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Lowering the glass, she peered over to him, giving a stark dry glare. For a moment, dark humor arose out of the moment of gloom, smirking in self thought about his prodding of the buried past.
"...I am unsure as to why you are so interested in gathering information on a dead man. Will it matter now? Perhaps not, time has moved on. I was not personally there for his downfall, but I would like to believe his heart was still in the right place, even if his mind may not have been."
The dead have many things to tell us if we listen. This is a fact I suspect you and many archeologists have discovered. But you have humored me enough regarding that particular phase of your life. For now at least, he could write a library on her and he wouldn't be surprised if there were volumes on her already, criminal organizations, intelligence and military groups, Governments and trading factions. She was dangerous enough to have all of them pining for her attentions, how many would be willing to admit it? He smiled at the thought, none would be the obvious answer. Still, he had to remind himself of the fact that he sitting here with her was not a victory.
By this point his conclusions on the woman were many, but with a larger margin of error than he would have liked. Brilliant but damaged, loyal to her ideals above all else and possessed of incredible will. Indeed, her mind would break long before her will did. A colder feeling gripped his insides as a small memory made itself known, this was the woman he once had a crush on and thanks to bloody Alfred she knew about it. You know. One day, I would quite like to enjoy a sunset with someone special and not have to worry about tomorrow. Some people really are blessed by a degree of ignorance aren't they?
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A smirk peered, satisfied at his answer. Despite the curiosity, she held some mild disbelief internally about his intentions. What was he up to? She pondered within. Yet an element of apathy remained. She could only smile at him, still humored about his prodding into the sensitive past.
"Planning to write a biography on me, hm?" She jested darkly, the smirk being retained.
A moment to break the internalised humor, another embrace of the wine from the glass was held, sipping elegantly as she took the time to assess what he just spoke of. What could he mean by that? Perhaps he had some internal hope of amending personal relations.
"Mm... Ignorance, or understanding that the burden of life itself is not upon them? All will continue without you. But alas, you can be a driving force for change, be it good or bad... "
Lowering her glass after another brief sip, a warm smile emerged almost teasingly as she leaned forward slightly to lower her tone in discretion to test him. Perhaps entertained by Rogue philosophy she was previously enlightened to - testing him about the delights of merriment. Pondering how he'll respond to it, she analysed him directly in the eyes - locking for a brief moment,
"...Why worry about tomorrow, when the day is not yet over...?"
He raised an eyebrow, of all the possible responses that was the last one he anticipated. He took a drink to buy some time while he considered for a moment his response. Was that...dare he consider it...an invitation of sorts? He met her gaze, a shadow of a smile forming on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, he replied in a hushed voice mirroring her own. Are you asking to be spirited away before it is?
Of course, there would be hell to pay if he was wrong in assuming what he was thinking about, it wouldn't be much better if he was right either but he couldn't help it. Why not ask questions? Why not indulge in a moment of teasing? For all he knew she was simply playing a game, why not play along and see how it goes?
He took another sip of his glass, his eyes a little more attentive to her movements, a little more attentive to her breathing, a little more attentive to her eyes. If this was a game, it certainly wasn't one he was used to playing.
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Her palm slipped up to her left cheek, leaning on it as her elbow supported itself on the arm of the chair, slinking back into the seat with the wine glass in other hand. A certain fold in the corner of the lip ensued for a brief moment, almost smirking. Staring at him with an ambiguous intent, picking up on what he is putting down, the internal humor only increased ten fold within her. Yet there was a distant thought, how easy it would be to grant his wish, only to give him an easy way out of life. He was still the enemy - and he still has it on mind, but to do such would be unbecoming on her part. There was still a job to do, even if he was an enemy - who clearly had interests in undermining her work. Killing him in his sleep would be only a detriment to them both, and to the sector entirely. And, naturally, the damage to her word of honor. But he had no idea of the precedence of the meeting, or whether she would keep to her promises.
