Fantasy Compliments and Conundrums : Private for Tarmagon and readysetstalk

[Tarmagon]

"Well," Ryan said thoughtfully, "I never put a lot of thought into that. Let's see..."

Ryan sat silently for nearly a minute, obviously considering Grace's question, then he nodded sharply.

"I'd say it's about a fifty-fifty chance with one Alpha parent, seventy five with two, and maybe twenty percent chance to develop Alpha characteristics without an Alpha in your line somewhere. Thing is, even when we mate, were's aren't really all that, fruitful. A couple might have two or three over their lives, and we live a lot longer than regular humans. Once we hit our twenties, our aging process basically goes on hold until we hit our eighties, then it picks back up again. Makes things a little difficult when it comes to ID's and social security, but we get by."

Ryan paused again, taking the time to cut off a generous, but not excessive, bite of his own steak. A little over-done for his taste, but perfectly edible. His metabolism could make shoe leather seem tasty in a pinch, and he proceeded to demolish half of his first steak before he resumed his narrative.

"My dad was the Alpha of a small Pack in South Carolina," Ryan said. "My mom was obviously his mate, and she had the Alpha trait too. Guess that's why I turned out like I did. He ran a successful construction company, and mom was a CPA, so she kept the books for several of the town's businesses. I had a pretty normal childhood, spoiled a bit, but raised to understand that being an Alpha was a duty, not a privilege. I was taught never to start a fight, but to damned well finish it. I had to learn early to hide my enhanced abilities, since we lived as part of a community that wasn't as, accepting, as Half-Moon Falls. When I hit twenty, things started to get a little tense, since my dad was Alpha and I had started displaying Alpha traits. I talked it over with a few other young wolves, and we checked with the Council to see where there was an unclaimed area. We found one to our liking, took our seed money that the Pack provided, and struck out on our own. We settled in North Carolina and went to work. Things were going well, and our Pack was attracting new members, at least until..."

Ryan trailed off, then shook his head firmly and attacked his steak with vengeance. After it was reduced to bare bones he looked back up and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry," he apologized. "You know about what happened that put me on the road. How was it growing up around a bunch of supernaturals?"

readysetstalk

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn happily ate her steak while she listened to Ryan talk. She was so grateful to have him opening up about his past and even about his nature. Growing up in this small town, she heard bits and pieces. But with her being so kept to herself, she didn't know much about the actual nature of any of the supernatural beings. She had a best friend in high school who was just a simple human like she was. They both were close and didn't have many friends outside of their friendship. It was definitely enlightening to hear Ryan talk about everything. And him letting her read the book was definitely helpful. Some of it may have confused her, but she'd get around to asking questions later. He was full of information, so she was careful not to ask too many questions at once.

Taking a sip of her Pepsi, she gave a small nod. "It's fine. I know you're still healing." She offered a smile. She had eaten about half of her steak, and half of the potato. She wasn't a big eater, and she knew damn well there was a pie in there she had to leave room for. "Growing up here was...different. High school had it's usual cliques, but you know, more of the supernatural variety. I had a best friend, Elizabeth, and we were both just measly humans." She gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "We were both into arts, so we bonded over that and before you knew it, we were like sisters. She moved away, though, wanting bigger things than just this small town. And I can't say I blame her. If I had the means to get out of here, I probably would have. But my dad needed me here, and so I stayed." In his later years, her father had gotten rather sick. She began working more and more at the hardware store until she was really the only one who worked there. After his passing, she couldn't just sell it and move on. There were times that she wanted to, but something always kept her right where she was.

"Talent shows were always really fun though," she laughed. "Over the years, though, I've kinda kept to myself. I don't do much for fun besides sitting at home and painting. Every once in a while I'll go to some kind of expo or something just to have fun outside of this place." She had a strange taste, most would say. Not seen by Ryan, but she had a room in her house that she often painted in. And there were quite a few wet specimens she kept as inspiration. A couple octopi, some baby kittens, etc. It wasn't a room she took people to, as it was something she kept private. Looking into that room was a lot like looking into Grace's soul. Everything that bothered her, inspired her, angered her, could be found in that room. A lot of paintings were stacked, locked up, or just laying around. Some were still waiting to be finished, and some were waiting to be shipped out to buyers from her Etsy store. Gracelynn put a lot of heart and soul into painting. It was relaxing, and grounding.

"A lot of these women in town helped raise me though. Kathy was my dad's go-to when he didn't know how to handle a teenager. And she even helped me get ready for school dances. You know, took me shopping with Dad's credit card. It's a close-knit community, really." She paused for a moment, a smile widening on her lips. "I can't even imagine the rumors that are flying tonight! I know you got that pie at the diner, so Kathy has already told most of the town that little Gracie who lives alone with a fish, is meeting up for a date with the knight in shining armor that saved her from being eaten alive by a rogue vampire." She couldn't help but laugh. Kathy was the closest Grace had ever known to a mother. It was hard telling just how many time Kathy had told her to get out there and date. And then here comes Ryan. A man who had just turned up a few weeks ago, and unbeknownst to Kathy, was practically destined to be by Grace's side. Companions. Grace could hardly believe it herself. How in the world does something like that even happen? The stars aligned, one would suppose.

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

"You're not just a 'measly human'," Ryan said a trifle fiercely, "And I'll be happy to 'reason' with anyone who thinks so. We're all human, just with a few differences in our DNA. Those differences don't make us better or worse, they just make us different."

Ryan cut himself off with a shake, and busied himself transferring the remnants of his first steak into a garbage bag and starting on his second.

"Sorry again," he said after a good quarter of his second steak had vanished. "I had to deal with a couple of wolves who thought that being able to grow fur and fangs somehow made them superior to baseline humanity. They caused a lot of trouble before they were dealt with, and the Council... Yeah. And in other news. I'm nothing like a knight in shining armor. More like a knave in rusty tin-foil just trying to do what's right. Wait... you said dances. You weren't the girl in the black chiffon and combat boots were you?"

Ryan chuckled at the look Grace gave him, taking a sip of his own drink before polishing off steak number two. After a moments thought, the remains of his second steak joined the remnants of the first in the garbage, and one of the steaks on the warming rack had made its way onto his plate. Shrugging at Grace's slightly widened eyes, he sat back down with a smile.

"Enhanced metabolism," he said. "And I had to repair lots of tissue damage, which takes protein. I should slow down to normal levels in a day or two, then I'll take you up on that breakfast, or a lunch, or even a dinner for that matter, since I'll be able to eat a normal amount. There's no need for you to wait for me to finish though. It looks like you're ready to get into the pie, and far be it for me to stand between a woman and her pie. There's ice cream in the freezer and cool whip in the fridge if you want either to go on the pie. Knives are in the drawer right under the pie, saucers are beside it."

