Rouge was silent while listening to Evie's footsteps fade away. Her eyes focused on a pair of healed black leather dress shoes, yet her mind was elsewhere. Images of Evie kept flashing in her head, imaginative thoughts invading her sense of control. She huffed, brushing her loose bangs behind her. She stares off to the side, gazing at the bed the two shared. Rouge's lips coiled into a genuine smile; meanwhile, her mind was grateful for a comfortable slumber. For the first time in millennia, she experienced energizing sleep. She turns back to her shoe collection, grabbing the pair she was looking at prior. She slips on a couple of black, breathable dress socks. She walked to her vanity table and sat on the small bench to put on her socks and shoes. A goofy smile never left her elegant face.

Her smile dropped when she heard her phone ring. She sucks in her lips, causing them to thin. Rouge walks over to her phone charging on the cable, checking the screen to see who was calling her. "Demetri." She inhales sharply, bracing herself for the obscurity of the vampiric workload. She presses the accept button on the screen and brings it to her ear, lazily crossing her arms together. "Hello, darling brother. Nice of you to interrupt the little joy I was experiencing." She pauses, turning herself around to check herself out in the mirror. "Again," Rouge whispered that part. She sat down again at the vanity table to apply her makeup. She takes her red lipstick and glides it over her lips. "What did the traitor say? Did the piggy squeal yet?" She rubs her lipstick-covered lips together to spread them evenly.

Her content face shifted to an agitated frown. The news he shared wasn't all too delightful. Rouge leaned against the surface of her table, then shook her head. "I'm busy as is, brother. I did 90% of the work already." Rouge's tone was agitated, her fingernails tapping along the table Impatiently. "Listen, I'm going on vacation in two days-" she pauses as her brother interrupts her mid-sentence, "-two days is enough for you and our siblings to get everything ready. You're big kids. You don't need little sister Aceline to hold your deceased little hands daily." She listens to him more, keen on hearing every bit of detail. "I'll handle it all once I get back. It won't be long." She proceeded to roll her eyes as her brother scolded her over the phone, then she scoffed at how childish he was being. "Of course, you can't do it without me. Our siblings are good with their fists, not their heads. You included, of course. Don't want to make you feel left out." Rouge noticed something in her bed, so she got back up and plucks the shimmering piece of metal from the sheets. It appears to be a ring of sorts, possibly for the nose. She kept it concealed in her fist, wanting to keep it safe.

She hung up the phone mid-ramble and set it to do not disturb. Rouge pinches the bridge of her nose, muttering a few words to herself in French before getting up. She kept her hair in a messy bun, not seeing the point in fixing it up since they were going out to eat. Plus, every hairstyle looks good on her. She strutted down the hall with urgency. Increasing worry filled her mind at the thought of Evie in potential danger. Rouge slows her pace, a scolding glare plastered on her face. "We have only been parted for a few minutes. Quit acting so damn clingy." She was quick to reprimand herself, correcting her posture and movements to act more regal and collected. "Start distancing yourself. It would be best for everyone. . .especially Evie's." She inhales through her nose and exhales through her mouth. Rouge opens her bodyguard's door to meet with her. Her eyes held a surprised appearance for a brief moment at the woman already standing there. Her eyes gleamed with tenderness before fading away, with Rouge lifting her head to keep her eyes from thoroughly checking her out. "Are you ready?" Her voice was monotone, yet it was trembling as other emotions dared to break through.

She turns herself away completely, feeling her face heating up. Rouge has back turn to Evie now, seeming to forget the piece of metal in her clenched hand. "I'll drive." Was the few words she said before, she hurried her pace to the garage. Rouge approaches a red convertible, pulling the car keys from her pocket. She approaches the passenger side of the vehicle, leaving it open for Evie.

(Sorry if short)

The sudden feeling that she forgot something washed over Evie. She took her hand away from the cold metal handing, spinning around to scan her room. She sauntered towards the bathroom, leaning forwards to examine herself closely in the mirror. What she saw in her reflection came as a shock to her. Her septum jewelry was gone, presumably caught up somewhere in Rouge's bed. Or even her hair. Evie crinkled her nose as she continued to stare at herself, realizing how much that little piercing made a difference. Before she could stare any longer, she jogged out of the bathroom and across her room in a panic, obviously completely overreacting to this. She didn't even care that much.

Evie opened up one of the small drawers of her dresser and grabbed a tiny bag which contained back ups. She struggled to open the plastic for a minute, and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally did. She fished out something that was a basic black, a big change from what she previously had. Evie trotted back to the bathroom, pausing midway upon realizing what she forgot. Her phone. She turned to her nightstand and grabbed it in a hurry, making her way back to the bathroom mirror. She perked up upon hearing a ringing phone, and she tilted her head. It was coming from Rouge, she presumed.

Evie shrugged her shoulders and grabbed her own again, deciding to play music. She figured it would be awhile now before they left, so why not have some 'personal time'? She scrolled for a bit before finding the perfect song. First, she started out quietly humming along as she put the new jewelry in, smiling at her reflection now. Humming turned to singing, and she completely lost herself. All throughout her life, Evie involved herself in anything that had to do with music or singing. It was her dream to become a professional, considering she actually did have an incredible singing voice. That was something she flaunted with no hesitation.

