster.

Location: Cenril

The evening sky was painted with oranges and pink hues. Cenril was still bustling with people returning home from their daily jobs and return to their families. Perfect time for thieving for most criminals who stalked the streets of the salted sea city. There, on Merchant Street, rests a blonde man with another man who is scraggly, and almost sketchy, behind a table selling what seemed to be wrist watches. “I’ll give you ten for this cheap wear, mate. You think you’re fooling me? Come on, you got to be kidding me,” the lycan accuses the mysterious merchant who was about to close down. “This isn’t even real silver!” Tiber exclaims loudly in his booming, furious vocals before the merchant with the frayed beard begins to try to shush the blonde lycan down. “Shut up, will you? Ass, I’ll sell you for ten,” the merchant looks sweaty and weary of Tiber’s wits of wealth. Automatically, a mock silver watch is being handed over to the lycan and the coin between them is exchanged for only ten copper. “Best luck to you, salesman,” the blonde Catalian winks with his Catalian sly accented charm before striding off. He walks a few blocks until he is out of sight from the suspicious merchant. He then, pulls out the watch on the street in his sleek business suit. He looks suave. “Ladies and gentlemen, last chance to buy the last pure silver watch on the market!” The faux watch is bedazzled with ‘crystals’ around the edges with fake golden clockwork that actually ticked. “Early Yule shopping? Get yours now! Only nine hundred ninety nine silver! Looking for a great Yule gift for your man? Perhaps maybe even your father? Get it now!” The man chants with superior confidence and flashes the watch around for eyes to see. Some women pause in interest of the ‘gem’. What a crook.

The scent of the salty air, the warm breeze caressing ones cheek, and the sight of so many shoppers in a bustling section of Cenril is enough to draw even a hermit from its hut; so it’s no wonder that upon getting an innocent verdict, the woodland witch is drawn to this location. She had to find a place to live, an actual paying job, among other things, but what she required most of all at this moment in time, was some shameless retail therapy. Donning a slinky red sundress, strappy sandals, and leaving her long chestnut locks to cascade to the middle of her back, one would agree that Lanara was the fairest lady to scour the wares, this evening. A large straw tote bag dangles from her left shoulder as she reaches in to pull out her change purse, after a successful bit of haggling with an old lady for a leather collar. “My new pup, Ranger, will love this collar! Thank you!” She’s waved off with a grimace, as she had gotten the collar for half of what is was worth! Chocolate hues glance from one cart to the next, though they don’t seem to widen in surprise at anything for sale. It’s about time for Lanara to find a nice place to rent a room for the night, get some dinner, a glass of wine, the whole celebratory shebang! Turning on her heel to scope out what the city has to offer in means of bedding and dining, the petite witch literally finds herself colliding against the back of a well-dressed man. “Oops! I’m sorry!” The watch that’s raised in his hand glistens, and a crowd has formed to gaze upon it, each customer yelling a higher price in a bidding war. Lanara lifts her doe eyes to see a familiar face, her lush lips arcing in a silken smile as she studies the handsome male, and only when he lowers his amber gaze does she speak, “Evening, Tiber.”

“Nine hundred ninety nine!” Another bid, “One thousand five hundred!” The numbers grow and the sleazy business man smiles with content. “One thousand five hundred going once! Going twice!” Another woman waves her coin pouch in the air to catch the chiseled man’s attention for another higher bid. He knew they would be suckers. The rogue is now bumped in the back and he turns to see if there is –another- bidder. His eyes land on the woman with a frilly red sundress. What a figure. The man then lands on the familiar chocolate eyes he had once remembered. ‘Evening Tiber’. The whirlwind of witch’s face spirals within his head and on auto-pilot, he gives in to her as he had always done. “Sold! At one thousand seven hundred silver!” The man turns back to exchange currency while other women pout when they are not even given the chance to bid even more. Fools. He grabs the coin off the housewife before turning back to Lanara. The man lets the glaze of ignorance hide his actual feelings of interest. “Well, well, well, look what the kitty cat drug back to the sand.” Rude. “Shopping for the hubby? Sports caps are down the block. Just so you know.” Not even a second in, and she is being targeted by the venomous tongue of Tiberius Lowell.

The urge to roll her eyes is overwhelming as the housewife steps forward with enough coin to feed an entire orphanage, but instead chooses to fall for a scam that is as plain as day. Tiberius had a way with the ladies, that was for sure, with his tousled dirty blonde locks, captivating amber eyes, and suave demeanor. Correction. Tiberius Lowell had a way with –most- ladies, as any semblance of appeal is kicked to the gutter once he drawls out the statement that includes the term ‘husband’ as if he didn’t know that Lanara was publicly humiliated and left at the altar. “That’s low, Tiber. Even for someone like you…” So much for that little speech he had given to her on the way to Twister Island, about the desire to be good for her, and to change! To think she had actually entertained the thought of kissing him more times than she could count, or the fact that she believed he may have had feelings for her like Talyara claimed. Tiber was incapable of feeling anything for anyone! The Catalian loved coin and his reflection in the mirror, it’s apparent, and Lanara often had mixed feelings for him in turn. Somehow, those ‘feelings’ lingered between lusting and loathing, simultaneously. It doesn’t dawn on the witch that Tiber hasn’t heard about Elioyahazer running off with Larewen, the abduction of the witch sisters, or the trial that has lasted for several months and recently proved Lana’s innocence. She thinks that the lycan could care less that she’s standing before him, the smile wiped from her pretty face, as he spews his venomous lines. “I just wanted to say hello, that’s all… Guess I’ll be on my way, to buy my –imaginary- husband a Yule present, while you stand here playing the part of a crook!” That said, she angrily storms off, refusing to let him ruin her first night out in a long while.