Ryan wasn't going to feel bad in the slightest about letting Grace serve herself, she seemed a very self-assured and self-sufficient woman, and besides he was still eating. If she wanted the pie that badly, she could pay the toll.

"And just what did you do at those talent shows?" he asked. "What hidden skills lie beneath the camouflage of that ink?"

readysetstalk (Conversations almost always are shortish, sorry.)

 

[readysetstalk]

"Then I suppose you'll have to reason with me," she teased. "Because I am just a measly human. There may be differences, but your differences put you in a much more enhanced version of a human. If you hadn't shown up last night, I wouldn't be here today. And that's a fact." She was very firm on that belief. Ryan had saved her in more ways than one. She was still living and breathing, but it also opened her eyes to how quickly things can change. In just a matter of minutes, she could have been dead. There were so many things that she would have missed out on if Ryan hadn't have been there. That's a big thing. Gracelynn was aware of that now. It was impossible to tell when the end was, but she's damn glad that it hadn't been last night.

Gracelynn folded her hands in her lap, giving him a small shake of her head at his question about dances. "I'll have you know, that I wasn't always so dark and depressed looking," she laughed. "I actually wore pumps. The black dress was still worn, but I wore sparkly heels most of the time. I was a little more... bland.. pre-tattoos." At the mention of pie, however, her eyes widened and she had a sly smile on her lips. "I'll grab the pie then," she spoke, almost immediately jumping from her chair. She carried her plate inside to stash away in his fridge.

Grace walked into the RV and began her hunt. She grabbed the foil and wrapped it over her plate, then placing it in the fridge. Two paper plates were then laid out and she opened up the box of pie. The aroma immediately hit her nostrils, and her smile widened. There was just something about the pie from the diner that she couldn't get enough of. Grace cut the pie into equal slices and then plopped one on each plate. If he wanted more than one, he'd have to get it himself. Although tempted to snoop around a little through his drawers, she refrained. The curiosity in her was sometimes overwhelming. Thankfully today it wasn't. Once the pie was on the plates, she emerged from the RV and returned to the table. She placed the slightly smaller of the two next to Ryan's plate and then sat back down in her seat.

"Talents? You really think I'd get up in front of the entire school and showcase some hidden talent of mine?" She laughed. If it wasn't obvious yet, Gracelynn was far from the outgoing person in a group. Although she was kind, and carried herself with confidence, she still didn't open up to people easily. Especially if it was something she held dear to her.

"I am, however, and avid painter. So I guess there's that. I'm also ridiculously flexible." She gave a small shrug of her shoulder before she took a small bite of pie, enjoying the taste as it finally hit her tongue. "I practiced gymnastics in my room as a kid. And the flexibility just kinda stayed. My dad always asked if I wanted to take classes, but I was too shy of a kid to actually want to do that. Their little outfits are a bit revealing for my tastes." And another bite of pie was then taken.

"And what about you? Any secret talents? Other than the obvious, of course.."

Tarmagon (Perfectly fine!)

 

[Tarmagon]

"Grace," Ryan said seriously, "You may be human, but you are about as far from measly as I've ever seen. And I don't think that you're 'dark and depressing' looking. You're unique, and I imagine stunning in a dress and heels."

Ryan blushed quite suddenly, and turned his full attention to his plate as Grace excused herself to go get the pie.

"Don't let her have heard that, don't let her have heard that," he whispered to himself. "You had no business saying it, you have no business thinking about how those legs would look curved..."

Ryan cut himself off with a low growl. What in the hell was he doing thinking about Grace like that? His imagination proved rather recalcitrant however, conjuring up images of Grace in a form fitting black dress and heels, artfully done makeup. Dammit! Stop that! He wasn't some teenager, ruled by his hormones. He was an adult. He was also long celibate, and Grace was lovely, fascinating... Ryan's uncomfortable train of thought was cut off, thank the Lady, by Grace's return with two paper plate bearing slices of pie. She slid a slightly smaller slice onto Ryan's little table then settled herself with her own, larger slice.

"Talents? You really think I'd get up in front of the entire school and showcase some hidden talent of mine?" Grace asked with a laugh, picking the thread of conversation back up and thankfully pulling Ryan's mind out of dangerous territory. "I am, however, and avid painter. So I guess there's that. I'm also ridiculously flexible. I practiced gymnastics in my room as a kid. And the flexibility just kinda stayed. My dad always asked if I wanted to take classes, but I was too shy of a kid to actually want to do that. Their little outfits are a bit revealing for my tastes."

Grace paused to take a bite of her pie, then looked at Ryan expectantly.

"And what about you? Any secret talents? Other than the obvious, of course.."

Grace's comment had thrust Ryan's thoughts right back into the area they had just vacated. Why in the hell did his imagination have to conjure up an image of a paint smudged Grace twisting around an easel, taut muscles... Her question brought him back to reality with jarring suddenness, and he floundered for a moment before his brain caught back up with the current situation.

"Errr, talents, yeah." Ryan stammered before recovering. "Well, I don't call being able to put on fur a talent per se, it just comes naturally. I'm a decent enough cook, so I guess that counts. A lot of my skill with a pistol comes from my enhanced sense, so that doesn't really count either. Um, I'm a rather good pianist."

readysetstalk (Uh oh. Ryan's imagination is doing, things.... and his wolf is letting it.)

 

[readysetstalk]

"...And I imagine stunning in a dress and heels.."

Those words played over and over again in Grace's head. Was this really happening? She felt like a schoolgirl who had a crush on an older boy. She felt so meek compared to Ryan. They barely knew each other, but something just kept drawing her closer and closer to him. He saved her, and then they had a slumber party. Who in their right mind would even allow that to happen? Gracelynn's head spun with thoughts as she had gathered the pie. She decided on not bringing it back up once she had returned to the table.

"I'd consider it a talent. I certainly can't do that," she smiled. Gracelynn was about done with her pie at this point. Much like Ryan had been with his steaks, she devoured the pie--gracefully--quickly. She laid her fork on her plate and then relaxed back into the chair, her eyes now focused on Ryan who sat across from her. "You know, I actually have a baby grand piano. Maybe you can play me something sometime. I actually can't play anything more than Mary Had a Little Lamb on the thing, but it's a great decoration." Underneath the table, Gracelynn kicked off her boots and drew her knees to her chest. It was just a comfy position, and it was beginning to get just a little chilly outside as the sun made it's way over the horizon.