Evie continued to straighten up her appearance, taking care of every little flaw. She adjusted her necklaces around, listening to the clinking of the metal. She couldn't even move without it making noise. She moved them so that not even a smidge of her scar showed, which proved to be a tedious task. It was a nasty scar, and the story behind it was just completely embarrassing. Her and one of her sisters were in the kitchen at night, as her sister had demanded Evie made food. So there Evie was, making some dumb joke and swinging the knife she was holding.

Unfortunately for her, she ended up stabbing herself down to the bone and she panicked, slicing the knife upwards to her neck and just under her jaw. Evie always made up some sort of story when she was asked about it, because there was no way she was about to admit she stabbed herself like an idiot. Her singing quieted as she glanced in the mirror again, finally satisfied with her appearance. Evie turned her music off, and grabbed her phone and shoved it in her pocket. She approached the door again, breathing in deeply as she went to grab the handle.

Much to her surprise, though, the door swung open. Evie jumped back, fear coursing through her body before she realized who it was. "Oh! Uh.. yeah?" She spoke in a startled tone, but it quickly vanished as she heard the trembling in Rouge's voice. That wasn't normal. Evie eyed her carefully, but she wasn't able to look Rouge in her eyes due to her head being tilted up. Her sudden fear was replaced with sudden disappointment and sadness, and it showed on her features before she quickly gave a small smile. Again, it appeared as Rouge turned and walked out towards the garage. Evie trailed behind her, lengthening her stride to be able to keep up with the vampire.

Evie quietly thanked Rouge at the door of the passenger door and slid into the seat, closing the door on her own. Her first reaction to the car was to be impressed as she eyed the interior. The car itself was probably worth more than her. Immediately after admiring the car for a second, she turned to Rouge. Evie placed a comforting hand on the woman's thigh, gingerly rubbing a thumb over the material of her jeans. "Are you alright? I can hear the tremble in your voice. And please, don't lie to me, mein liebling."(my darling) Concern was evident in her now accented voice, but her expression displayed surprise. The nickname just slipped out, she didn't mean to say that. She didn't know why it slipped, but there was no denying that it did. Evie hoped that Rouge didn't understand German, that would be an awkward conversation.

German is Evie's first language, being that she's from Austria. She masks her accent, though it comes out when she feels extreme emotions, or when she simply too lazy to do anything about it. Few heard the accent, even fewer heard her speak in German. Evie didn't really care much to ask about other's problems or anything like that, but this time it was different. Though she didn't remember much from the night before, she knew that was something special. And after that special moment they shared, it's not like she would just sit there and pretend that the woman before her was perfectly fine.

(you're all good!! don't worry about it<3)

Rouge whole throat tightened and breathing hitched when she felt the touch on her knee. The thumb tracing through her pants, affectionately rubbing her skin was enough to set her off. She opens her mouth to reply, trying to tell her that everything was alright until she heard what Evie said in German. The woman's entire body heats up, causing her cheeks to be covered in red pigmentation. She was quick to remove Evie's hand from her knee that was shaking in place. "Yes. Everything was fine." She turns on the engine and turns on the radio to a random channel. "Just family conflict got under my skin. Everything's settled now." She kept her eyes in the front, avoiding any form of contact with the werewolf in the passenger seat. Her mind was on fire and repeating that German phrase in her head. Should she tell her that she understood what she said? Rouge internally shook her head, while keeping the exterior calm.

"You speak German? How," she shuffled her gaze anxiously to the woman next to her, the golden orbs of hers daring to expose a bountiful amount of affection, "lovely." The compliment sounded like she expressed minimum effort into saying it, yet her heart was thinking of other things she couldn't bare to say out loud. "Stunning. Cute. Beautiful. Amazing." The endearing words rattling in her brain, making her mind spiral into a dilemma of love. Love. She pursed her lips, her heart racing further when her mind dared to give her the root cause to the symptoms she's feeling. Her eyes shifted to side without her knowledge, gazing upon the beautiful woman beside her. Her eyes attached to Evie like she was a magnet, steadily her eyes wonder the woman from head to toe. Her teeth bitting her inner cheeks while her face never settled from her intense blushing. She snaps her stare away forcibly, her body full of sadness over such actions. "Your outfit is decent."

There she goes again with the little effort to compliments. "I mean. Okay. Shit, uh, proper." She rambled, her words nearly understandable due to the increasing speed of her speech. Her sentence became a mumbling mess, her tongue swishing all over the place and her sentences barely leaving her lips. "What I meant to say is that you," she shuffled anxiously in her seat, her undead heart was beating so hard to the point she can hear it in her eardrums, "look absolutely breathtaking. I'm sure you'll have people tripping over themselves to get to you. Yes." She saved herself from the embarrassment, demanding for her eyes to be glued hard on the road. Rouge needs to think about something other than Evie. Something or someone that makes her miserable and ruins her sense of joy. Her siblings and her job. Instantly her whole mood shifted, her redden face gradually fading away and her unknowingly shaking body grew settled. She holds out her hand in Evie's direction, wanting her to look at the item in her hand. In the center of her palm was her septum ring that she lost in her bed. "Here. You lost this in my covers."

