<blockquote>Tria 23 81379 Jace opened the door to his abode in Watani with careless abandon, not even stopping to check for devices. As a spy, this was probably a stupid move, but at the moment he didn't care. Time had worn down on the Pro-Grader espionage journeyman and he was growing weary of it. Too much going on in the political arena. His fingers toyed idly with the wristband that marked him as one of the Grader's spies, though no one knew. Not even the other spies. It was something that marked him only when someone was supposed to know. He never took those off. Ever. The thick bands had worn into his wrist time and time again, yet he left them on. For many, many years. Being without them would be like being truly naked. The rest of his jewelry - excluding the tongue stud - he pulled off, as if it irritated him. It didn't, but at the moment, it made him feel like a poser. Someone he wasn't. The Grading bracelets he left on, because those who were Graded did not remove the sign of their accomplishment. Most had it scarred into their face with the scratches, but his were still a burden to bear always. Which he seemed to be obsessing about right now. The spy shook his head and flopped backwards onto his bed, rubbing his eyes, tiredly wondering what he should do. There was too much going on in the arena of espionage to really stop and make decisions. The Graders were being denounced all over the place, but also supported all over the place... it was a civil war, brewing in the cities' streets. Something hit him, though, quite suddenly. She was free. Stormwing, someone he had dated, the only female had ever truly cared for, was free. The Graders had imprisoned her and her friend... they had taken her illegally, but Jace had never supported that. His eyes sliced over to the phone that sat placidly next to his mattress. It was mostly there for show, as Javelin hated the thing. But she would have a phone. He had the number, as a matter of fact... he could call her. Demand to speak with her. Shove himself back into her life with that reckless abandon that seemed to be his trademark, currently. So it was that his fingers pulled at the corded object, pulling the receiver from its nook and pressing the proper end against his ear. Fleet fingers made quick work of the dialing and then he heard it. Her voice. On the other end of the line. "Hello, Winger." He said, softly. Good gods, but it was good to hear her. "I need to talk to you. Like... now."
It was so nice to be on her own again, free, and on her own schedule. As Stormwing rolled over in her king-sized bed, the sheets tangled around her bare legs, she reveled in the luxurious sense of liberty. Just a few weeks ago, she'd been doing her sleeping on a busted and broken cot in Krokino, and every minute of every day was rigidly mapped out for her. Moaning now, she stretched her arms, flipping onto her belly and smashing her face in her plush feather pillow. Freedom even smelled good, like cotton and detergent, instead of dirty water and dankness. This freedom was especially succulent because of its boundless luxuries. Not only had Storm been let out of prison, her charges dropped, but Koani Grader had granted her and Kakos an enormous sum. They'd live comfortably forever. Comfortable indeed, Storm thought, as she finally rolled onto her back again and sat up. Free to do things like this: loll around in bed in the middle of the afternoon, not a care in the damned world. Little did she know, her bliss was soon to be interrupted. It started with a sharp beeping. Storm bounced out of bed, and began to fish around for the pair of pants she'd discarded before her little siesta. She found them at the foot of her enormous bed, and dug around in the pockets. Soon enough, she produced her cellular. She snapped it open, saw the caller ID, and blinked. She then hit the talk button, and put the piece to her ear. "Hello... Jace?" "Hello, Winger. I need to talk to you. Like... now." Suddenly, her stomach began to pitch. She was wearing nothing but a tee and some undies, and an ex-boyfriend she hadn't heard from in ages was on the other end of the phone. Not to mention, Javelin was very much a Grader supporter, and his voice was stern. Stormwing knew that he was probably already on his way to her new mansion in Watani, ready to come chew her out, or perhaps even do worse. And she wasn't ready. She was too busy recuperating from her prison stay. But she'd have to face him, let him burst her bubble, at least for the moment. "Damn," she spoke into the cell after a long pause. "Jace... I know you know where my new place is, so why don't you come over?" She only said the last part because he knew was going to come over anyway.
