Afternoon Sushi-Break

[Fell]

Ariel watched Ramsie go with "concerned" eyes, but did not rise to follow her. As soon as she\'d gone, he breathed a sigh - of relief or regret, it was hard to tell. "Yeah, though I don\'t think I helped," the silver-haired man said with just a hint of regret. Inwardly, Ariel was smiling most contentedly. Finally, she would stop bothering him with her mi -

Maybe next time. Ariel seethed for a moment, then forced himself calm. She hadn\'t invaded this time, or even touched - just thrown. That was... acceptable enough, he supposed, though he still wasn\'t fond of the idea. After a moment, he looked at Red again and grinned, trying to make it seem as though he hadn\'t been hiding one since Ramsie had risen. Carefully, almost delicately, Ariel pushed his glasses back up his nose and rested his head on one hand.

"Only walnut? You\'ll have to try some more sometime. I can show you some places to go, if you want," Ariel said congenially, dropping some of his act (notable mostly in his tone) now that Ramsie was gone. It wasn\'t that he wanted to... It was those damned pheromones! Ariel even knew he was doing it, and he was having trouble avoiding it. Gods be damned! Half incubi... he thought darkly, though in truth he didn\'t blame Red\'s breeding on him. It was one of the few things you had no say in.

Ariel found himself hoping that Red would take him up on the offer for an ice cream crawl. Ariel really did know some good places, and it would be an excuse to learn more about the fey, almost feline stranger. Not to mention the excuse not to go back to work. Ariel could easily afford to miss a day, and he did so all the time. Perhaps Red would prove to be worth his time besides. It was unusual for Ariel to meet other supernaturals, even in this city - at least, it was unusual for him to find supernaturals of the caliber he was looking for. Many only lived as long, or just a bit longer than, humans, and Ariel now tried not to befriend those who would die of old age within four or five or his "years." And when Ariel met someone who might just be able to last him, he tried to get to know them. Ignoring such possibilities would be simply idiotic.

[Macabre Beauty]

“No?” He queried, a feigned measure of surprise dancing in the syllable. Shoulders lifting into an expressive shrug his unseen appendage swayed behind him as he pushed about the remainder of his ice cream.

“I thought you proved quite the gentleman.” He continued, as his eyes lifted from the bowl to regard the behemoth through scarlet lashes, “Though, I would guess that is not the first time you’ve had to be polite in the face of clumsy flirtations.”

Lips curled wryly, there proved another flicker of amusement in the fae’s sapphire depths before they were once again turned to the bowl. Spooning at the small remainder, the feral youth found himself mourning the loss of the sweet within. The flavour had been most unique, almost like cake… but, with the rich creamy goodness of frozen dairy.

Pulled from his musings by the near involuntary tick of his ears, the movement having swivled them attentively towards the other, Nanashi looked to Ariel again. It hadn’t been difficult to catch the subtle shift in tone and upon realizing it, the fae grinned inwardly. So, the serpentine male –was- capable of relaxing his mask. Not that he had any doubt, of course. It had just been so artfully maintained that the red-head would have almost guessed the behemoth to derive amusement from his little act. Lips curled into a small almost ambiguous smile, he considered the offer that had been carried in the words. He really hadn’t too many plans today, in fact there was little beyond a nap in the park… and maybe a snack of another sort later.

“Well,” He mused, his lips turning up in the humor of his next line, “I was considering something of a nap… But, I certainly wouldn’t mind putting it off. In fact, I’m quite curious now about these other flavors.”

[Fell]

Ariel couldn\'t help but give Red a rather wry look at the other\'s feigned surprise. "Unfortunately, you\'re right about that," Ariel said with a bit of a shrug. It was true... he always got more than what many thought to be his fair share of female attention. "But... I\'m sure you\'re not unfamiliar with their either...." Ariel added after a moment, regarding his luncheon companion with eyes all appraising, appreciative and amused.

A nap, Ariel thought, laughing inwardly, in the middle of the day? He really is a cat! And maybe that\'s not so off the mark... I\'ll keep it in mind. But he had accepted, something Ariel was pleased to note. This feline man was most interesting to Ariel, both for his attitude (a refreshing break from the busy, frantic ones of most people) and for his enigmatic nature. Ariel almost never met anyone who seemed as though they might, just possibly, be on the same level as he, and meeting one in a sushi bar, as unlikely as it seemed, may have been his stroke of luck for the year. Decade, depending on how things went.

"Curious?" Ariel asked with a tick of his lips. "Well, no use putting it off, then. Just let me finish my tempura ice cream and we\'ll be off! If that appeals...?" The behemoth was taking his time with the ice cream to avoid shocking his body with the temperature. If he took too big a bite, he was sure it would hurt in a much more visceral way than a simple brain freeze.