Rouge was deathly silent, the pupils in her eyes dilated as the intensity of the car was starting to feel suffocating. She pressed a button on the dashboard, the roof of the red convertible drawing back to expose the two to the elements. She waits until Evie grabbed her ring before settling a hand on her leg, giving it a comforting squeeze. The squeeze was gentle, full of comfort. Like a guiding hand sent to guide your way. "Aren't you nervous to see your family soon?" Her voice had that confidence back, no longer filled with that uncertain trembling tone. Her hands move to Evie's cheeks, enjoying the feeling of the Werewolf's soft, warm skin. Her thumb traces her cheekbone, while her eyes averted any form of connection with her. "Hmm," a hum in her throat, "what spa do you go to? I should vist them sometime." She formed an excuse to stroke her cheek, trying to manipulate herself that what they're doing is casual and nothing, well, romantic. Hesitantly, she pulled her hand away, a frown formulating on her face when her hand grew cold.

When she sees the city up ahead, she leans comfortably back in her seat. When she turned to the right to get on the freeway, her eyes behold the worst thing of all car drivers. Traffic. She scoffed, then pressed the same button again that lowered the roof to raise it back up. She made sure all the windows were rolled up, her eyes showing brief flashes of fear. This whole thing could be the perfect opportunity for an assassination. She gulped heavily, turning down the radio a little. "Do you have any food preferences? Like meat, straight up vegetables, or?" She brushes a strand of loose hair behind her ear, her eyes darting window to window.

Evie stared at Rouge with confusion written across her features as she noticed the fact Rouge was now blushing. Upon having her hand removed, she just rested it on her own leg and tilted her head. She knew the woman wasn't big on physical affection. There was no denying the red tint on Rouge's pale skin, and it amused her. "Alright.. if you say so." she spoke softly, not bothering to mask her thick accent this time. There wasn't much of a point now, unless only for aesthetic reasons. Did she cause the sudden change in Rouge, or was there something else? Evie smiled to herself and looked away, her mind now on whatever was on the radio. That was until the vampire spoke again, and she looked over again. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about that." she chuckled, eyes flicking over to Rouge.

Evie noticed the vampire glancing over at her again, and she shifted in her seat. Her hands were folded in her lap and she was playing with her fingers, picking at her acrylic nails. There were a glittery black, as most of her things seemed to be. Again, Evie perked her head up upon hearing Rouge speak. She could hardly understand the woman, who seemed to be talking faster than the car was moving. Evie began to laugh, and it took everything in her to fight it. She slapped a hand over her mouth, biting her lip roughly to prevent herself from howling with laughter. The feeling quickly vanished when there was a sharp pain in her lip, and she immediately removed her hand. She had reopened the cut from last night. Evie glanced down to see dark red on her hand, and she internally cursed herself. "Why thank you. That's a shame for them, though, because I already have my heart set on someone."

Evie responded cooly as she licked her lips, trying her best to clean the blood without making it into a whole scene. It didn't work, and the blood only dripped down her lip and her chin. She glanced over towards Rouge, and then down into her hand. Her whole face lit up and she eagerly grabbed the little piece of jewelry. "Thank you! I was afraid it was stuck in your hair or something." she smiled, sticking the little ring into her pocket. The blood now trailed its way down to her exposed collarbones, and she nearly let out an irritated sigh. She had grown horribly worried about Rouge now, the woman never quite acted like this. Evie had taken the time to familiarize herself completely with everything Rouge did, and everything about her. I mean, it was nearly impossible not to, since the vampire was the only one she had spoken to in months.

Evie did also spend every waking moment with Rouge, and not just to protect her. Being a werewolf meant she was a pack animal. She was extremely social and couldn't be left alone too long without losing her mind. Evie turned her gaze up to the roof as it went down, a little gasp escaping her. It was cold now, and the wind ruffled her hair, but she didn't mind. She was amazed and couldn't tear her gaze away from the sky. That was until she felt the warmth of a hand on her leg, and then a squeeze. She snapped her glittery green eyes back down to her leg, and then brought a hand back up to her neck. She listened to Rouge as she rubbed her hand along the bloodied skin, most of it disappearing. "Nervous is an understatement. Before I left to come here," she paused, a faraway look in her eyes. "I had a pretty nasty fight with my father. We don't have the best relationship." she quietly added.

Evie wasn't exactly too fond of her father, and vice versa. She had always been extremely close with her mother, though, up until her death. All of them knew her father was responsible for it no matter how much he denied it. Evie was snapped out of her thoughts at the feeling of warm hands on her cheeks. For someone who was undead, Rouge did have pretty warm hands. "What.. spa? None. Or well, I haven't been to one since i've been here." Evie frowned as she felt the warmth leave her cheek, and she reached a hand over to Rouge's thigh to rest it there before she paused halfway. "Sorry. I really need to work on my touchiness." She grinned sheepishly, pulling her hand back. Her cheeks were now tinged pink, and she avoided looking at Rouge at all now.

Evie glanced up as the roof raised back up now, amused yet again. Her lip still stung, and still bled slightly. She sighed softly and pulled her phone from her pocket, using the camera to examine how bad it was. She rubbed most of the blood away, and just decided to leave it to deal with when they were actually there. Evie finally dared to look back over at Rouge. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes roamed the woman before finally resting back on her face. She wasn't exactly subtle about checking her out at this point. "Oh.. uh.. I don't know. Not to sound horribly cliche, I guess meat. Or fruit." Evie noted how Rouge was seemingly anxious, looking from window to window.

