He was just about ready to tell her there were well over a hundred reasons he had come up with, for why he needed her in his life, but as she talked, he just grinned and chose to keep them to himself for now. There would be time later...he now knew...where he would gladly give her an accounting, if she desired.
Yet when she reacted so strongly to his, what he thought was innocuous question, he wondered if it might not have been smarter to have told her now. If for no other reason than he would have still been recounting positive things about her, and not had time to ruin the perfect evening by letting his damn, logical brain intrude.
Sitting up quickly, in her wake, AFTER the jab to his side, which did very little to him in the way of pain, Bastian took hold of Reign firmly, and hugged her close. He kissed her temple, and nuzzled her hair, and along her neck, while whispering/
"Shhhh...Cara...forgive me...I'm still trying here, to regain my footing with you. I don't want to presume anything, at least not yet. I'm...mmmm..."
Kissing her ear, he knew he should probably continue explaining, but found moving on to more delightful things considerably more appealing.
"Forget I said anything..."
He began to lay back down, still holding her close.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Private, Bastian)
It had taken the better part of the day but Reign had cleaned the house from top to bottom. Everything had been washed, vacuumed or dusted as appropriate (even the dog much to Sirius' dismay). She told herself it just needed to be done but really, she was a little nervous and the cleaning had kept her mind off things and made the place presentable.
She'd asked Will for time, how much time, well that would depend on Bastian wouldn't it? Enough of that she needed to get dressed. It seemed silly to get so dressed up at home but jeans and a t-shirt didn't seem right either. She settled on a silk wrap top with a low V-neck in a bright sapphire blue and light gray wool pants. No jewelry though, and no shoes either, it was casual wasn't it?
With that done, she gave one last once over to the dinner she brought in. Hey just because she could clean didn't mean Reign was a cook. It was set out on the coffee table rather than the dining room, she didn't feel like ruining the organized chaos of her research. Dinner was more finger foods than anything, sushi, egg rolls, veggie sticks, cut up melon, and a few other random things. Hell, she'd even managed to stash a bottle of white wine in the fridge.
So that meant she was prepared right? Well not really but there wasn't anything else she could do just now. Reign perched on the couch to wait and eyed her furry friend.
"Yes I suspect you know Bastian is coming over tonight. I expect you to be a gentleman, its possible we'll be seeing more of him, and I'm rather fond of him."Â?
Sirius cocked his head, chuffed and lay down at her feet chewing at one of his toys.
"You're a brilliant conversationalist aren't you? Will you get the door when he comes then?"Â?
She wanted to fall back on the couch and relax, but she might wrinkle things. God, did she just think that? Just for that once she'd made her impression she was slouching the rest of the night and sprawling on couch in as un-ladylike manner as she could manage.
Another glance at the clock; he wasn't late, she was just ready early and it was killing her.
Bastian
16 years ago
Reign
16 years ago
Great, now she had an idea in her head. It was tossing around in there, please excuse the cliché, like a ship at sea. Why would he ask that, did he mean it, did he want to go, was this some sick form of revenge? Maybe... possibly... that could be it. Granted she wasn't the reason he'd been out that night, but who knew how the male mind worked.
She curled back up with him, still physically drowsy but mind working over time. Finally Reign couldn't stand the idea any longer and knew she had to ask. She did so carefully however, slowly making sure not to move away from him, in fact she threw and arm over him almost to hold him in place.
"You don't blame me do you Bas? For being bitten, for all this... do you? Is that why you ran, why you were thinking about leaving now?"Â?
She curled back up with him, still physically drowsy but mind working over time. Finally Reign couldn't stand the idea any longer and knew she had to ask. She did so carefully however, slowly making sure not to move away from him, in fact she threw and arm over him almost to hold him in place.
"You don't blame me do you Bas? For being bitten, for all this... do you? Is that why you ran, why you were thinking about leaving now?"Â?
Bastian
16 years ago
It was his sole intent to distract her enough that she would forget her anger with him, and he thought he had a good start at doing just that.
However, as his kisses began dipping lower along her collar bone, her words stopped him dead in his tracks. He snapped his head up so sharply, he could only be thankful he hadn't been kissing the soft, sweet skin beneath her chin, or he surely would have broken her jaw with his force.
