RP:Taking a Break from All Your Worries

Summary: After Hildegarde's coronation, Dominic and Khitti finally get a relatively drama-free night of bliss -- a well-deserved break from the stresses from war, and a bit of calm before the next storm...

Walled Courtyard

For once in her life, the happiness Khitti felt wasn't fleeting. There had been no arguing, no moment of doubt. There had been a little bit of awkwardness and embarrassment, but that's to be expected when you're called to the throne to receive praise and the promise of a gift by Hildegarde herself. There was the small matter of Pilar and her sudden onset of unhappiness, but that would be dealt with soon enough. As the party ended, and it was time to essentially 'close up shop', Khitti would grab all the cakelog she could possibly hold in a cloth napkin (with the intent, of course, to return said napkin in the future), then proceeded to run off ahead of Dominic, her giggling filling the night air. The vampiress comes to a halt outside, just a few feet from the entrance to the main room of the fort, standing outside in the courtyard. She'd stand there grinning, waiting for him, occasionally taking a few bites of that heavenly dessert she managed to pilfer, her demeanor a bit wide-eyed and wild.

“Khitti, wait up!” Dominic emerged from the hall armed with his own cakelog -- though unlike Khitti, he only took the one. His steps were slow, his focus on stuffing his face. Dancing for that long had created a massive appetite, after all. By the time he’d made his way to her, he was already shivering -- no jacket, this time, due to the formal attire. “This is probably going to sound stupid,” he said through the mouthful of food, “but we were in there so long I’d forgotten how cold it was outside.” He huddled up against her, finally swallowing. “Maybe you were right. I’m going to need a proper coat eventually, if I’m to live here.”

All that sugar had certainly gone to Khitti's head, like a child with just a bit too much wine. It wouldn't last for long however, though her good mood added to it. Tying up the napkin around what was left of the cake, she sets it aside nearby in a spot with barely any snow (which was quite the achievement in a place like Frostmaw), then skips over to him as he finishes stuffing his face. Biting her lip, she grins mischievously, circling about him as she trails an index finger along his shoulders, finally finishing her circuit and stopping in front of him. "I know a vay to keep you varm." With the high heeled boots she'd chosen, she was just the right height to kiss him without problems, so all that's needed is for her to lean forward and place the sweetest of kisses on his sugar-covered lips. It's allowed to linger, even grow a bit more passionately before she pulls away, with the intent of leaving him wanting for more, but the embrace is soon stolen from him. There's a dainty batting of her eyes, her right hand raising to his cheek as she whispers, "Tag.", the lightest of slaps being given to his face as she finishes her statement, "You're it." The vampiress bursts into a fit of giggling as she darts off towards the nearest statue in the courtyard as quickly as one could in a dress such as she was wearing.

Dominic blinked after her, completely befuddled. What sort of game was this…? Still, after a moment of staring after her, he gave chase -- calling after her all the while. Even with the dress, he didn’t think he stood a chance of catching up to her, though… not with that vampiric speed. Not unless she wished it. “Khitti, you’re -- this is -not- what I meant!” And yet, despite himself, a grin was forming on his lips.

The vampiress definitely did wish it. She didn't tap into that extra bit of power, but she did, however, let him catch up to her only for her to take off yet again to hide behind another statue on the other side of the courtyard. Along the way, she gives in to the temptation of the cakelog. Scooping it up, she unwraps it, eating it greedily from behind her chosen hiding spot. Distracted enough by the most holy of all cakes, she'd forget about Dominic for a moment. I mean, he was just a human. He couldn't catch up to her that quickly, right?

Dominic saw his opportunity and sprinted -- she wouldn’t be able to make the mistake of underestimating him twice! He skidded around the corner before pivoting and then pouncing onto her, disarming her from the last bite of her cakelog with one hand and mercilessly tickling her with the other. Only when he was satisfied that he’d done so for long enough did he return the cakelog back to her, popping that bite into her mouth and trailing it with a kiss to her cheek. “That’ll teach you to run from me,” he laughed, sticking his tongue out at her.

Khitti yelps as she's knocked to the ground, immediately squirming as she's tickled. "N-no! Stop!" It would appear that she's actually ticklish. Hopefully he didn't notice too much. It's not like she was laughing at the top of her lungs or anything. When he finally stops and hands over that last bite, it's savored, but only for a few seconds before she leans up and catches his tongue between tooth and fang. It's not enough to break the skin, but enough to silently chide him for tickling her. Despite it being apart of his punishment, she's unable to resist kissing him with that close proximity to his lips, and does so promptly. ~You're going to catch your death if you stay out here...I'm sorry.~

Dominic raised his brows in surprise as she bit him, but soon sunk into her kisses as he had so many times before. He’d actually forgotten the cold for a time; her words through the link brought him back to reality and he shivered again as if being exposed to the frigid air for the first time. ~Never be sorry, Khitti. You are -far- too adorable.~ He tickled her again, up her spine, but only for a second. Those giggles were just too irresistible. ~Where to, love?~

Khitti squirmed a bit more as he tickled her, stifling her giggles, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of getting her to laugh into that kiss. She bites his lip now, another moment of retribution for his crimes, then pulls back, laying her head on the ground so that she could stare up at him. "Zhe tavern? I...probably shouldn't be in zhis dress...in zhe snow. I can't imagine vhat Kreekitaka vould say if zhis vas one of his. I'd never hear zhe end of it." She lets out a soft, awkward cough, realizing he called her adorable. "I'm definitely not adorable. More like awkward, vindictive, and cynical."