Evie's gaze softened as she kept her gaze on the woman. "Nobody's going to kill you, I'm here for a reason. Maybe I'm not the strongest, but I'll take a bullet for you." She tried her hardest to reassure Rouge, a slight guilt washing over her.

Rouge scoffed, sliding her hands around her steering wheel. Her face crossed as she frowned, pretending to be insulted by the woman's words. "I'm very thrilled. Can't you tell by my tone?" She jest, holding back the urge to smile to keep on the playful facade. Rouge side-eyes her passenger, raising only one of her perfectly trimmed brows. "I should say the same to you. You're face express little to no excitement, deary. Is it because you're in my presence. If so," her lips pulled into a small grin, "I'm highly offended." She proceeded to laugh, yet ensured to keep it at a low volume. Rouge was enthusiastic at the moment and it's all because of Evie. Although, such thoughts is best to be kept under wraps unless she embarrasses herself. Her golden eyes were shimmering with so many emotions, mainly good ones. All of it was still odd to her. They're feelings she's not experienced all too well, nonetheless, ones she wants to embrace once more. With Evie's help, of course.

Rouge sat in her seat while her nerves settle, her eyes focused on the road. Her ears were kept open for whatever Evie wanted to say next, while her heart leapt in her chest as it was becoming Impatient to hear the woman's alluring accent once again. Well, that was until Evie said something about having someone else in her heart. Rouge's body dropped and heart grew still. She thins her lips while her grip tightens on the wheel. Rouge inhaled sharply, her eyelids somewhat narrowing. "I see. Well, that person is lucky." Trying to mask her jealously, yet it was failing ever so terribly. Rouge felt miserable at this point, hating the fact that someone else gained Evie's attention. A frown fell on her face as she came to a stop at the lights, attempting to hide the building envy that dared to corrupt her mind. To make herself feel better, she decided to formulate a lie-one that can put her to ease. "There's someone I've been crushing on for awhile too. Though," she grinds her teeth, "they hadn't noticed me, sadly."

Her smile appeared to be forced, and it worsened when she smelt her bodyguard's blood. Her jaw tighten immensely, with her turning the wheel to the right to head to the downtown area once the light turned green. Evie's scent was starting to be irresistible. It was driving her insane. The speed of the car gradually risen as she added pressure to the gas pedal. When she spotted an alleyway large enough for the car to fit through, she did a hard turn. Rouge drove deeper into the alley, then parked the car. Her hands shoot to her hair, muttering to herself. "You're welcome." Her breath was shaky as the blood was teasing her, Rouge shifting in her seat to face the werewolf. The vampire's golden eyes watching the blood like a hungry predator. When Evie brought up her father situation, her eyes shuffled upwards to lock eyes with her. "I'm sorry you're going through that. At least we have family issues we can relate to," her eyes dulled, "although, I forgot about my parents. It's been quite some time."

Rouge leaned closer to the werewolf, grabbing Evie by her sides and pulled her close. Her lips went to Evie's, the vampire tracing her tongue along her bloody lips, then follows along the blood trail that Evie smeared all over her skin. Her lips glided to her collarbone, giving it gentle nibbles as she enjoys the taste of the blood. A satisfied hum in her throat. Rouge pulls away, licking her blood covered lips. "You taste so damn delicious, darling." She whispered, her eyes lustfully examining the woman in front of her.

Evie rolled her eyes in a playful manner as Rouge responded to her again. Though she didn't respond back, she instead rested her arm on the center console and pressed her cheek against the palm of her hand. Her hand was warm against the previously cold skin, giving her a small amount of satisfaction. She stayed this way for awhile with no intention of exposing her cheek to the cold again.

Evie was slightly confused by this new side of Rouge. Usually, the woman was not this playful, and definitely not as joyful. It was like something in her demeanor changed, but Evie couldn't place what it was. A smile crept onto her lips as she continued to think, watching as their surroundings changed. The smile remained on her face until Rouge responded to her. Was that.. jealousy? She turned her head towards Rouge, reading into the tone of her voice and the expression on her face. Yeah, that was undoubtedly jealousy.

But why? As far as she knows, Rouge isn't into girls. Which meant there was no possible way she could like Evie at all. Evie furrowed her brows in confusion as she turned her head back forwards, her eyes focused on the road. Immediately after Rouge spoke again, her eye twitched slightly in anger.

That one sentence made her want to slam her head into the dash of Rouge's car repeatedly, and she almost did until she realized that would cause damage to the car. "Hm. I wish it was me." she chuckled softly to add a joking edge to her words, but her tone and face were sincere. "I don't see how they wouldn't notice you, you're perfect in your own way." Evie quietly added.

Her jaw was clenched and her nails dug into the soft skin of her cheek. Jealousy, the feeling she knew all too well. Her mind was racing and her anger continued to brew inside her until she thought she was about to snap. Evie let out a shaky exhale and her mind seemed to clear, her usual cool and calm demeanor quickly returning. She was now horribly confused, upset, and jealous.