And then something stirred inside. "Stunning in heels and a dress, huh?" she asked. The sudden confidence and her curiosity seemed to be winning right now. In the beginning, she had no intention of bringing that back up. But something inside of her was demanding to know more. The hum she felt around him only intensified when she asked. It was like it knew she was pushing some boundaries by asking. It knew that there was some kind of chemistry between them. It was almost as if Gracelynn couldn't control what she was saying.

"I'd like to think I look pretty damn good in a dress and heels. Maybe you'll find out some day."

Tarmagon (teeeeeensy bit of writer's block on this one. Sorry!)

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan groaned as his cheeks heated. She had heard him after all. Damn his imagination and lack of a proper social filter. He had been alone for far, far too long to play these games. There was just something so, comfortable, about being around Grace. He opened his mouth, intending to apologize, but apparently something inside him had other ideas, and he found himself looking directly into Grace's eyes as he spoke.

"I'd like that," he heard his voice say. "Something tells me that reality far exceeds my imagination in this case. The day might even come when I get to see your tattoo's in all of their glory."

Ryan shut his mouth with an audible clop, his cheeks on fire. What in the hell was he saying? Had he just implied that he wanted to see Grace naked?! Reviewing his words only caused Ryan to bury his face in his hands. He had. Blatantly.

"Sorry about that," he said, his voice muffled by his hands. "It's not like the movies where the beast is a separate part of me with its own mind, but I do have a wolfish nature that tends to come out at awkward times..."

Ryan trailed off as Grace pulled her knees up towards her chest. She had kicked her boots off, and Ryan thought he saw a tiny shiver as she settled into her new position. He found himself moving before he could complete his sentence, darting into the rv and coming out with a woven wool blanket with bright native American symbology picked out in colorful yarn. Without giving Grace a chance to protest, he draped the blanket over her shoulders and carefully tucked the ends under her feet. There, his packmate was...

"Oh shit," Ryan muttered as he stepped away from Grace, sitting heavily on the grass a couple of feet in front of her. He could see confusion?, hell, he wasn't sure what he saw on her face. What he was sure of was that this girl, no... this woman was considered Pack by his wolfish nature. He had to tell her. Had to give her a chance to tell the wolf no. He had no idea how.

"I guess I should have seen this coming," he said weakly, looking up at Grace. "My wolfish nature has made certain decisions without consulting either of us, and I don't know what to do or what you're going to think."

readysetstalk (Inner wolf has decided. They are Pack. What will this mean?)

 

[readysetstalk]

That was not exactly what Gracelynn had expected to hear from Ryan. "The day might even come when I get to see your tattoos in all of their glory." Her eyes widened slightly, and the blood seemed to rush to her cheeks. She opened that door, and needless to say, she was a little shocked by his response. There had been many times in her life that someone had something similar to her, but now, as she sat here in front of him, she couldn't say she was upset by his words. A part of her was glad that he saw her that way, as she saw him in a similar light. Grace wanted to know more, see more, of Ryan. They had barely known each other, but something was just...right.

As the blanket was draped over her, she offered a warm smile and pulled it in closer to her frame. "Oh shit.." Well, that didn't sound as good. Gracelynn had no idea what was going on. Did she do something wrong? Her eyes followed him as he sat in front of her on the grass. His wolfish nature made decisions? Decisions on what? But then it sort of hit her. Wolves mated once, and for life. Was this what he was talking about? Did his wolf choose her? Did it happen simply because they were companions? Grace had a million questions running through her head. But instead of just rambling off every question that came to mind, she removed the blanket from her lap and slid down out of her seat in the chair. She positioned herself in front of Ryan and draped the blanket back over her lap. As she sat there, looking up into his eyes, she could tell that he was nervous.

"I guess we won't know what we think, until you tell me what your wolf has decided," she spoke, a small smile still planted on those dark red lips. She took up one of his hands in hers, her thumb giving the back of his hand a reassuring rub. "Don't be afraid. I won't bite," she teased. Oi. What was she even doing? Flirting? Something was obviously upsetting him, and here she was, listening to whatever her brain spat out. Something made her feel like she had to be honest with him. She had to tell him the truth, no matter what was going on. Gracelynn wanted to know what was upsetting him. Hell, she needed to know.

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

When Grace slipped out of her chair to sit across from him, Ryan felt, something, shift inside. He had unconsciously given her the position of power, trying to give her the choices, but she had chosen to join him at his level, giving up the high ground and making them equal again. Whether she knew it or not, Grace was behaving like a member of a Pack. His Pack. Ryan felt the soul deep longing ease still further, but she needed to know, so he took a deep breath.

"Well, it's not like my wolf has decided you're our life-mate," he said, but they could both hear his unspoken 'yet' at the end of his sentence. "But it has decided that we belong together. It, considers you Pack, and please please please, don't take this as chauvinistic, worthy of consideration to be a life-mate. It wants, and to be honest even after knowing you less than two full days I want, to learn about you. To get to know the you that lives under the camouflage you show the world."

Ryan looked down to where one of Grace's hands gently stroked the back of his larger hand with a thumb. She was trying to reassure him. This petite woman was trying to let an Alpha werewolf nearly twice her size it was alright. And it was working. If Grace were a wolf, she would definitely be an Alpha.
When he looked up, Ryan's face showed a mixture of hope and fear.

"I lost my Pack because I couldn't protect them," he said. "And the thought of failing you is terrifying. But wolves are social creatures, we don't thrive alone. The idea that my wolf nature considers you Pack is... it makes me want to live again, not just exist like I have been."

Ryan's thoughts just wouldn't sort themselves into coherence, and he looked at Grace helplessly.

"How can I explain what I don't fully understand? " he asked. "My nature is trying to establish a Pack Bond between us. That Bond would let us have a general idea about each other. Location, strong emotion, and a desire to be in proximity if possible. If you're not a were, it can seem invasive, intrusive. It also instills a, desire? need? to help Pack members that's almost impossible to ignore. I don't know if a human would be affected by that aspect, or the aspect that will probably send you running away from me. Enthrallment. A Pack Alpha can forcibly calm any member of his or her Pack, or a newly Turned were. We think it evolved to help young or Turned wolves through their first Change without succumbing to pure instinct."

Ryan knew he was rambling, and cut himself off with a shake.

"That doesn't matter. I can prevent the Pack Bond from forming, but I'd need your help to do so."