"You invited me to a drink in your home. Are you asking?" She murmured, still leaning on the compressed cheek. Still, tormenting him was highly entertaining to her, yet there were some curiosity. Was he truly a man to allow himself to such compromise? Or that they were both playing a game of mockery? In the end, there was still entertainment, no matter the outcome. In the end, she continued to gaze into him, frozen in posture.
Scenarios raced through his mind, some of passion, others of a more bloody nature, he watched her gaze into him and in return he drank in her dark elven features. The veil of possibly was so thin he could step across with but a thought, how easy it would be to simply throw caution to the wind and follow his desires into whatever rabbit hole awaited. So tempting to allow himself a moment of passion, a short fleeting joy he longed to feel once more. He didn't care if he was being played, it didn't matter that she was what she was.
He was so close to it, so ready to surrender his mind and body, perhaps even his soul, yet something stopped him. An impossibly small voice cried out from inside him, raging against his wishes and illusions of fantasy. This strange, elusive creature sitting across from him was a predator, she was perfectly calm, so calm it was almost out of place. Did she know what she was doing herself? Was she as tempted as he was? Pulling back from the brink if only for a moment he smiled at her. A warm and broad smile that reflected his own thoughts in ways words could not.
My darling Sapphire he said softly, still beaming at her with open honesty, his heart missing a beat as a light wind kissed her hair causing it to flutter ever so gently My dreams could never come close to the reality. They all pale in comparison. And so, this...must not be real. His dreams had never manifested the way that he wanted or expected, why should this be any different? Either she had somehow realized her true feelings somehow, or it was a lie. Still, hope sprang eternal, but now tempered by reality.
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There was silence. The unassuming gaze that fixated onto him for a few minutes, truly testing him. Still retaining the frozen composure, her cheek squished upwards from leaning on it. The disbelief retained, but yet - there was some mild shock. Albert really was telling the truth. His posture has it written all over him.
"...Oh? Just a dream, hm? Or are you afraid of consequences, mm...?"
Her brow raised inquisitively, pondering his reaction, and if this could be played into the long game in the future. It wasn't her first experience of trailing individuals on. But, yet, she pondered, why she would do that? Would it be betrayal to her own ideology? Or would it be an exploration of the potentials of chaos applied?
The thoughts of exploring his own loyalty to the Crown came to mind, pondering what it'll take for him to turn. When would they eventually betray him, she considered. Was he a bad person? Possibly. The life of an operative is a dirty one, and it was not forgotten that he has no remorse in inflicting harm to her and genocide to her people. But, like his desires, it may be just a dream, to corrupt such a fiercely loyal man. But a very distant possibility. The future was never certain. And chaos never abided to the rules.
He leaned in closer now, his voice loosing none of its' playfulness and curiosity his mind still running loops around itself attempting to paint a picture of what ought to be and what is. Never afraid my dear, never afraid perhaps he ought to be, yet he was having far too much fun. The object of his desires playing along, the subtle signs of corruption, the obligations he had to others being put on hold, the growing interest that was what she wanted. All of it interested him, how could two polar opposites, two sworn enemies end up here? Mutual attraction? Respect? it certainly wasn't love.
Yet you have not answered my question he said with a playful smirk before leaning closer, gazing into her eyes and whispering what is it you want?
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The entertainment continued, playing on the theoretical.
"Not afraid of committing grevious sin, hm? How appalled the Crown would be if they found out..."
A light chuckle emerged, teasing him further, she slowly right the glass in her other hand, eyeing him lean closer, yet there was an echo of self preservation trying to ring bells - a stranger being close.
"And you have yet to answer mine, hm? Are we truly here to explore that alien site? Or are we exploring something... else, mm?"
A small sip was taken from the glass, her palm released from her cheek, sliding down to the arm of the chair, still analysing the Director.
The smile widened, The Crown isn't here. He leant back a little, still close enough to touch but far enough away that she would see it coming. Her question gave him pause, what were they exploring? Each others minds? Intentions? Limits? All of them? He was sure that neither had the upper hand, but perhaps that was how a fly felt just before being ensnared in the web.
Are we not exploring one another right now? he asked, cocking his head to one side How much farther do you want to look?