Tiberius slowly places the coin pouch in his sleek, navy blue, business jacket. At her response to his snarky comment, he smiles at first but then the smile turns into something almost confused. His brows furrow as he stares at her reaction. Her words try to sting back at him and at this point his face looks flat as she storms away from him. ‘Imaginary husband’? What did that even mean? Come on dude, think about it. “Oh, shit,” comes breathing out his mouth. This time, he actually messed up. The lycan then begins to chase after her. “Lanara, wait!” Why was he even chasing after the long lost girl? Why did he even care so little about it? It was clear that their ‘friendship’ or whatever toxic relationship it was was over prior to whatever this run-in was. The Catalian is determined and he races ahead of her before stopping her in her tracks by blocking her path. He holds up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Lana,” his presence is overbearing. Stubborn at that. “What are you even talking about? Imaginary husband? What the hell happened with that? Didn’t you marry the ‘perfect’ and swoony asshole?” Well, the last part was just an add-ons for his own rude kicks.

Lanara is fifty shades of furious that she allowed Tiberius to once more get beneath her silken skin! However, had he been paying attention, he’d notice that it was the witch that walked away this time, not the other way around. It seems that in the year she’d been under scrutiny with the law, and her time away from the lands, that she had learned her true worth. Lanara wouldn’t be disrespected or bossed around by anyone, anymore. She had been granted a clean slate, and those that weren’t at her side, better step out of the way. Determination looks good on the witch, along with the fierce blush that creeps into her high cheekbones as Tiber chases after her and then blocks her path. She can’t walk around him as the market is so crowded, so she decides to play chicken and walks straight into his chest. He’s not budging, much to her dismay, so she defiantly lifts her head to peer into his amber eyes as he asks for an explanation. A few shoppers stop to stare at the couple, the handsome businessman peering into the hues of his beautiful lady, with the sun setting as a picturesque backdrop. Looks can be deceiving, however, as Lana pokes the lycan in the chest and glares at him, “As if –you- didn’t know that Eli left me at the altar moments before I was abducted and tortured by witch hunters? As if –you- didn’t know that had forced me into a depression and the only thing that kept me sane was a new type of magic that I was studying? As if –you- didn’t know that one night a rogue spirit took over my body and framed me for murder? As if –you- didn’t know that I was sent away from the lands for six months to recover, only to return and have to prove my innocence? Seriously, Tiber! It’s been in every newspaper, in every major city! Unless you’ve been living in a bubble this –entire- time, you –had- to know that the past year has been hell for me. And-And… I was so excited to just bump into you just now, but you just…” Her shoulders sag as the fight leaves her body, and she shakes her head, “It doesn’t matter… It’s my first night out in a long time. I want to have a nice meal, a couple of drinks, maybe some dancing… If you can keep your insults to a minimum, you’re welcome to join me. If not? Get out of my face.”

The words of the witch swarm the air and each sentence that left her mouth has him look blanker and blanker. Tiberius Lowell, the sleazy business man, was thrown into the oblivion. Who read the paper? Well, occasionally, but mostly for the puzzle games and what was the happenings in daily Cenril. Who cared about other towns when he was so invested in his own selfish life. As people pass by, his eyes appear to be softer than her own for a rare moment of time. How long was she going to keep talking? Perhaps she was boring him just a little with her whiney ways, though, her truth –did- seem terrible. His hands now reach out and grasp her slacked shoulders. “Lanara,” he coos in a softer tone of Catalian. “I –really- had no idea. You really think I care that much about all of Lithrydel?” True. The man only played day by day for himself. “Did you think I cared about Twister Island? Not really,” his tone was solemn. He was telling the truth. Especially by the calm, sincere stature that was rarely given to her. “I am genuinely sorry about that ass. Want me to hunt him down?” He looks amused by this creeping thought. Knocking a punch to Lanara’s ex. What a thrill. “Also, you’ve been through hell,” he analyzes her. His eyes linger on her for too long. His pale lips purse in thought. Perhaps she would get nicer Tiber for the evening. Besides, it was one evening to make her feel… not crappy. Maybe, no promises. A few moments pass and he is now reaching in his navy blue suit for the coin pouch he just gained. The lycan waves it back and forth in her vision. “I think I owe you those couple drinks, love. Follow me,” he brushes her arm for them to finally backtrack to where they once were. “Whaler’s tends to have decent sea food, for what it is worth. Caught normally fresh of the seas. We’ll knock a few back, my treat. Plus, if we go to Whaler’s and you drink too much, you will not look like the most idiotic one there. Hope you like squid,” he grins that old crooked grin, hoping she would follow behind.

