Boogie On Down...To Work(Nic)

[Inora Theos]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,false][cs=0][bg=000806] She found herself smiling half-heartedly at his attempt at humor. She really wanted to just forget all about this but she just couldn't do that. She had to make sure that he didn't want to be somewhere else. Inora hated very few things but one thing she hated very much was making other people unhappy. She tended to attract poor souls that would fall madly in love with her quirky innocent charm and then they would end up unhappy somehow, because of her. Or that's how she saw it anyway. So she had to know, she had to make herself ask Nic this question, no matter how much it might hurt her. And she was going to do it too, just as soon as she stopped looking into his beautiful eyes. She couldn't bring up the courage to do it while she looked at him. He was just too gorgeous and Inora quaked in the face of beauty, especially the kind of beauty that Nic had. Unadorned, unawares, unconscious beauty. Inora was a sucker for beautiful people who didn't know they were beautiful, or at least didn't act like it. Much like her best friend of all best friends, Ali. Thinking of Ali bolstered her spirits and Inora leaned forward, taking his hand in her own much smaller ones. She took a deep breath and smiled up at him, to let him know it was serious but not too much so. Serious but not necessarily bad. She didn't want him to worry. His pet name sent shivers of warmth through her soul. "Nic, I need you to be honest with me." She sent a quick look towards his eyes to ensure that he would obey this wish and then stumbled onwards. "I need to know if this is really where you want to be. I've sensed, lately, that it might not be. That there might be somewhere else you might want to be. I want to make sure that you know that it's okay with me if you leave, no matter how long that is. I want you to stay with me, but I don't want you to stay with me if it's making you unhappy." The words were coming easier now, since she'd started. She felt like she had so much to get through to him, her intense longing for him to stay and also he intense longing for him to do what will make him happy, not what would make her happy. "I don't want you to stay here just because you feel like you need to protect me, or even just because you feel like it's your job. If you stay further than today I want it to be because this is where you want to be. Here, in New Orleans, with me. And I'm not saying that you have to go. But if there's somewhere you want to go visit, somewhere you want to be...." She thought for a moment. "I'll even go with you if that would make it easier for you. So you don't have to feel bad about breaking your obligations." She knew he would too, if he left her now, Nic would spend all of his time where he wanted to be worrying about what might be happening to her. She knew she would be okay, physically, without him. Sevanni hadn't even seemed to be trying to find her. Inora was nothing more than an annoying gnat to Sevanni Black, and now that she'd disappeared that annoyance had faded to the back of his vision. However, Inora also knew that she would never be okay, mentally or emotionally, without Nic there. She'd come to depend on him for that sort of thing. Stability was a healing quality and Nic was just about as stable as a girl could get. The two of them had developed a friendship through these days of protection and work. And she'd come to depend on it to keep her sane, to keep her sunny personality bright. She needed him to help her get back to her norm, but she also needed him to be happy for that to happen. Maybe this would help. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Count It: 760 Dedicate It: Nic Comment It: I wonder if anyone else is reading these and getting a gag reflex from all the sugary sweetness ha ha. Dress It: CLICK!

[DOMINIC THEOS]

That smile she was giving him coaxed Dominic to smile back tenderly, a brow ascending slowly though as she grew somber. She was a complicated creature, after all. Which was strange given the generalizations. Blonde, smiling and she wore clothing that complimented her. Shouldn’t she be some sort of idiot? The thought made him almost chuckle – his Inora an idiot, how preposterous. Something within Dominic knew that she did not believe in God and because she did not believe he somehow doubted she had the vaguest comprehension of what “agapé” was. Agapé meant, simply put, unconditional love. It was God’s love. Any Christian who had true love for their God made it their purpose to mirror such love. Therefore any action that Dominic did or didn’t do was out of love for her and an absence of selfishness. There were tendencies he had – the occasional drink and irritation when she spent too much time working – that were a bit selfish but he rarely acted rashly on them.

She was stressing at the present, something he was keenly aware. A quiet sigh exited his lips as he allowed her to process whatever it was she was thinking. Of all things Dominic was not, he was patient. Especially with her…always with her. Even when she was being ridiculous or stubborn. There was nothing within him that made him want to walk away or lash out. Naturally there were days where staying away from Oregon was more difficult than others. It was his home…but then so was his place with Inora. She was home as much as anything else. It had not been a conscious decision – his romantic feelings for her but they were there. Frankly he blamed it on the wolf, though he wasn’t absolutely sure he regretted them. In fact, no, he did not. Staring silently at her as she fussed, it took a great deal of control – as it always did – not to hold her and tell her it’d all be okay. It was in his mind, vividly, just how light she had been in his arms.

The thought itself was pushed from his mind as she began to speak, as he knew she would. She wanted honesty…he liked to think he was always honest…And then it got worse. It was difficult not to focus on the hold her tiny palms had on one of his more calloused hands. They were warm and soft and unassuming. But she was being absolutely ridiculous right now and that in itself was enough to hold his thoughts to her words. It’s okay with me if you want to leave. The words were like a knife twisting in his gut. A light frown creased his brow at the thought. She had to be lying. Or was she. He stared quietly for a long time, listening intently as she finished. Breaking your obligations. He very nearly scowled at her. Breathing a slow sigh, he sat back and ran his fingers through his dark hair which was already mussed slightly from the wind tussling it on their walk.

