So, it's official: they killed a vampire. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't easy, and at least one of them is extremely tired. Her fatigue is caused by a mixture of things including but not limited to stress, fear, sedatives and hunger. She's not had any real food in days and poor 'vampire' Rose likely won't for a few days more.
Her hero, her knight in shining armor, is bringing her back to his place. This is a very good thing, all things considered. To go back to her apartment would mean death, most assuredly. Rose is actually freezing at this point as her outfit is not exactly winter appropriate. Despite the cold she says nothing. After all, aren't vampires supposed to get used to this sort of thing? At least in wearing the clothes that she is, Ivan may be able to see the tattoo on her shoulder if he looks. There's a difference between the twins!
—
The car ride home is silent, a silence borne from general exhaustion and a very mild, sedated sort of panic. But, eventually they reach his downtown flat. And eventually, Rose is led by the hand into the building that she has been in once before, during a time that seems to have happened ages ago.
After rustling with the keys, Ivan pushes his front door open and ushers the woman inside, a long, weary sigh escaping his lips. And as he shrugs off his jacket, throwing it the the floor without a second thought, the man looks over to Rose in silent thought. "You don't look that well." He gruffs, clenching his jaw tightly. "And you're cold…I'll get you warm clothing, Rose. Something to eat, too. Are you…are you alright?"
—
The silence is expected. She's a monster now, after all. How could he even begin to care for her? She'd allow the silence to continue much longer if he didn't actually speak first. It's the least that she can do, after all.
Rose is ushered in but she doesn't go much farther. It isn't that she doesn't trust him, but she does have so much to worry about. "I'm hungry," she finally says as she looks away from him. That should explain part of why she looks so bad. "It's been a long week." Yes, week. The poor woman has completely lost track of how much time she's actually been gone.
"Don't worry about it." Any of it. "I'll be fine. It'll get easier." She's looking extremely uncomfortable but this is a unique situation. Rose does slip out of her heels, however, giving her feet some reprieve. "You should sleep. You're tired."
—
How can he? Like this. Ivan looks uncertain and concerned as he fixes his attention on the woman in his apartment - particularly as he takes in her apparent reluctance to accept any of the conveniences to make her life easier. "What's it? C'mere, Rose…" With this murmured, he moves forward, showing no hesitation in the fairly intimate way his arm loops around her waist, drawing her towards him and, ultimately, towards the kitchen. "I don't know what I have here, exactly. I usually eat out. I can…make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich though? Or cereal, how would you like cereal? Once that's set up, I'll grab the change of clothes and…hey. I never knew you had a tattoo."
—
This is exactly why she needs to be the strong one here. A plan is already beginning to form in that unstable mind of hers. For now, Rose goes where Ivan directs, not pulling away from his touch. It's actually comforting, especially against her cold form. "I don't really need any of those anymore." There's going to be more but she realizes that he's just not going to listen to her. Not now, at least. Her tongue runs along her teeth, those new teeth, as she stops and considers the situation. "Whatever is fine. Really, don't worry about me."
Rose suspiciously moves away from him when he mentions her tattoo. She stands in a way that he possibly may not see it. "It got me in trouble." In this moment she looks just like the sweet, innocent girl who escaped from Green Oaks. The raging beast inside of her seems to be well hidden. "I don't remember getting it, or why it was so important that I did, but I do know what it means."
—
"Yeah, you do," Ivan argues, a frown placed on his features. "You're not a vampire, Rose. You still need to eat and sleep and…" But, how can he prove it to her? How? "Huh. What's it mean?" As he contemplates this, the man proceeds to rummage through his fridge, assembling the ingredients to the sandwich and slapping a quick one together. It's only once this is done that he is struck by sudden inspiration. He takes the food with him, although it is put down on the table right beside her before he steps forward, entering into the girl's personal bubble and standing right before her. Then, almost shyly, he reaches for her hand, looking to lift it and place hers upon his chest. Right over his heart. "Hey…what d'you feel? When I do this…"
—
This conversation honestly isn't going to get her anywhere. It's best if she just sticks with her plan. The change in conversation is actually welcome at this point. "It's supposed to mean 'sisterly love'." That could explain why she felt it was important to get, but such memories have been stolen from her by this most recent treatment. "Hope doesn't like it. I don't think she's even seen it." Grump.
Those dark eyes look up to him as he steps so close, seeking his out immediately. She's come such a long way to be able not only to trust him as such but to appreciate being so close. Her hand will still be cold to the touch due to her being without proper clothing for at least two days. Rose's first response is to blush as her gaze falls down to where her hand rests. "Life." She means his heart beat, of course.