Dominic swung himself off of her with a grin, then hoisted Khitti up as well. He took a moment to brush snow off of her dress before pulling her in for another embrace, cradling her hips. “Nonsense. You’re the -most- adorable.” He dusted himself off now, adjusting his waistcoat as he added, “But no, I suppose you shouldn’t. It’s more suited to dancing than for tumbling around in the snow.” Dominic emphasized the thought by picking her up just long enough to twirl her around, the high of the night’s events still clearly leaving him giddy.

Khitti could only grin and kiss him, giggling softly as he spun her around. Once her boots hit the ground again, she took his hand and led him off to the tavern, "I don't zhink I've ever been so happy in my life. I might actually vant to go to another ball. Maybe I'll nudge Hildegarde a bit in zhat direction once zhings are settled down.” The short distance between the fort and the tavern is covered, and their room reached. The vampiress pulls off her boots with a sigh, then skips a bit over to Dominic, putting her back to him. "Could you...maybe...help? It's much easier to get on zhan it is to take off." Thankfully for him, it'd seem simple enough as she had opted to get a dress with a corset that had thick metal hook and eyes along her back, rather than the lace-up. "I vould do it myself if I could."

Frostmaw Tavern

However innocent Khitti’s intentions surely were, Brand definitely said… -something- in the poor guy’s head, because Dominic suddenly turned into a stammering, blushing puddle. “I, uh. Um. Er. ...Y-yeah, I can do that.” He took a moment to study the hooks on the back of the dress before unlatching them one by one, extreme care taken as the back of the dress slowly peeled away from her. When it was done, he wheeled her around and pulled her close again long enough for a brief kiss. “Are you sure you can’t just wear that all the time? You look absolutely stunning in that. I -- I -- I mean, you look stunning in anything. But… um.” His eyes began to fall until he realized where they were going and then they hurriedly searched her face again. He couldn’t -possibly- turn more crimson than he already was. Dammit, Brand.

Khitti definitely made sure to keep the front of her dress from falling entirely off of her. She did have a bit of modesty, you know. His change in disposition is noted; the stammering, the kiss, all blinked at a few times. And then, his eyes dropped a bit. Oh. Yep. Cue Khitti's own awkwardness. "I, uh. I mean...I plan on keeping it. If you vanted me to." She backpedaled a bit, stepping on the back of her dress as she did so. Her blundering taps into that klutzy side that never entirely left her when she was made into a vampire, the distraction from Dominic enough to unfocus her mind. Not that she could ever fully focus on anything when he was around. It's almost like slow motion as she begins to fall backwards, dark eyes wide and a cry of shock bubbling up in her throat. Oh yes, this could potentially be one of the most embarrassing moments in her life.

Dominic had bashfully dropped his eyes to the side, but they snapped back to her as she began to fall, and in a blink he’d rushed forward, before he’d even known what he was doing, sliding in some hilariously theatrical maneuver to hit the floor before her and catch her in his arms. And here he was holding her close again, her dress half undone… he chuckled nervously from that position on his knees, cradling her back and staring down at her. [“The -dress- goes on the floor, not you,”] Brand suggested he say, ever so helpfully. Dominic just kind of… awkwardly… cleared his throat and helped her back up into a seated position before staring to the ceiling as if pleading for help from the gods.

Khitti had braced herself to hit the floor with a thud...and then she didn't? He saved her? A few blinks are spared in his direction, her brain desperately trying to process things as his nervous laughter hit her ears and he helped her to sit up. Once it did, she'd push herself up off the floor to stand again, tripping over her words as much as she had the dress, "I-I'm sorry. I'm such a damned idiot. C-can't even valk straight. Not all zhe vampiric agility in zhe vorld can help me apparently." She'd breathe a heavy sigh, the bottom of her dress lifted somewhat to keep from falling again as she headed behind the changing screen in the corner of their room. The vampiress would take a moment to compose herself before finally removing the fancy dress and slipping into that familiar black one that she'd definitely had an attachment to.

Phew. Somehow, they had survived that burst of awkwardness. Still, his gaze trailed her as she walked for the changing screen, Brand definitely still yammering on and putting thoughts in his head. [Why do you even care?] Dominic sniped at him, scowling completely ineffectively at that voice in his head. ...Aha. -that- shut him up. And still, frustratingly, those thoughts lingered even with Brand silenced. Trying to put them out of his mind -- he was awkward enough as it was, thanks! -- Dominic rose and stepped toward the armoire, stripping himself of the waistcoat and a few of the buttons on the dress shirt underneath. “Well, you walk better in that dress and those heels than I ever could,” he quipped to Khitti’s shadow, attempting to disarm her self-deprecation with humor.