<blockquote>Jace hadn't meant to do anything unnecessarily cruel to his ex-girlfriend it was just... a sort of general stern demeanor right now. Fingers reached up to run raggedly through his bangs as he listened to her on the other end. The spy nodded, then halted as he realized she couldn't see him. Of course. He really did hate phones. "Alright." That was all he said, before hanging the phone up. Which might seem abrupt but, hell, he wasn't the best with phone manners, anyway. And it wasn't as if it would change anything. The spy slipped over to his drawer and kicked off the fish smelling pair of jeans he had been wearing. Oddly enough, he had been down at the dock just hours ago, kicking his legs near to the water and talking with an elderly seller. That was suspected of being big into the Anti-Grader movement. It was that kind of spying job that gave him a sour taste in his mouth. The old man had been quite nice and finding out information had hit Jace hard. Just another enemy, J, chill, he thought at himself. Carelessly, he pulled on a new pair of black corduroys as well as a more comfortable, elbow-length white shirt with some sort of band symbol on it. Not that he really cared, but he had to feel... comfortable. And Stormwing always set him on edge, merely because she was... well. His ex-girlfriend. The only one. Aha, he was so lame. He locked his door on the way out. Actually, his humble abode was pretty close to hers. Not too close. But close enough to walk to without much time. He knocked, tentatively, then stood there. Awkwardly leaning his weight into one leg, bangs accidentally sweeping across his eyes as he waited. Wondering what she looked like, now. What she would say. If she cared anymore. About everything.
All thoughts about freedon and wealth were suddenly sent to the back burner of Stormwing's mind. After she snapped her phone shut and threw it onto her tousled bedsheets, she yanked her spent pair of pants off the floor and began to bounce on one leg, trying to insert the other into the jeans. However, her mind was straying into such tawdry subjects as love and romance, and her focus was off kilter. In fact, she was trying so hard to remember the reasons why she'd broken up with Jace, that she lost her balance, stumbled, and fell over the corner of her bed with a rather graceless thump. "Shit," she mumbled, then gave up and sat on the plush carpet for a moment. To think. To give herself just a minute to let her brain take over and go where it wanted to go. It had been Zeris, she remembered. He'd come between her and Javelin. He'd seemed so damned perfect to her, much more of a man than Jace. However, just the exact opposite had proved to be true. Zeris had turned out to be a whiner, and he never paid Storm the attention she deserved. He strung her along, too concerned about getting in her pants, and not focusing on her feelings, and what she needed as a friend and a lover. Having never travelled these mental roads before, Storm now cursed at the memories. Rotting Zeris had ruined what Jace and she had had, and now she could never look back. And she knew Jace would never take her back. Their interests clashed too much, anyway. "Shit, shit, shit," Storm added onto her earlier spiel, now coming out of her reverie and standing. It was just then that she heard the knock on the door. The young thill froze, and then ran out of the room. She searched high and low for another pair of pants, one that would fit easily, preferably. She found nothing. Another knock came, louder this time, and she decided to screw it. When she opened the door, Jace was greeted by Storm wearing a powder blue baby tee and matching panties. "Oh, why, hello there," she purred, hoping he'd realize she was just kidding around with him and wasn't really trying to be sexy and coy... and simultaneously hoping he wouldn't.
<blockquote>It felt like forever, that stretch between knocking and having the door opened. Like an eternity spent in hell, indecisive and completely tortured. Here he was, knocking at his ex-mate's house like a forlorn puppy come back for affection. Of course, the old saying went "if you feed it..." Which was true. She had fed his need for affection. So of course he was back for more. More of a beating? Last time, he recalled, she had left him. Left him for someone better. He wondered if they were still together. He had never asked. So, of course, since he was all confused about love and stuff in general, Stormwing had to appear in the most seductive garb possible. The first thing he saw was the shirt, so he smiled gently, a sort of passive acceptance of her presence. Until his natural glance at the entire form made him notice that she was... not wearing pants. Normally, one wouldn't be embarassed about this. After all, in Ramath-lehi, it was alright to run around nude. It was just weird when he had thought of her romantically before. So the male coughed, very slightly, and looked back up at her face with a supreme force of will. Not that he had stared or anything... he just... yeah. "Uh... wow. Looks like life's been treating you well." He commented with a somewhat sly grin, trying to regain composure.