His lips had formed a tight line. She clearly didn’t get it. Even the wolf was recoiling with insult. Obligation. A job. She thought this was a job? Clearing his throat, he took a few seconds to school his features before he returned her stare once again and then even still he could not speak. Licking his lips, he smiled absent mindedly and finally made himself continue looking at her. ”I suppose this is my fault. Not making myself clear. While I want to protect you this has never been just a job for me. If it were I wouldn’t have stayed. And I certainly wouldn’t have become your friend…“ The wolf was shamefaced and Nic? Ha. The man’s feelings had been hurt. Go figure. ”I miss Oregon a lot. All the time. And for a thousand reasons. But this is important to you. And I want to stay and help you with it. Understand, I didn’t say I felt like I should, I said I want to.” He was being deliberate with his speech, slow and appearing much more calm than he actually was. The muscle in his jaw worked however as he inquired, against his better judgment. ”You would really be okay if I left?” It was spoken in a husky baritone, intimately murmured to both her and himself. ”I’ll go back to Oregon some time. But when everything is squared away here, and when we have enough help so that you can come with without having to fret over who is taking care of your business.”

He was masking his feelings quite well at this point, but the fact was he wouldn’t be okay if she left. And the mention that she would be brought something to painful clarity – he cared far more than she did. Though, he knew that. Somehow her voicing it stung. But it did not affect his feelings or devotion. Rubbing his features with his free hand he shook his head. ”I need to be here as much as you do.” Heh. Try that for honesty. And he did. Guess you’ll think before you ask next time Ms. Makani…

Count // 867
Tag // Inora
Comments // Aweh! =x

[Inora Theos]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,false][cs=0][bg=000806] She'd hurt him, she could tell, it was written all over his features by the way his muscles ticked. It hurt her to hurt him but they'd both needed to have this conversation, to get a few things out in the open. Mostly Inora just felt dumb, of course he hadn't stayed here out of obligation, no one would put up with Inora's quirky habits and tendency to overwork herself unless they cared for her. And he clearly cared for her, though she wasn't going to dwell on why that knowledge made her heart go all fluttery right now...she'd save that for later when she was alone in her room and safe to jump around excitedly without having to worry about him seeing. "I'm sorry Nic, I didn't realize. I just sensed that you were missing it lately and...well I was worried. People tend to feel obligated around me to protect how innocent I am, how naive they think I am." She looked down at the floor of their home, the one they'd shared for a long time now, the one they'd made their own together. But her head jerked back up to look at him when she heard the thinly veiled pain in his voice, 'would you really be okay if I left?' Oh but she had screwed up big time with this little speech. She always managed to hurt most when she was trying to help. "Oh Nic..." Inora shook her head and did the only thing that she could think to do to show him how much she cared for him, how much she loved him, and how not okay she would be if he left her. She launched herself from her side of the couch to his and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into the junction of his neck and shoulder. She didn't press close, it wasn't some sort of 'take me now' hug, it was about as innocent as hugs can be, and yet she somehow managed to put the full strength and depth of her feelings into it. It was in the way she squeezed her arms around him, the way she very subtly took in the way he smelled, the way her body managed to touch every part of his at once without actually touching him at all. At least, in her mind, that's how it felt. "I was just saying that to try to be strong, so that you wouldn't keep staying here because I wanted you to. You've come to mean so much to me," she moved away from him but kept close, only pulling away enough to look into his eyes, "you're my best friend and, and so much more. So much more. I don't know what I'd do if you left but I was willing to try to figure it out if it would make you happy." In fact, she liked his solution much better. Waiting for the business to get kicked off, waiting until they had help, it sounded like a much more reasonable solution. She wished she'd thought of it, then they could have avoided this hurtful conversation, but they also wouldn't have had this conversation. They wouldn't have learned what they meant to each other, how much they meant to each other. His words, 'I need to be here as much as you do' made her heart soar all over again. She believed him, mostly because she wanted to but also because she'd asked him to be honest and she trusted him to do so. "I asked you to be honest so I'll do the same. I want you to be here, I want you to stay with me. You're my family now, pretty much the only family I have aside from my lovies. I can't be me without you, at least, not for very long. You're making me better." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Count It: 710 Dedicate It: Nic Comment It: Yus! The hug! Dress It: CLICK!

[DOMINIC THEOS]

Perhaps Dominic was losing his edge, perhaps spending so much time with her had made him more vulnerable in terms of showing what he actually felt…or she had grown accustomed to his looks. Whatever the case was it appeared she could detect his silent anguish. He was tired, he hoped that’s what had made him more susceptible to disclosing emotion. In his line of work a good poker face never hurt anyone. And at this point his profession had everything to do with appearing bigger and worse than he was. Anyone could appear menacing with an AK-47. It took talent to be frightening with a pocket knife and a glare. Not that he couldn’t do so. It was somewhat surprising to find such a “pretty boy” engaging in such a physical job. But a second glance at the man topless would set any idiot straight.

But said brawny boy was presently preoccupied, the intensity of his cinnamon eyes focused on the porcelain doll adjacent him on the sofa. I was worried, she said. He arched a brow. It was not her purpose to worry about him, moreover he was no one to be worrying about. Nic had took care of what was vital. And what wasn’t vital was Oregon. He could obviously breathe just fine in New Orleans. Naive…To be quite honest, Dominic wished she was as naive as she seemed. No, she knew of worldly things. His sweet dove had had her wings charred just a bit by some parasitic worm. As the ragged words slipped past his lips, the syllables unnaturally broken in defeat he could immediately sense her register of it. So his misery was obvious just then…He suspected as much.

While it was a mistake on his part to show such fervor, he would never be quite sorry he’d done so. Not when she lunged at him, wrapping those slender, muscular arms around his neck. It was only instinct for him to allow his arms to encircle her tiny waist. Though, even in the mechanics he was careful not to pull her close. In a lot of ways Nic was well suited for what he was doing. He was always aware, vigilant of what effect his actions may have and what his responses would be. It was very much like chess. That probably had a great deal to do with how controlled he was – in both action and demeanor. He was constantly weighing the pros and cons of situations. And her staring up at him with those large soft eyes had a whole mess of pros…and cons. She was so precious, such a sweet thing. The words she was saying were write out of a cheap romance novel. Sickeningly sweet but just enough to salve the wolf’s soul.