What he very carefully didn't mention was the price he'd pay in heartache and loneliness. He could prevent the Bond, and it wouldn't affect the Compliment Bond at all, but the price would be steep. And his alone to pay. Grace would never know. Or would she?

readysetstalk (Pack Bonds are complicated. Rewarding, but privacy goes bye bye. Wolves think it natural, but a human?)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn listened intently. She took in every ounce of information she could. This was all very new to her, and she was a little afraid of just how quickly everything was changing around her. She was a lonely soul. She always had been. Very rarely did she find companionship rewarding. But now? Now that Ryan had swept into her life, he was all she could think about. Her body needed to be near him. It sang when he was near. She felt the loneliness disappear the moment she saw him. It felt like she had known him for ages, yet she barely knew him at all.

"You lost your pack not because of you, but because of others. What happened is not your fault. There's no reason for you to think so. I understand you feel guilt, as you are here and they are not. But it is not your fault." She paused, her eyes lowering for a moment before returning to look back up into his eyes.

"I fear the unknown. I have no idea where this road you're offering will take me. But I do not fear it. I feel safe with you, Ryan.. You've proven to me that you can, and will, protect me. You didn't even know me, and nearly got yourself killed in the process of making sure I didn't end up with a scratch. You're selfless." She gave his hand a small squeeze. Of course Grace was trying to reassure him. She felt very strongly about him, in the aspect that he would protect her, and the aspect that he was not at fault for the past he had. She wished she could convince him of such.

Gracelynn inched a little closer, the hum in her body intensifying. "Don't you dare prevent what nature is trying to do," she spoke sternly. "If your wolf is wanting to make that bond, then allow it. Don't fight it. There's a reason to everything. And I'm sure there's a damn good reason as to why your wolf is wanting to make that bond." Maybe Grace didn't fully understand what the pack bond would do, but she did not want to go against what nature was telling him. Gracelynn felt a pull towards Ryan. She couldn't deny it. Now that she knew he also felt that pull, she was less hesitant in keeping near him.

"I too want to learn everything there is to know about you.. You're a mystery, and I'm curious. And these tattoos are not camouflage. They tell a story. It's up to you on whether you read that story or not." Gracelynn offered him a smile before pulling his hand up to her lips, and giving him a gentle kiss on the knuckles. "Trust yourself, and your wolf. I believe in nature, and that nature knows what's best." There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask, but she knew that making him feel sound in the decisions was more important. Gracelynn might be holed up in her house most of the time, and quite a loner at times, but she never felt it to be right to deny the forces of nature. Ryan was a were. He had a wolf side. The wolf was insistent, and Grace was not going to put up a fight. She couldn't; not when she felt such strong urges to be around Ryan. She had never felt this way with anyone before in her life. How could she ignore it?

Tarmagon She leans a little on the hippie side

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan listened as Grace spoke, not believing what he was hearing. She wanted to accept the Bond. She was afraid of the future, but who wasn't, and was facing it squarely. There was an intense surge of satisfaction as he gave up the struggle to [prevent the Bond from forming. In the face of Grace's obvious acceptance, it was all he could do. Almost immediately he felt the first, faint wisps of the Pack Bond begin to settle into place. They would grow and expand those wisps, turning from gossamer spiderwebs to woven kevlar. Invisible, intangible, and inescapable short of drastic measures. An added awareness joined the hum of the Compliment bond, a rock ribbed certainty that this was right. For just a moment it was crystal clear, then it faded into the background hum that Grace's presence engendered.

"Well," he said, his voice perhaps a little unsteady, "That's that. Short of extreme measures, you're stuck with me now. I imagine you'll start to feel the effects over the course of the next month or so, maybe faster with the whole Compliment thing going on. But come hell or high water, we're Pack now. We protect each other, support each other, look out for each other. Laugh together, cry on each other's shoulders, and most importantly, grow together."

Ryan turned the hand that Grace had kissed, gently capturing her hand and leaning forward he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand as she had to his.

"I don't think I've been more scared and happy at the same as I am now," he said softly. "What are you Grace..."

He broke off, then gave a wry chuckle before continuing.

"You know, you never actually told me your full name," he said, suppressed laughter in his voice. "We've just formed one of the most intimate connections short of a Mate Bond possible for a were, and I don't even know your full name. Who, and what are you Grace, that this feels so right?"

readysetstalk (And the Pack of two is formed.)

 

[readysetstalk]

And just like that, they were Pack. It seemed very simple, but at the same time, it was also a huge step. Gracelynn didn't know Ryan, just as he didn't know her. And yet, here they were, exchanging hand-kisses and forming a two-person pack. If her father was here, he'd probably be freaking out right now. Hell, part of her was freaking out right now. She allowed a bond to be made between her and Ryan, and they were practically strangers. Strangers who were completely comfortable with each other, and needed to be around one another.. She could feel the secondary bond forming between them, feeling the pull and need of him, Ryan. Before long, the hum she felt just felt...stronger, bolder. It came in waves before, now it was steady.

"So, does this mean you'll park your RV outside of my house? You know.. Just in case I'm in need of saving." She couldn't help but smile as her fingers slid between his, her eyes watching as their fingers became entangled. "And, I'm really not sure how much protection I can offer you physically, but mentally? I got you." Gracelynn wasn't exactly the strongest woman out there. She was strong-willed, but she was far from strong. She almost had a melt down last week because she couldn't open the jar of pickles.

"Maybe you should get to know people before you just up and ask them to be part of your pack," she teased, shrugging her shoulders. "Seems pretty reckless, if you ask me. You don't even know my last name, but now you're forever stuck with me and my shenanigans. You'll have to deal with me... forever." Her head nodded slowly as her brows rose. "Man, you're in for it." She couldn't hold her face much longer and finally broke out into a quiet giggle. "The last name is Adams. Which you probably could have found out, if you had asked Kathy literally anything about me. That woman has been trying to get me a man for years." Gracelynn was relieved that the tense subject had passed. She understood the need for serious conversations, but they often left her feel awkward and uncomfortable. Grace was constantly worried that she was going to push too far, or be too outspoken. However, that didn't matter now. Ryan was stuck with her. And she was stuck with him. A very serious bond was made, and there wasn't an ounce of regret in her body. Something about Ryan drew her in. From the moment she had bumped into him at the Timberwolf she knew he was different. Man, did she hit the nail on the head with that one..

Gracelynn rose to her feet, though she held onto his hand as the blanket he had brought out to her fell off her lap and to the ground. "C'mon, the ants are starting to eat me alive," she laughed, tugging on his hand.

Tarmagon Two peas in a pod!

 

[Tarmagon]

"I dunno," Ryan said, trying and failing to maintain a serious voice. "The rent's pretty agreeable here, and it includes electricity and a water hookup. What kind of rates are you offering?"

Ryan was a bit distracted as Grace's hand shifted, her fingers intertwining with his. He had no intention of protesting though. It was, comfortable.

