This is getting to be a habit. [rp for lapsedsaint]

[aesthetic_mojo]

As promised, Charlie had a yo-yo delivered to the New York offices of the Department of Justice. She had it hand delivered, open, with clear indicators who it was for and from. Hopefully that would get it through any bomb detection fairly quickly. The rest of that day was spent furniture shopping. She spent a small fortune for very few pieces she would have to wait longer than she liked for.

Her last stop was to replace what they'd drunk and get another bottle of something wonderful. If he didn't come, they would last forever. If he didn't come, the universe would make much more sense than it did at the moment. Still, when he didn't come the first night, she worried. Not so much that he was blowing her off, but that his headache was a thing of real concern.

There was nothing in her schedule to keep her from being home in the evenings, so she settled into a pattern. As the sun headed for the horizon, she changed into loose clothes, made herself a pot of tea, and sat one of two folding chairs on the patio. The kittens played at her feet until the sun went down completely. With all the things to mull over, her mind went most often to the necklace sitting on the kitchen counter. In its way, it was easier to think about that than of the man who might or might not show up at her door.

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[lapsedsaint]

It was three days before he finally got up the right combination of free time, will power, hunger, and a break in his headache to go over to her place. Not that he really had any idea what to expect. He picked up Indian food, having enough forethought to accept the offered plates and flatware.

It was a little after eight when he arrived at her place. He pressed the buzzer to be let up, then leaned against the wall to wait. While he did, he alternately wiped his hands on his slack, trying to remove a layer of nervous sweat.

[aesthetic_mojo]

She jumped when the buzzer went off, enough to startle Vivianne off her lap. Taking her time to catch her breath, she pressed the lock release from where she was. No reason to go to him, he'd find her. She didn't question her certainty that it was John at the door.

Both kittens went for the door, Vivianne running, Aleister teleporting.

[lapsedsaint]

He made it up to her apartment and knocked before opening the door. Everything looked the way it had when he'd left the other night. Which means he had really been there, they really had done the things he remembered. And he really was back.

The kittens greeting him made him smile as he called out. "Charlie? I brought Indian."

[aesthetic_mojo]

Viv went back and forth between John's feet, rubbing against his ankles. Al took the shortcut and popped right onto John's shoulder. Charlie swallowed hard. She had no idea what she was going to say to him beyond 'hello.'

Standing slowly, she walked back into the apartment. "Indian is wonderful. I developed a real taste for it in London." She looked him over, well aware her disbelief had to be obvious.

[lapsedsaint]

He didn't hear her words. He was too busy staring in disbelief at the cat on his shoulder. He canted his head and swallowed hard, then reached up to pet the kitten, fully expecting him to turn out to be a figment of his imagination.

[aesthetic_mojo]

She bit her lip to keep from laughing at him. "Aleister, you know better." She shook her head as the kitten rubbed hard against John's hand. "He's hoping you'll drop the food. That's why his sister is staying so close to your feet."

She came forward and took the food from him. "He does that to tell me their food dish is empty, too."

[lapsedsaint]

He lte go of the food and reached both hands up to rescue himself from the kitten. He pet the beast for a moment, then set him on the floor and slowly stepped away from them.

"Charlie... your cat teleports."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She gave up and started laughing. "Don't all cats do that?" Before opening the bags, she set out a small plate with food for the cats, hoping it would distract them. "Yes, my cat teleports. They both do. Little trick they picked up from their mother."

[lapsedsaint]

"Cats don't teleport..." He shook his head, then decided to just drop it. It was going to make his head hurt, he just knew it. And he wanted to get through the evening with as few whimpers of pain as possible.

[aesthetic_mojo]

She came up close to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "I've never met any other cats who do this. I have no idea how they do it or why. In all other ways they are perfectly normal kittens." She kissed him very lightly. "I promise."

She stepped back and went to work getting the food plated. "Pour us both a drink? Then go ahead and sit, I'll bring the food." The bottles and cups were on the end of the counter, not far from the necklace.

[lapsedsaint]

He nodded at the kiss, then did as she asked and went for the drinks. He poured them each one, then reached out to touch the necklace. "Where'd this come from?"