Khitti just kinda slumped over in her standing position, as if she were ready to just give up then and there with any sort of interaction with Dominic, be it physical or verbal. That seemed the only logical way to spare him of her ridiculousness. She peeks around the side of the screen, eyeing him with vague curiosity as he speaks before straightening up again, and dealing with her hair. The tiny braids that had been put in her hair are loosened and her hair as a whole pulled back into one large braid, leaving all but her long bangs to hang freely. "Zhe fact zhat I can valk at all is a vonder, Dominic. You've no idea how embarrassing it is for me and other people, zhat I, a vampire, cannot even begin to comprehend poise and grace." Bare feet lead her out from her hiding spot, padding softly across the carpet of their room, "I'm not exactly a 'girly-girl' zhough, so it is vhat it is, I guess.", her shoulders rolling in a slight shrug.

Finished now with … as much disrobing as was going to happen, Dominic turned and embraced her, sweeping her back for another kiss before holding her close. “You, my dear, are being too hard on yourself. What about the entire time we were dancing? You were plenty graceful then.” He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her along by the hand, motioning for her to sit beside him. “You trip once and suddenly you’re acting like you have two left feet.” He bent over in an unnecessary glance at her feet before smiling up at her. “Nope. They’re perfectly normal.”

Khitti lets out an 'eep' as she's dipped back for the kiss, returning it lovingly. "Oh shush, you." is said as she puts a hand over his mouth to stifle his logic, though it's clear she's not upset much now thanks to his help, a slight grin forming. She takes the seat beside him, leaning into his arm as she peers across the room at the small fireplace, silently thankful that the inn attendants actually did light it. Not that she needed it, but she certainly couldn't have her beloved human freezing to death. "Vhat do you vant to do? Ve can do vhatever you vish. As far as I know, nothing is needed of me at the fort, so I'm all yours today."

“Ummmm.” Be interesting, Dominic. Have some fascinating idea up your sleeve. No… he was too fixated on her, just drinking in her pale skin and those lips and that ruby hair. “...I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “I’d rather stay in, though. As much as I enjoyed tonight… honestly, my feet hurt after all that.” He kicked his boots off and then flopped back onto the bed, arms splayed onto the pillows above his head. “Did you bring a book, maybe? Otherwise, I’m all out of ideas.” Aside from the one. Curses.

Khitti thought about it for a moment as Dominic mentioned a book, "No, I completely forgot to." She seems perfectly content with stay in though, "I can run out and try to find one, if you'd like." Turning about, she crawls up onto the bed next to him, snuggling close to him, her head on his shoulder, dark eyes peering over at him. She's quiet for a few moments regardless of his answer, her mind wandering, her focus lost on him again as she reaches over, lightly moving his hair from his eyes.

Dominic wrapped his arm around her shoulders and idly played with a few strands of her hair. “No… that’s alright. It was just a thought.” Just being here with her was enough, truthfully. Just enjoying an evening free of any of the emotional maelstroms that had plagued them before. Just living in the moment and extending it as long as they could. He stared into her, just letting his mind wander where it would, the hand not in her hair trailing up and down the curve of her side, treading as far as he could easily reach down her hip and leg before making its way back up to circle the edge of a breast and then back down once more. “How -did- you learn to dance like that?” he asked at length, the visions of her just hours ago in all of her radiant glory still waltzing through his brain.

A warm smile formed on pale lips as they continued to stare at each other, her own line of sight tracing his features as they often did, "My father taught Lydia and I. He said zhat just because we lived in zhe middle of nowhere zhat ve couldn't learn to be ladies like all zhe vomen in zhe capital." Her hand slides from the edge of his hair, moving down to lightly play with the nearest eyebrow, the smile turning to a faint grin now as her fingertips circled around his eye and trailed along his cheekbone. "I don't zhink I'm quite vhat he vanted." is said in jest, instead of the typical self deprecation that constantly spewed from her mind, "But, I zhink he vould have approved of you. I vish Papa and Mama could have met you." Her attention finally shifts away from him for a moment, thinking on things, "Lydia vould have tried to steal you from me, I zhink. Zhen again, it likely vould not have taken much." Dark eyes drift across the wall behind Dominic, as her thoughts linger on her family, "She vas so happy, and bright, and beautiful. She may have looked identical to me, but zhere vas so much more about her. She vas like zhis shining beacon of hope and love...and I?" A pause, a faint sadness washing over her momentarily, "I vas an awful child. It's no vonder she hated me so." That had been her last words, of course. 'I hate you.' Khitti had thought nothing of it then. It's not like she knew the necromancers and their death knights and the hordes of undead were to happen upon them that very night. She had taken the three of them for granted and could never take it back. Never apologize. But now...now she was more thoughtful about it. That horrible child in her still hadn't gone away either, it would seem. Poor Pilar. Her mind doesn't stray from her family for some time, her expression becoming a bit more sad until she ultimately looked back at Dominic. And then it was gone. That unhappiness. That judgement towards herself. "But...I have you now. You're my family." Her warm smile returning.

