Do You Know Who You Are?

Kolasi had become every ounce of Antonio's purpose. Each time that he lost Charas, another part of him died. Another part of him stopped caring about what had once been everything to him. His priorities had shifted, he no longer cared to train the Knights of Hell. He no longer cared what other demons thought of him because at the end of the day, making sure that Charas loved him and was proud of his decisions was all that really mattered. If a demon wanted to raise concerns with him, they were more than capable of doing so but it would have been not unlike speaking to a brick wall.

The day that he lost Charas for the last time had been one of the most difficult things that he had ever had to endure. If it meant being able to be at peace with Charas, he would have gone through 1,000 years of torture time and time again, he would have been happy to. Would have welcomed the opportunity with open arms. He remembered the way that Charas had begged him to save her, to hold her close, and to figure out why she was in so much pain. It had taken him a moment to sort it out but Charas had been poisoned. The poison was slow moving, it would wear Charas down and make her violently ill. And she would end up drowning in her own blood. Anthonio had been desperate but he had not lied to her since the first time they were together.

Antonio had made the difficult decision to tell Charas that he could no longer search her out, he could not find her after her departure this time. He was poison to her, he was death. His hands would never personally bring her end but his presence would always cause Charas to not reach her full potential. Antonio couldn't do that to her, no longer. Charas had accepted the concept as well as she could and in the next breathe, asked a promise of him that took his breathe away. Make something of himself, create good in the world. Do no harm unto others, to be as happy as he was when he had her in his arms.

- - - - -

Each day was the same routine. Wake up in the small apartment less than a block away from his bar. Shower, ready himself for the day and head down to the bar to begin the preparations for the day. An hour after he arrived, his chef would appear to begin the kitchen preparations and two hours later, the doors would open at four in the afternoon. Being later in the week, they were fully expecting a crowd to accumulate by six in the evening.

The bar was suffering a bit and as any good owner would do, Antonio stepped behind the line to help bail them out. He was focused on the work set out before him, so much so that he didn't notice when a young girl ran in frantically. The woman all but launched herself at the bar and was yelling a mile a minute at one of his bartenders. Antonio's head snapped up so that he could access the situation. In that moment, his heart would have skipped a beat if it were beating in the first place. Her.

His brows furrowed as he stepped around the bartender, cluing into what the girl was shouting about. She was being chased. By men with glowing eyes? His temper soared as he straightened, his eyes flicking to the door that Charlotte had just come through, just as a pair of men strode through the door. As if nothing was wrong, even when their eyes landed on Charlotte immediately. Antonio sneered slightly, the mood in the entire building shifting. "Darlin'," he drawled, reaching for a bar clothe to wipe his hands off on. The mood had shifted so much so that even patrons were chancing nervous glances his way. "Not a soul in this bar will lay a hand on you tonight. Sit," Antonio murmured, motioning toward an empty stool. His eyes were locked on the two men as they made their way through the crowd, slowly inching closer to Charlotte.

"What can I get you to drink?"

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte was just a few blocks away from her home and her little black cat, Luna. Her feet ached from work. The bottle of Merlot on her counter was calling out to her the closer she got to home. It was a stressful day at work. In truth, most days at work were stressful. It wasn’t easy to do her work, but she felt so deeply connected to it. She felt so deeply connected to children; they were purest beings on this Earth. Her client this time had been sexually abused by her uncle. Play therapy seemed to be the best thing for Charlotte and her clients. It was a language all their own, a language that was rooted in happiness even if it explained darkness or impurity.

Just a few more streets now and she'd have herself a bubble bath and a bottle of wine. Her door was just around the corner. Charlotte rummaged in her purse finding her keys, but they slipped from her fingers. She reached down and grabbed them, just in time to glance up and see four pairs of red glowing eyes. No, that couldn’t be. She stood up quickly, feeling her the hair on the back of her neck standing up. She took a few steps and glanced back. The red eyes were only closer now and they belonged to two large men, stalking towards her. Her steps became as hurried as her breath. She heard them echoing behind her, their feet splashing in the puddles as they all raced down the dark streets.