Stormwing leaned on the door frame after she'd gotten Jace's initial reaction, her ears cupping forwards to listen to his words. She tilted her head a bit, then began picking at her teeth. When she was done, she honed her gaze in on the male's dark, fathomless eyes, and finally spoke up in response. "I guess. I mean, since the last time I saw you, I've been dumped, and, uh, I beat the shit out of your boss..." She hummed, shifted her weight, and stood straight in the middle of the threshold. "Spent a little while in prison, getting hit on by enormous lesbians. But I got a really nice cash settlement out of it all, so I suppose you're right. Life treats me well." Another pause ensued between the pair, and Storm's mind took another short voyage. She remembered when they'd met - love at first sight. It had been during the short period when she'd had no left arm, and she remembered how gracious he'd been. How gallant. Once again, she found herself mentally swearing about her life choices. How could she have left this handsome heartthrob for a scuzzy emo' dumbshit like Zeris? She would probably ache about it forever. "So... Jace. What brings you by? Come to chastise me about what I did to your... friend?" Her tone was ice cold, but her eyes glowed with sarcastic merriment. "Wait, wait. Let's get inside, and I'll get some drinks. Then you can chew me out. At least I'll be in the comfort of my own huge-ass home, which is courtesy of one Koani Grader." She smiled. Tartly.
<blockquote>Oh, shit, right, he had forgotten for a moment that she had been in prison. Well, it hadn't been far from his thoughts, but damn she looked good. It had totally sent his stern idea of what he was going to do off into outer space. Now he was back into that sheepish boy next door mode, where he couldn't seem to keep his thoughts straight. He should have just sucked it up and spoken over the phone to Stormwing. Then, at least, he wouldn't have to look at her eyes as he spoke, wouldn't have to remember everything each second. "Sounds like... fun. At least you get cash out of it. Spy pay's really shitty these days, all for more work than I can usually stand." Jace replied, offhand, shrugging a shoulder in a display of amusement. He loved his job... but at the same time... Without thinking, the pendragon toyed with his tongue stud, rolling his tongue in his mouth and poking it between his teeth. Then, realizing how stupid he probably looked, he stopped. Nodding politely to accept her invitation. Of course he still had to talk about Koani with her, but... well, there was time. Though he had a very good idea that he was going to be in a shitload of trouble if the Graders found out he had actually entered the house of Stormwing. Seeing as she was completely off limits for spies right now. "A drink sounds good." He didn't want to talk about Koani just yet. Plus, he was too busy admiring... the house. Of course. The house. Not Winger. Nonono.
To be sure, Stormwing was pretty pleased with her affect on Javelin. She hadn't planned this. Hell, she'd tried to get those pants on! Though she was glad now, that she hadn't been able to. Perhaps she'd been wrong in assuming Jace didn't still have feelings for her, didn't, perhaps, still love her, even. He seemed fairly disconcerted by her outfit and her 'tude, and they weren't glaring or bickering like ex-lovers. In fact, they were toying with each other. Well, her moreso than him. But the thill hadn't completely disregarded his tongue stud. Which she found to be fabulous. Males with tongue studs were a major turn-on, especially after one has spent several weeks in the company of nothing but gigantic lesbians and an asexual freak. "My lounge is over here," Storm said as she led Jace into her not-so-humble abode. "You go in there, sit down. I'll go fetch the drinks." Frolicking through the colossal house, Storm somehow found the kitchen in the back. She had a walk-in icebox, how cool was that? She tugged the handle and stepped in, and grabbed a pitcher of Kool-Aid she'd stuck in there earlier. She'd spiked it with something, but didn't think Jace would care. Stepping out of the gigantic freezer, wiggling her little butt so that it didn't freeze, she held onto the pitcher. Somehow, she also managed to retrieve two clean glasses, and with her entire cargo, she sought her way back to the front of the house. However, just before stepping into the lounge, she realized it just wasn't proper to entertain a guest without pants on. She set the drink and glasses down on a side table in the corridor, then rushed around in a frenzy, trying to find her laundry room. By freak chance, she discovered it in her rear west wing. She found a nice pair of blue jeans, and yanked them on. She added a belt that matched her shirt, and then trotted back through the amazingly huge house, trying not to get lost. She kinda sorta had to follow the scent of both the Kool-Aid and Jace just to find her way back, but she did, eventually. "Okay!" She shouted as she swept into the parlor. "Here I am. With Kool-Aid. Not as good as those Irish mochas we, er." She'd been about to crack a joke about their first date, but as she did so, a sharp pain exploded in her chest. Not a physical one. An emotional one. Damn, she missed being next to him.