Lanara knew that Tiber didn’t give a damn about the fate of Twister Island, but that he had kept his promised and assisted the Guild, mostly because far in the depths of the lycan’s soul, he cared some for the witch. Not that either of them would admit this knowledge, and although it’s tempting to prod and tease him about, Lana doesn’t feel like spoiling their evening. Both of them were quick-tempered and given their past, she’s eager to have a night of laughter and relaxation. As he offers to hunt down Elioyahazer and beat him up, she can’t help but crack one of those breathtaking smiles and shake her head, “Nah, he’s not worth it. I’m over that bastard, and it’s only the humiliation that still lingers.” It’s the truth, Eli was long gone in her mind, and also a bloodsucker that had fled the lands with Larewen, his new ‘master’ and girlfriend. Lanara had been single for nearly a year, rebuilding her reputation in the lands, and proving her innocence. She likes to think she’s not as naïve, and although she may casually date here and there, it would take someone special to get past that guarded gate of her heart. “Okay… Sounds good.” Grinning, the pair walks the short distance to Whaler’s Tavern and as they step inside the usually rowdy bar falls silent. “I should have mentioned that I was kicked out of here like five times, in the past…” After a moment, the usual activity resumes, and Tiber and Lanara find a table in the rear of the establishment, their eyes glazing over a menu. After ordering a salmon dish and a cosmopolitan, the witch meets the male’s amber gaze, “So! What have you been up to since we last spoke? Have you finished with school? Are you still rooming with your friend in Cenril?” A brief pause. “Do you have a girlfriend? Kiss anyone’s sister lately?” At her last inquiry, she winks at Tiber, letting him know she’s no longer angry about that mishap. A tad jealous, maybe, but not angry.

“Impressive. I’ve only been kicked twice. You must hold a record,” he grins at her almost proudly before they walk straight to his main table. An order of squid and whisky on the rocks is ordered and then amber eyes fall on the chatty woman. He looks lazily at her as she keeps asking him about, what seems to be, a million questions. How could she annoy him already? “I think you know what I’ve been up to,” the man rises the glass to his lips and he takes a sip of his drink. “You are truly something else…” He ignores her questions completely until he almost chokes on the whisky that swirls on his pallet from her last series of questions. “Girlfriend? That’s a sick joke,” he places his glass down. “So I kissed your sister, it was a bet. You think I –really- wanted to get with your sister? You would be surprised that I'm not the type you seem to think I am. You think I wanted to bring some chick back to my place? After you corrupted it with crap? No,” he says flatly. He was, most surely, a lone wolf. The man then grins rather slyly and picks his drink back up again. "You're still hung up on it. After a year," the Catalian is now thoroughly amused.

Lanara smiles at the waitress as their food and drink is delivered, and she takes a bite of her salmon and closes her eyes, savoring the flavor. “Mmm…” It had been ages since she had seafood and as her eyes open, Tiber would see that the sting from their earlier spat at the market had dissolved. Fine food, drink, furry animals, and playful banter seemed to do wonders in boosting her mood! A male on the opposite side of the room cannot seem to tear his gaze from the witch, and a few women seem to be drooling as they ogle Tiber, but Lanara doesn’t pay them any mind. “Pfft! I enhanced your apartment! Are you saying that you –still- have the fluffy pink pillows? And the drawings from the kids at the orphanage hanging on the walls? Could it be that you’ve missed me?!” Shocked, she giggles as she lifts her glass and takes a sip, which is choked back as he makes the comment about her still being ‘hung up’ on the fact that he kissed Talyara. “Okay… Okay… Fine. I’ll cave a little, because it’s been forever, and you’re treating me to dinner…” Hopefully, she could chalk it up to loose lips from liquor, in case he used this to taunt her anytime after this impromptu evening. “I guess you could say that I was jealous… I just expected that you would have planted one on me by now, since we were living together for a week, and had bumped into each other –how- many times? I never, in a million years, would have thought that Talyara was your type… At least, more than me, since we are exact opposites, and she’s far too much of a good girl.” Lana rolls her eyes, though there’s a sincerity in them that she hasn’t shown to anyone in a long time, “I… I didn’t want to admit it then, but I had developed quite a crush on you and I was bummed that she had gotten the kiss that I was hoping for… And I think that’s what sort of pushed me into Eli’s arms, because he clearly wanted me, and you clearly didn’t.” She feels foolish for admitting this, especially since he’s sitting there gloating about her –still- having feelings! Was the room heating up? Lana’s cheeks are burning red, and she quickly drains the rest of her drink, pointing to the empty glass as the waitress passes by. “So…” Panicked about how to change the subject, she blurts out, “How is your squid? Also. You better have kept Salem! That kitten was adorable… I imagine he’s all grown up, now?”

Tiber takes one of the baby squid legs and bites down. “I’m saying that I had to stuff your crap in a closet until I can donate it or drop it at –your- doorstep.” He shakes his head to the missing of her. He was too stubborn to admit that. The loft was quiet without her, but Tiber never minded the deafening silence. He preferred it. As she admits to jealousy, his amber eyes linger on her own with faint amusement. “Well, like I said, it was a bet. On her end.” He grins. “You wanted that kiss, well, that’s shocking coming from you.“ The more she talks now, however, the more his amusement begins to fade. Did she just use Eli just to spite the lycan? “So, were you trying to make –me- jealous?” His brows begin to pull down as his temper picks up. His voice is low at this point. He got it all wrong completely. “I was wondering what the hell the problem was when you got so frustrated with Talyara and I. Then, the next time I see you, you’re engaged to some crap dude?” He becomes a little hostile, but then he closes his eyes. Cool down, Tiber. You are getting this all wrong. “Did you ever consider just talking to me about it? Instead of just... disappearing and hiding away? I’m not a mind reader,” the man crosses his arms. "Yes, I lived with you for a week, but this is not some fairy tale. How was I supposed to know to kiss you? Come on, Lana. Grow up. We’re not kids here,” he then points a finger with his now stoic gaze. “And to answer your question about that wicked fur ball, he’s alive.” Beat. “And obnoxious,” he adds. He was still giving into Lanara at least. The level of frustration was not as bad this time. He then shoves the plate forward of squid. “Also,” he says stubbornly, “You can have some.”