Up until a few seconds ago, Evie thought that she just had a harmless little crush on Rouge. But no, a crush wouldn't piss her off that much. As selfish as it is, she wants Rouge all to herself. She doesn't want Rouge to even so much as look at another person that shows the slightest amount of interest in her.

Evie was snapped out of her thoughts as the car suddenly jerked to the side, and she used the dash to steady herself before she slammed into the door. She looked over at Rouge with a bewildered look on her face, eyes darting from the windshield to the window as they turned down an alley. Where the hell was Rouge taking her? Fear coursed through her body as she continued to look around, completely oblivious to what was going on. Was she about to be murdered? Tortured? Evie's eyes were widened now as they continued further down the alley until Rouge finally parked the car.

She had been scared of Rouge before, but not to this degree. She didn't know the capabilities of vampires and with Rouge's personality, Evie had believed she was going to be murdered by the woman various times. Obviously she hadn't been murdered, but the events happening now made her think that was going to be the outcome.

Evie settled down slightly as Rouge turned to face her, but the hairs on the back of her neck were still stood up. As the vampire locked eyes with her, her fear completely melted away. But why was Rouge looking at her like that? Evie's gazes shifted from one of the woman's golden eyes to the other a few times, trying to figure out her next move.

The sound of her voice calmed Evie. She sat and thought for a minute, trying to figure out how to respond. Evie was about to speak, but was quickly cut off when Rouge rested her hands on her side and pulled her closer. Her eyes widened in surprise as Rouge kissed her, which was the complete opposite of what she thought was about to happen.

She was too shocked to kiss back, and sat still as Rouge trailed her lips down to her collarbone. A small gasp escaped her as Rouge continued, and a shudder ran through her body.

Evie's cheeks heated up as Rouge pulled away and spoke to her. The look in her eyes, the tone of her voice. She couldn't take it. Evie brought a hand up to Rouge's jaw and rested it there, wasting no time to lean in. Evie kissed Rouge gently at first, but deepened the kiss almost immediately. She brought her other hand to the back of Rouge's head and tangled her fingers in the vampire's hair, pulling her hair gently. She could taste her own blood and the cut was stinging like crazy, but she didn't care. Her eyes were shut tightly as she traced a small star pattern on the woman's jaw, lips still pressed hungrily against Rouge's.

Rouge froze a bit at the urgency of her bodyguard, faltering slightly at both the touch of Evie's hands and lips. She hums in delight as she felt the other's fingers mess with her hair and tug it gently. Not to mention, the kiss she randomly daydreamed would happen has come to reality. All of it felt like nothing more but an illusion. One she can find herself helplessly falling for. Rouge's hands move to Evie's lower back, pulling the werewolf even closer to her. Rouge was lured deep into the kiss, craving the blood seeping through the injury and the fact she enjoyed the feeling of Evie's lips against hers. All of it felt so damn amazing. It felt too good to be true. The rush of it all started to drain, Rouge removing her lips from Evie's and breathing heavily from their brief make-out session. Her hands went to Eve's face, twirling both thumbs over her cheekbones. Her eyes were fixated on Eve's, her undead heart pounding her chest while her lips tingling for more. Rouge gave Eve a quick peck on the lips, then pulled back inches away to give them space. She licked whatever blood was left on her lips and forcefully broke eye contact. "We shouldn't do this, Evie. It's wrong. Not to mention," she withdrew her hands, "It'll put you in danger."

Her words couldn't be understood since she kept them at a low volume. Rouge drawled back, avoiding contact with the woman in the passenger seat. Her skin craved to brush against Eve's once again, her whole body desiring to be pressed against hers. Her hands shoot to her hair, twirling a strand of scarlet-colored hair around her pointer finger. "I," she starts before pausing briefly, "I know a place where we can eat." Rouge changed the entire topic, not wanting to discuss what the two shamelessly did. Rouge shifted the gear to drive and made her way through the alley. The silence between them is loud. It wasn't awkward, yet it was uncomfortable as if something important was missing. Rouge turned up the radio and flipped through the channels-wanting to eliminate the quiet. It was going alright for a few seconds until We Found Love by Rihanna started to play. Rouge panicked both internally and externally, changing the station without hesitation. Another romance song, Crazy In Love by Beyonce, introduced itself.

Rouge shuts off the radio entirely, her face flushing a deep shade of red. She turns right once they find a way out of the alley and back onto the main street, trying to calm herself before she explodes. Life was messing with her right now. Rouge is a master of many things throughout her years of living but still crumbles when love of any kind slaps her on the face (or lips). Fate finally grew tired of her being single and tossed her into the love pool with no safety harness. "Silence it is," she replied hastily, despite Evie not saying anything about the music randomly popping up. When the light ahead turned red, Rouge lightly pressed the gas pedal. "I-I didn't hate it. The kiss. . .I mean." She shifted her eyes to the window on her left, gazing into the side-view mirror. "I enjoyed it." There's a glimmer in her eyes of gold, one she hadn't seen in centuries. The feeling of blooming joy has returned, all thanks to the fragrance of the werewolf's blood. Her free hand went to her lips, lightly brushing against them. "All of this is extremely wrong. I can't fall in love with my mortal enemy. Once the human situation is dealt with, our species will fight each other again." The thought alone killed the glee in her audits, Rouge shuffling in her seat to straighten her posture.