”Don’t concern yourself too much with trying to make me happy. If I hang around you enough it’ll just happen.” It was assured tenderly as he stared right back at her. Glancing absently at her forehead, he smoothed a stray lock or two away from her face. ”I’m not altogether sure you can get any better, Inora.” He looked amused for a second. He wasn’t entirely sure he could survive her being any more lovely, not at this rate. Breathing a sigh, he glanced down at her – somewhat uneasy with the potentially compromising position they were in. Damn those morals of his. Offering an adoring smile, he gently removed her from her hold on him. ”How does hot chocolate sound?” He murmured in that soothing baritone of his, well aware of her frustrations. She seemed to be sensitive to his reserved mannerisms. Most people would be a bit put off by Dominic. With those eyes so fierce and expressive he ought to be a bit more affectionate, shouldn’t he?

I suppose it is frustrating. To feel so close but so far away. But for Dominic not touching meant far more than the disrespect of the physical. His hands off approach was out of love more than anything. He knew of sins of the flesh, and the alleged pleasures. He also knew that he was a monogamist. He was saving himself, as elementary as that sounded, for his mate. Wolves even as fully fledged animals were not sluts. They mated most of the time for life. This whoring business was all human and Nic would have none of it. As he moved towards the kitchen it was still at the forefront of his mind that he had to be vigilant of such situations – it would be so easy to fall into the wrong kind of encounter. And Inora was a special case to begin with. You didn’t jump into bed with a rape victim. Shaking his head, he worked to rid himself of said thoughts. They were both confusing and rage inducing. Setting the now half full kettle on the stove, he lit the gas stove and moved to gather two mugs and the small packets. Two for each of them. Pouring the packets in he leant against the countertop and waited – recooperating.

Count // 844
Tag // Inora
Comments // WHOOTHUGS

[Inora Theos]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,false][cs=0][bg=000806] Everything seemed to be working out okay. As far as she could tell Dom was here with her to stay and that made all of her irrational fears fly right out the window. Inora freaked out often, but most of the time her fears could quickly be assuaged with nothing more than a word of encouragement. All she needed was to be assured that she wasn’t holding him here, that he wasn’t staying simply because he felt he had to. She had wanted to be sure that he was staying because he wanted to. The two of them had developed a rhythm and that rhythm was what was keeping Inora sane through this long process of opening a business. She had volunteered for it of course, her friends had needed someone with business experience and Inora had that in droves. Not to mention Inora’s suddenly pressing need to be anywhere but her usual spots. She couldn’t stay in Hollywood, New York would have been too obvious, so it was off to the one place she’d never been til now. New Orleans, the city known for it’s off the charts parties and it’s drunken revelry. It was the perfect place for one so angelic as she to hide out for a while. And she had come with a protector, who had quickly turned into a friend, and now what? What was Dom becoming to her? She wished that she could really be as naïve and stupid as some of her friends believed of her. Wished that she could just pretend that Dom was like a brother or a best friend, just another one of her lovies, but she knew she wasn’t that dumb. Dominic Theos was not like a brother to Inora and he never could be. Brothers didn’t make your heart beat faster, brothers didn’t have the power to look at you and make you want to sing. No, Dominic could never resemble a brother for her and she was just going to have to face that. “Thanks, hot chocolate sounds amazing.” The words were merely a formality as Dom had already walked off towards the kitchen. She didn’t follow him, though normally she would have. They both needed a minute to think, to react to the new developments. They’d both admitted a dependency on the other, and that had brought new feelings to the forefront for Inora at least, and she needed time alone to process. She listened the sounds of him moving around in the kitchen and sighed quietly to herself. It was time to admit it to herself, even if she couldn’t yet say it to him. Inora was falling for Dom and she worried that he wouldn’t return her feelings. She worried also that she was simply reacting to the feelings that arose from him basically acting as her savior. The first night they’d met he had saved her, the night he had agreed to come to New Orleans with her he had saved her again. So were the feelings that were developing inside her simply her mind’s way of interpreting her gratitude to him. Was this just some silly crush? Thinking more about it now, Inora realized that it wasn’t. She’d had crushes before, in fact, she’d thought she’d been in love once. Logan had been her first real boyfriend and when he’d disappeared it had taken her a little while to come to the realization that, despite her very real feelings for him, those feelings had not been love. Logan was nothing more than a crush for her, and since then she’d met a few boys and they’d been nice enough. She’d had her fair share of crushes, but none of them had been to her what Dom had become. She knew that if she ever needed anything, he would be there and she knew that he was the only person she could ever see herself with in the future. She’d attempted to see futures with other men before, she’d even tried to see her future with her friends before, but even that hadn’t worked out. Dominic was the only person that she had been able to see further than a few months ahead. She’d seen them in about a year, when the business had opened and things were starting to pick up. They were still living in the same place, still treating each other with the same careful tenderness. She stood up and walked to the entryway of the kitchen. “So how’s that hot chocolate coming? Need any help? Ooh, do we want cookies too?” Inora had a thing for cookies. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Count It: 768 Dedicate It: Nic Comment It: Oh my gosh, I’m soooo sorry Ray. I don’t know what’s been up with me lately. Dress It: CLICK!

[DOMINIC THEOS]

The calming aura that the she-wolf gave off was enough to flow into Dominic as well, his shoulders visibly sagging with the relief of the burden lifted from his shoulders. She was easily impressed upon with words, so easily reassured and comforted but it was a two sided coin. She could easily be broken down. He genuinely hoped that such capacities were held only by those close to her. Because if strangers had that skill then…he had his work cut out for him. She needed him though, that much was absolutely certain – he was a steady element in her life, and they had been through quite a bit so far. That did not mean they had entirely figured each other out. What it did mean was that they knew each other’s vibes, moods and expressions and for now that was more than enough to go on.