Lanara nervously fidgets in her chair, shaking her head, as Tiber twists her words and tries to turn her into this devious vixen who accepted a proposal just to make him jealous. “No-no… It wasn’t like that, at all!” Her voice is raised, and she’s visibly upset, so much in fact that she excuses herself to use the washroom. In there, she blinks back tears, wondering how he –still- managed to get beneath her skin and cause her to react at the flip of a coin. What was it about this man that always had her coming undone?! A few minutes later she returns to the table and continues to eat her meal, somehow finding her voice, “I wasn’t trying to make anyone jealous… You just kept pushing me away and after I found out that you kissed my sister, I figured I had to force myself to get over this spell you had me under. Come on, Tiber… You have to know I’m into you…” Crap. She said it in present tense. They both are likely realizing that slip of the tongue, as she lowers her gaze and pierces the salmon with her fork, almost violently. “I’m under the impression that if a man wants me, he’ll let it be known, and there were plenty of opportunities where we could have kissed. Who just asks for a kiss?! You never took the bait, and I didn’t want to beg you to notice me… So, I guess you could say that Eli was a rebound, to a what-if scenario that never happened. Eventually, my feelings for him did grow, and when he proposed it seemed like the right thing to do… You even congratulated me! I didn’t want to force one-sided feelings on you, Tiber…” It was true, the witch had developed feelings for the ill-mannered male after only a few short days, and it frightened her more than she had let on. Eli was a –safe- choice, and that’s likely why she agreed to marry him in the past. Tiber had heartbreak written all over him, and had never risked showing his emotions, yet they had that irresistible connection. Lanara is quiet as she focuses on eating her meal and not spilling anything down her dress, but the Catalian steals her attention as he offers her some of his meal and mentions the feline. “I’m glad that he’s still alive… I –knew- he would grow on you! And… Thanks.” Shyly, she reaches out puts some squid on her fork, but she pauses as she brings it towards her mouth, “You can try some of my salmon, if you want… It’s delicious.” The waitress appears with refills, along with a martini that neither of them had ordered, “From the gentleman over there…” She points to the male that had been staring at Lanara since they entered the establishment, though the witch seems not to recognize him, “Oh! Um, thanks?” This was an awkward dinner. “Is he a friend of yours, Tiber? I don’t know that guy, at all. And obviously, I’ve had drinks purchased for me in the past, but only when I was alone, or with the girls.”

As Lanara gets up to leave to the washroom, he bitterly slams his hands on the table in frustration. “Dammit, Lana,” his palm then rubs over his face and he is saying something in a foreign language out of flustered behavior. He blows out a breath and taps his unused fork idly on the table. As she returns, he is also put together again. As she sits there, he stares at her with his amber gaze and she finally speaks. She was still into him? Really? He was a turd. He remains leaned back in his seat and he is twirling the fork on the table now as his gaze continues to linger. He then leans against the table and furrows his brow. “I never said ‘ask for a kiss’, that’s weird. Why would I have you do that? What am I in childhood school?” He almost hisses at her with this embarrassing conversation. “I said you could have told me you liked me which would have led me to kissing you. Hint, hint?” His eyes look her up and down before looking at the whisky glass. He picks it up and swirls the contents inside. As she mentions when the lycan congratulated their engagement, the man crinkles his face again in a ‘what the hell’ sort of look. “Are you joking? You were –engaged-. What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, I like her, so you can’t have her’?” He admitted it. He had liked her. He continues, “Fantasy, Lanara, fantasy!” He yells as if she is driving him mad. She always got under his skin somehow. He was always so collected and sly, but she drove him nuts. The man then finds his cool and reaches out to take a bite of her salmon on her plate. It was a weird change in moods with the two. Up and down all the time. Whiplash. As the waitress approaches and the drink is set down, he does not remember Lanara ordering a martini. Eyes grow to stone. “If he was my friend, he would have,” his voice begins to grow with forte, “bought me one too!” The man then quickly whips his head to glare down the man who bought Lanara a drink. Vicious and comical. “Mind your own and move on, dude. Now is –not- a good time!” He hollers out of spite. This was truly the most awkward dinner.

Lanara doesn’t know if she should laugh or cry as Tiber yells at her, making her feel like a child, when it was –him- who hadn’t acted like a grown up in the past! If only he had kissed her, or asked her on an actual day, they’ve be avoiding this entire conversation right now. The truth is unfolded, how he had feelings for her in the past, and loathed her engagement. Tiber blames Lanara for not speaking up, and she blamed him for allowing her to slip through his fingers. “I…” Her cheeks are bright red as he turns to shout at the male that had bought her a drink, and she reaches down to grab her purse. She should leave. It was the logical thing to do, and Tiber couldn’t fault her, considering anytime she tried to have a serious conversation with him in the past he either ignored her or ran off. Lanara feels like a stupid schoolgirl being lectured, so she rummages in her purse for some coins to pay her share of the bill. She’s a little short on change, but she’s at least making an effort as she palms some onto the table and abruptly stands up. Tears would fall if she didn’t get out of here fast! The male that was ogling her is now standing –at- their table, and he grabs Lana by the shoulder, “Hey! Where do you think you’re going, Beautiful? Look… I have a proposal that you two will love! Hear me out.” The witch glances at Tiber, her expression unreadable, but she relents and at least lets the guy say what he has to say. “What?” Her words come out in a growl, and the man seems to find this more appealing, “I meant no harm in buying you that drink! Honest. I didn’t know your boyfriend over here would get so upset! But listen… Why don’t we play some pool in the next room, huh? The stakes are this… You two win? I’ll give you guys a thousand gold… But, if my wife and I win? We swap partners for the night… So, you would come home with me. And your fellow would go home with my wife… She’s standing over there. What do you think?” The man is repulsive in Lana’s eyes, but as she glances at where he points she finds that Tiber’s ‘partner’ is even worse. Was that a man? No… It’s a woman, with a beard. They were swingers?! She could easily tip the odds in their favor with a little magic, and make the ball go where she chose. The lycan knew of her magical abilities, but she’s not sure what his take would be in –this- situation. Lanara glances at Tiberius and quirks a brow. This was all his decision.