As Ariel ate, he watched Red subtly. In part he was doing what he always did and appraising those around him while keeping an eye out for potential threats, but there was more to it here. The fact was, it was difficult for Ariel to keep his eyes off of Red. He knew it was the pheromones, but even the knowledge didn\'t help him in this situation. It was just such a basic thing... Much as Ariel was irritated by the forced attention, he also didn\'t altogether mind it.

But what was going on behind the scenes? Red was much, much harder to read than anyone else Ariel had met in... a very long time. Either that, or his motives were simpler, and frankly Ariel couldn\'t tell which it was. That was part of why Ariel thought this red-haired man might be on the same level as he, actually. Ariel looked forward to learning more about him.

When, at last, Ariel had finished his ice cream, he pulled out a fish scale wallet and paid up his part of the check. After a moment\'s thought, he put down enough for Red as well. "Consider it my treat, especially since I\'d like to try the ice cream flavours you get later...?" Ariel said by way of explanation. It wasn\'t as though he couldn\'t afford to do it, though he had felt a need to justify his action further - thus the request for tastes of his ice cream. Then they\'d be even.

[Macabre Beauty]

“Hm? No… I imagine I’m not.” He admitted, his nose curling delicately upon the thought of those who had fawned over him. Granted, it wasn’t entirely their fault what with his breeding and their being vulnerable and all… but, the grace of the approach he felt was something they should have, at the very least, had control of. Never mind, that self control and moderation were unfamiliar among most… Issuing a soft snort, which could’ve easily been inferred to the distaste of the fact that had been pointed out to him, he continued, eyes bright as he resumed the same tongue-in-cheek demeanor that he’d used when mentioning the ice cream, “Suppose that just means we’ll have to keep an eye on ourselves when we’re out hm?”

Thoroughly amused and adequately satiated, for the moment, the half-blood couldn’t have been more content with how his day was playing out. It had started with a refreshing dip in the brook within the woods, then a bit of a tom cat romp through the city, and now… after a most enjoyable meal and a successful half-hearted attempt at singling out the silver-haired male, he had an attractive curiosity to explore! Well, two actually if he admitted the truth behind the ice cream flavors.

“Of course,” He returned easily in reply to the wait. Allowing for a rather languorous stretch, the feral fae resettled and issued a satisfied sigh. Idling, particularly after such a filling lunch, was not a difficult thing to ask of him and as Ariel finished his ice cream, Nanashi watched with the polite discretion one would expect from an individual waiting upon another.

While he watched, he considered the creature and lazily set to associating the little mannerisms and quirks he’d managed pick up on throughout their dining experience. He still wasn’t clear on what the male was and the earlier whisper of snake still danced beneath his senses. So much so, in fact, that he occasionally found himself resisting the urge to lift a ‘paw’ and bat at the curiosity until it bit. After all, what better way to discover the reality than by poking at it bit? A purely feline thought, but one he entertained as the behemoth supped at his ice cream soup.

When the bowl was empty and the cash placed upon the table, a scarlet brow lifted. Well, he hadn’t expected that, though wasn’t about to complain. When Ariel offered his explanation, pouting lips curled into a soft grin and the feral male rose. “Shall we then?” Nanashi was not going to argue the fact that a few bites of ice cream hardly compensated for the cost of five sushi rolls. And while he felt little need to fairly balance the scales, he did make a mental note to attempt just that. He was in a playful mindset now and the potential of a new game had been introduced.

[Fell]

Ariel got a strange feeling from Red while he ate. It wasn\'t a threatening one, in particular... if it had been, the behemoth wouldn\'t have stuck around. He didn\'t like to get into trouble at all if he could help it, so he usually avoided any situation that looked to turn ugly. But no, in this situation he felt more as though he were being watched for the purpose of some sort of amusement. Ariel found himself wondering what kind, but figured he wouldn\'t really know until he knew the other man better.

"Sure thing," Ariel replied, rising and stretching. The silver haired man yawned, his muscles rippling under his long jacket, before he straightened and tucked his hands into his pockets. After a moment\'s thought, he reached one slender hand up to his face to adjust his glasses. When they were arranged to his satisfaction, he turned to Red with a smile. "Do you mind walking? I can run back to the office and get my car if you prefer, but I think the day\'s nice enough for a stroll," Ariel asked politely as he moved towards the exit.

All the ice cream places Ariel was thinking of were within technical walking distance. The distance didn\'t bother Ariel much since he was used to physical activity. Rarely did a day go by in which he didn\'t swim or jog for at least half an hour. He enjoyed the activities, and the fitness born of them, too much to skip them often.

All the same, Ariel knew that many didn\'t share his penchant for physical activity - thus the offer to drive. Though he did rather hope that Red would be up for the trek... Walking would not only give him more time to get a feel for the other, but also give the restless behemoth some exercise. Yesterday had been one of the rare days in which Ariel hadn\'t managed his usual routine and he was feeling the excess energy now, as he had been all morning.