And there, off in the distance, was a shining red ‘Open’ sign. It was further than her apartment, but her building was locked. Her hands were shaking too much to be able to open the door. And so, Charlotte ran there, slammed herself into the wooden door and pushing herself into the crowded bar. She ran, pushed herself through the crowd. “Excuse me, please. You need to give me the phone. We need to call the police. These men -,” she stopped, taking a deep and shaking breath. The bartender stared at her, his eyes confused and concerned. She looked behind her, the men entered with though their eyes were no longer glowing. “Please,” she said, “You have to help me.”

Then, he came. The barkeep with his dark eyes and deep voice. He wiped his hands as if he had done this exact action a thousand times. His presence felt suddenly like a rock and his eyes were just as hard. Sit. She sat, almost automatically. She looked at his eyes, deep and dark, but they were also pleading with her. It seemed like his way of telling her to stay calm, but how could she? They were here. What can I get you to drink? She focused in on his voice and she nodded. “Um, yeah. Okay. Um, Merlot please. A glass of merlot. House is fine,” she said, running her manicured fingers through her hair. She leaned forward, over the bar, “But you are going to call the police, right?”

{just realized both the boys I play are named antonio. oops }

Antonio set his hands on the edge of the bar, his eyes never leaving the two men as they lurked through the crowd. They seemingly had not picked up on him watching them as they inched around, trying to seem nonchalant in nature. His eyes narrowed slightly as he fought against the anger that began to swirl around him. He had gotten used to not being angry because he had tried so damn hard for Charas. He had made a promise to a dying woman that was his world, even until this day. Everything that he did, it was for Charas. it was because of that promise that he had made her all of those thousands of years ago.

He had a business to run, he couldn't react. While he had never lost his cool in Kolasi, he was almost positive that he would lose quite a few customers. Kolasi was a popular bar, there was no doubt about that but he still couldn't afford the bad publicity that would come from him losing his temper. Gritting his teeth, he turned his head to the side just enough for his eyes to connect with the bartender to his right. "Pahlmeyer," he uttered the name of their most expensive Merlot. While he would never be able to admit to Charlotte who he was to her, or who she was to him, he would take as best care of her as he could. And that included Charlotte being well fed and able to drink what she wanted.

Antonio stepped to the side just slightly, his eyes locking with the man who seemed to be the ringleader. The man seemed a bit confused, his head cocking to the side as he sniffed the air. Antonio did his best to stay under the radar, he hadn't made contact with another demon in hundreds of years. But he still knew how to pick one out in the crowd. The men smelt of sulphur and iron, indicating they had recently fed. Antonio leaned forward, setting his forearms on the edge of the bar. "Leave. Now," Antonio spoke the worlds in an ancient language that sounded like the echo of a deep growl, laced with metallic scraps. A language only for demons, only understood by them, only spoken by them. The men stopped dead in their tracks, looking at each other. They seemed to have a silent conversation before simultaneously taking another step forward.

Raising an eyebrow as they challenged him, Antonio lifted his arm and tugged at his left sleeve. He pulled it up just enough to reveal the mark on his arm. The two men seemingly paled, looked at each other before twisting and all but running out of the bar. Antonio sneered slightly before dropping his sleeve back down. He doubted anyone would recognize it and certainly, Charlotte wouldn't. Clearing his throat as he turned back to the young blonde, he gave her a small smile. "Sorry about that, darlin'," he rasped, stepping back over so that he was directly in front of her. "Are you hungry? It's on the house."

@ varkatzas.
Clarissa felt her nervous energy vibrating through her body and she stared down at her hands. Her fingers were shaking and she flexed them trying to get them to steady. She knew the men were still in the bar. She could almost feel their eyes boring into her back. She glanced from her hands to the bartender. His eyes looked harsh and they looked past her as he reached for the bottle of wine and poured the glass. She locked her shaking fingers around the glass and took a deep breath. She knew grounding techniques and tried to focus on calming her beating heart. Alas, she resorted to taking a long sip of wine, hoping it would soothe her.