Dominic listened to her intently, studying the patterns in her irises the whole time, committing the little flecks and lines to memory. She spoke of family, of growing up with parents and a sister, and a knife twisted in his gut that he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying around in him until this very moment. So much for that earlier bliss. “They sound lovely,” he said quietly, “and I would have liked to have met them, I’m sure.” His gaze moved to study the rest of her face now, and the hand that had been tracing her side moved to frame her face, his thumb lightly running along the edge of her lips. “I… I never actually knew my family. I know nothing about my parents or if I had any siblings. There was an orphanage when I was very, very young -- that, I barely remember -- but mostly I grew up on the streets, raised by the older kids, in part.” A shrug. “They did what they could. But mostly it was me on my own, doing whatever survival demanded. And then, the slavers.” He could have rambled on for an age about -them-, about the years he’d spent at their whims. What he remembered of it, anyway. He swallowed it back and gave her a flickering, melancholy smile instead; he wasn’t -trying- to drag the mood down. It just kind of… happened, and now he was trying to climb back out of the hole he’d fallen into. “But… I -- I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m even saying. I just don’t know what that’s like.” He reached for her hands now, pulling them together and to his lips for a few kisses along her fingers. “You’ll just have to teach me, I suppose. Teach me what--” his voice strained and cracked, “--what family looks like.” Damn it all. Where had this even come from? Why was he tearing up? Why couldn’t he just hold on to happiness for two godsdamned seconds?

Khitti's crimson brows knit together as she spied those tears of his, the faltering of his voice giving away his emotions despite that shrug that made it seem like he didn't care. She shifts onto her side, an arm reaching across his chest to tug at the furthest shoulder to position his body parallel to her own. Nearly nose to nose now, their bodies aligned so that she could better look into his eyes, regret shining in her own, she places a soft kiss on his lips. "I didn't have my family for very long...and I certainly took zhem for granted...but I vill try to teach you." Her lips part to speak again, but she remains silent for a moment, searching for her words as she offers an apologetic look for bringing her family up before finally speaking, "I zhink...to be a family zhough, you need to love each other no matter vhat. Vhen ve're happiest. Vhen ve're so very angry zhat ve feel like ve could destroy zhe vorld. Vhen ve're sad..." An index finger moves to lightly trace near the corner of his eye, feeling the tears that had built up there. "Vhen ve're hurt, vhether it's physical or not. Vhen ve become so lost and need to be found again." Her own eyes get a bit misty as she continues, realization hitting her. "But, you've already been doing zhat for so long...haven't you? Even vhen neither of us noticed it. You always cared and never judged. You never hated me for vhat I am. Vas never disappointed because of vhat I'm not. You...vere just you." Towards the end of her little, heartfelt speech, her own voice begins to crack a bit. Maybe he really truly -did- love her.

Dominic tilted his head forward to touch forehead to forehead, one hand massaging one of her shoulders. “I can do that. Uh, keep doing that. I think. Yeah.” He wasn’t sure how to take the kind words; his throat was so tight that his voice came out in an almost inaudible, hoarse whisper. And then he fell quiet for a long while, processing her words, studying every part of her, sitting in the silence with her. The tears may have stopped again but that tightness in his chest still lingered, the bittersweet notion of them only having family in each other still churning there. “You make it feel easy,” he finally sighed. “I can’t find a single thing about you that isn’t beautiful -- ha, even you tripping is endearing.” He couldn’t resist teasing her a -little-.

Khitti's face scrunches up a bit as he makes fun of her, her tongue poking out at him in spite. "Mmhmm. You're so mean to me." She doesn't seem like she's taken any offense to it though. To reinforce this, she gives him a small lick on his lips, and bats her eyes. "I zhink you're ridiculous also, but I forgive you and I shall continue to love you nevertheless. Even if you're crazy." She grins a little, but then grows more serious, "But...I feel zhe same about you, Dominic. I told you...I zhink you're perfect."

“ ‘Crazy?’ ” He asked it with a theatrical level of incredulousness, a hand going to his heart as if wounded. And finally, finally he cracked a smile again before pouncing her, kissing at her neck and tickling her at the waist just long enough to pull a laugh out of her. “No, I suppose that’s fair. Crazy for -you-.” Way to be cheesy, Dominic. “Crazy for that laugh of yours. Crazy for your mind, and your heart, and how positively stunning you look in a dress.” He, too, turned a bit more serious as he sat up, still straddling her. “Mostly your heart, honestly -- but I don’t know if you think of yourself that way. You’re often so hard on yourself. But you’re always bending over backwards looking out for me, always getting me out of some trouble or other. It hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Another chuckle, before he leaned down over her again. “I can be a bit reckless. Sorry.”

He does manage to get a giggle or two out of her, and her heart may have melted a bit despite the cheesiness of his words. The meltiness only worsened as he continued to speak. She bit her bottom lip awkwardly as the compliments began to flow from him, a hand lifting up to caress his jawline when he leaned over, "You don't have to apologize to me, love. I told you before, I'm not ready for you to leave me just yet, so I'm going to do vhat it takes to keep you -and- Brand safe. Even at zhe expense of my own safety. I don't care. I'll do vhat it takes." Her thumb lightly runs over his lips, the urge to kiss him again rising steadily, her words almost a whisper now. "I vould die for you, Dominic..." It seemed a bit extreme, but she knew it to be true in her heart. "You deserve so much better zhan vhat you've got...If I could die, so zhat you might live to have everything you've ever vanted and more, I vould do it."