[Macabre Beauty]

The feral male watched as the Behemoth yawned, unabashedly admiring the way his form moved in the gesture. Then, Ariel adjusted his glasses. This had to be what the fifth or sixth time now? At the very least, something that occurred often enough that made the blue-eyed half blood consider it a tic. A curious one, actually because wouldn’t it have just been simpler to remove the spectacles instead of readjust them all the time? Deciding not to give it too much, his mind turned to the query and a small smile pulled at his lips.

Like any sort of feline, Nanashi had his moments of activity. Usually, in counter balance to the moments of leisured –in-activity that he indulged in quite often. He enjoyed his quiet moments, where he could simply sprawl and set his gaze upon something in wonder. Or, where he could lounge comfortably in a state of half-awakening… Ah, but now was not the time for that. He had rested well enough in wait for the behemoth and was now eager to… play, as it were. So, when Ariel suggested they walk he saw little trouble in complying.

“I’d much prefer it actually,” He returned. And how he preferred it… the development of the car was one of those industrial ideas that Nanashi abhorred.  It wasn’t the sound, or the smell, or anything that one might first assume… No it was the simple fact that, when riding in a car, an individual was closed in. The body cut off from all sides by a hulking cage of steel. Granted the duration of most rides was never long enough to become –too- much of an issue but… he still didn’t like the things.

Allowing his body to extend into a rather feline like stretch, for just thinking about it made him feel cramped, the fae rolled his shoulders while lifting his arms above his head the movement simultaneously stretching his torso as he shifted the muscles that’d been bound by sitting. Tail developing a lazy tick, his body relaxed and his arms came to rest easily at his sides as he set himself to follow the other out.

[Fell]

The way Red\'s eyes lingered on him as he stretched didn\'t exactly make Ariel uncomfortable so much as self-conscious. This wouldn\'t be the first time a boy had checked him out, but it wasn\'t exactly common, and Ariel wasn\'t exactly used to it. That was why, after a moment spent settled, he reached up to adjust his glasses. Under Red\'s scrutiny, he wanted them to be properly aligned...

Ariel was somewhat relieved when Red expressed a preference for walking. Somehow, the behemoth had the feeling he might have just gotten in over his head, however interesting Red was. Still, he was in now, and he planned on swimming.

Ariel smiled as he watched Red stretch. He didn\'t do it shyly, but again, a little bit self-consciously and more out of the corner of his eye than not. Another thing he wasn\'t used to was checking out guys, or even particularly wanting to. Oh, he\'d dabbled in homosexuality before, but he\'d never done anything particularly risque and it hadn\'t been because of any real interest so much as an insistent curiosity. Red wasn\'t the first half-incubus he\'d met, but he was the first male half-incubus he\'d met, and the more he let himself think about it the odder it seemed to him.
 
Enough of that, Ariel thought, chiding himself lightly. Red couldn\'t help his nature, and Ariel wasn\'t about to hold it against him. Furthermore, he\'d invited him out for icecream, and now Ariel was going to follow through, nervous or no. "I\'m glad to hear you say that," Ariel said over his shoulder as he began walking. He was sure Red wouldn\'t have any trouble whatsoever catching up.

"It\'s a nice day for a walk. We\'re about 10 blocks from the first place I was thinking. Sound good to you?" the silver-haired man continued, removing his iPhone as he did. While he spoke, he typed away a message to his secretary, letting her know that he wouldn\'t be in for another hour at least. She would be irritated, but there wasn\'t much she could do about it. After all, Ariel thought with a possessive grin, it is my company.

[Macabre Beauty]

The nervous self-consciousness of the behemoth tickled beneath the half-blood’s nose as he followed suit and though it intrigued him, he didn’t think to give it too much thought. Being as open in sexuality as he was with sex as a whole, he never really considered the possibility that other creatures might prove more inclined toward one gender to another. Of course that could have been due to the fact that, when he wanted it, the feral fae was more oft than not allowed his way with either.

Stifling a yawn, and resisting the urge to stretch once more now that they were truly moving, he sidled alongside the taller with a slight bounce and absently considered the distance offered. Ten blocks wasn’t that far.

“Hmm, Sounds good here..” He returned with a small nod to further indicate his agreement.

Upon answering he offered his companion a sideways glance and found it lingering upon the appearance of the phone. The world’s technology was not something Nanashi kept fully up to date with… and while he knew enough, now, to recognize the device and know its function… He would have been lost when it came to using it. So, as Ariel typed his excuse, the fae looked to their surroundings with a small half smile playing on his lips.

“Checking in?” The question hinted at curiosity, as brilliant sapphires played over the sidewalk. The half-blood and behemoth were not the only ones who thought it nice enough to walk, and while he was all ready in interesting enough company, it didn’t keep the feral male from passing a glance over the different people milling about them.

Humans, mortals… often proved interesting in their own right, particularly when they were not aware they were being observed. In fact all ready, the feline half-breed had counted four who had stuck their fingers up their nose, three who picked at wedgies, and at least two men who would have claimed to have been adjusting themselves had someone called them on it.