<blockquote>Jace, of course, was quite embarassed that he could be so easily returned to a state of childish attraction. Not that it was bad to be attracted to someone... he just didn't need this kind of attachment. Not at all. It was very, very bad for business if he ended up connected in any way, shape or form to the infamous thill who harmed Koani Grader. He didn't plan on anyone knowing, though. Not even Winger. Unless things changed. Which they could. Things had already changed pretty darn fast, back to where they had been, almost, before Zeris showed up. Or maybe he was just optimistic. He sank down into a chair without really caring, as he would have been just as comfortable standing. Standing around would look awkward, though, even if it wasn't, and he was at ease. Off duty. Completely and utterly free to pursue whatever he wanted. No one had told him to come here. Valimos was here on his own, ready to do... something. What had he come here for, again? Right. To talk about Koani Grader and beg her not to do anything like that again. Because, shit, he had almost betrayed the Graders for her. And he was relieved - well, okay, a twinge of disappointment, he admitted - that she had changed into some pants. At least now he didn't have to feel quite so awkward. The spy messed idly with the remaining four bracelets on his wrists, watching her carefully as she placed the Kool-Aid on the table. His own heart twinged against his chest as he thought of their first date. Which had been pure... something. Bliss? Love? There had been something there he hadn't acheived since the breakup. Whatever it was, he missed it. "Nothing can match that, ey?" He said, softly, almost whispering as he watched in a gentle fashion, lips curling somewhat sadly.
Trying to fight back tears that exploded behind her eyes, Storm plunked down onto the chair next to Javelin. She was silent for a moment, attempting to bite it all back, all the emotions that abruptly assaulted her. Luckily, she was good at this type of thing. Not a minute had passed before she regained her composure, and cast a glance over towards Jace. Though she was over it for the moment, her eyes were still full of woe. They were wistful, too, as if the mention of the mochas had stirred up their entire history in her mind, and she missed all of it, desperately. Which she did, it seemed, all of a sudden. "Jace. We didn't come here to discuss ancient history," she forced out. Almost mechanically, she leaned forward and began to pour the Kool-Aid. It was the bright red kind, of course. Although slightly pink due to whatever she'd added having been clear. "You came here to talk, and I'm assuming it's about Koani Grader. Although, I was joking earlier about you chewing me out. If that's what you came here to do, piss off. Really." It actually hurt her to say that, but she meant it. No matter how much she was falling back in love with him, she still wouldn't put up with crap, dammit. "If you want to discuss the facts, though, then I'm all ears." She sighed then, leaning back. She abandoned her own drink, but motioned for Jace to take his. Storm curled her feathery tail into her lap then, and twisted the fur. It was his turn to speak now, and she was dreading what he'd have to say.
<blockquote>Jace knew that he had to stop it. That he was probably hurting more than helping, so he cut it off. It was something he had learned, but hells it hurt to force himself not to care. About her, about them, about everything that didn't include his duty. It was still there, lingering, but not pressing him into service. Into an attempt to find what he had lost. His throat clenched for a moment, but released as Stormwing talked. It cut him to the quick, deep down, but he nodded solemnly and didn't speak. Not for a moment, anyway, as he bottled up all else and let himself be emotionless. Or, at least, more duty-driven than he had been. "Why? From what I heard, Koani rather liked you. Why not try to persuade her? Why not... why not come to me? I could have helped, you know." There was something of iciness, there at the end. Perhaps he was hurt that she had forgotten him, when she could have used his help. Perhaps he just wondered what it was that drove someone to do that. Whatever it was, he knew that he wasn't doing very well at keeping his emotions down. He did sip the drink, fully trusting of her. Though he shouldn't have been. He was stupid when it came to Winger.