Dominic leaned down and kissed her again before rolling over to her side once more. “Well, that would be pointless. I want -you-.” There was a thoughtful pause. “When I first got here, I didn’t know what in blazes I was going to do with myself. I did a few odd jobs here and there for money to eat, but… it’s hard to know what to do with freedom after not having it so long. Too many possibilities to the point that it’s overwhelming. No one to tell you what to do or where to go or what to think. No one to give you a sense of purpose. And that was why I joined up with Hildegarde, really -- I didn’t want to feel pointless, useless. And her cause was a just one. ...And then I met you. And you swept me away. And I just want to be here, to love you as best as I can for as long as I can. That’s all I really want.” Another beat. “Is that… is that how it’s supposed to work?”

After his inquiry was voiced, there was no hesitation in her actions. She rolls over on to him, carefully pinning his arms to the bed, her lips immediately seeking his as she planted her legs on the bed on either side of him. ~How can it be zhat you are so much like me? I cannot fathom it.~, her thoughts flowing along their link as she takes as long as she wants with that kiss. Finally, she parts their lips with a soft, longing sigh. "I joined vith Hildegarde too because...I vanted a purpose. If I'm going to kill necromancers or zhe undead, I might as vell use it for good. Help someone zhat truly needs it. Like Hildegarde. She cannot do zhis on her own, no matter how strong she may be." Another sigh. "I am doubtful of my abilities now to help her, but I'm at least going to try." With that self-deprecation again spoken, she leans down to immediately silence him before he can even start. Even if there was the link, perhaps he'd be distracted enough from her thoughts and doubts and fears.

Dominic wanted to allay her worries. Of course he did. But she went for that kiss and his mind was mush again, too lost in her to think straight, too many sparks flying to process anything else. Oh, she was a good kisser. Not that he had any real point of reference -- well, surely Brand did, and perhaps that knowledge passed through. Perhaps not. At any rate, he pulled her down closer, hips to hips, the other hand resting at the back of her neck, his eyes drawing closed as he got lost in a moment of bliss again. By the time they’d pulled away from each other once more he’d entirely forgotten whatever it was he’d been going to say. No, he couldn’t even quite remember what -she’d- said anymore. He just beamed at her, flushed pink, dazed.

"It's almost like...you actually like my kisses or something." is said when she notes the red tinting his cheeks. Her cool hands move to either side of his head, simultaneously working to pull the heat from his blushing face and allowing her to bask in the warmth of his still living form. "You...are so beautiful." Her right hand moving down to lightly caress his chin and jaw softly, her thoughts mirroring his from a short time ago: she loved everything about him. "I love zhe vay your hair just barely sits in your eyes." Her left hand runs up his cheek, fingertips lightly playing with his dark locks. "And your eyes..." She lets out a faint chuckle, "I could get lost in zhem for days." Her thoughts trailed off as she actually -did- fall into staring at him, admiring every inch of his features.

“Yeah, well...” Dominic cast his eyes to the side, smiling behind a bashfully bit lip. His gaze wandered and then landed on an end table, lingered there. Realization lit up his face and his attention returned to her, his grin only widening. “You know, I’m an idiot and forgot to give it to you earlier, but… I have something for you. Top drawer. Would you hand me the box that’s in there?”

Khitti blinks at Dominic, confusion written on her face. "Something...for me?" Crimson brows knit together as she looks from him to the table. "Y-you didn't have to get me anything..." Gifts? People don't give her gifts. That'd mean that she mattered or something. That's why people gave presents right? Funny enough, the same thoughts had crossed her mind when Hildegarde had said that she was having something made for her. Now she was reminded of that and her bewilderment worsened. Slender fingers hover over the drawer's handle hesitantly as if she'd open the drawer and some sort of mimic would jump out. She'd give him a side glance, then ultimately open the drawer, grab the box and hand it over to him. "Vhat...is in it?" Clearly, she doesn't understand the rules of presents and how you're not supposed to tell anyone. That or she's just too suspicious.

Dominic rose off the bed and slipped into place at Khitti’s back, a single kiss given to her neck before he slid the lid off the box behind her. “Don’t look.” Gently, he took her left wrist and pulled it to where the vampiress wouldn’t be able to see; she’d feel him fumbling around for a moment, and hear the sounds of soft, metallic clinking. A moment or two more of struggle and it was done -- her wrist was now adorned with a silver charm bracelet, and he released her arm once again so she could get a look. Tiny seashells lined the chain every few links, miniature conches and clamshells and sand dollars. “I -may- have snuck off for a trip or two into Cenril this past week. I just wish I’d remembered before. It would have gone great with that dress,” he murmured, wrapping around her again.