"As for the rest of it, you're being just as reckless as I am." Ryan said, a low chuckle answering Grace's giggle. It was a musical sound, and Ryan vowed to discover how to hear it often. "After all, I could be the Big, Bad Wolf to your Little Red Riding Hood. Hmm. No, strike that. I've never felt the urge to dress up in some old woman's clothes. I guess you're safe on that one."

Ryan allowed Grace to pull him to his feet, reaching down to grab the discarded blanket with his free hand and snap it sharply to remove any possible multi-legged passengers. He noticed that Grace hadn't relinquished his hand, and that little act sent a wave of warmth coursing through him.

"So," he said, settling the blanket around Grace's shoulders. "I need to clean up a bit, but what would my lady care to do after I've finished? You're welcome to come inside where it's warmer, or I can walk you home, or we can pull the chairs closer to the grill and watch the stars. I'm open to suggestions. But... while I find that I rather enjoy holding your hand, I'm going to need both of mine free to handle the cleanup."

readysetstalk (Ryan needs to clean up, but the rest of the evening is Grace's.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Grace drew her free hand to her chin and thought for a moment. "Hmm.. I think I could maybe let you go for free. So long as you keep watch to make sure creepy crawlies don't come knocking in the middle of the night." She wanted to draw herself in closer to him as he stood, but she refrained. Instead, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it closer around her shoulders. Her eyes scanned the mess they'd left behind and gave a small nod, slowly releasing his hand from her own. "I suppose I could help you clean up, since you did all the cooking."

She kept the blanket around her shoulders as she gathered up the tongs and every other dirty utensil Ryan had used. Once they were all gathered on a pan, she smiled up at Ryan. "I'm gonna head inside to grab another slice of pie. And then I'll work on washing up these. You handle the grill and whatnot." And with that, she turned on her heel and walked to the RV, her bare feet padding along the way. She glanced over her shoulder before she disappeared into the RV.

Once inside, Gracelynn placed the dirty dishes in the sink and folded up the blanket to lay it on the bed in the back. She had no clue where it was actually supposed to go. But close enough, right? Grace took the elastic hair band off of her wrist and pulled her long dark hair back into a high ponytail, loose curls coming down to frame her face. Humming quietly to herself, she dished herself up another slice of pie and took a rather large bite. "Mmm.. He sure knows the way to my heart," she muttered, pushing up the sleeves of her sweater. She laid the fork on the plate with the half-eaten slice of pie and turned around to run the water in the sink. She dug around for a moment to find the dish soap, and once she had, she dumped all the dishes into water and drizzled the dish soap over top. As she waited for the water to fill, she took another bite of pie.

As she stood there, both waiting for the water to fill and relishing in the taste of the pie, her mind began to wander. She was part of his pack now. They were in a pack. Together. He had lost so many... and now he had someone. She was his someone now. She was the one who was going to be there when he needed someone. And he was going to be there for her. For just a moment, she got lost in thought. Her eyes darted over to the water just in time for her to realize it was plenty full. Reaching over, she shut it off and finished off her pie. Gracelynn sighed softly before tossing her fork into the soapy water.

"Ah... Sponge...?" She wiggled her fingers for a minute before she started opening drawers in search of something to use to clean up the dishes. Thankfully there wasn't a whole lot of digging involved. Once the sponge was secured, she dunked it into the water and began cleaning, still humming quietly to herself. She had no idea what she wanted to do after everything was cleaned up. She just knew that she didn't want this night to end just yet. Naturally, Gracelynn was a rather cold person, and so sitting out under the stars might be a bit of a reach. But what would happen if she just invited herself to chill out in his RV? When would the cue be for her to go home? As she scrubbed away, many, many more questions flooded that pretty little head of hers.

Tarmagon Decisions, decisions!

 

[Tarmagon]

Grace released his hand, a bit slowly Ryan thought, then volunteered to help clean up. He smiled as she bustled around, gathering the cooking implements along with their flatware onto a pan and heading into the RV.Ryan watched her go, a bemused smile on his face as her jeans clad derriere did interesting things as she negotiated the RV's steps. He nodded to her as she turned to look back at the top of the stairs, then he turned his attention to the grill and accompanying paraphernalia. There were still a couple of steaks on the warming rack, and he absently munched his way through them as he put condiments back into the cooler, shoveled used foil and remnants of potato and onion into a large garbage bag. The coals would continue to produce heat for another couple of hours, so Ryan settled for wiping the grating down with a paper towel dampened with melt-water from the cooler and closing the lid. He washed the grease off of his hands with water from the same cooler, then folded up the chairs and tables, putting them into large lockers under the RV. A quick look around, and he grabbed the cooler and headed into the RV.

Grace had pulled her hair up into a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves, exposing her tattoos as she worked. Ryan moved up beside her, the small kitchen area forcing close proximity despite the overall size of the RV, and began to unload the contents of the cooler back into the RV's fridge. He was almost painfully aware of Grace's warmth as he reached past her to settle items onto the shelves, and those little curls that framed her face. Desperate to keep his mind in safe territory, Ryan finished putting things away, then reached into a cabinet just over Grace's head to extract a drying towel. He began to work through the pile of clean dishes and flatware Grace had set into the drying rack, drying and putting away each piece. They worked together in a companionable silence until Grace handed him the last fork and it was dried and stowed safely away. As Grace drained the sink, Ryan flipped and twisted the small nook style table, turning the whole table and curved seating area into a comfortable looking curved couch.

"I don't have a whole lot of actual entertainment here," he said apologetically as he sat and contemplated his meager DVD collection. "But I imagine that you have a ton of questions that you'd love answers to, so ask away. I'm at your disposal until you get tired of my company."

readysetstalk (Sorry for the shortness, but, interactions. )

 

[readysetstalk]

Upon his entrance into the RV, Gracelynn smiled widely. She was at least halfway through the dishes at this point, which was record considering she had eaten a slice of pie before even beginning. She continued to wash away the grime from the dishes as Ryan moved about the small kitchen area putting things away. Just as he had, she couldn't help but feel his presence every time he got closer. And when he reached for the towel in the cabinet above her, she barely moved, hoping that they'd make contact. She felt like a schoolgirl who had a crush on a much more superior high schooler. It was strange, yet exciting all in the same.

Once the dishes had been washed, dried, and put away, she dried her hands off on her pants and gave a small nod. "Not bad for having a kitchen meant for one," she teased. It was an awfully small kitchen, and putting two people in the middle of it seemed like it wouldn't work under normal circumstances. But what exactly was normal about them? He was an alpha werewolf, and she just signed away to be a part of his pack, even though she was a human and barely knew him. Things could be worse, she supposed.