—
"You can feel it, right?" Ivan's voice is barely above a whisper, and the intensity in his gaze is near paralyzing. Green eyes have fixed themselves unrelentingly upon hers, and he's so solemn, so serious that he's barely even blinking. "My pulse. The blood pumping in my veins?" Slowly, his fingers brush over the back of her hand, eventually settling themselves in between the spaces between her fingers. "That's how…it's a sign. That I'm living, of course. You know this. Now…I want you to focus. I want you to pay attention when I do this…" Using the leverage that hand has, he attempts to direct her own limb to her chest. "Stop and listen. Feel it. Feel it, and tell me what you feel."
—
It's hard for her to look up at him due to that very gaze. Normally it might be enough to melt her. For now, however, she can't become too attached. Rose nibbles on her lower lip out of habit, one of her fangs revealing itself. "Of course I feel it. I've always felt it." In even the simplest of ways she's felt it before.
There is a minor amount of resistance to his attempt to move her hand. It was so very comfortable where it was, after all. Yet Rose allows him to do as he'd like. It's all because of that intense gaze that she's having such issues looking into. The woman's heartbeat will be nowhere as strong as his due to her current state of health. Still, Rose closes her eyes and focuses, allowing herself to feel just about anything. "I feel life." She feels his life, she's convinced. Her words are chosen specifically so as to not start an argument.
—
"Rose…you're a person. Just like me. You're living, and you're here, and you see this, right? Yeah?" Ivan will learn not to make assumptions around Rose some day. He will learn to spell out EVERYTHING and make sure that she comprehends. For now, he seems to have fallen for her little ploy. He is convinced that he has succeeded, that she knows she's not a creature of the night. This is the only reason why he'll allow the issue to fall away in the manner that he does. "Jesus…you're freezing. Alright. Eat, and I'll be right back, okay? I'm just going to duck away and…" But, trailing off, he allows himself to do something he has managed only sparsely this night. He allows his lips to curl upwards in a tiny, weary smile. "…And, god. I missed you, you know? Don't do that again. No more disappearing." And the man is gone, disappeared into his own bedroom in order to conjure up some alternative clothing for her.
—
He's convinced himself so well that she doesn't even have to say that she understands. Rose knows full well that she understands; it's everyone else that doesn't get it. Despite the situation she can't help but smile, if only for his smile. He really has a right to be cocky, if she's to believe what she's been told. "I'm okay," she continues to insist. Rose honestly is stronger than most give her credit for.
When Ivan disappears, she, too, nearly does. The only thing keeping Rose from walking right out of the door is the sandwich that was made for her. The poor woman is so hungry that she grabs the food and nearly inhales it whole. Chewing is difficult for her at first until she adjusts to her new teeth. Leaving is for the best but she figures he'd just follow her if she did right now. He has to sleep at some point, and that's when she'll make her move.
—
Ivan does not take exceptionally long. After the woman has settled down to munch away, a shuffling can be heard behind closed doors, up until the moment Ivan reemerges with a bundle of clothing in his hand of thick, comfortable, grey cotton sweats and a very familiar shirt - the one she had been given the first time she came by. Ivan approaches Rose, before offering the faintest of laughs as he spies her practically inhaling the food. "Heh. Y'want another? I figure you must be tired, being held hostage can't have been easy on you. You can, you know. Sleep in my room. I'll take the couch." Tomorrow, she will be grilled. There is information that Ivan will require, he will need to know what exactly she's been through, but the lad is quite sensitive to the fact that the experience must have been traumatic, especially seeing how fragile she already is.
Never would he have guessed that she would be already plotting her escape from him.
—
"No, thank you." This is of course said once she's finished her sandwich. As hungry as she is, it's been so long since she's actually eaten real food that too much likely will make her sick. "I don't think I could eat anything else." She can, but she does not want to waste time at all. Rose stands with the change of clothing in her hand and blinks at him. Poor Ivan, he really needs to remember that when Rose is not with it she is really not with it.
"No. It's your bed. You should sleep there." Him being in the bed as opposed to the couch will make flight easier, after all. Rose begins to slip out of the top of this new outfit of hers, not even considering how uncomfortable he may be. Guys are supposed to like this sort of thing, after all, and she's wearing undergarments. "I can sleep anywhere."
—
"Alright," Ivan offers kindly, accepting her refusal. After all, he's assuming that they've reached the point in their relationship that she'd be able to vocalize what her needs and desires are. So he takes her comments at face value, nodding and leaning up casually against the counter. "What? No - no, I insist, Rose. I'm not going to send you to my couch - no way." Beat. "If you're worried about it's cleanliness, don't I can change the sheets for you, and I swear nothing unsavory goes on in…"
She is undressing. Rose is taking off her clothes, and Ivan's eyes are wide, fixed upon her person. Green eyes travel almost hungrily over the newly exposed swatches of skin, leaving the young man quite, quite distracted. He is a warm-blooded male in his prime, with perhaps more interest in Rose than is advisable - so can he really be blamed? Really? "Uh…" Very belatedly, his brain registers exactly what is happening. And with an uncharacteristic flush, the man casts his gaze away stubbornly, brows furrowed. He's not a pervert, really! "Sorry!"