"I'm sure you'll love this restaurant. It's quiet and tends to be less crowded on the weekdays." Her lips pulled into a strained smile, the volume of her words on edge. Rouge parallel parked her car outside of the restaurant and cuts the engine off. She peers at the Italian restaurant to see how packed it was, inspecting everything through the window. Rouge sighed in relief as they were barely any people in there and gets out the car. Approaching Evie's side to open the door for her, disregarding any eye contact with the werewolf. "Don't worry about the price. I can afford it." She jest, yet she was also serious. I'm sure Evie knows by now that the vampire was rich, no need for further explanation. When her bodyguard got out of the car, she shuts the car door and pressed her key to lock her vehicle.

The vampire strolls over to the restaurant doors with her hands shoved into the pockets of her pants. Using one hand to open the entryway, she inclines her head in Evie's direction. Her face calm and defined, no other expression daring to linger. "You may enter first. Go ahead and pick where we want to sit." Like an obedient companion, Rouge follows Evie from behind, her eyes examining the interior of the place.

It had only taken seconds for Evie to realize what had just happened. Oh, god. Rouge kissed her and instead of doing the right thing, she let it happen. She encouraged it. As the other woman pulled away and rested both hands on her cheeks, Evie was at a complete loss for words, and breath. Her face was flushed and her lips were slightly swollen now, and she could still taste her own blood. It was an odd yet delicious taste, something she's tasted many times before but never got used to. The blood of a wolf is something few got the chance to taste and probably for good reason.

Evie's heart was beating like crazy as she stared into Rouge's glistening gold eyes, unable to look away. This was wrong, this was awful, and she felt ill. It's not that she didn't enjoy it, she was just frightened. How in the hell were they supposed to go back to normal after this? Sure, there were moments between them when there was intense tension, but it was never something like this.

Evie didn't move whenever Rouge gave her another quick kiss, she just inhaled quickly to try to get more air in her lungs. A look of hurt crossed her face as Rouge broke eye contact, and she shamefully looked down at her lap. She could hear the vampire mumbling something, but she couldn't quite make out what she was saying. Her body was turned forwards again now. The skin on her lower back and cheeks was tingling, and she longed for more. Evie did not say anything whenever Rouge mentioned knowing a place to eat, she just simply folded her hands in her lap and picked at the polish on her long nails.

The black polish was chipping away from the acrylics, which were pointed slightly at the end. They were worn from her constantly anxiously picking at them and would soon need to be replaced. Evie uncomfortably shifted in her seat as Rouge began to drive them out of the alley. The silence was becoming almost unbearable now, and she couldn't take it. Her gaze flicked to the radio as she heard it start playing, the sun catching in her pale green eyes.

Almost immediately after hearing what song started playing, her eyes widened slightly. Oh, just perfect. She watched as Rouge changed the station, which again, played another love song. If she wasn't embarrassed and disgusted with herself she would've been laughing her ass off right now. Evie gave a slide glance towards Rouge as the woman spoke, despite her not saying anything at all.

Mostly, she was just scared for how things were going to be now. You can't just go back to normal after something like that, and past experiences proved that. Does it mean that Rouge has reciprocated feelings? That she isn't actually straight? There was a little glimmer of hope within her, but she quickly crushed it with another negative thought. As Rouge spoke again, her gaze softened. "So did I. Maybe we could do it again sometime?" Evie snickered at her own joke, or at least her half-joke. She wasn't really joking when she said that.

She had her body turned towards the window now, completely immersed in her surroundings. As she watched each stranger pass by on the sidewalks, Evie found herself wondering what their lives were like. It was an odd concept to her how every stranger she saw had a life of their own, struggles of their own. Maybe they thought the same thing about her? Her brows were furrowed in concentration as she continued to stare out the window, only broken out of her daze by the sound of Rouge's voice. The familiar French accent she's grown to be so fond of.

"Hopefully, I'm not too picky." Evie tapped her nails against her thigh as she spoke, and then began to trace the outline of her tattoo through her jeans. She repeated the process with the moth on her hand, running her fingers over the slightly raised skin. With Rouge's next words, Evie turned her gaze to the vampire and playfully looked her up and down. "Hmm. Are you sure about that?" She spoke in a joking tone, her gaze lingering on Rouge for a few seconds too long before she forced herself to look away.

She stood and stepped out of the car, completely avoiding looking at Rouge. Evie pulled the sleeves of her sweater over her hands as she briskly walked behind Rouge, never moving to her beside her. Upon first glance at the interior of the place, she was slightly impressed. Her eyes landed on a small, cut off booth by one of the windows. Perfect. She would much rather sit next to Rouge than have to sit across from her and avoid eye contact right now.

Evie made her way over there, her necklaces clinking against each other as she walked. She brought a hand up to them and pressed them against her chest to minimize the noise. She slid into the booth, which was rather small and only had one side to it. Her hands were neatly folded in her lap as per usual as she looked around.

Evie was sat as close to the window as she could go to give Rouge space. She wouldn't mind if they were touching, but she wasn't entirely too sure how the vampire would feel about it. Her nerves were calm now, and she had completely composed herself since the events of earlier.