As far as his religion was concerned living in a household with a woman out of wedlock was a dicey situation, but so long as they each had their own bedrooms and managed to stay in them at all times. Their feelings for eachother were blossoming, as far as he could tell and that in itself made coping with this just a bit more difficult. Still, whatever she required of him within his own morals he would provide with not thoughts as to his personal comfort. Generally just a bit less selfless, he highly suspected it was his adoration for her that made him so willing to sacrifice his comfort for her sake. It was an emotion they were both handling as rough as it was though occasionally he felt a bit as though acting on such things would be unfair to her. He had come across her in a vulnerable situation, come to her rescue and seen to her every need and perhaps that was what she loved?

Such doubts were squished by one thing and one thing only – dedication. He told himself, silently, that it didn’t matter. He loved without the expectation of love in return. He was thoughtful and quiet but so very attentive. He was what a husband should be; he deduced and hoped all at once. The sound of her voice was reassuring though the only response she received was a silent nod as he placed a measuring cup of water into the microwave and pressed “Add One Minute” twice. At that point he stood still once again and even risked a look towards the living room, observing as she stood and moved to stand in the door way. While Inora Makani was anything but a tease, that warm smile and her in this particular setting was enough to drive Nic mad. But, as usual, he brushed his emotions aside and nodded with an appreciative smile.

”Cookies are an excellent idea.” He was tuned to the sound of the water stirring in its cup, but did not move – he was waiting for a boiling point. Which was ironic, really. The excited aura she cast about the idea of cookies was nothing short of precious and his heart warmed at the thought. Still, they were in the kitchen because Dominic was avoiding temptation and so he set to the task of fixing hot chocolate. Though while doing so he retrieved a cookie sheet from beneath the stove and set it beside the sink for her, as well as reaching into the cupboard and retrieving the “no stick” spray. We. She’d used that word that never ceased to please him. It reminded him of how married couples spoke and how couples in general spoke. Though should they ever date it would require them living in separate houses simply because…well…Because she was too tempting and he didn’t quite trust himself.

The beep of the timer awakened him from his musing as he turned on his heel and made his way to the microwave and poured the two cups. He stirred one then the other and then turned to see where Inora was with the cookies – searching for something to help with.

Count // 679
Tag // Inora
Comments // daww. wuffles.

[Inora Theos]

While Nic gathered the necessary implements for baking cookies, Inora moved from her position in the doorway of the kitchen to stand before the stove. Buttons beeped while she pre-heated the oven to the correct time. She took the no-stick spray in hand and sprayed it liberally onto the cookie sheet. She turned to the fridge and took out the ingredients that she kept stocked at all times for cookie making. She mixed them all into a bowl, her hands moving at lightning speeds, shooting the wooden spoon in her hand around the bowl just as fast as she could. Cookie mix well mixed, Inora set it aside and stood before the cookie sheet. She held the spoon in her hand the way a commander might hold his sword before issuing an order to charge, straight up into the air. Then, she attacked, well not really. There was no scream, no orders given, but she did descend upon the cookie dough like a warrior woman. She was Inora Makani, the Amazon of Cookie Making.

Laughing at her thoughts, she scooped out a clump of cookie dough and plopped it with a magical sound onto the cookie sheet. She loved that sound. The cookie sheet fit twelve clumps of dough, so she spooned out eleven more, once that was done the oven began to beep signaling that it was done pre-heating. Inora slipped an oven mitt onto her hands and slid the cookie sheet onto the middle rack. She wasn’t much of a baker, or a cook for that matter, but Inora’s specialty was cookies. Especially chocolate chip cookies, which is what this particular batch happened to be. She leaned forward and pressed the numbers on the timer to set it to the correct amount for these cookies.

She turned to see Nic looking for something to do to help and smiled. “I’m done, don’t worry, I’m kinda single minded when it comes to making cookies. I go into a trancelike state. Hot chocolate done?” Without waiting for an answer she moved forward to grab one of the cups. It was hot and very chocolatey, in other words, perfect. Inora slipped her arm through Nic’s and pulled towards the living room again. “Come on Nic, let’s go sit and enjoy our hot chocolate while we wait for the cookies to be done.”

Some things came easy to Inora, and some things didn’t. Getting out of awkward situations was one of those things that came easily. Perhaps this was because of the fact that she had the innate ability to forget almost anything and everything unpleasant, simply by choosing not to think about it. She focused on the bad things for a little while after they happened, like she had when Sevanni had ruined her, but given time she could forget pretty much anything. And she had forgotten about the rape, though Nic had had a good deal to do with that. He’d taken her mind so far away from all that had happened, instead of focusing on the horrors of that incident, she had focused on him and the feelings that were developing between them.

The club had helped as well, what better to take your mind off things than some good hard work. She wasn’t sure how she had become the business tycoon in her group of friends, she’d simply taken over an already booming business and made things a little bit better. But all the work that she’d been doing lately had made it hard to concentrate on anything else. The club was on its way to being one of the best in the world, and it was only for two species that were constantly at war with each other. Hell, it was hard enough to keep regular clubs from being destroyed by fighting customers, it would be even harder when those fights were supernaturally charged. All of these things had combined to cause a lot of problems.

One of which came into her mind now, sitting in the living room with her closest business partner next to her. “So...I’m having a little trouble finding bouncers. We can’t just expect you and Nixie to do it every night, especially since Nixie won’t be here every night and someday you might want to go on vacation or something. But none of the ‘supernaturals’ in the area are looking for work.”

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Count It: 730
Dress It: See previous
Comment It: La di da.

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[DOMINIC THEOS]

Dominic could not honestly be surprised when the she-wolf attacked her task with all the vigor of a crazed fan. She was often so mechanical at work, crunching numbers and organizing – things to which he was less inclined simply because they were so tedious. He preferred blue collar jobs – working with his hands – to sitting behind a desk. Breathing a small sigh as he inhaled the scent of flour and chocolate as she mixed the treat he had finished his task much faster than she had. Nic sat back then, or rather leaned back against the countertop in the corner (out of her way), content to observe her lightning movements. Usually he was found in the kitchen – cooking wasn’t his greatest skill but he could sustain the two of them. Though, he would admittedly crunch on any charred creation she’d serve him just for the sake of tenderness. That and he knew that she knew she could not cook and so if she tried he could not bring himself to smack her down.