The vampiress does as she's told, despite really really wanting to look at what he's doing. She hears that tinkling of metal on metal, and once he's finished, she lifts her arm to see just what it was and then...then the waterworks started. With her eyes a bit misty, she inspects each individual charm carefully, a look of awe written on her features as she leans back into him. "Oh Dominic...It's so beautiful.." She's lost in it for a moment, then turns her head to peer at him over her shoulder, "But y-you shouldn't have! It must've been so very expensive. I-I don't deserve zhis..." Her attention shifts back to the bracelet. "Are you sure...?" was asked, as if he'd just give it to her then take it back immediately. "I...don't have anything to give to you..." Despite being completely overjoyed and bewildered by the sudden giving of the gift, she sounded a little sad, but it wasn't enough to entirely kill the mood.

Dominic merely shook his head. “You don’t have to. It’s not an exchange, it’s…” Hell, what -was- it? “It’s… I just happened to see it and it made me think of you.” No, that wasn’t quite true. He’d definitely gone out looking for something. Brand had planted the idea in his head and then he couldn’t -not- go find something. Odd, that… now that he thought about it. Once again, why should Brand care? “Besides, Hildegarde was incredibly generous with what she gave me for my part in the war.” He blushed again. “Ridiculously so. I barely even did anything.”

Khitti would definitely just stare at Dominic in disbelief if he had said that it was Brand's idea. -Brand-. The same Brand who was undeniably not nice at every single turn. Well, thankfully she didn't know or else she'd think Dominic was entirely zonked out in his head. Yes, zonked. Regardless, she turns about to face him, tears still glittering along the edges of her eyes, "Zhank you so much, Dominic." Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rests her head against his chest, hugging him tightly.

Dominic took the opportunity to play with her hair, but fell into a comfortable silence again. It wasn’t like the two of them really needed words, anyway. That link they shared was enough. Eventually he pushed her back onto the bed again, kissing his way up her frame and grinning intermittently. Before long he was on his side and curled up around her again, nestled in her curves like a cat. ~You’re worth it. You bring me so much peace. I didn’t think that was possible. I actually feel like a person around you, rather than a bundle of nerves and mistakes.~

A bit of giggling erupts from the vampiress as he kisses his way up, but it soon ceases as he curls up beside her, her lips finding his quickly. ~You are a person. More importantly, you're -my- person. Zhe best person. Zhe most handsome, beautiful, vonderful, kindest person.~ Another fit of giggling would flow into the kiss, their lips parting just long enough for her to contain herself. ~I don't deserve you, but I'm certainly happy I have you.~ Her right hand lifts up, caressing his cheek gently, the vampiress never tiring of feeling his warm skin. ~I love you so much.~

Dominic turned his head just enough to kiss her hand, then reached up and took it in his to kiss each finger in turn. ~What do you mean, ‘you don’t deserve me’?~ The tone was only gently chiding. ~I told you before any of this even happened, it doesn’t matter to me what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter what guilt you carry, or that you’re a vampire, or… any of it. I love you because I see how you care. Because of how kind you’ve been to me. Because we understand each other. Because you made me realize that was possible, even if we’re the only two people in the world who really could. All this time, I’d assumed anyone who knew about Brand, about my past, would never want anything to do with me.~

Pale lips shift into a smirk as she eyes him, watching as he kisses her fingers, "Zhat's precisely vhat I mean, silly." But, she doesn't protest or argue with him, content with taking his scolding and letting the matter drop. Grinning, Khitti pushes him over, crawling on top of him again. Lifting her left hand, she studies the bracelet again more closely, her right moving down to tickle his side. All the while, she'd have the most innocent look on her face, the woman clearly a master of multi-tasking. "You know, ve should go to zhe beach one day. I'm not very good at swimming, but I zhink it'd be fun. I've been to zhe one in Cenril a couple times." Her right hand still does as it pleases, tickling back and forth between his stomach and his left side. "I'd really like to see a mermaid, but I know zhey're not as pleasant as zhe one in zhat story I love. I'd rather not have either of us eaten, you know."

Well, Dominic learned something today. He learned that he was ticklish. He learned that he was ticklish, and he learned that he very much did not like being tickled as much as he liked being the one to tickle Khitti. He probably deserved it, though. Through laughs and flailing he struggled to catch his breath enough to answer her, but it took a few moments for him to do the obvious thing and grab at the offending arm. He pulled her down into more kisses while locking her hand in his. That should do it. Hopefully. ~Yeah, we’ll go to the beach, if that’s what you want. And we’ll find you your mermaid, maybe.~

Khitti blinks as her arm is grabbed, dark eyes peering down at him, "Hey. Zhat's not fair." She'd pretend to struggle a little, but ultimately gave up. Instead, she lifts his arm, nibbling on his wrist, batting her eyes in her the cutest possible way at him. ~Vhen I'm able to, ve should travel. Even if it's just to different places around here. Vould you like zhat? How many of zhe regions have you been to in Lithrydel? Her nibbling shifts to kisses and back again, a curious look sent down to him.

Dominic already would have needed a moment to think, but damn, that nibbling was distracting. He merely stared up at her for a time, unable to wipe the ridiculous grin off of his face. “Yeah,” he said dreamily when he pulled himself together enough to respond, “we should do that. I’ve been to, uh… Here and Xalious, Cenril and Kelay obviously… Larket, once or twice… oh, and Vailkrin.” -That- one was a story every time. “We can travel. Just... no more giant spiders, okay?” He did his best to give her a serious look and hide the mirth underneath. “I know how much you like them, but it’s got to stop, Khitti. You have a serious spider problem and I won’t enable it any longer.”