Then, the bartender was gone, asserting himself against the two other guys. His voice rumbled like thunder, though it was too loud for her to hear exactly what he said. They seemed to hear whateer he said and take the hint. She took another sip of wine. Her fingers would not steady. She ran them through her short blonde locks, trying to expel the nervous energy from her body. Even when she watched the men leave the bar and walk down the street, her fingers did not stop shaking. She felt a little crazy and completely unsettled. She had no idea what those men wanted or who they were.

She forced a soft smile, though she did not feel much better now that the men were gone, once the bartender returned to in front of her. He was clearly trying to be kind and he was trying to help her out, more so than the other bartender. Yet, he looked almost equally as intense and he kept calling her darling. She didn’t like that so much and she tried not to wrinkle her nose at him. It made her feel small and she worked vey hard to be bigger than herself or any man would expect. She worked her whole life to succeed and did not need any favors. In this case, she needed some rescuing, but not by some chivalrous fool.

Her frustrating and fear came pouring out into angry words.“You don’t have to do me any favors. In fact, the only favor you should have done is called the police. They may have the left the bar, but that doesn’t mean they went away,” she said.

Antonio could feel how nervous Charlotte was, he could feel just how afraid she was. The emotions washed over him in violent waves, enough that he was nearly knocked off of his feet by the sensation. It wasn't very often that he felt the need to tune into emotions of those around him but with Charlotte so close to him, he was trying to commit it to memory. Even the negative emotions that she was experiencing were so much her that he couldn't resist drinking them up. His eyes were locked on the men as they left, only turning back to the blonde haired girl once the men had left Kolasi. His eyes were narrowed just slightly, the only telltale sign of his annoyance. After millennia of mastering his emotions, Antonio's poker face was good enough for him to land in poker championships.

Charlotte was speaking again, Antonio as attentive to her as he ever had been. He was only playing the part of a concerned barkeep, nothing more. Scoffing at the mention of police, Antonio grimaced as he shook his head slowly. "Darlin', the police wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing to men like that," he said, his voice low as he leaned against the counter. "Would have been more trouble than it's worth," he supplied, hoping to leave it at that.

Straightening up, Antonio bit back a sigh. He wouldn't lose his temper on any customer, let alone one as special as Charlotte happened to be. He gave a shake of his head, moving over to one of the other bartenders to instruct him to put an order through to the kitchen. Lemon chicken skewers with a tzatziki sauce. A few of the items on his menu were Greek inspired, inspired by the lands that they had once met in. He didn't know whether Charlotte would even like the food but he hoped, maybe it would spark something in her. Maybe she would remember... the thought was foolish and Antonio damn well knew that. Giving his head a shake to clear his thoughts, he returned to Charlotte with a slight grin.

"The kitchen is putting something together for you. The least we can do with the unfortunate situation you just had to deal with," Antonio tried to explain, hoping that it would help Charlotte to relax even just a bit. He cleared his throat, his face scrunching a bit as he leveled his gaze on her. Noting that her glass was nearing the empty point, Antonio leaned to grab for the bottle of wine before filling his glass again. "Who knows. I don't think I'd mind if you started coming by a bit more regularly," Antonio made an attempt at flirting, knowing that in the back of his mind it was an awful idea. Even trying to get close to her again was such a high risk. Biting down on the inside of his lip, Antonio cocked his head to the side. "If you need anything until your food comes out, just flag me down, okay, darlin'?"

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte offered the bartender a smile. She knew he was being kind to her and that she should appreciate it. She usually does appreciate kindness in others, since it is so inconsistent in the world today. Yet, somehow this felt different than just pure kindness. It felt meaningful.
Every look that he gave her with those deep eyes and calls her ‘darlin,’ she feels like this more than kindness. It’s loaded like a bag full of books of stories that she has no read. It was a strange nagging feeling in the back of her head; his kindness was not just who he was as a person. This she could tell from the way he spoke to others: he did not focus on them, smile at them and he seemed to delegate to other bartenders. Yet, he kept returning to her.