Teaching her seemed a good idea. That was a thought…He had no more decided it was an excellent plan than his mouth opened and he spoke – ”Would you like to learn to cook sometime?” It was a curious inquiry, his skull tilting to the side in a boyish fashion that denied his age. The idea of teaching her something sounded interesting – he was certain she’d make a quick study of the knack. The wolf was intent as he watched her move about like it was a second home to her – or as if she never left the place which in reality was so very far from the truth. I’m done, she said finally, and Nic stirred from his somewhat distant state to smile at her as warmly as he ever did. As quickly as she asked the question and began to move he had nodded in the affirmative – it was in fact ready.

He was glad she hadn’t been so completely in tuned that she had waited until it was cold to drink it. As it was the drink was still piping hot and this made him rather pleased with himself, as if his good intentions themselves had kept the mugs steaming. Drawn from his internal musings as she drew him back towards the living room he followed without protest – too leisurely to be coaxed to think of a different preoccupation. Seating himself on the couch once again, he carefully placed his cup on the end table so as to let it cool without the risk of spilling it on the furniture. Leaning back, he heaved a slow, measured sigh that was wreathed in content. At least that was the general idea. He was happy to be with Inora – wherever that happened to be.

Stomaching his wolf’s inclination towards the West coast was sometimes more difficult than others but as previously stated he did so for her and therefore the effort was not wasted. Dominic eventually allowed his gaze to fall to his counterpart, a brow lifting as he observed that she too was deep in thought. Her brows had knit together slightly – a thoughtful frown pursing her delicate lips and lining her forehead. He did not speak, not keen on interrupting her thoughts, but waited for some sort of indication that she wanted to discuss exactly what was on her mind. He knew she would eventually share her thoughts – she nearly always did, at least so he trusted her to. If something bothered her there was never any doubt between them that it was a priority high on his list.

Ahh. Bouncers. Work related – that was always an easy fix. A small smile ticked at his lips as he processed her words. Yes, Phoenix would not always be around but the likelihood of him taking a break when Inora wasn’t coming along was slim to none. He didn’t not state such a remark but shrugged his shoulders. ”Then we’ll import. I’ll pull a few strings and bring some professionals from New York. Not a big deal, Sunshine.” He was not worried, not the kind to stress over such things. If he was then they would be royally screwed by the intensity of his strain but fortunately Dominic’s concern was saved for personal matters. Their work was work and it stayed at the club – when Nic left his focus for it was left there so bringing it up really seemed far fetched but he catered to her wants as always.

In a sense they were very much what a married couple should be – tender, caring and sensitive to each other in every aspect of the word. Though their living arrangement was a strange one it worked. Dominic would not have allowed her to live away from him. It was a condition of the move and he had orchestrated a careful search for an appropriate house in a well to do neighborhood so that should she need defending he would be within earshot. More than that…he’d actually looked into training himself to break through sheet rock. He could morph and amid the jolting of his bones readjusting he could crash through a wall rather than moving first to his door then down the hall to her door. He skipped that whole in between thing. Ludicrous dedication much?

Count // 889
Tag // Inora
Comments // Okay that last paragraph made me laugh...but I could picture him doing that. >.>

[Inora Theos]

Inora giggled and blushed when he asked her if she wanted to cook sometime. Clearly he’d noticed her problems with cooking too, she was struck with an intense desire to learn how to cook better just to make him proud of her. To make herself feel more worthy of him. What kind of mate would she be for him if she couldn’t cook for him? Another blush flooded her cheeks as she thought that, was she really thinking about being his mate that was a really big thing for wolves. Mating was for life, she knew that much about wolf-life, she’d seen members of her pack mate with each other and it’d been something even more important and sacred than regular marriage. Animal instincts were primal and beautiful and the instinct to mate was the most beautiful of them all. One person, one wolf, as your other half for the rest of your life, and she was already beginning to think of the possibility of having Nic as her mate someday. Even she hadn’t yet guessed the depths of her feelings for this man.

“Uh…sure, I’d love for you to teach me to cook.” Her voice was a little shaky and she hoped he wouldn’t detect it and question her, cause she really didn’t want to discuss her previous thoughts, at least not for quite some time. The cookies in the oven and the hot chocolate done, Nic followed her into the living room and sat beside her on the couch. He was thinking hard about something and she saw him notice her doing the same. Her question was asked and his response came accordingly. He always had the solutions and she smiled as his words reached her ears.

Import, that wasn’t something that she’d considered. Inora would never have thought of asking people outside of the city to come and work for them, she wouldn’t have thought there was anyone who would do so. But Dominic’s knowledge and brains amazed her, he always thought of the things she never did and she was sure that sometimes he was similarly in awe of her. His use of ‘sunshine’ as an endearment still made her tingly inside and she smiled softly to herself in response.

“Thanks Nic, you always know what to do. I never woulda thought of importing but that should work out great.” A ding from the kitchen told them that the cookies were done and she hopped up to get them out of the oven. Now Inora didn’t hold to letting cookies cool before taking them off the sheet, cookies were best when they were fresh from the oven and that’s how she liked to eat them. She didn’t care if they were falling apart or if she got a few burns. She had long ago worked out a method of taking the cookies off the sheet fresh from the oven. She did this now and put them on two small plates, her mouth watering in excitement as she grabbed them in each hand and took them out to the living room.

She handed Nic his plate of cookies and dropped back into her seat, somewhat gracefully, in order to enjoy her own plate of cookies. Delicately, she reached forward and broke a small piece off the first cookie, she placed it in her mouth and sighed happily as the chocolate chip-y goodness melted on her tongue.