She was motionless as he spoke, though she looked up as he trailed off. She'd expected some sort of speech from him, not a short, pained burst of words. She lifted a whitened digit to her lip and prodded it, thoughtful now. She pondered over her answer, and positioned herself so that her gaze was locked with his own as she spoke. "Somehow, I doubted Koani would have seen it my way, or been fair. Nothing would have been accomplished without such desperate measures. I mean, she didn't think twice about putting Kakos behind bars, didn't even bat an eyelash. She just did it, and I doubt I could have made her feel remorseful just like that. Plus, I don't know if you noticed, but until a few weeks ago, I was just some teen." She sucked in her breath, then plunged on. "I knew in my gut that the only way to get my point across was to literally beat it into her. That's what it takes with a lot of the governmental people, whom think they're invincible, and can do anything they want." She was struggling to keep calm, though she was not in the least angry with Jace. She was just mad at the memory of Koani's unjust actions. "There was no way Koani liked me after I mentioned Kakos. She used me to get information about her. Perhaps the method I used was also my way of exacting a little bit of revenge. For both Kakos and myself. Though, Jace, you of all know that I'm not usually like that. I can be aggressive, but I'm rarely so violent. And, well..." A short pause ensued, and then she forged onwards, "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it really does mean something to me. Tell me that you forgive me, that you won't hold it against me, that you know the real me and know it was a one-time thing. Tell me your love for me - as a friend of course - is not affected by what happened. And I'll tell you that..." Stormwing almost couldn't look him in the eye now. How odd - things had changed so fast. She'd gone from demure to pained to absolutely meek in just a few short minutes. Jace really did have a weird affect on her like she had on him. "...I would have come to you, but I needed to do what I did. I don't regret what I did, but I regret the affect it may have had on my friends like you. I..." Pause. "I'm so, so sorry that I disappointed you."
<blockquote>Jace's fingers were flitting frantically through his hair, now, just ruggedly tossing the bladed locks around. It wasn't a nervous gesture, but more one of thought. It didn't really mess up the way his hair looked, seeing as he had always gone for the sort of "who cares?" look, where it ended up as it was. No gel, no style, he just made sure that it was clean. That was his only duty to his hair. Well. Sometimes he put it back. But not always. Like right now. Which was way off topic, but he really, desperately didn't want to be here right now, with the conversation. About work that was tearing him and her apart. And as the words rolled into him, over him, around him, he could tell that they were what he needed to hear. That there was something in the message to soothe his soul. Smoothing over his feathers. The leaders he had fought for, year after year, were gone. Replaced by their daughter, were the pair, due to the Arch Magosai's... problem. Which had torn into the Arch Magos as well. They were under a leadership that he suddenly found himself at a loss of respect for. But he wouldn't mention such right now. Right now it was about Stormwing. "Of course I still love you, Winger, that'll never change. Not in a thousand lightyears. Not even if Zamfir Grader himself came to me and said it had to or I would die." His eyes would flash defiantly if they weren't blank, but he settled for nodding and setting his jaw firmly, though it softened as he finished. "And there's nothing to forgive. You did what you needed and... perhaps, what was... best."