Charlotte was not daft nor was she was oblivious to men being attracted to her. He was clearly flirting with her, but again, this felt different. She couldn’t place her finger what exactly felt different, but she just knew that it did. In truth, she felt a little guilty for the attention that she was receiving from him and for the free wine and food. She offered a short laugh about her returning. She glanced around. She probably would have never stumbled into this bar if it wasn’t for her ‘ordeal.’

“Yeah, of course. Thanks for the wine,” she said, with a small smile. She sipped at it all while rummaging through her purse for her phone. She had to text her friend, Leanna about her ordeal. Her fingers were typing as quickly as she can until her food came. She set her phone down, feeling comforted that Leanna agreed that the police should be called and in confirming that this bartender was ‘probably, most definitely flirting with her.’

He brought her food back over with that same intensity and she tried to smile back. Gosh, if he smiled too wide, would his face crack? “Well, thank you. You’re being so sweet. I can’t imagine I deserve all of this,” she said. She ripped the chicken into small pieces, dipping them into the sauce to keep herself occupied. “So, is this your place or do you just work here?” She asked, since she was seeing him boss others around so easily.

(feeling like this wasnt my best. sorry!!!)

{shhh, I love it!}

Clearing his throat when Charlotte spoke to him, he couldn't help the grin that developed on his features. Antonio glanced to each side, shrugging his shoulders. "My place. Owned it for a bit longer than maybe I should admit to a pretty girl like you," Antonio teased softly. He hoped that he wasn't upsetting her with his flirting but if she was to convey such feelings, Antonio would have pulled back and made a silent note to not flirt with her ever again. Charlotte being safe and happy, that was all Antonio had ever really cared about. "Don't know how I managed it but damn if I'm not doing it well."

Even though Antonio knew that her little smirks were directed at whoever she was talking to, his heart swelled each and every time he caught wind of it. He would have been happy in the moment, if he thought that there was even the slightest possibility of this working out for the two of them. Antonio would never see Charlotte grow old. It was such a silly little thing, he knew it was. But all he wanted was to know Charas as she grew older, as the lines on her face grew more prominent and her hair turned grey. To know that she was getting the chance to live out the life that she deserved more than anyone else out there.

Antonio wondered what sort of lives Charas had went on to live after they had separated. He hoped that she had lived long and fruitful lives where she found love and was able to watch as her children grew older. And eventually, her grandchildren. Maybe if she was particularly lucky, a great grandchild or two. Antonio shook his head at the thought, clearing his throat as he straightened up. He glanced down to his wrist, eyeing the watch that was wrapped loosely around his wrist. It was nearing one in the morning.

"If it would help make you feel better," Antonio paused, weighing his options. Was it really that good of an idea to suggest walking her home? Hell, Antonio knew that he wasn't but before he could really weigh the consequences, he was already speaking. "Place closes in an hour. I can walk you home," he offered with a gentle smile. When he realized how horrible it probably came across as, Antonio let out an almost defeated sounding sigh as his shoulders sagged. "Or I could call a cab. Whatever works for you. I just want to make sure you get home safe, y'know?"

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte smiled, a coy smile, one that she let fall down into her wine glass, along with the rest of her inhibitions. She wondered how old this guy really was in front of her, hitting on her so unabashedly. His hair was grey and his eyes had wrinkles around the corners. He had to be at least 20 years her senior and yet, she felt inexplicably attracted to him. She never had that sort of feeling before. Usually people who were old enough to be her father or her professors were off limits and little gross, but that wasn’t so. There was just something she couldn’t put her finger on.

So, instead, her fingers slid ideally around the rim of her glass, as if they were searching for reason. As if they were searching for that red flag that usually pops up when she’s doing something she’s maybe not suppose to be doing. She was listening for that little voice in her head that said, ‘Um, hello. What are you thinking?’ and chastises her into submission. To her own relief, she couldn’t find any reason not to let the strange bartender walk her home. The last time she let that happen was when she was only 20 years old after a fraternity party. She was usually far more guarded, but what the hell. It had been a really strange night; may as well cap it off.