"Blame you?! Why in the world would I blame you? I was the one who was stupid Cara. The only people responsible for my being bitten were Michael, and me. The only part you played, was to ultimately save me from death, and then put yourself at risk later, when you went looking for evidence."
His eyes never lost their tenderness for her. He was amazed to hear that she might have ever thought he had blamed her.
He kissed her nose, then her lips, and lifted his head again.
"I left...because I love you, and wanted no harm to come to you. I left because I was afraid of what I might do to you.
If Michael had so little control, after having been a werewolf as long as he had, how could I possibly have enough control to guarantee I wouldn't injure you, or worse? I had to learn, Cara. I had to learn IF I could control my wolf, and how, before I could be with you again. And there were years when I didn't think that would be possible. Those years were the most desolate in my life..."
His voice had become softer, and distant, as his memory took over where his words left off.
Though he'd never had a great deal of love in his life growing up, once he met and fell for Reign, he knew what it felt like to have that love in his life. Doing without it at his own instigation, while also dealing with the whole werewolf trauma, had driven him close to ending his life in the beginning. But Bastian had been lucky, and learned rather quickly how to accommodate the changes in his body, and his life. His sole regret was that he hadn't sought out Reign sooner, and tried to explain things.
But that was water under the bridge, and of no use to him now. Not when the end result was as it was.
"But we've found each other again, right? We're going to try again, and hopefully make it work...right?
I don't plan on leaving you again, unless you physically kick me out. It was stupid of me to suggest that tonight, even for a second. I know that now..."
The truth of what he was saying was written all over his face. He hoped she could see it.
"I hope you don't get sick to death of me now."
Pulling her back into his embrace, Bastian just held her, and listened to her heartbeat, and breathing. Funny, he thought, how those simple things could give such comfort.
He was loathe to let go of the moment, but he could feel sleep tugging him under. Forcing himself to remain awake wasn't difficult. He would wait until she was sleeping, and then he would go make sure the house was secure, that Sirius was still comfortable where he was, and rejoin her.
However, as his kisses began dipping lower along her collar bone, her words stopped him dead in his tracks. He snapped his head up so sharply, he could only be thankful he hadn't been kissing the soft, sweet skin beneath her chin, or he surely would have broken her jaw with his force.
"Blame you?! Why in the world would I blame you? I was the one who was stupid Cara. The only people responsible for my being bitten were Michael, and me. The only part you played, was to ultimately save me from death, and then put yourself at risk later, when you went looking for evidence."
His eyes never lost their tenderness for her. He was amazed to hear that she might have ever thought he had blamed her.
He kissed her nose, then her lips, and lifted his head again.
"I left...because I love you, and wanted no harm to come to you. I left because I was afraid of what I might do to you.
If Michael had so little control, after having been a werewolf as long as he had, how could I possibly have enough control to guarantee I wouldn't injure you, or worse? I had to learn, Cara. I had to learn IF I could control my wolf, and how, before I could be with you again. And there were years when I didn't think that would be possible. Those years were the most desolate in my life..."
His voice had become softer, and distant, as his memory took over where his words left off.
Though he'd never had a great deal of love in his life growing up, once he met and fell for Reign, he knew what it felt like to have that love in his life. Doing without it at his own instigation, while also dealing with the whole werewolf trauma, had driven him close to ending his life in the beginning. But Bastian had been lucky, and learned rather quickly how to accommodate the changes in his body, and his life. His sole regret was that he hadn't sought out Reign sooner, and tried to explain things.
But that was water under the bridge, and of no use to him now. Not when the end result was as it was.
"But we've found each other again, right? We're going to try again, and hopefully make it work...right?
I don't plan on leaving you again, unless you physically kick me out. It was stupid of me to suggest that tonight, even for a second. I know that now..."
The truth of what he was saying was written all over his face. He hoped she could see it.
"I hope you don't get sick to death of me now."
Pulling her back into his embrace, Bastian just held her, and listened to her heartbeat, and breathing. Funny, he thought, how those simple things could give such comfort.
He was loathe to let go of the moment, but he could feel sleep tugging him under. Forcing himself to remain awake wasn't difficult. He would wait until she was sleeping, and then he would go make sure the house was secure, that Sirius was still comfortable where he was, and rejoin her.