The man snaps back into reality when he turns to face the witch. “Lana, don’t,” he groans as she begins to fiddle through her purse. “Look,” he stands and begins to shove his hand in his blazer pocket. “I’m sorry. I got it. I—“ she begins move and then her shoulder is grasped by the stranger who ordered her a drink. Tiber observes the disturbing husband and then eyes trail to his wife. “Oh my go—“ he holds his tongue on this one. Refraining from being rude for once. This couple were actually swingers and the wolf had a feeling he could win the gold, but Tiber had a rule with bringing women back home—Lanara, really, was the only exception due to the situation at-hand long ago. “Listen, pal,” the blonde Catalian steps between the strange swinger and Lanara. “We don’t want your dirty, foreplay money and I don’t want your grub—“ he watches his words, “wife, no offense, in my house,” brutally honest and talk about possible obsessive compulsive disorder. “And before you even say another word, I best you take a step to the side because like I said before,” the man leans in and whispers to the stranger, “Now, is not a good time,” he almost hisses. Besides, Tiber had already won tonight with the watch and he was not about to bring some random chick home. The lycan then looks at Lanara and extends the pouch that he holds. “Here, I promised,” his voice becomes softer and his eyes become a little regretful, but he tries to mask it. “For dinner and… maybe a few dinners after that. I apologize, I never mean to make you cry,” he clears his throat before turning back to the man. “Leave the girl alone. She doesn’t need your pitiful harassment,” he looks at the man in disgust before beginning to brush past. He was judgmental. “Now, if you can excuse me.” The business man is now walking away. He had been done with this corruption tonight.

Lanara narrows her gaze on the male, once she realizes that Tiber isn’t up to playing pool and raking in some gold. Honestly, she’s a tad shocked. He relished in shady deals, it was his livelihood, and she could have easily swayed things in their favor with her magic. Plus… The witch was currently unemployed and homeless as her assets were frozen for a few more days, as the trial had come to a close. That gold would have come in handy, for renting a room, food, supplies, and a few more sets of clothes. His apology causes a single tear to escape her left eye, and she gives a nod, accepting the offered bag of silver. As he leaves, she rounds on the man that is –still- gripping her arm, “Get your filthy paws off of me before I alert the city guards! You couldn’t pay me all the gold in the realm to sleep with you, and it’s –disgusting- that you are a MARRIED man that finds it ‘okay’ to cheat on his wife. You don’t deserve any sort of relationship label! And don’t even stand there and lie about how you are both into this, because if that were true, she would be here at your side asking for an arrangement.” Trembling with rage, because Tiber had again walked out on her, and this creep thought he stood a chance, she yanks her arm out of his grasp and counts the appropriate coins so that their bill could be paid in full. That done, she exits the tavern and looks left and right, for a blonde in a business suit. Which way did he go? The creep from earlier, who thinks he can buy anything he desires, is calling out numbers and making comments about her arse! “That’s it…” Spinning around, the witch balls her hand into a fist, around the bag of silver, and she delivers a wicked punch to the man’s throat. Several in the market applaud the debacle, a man catcalls, and a few women scream as the man falls to his knees and clutches his likely broken airway. Lanara winces as her knuckles are smashed in the process, and she hurriedly uses her intuition to run in the direction that she believes the Catalian had gone. “Tiber? Tiber?” She’s panicked, as night has fallen, and the city guards are likely looking for a woman matching her description. She didn’t want to go back to jail! “Tiber?! I need your help!”

Tiber trekked his way left and headed north up towards Beloy Street to travel back to his loft. The shell of the man was not about to lose again. The man hated losing. Perhaps he did when she cried and did not gain anything from it. Eventually, the man came to a slow and halt as he pulled out a cigarette. With a match, he strikes the tool and the end produces a flame where he then lights the end bud of the cigarette. The night had grown quieter again as he stands on a street corner smoking. The smoke wisps and he watches the movement of the haze. The wisps were his favorite part. The watching and waiting to see how they formed. ‘Tiber?! I need your help’. The man coughed before dabbing the end of the cigarette. The witch is about a building away. He can see her clearly in the dim light. She seems panicked and because her voice makes him unravel, he begins to inch toward her direction. “Lanara, what the hell? I left you for like five minutes. What’s wrong?” He seems a little frustrated, but not enough to steer her away. He is mostly confused with why he is sensing all this anxiety from her. His senses were heightened around her emotions. Perhaps that was why he was always such an ass. Well, maybe only one quarter of the reason.