She glanced back up at him and nodded. Her rationality left somewhere in the puddles of rain that she ran through to get here. She was the kind of woman that focused on a person’s energy and she could not peg this man’s energy. She wanted to so desperately. He was walking a razor blade thin line of confidence and shame. The way he shook his head in embarrassment. He was radiating this feeling that he wanted her, but he wasn't allowed to. That was something that felt even more frustrating. Even if it was adrenaline that turned into being a little drunk, it didn't matter. Couldn't two consenting adults (even despite an age difference) do whatever they wanted to do? What was the harm? Where was the red flag. Either way, it seemed that neither of them knew exactly what they were doing.

“No, yeah. I would really appreciate the walk home. I’m not to keen on going back out there by myself.” She took the last sip of wine before tucking her hair behind her ears. "Plus, I’m not sure I can leave without finishing this bottle. It’s really fantastic. What kind was it again?” She added, dropping her hand down to graze his fingers.

Antonio would never admit to how relieved he felt after Charlotte accepted his offer to accompany her home. He would play the part of a gentleman, escort her to her home and bid her farewell from the sidewalk. He would not disrespect her, he would not push her buttons unless she initiated it. He had flirted with her, of course, but he hadn't been able to stop himself. It was the first time that he had seen Charas in thousands of years, he would take the evening to commit the feeling to memory. Commit how it felt being around her again. How it felt to know that she had come this close to meeting her end. There was no doubt in Antonio's mind that had Charlotte not ended up in his bar tonight, that she wouldn't have lived to see another day. If she had happened into anyone else's bar, any other place in the world, she wouldn't have been safe from the pair of demons that had been stalking her. Part of him was happy that Charlotte had agreed because even after she retired into her home for the evening, Antonio had every intention of scoping the place out. Make sure there was no threat to be heard of.

Reaching over when Charlotte questioned him about the wine, he picked the bottle up and was quick to pour her a second glass. "Even if you don't finish it tonight, you're more than welcome to take the rest of the bottle home with you tonight," Antonio offered as he set the glass back down in front of her. He smiled a bit as he set the bottle down in front of her, twisting it around to reveal the label to Charlotte. "Pahlmeyer. I'm not much of a wine fan but if I do happen to have a glass, it's always this." Antonio motioned to the bottle, giving a small grin. It was so easy to talk to Charlotte, Antonio hated it. There was no unease, no awkwardness between the pair that he could detect. Antonio excused himself and began to help with the closing tasks. Half an hour until close, he shouted out a 'last call' to the patrons that still lingered. Half an hour after that, the stragglers were either booted if Antonio thought they could drive or a cab was called for them.

Confident that his bartenders could handle the close, Antonio grabbed his leather jacket and slipped it over his shoulders. He knew that it would be a bit chilly outside so he opted to zip it up, not that big of a fan of colder weather. Why he had settled down in the Windy City, he had not a single damn clue. Not until a few hours ago. Maybe fate was finally dragging them together after such a long time apart.

Antonio smiled at Charlotte as he stepped around the bar, slipping his phone into his back pocket. "Ready to go, darlin'?" He offered his hand to help her to her feet, stepping to the side to set his hand on her lower back to help steady her. Admittedly, she had finished a fair bit of the bottle of wine. "Where do you live? Would driving be easier?" He asked, glancing in her direction as they left the bar. Since it was easier, he locked the door behind them. The bartenders would lock up again before they left anyway.

Charlotte took the bottle of wine from him and twisted it in her hand. It didn’t look too fancy, but it looked nice enough. When Antonia walked away to finish the business parts up, Charlotte indulged herself into most of this wine. She occupied herself texting her friends about the pros and cons about maybe hooking up with the cute and chivalrous bartender. The wine drunk part of her was all for it, but the more logical part of her was thinking it probably wasn’t her best idea in the world. Her friends were overwhelmingly in support of it:

Just go for it! When will you see him again?