Rouge scrutinized the restaurant staff and customers, earnestly taking in everyone's faces, from their eye color to their attire. She's checking to see if she knows anyone here, as many of her acquaintances and family know this place is her favorite spot. She thins her lips by sucking them in, chewing on the bottom as discomfort crept into her thoughts. Her hands stroke the interior of the pockets, a bit of stimulation to ease her nerves. Rouge was lost in thought that she didn't realize that Evie picked their seats, so when she turned her head to the last area the werewolf was standing, she panicked a little when she didn't see her. Her eyes darted around like mad in search of her beloved bodyguard while her breathing was rapid. Rouge's heart was beating so loud that she heard it in her eardrums.

Finally, her auric eyes rested on the familiar face, instinctively faltering to the swollen and bloodied lips she craved minutes ago. Rouge gulped, her hands clenching into fists as she stepped towards Evie. Witnessing Evie settling by the window seat, her side pressed against the glass pane, and leaving the spot beside her available made the typically calm woman fanatical. Rouge felt her cheeks warm as a light blush appeared, with the vampire promptly clearing her throat to return herself to her levelheaded senses. She inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, inching closer to the booth the werewolf picked. Rouge settled in beside her bodyguard, removing her hands from her pockets and wiping them on her pants. Their arms inside the booth occasionally brushed together, and with each touch, Rouge could've sworn that she felt a spark.

She kept her eyes down on the table, moving her fingers in a circular motion as she aimlessly traced against the fabric of her pants. Rouge opened her mouth before shutting it precipitously. For once, the undead woman was speechless-her usual charm proven to be useless. She peeked in the other's direction to check on her condition, only to be surprised yet relieved upon seeing how calm the bodyguard was. Seeing Evie at ease settled her whizzing mind, her psyche no longer running around blind. Rouge's gaze was lured away as the waiter approached. "Ah, signorina Rouge. Che bello rivederti." (Ah, Miss Rouge. Nice to see you again). Hearing the waiter remember her made her lips tug to a smile, her eyes holding that charming spark. "Sono anche felice di rivederti. È passato un po 'di tempo." (I'm also happy to see you again. It's been a while). She replied in Italian, watching the waiter's eyes turn to Evie. She almost let her face fall into a snarl when jealousy rushed into her head, a feeling of protectiveness coursing strong within. "Don't look at my sweetheart." She almost said it out loud yet refrained, remaining dignified and unruffled. Well, almost calm until the waiter said something that caught Rouge off guard.

"La tua ragazza?" (Your girlfriend?)

Rouge felt herself choke on her spit as she harshly gasped and started to cough hard to get it out. It didn't take long to soothe her coughing fit, covering her lips with a closed hand. Her eyes moved to Evie, taking her in for a bit before replying with a harsh "No," her tone heavy with adversity towards herself for not saying yes, "È un'amica." (She's a friend.) The waiter looks between the two, his lips twitching as he doesn't believe her. "The usual, Miss Rouge?" His voice was strong with an Italian accent. In response, Rouge nodded her head. "A cup of red wine for me and water for her. No need to ask her what food she wants yet," she gestured to her companion, "I want her to eat off my plate to see if she enjoys the food since she's new here." The waiter nods as he writes it down before heading to the kitchen to give the cooks their order and serve them their drinks. Rouge turned her whole body to face Evie, a frown on her face, "I hope you didn't mind that I spoke for you. I wanted you to take a taste test."

Her focus altered as she caught someone familiar in the window. Remembering the pair of cursed blue eyes peering back at her, down beneath them was their thin lips that were pulled into a warm smile, showing off their pearly white teeth. The oval-shaped face with the wavy blonde hair made lots of flashbacks show up in her head. Rouge's eyes scrutinized the person, only for her to groan in annoyance when she recalled who it was. The person raced to the restaurant's main doors and entered the building, seemingly heading to Rouge and Evie's booth. Rouge covered her face with both hands, cussing at no one in particular in French.

"Aceline? Is that you?" The man says with a toothy smile before sitting in front of the two women, ignoring the distraught on the vampire's face. Rouge removed her hands, her brows faltering to a frown. "Lewis. Not a pleasure to see you again," her words bitter and icy as she spoke to the man, "what are you doing here?" Lewis leaned back in the seat comfortably, amusement sparking in his eyes of azure. "I was visiting the strolling through town and going down memory lane. It's funny," he leans forward slightly as he rests his arms on the table, "this is where we had our first date." Rouge felt the wind get knocked out of her with her eyes widening, resisting the urge to slap herself or Lewis in the face. She now remembers why she stopped coming here, and today has already been a rough day with the kissing incident. "Wait, does that mean Evie might view this as a date now? Shit." Rouge side-glanced the person nestled beside her before shuffling her gaze to the man across from her. "As you can see, Lewis, we're busy here and just ordered. So. . .run off into a ditch." Shooing him away with a hand gesture, her eyes riddled with hostility.

What she didn't expect what for her ex to take the hand she was using to shoo him off and press his grimy lips against her knuckles. "You do love playing hard to get. I miss that immensely," he responded earnestly, locking eyes with the redhead. Rouge, on the other hand, wasn't feeling the same. "Now I'm trying my hardest not to puke. I long to feel well, truly, I do," she forcefully snatched her hand away from him, grabbing a napkin to wipe whatever germs he left on her hand.