As he moved the table and twisted it around like a magic trick to make a couch, Grace had made her way back to the bed and grabbed the blanket that Ryan had given her earlier to use. She plopped down next to him and draped the blanket over their laps. "Oh, boy.. Do I have a ton of questions!" She drew her knees up yet again and nestled in a little closer to him. "But, I think we should at least pop in a DVD for some background noise." Her eyes scanned the minimal collection and pointed to some cheesy horror movie. "Blair Witch Project? One of my favorites! I'm kinda glad to see it in your collection." Gracelynn was all about asking her questions, but she also didn't want there to be any sort of awkward silence. A movie worked, right?

"Also, I think it'll be hard to get tired of your company considering.."

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan chuckled as he got up and put the DVD into the player on the side of the TV and grabbed the remote. He returned to the couch and settled back down, just a bit closer to Grace than he had been when he stood up. Pressing play, he let the opening credits run as he adjusted the volume to a level where they could hear the dialogue, but could talk over it if they wanted to.

"Next time, we're watching Army of Darkness," he said with a grin. "I need my occasional dose 'boomstick' humor to offset the serious stuff."

Ryan considered their relative positions, then shrugged mentally. He wanted to be close to Grace, and he hoped that she wanted to be close to him. Settling back onto the couch, he opened his arm in an obvious invitation for Grace to nestle in close while they watched the movie and talked.

"You said you had lots of questions," he said. "And I'm here to answer them. And.. I wouldn't be at all adverse to being closer to you. I'm got the rent paid through the end of this month, and if you're serious about wanting me close, that'll give us time to make arrangements for a place to park this monster. And... if you think you can put up with my attempts at piano playing, I'd love to have a chance to play a real piano. The little electronic keyboard I've got just isn't the same."

readysetstalk (Way, way short, but need Grace's reaction and questions to compose a proper length reply.)

 

[readysetstalk]

"I've never actually seen that, so we'll definitely have to put it on the list for next time." They were making lists now? Grace had never been in a situation like this, but it all came so naturally with Ryan. She felt so comfortable around him. She began to wonder if that was the big part of being companions. Surely being in the same pack had a big role in it as well. After he sat back down, and opened his arm up to her, she hesitated for a mere second. This was the closest they have gotten so far. Glancing up at him, she nestled in closer to him. She drew the blanket back over their laps and her eyes went to the TV screen in front of them. Her cheeks were once again rosy, and though she wasn't necessarily embarrassed, she still didn't want him to see it.

At the mention of questions, she gave a small nod. "Ah yes, questions I do indeed have." She wasn't even sure where to start at this point. "So, what all is included in this Pack package? Like, are you gonna read my mind? I know you said it was mildly invasive, but how invasive? I mean, if you wanna read my mind, go for it. You might be a little disturbed by the end of it." A smile drew at the corners of her lips. "And is this going to be like... a GPS kind of thing? Like, we'll know where each other are? But not so spot-on? I already feel the hum of the companion bond when we near each other. It'll just be intensified now, right?" She was really trying to piece it all together. Now that she thought about it, maybe she should have asked these questions before she agreed to be Pack with him. It was too late now. Not that she minded, however. It gave her more of a purpose, she felt. To be needed, and to need someone. So long she had been by herself, just doing her own thing. Now she was talking about bonds, and Pack, and having him park his RV outside of her house. What in the world was going on here? How did she, a complete loner, end up in a situation quite like this? Maybe it was that girlish charm she had.

"And I know you didn't write it off just yet, so what happens if your wolf does decide to make the mate bond? Is it more that the wolf chooses and you just go with it? Or is it more of a mutual thing?" Gracelynn was curious, to say the least. She wanted to know the ins and outs. The only way to do that was to ask nine thousand questions all at once before he even had a chance to open his mouth to answer the first one. Gracelynn realized she just overloaded him a little, so she piped down and sank a little deeper into the couch, her eyes still watching the TV screen before them. She was starting to open up a little about how she felt, if one looked into her line of questioning close enough. She liked Ryan. More than she had liked anyone before. At this point, she wasn't sure what it was about him--whether it be the companion bond, or the pack thing. It was like she couldn't get enough of him, and she barely knew him. Her body wanted to be close to his whenever it had the chance. And when they were close, it was a feeling she had never felt before. She craved the closeness, and was absolutely thrilled that he had no objection to it.

Laughing quietly and nervously, she spoke, "Sorry, my brain's a little busy.."

Tarmagon No biggie! I get it!

 

[Tarmagon]

If Ryan had been a were-cat of any type, he would have been purring as Grace accepted his invitation and nestled close, pulling the blanket up to cover their legs. Instead, he just settled his arm around Grace's slender shoulders and relaxed as the questions began to flow.

"Well," he said as the first flood of questions wound down, "Let me try and take those in order. So, the 'Pack'age is pretty straightforward. It's not going to be as accurate as GPS, but if you concentrate and turn in a slow circle, you'll know when you're facing my general direction, and kind of have a general idea how far away I am. Once it gets beyond a mile or two, the distance just becomes 'a long way'. And no, I can't read your mind. I'm sure it's a fascinating place filled with sunshine and rainbows, but your thoughts are your own. What I can do, if we're together and you feel it intensely enough, is get an idea of what you're feeling. I imagine you'll get the same from me, and some folks find that idea intrusive. Also, the desire to be together that the Companion bond is making us both feel... it'll be intensified. Pack tends to gather together. We just naturally seek each other out when there's no reason for us not to. It's, comforting to be around Pack."

Ryan snuck a glance down at the tiny woman who had, in just a few hours, become such a large part of his life. How such a tiny person had managed to fill such a large hole in his heart and soul, Ryan didn't know, but the ache for Packmates had eased, replaced by a fierce determination to protect. Of course, Grace might just as well turn out to protect him, Ryan mused. She had already helped him to help her after all.

"As for a mate-bond," he said. "It's a little more complicated than that. Wolves mate once, for life, so they're really, really careful about choosing a mate. Of course, they make the choice pretty fast all things considered. And then there's the whole fact that the potential mate has to find the wolf in question acceptable. It's a choice that has to be made mutually. I've obviously never experienced a mate-bond, but my parents had one. They always knew where the other was and how they were feeling. I don't know if they could read each others minds, but I'd see them just sitting together, this funny little smile on both their faces. When I'd ask, all they'd say is 'You'll understand when you finally have a mate-bond.'"

