Dissonant Hearts (Degusaurusrex x AndrewS)

[Degusaurusrex]

Adelaide thought nothing of the hand coasting down her back until she felt the sudden pressure on her ass, a squeak forcing its way through her lips as the sudden realization of him grabbing her ass clicked into place. If her cheeks hadn't been red before he'd made such a claim, they were definitely red now that she could hear quiet laughter coming from the group that had been staring.

"Right." She avoided eye contact with the worker as their tray of food arrived, white knuckling it as she was led away by the guiding hand on her waist. Her boyfriend had just grabbed her ass and made a public claim in the middle of a mall's food court. She had a boyfriend, and one willing to make such public displays, at that. They were in the middle of preparing for a war, and somehow, they had time for her to feel like a lovestruck teenager, cheeks aflame and her heart fluttering in her chest. She needed to be focusing on their tasks for the day, most importantly finding and calming Takami!

"It's okay. I think we all do things without thinking first." At least her cheeks didn't feel like they were on fire anymore, although they were still warm as she settled into a seat and began to pick at her food. "I might have done the same thing if you hadn't." Would she have outright grabbed his ass in front of people to stake her claim? It wasn't as if she'd ever been in a serious relationship before, and despite the short amount of time they'd been traveling together and forming feelings, this very much felt like a serious relationship. Even if she hadn't groped him to establish a claim, there were plenty of other ways to silently tell others to back off and that he was hers. If that meant playing the jealous girlfriend... Well, that was what normal people did sometimes, right? It was so hard to tell what was considered normal when you were on the cusp of a war no one in their vicinity was even aware of, and the frenzy of thoughts had her faltering as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"I don't think so, I haven't heard anything from Ember, and I would assume our connection can stretch this far." That was a good question, her familiar had been busy cozying up to everyone else lately, but she hoped their connection would allow for some speech despite the distance. "I'd be surprised if they found him this quickly, but I expect there will be quite a bit of noise when they do." She grimaced at the thought, chewing her food before continuing her train of thought.

"I think you're just getting used to feeling everything as a human. I mean, I feel a bit guilty too, that we're sitting here eating instead of helping them look, but we won't be any good without rest and nutrients. Gotta fuel these human bodies so they're at their best." At the mention of vampires and love, her expression softened noticeably as she set down her food and pondered.

"I never really made a habit of being friends with vampires, but I don't see why they wouldn't fall in love. They're not so different than us, at least not Isabella. Maybe she's the rarity, but considering the amount of vampires I've seen throughout my life, they must have some form of affection to keep popping up." She reached across the table and took his hand, rubbing her thumb across the back of it and managing a small smile. "We'll make sure they get a chance to be happy. If we don't find him first, Ignas will, and if only to gloat about how amazing he is. I think he's got a bit of a soft spot for couples right now, excluding whatever the fuck is going on between Tyrath and Danica."

 

[AndrewS]

Isen glanced down at her hand on top of his, feeling her thumb brushing across his skin. It only made him feel more guilty, but he kept that inside. To be happy, in a world that was anything but, while the people they cared about suffered...he couldn't decide if he was lucky, or just pretending to be. He turned his palm over so that his fingers could find their way between hers, knotting and squeezing securely. 'Then I think we should get our shopping done as soon as possible and then join them in searching?" He suggested, figuring that would be the best course of action. The faster they finished their errands, the sooner they could join the others, and the quicker that guilt might subside.

Normal life would have to wait a little bit longer.

He quietly finished his food, still aware of the fact that his display of public affection prior hadn't really stopped them from being the center of attention all that much. Human or not, he was still blissfully unaware of his attraction, and all too aware of Adelaide's, causing his protective side to remain alert despite the softer moment of their conversation. At least he didn't have a sword with him...

Standing, he took her hand once again, helping her up and onto her feet. Isen already moved to gather their trash for her, unknowingly being a perfect gentleman simply by wanting to help make things easier for her. Once tided and situated, he glanced towards the hallway opposite of them. There were several stores within reach, their leaselines and displays brightly shining to attract potential customers. He hadn't the first idea of shopping, or fashion, however, so he defaulted to her once more for that. "Just pick something you think will look nice?" He suggested. "I need all the help I can get to look good next to you." Isen grumbled what was essentially a compliment and a self deprecation tied neatly into a bow, tugging on her palm once more.

 

[Degusaurusrex]

"Sure, we can do that. I don't really care what kind of clothes we get, so long as they're clean and they fit." They could work on getting a better wardrobe at a later date, when they had a better handle on where they were going to be so they weren't needlessly lugging around too many things again. That, and there was clearly something bothering Isen, so the sooner they got through what they needed to and set their minds to the Takami issue, the sooner his mind would be distracted. Now didn't seem like the proper time to question him about what was bothering him, not when they were surrounded by other people who she could see some of still eyeing Isen hungrily.

It was awkward sitting there silently while they ate, and Adelaide's eyes continued to flit between Isen and the people around them worriedly. The fact that she wasn't sure if she was more concerned about being checked out or the possibility of there being an enemy in their midst only made the situation worse, her mind at war with itself as she contemplated the implications of the mixed feelings. She didn't have time to be concerned about whether or not the girl at the adjacent table was eye-fucking her boyfriend or simply nosy, she didn't have time to consider whether or not it would be worth it to say something or make a show of the fact that her and Isen were clearly together. She wasn't a child or a lovestruck teenager who needed to claim him like he was an object or a prize, but she had to admit the thought of making their relationship clear to others did have some appeal to it.

"Well, aren't you a gentleman." She was perfectly capable of handling her own trash, but made no fuss and gently teased Isen as he helped her to her feet and discarded their garbage. "Sure, I can help you to pick out clothes. You'll get the hang of it eventually." She briefly remembered the last time she'd had to pick out clothes for him, and the way he'd looked dressed up professionally like that... Well, that train of thought wasn't doing her any favors, and thankfully was abruptly interrupted when she realized he'd simultaneously managed to compliment her and insult himself.

"Don't say that." She frowned, swatting at his shoulder with her free hand and tugging him off towards a store. "I don't think you have any idea how ridiculously good you look. You don't look that much different than you did when you had Ignas with you. Besides, this is the real you, and I like that." She squeezed his hand reassuringly as she debated between the stores they were approaching, veering across the aisle before pulling him into the one she ultimately decided on.

"As much as I'd love to get you into formal wear after seeing how you looked last time... I think just jeans with a shirt and jacket will do. We'll get a couple of everything just to be safe, and deal with more later on." She still needed to get to Nikolai and check on the progress of everything at some point, but right now she had to get them through clothes shopping without Isen getting overwhelmed.

"You know," She gestured around them to the different shelves of folded up shirts in varying colors, "Now is probably a good time to start deciding what colors you like."