Evie was completely lost in thought as she stared out the window, her breath catching in her throat whenever she felt Rouge brush against her. She didn't look over, and instead tried to distract herself again. Her gaze fell upon someone in particular out the window, a young man walking a dog. She didn't like dogs and hated most of them, but that was the most adorable canine she had ever seen. It was a rather large dog, with fluffy brown and white fur. It obediently trotted at the side of the man, with its head tilted back so it could watch him. As they passed by the window, she could see that the dog had a bedazzled pink collar with a matching leash. She was absolutely mesmerized, unable to look away until they turned a corner.

Now she wished she had a pet of some sort, preferably not a dog, but even that would make her happy. Evie turned her head towards Rouge and was about to ask if she was allowed to get a pet, but she quickly changed her mind so she didn't sound stupid. She was a whole adult, she didn't have to ask permission for something. Or, well, she did have to ask because it was Rouge's home where the animal would be staying. A few memories hit her in an instant, and she was zoned out completely. Her family bred both horses and dogs, making for some fond memories growing up.

Despite absolutely hating dogs, she had one of her own. A lovely Doberman that was bred from her mother's dog years ago. Evie couldn't help but wonder how the dog was doing now, since he was already quite old when she left. She had a horse, too, and she loved that damn horse with her whole heart. No matter what Rouge says, Evie decided she would force the vampire to meet her horse whenever they went to Austria. She didn't realize a waiter had come to their table and was having a conversation with Rouge, and she was rather embarrassed now.

It wouldn't have mattered anyways, since they were speaking a language she didn't understand. Evie glanced down towards her lap as she felt a buzz in her pocket, followed by another one. She gave another glance towards Rouge and the waiter before she pulled her phone out of her pocket, her face dropping as she read the notifications. Text messages, angry ones from someone she wasn't very fond of. Her entire mood was soiled now. Evie frowned as she re-read them, becoming visibly upset at this point.

"Don't let him ruin this." She thought to herself as she shoved her phone back in her pocket. The buzzes kept coming and were almost unbearable at this point. Finally, she had enough. Evie pulled the phone back from her pocket and powered it all the way off, and as a distraction she decided to tune into Rouge's conversation with the waiter. Although she didn't understand a single word said, she realized they were talking about her whenever they both looked at her in the span of a few minutes.

Evie curiously tilted her head at the accent of the man, watching as he walked away. He seemed friendly enough. "It's okay! I wouldn't know what to get anyways." She offered a smile to her vampire beside her, trying to fight back the thoughts in the back of her mind.

Evie suddenly turned back towards Rouge when she began swearing in yet another language she didn't understand, confusion written across her face. That was until she saw a man headed directly for them, and her heart sank. Who in the hell is that? She listened to the two speak for a minute, her mood completely shifting after she figured out it was her ex. Lovely.

She was about to tell him off before she got a better idea. A much, much better idea. Evie glanced down at the small gap of space between her and Rouge, and she slowly inched towards the vampire until they were completely touching now. Their shoulders and knees were pressed against each other now, and she rested her gaze on the man before them. Evie slowly took one hand from her lap and moved it over to Rouge's thigh, a smirk replacing her frown.

Evie's eye twitched slightly in annoyance and disgust as she watched the man kiss Rouge's hand. That was her job, not his. Evie moved her head ever so slightly towards Rouge, now resting it against her shoulder. She had it angled so that it didn't appear that way, making sure he didn't suspect a thing. Now, she lowered her head slowly, pressing her lips against Rouge's shoulder. She began to place light, hardly noticeable kisses against her shoulder.

Again, she made it so it just seemed as if she was whispering in Rouge's ear. Evie turned her head ever so slightly so that her lips were now on Rouge's neck. She made a little trail of kisses leading up to her jaw, all while slowly sliding her hand further up Rouge's thigh. She knew exactly what she was doing and didn't plan on stopping. Slowly and gently, Evie bit the skin on Rouge's neck, her gaze never leaving the man. She repeated this process a few times until a small mark appeared, and she moved her head to create more marks in other areas.

Finally, Evie pulled her head away, but she kept her hand on Rouge's thigh. The hand was now rather far up, and her fingertips were rested gently on the vampire's inner thigh. She gingerly caressed where her hand was, a troubled expression crossing her features as she finally flicked her gaze up to Rouge. She had to make it seem like what she told her was something upsetting, of course. Those acting lessons she took in high school were finally paying off.

Evie leaned into Rouge more so that now every part of them that could touch was touching. Finally, she spoke up. "Excuse me, sir. If you don't mind, we need to discuss a very important business opportunity. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to speak to Aceline later, but this is the only time I'm able to talk to her." She masked her accent again and offered a polite smile. Meanwhile, underneath the table, she inched her hand further up the vampire's thigh until she couldn't anymore.

Rouge was hers, and only hers. Jealously coursed through her body and her way of making herself feel better was making Rouge know that she was hers. Never in her life had she experienced this level of possessiveness, and it was killing her inside. She wanted to just kiss Rouge right then and there and scream at Lewis or whatever is name is to leave. He was pissing her off to the point where she was about to lean over the table and strangle him.