Ryan chuckled a bit as he worked through the questions. Grace sure seemed to have a lot of questions for someone who grew up around the supernatural. But then again, she had told him that her best friend was a human, and that she had left. Grace had said she didn't blame her friend, but that she had had to stay to help her dad out.

"Grace?" Ryan asked softly. "Why are you here? Believe me, I'm glad that you decided to stay here, because I doubt I'd ever have met you if you'd left, but when your father passed away, why did you stay? In some ways you had to feel like a fish out of water, even though from what I know, everyone here loves, likes, or respects you. The reason being... there's already an established Pack here, and I'm not the Alpha. I made it clear that I didn't want to be Alpha of the local Pack, and that's a big part of why you never really see me at any town functions. It, keeps tension down. Now, we're pack. We can get by for a while without any issues, but eventually we'll either have to formally join the local Pack or things might get interesting. The other option would be to possibly move out of town, but you have your business, and your home here, so that's not really an option. No matter what though, I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to make things the best possible for you. Heck, with the Compliment Bond, it might even be possible for one Alpha to stay in the territory of another as long as it's just the two of us."

readysetstalk (First set of questions answered. Ryan is ready for the next set... or to just cuddle up and watch a bad movie.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Grace seemed to lean into him a little as his arm moved around her shoulders. Her eyes had stayed on the screen as Ryan spoke, though she listened intently to his words. She wanted to understand what she had signed up for. It wasn't going to be entirely detrimental to her current lifestyle, really. She didn't have much of a social life as it was. When the town had events, she would show her face, talk a little to the townspeople, and then usually head home before things even really picked up. Grace was well liked. But she also felt like an outcast because she wasn't a supernatural being. Being a human in this town wasn't hard, but there was definitely a lot of group forming and Gracelynn was often left out of that.

After hearing the answers she wanted, and hearing him begin to ask his own, she sort of tensed a little. That particular question on why she never ventured out into the world was often asked around here. So many people told her she had so much potential, and that it was being wasted away in a hardware shop that her father had purchased off of someone else. She often thought about leaving, but where would she even go? There were so many bad people out in the world, both human and supernatural. Just the other night one of those people made it to Half-Moon Falls. She was safe here. Sure, her life was less than exciting, but she was safe.

"Ahh, the question of the century. Why does little ol' Gracelynn stay here in a town overrun by supernaturals?" She shifted slightly, her fingers idling absentmindedly on the edge of the blanket. "I'm safe here. There's a lot of people here who adore me. I know that. But, in a town where I'm the new girl, or in a big city where no one even bats an eye in my direction, how safe am I? Just the other night I was attacked, and I thought that would never happen here. I have a house that's paid for, a shop that people frequent. I mean, I could leave and pursue my dreams if I wanted to. But how long would I even be able to pursue them? I'd go to paying rent, and then having to work more hours to pay for that rent, and then putting my dreams on the back burner. Believe me, I've thought about it a lot. Especially since Dad died. I just can't bring myself to leave and go into the unknown." She paused for a moment, realizing just how depressing all of that really sounded.

"I've had offers put on the shop. People want to buy it and put in something more...exciting...I guess. I've always turned them down. I know my dad put a lot of heart into that shop after he bought it. And I guess it's kinda like making sure his legacy lives on." She shrugged her shoulders, finally taking a glance up at Ryan. In all honesty, she felt pretty stuck here. It was all she had ever known. It was scary to think about what all was out there, really. Everyone looked after everyone here. There was no worrying involved. Maybe a little more now that a rogue vampire had snuck in, but it was still a little sanctuary for her.

"I'm also pretty sure my dad would want me to move on and get out and see the world. I just don't want to have to do something like that alone." Despite being a very solitude person, Gracelynn could still have social interaction when she wanted it. She could go to the diner and hang out with Kathy, or visit some of the other ladies in town. Jillian and Grace often went on walks together. None of that would happen if she were to just go out on her own. Gracelynn was definitely at a crossroads in her life, even more so now. If their pack effected the local pack, they would have no other choice but to leave. Something about that was both exciting and terrifying all in the same. Did she want to see the world? Of course. Would Ryan be the person to finally pull her from her hometown? Just maybe.

As a jump scene flashed across the screen, Grace jumped just slightly before settling back down into his side. "If we were to need to leave, where would you want to go? Surely you've seen quite a bi--Oh!" Just as another question popped into her head, she immediately stopped with the first one. "So, do you have a longer lifespan than humans? Are you going to live to be 900? Or are you just gonna be like me and be lucky to see 85?"

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

Ryan listened carefully as Grace gave a sort of rambling answer to his question. He noted that she referred to herself as Gracelynn, rather than simply Grace, and made a note to ask her what she preferred. Ryan had to admit that she did have a good thing in a moderately successful business, and a house that was paid for. It would be hard to give all that up to move out into the world, which would just as soon crush you as support you. There was still that little note of, desire, longing? something when she used the word dreams. Grace still had dreams, but was opting for safety in the familiar. At least here, the supernatural community accepted and supported her. Out in the wide, wide world, things weren't quite so, civilized

"If we were to need to leave, where would you want to go? Surely you've seen quite a bi--Oh! So, do you have a longer lifespan than humans? Are you going to live to be 900? Or are you just gonna be like me and be lucky to see 85?"

"Whoa there little wolf!" Ryan said, loosening the arm that had tightened around Grace instinctively as the inevitable 'jump scare' finally caught her off guard. "I'm not going to live to be 900. Wolves are long lived, but we're not immortal. Like I said, once we hit around twenty, we basically stop aging. This lasts until we hit about eighty or so, then we start to age again, though at a slower rate. Call it, three to one or so. So, twenty years, plus another sixty basically 'on hold', then aging at about a third of the rate a human does. Call it, around two-hundred fifty to three-hundred years under ideal conditions. Of course, we live in a more, hazardous world than most humans, so very, very few weres die of old age. And I think that as my Compliment, you can safely assume that you will see quite a bit more than eighty-five years. "

readysetstalk (This one definitely needs a reaction. As long as Grace is with Ryan, especially if they Mate, she'll pretty effectively share his lifespan.)

 

[readysetstalk]

Gracelynn had felt increasingly safer in that moment of terror as some jump scare flashed across the screen. She had felt his arm tighten around her, and it allowed her body to ease much faster. It was odd, to have someone so new who could effect her in such a way. Safety was important to her, but she didn't know that it also had the potential to ruin horror movies for her. That may just be an issue in the future. For right now, though, she was more than thankful to have him right there next to her, holding onto her protectively.