The vampiress scowls as the spiders are brought up. They really -were- a problem. "Ugh. Don't talk about zhose awful zhings. It's bad enough I vas called Queen of Spiders by zhat idiot vampire..." She bites a bit harder, as if to punish him, but not enough to break the skin. "It's not like I -vant- zhem to find me all zhe damn time. Hopefully zhere's not any around here. Since it's so cold? Zhere's not...ice spiders...is zhere?" That fear of the eight-legged beings flares back up like it had the day they'd been attacked, a shiver shooting up her spine.

Dominic briefly imagined Brand somehow conjuring up ice spiders that skittered and swarmed around the spires of a Frostmawian fort. He -could- cast ice spells, but to actually create a spider out of it? Hmm, as capable as Brand was, Dominic didn’t think he could do that. Still, he sent the mental image across the link to Khitti, teasing her. “There’s a chance it could be arranged.” He tickled her again just briefly, fingers of his free hand spidering up her arm. “But no. No ice spiders. I think.”

Khitti's eyes widen at the image of ice spiders that pop into her mind, squirming a bit when he tickles her, "Don't give Brand any ideas! You know he'd do it! He's completely evil and totally a jerk!" Well, he hadn't been as much of a jerk lately, which was definitely weird, but even still, she glances about the room to make sure shadow Brand hadn't appeared. Once she's certain that he's likely not there, she 'hrmphs' to herself, then peers down at Dominic again, "I'm starting to zhink you have more in common vith him personality-wise zhan you zhink." She makes a face at him, sticking her tongue out.

Ouch. Right on the raw nerve. Dominic’s breath caught in his throat; his smile fell. He swallowed and tried to bring it back for her before she could catch it faltering, but didn’t quite succeed. “You, uh.” No, there was not a chance he was really hiding that hurt. He’d gone too abruptly quiet, too withdrawn in the way he looked anywhere but into her eyes. “You… really think that?”

All at once Khitti's own happy expression faded, her shoulders drooped; pretty much anything that'd go with immediate regret and heartbreak from his reaction happened. "Vhat...? N-no, Dominic." Oh great. Way to screw up a perfectly good evening. "No no no. I don't zhink zhat at all. It vas just a joke..." She brings his hand up to her lips again, kissing it, the brief show of affection not hiding her frown, "I'm sorry. I really am..."

Dominic saw the way her countenance changed, felt some of the emotional shift across their link. Slowly he drew the strength to bring his eyes back to hers. This wasn’t… this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. “Khitti, no. I’m sorry.” He pulled himself out from under her enough to sit up and wrap her in a tight hug. He couldn’t stand to see her hurt, even if she’d just hurt him, first. “You just… I…” There weren’t words. He buried his face in her chest, instead.

Khitti returns the hug, her arms wrapping about his neck as she rests her head against his shoulder. "No, shh. I need to zhink before I speak. I -am- sorry." A kiss finds the side of his head, her fingertips lightly playing with the ends of his hair along the back of his neck. "My beloved Dominic..." Another kiss. "I love you..."

Dominic took a long, deep, shuddering breath before meeting her gaze. “No, you’re right, though. I’ve even said it before, myself. And he’s said it. And you’ve said it, and you know the both of us better than anyone. It’s true.” He’d obviously latched too hard onto the thought to let go of it quite so easily. “ ‘Two sides of the same coin,’ he’s said. This insistence that I create my own unhappiness by trying to deny it. You -- you know that blaze on the ridge after Amarrah was me. Must have been. Had to have been.” He was searching her eyes, expecting judgment, expecting a renouncement of her feelings, expecting some cataclysmic series of events just like everything else in his life. He didn’t get to have good things or good people like her around. Not for long. And his brain was stuck in the too-familiar spiral now, and he didn’t have the tools to pull himself out. “Tonight was the first time I’d been able to stop thinking about it in days. Still haven’t figured out what all that means. But if I can do that -- and it’s not even the first time, honestly -- if I can do that, you’re right. We’re not so different as I pretend to be.”

Khitti sighs heavily, giving a soft nuzzle against the side of his head as she hugs him tightly, "So vhat if it vas you? Do you zhink no one else ever gets angry? Ever gets zhat sort of rage?" She lets out a faint laugh, shaking her head at him, "You clearly don't know me very vell if you zhink zhat." Moving her face parallel to his now, she presses the tip of her nose against his, green eyes seeking out his own, her lips hovering just over his as she whispers, "I don't care." A quick kiss. "I love you. You. All of you. Every bit of you. The anger. The sadness. The happiness. All. Of. It." Her last three words were punctuated with a kiss after each one. "You may not be like him, but you're certainly starting to sound like me. I'm zhe mopey one, you know. I don't appreciate you taking my job."

“But -- you -- I --” Dominic bit a lip in frustration. “...No, I guess you have a point. I guess I just… don’t want to think of myself as a person who gets angry? Because I associate it with Brand. Because that’s what he does at the drop of a hat.” Shut up, Brand, yes you do. “I don’t want to be like him and I’m still afraid that I am because I don’t know what that means for who I -really- am. Because I’m still figuring that out. It’s not like I could before.”