At least not one out in the open like that.
—
Blink. Well, now, that's a rather unexpected response. Curious, Rose tilts her head as she watches him. "What are you sorry about?" She isn't a child, after all, and knows well enough to leave the room to change if she's uncomfortable. Then again, some of her current states have given her more courage than she should have. The shirt is slipped on before the rest of the dress is allowed to fall to the floor. For now she forgets about the pants that he offered her. "Ivan, what's wrong?" Yes, Rose is standing in front of him, trying to get his attention.
—
"For, you know, watchin'…you know what, nevermind." Twenty-six years has taught him a thing or two - and on the forefront of these life lessons is this gem: don't make a big deal out of something that everyone else seems to not notice. Awkwardly, Ivan purses his lips and lifts an arm of his to rub at the nape of his neck in that familiar manner - his own version of a nervous tick. "Ah, nothing's wrong, Rose. Really. Nothing's wrong at all." But, he's avoiding looking into her eyes. The image of her in the provocative poses have been ingrained into his eyelids - he will need a moment before he can return to normal about her.
—
Men are such silly creatures. Even as he explains why he's sorry, she just doesn't get it. Then again, Rose has been on sports teams in the past. Women change in front of each other, even into bathing suits, so why can't she change in front of him? He's Ivan, not some stranger. There are good reasons for him to look away but Rose can't help but prevent him from doing so. She moves to try and get into his line of sight before sighing. It's time to make this plan work, she realizes, so she does what he may not expect: she wraps her arms around him. True, she may be wearing little more than his tee shirt but she doesn't care. "Good. It would be bad if there was something wrong, wouldn't it?"
—
Unexpected is right. Ivan is positively taken aback by the boldness of Rose's actions, and his heart practically skips. If only for a moment. After breathing out faintly, his eyes end up closing and he winds his arms around her person. This should not be what happens. She has just gone through an ordeal. She needs to be resting. He needs to be…
But Ivan cannot help it. Dipping his head lower, he practically buries his head into the crook of her neck and her windswept hair, inhaling her scent deeply. Oh - her plan is working beautifully. "I'm sorry all this shit keeps happening to you, Rose. If I could…I'd take it all away."
—
Odd creatures indeed but at least she can easily predict them. This isn't exactly true. Rose has no idea what all is running through Ivan's mind. What she does have is a knowledge of her actions. Her captors may have messed with her mind but aside from the vampire trick they have actually sharpened it.
When he moves even that bit closer, Rose tightens her hold on him if even for a moment. A quick squeeze to let him know that she is there, all there, or as much as she can be. "If it went away then where would I be?" She does have a habit of finding him tragedy, after all. The young woman attempts to place her lips against his cheek for a quick, soft kiss. "You've saved me twice now. I like where I'm at."
—
Ivan is held closer, tighter to the woman, and without hesitation. And then, once the kiss has been delivered, his eyes finally return to her face, intent on meeting her gaze. And as he stares at her, it's fairly easy to see that this is another one of those key moments, during which rash, snap decisions are being made. For the briefest moment, it looks as though he's going to lean forward, to completely eliminate the already unsubstantial distance between them - but he ends up leaning backwards, pulling away just slightly.
"Yeah? Well…it'll get better now. I swear, it'll all get better. I…eh. C'mon. C'mon, let's get you to bed, alright? Tomorrow - tomorrow everything will be better."
—
Denied. It's almost a slap in the face to the young woman who is still new at knowing how to react to things, to men. She can't help but stare at him in that instant. Her plan doesn't really call for a need for this to go any further, but there's that small feeling of self doubt when it comes to the issue. Ivan won't find her smiling, not in the least bit, but Rose does eventually nod. "Stay with me?" The request is made so softly, so innocently. Where she sleeps at this point relies only on Ivan. If he'll share his bed then she will join him, but if not she will take the couch. No matter what decision is made, when he wakes he will find his clothes folded neatly and placed on the couch. There will be no other sign of the 'vampire'.
—
Slowly, deliberately, the corners of Ivan's lips curve upwards, and he leans forward to barely touch his forehead against hers. "If you want…nothing'll keep me away." It's difficult, exceptionally difficult for Ivan to struggle against his nature in the hopes of being gentlemanly. But this, this is something he can work with. This is something both sides of him can appreciate. And with just the slightest, gentlest of tugs, he leads her into the bedroom.