His answer to her words was not what she expected - a pleasant surprise. Her oculars shimmered with gratitude, and she almost leapt from her seat to cling to him, hug him, and perhaps even kiss him. However, there was another thing she'd have to put out there before she'd let herself touch him. "I also... I thought of coming to you. Briefly. But I hurt you, Jace, and I didn't deserve your help. It's not that I didn't think you'd give it, but I didn't want to ask. It wasn't my place. I hurt you, I left you for some piece of scum. To ask your aid would have been an honor I didn't feel was mine to take." Stormwing sighed, and looked at her knees. There was more, but she was finding it hard to say. Perhaps because she'd never felt so emotional, so raw, so taken by surprise. "I've missed you. Zeris was shit compared to you. He wanted all the wrong things from me. He never treated me like you did. Hell, I can't recall him ever having opened a door for me." Her voice was sad, though not to the point of breaking. Her eyes were watery, but not to the point of real tears. "All professional veneers aside, I don't feel like I even deserve your forgiveness. How can you be so wonderful, Jace? You'd die for me, but better than that, you understand me and love me unconditionally." Still, she wasn't to the point of crying. She was moreso on the edge of breathlessness, as if Javelin really did inspire a striking sense of awe in the banded thill. "I'm grateful to you. And honored. I still love you, too."
<blockquote>Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT. Everything was turning out precisely like a spy's nightmare. A creature from the "other side" was making him care. Had taken his loyalty away from his leaders. Which might be where it was supposed to be. Especially now that the world had all gone to hell in a handbasket. Or so it seemed to him, anyway. It wasn't that he necessarily disliked Koani, he just didn't like her like had Zamfir. He missed the old Graders and, in many ways, hated Wing's friend Kakos just for destroying that. His heart felt like it had been cut into a million pieces as she mentioned Zeris. That bastard... he wanted to stab the guy, now, knowing that he hadn't treated her right made his fists clench harshly. And the tears came. They wanted to come, anyway, but he shoved them back. No. That he would not do, no matter how much he loved her, no matter how much it helped and hurt to have this fixed up. He wouldn't let her know that he had missed her more than life itself. That he would have given up absolutely everything to have her back. A strand of hair fell across his eye, but he ignored it. Looked through it at Winger and wondered. Wondered if she wanted him. If she would let herself sit by and be a bystander in his life, if that was the way he wanted it. It was the way he had lived since she hooked up with Zeris. On the sidelines, occasionally checking up, because he couldn't do it constantly or he would go crazy. "It's... good to know that you do, Wing, it really is. I've missed... having you there, y'know?" He smiled, teeth gleaming faintly as he tipped his head very slightly to the side. "Though I do have the little problem of loyalties. I think that our country's in mighty trouble with Koani in the lead... I don't think that there is someone better right now, though. Which scares me." All of his fears, tumbling out to pool at their feet like rain at a parade.
As the conversation took a more political turn, Stormwing was able to catch her breath and swallow her tears. She couldn't help but smile now, the hard part being over. She listened as he mentioned the political weather forecast, and his opinion of Koani was mildly surprising. Storm shifted in her seat, then leaned forward, now retrieving the glass of Kool-Aid she'd deserted before. She lifted it to her lips and took a drink of the sanguine liquid, before holding her chilled glass in one alabaster hand and turning to gaze at her counterpart. "I think you already know this, but I'm not a fan of Koani's. Maybe she'd be a good leader, if she had any sense of what's fair, and of how to treat those that are beneath her. It's a good thing I'm on an even playing field with her now. She can't do shit to me anymore. She'd risk being impeached or something. Not to mention, her charges against both Kakos and I are null. Double jeopardy, you know. She got screwed over. But only sort of. She's still in the lead, still bossin' everybody else around." Winger sighed at this, and pinched her eyes shut. She kneaded them with her free hand, and then blinked to clear her gaze. Once more, she was looking at Jace. At his ruffled hair, his handsome features, and that scintillating tongue stud. "I've missed having you by my side, boy," she piped up, getting back towards the 'us' track of the conversation. She'd wanted to leap over onto him and perhaps sit in his lap, but wouldn't a change of pace be nice? Stormwing grinned at him, then scooched all the way to one side of her chair, patting the remainder of the cushion. "So come and sit where you belong, okay?" There was a double meaning in her words, and though she was trying to be light-hearted about it, this really was the deciding moment.