Reign
16 years ago
Reign found she was holding her breath on this one. Stupid really, but she was worried. Yes, she had been there and yes, she knew logically she hadn't had a thing to do with the whole situation, but it was a simple matter to twist things in her mind until it was her fault; a very selfish and juvenile thing to do.
Of course, she would never forgive herself she hadn't been there for him during the worst of it. Granted she blamed him too, she wasn't some dumb pansy who couldn't have hacked it... nope she didn't want to think about this any more. They'd both messed up pretty bad.
"We're going to try again."Â?
She confirmed. She meant it too. It would be nice if they could get it right. God knew she didn't want to wait another ten years and another ex-husband to try again. This time they would make it work.
"As long as you promise to stop asking silly questions,"Â? She yawned and continued to speak through it, "I promise not to kick you out or get sick of you. Deal?"Â?
Reign knew, maybe not with her head but she still knew, what his answer would be. Content with that knowledge she floated off to sleep, happily nestled against her wolf.
Of course, she would never forgive herself she hadn't been there for him during the worst of it. Granted she blamed him too, she wasn't some dumb pansy who couldn't have hacked it... nope she didn't want to think about this any more. They'd both messed up pretty bad.
"We're going to try again."Â?
She confirmed. She meant it too. It would be nice if they could get it right. God knew she didn't want to wait another ten years and another ex-husband to try again. This time they would make it work.
"As long as you promise to stop asking silly questions,"Â? She yawned and continued to speak through it, "I promise not to kick you out or get sick of you. Deal?"Â?
Reign knew, maybe not with her head but she still knew, what his answer would be. Content with that knowledge she floated off to sleep, happily nestled against her wolf.
Bastian
16 years ago
As tired as he was, the second she admitted she was going to give 'them' another chance, Bastian wanted to jump from the bed, and run through the streets of Nachton, yelling at the top of his lungs. He didn't, of course, but he did wake up considerably.
"Deal...affare...yes...si...no questions."
He quieted then, and went back to just listening to her breath, as she inhaled, and then exhaled against his chest.
When he was sure Reign wouldn't wake up at his movement, Bastian slid out from beneath her and went through her home, checking the doors. Living alone, out on his stead, the only time he concerned himself with security, was the times he changed. Otherwise, he rarely worried about whether or not his doors were locked. But here, with Reign, and her safety being paramount, he didn't mind the extra effort it took to check things out.
Once he'd taken care of that, he rummaged around in the kitchen, just long enough to find a treat for Sirius.
"Here you go boy, and thank you. I appreciate your willingness to give your mistress the freedom to be with me tonight, and things couldn't have gone better. I'm here now...in her life, for the duration, so that means we're going to be around each other, a lot. No sense in us being miserable, right?"
He placed the treat on the floor in front of the dog's paws, and stood back up. Nodding at the dog's look, he turned and walked back to Reign's bedroom. In minutes he had resumed his place next to her, and snuggled close.
Forgetting he was hyped up on the excitement of love, and the possibilities before him, Bastian joined Reign in sleep, within a few minutes later.
"Deal...affare...yes...si...no questions."
He quieted then, and went back to just listening to her breath, as she inhaled, and then exhaled against his chest.
When he was sure Reign wouldn't wake up at his movement, Bastian slid out from beneath her and went through her home, checking the doors. Living alone, out on his stead, the only time he concerned himself with security, was the times he changed. Otherwise, he rarely worried about whether or not his doors were locked. But here, with Reign, and her safety being paramount, he didn't mind the extra effort it took to check things out.
Once he'd taken care of that, he rummaged around in the kitchen, just long enough to find a treat for Sirius.
"Here you go boy, and thank you. I appreciate your willingness to give your mistress the freedom to be with me tonight, and things couldn't have gone better. I'm here now...in her life, for the duration, so that means we're going to be around each other, a lot. No sense in us being miserable, right?"
He placed the treat on the floor in front of the dog's paws, and stood back up. Nodding at the dog's look, he turned and walked back to Reign's bedroom. In minutes he had resumed his place next to her, and snuggled close.
Forgetting he was hyped up on the excitement of love, and the possibilities before him, Bastian joined Reign in sleep, within a few minutes later.