[aesthetic_mojo]

She glanced over at it. "Now that, that might bite." She sighed. "Just kidding. It's a birthday gift from my father." The large peridot pendent had a rune carved into it. "It's his way of saying all's forgiven. Or something."

She came around the counter with two loaded plates. "I'm wondering what charity to give it to. I want to find just the right thing."

[lapsedsaint]

He gathered up the cups and followed her to the living room. After he'd set the cups down, he went back for the bottle before sitting down next to her on the futon.

"What does it mean?"

[aesthetic_mojo]

She waited until she had a drink in her hand before answering. "It means 'day.'" She glanced over at the necklace. "What it really means is I've had my day in the sun and it's time to come home and do my duty."

She shrugged. "You can probably guess my reaction to that."

[lapsedsaint]

He let a smile creep across his lips. "Hell no?" He took a sip, then rubbed his hand against his thigh again before setting the cup down.

"If we are going to keep doing this, you need to get some dishes."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She snorted. "Hell no would be the bowdlerized version, but yes, that's about it."

She held up her plastic fork, carefully considering it. "I was looking at some lovely antique silver yesterday. Art Deco--" She turned to stare at him for a long moment. Finally she put the fork down and looked down. "That raises an interesting question."

[lapsedsaint]

He nodded slowly, his food still untouched, his plate in his lap. "I suppose it does, yes." He licked his lips and reached for his cup. "What?"

[aesthetic_mojo]

She almost pushed him, turning it back to him to guess what question she meant. Only she'd brought it up and she didn't want to fight with him. "The question of if and under what conditions you will be coming back to my apartment." She started eating as though the question was perfectly natural and not the least bit loaded, right down to a soft moan of pleasure at a piece of lamb.

[lapsedsaint]

He leaned forward and set his place on the coffee table after a quick kitten check. He held onto his drink and glanced over at her before sipping it. "Well, since it's your apartment, shouldn't you be dictating those terms?"

[aesthetic_mojo]

She took another few bites, then shrugged. "My apartment means I say if you come in. I'm still baffled why you've come over in the first place. Pleased, but baffled." She picked up her drink and sipped it, not really wanting much at all. "When we aren't snapping at each other, I enjoy your conversation. I find you physically pleasing in appearance and action. So long as your work doesn't involve me, I see no real reason that you wouldn't be welcome here."

[lapsedsaint]

His eyebrow creeped up as she spoke. When she finished, he rubbed his forehead, then looked into his cup. "Suddenly, I feel like a bull brought to stud." He knocked the rest of his drink back, then set it down and turned to face her on the futon.

He chose his words very carefully. "I told you that you were not on my superiors' radar. I have no intention of pulling you there. That is not my job. If you've gone unnoticed this long, you must be going something right." He reached out and lightly touched her hair. "I have no idea what all of this means. I had successfully avoided temptation for twenty years, until the last time I was here. I have no idea what I'm to make of that."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She thought she'd offended him until he touched her. Leaning into his hand, she smiled faintly. "I was going for precision. I'm sorry if it lacked any passion." She turned and kissed his hand. "I'm so glad I didn't know how long it had been until we were well underway. I'd have panicked."

She took a deep breath and pulled back some. "I don't know what to make of it, either. It wasn't my intention when I invited you. Not at all." She looked down. "I meant to harass you about it, not end up seducing you."

[lapsedsaint]

"And yet, that is exactly what you did." He let his hand fall to the mattress between them, then turned back to pick up his food. He took a few bites, then sighed softly and set his food down again.

"If you don't want me to come around anymore, I won't. But if you do, I need to know why. To what end?"

[aesthetic_mojo]

"Oh, for the love of God, eat. You're making me nuts." She shifted back and tucked her legs under her, her plate going on the table. "I do want you here, but I'm not sure to what end. No more than you are about why you'd come, I'm guessing."

She closed her eyes for a moment, looking for words. "I like the way I have to think carefully around you. I like the way it feels to touch you."

[lapsedsaint]

He picked his food back up and concentrated on eating for a few minutes. She was right, of course. And he would probably think better once the food was gone. He did, however, scoot a little closer to her.