“Well at least I can bake well enough.” She said happily as she broke off another piece and then took a sip of her hot chocolate. The two tastes combined perfectly, much the way their makers combined with each other. “What should we do now Nicy?” She asked, yawning after another mouthful of cookies was consumed.


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Count It: 625
Dedicate It: Ray Ray and Nicy
Comment It: Yawn...I's tired...And I loved his breaking through sheet rock thing...maybe we should test that out ha ha ha ha

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[DOMINIC THEOS]

There were not many things that Dominic Theos did not notice, especially in direct counterparts, so when Inora blushed in that sweet way she generally did a small smile curled his lips as he watched her for several seconds, brows ascendant on his forehead as if to ask what she was making that face for. Still, there was no question voice so he did not wait for any sort of answer. Uh…sure, I’d love for you to teach me to cook. At this he nodded in the affirmative – he’d expected she would like it. There was of course that minor tremor in the sound of her voice that made him even more curious as to what was going on in that petite skull of hers but again he said nothing – if she’d wanted to share her thoughts she undoubtedly would have.

Both of their faces reflected a certain level of pensivity and Dominic respected the silence for a time before taking a sip of his hot chocolate, savoring the warming sensation it gave and setting it back on the tabletop. The smooth way he responded to her fussing was a habit he’d only reached through time though he was admittedly always logical. How could he not be? When morals had been set and the world became black and white well that simplified things and it was with this simplicity that he dealt so easily with the problems he was faced with. Granted, his issues were not nearly as complicated as others’ but he reasoned he would probably stick to his guns and deal with whatever came his way, however big or small, with the cool voice of reason.

The idea to bring in people that she didn’t know was something he’d deliberate and he’d have to choose wisely – not just anyone was trusted around his Inora. He was quite protective and always listening for her voice that announced alarm and it was that in mind that made him so sensitive to her expressions. She popped up then to get the cookies, he assumed and he smiled but did not turn his head to watch her leave. There was nothing about the man that was even vaguely cheap and his mannerisms were nearly flawless. It was this set of manners that said you simply did not watch a woman’s back side as she wandered away from you. It was unrefined and it objectified them.

This wasn’t to say that the thought had never tempted him but he respected Inora more than that and so he refrained. She returned, all smiles so the cookies must have come out perfectly. Examining them as they were handed to him he smiled amusedly – perfection. Nodding his approval he did not hesitate to gingerly take one in hand and sample the culinary delight. Excellent. Well at least I can bake well enough. At this the werewolf snorted and eyed her, deliberating his reproach before stating it – ”You’re amazing at baking.” With that he downed another cookie and sat back, sighing quietly though his re did not last long. What should we do now Nicy?

Usually what he enjoyed doing after they’d come home from work was quiet reading or a movie and it was that second one that seemed more socially adequate. ”Movie?” It was posed more as a question than his response to her previous inquiry – he was giving her more a choice than a rescue in this instance but the openness of his features disclosed he was open to suggestion as far as the activity went, even the movie. He was admittedly easily swayed into watching chick flicks – unashamed of his sensitive side.

Count // no idea
Tag // Inora
Comments // >..>

[Inora Theos]

Inora’s faced flushed red again as Dominic complimented her on her baking. She liked that she could at least give him amazing baked goods, even if she couldn’t cook dinner she would always be able to dominate dessert. She continued stuffing her mouth with cookies while he debated what to do next. She knew the two choices that he was contemplating, they were always the same but she liked both options and she knew that he did as well.

The fact that the two of them could be happy simply sitting there, reading books together, showed an awful lot about their relationship. Few people could be so completely comfortable in silence together. She also liked that he no longer reacted to her nickname for him. Ali had come up with it, she had her Vicy and now Nora had her Nicy. At first he’d flinched just a little when she called him that, but over time he had learned to live with it, or at least to ignore it.

“Movie? Yes! Let’s watch a movie!” She knew exactly what movie she wanted to watch too, she’d seen some previews for it lately but hadn’t watched it since the first time she’d bought it. She got up and walked over to the small bookcase like holder in which they kept their impressive collection of DVD’s. Nic and Nora were definitely movie fanatics, and they seemed to have pretty similar taste as well.

Inora took a movie out of the case, giggling slightly and making sure that Nic couldn’t see the title from where he was sitting. She very carefully inserted the DVD into the played, still making sure that it would be a complete mystery to Nic what movie they were about to watch. Grabbing the universal remote from the top of the TV set, Inora walked back over and sat herself back down beside Nic.

She switched on the television and settled back into the cushions of the couch. Should Nic question her, she would simply smile mysteriously and motion for him to wait. As the previews played Inora squirmed impatiently. She knew that he wasn’t afraid of chick flicks, that wasn’t what she was looking so mischievously about.

Finally the screen became the main menu screen and Inora let a giggle slip forth from her lips as the words “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” appeared on the screen. She loved this movie, it was funny and it was an adventure in finding love, something that she had experienced herself in the past few years. She pressed the select button to get the movie to play and watched with satisfaction as it did so. Sitting here beside Nic made her so happy, but she knew that she would probably pass out sometime in the middle of the movie. She probably should have just gone to bed but it had become almost tradition that whenever the two of them watched a movie she would fall asleep before it was over.

Work wore her out and though she loved watching movies it was often too much to ask that she stay awake through the whole thing. She giggled thinking about it as the two girls in cute high school uniforms talked about poor pathetic lovesick Nick. Inora, her head growing heavy already, scooted closer to Nic with childlike innocence and settled her head on his shoulder.


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Count It: I dunno
Dedicate It: my buddy Ray/Nic
Comment It: I couldn’t resist ha ha.