"So... If that's the case then, how old are you?" Her brow rose as she tilted her head back to look up at him. She didn't just glance this time; she looked at him full on. "If you stopped aging at twenty, you could be fifty-eight right now and I wouldn't even know. You don't have a single grey hair on your head." It was really odd to think about living past eighty-five, however. Growing up in such a safe town, she thought that she would live to be a hundred years old. Now that she was older and knew about the outside world, she knew that eventually it would all cease to exist. She had a little bit of a doomsday attitude, where she figured she'd be lucky to reach fifty. The town couldn't protect her forever. Although loved by most, eventually others would venture in and someone some day may just have a problem with her being there. Not all supernatural beings were always so welcoming to humans in the area, whether they were peaceful or not.

"You know, they say men live a more dangerous life too... That's why life insurance is more expensive for a man than it is a woman. You've got a double whammy--both a man and a were." Her shoulders shrugged just slightly, a small smirk creeping onto her dark red lips.

Tarmagon Nothing like a bunch of old people fighting the world. lol

 

[Tarmagon]

"What? Are you trying to make me into an old man before my time?" Ryan asked, mock affronted. "Although, you got one of the numbers right. I'm twenty-eight."

The ghosts hiding behind Ryan's eyes belonged to a much older person, and try as he might, he couldn't stop them from peeking out just a bit.

"As for insurance, can you imagine that questionnaire? Known allergies? Elemental silver, wolfsbane. Like I said, things start to get challenging, but we've got some excellent umm, record manipulators, in the community. And weres tend to gravitate towards hazardous professions. Military service, fire, police. Anything that protects the community. It's part of the Pack instinct."

Ryan shook his head as the strange little figures began to appear wherever the actors appeared to be searching.

"Stupid," he muttered. "No real witch would advertise her presence like that, not even to college students. What kind of idiots do filmmakers take us for?"

He glanced at Grace's expression and laughed.

"You do know that most supernatural beings consider horror movies overblown comedies?" he asked. "It's hilarious, and some of the things the special effects folks come up with... priceless. I think that's why I gravitate towards the comedic, cheesy horror stuff. Army of Darkness, Knights of Badassdom, things like that. If you're ever in a theater and someone seems to be rooting for the bad guy, bet that person is a supernatural out for an evening. On other topics, since you opened this door, how long have you been around little wolf? And don't trot out that a gentleman never asks a ladies age."

readysetstalk (Turnabout is fair play, and considering what they share it's not so bad a question as it usually would be.)

 

[readysetstalk]

"Hey now! I like this movie, for your information! It might be corny to you, and unrealistic, but to me, it's creepy and I like it." This was one of the movies Grace would often turn on for background noise while she was painting. Or she would play some other horror movie she'd seen a thousand times over. It gave her inspiration sometimes. Not everything about Gracelynn was exactly normal. She enjoyed the dark and mysterious and often took horror movies, no matter how corny they may be, and used those to get her creative juices flowing.

At the mention of her age, she squinted, but smirked all the same. "Well, you see, I like to think I'm still twenty, but I'm the infamous quarter-of-a-century. Living life in the fast lane, managing a hardware store and living in a town full of werewolves. Just your typical twenty-five year old." She gave a slight shrug, knowing damn well that she was far from typical. "And to add on to the theatre bit, I haven't been to one of those in years. I tend to just wait until they're on Netlflix or something." It was always strange to her for someone to go to the movies alone. And Jillian often worked the night shift at the diner, so it wasn't like she could take her with her. It was very seldom that they did much together anyway. Their shifts just never aligned. Gracelynn worked the usual nine-to-five, and Jillian often worked four to close.

Gracelynn shifted slightly as her foot fell asleep underneath her. She instead let them both drop over the edge of the couch, just barely reaching the floor. In doing so, she leaned into Ryan just a teensy bit more, her head leaning back against his arm. It was finally starting to get to that point where her lids started to become heavy. She'd fight it as long as she could, as she thoroughly enjoyed his company.

"I don't think I've ever actually met a witch," she mused, trying to think back. "Its mostly just weres around here.. I assume you've met all kinds of people though, with your traveling, right?" Her eyes gazed up at him, taking in his features, reading his body language. If this had been a date with anyone else, she probably would have high-tailed it out of there. But with Ryan? It was different. Part of her didn't even want to go home.

Tarmagon

 

[Tarmagon]

"That is quite the shame," Ryan said. "I'm quite certain that I could find time to go to the movies with you if something came out that you just had to see on the big screen."

Ryan looked down at Grace and smiled. It was warm that smile, and though Grace probably wouldn't realize it, no longer held the slightly haunted look it had contained in the past. Grace adjusted her position as she spoke, leaning into Ryan slightly more than she had been, and he automatically adjusted his arm so she would be comfortable. It felt, natural.

"I'm afraid I don't have Netflix," Ryan said. "My network access is spotty at best, and despite having the means, I'm not going to pay the rates they want for satellite internet. Hey, would internet access come with moving near your place? And if you've met Marissa, you've met a witch. They're not all black robes and pointy hats your know. And Marissa doesn't ride a broomstick, she's got a rather nice Mazda that's a pleasure to work on. As for meeting people... well, you do meet a lot of people traveling, but you don't get to know a lot of people. Staying in any one place for less than a week doesn't exactly lend itself to long term friendships."

There was a trace of sadness in Ryan's voice as he spoke, but he banished it quickly. He had chosen not to stay in any one place long. Despite how he wound up in Half-Moon Falls, Ryan hadn't really intended to stay, it had been totally spur of the moment, and he hadn't regretted it for a moment. having met Grace, regret was the furthest thing possible from his mind, despite how it had happened. This evening alone... hmm, what had Grace said?

"So, what is it you prefer to be called?" Ryan asked. "I was told your name is Grace, but you referred to yourself as Gracelynn earlier. Is it Grace, Grace Lynn, or Gracelynn with some mysterious middle name that I have to earn the right to know?"

Ryan chuckled a bit to make it obvious he was teasing Grace, then took in her general demeanor. She looked like she was starting to flag just a bit, and his voice took on a note of gentle concern when he spoke again.

"You're starting to look a little tired," he said. "I'm sorry. We haven't been together long enough for you to start to develop a wolf's stamina yet. I can walk you home, carry you home, or... I can give you the back bedroom if you're not up for the trip. It has a lock, and I can sleep in the overhead."

Ryan gestured to a loft built over the driver and passenger's seats as he spoke, but his eyes were on Grace. He knew he should walk her home, but he didn't want her to go. It was selfish, but the comfort that her presence provided soothed an ache he hadn't realized the severity of.

readysetstalk (Sorry for the delay, but life was full of moments of unusual interest lately.) (Ps, Ryan will be a gentleman.)