Heart within the beast

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan noticed Rick's eyes traveling over the crowd. He tried to follow the man's gaze to see who he was focusing on


"I was with her a lot yes . . . though she wouldn't let me help her at work or school. I wasn't there as often as I would have liked."


Kurogan put his hands in his pockets, still keeping his senses alert

 

[Ricia]

"Hard to help her at school. She is pretty smart. Heck she helped me with my college homework occasionally." He said with a chuckle and a shrug. He didn't seem to stare at any for long moments, just merely a few men in the room. "Incoming." He warned before Sage tackled Rick.


"Hey Rick, you want to take me out dancing? I'll even let you be the guy!" She said with a smirk. "I suppose that would be an honor?" Rick asked raising an eye brow, "I'm not going to dance with you while you look like a guy... unlike you I go one way." he said blandly.


Sage pouted, making Rhea started to giggle.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan put a hand over his mouth, stifling a bit of laughter. His gaze turned to Rhea for a moment. Well--if Sage was going to push after Rick . . . He gently gripped Rhea's hand


"May I have this dance?"

 

[Ricia]

Rhea blushed, but at the sudden contact. His hand was warm.. much bigger then hers. She knew there was nothing different from this time then the others... but this time they were out in public. Other's were watching them. "Yes... you may." Rhea said softly, looking up at Kurogan she smiled at him. She waited for him to take the lead, like any proper lady should do.


Rhea almost missed Sage whining to Rick to take her out dancing.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan returned her smile and gently started. His steps were occasionally shaky, as he pulled the proper etiquette from his mind. His mother had taught him this a long time ago, saying that it was something that beast-kin could learn from the other culture. He purposely made sure to shorten his steps from what they would normally be, as his legs were longer than Rhea's.


"Sorry for--startling you so much earlier."


He kept his voice soft, so that it wouldn't carry beyond the two of them

 

[Ricia]

"No... its ok." Rhea whispered back. The height difference made dancing a bit hard, but Rhea didn't really care all that much. She was actually really happy he was back, "I was starting to get a bit worried... Sage can drag people into things sometimes... I didn't know what kind of trouble she was up to..." She whispered slightly, "I'm glad you are here though..."

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan's eyes occasionally looked above Rhea's head, keeping an eye on the surroundings. But for the most part he kept them on Rhea, not that it was particularly difficult given her current attire.


"Well, I wouldn't call this 'staying out of trouble'. Still, I'm glad to be here as well."

 

[Ricia]

"Where... where did you learn to dance like this? You are very good." Rhea said, though he did miss step on occasion, he was still a fair dancer and she was enjoying the dance very much so.

 

[Ixidor92]

"My--mother."


Kurogan gave Rhea a small smile


"It was part of what she showed me when we came through human society. She also taught me a little, said it would be useful someday. Truth be told I never did believe her."

 

[Ricia]

"I'm glad I could help you put it to use.." Rhea said softly with a small smile of her own. She was not sure if he would think that was a good thing or not, but she feels happy when ever she did things that Roen prepared her for.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan tightened his grip on one of Rhea's hands. A part of him wanted to bring up what her father had said earlier, but this would not be a good time or place to do so. Perhaps later, when everyone had left.


"Well, I'm very glad she taught me."

 

[Ricia]

When Kurogan tighten her grip on her, she felt like perhaps she shouldn't have said that. "Sorry." She apologized quickly, "Did you want to try the food later maybe?" She asked for a change in subject.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan softly shook his head.


"You've got nothing to apologize for."


As blunt as it may have been, he was grateful for the change of conversation topic.


"Perhaps. I . . . would rather not attract too much attention."

 

[Ricia]

"I don't think you should... other then the fact you are rather tall." Rhea said with a laugh, "As long as you are polite... no one should notice you really. If they do... just... get my attention, I can help." She offered to him.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan couldn't help but smile when Rhea spoke


"I'll do that, thanks."


The song ended, and he gave a small bow, as was customary. Afterward, he gently guided Rhea back to where Sage and Rick were. Before they came within earshot though, he leaned down slightly


"Thank you for the dance."

 

[Ricia]

Rhea didn't want to let go of him, she felt a lot more at ease with him here then she ever would have with anyone else. But Roen. When he leaned down to whispered to her, she stopped walking and held on to his arm with her own small hands. "Kurogen... dance with me again. Later tonight! T-the.... last dance." Rhea requested in a whisper. Oh how she wanted the last dance to be with Kurogen. She knew she shouldn't hang out or around with Kurogen all night long. Her father already came over to Rick and gave him the run down about monopolizing Rhea's time. The last thing she wanted to do was the same to Kurogen.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan felt Rhea's grip on his arm tighten, as if he would disappear when she let go. He gave a smile and whispered again to her


"It's a promise."


He hadn't broken a promise to her yet, and he didn't plan to now. After that one statement, he stood back up all the way and let his grip lessen slightly. He didn't let go of her completely, she could break the contact when she was ready

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled, at the promise. She felt her heart leap for joy. "I look foreword to it." she told him softly. She hesitated a long moment before she finally let go of him. Sage and Rick were staring at them as they had a moment, causing Rhea to blush lightly.


"You two are adorable." Sage said with a smirk.


"How long of this party is there?" Rick asked looking around at the festivities.


Rhea thought about it for a few moments, "maybe.. 3 hours." She said. Most the men in the room were staring at Rhea, but none were brave enough to approached with the other three men surrounding.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan brought a hand up to his mouth, attempting to cover the blush that was creeping over his face at Sage's comment. He was largely unsuccessful in this endeavor.


"*ahem* three hours? How do you propose to pass that time?"


He was trying to pull the conversation away from what had just happened . . . he was fairly certain it wouldn't work.

 

[Ricia]

"Well.. we dance, and talk, eat and be merry!" Sage said lightly swaying side to side.


Rick looked up at Hikaru, then to the side, scanning the room again. "So Hikaru... you work?" He asked him.

 

[Ixidor92]

Hikaru involuntarily stiffened at the question. Work. Shit. He hadn't considered that when adopting his guise. Quickly he tried to construe what he actually did in such a way as to make it sound like a human job.


"I'm--an assistant. I stay around my employer when she needs me for whatever reason."


It wasn't a total lie . . . but it was pretty damn close, and was also uncomfortable.

 

[Ricia]

"Oh Rick tell him about your second job." Sage said with s smirk.


Rick looked uncomfortable, "A body guard. Mostly... Are you still going to take over your brother's clinic?" Rick asked.


"Uh.. I.. don't know. I... rather not talk about that." Rhea said looking to the ground. She even conscientiously started to hover more to Kurogen.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan let one of his hands dangle beside him as Rhea came closer. He remembered how her eyes had shone when she talked about her brother. She had definitely looked forward to the day when she would take over his clinic . . . but that seemed unlikely to say the least. He tried to drag the subject away


"A bodyguard? I imagine you've got a story or two then."

 

[Ricia]

"Er.. yeah. I do have a few, though usually it is messy. The world is full of idiots. Also full of smart people who act like idiots." He said, looking at Sage. Sage scowled, "That wasn't very nice thing to say..."


Rhea laughed lightly.

 

[Ixidor92]

"Or idiots who try to act smart."


Kurogan chipped in a little with the conversation. If Rick wanted to keep the stories to himself, that was perfectly understandable. There was a reason Kurogan had kept a lid on most of his past . . .