Without giving him any sort of inclination to –what- was happening, the witch heaves a relieved sigh upon seeing the lycan, and literally runs into his arms. Hugging him tightly, she inhales his scent and remains glued to him until she calms down. Even if he tries to pry her frame off of him, she seems to have a firm grip, and he’d be forced to endure the embrace. It’s the first time she’s ever looked to him as her beacon of hope, and also the first time that she made any sort of move towards physical contact that lasted more than a few seconds. Tiber would feel her heart racing, the red dress fluttering in the breeze against his suit, and her hands worrying the fabric of his jacket. Once she finds her breath, her arms drop from his sides, and she stands back, her cheeks a fiery shade of crimson. “I… So… You…” Blinking, she looks down to see that her injured hand is still clutching the bag of coins, which is offered to the male. Chocolate melts against amber as she explains, “I don’t want your coin, Tiber… I just wanted to spend some time with you and have fun tonight, since the past few months have been hell.” She pauses, as the coins are exchanged, and runs her fingers nervously through her chestnut locks, “Look… I think we both royally messed up in the past, on a lot of things… You left me to get mauled by a scorpion, kissed my sister, and deliberately hurt my feelings more times than I can count… And, I wasn’t brave enough to share how I felt about you, didn’t stand up for myself enough, and I forced myself to just move on with someone else…” Lana swallows hard as she hears a chorus of commotion to her back, and she senses their time may be coming to an end. “So… Before I get arrested for throat punching that loser that slurred sexual innuendos and offered to –buy- me for one night, in the middle of the market… I think I may have killed him, or severely injured him… I’m not sure. I was holding the coins and I just socked him, but he deserved it.” She’s talking fast now, losing her sense of focus, “I just wanted to say that… I wish you’d at least meet me half way. I know that being open doesn’t come easy to anyone, and I know that you had a thing for me in the past and that may not mean anything nowl… But, when I talk to you or ask you anything, you tend to brush me off. Push me away. I just… I really want us both to try, maybe, again.” A guard is turning the corner, so Lana frantically looks at Tiber, “That’s all I wanted to say… Do you know a safe place I can go for a few hours?”

The woman is moving closer step by step until she wraps her arms around his torso. His arms are up in a ‘what the heck’ sort of way, but then he realizes that her embrace is almost like a plead and a search for comfort. Slowly, his hands lower and rest on her back and he lets her have this moment. She was warm. Safe. She was safe with him. “Lanara,” he softens and she pulls back in her embarrassed, sheepish ways. “What, Lanara?” Amber eyes search in her chocolate hues and the seriousness grows. By then, the cigarette had dropped from his hands, and he was crushing it with his foot while staring at her. He seems stoic by her confession, but inside, he is letting her inside and hearing her. Nothing but truth flows out of her mouth. They had both been terrible at each other. Taking pieces from another. Tearing the other down. He wanted ever-so-badly to build back up with her, but how? The thought, however, fades fast. “Lanara!” He outbursts as he scolds her. He is, at this point, trying to hide his smile at her hot temper. Literally. That always peaked his interest. “How could you do that?” He almost wants to laugh, but his happiness fades. He realizes that she had just put herself in danger. The fuzz was coming. ‘I just want us to both try maybe, again’. Amber eyes look alert and before he even has a chance to say or do anything, he is grabbing her hand and putting a finger to her lips. “Shut up, come on!” Rude, but really, what else could he say? More like, shh, but eh. He tugs her arm. Before they knew it, they were running. “Into the back alley, quick,” the man then takes a sharp left turn behind a darkened building. Behind the building rest a few trash cans that he tugs her behind until the guards clink by with their armor. The man puts a finger to his lips to indicate she needs to be quiet. As soon as the guards pass by, he whispers. “We can go to my place,” she had already been there before, so what was the harm? Or perhaps maybe he felt safe with her enough that she could enter through his door. “You can hide there for a while. We can talk there…” He peers around the trashcan to feel if he senses any vibrations from the guards coming. Nothing. “About starting over,” he looks at her and his hand is still latched onto her own and the sincerity lingers in his Catalian accent. Realizing his hand lingers, he pulls his hand away gently. “You can stay with me until things cool down. It’ll only take a day maybe. There’s so many other things that happen in this forsaken messed up city.”

Lanara realizes that she’s babbling, her emotions are on overload, and she’s literally in danger of spending the night in the clinker. Likely, a year, if she’s caught for this little mishap. The witch was quick tempered, had a mile wide jealousy streak, and if she felt threatened even the Goddess couldn’t hold her back from reacting. It’s intimidating, as well as amusing, given her petite stature. A finger is pressed to her lips and the next thing she knows, they are holding hands and running into a back alley. The stench of the trash is enough to make the salmon repeat, but thankfully, they aren’t there for long. Was Tiber going to call her a fool? Help her out of this mishap and then say he never wished to see her again? Had she pushed too far and ruined –any- chance of them becoming more than friends? The guards pass by and the area grows quiet, save for a few rats that are scuffling within the trash for some food. Lanara’s heart is racing, because of their closeness, and because Tiber is –still- holding onto her hand. It’s the injured one, and it tingles when he rubs the sore spots, but she’s literally on cloud nine and has to maintain a poker face when all she wants to do is smile. As he gently pulls his hand away and whispers that he wants to talk about starting over, she peers up at him beneath her long lashes and sees the lycan for who he truly is; a man that’s scared of letting someone see the most secret parts of him, in fear of getting rejected. Lana was right to throat punch that man and charge into Tiber’s arms, because they both deserved to give this a real shot. As he offers up his place to stay, she nudges him in the ribs, “Lead the way… I’m eager to help you redecorate. Also… I don’t have any pajamas, so I’m going to ‘borrow’ another one of your shirts…” As he’s walking her to his apartment complex, she feigns to misstep and latches onto his hand, which she’ll hold until they’re in his home, unless he pulls away.