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[DOMINIC THEOS]

The pleasant peach color that overturned all else in the she-wolf’s cheeks induced a small, devilish grin from Dominic who did not stir from his place but observed as innocently as he could possibly manage to appear in such circumstances. He was pleased to have flattered her, however sincere he had been. She was precious when she was meek and bashful. There were various facets to Inora Makani, various sides that had the capacity for so much strength even when faced with the unspeakable and at the same time one of the most tender hearts he’d ever encountered. Perhaps that was bias speaking, but as far as Theos was concerned, Inora was as malleable as a flower petal. She was tender, easily bruised, sweet to the senses and yet had thorns should the need arise.

Perhaps it was Nic being too protective, or perhaps it was a sad truth, but she was so frail…and he worried a great deal over how best to offer his defense without seeming as if he was treating her like some child who couldn’t tie her own shoes. Inora was a grown woman and was capable of taking care of herself. But some situations he was certain she had no need to go through without some sort of support on the other side. He was just a stabilizer, she could still make all of her own decisions, he was just…the help. And that was a fine role for such a humble person, Nic had an unassuming way of doing things, quietly slipping out of the way so that it seemed it was her genius all along or that she’d never needed him at all. Though he had a sneaking suspicion she was smart enough to know that he’d been there and helped her quite a bit.

Still, it was never about making sure she knew she couldn’t live without him, though her knowing that seemed to be far too important to the werewolf as he observed her sauntering over the movie case. A brow ticked at her girlish squealing, somewhat accustomed to the frequency of the noise and no longer bothered by the ridiculous pitch. She was up to mischief, had that pleased look about her features but he didn’t question – it would do no good, she’d simply giggle and insist he wait for that magical moment where knowledge would dawn on him and he’d know exactly what they’d be watched for the next hour and a half. She plopped back on the couch and fidgeted, waiting for him to understand and then there it was – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Nic smiled quietly, working not to ruffle her saffron locks in amusement.

”How fitting.” He murmured with a hint of a playful growl tinting his voice. Even as Inora pondered falling asleep, Nic knew she would. The sensation of her creeping closer to curl against him induced a small, husky chuckle as he wrapped an arm around her waist and gently tugged her in so she could curl against the wall of his chest. Allowing his arm to rise and settle on the back of the couch, a thoughtful motion only to tug a blanket off the back and wrap it around her shoulders. He already foresaw carrying her to her bed and tucking her in before an hour or two spent seated on the edge of his bed reading his Bible and restoring his resolve. The cross that hung at his neck was not cheap – it was heavy, platinum and on a chain that was reinforced so breaking it would be an act of passion more than anything.

It was meant only to remind him that his bond was not to this woman, at least not more than his God. But she was directly behind the Almighty and that was where you’d want to be, to be honest. There was no safer place on Dominic’s list. I mean…the guy trained himself to jump through walls to save you, had to mean something didn’t it?

Count // 671
Tag // Inora
Comments // Sorry it took so long, lovey.

[Inora Theos]

Inora felt his arm slip around her and pull her closer, she settled in on his warm solid chest and felt a warm blanket fall over her and settle around her gently. The movie started up, the noise faded into the background. Inora curled up even more and then suddenly, she just wasn’t there anymore. Nic and his strength faded out of her consciousness and her body became limp against him, her head sliding slowly down his chest til it stopped in the middle of his chest.

And then she was in a dream, but it didn’t seem like a dream, it seemed like a replay of that night, only strange. Everything in the house was the same, but she knew it was different. This night was in the future somewhere and Inora felt herself being older by about two years. She was standing in the kitchen, cooking dinner. She’d learned how to cook well and she needed to get this food done soon, because…because….she heard the door open and smiled, because Nic would be here soon.

Inora reached out to stir the sauce waiting on the stove and gasped, there was a ring on her finger, on the wrong finger, the finger she never wore rings on. The wedding finger. She was married, in this dream, she was married to Nic. Just as she thought this, Nic walked through the kitchen doorway and smiled at her. He stepped over and kissed her gently on the cheek, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

Hello Sunshine. Mm, that smells delicious. I’m so glad I taught you how to cook.

The dream took over and Inora’s body was controlling itself. “Hi Nicy, how was your day sweetheart?” She snuggled deeper into his arms and looked up at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips and then moved away to sit at the small table in the kitchen. He watched as she finished cooking and then she brought two plates of food over and set them on the table for them.

Time skipped over while they had polite happy conversation about their days. Then all of a sudden, Nic pulled out a tiny black box and slid it across the table to Inora. She took it slowly and opened it. Inside was a beautiful necklace, she looked up, puzzled in response to his wide grin.

“It’s beautiful, but why?” This was her speaking now, the dream had let her in finally. Nic looked surprised and then a little hurt.

Our anniversary Sunshine, a year ago today we got married. And we’ve got a baby on the way, I think both those things together earned you some sparkle. Inora wasn’t sure if Nic would ever call a necklace ‘some sparkle’ in real life, but in her dream he did. Then his words hit her, a baby….she was pregnant. She reached down and placed her hand over her stomach. Inora, honey, are you alright? You seem confused.

Baby, baby, baby. The words ran through her head and Inora felt herself smiling like a maniac. Married to Nic with a baby on the way. Nothing could be better.

The words she spoke next, were not contained in her dream.“I’m fine Nicy. I love you.”

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Count It: 546
Dedicate It: Nic
Comment It: Hope you like it....let me know if you don't...I couldn't resist.

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[DOMINIC THEOS]

Dominic Theos was an attentive man. Even as a child he had been far quieter and more intense than the other boys in school. His protective instincts were in the top 90 percentile of children tested in public schools. Needless to say these senses were only heightened when he became even more of an animal. He was a creature of habit but only to the degree of functionality – if another method proved more useful then he simply adjusted his ways. Nic noticed many things, especially about those he was closest to and what he noticed about Miss Makani when it came to movies was that she didn’t last long. Usually by the time they got to sit down she was already exhausted just unwilling to say Uncle and go to bed. Laying a blanket over her was somewhat strategic, and the soft alteration of her breathing pattern became a subtle hint that she’d gone off to la-la land.