Tilting her head, she quirks a brow at him, lips pursed together in thought. "Now, I know how he's been for a long time. You've told me -and- I've seen it. I've seen it a lot." She tilts her head back somewhat, eyeing the ceiling, "But...zhink about how he's been since I've been around. I doubt he'd ever admit it, but...I zhink he's changing a little.", the vampiress muses. "Vhen I found him in Frostmaw after zhe fight vith zhe frost giant, he actually helped me." She blinks once, still quite bewildered by Brand's actions that night, "He made a sort of mud bandage on my wound." Her line of sight finds Dominic's again, another tilt of her head given, "He gave me an odd look too zhat day vith Amarrah, after he pulled you off of me and I told him to stay away. He looked...almost sad." Before Dominic could say anything, she puts an index finger to his lips, "And before you say anything, I'm not taking his side. I'm just observant. He is, vithout a doubt, zhe most stubborn, rude, idiotic male I've ever met. But...given zhe right circumstances or situations anyone is able to change." She lowers her hand from his mouth finally, letting it drop into her lap, "If zhere's ever been one zhing he's done or said right, 'together or not at all' vas it...and for once, I'm definitely going to listen to him. Ve vill figure you out together, zhough I insist zhat zhere's nothing to figure out because zhere's nothing vrong vith you." She scrunches up her nose once her little speech was done, wondering how she manages to spew such wisdom and never follow any of it herself.

Dominic took a minute to take that in and gather his thoughts, idly playing with her hair again before he spoke. “...See, this is why I love you. This is what I mean when I say that you’re caring and you’re brilliant. You know all the right things to say to make me feel better, feel less lost.” Never mind that she’d said the exact -wrong- thing but a moment ago; he’d already forgiven her. It’s not like she’d -meant- to hurt him. “How do you do that?”

A few blinks were directed towards Dominic, "I have no idea. I just...don't vant you to be sad, I guess. Not zhat I'd feel any different if you veren't upset." She casts a side glance towards the bed, "But...yeah. Just keep zhat stuff in mind vhen you zhink about zhe zhings he does. I know he's a stubborn ass, but he does keep you safe...vhen it's necessary. Vhen you broke your leg, he even told me not to vorry about you, because he could block zhe pain from getting zhrough to you. I zhink he might actually mean vell, but he's...a little rough around the edges." That was putting it mildly, Khitti.

Dominic sighed and nodded. “He’s got a funny way about him. I do believe that he means to protect me. He’s certainly done it enough times. Even -- even when I didn’t want him to.” And thank the gods for that, in hindsight. He could have drowned off of Cenril’s shores, and then this whole thing with Khitti never would have happened. “Maybe… maybe he’s decided you’re worth protecting, too.” A bit embarrassed now, he dropped his gaze to the side, studying the embroidery on the comforter. “I haven’t actually asked him directly, though I suppose there’s nothing stopping me.” And he still didn’t. It was an awkward conversation and he was putting it off for as long as possible. “But… anyway.” Enough of this. He pounced her onto her back again, planting kisses all across her cheeks and lightly nibbling at an earlobe once or twice for good measure.

"His normal attitude doesn't exactly help vith zhings, zhough I guess I'm no different in zhat aspect." Ugh. She really -was- like Brand sometimes wasn't she? That thought was soon shaken out of her mind as she pounced and knocked back, giggling filling the air as he kissed and nibbled at her. "I zhink my biting and nibbling has vorn off on you, dear." The vampiress snickers softly, nuzzling him a bit.

Dominic paused long enough to smirk at her, then resumed nibbling between every few words. “Maybe... just a touch. This is all… your fault, though. All of it. The biting.” Chomp. “The dancing.” Nom. “The kissing.” A kiss, mixed in with all the playful gnawing. “You started all of it. All of it. Not that I mind.”

Khitti let out a soft sigh, as if she might actually like what he was doing, but she did her best to hide it, to not give him the satisfaction. Not yet anyway. "Did I? Maybe I'll have to finish it too." She grabs his chin, pulling his face to hers, her lips finding his immediately. There'd be a bit of kissing, of course, to sucker him in, give him a false sense of hope. But, ultimately, she'd use this opportunity to draw his bottom lip into her mouth, both teeth and fang biting him carefully.

Dominic was puzzled. What did that even mean? But he didn’t have time to question it aloud before she kissed and then bit him. He bit back on her top lip, playfully. ~No fair,~ he teased through their link. ~You have fangs. I think you win by default.~ So… it was a game? Well, sure. Why not? He bit just a smidgen harder, just trying to see what kind of reaction he’d get. Not enough to truly hurt, he hoped, but definitely enough to surprise her.

Of course, it didn't really occur to Khitti that Dominic may not be well versed in the ways of love and the things that went with it. Well, she wasn't exactly either, or else if she did, she wasn't going to admit to it. She blinks as she's bit, and responds with a fiery kiss, ~Oh no. I zhink you vin.~, her mental voice taking on the affectation that implied he was definitely the winner and that she was giving up. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, it's clear that she intends on not letting him stop kissing her just yet.