Tiber almost rolls his eyes. “You will –not- redecorate in one damn day,” he says unamused. His face looks flat for a beat before turning into a small smirk. “But I can gladly let you borrow a shirt,” he says slyly before they begin to move. The man peers around the first corner of the building, and as he does so, she grasps onto his warm, hardened hand again to regain her balance and it lingers. He holds his breath, but he realizes that perhaps her small touch seems reassuring. The venom that rests within his bloodstream has a thick sense of protectiveness. He wants to feel like he is in control by holding onto every move. Holding hands was not as awful, and well, there was no public eye to see the man so wrapped around her finger momentarily, right? Only time would tell. Eventually, the two move through the streets. They move building to building until they end up at the complex he resides at. The man pulls her through the door and up the stairs past different door numbers of different homes. Most of those who lived in the lot, lived more wealthy lives. The walls were clean, the doors were brand new, the numbers freshly painted. Tiberius knew how to work with money. The man then slips his hand away from her own and begins to fidget with the keys that are in his pocket. Moving the key to the lock to open the door. He then waits for her to step inside, like a gentlemen (not really thinking that way), before she moves in first. The blonde closes the door. “Why, in the actual, hell did you cause so much commotion?! You could have been sentenced for a long time! You have to play smart, Lanara,” he pleads and turns his back. “I’m sure he deserved it, that disgusting piece of crap,” he then pivots back around swiftly to look her up and down. “Did he physically harass you? I’ll kill him,” the amber eyes light up with flare. “You just got over this madness with your trials, Lanara. You need to be more careful. More… off the record with your approaches. Less… out there, more discreet. Tame yourself,” like his own ways. He was scolding her for being more terrorizing than quietly terrorizing. Nice guy—not.

Lanara is giddy, despite the fact that they were running from the police, and that she may have murdered someone in the middle of a busy market. Hudson had connections with the mayor, and he had pulled strings for her in the past, so she’s hoping that if this blows up, he’ll have her back. As long as she eluded being captured and kept her head down, all would be well, right? Stepping into the apartment she drops her oversized tote bag on a chair, and turns around with wide eyes, as Tiber gives her a rightful scolding. Ever so slowly, she saunters over to him, trying and failing to hide the smirk that appears on her fair face. “I paid the bill and left… That creep followed me out! And no, he didn’t touch me… He was shouting about what he wanted to do to my body, and he was asking how much it would cost to let him do each perversion. It was humiliating. He reached out to grab my ass, I believe, or possibly just to turn me around? I didn’t let it get that far, I spun around and socked him. It was sort of self-defense, right?” Another step towards Tiber is taken, and he’d see the fire in her eyes as being in his presence always made her feel so alive, “If I’m so –dangerous- then why did you sneak me back to your place, Tiberius? I think that you like this commotion between us a bit, huh?” Nipping her lower lip, she trails a finger along the lapel of his jacket, in a way to flirt with the male and hopefully calm him down. He said she had to be tame outside, right? They were indoors now, and it’s the first time she’s deliberately made a move. Leaning in, she presses her cheek against his jaw and whispers in his ear, “Thank you for being my hero, tonight. I promise to be more careful in the future…” Leaning back, she drops the coyness, and speaks sincerely, “I just didn’t want that jerk to be the reason you stormed off, and for us not to have a chance to continue our talk. Plus, the fact that he’s into sharing partners was gross. I prefer monogamy. If he didn’t get under my skin, though? I wouldn’t have lashed out, or be right here, right now.”

The lycan is boiling at her confession of the story of what happened. “I will find that creep, and I’ll do him better than what you did,” his fists are clenched, but she inches closer and he begins to relax as amber eyes ease into her fire. A small sly smile moves to his pale lips at her words. He does not speak and as her finger trails, he gently grabs her wrist to stop the flirtatious movement. His breathing falters a little as she presses her cheek to his jaw and her breath runs over his ear. Although she leans back and drops the act, her wrist is still in his hand and the tension of passion never ceases from him. The man stares at her in silence and then gently places little kisses on her fingers. He liked her game. “I’m not your knight in shining armor,” he says very softly with that small smile. The man then lets her fingers slide against his palm before letting her hand drop back to her side. “I know, consider me lucky,” his voice grows out of his own gentle flirtation. He was lucky this time. The Catalian steps back away from her. “Listen, Lanara,” he says in sincerity that was ever-so-rare. “I’m not always going to be the guy you want me to be. To say the right thing every time you want me to. I’m bitter when I try not to be. Honestly, you drive me crazy,” he pauses and his eyes trail over her figure. He liked being drove insane by her. “But you have to understand, that drives me to be a better man. You’re compassionate, alive, and sweet to others. I haven’t felt those things in a long time.” He blinks at his own words. “I always say I never want to make you cry, and I know I fail. I say the wrong thing. Every time. I’m harsh and blunt, and sometimes just way too much in the wrong. But that does not mean I do not want to learn from you. Grow from you. Try to mend things with you.” Fingers rise and massage his temples in thought. He then lets out a sigh, “I’m sorry about your ex-fiance. I’m sorry about the trials. I’m sorry that I am so self-involved to even once think about you ever again after the last time I saw you on Twister Island.” This was probably the most sincere he had ever been. “Please, forgive me. Please let me be in your life again. Let me be by your side, however it may be. And don’t let me walk away.” The vulnerability was pooling out of the wavy blonde as he stands there just staring at her like a lost man.