After she’d gone to sleep it took a little work to wake her, in his experience, and so with confidence he leant slightly forward and swiped the remote from the coffee table only to turn the television off. As the lamp light bathed them in a wan, simple light he leant back and simply sat there, occasionally staring down at his charge. His eyes had a favorite path, they’d begin at the top of her head, wander the waves of her hair down over her forehead to her eyes before being drawn to the point of her nose and finally her lips. Nic wasn’t one to ogle but in his silent opinion no one’s lips had the right to be so sinfully desirable as Inora’s. They were elegant, the lower lip contained a soft pout and the color the gentlest of peaches. They were perfect.

He hadn’t yet decided how long he was going to let her doze before he gently scooped her into his arms, like a child before bed time, and carried her to her room. Her clothes weren’t uncomfortable and her shoes would be easy to pull off. That being said it was always difficult to get the inspiration to leave her alone and go to his own bed. Naturally such a want never presented itself on his countenance, and while his gaze was often intense it was his self control that made it possible for him to hide the occasional bed room look that most men are capable of flaunting. Dominic’s moral compass most definitely pointed north, and that compass said that premarital relations were a strict “No”. He’d never tried to rationalize with himself or read between the lines because frankly any possibility of a grey area was a fallacy – the rules were the rules.

He’d done fairly well he thought since encountering this sweet thing. Though it had taken a ridiculous amount of prayer and reflection to keep his distance and keep her purity on his mind. He never considered her violation to be a deflowering of her – in Dominic’s eyes she was as white and pure as freshly fallen snow and it was his unfailing adoration for the she-wolf that made this quality to important to keep intact. Of course, he wasn’t absolutely certain what he was waiting for. Most people date before marriage, but dating a woman while living with her seemed to be dancing too close to the edge and temptation lay in wait to pull him to the other side. How then, was he to go about it if they ever decided it was time to move forward? With such thoughts you can understand why Dominic had had no trouble staying awake while said lady dozed on his chest. He was just glancing down at her again when her lips moved and her voice made the words he’d thought a thousand times that day. I love you.

Even for the commonly composed werewolf it was difficult not to gape. She loved him. Was that really any secret? How much could she mean it if she was dreaming…The logical Dominic said that dreams could easily make ones mind communicate lies. And that this declaration could be a lie as well. But Nic didn’t want to believe it was a lie, how could it be? If she were lying she would have had to be the best actress in the universe and the Inora he knew was no actress of any kind. Smoothing her hair from her forehead, his voice was soft, hesitant and a whisper – unlikely to interrupt her sleep as he mimicked the profession. ”And I love you.” Sighing, he moved his gaze back forward, back towards the shine and reflection of the blank television screen. She loved him…

Count // no idea
Tag // Inora
Comments // Aweh! =x

[Inora Theos]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,false][cs=0][bg=000806] Dream Nic mimicked Reality Nic's response, he walked over to Inora, smoothed her hair back and professed his own love for her. Dream Inora smiled completely content, while Reality Nora's mind was going crazy. The dream continued to play out while Inora argued with herself. She'd only known Nic for a few months now, sure they'd gotten really close, and she was definitely attached to him and attracted to him, but love was a very strong word, and saying those three words together "I love you" was a big deal. Not something you said lightly, even in your dreams. So what did it mean exactly? Inora firmly believed that dreams had meaning, all dreams, this one was no different. She was married to Nic, that had to mean something. Was it her minds way of telling her that that's what she wanted to happen? That seemed like the only possible explanation, and the more she thought about it the more Inora began to see the logic. Nic had stirred feelings in her that were more than she'd ever felt for anyone, she'd been thinking that earlier this very same day in fact. She was happy with him, no matter what they were doing, and even if they fought or disagreed about something she was still insanely happy. The fact that Nic hadn't initiated the 'i love you's in her dream had to mean that she wasn't sure he felt that way about her, but she desperately wanted him to. And that's when it hit her, she really did love Nic. He was the only man who had ever called to her heart the way he did, and he was also the only wolf who had ever made her own cry out. She could hear it, in the back of her mind, begging to be let out to run free with Nic's wolf, to roll and play and court. Her wolf felt that it had found it's mate and now that she was opened up to the feeling Inora was overwhelmed by it. Her wolf was just as happy as she was that she'd finally come to this conclusion, and she noticed that now her dream had shifted. Nic and Nora were both standing in the back yard now, both in wolf form. She recognized Nic from their numerous outings on full moon nights, far from civilization, and she recognized her own form. The two wolves were rolling playfully in the soft grass, nipping gently at each other in a mock fight. There was no dominance here, they were equals, mates, no alpha, no omega, no beta, just the two of them existing in a pocket of happiness. Inora reached out a hand and sighed. "I want that." Her voice startled her and she woke from her dream abruptly. She rose slowly from her comfortable position on Nic's chest and turned to find the movie off. It was no indication of how long she'd been asleep however, cause Nic often just turned off the movies when she passed out. She must not have been out long though, cause if she had she would have woken up in her bedroom. Inora smiled at Nic, a changed smile, the smile of a woman who knew she loved someone. Not a necessarily noticeable change, but a change just the same. "I think I should probably go to sleep now." She said softly, pulling the blanket from her. She leaned over and hugged Nic around his neck and kissed him innocently on the cheek. "Good night Nic." The words went unspoken at the end of her sentence, reserved for the time she could proclaim it without fear of rejection. She stood and headed for her room where she would dress and fall into bed for the night. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Count It: 648 Dedicate It: Dominic/RayRay Comment It: I didn't know what else to do so I'm ending her there unless you want to pick up in the morning. Or we could just start another one elsewhere...maybe I'll finally getting around to doing the club opening lol. And let me know if it's hard to read.