<blockquote>Of course he knew that it was kind of odd to bring up Koani like that right now, in the middle of a more pleasant conversation... but he could hardly help it. He sort of wanted it out of the way. The air clear, so to speak, though it wasn't as if there had been fog before. Okay, there had been. She had probably thought he liked the Grader just because she was that, a Grader. But he didn't. And he wasn't sure what to do about it. That was the sort of thing he had to mostly sort out himself, though. Without Winger or anyone else. He nodded at her words and sipped his Kool-Aid, companionably. There was much to think about regarding Miss Grader's control of the world, but for now, he was content to let things be. To just breathe and allow the political world to pass him by. There was a bit of ticking time that warned him he would have to make a decision eventually, but for now, he was just a teen hanging out with another teen. Two teens. Who happened to be attracted to one another. She invited him to sit next to her. There was an endearing clip to her voice that made him feel... something. His heartbeat sped up, certainly. Jace stood up and walked carefully over toward her, easily holding his glass aloft as he sat on the couch next to the thill. Looking at her with a gentle, at ease smile that was all for her. It seemed... weird, sitting next to her. And yet good. It wasn't something that screamed "we're together!" but he didn't want it to. Slow was good.
As Jace joined her on the seat, Stormwing angled herself so that she was facing him, her legs curling beneath her. She couldn't resist reaching out a white hand to playfully tousle his hair, and then tweak his nose. The female then let her head fall to the side and rest on the cushion, as she gazed at him. She'd thought he was going to come here and talk her ear off about politics, and how bad her choices were. Instead, he seemed to see it her way, and he didn't want to talk too much about the current political agenda. He seemed more interested in just chatting with her, and that was good, because she was interested in the same thing. "So, where have you been since the last time we really saw each other, and talked? What have you been doing? No girls, right?" She winked at this. "I hope you've been well, and that your life has been less of a roller coaster than mine."
<blockquote>Jace leaned back pleasantly, quite content in his position. In fact, it was one of those moments that he could just cocoon himself in, letting himself live there forever. Like the first night they met. That had been a moment like this. And maybe the reconnection was better, because they had both been cut, both learned, and now they were taking things one moment at a time. She was less vulnerable, now, more aware of how intelligent she was and it was beautiful. He grinned playfully as she messed with his hair. Without really thinking, he returned the gesture by tapping one of his feet against hers and sticking out his tongue teasingly. "All over the bloody place. There's been a lot of... happenings since then, y'know, so the spying business has been everywhere at once. No girls, no. None could..." He let the sentence hang, she would know what he was saying. "Eh, it's been alright. Can't complain. How's life been for you? 'sides the most recent things, that is."
As she looked at him, her gaze unwavering as his lips moved and he spoke, Stormwing fell deep into an abyss of thought. He was beautiful, inside and out, and she loved him. She wondered, though, if she was good for him, and vice versa. Obviously, their stations in life clashed terribly, and being friends, much less anything else, would be a trial. He'd answered her unspoken question - he'd sat next to her, where she'd said he "belonged." But for the first time since laying eyes on him earlier, she did wonder. Perhaps they'd be better off as friends or something, she said to herself, though the thought pained her. She supposed they would find out. Slow was good, whether it meant friends or becoming more than that... "Work's been keeping you busy, huh? The political climate is surely changing, and I'm sure all the spies are bustling about. When I met you, I was a spy, as well. Things have changed quite a bit, huh?" Storm smiled, then stood. She just felt the sudden need to be on her feet, perhaps in order to pace, and gesticulate. "My trades changed a short while after we broke it off.... er, I broke it off. I enlisted in the USR, and had my own ship for a while. I went to a convention, where a monster erupted from the lake and completely ruined my craft. Then, well, all this recent crap took place, and, of course, I was asked to leave the USR. More like shoved out, but okay. I retain my Master rank in sharpshooting, and I've taken up a new trade. Leadership." She was walking back and forth in front of him, engrossed in her words. She waved her hands a bit, and smiled down at the Valimos male. "I don't remember how much I told you of Shadowlack. I've reformed it again and again. Once more, it's going to undergo a revamp. Maybe, this time, I can get it to grow. I want it to be a force to be dealt with. Koani can't touch either Kakos and I, and I know that little fact should draw the attention of those whom believed, and still believe, in our cause."