Time seems to slow as the lycan presses tender kisses upon her fingers, as though she were the most precious woman in all the world. The thrumming inside of her chest is audible as her pulse quickens with desire, and her lips slightly part to unleash a content sigh. It had been so long since she’d felt wanted, in any capacity, and even longer since she’s been this close to someone and she yearned to be touched and kissed and loved. Lanara’s eyes seem to grow darker as Tiber’s hand releases her wrist from his grasp, though the electricity between their bodies continues to crackle. His words break her moment of heated intentions, and she cants her head to the side, and gives him a shy smile. Tiberius Lowell was apologizing!? As his speech concludes, sincerity oozing off the man’s pores, the witch remains silent and continues to search his eyes. There’s a sudden urgency to pull him into her arms and cuddle his insecurities away, to reassure him that all would be well, but she doesn’t coddle him like a mother would her son. Instead, she meets him halfway in the unusual rawness of their confession, and takes his hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she tugs the lycan over to the sofa, so they both can take a seat. Still holding his hand, Lanara collects her thoughts before responding, “Tiber… I don’t want you to change. I don’t mind your sarcasm, or your negative thoughts on some matters, or even when you tease me, mercilessly. Those things are what makes you… Well, you! Tiberius Lowell. I don’t care if you are a demon to the rest of the world, as long as you are kind to –my- heart, and treat me like your other half. You can continue being a not-so-nice man… Just be gentle with my sister, and my two best friends, Khitti and Meri. The rest are fair game to rob, insult, all that good stuff. I want you as you are, but just a little fine tuning around your edges, when it comes to dealing with me.” A smirk graces her lush lips, as she trails circles on the inside of his wrist, “I think I need to learn to be less sensitive, and to show some more backbone, and you are the perfect teacher. I-I really –do- want to continue and see where this goes… Despite the fact that you’re the kind of reckless that should send me running for the hills, despite the fact that you can tear my heart in two, and despite the fact that we horribly botched things the first time around. Love is about second chances, taking that leap of faith, and accepting others for who they are, and… Who knows? After dating for a few weeks, you may decide I’m not even your type, or you may ask me to be your girlfriend! We can’t foresee what the future holds. But… I do think we need to try… I will work on not reacting every time you have a slip of the tongue, and I’ll ask what you mean, and try not to be so hotheaded. And maybe you can try to be a little more open? Answer me when I ask a simple question, like about your roommate’s whereabouts, or the cat? Maybe… We can listen to each other a little better, and spend quality time together? I actually am sort of in between, uh, jobs and housing, right now… So… I can totally devote the weekend to working on ‘us’ and stay two or three nights… If you want, of course…” Lana glances shyly away, as she didn’t know where she was going to end up. Move in with Talyara in Frostmaw? Return to Enchantment? Try to make amends and take up the shabby shack in Sage Forest? Rent a room somewhere in the area? “We can talk more tomorrow… I am pretty tired. I just need to borrow a shirt and be pointed in the direction of wherever you want me to sleep.” The couch? Nadine’s room? A closet? The witch rests her head on Tiber’s shoulder for a moment and closes her eyes, inhaling the scent of his cologne, “I’m not a prize package either, Tiber. We –all- have horrors in our pasts, and we all have things we need to work on, so please… Don’t you ever feel that you aren’t worth it.”

Tiber lets the woman pull him to the couch and he obeys by sitting down with her. He is caving for once, but the back of his mind knew that this would not last long. He would do something rash, he was sure of it. Her words make his shoulders fill with ease. The circles around his wrist gives him a tingling sensation. The man focuses on the rhythm which makes him even more relaxed for the meantime. He was appreciative that she did not want to change her too much, and he was willing to meet half way, or work on meeting half way. Though, as she starts speaking of dating, his fingers begin to tap his pants. “Dating—err—right, yes,” she starts talking about him asking her at some point possibly to be his girlfriend. Tiberius Lowell dating? Tiberius with a girlfriend in the near future? What? Was this real life? The thought was mind boggling, and the whole dude thoughts sweep in, and he begins to look around his apartment. The thoughts were mortifying, but his face showed otherwise. His face was a blank slate. How was he also going to be more open? Why did he have to? He then coughs, “Right, a shirt! Nadine left months back and moved out. A while back she claimed to want her own place because… well, living with her brother is a real cramp of style. Though, we do make sure to have nights out at the bar from time to time,” he stands up quickly before moving down the hall to his bedroom. The door opens and Salem trots out in pride and obnoxiously rubs against Tiber’s leg. The lycan sort of nudges the cat to the side with his foot before moving in his bedroom to grab a shirt. The Catalian then hollers from his bedroom at the witch. “You can take Nadine’s old room. I’ve kind of made it into a guest room… Just in case Nadine gets drunk and needs a place to crash,” he then comes out of his room again. He carries a dark blue flannel and tosses the shirt her direction. “It gets cold in that room at night. I remember Nadine whining to me about it. I figured this would be thick enough for tonight.” The man then sits on the arm of the couch. “Thank you. For giving me the chance, I mean. And, uh… if you need to stay longer until you can find a place,” he clears his throat awkwardly, “you can. That door is open. I also have a spare key on top of the door frame outside our apartment door if you ever are in a buckle.” He lets out a gentle sigh. “Anyway,” the cat then jumps on the couch to try to cuddle Lanara. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning. There are extra blankets in the closet in the bedroom.” The man then stands and moves back towards his bedroom. “Night, Lanara. Oh, and take the furball with you. He always tries to paw at me through the night,” and then he closes the door to be filled within his silence.