You haven’t had sex since you broke up with James. You need a palette cleanser with someone totally off your radar.

YGG, get it girl.

She did her best to stifle her smirks and laughs, but it wasn’t too easy. She barely noticed the bar slowly emptying or the lack of sounds until she heard Antonia address her. She glanced up at him and boy, did those eyes of his almost knock her out. Her friends were probably right. What was the harm in maybe indulging herself a little bit. She had had an awful night, so she may as well try to turn it into a better (early) morning. She jumped up, smiling back at him and finishing off her last sip of wine. She hopped from her barstool, only a little grateful that he steadied her.

“You betcha,” she said, patting his shoulder and smiling. She was having one of those rare days where you kind of forget that you're drunk until you stand up and then it all comes crashing down. She never drank this much wine in a public place. This kind of wine drunk was saved specifically for girl's nights in pajamas at her house. Not here, when she already felt so vulnerable from basically being attacked tonight. She took careful steps, forcing herself to do her best to look more sober than she actually was as they headed towards the door.

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes as he locked the door. It was pretty sexy that he owned his own business. At least he had a real job and had to be pretty smart to make a business last. Her last boyfriend, James, bummed off her couch for so long she threw it out when they broke up. She let a soft hum come from her lips as she was almost tempted to sit right where she was.

“No, no. I just live up the block and around the corner. Not too far from here," she said, in response. She pushed herself off the wall and did her best to match their footsteps as they walked. She felt giggly and warm and she didn't exactly mind feeling that way. She wobbled a little unsteadily, causing her to involuntarily grab onto Antonio's arm for a little added support. It sure was a nice thing that she wasn’t running from creepy men now because she certainly would not have made it. The streets were pretty quiet and they seemed to be the only two people left on the road. Charlotte snuck a few glances at the brooding man besides her, still trying to rationalize the choice she was probably going to make.

"So, tell me. Do you always escort girls home from your bar?” She asked, a playful smile on her face.

Antonio kept glancing nervously toward Charlotte as they began the short trek back to her apartment. He had stuffed his hands into his pockets to stop himself from reaching out to help steady her. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and keep her safe from the world around the. Knowing that the demons had been so close to catching her tonight told him one thing. She was in more danger now than she probably realized. It killed him because he didn't know. Should he force his way into her life so that he could protect her? Every time that he had done that before, it had meant a painful death for her before so why would now be any different? At least without him in the picture, Charlotte had more of a chance at survival.

When Charlotte reached out to him, he startled but was quick to pull his arm free to offer her as much support as he dared. Antonio swallowed around the lump that had formed in his throat, offering her an uneasy smile. God, she was beautiful even now with how drunk she was. Instead of being annoyed by her stumbling, Antonio felt his heart squeeze. Opening his mouth to say something, he closed it instead when she started to speak. Antonio was relieved that she chose the topic of their conversation because he didn't have to do any thinking, he could just provide answers.

"No," Antonio answered shortly, clearing his throat as he glanced over to her. "Not usually. But then, girls as pretty as you don't usually come walking into my bar chased by," he paused for a moment too long. "...people wanting to harm them." They turned onto the street that Charlotte lived on and immediately, Antonio began sweeping the area with his eyes. His jaw clenched. He could smell them but it was only a lingering scent, they had been gone for at least a bit. But it still made him uneasy as they stopped at Charlotte's apartment.

Antonio cleared his throat, tilting his head back to eye the building warily. He wanted so badly to spit out instructions at her but nothing he said would be taken seriously unless he explained and he didn't want to bring that sort of fear to her. "So I guess this is farewell," he murmured, looking down to his feet. He kicked at the dirt, a small frown on his features as he looked back up to meet Charlotte's gaze. He gave a half hearted smile, trying his best to play the role of the gentleman that he had once promised her that he would be.

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte couldn’t stop her cheeks from heating up when he complimented her, though it could have been all the wine. What she first found a little demeaning, she figured now must just be his style. He was a little older than her. He was clearly just trying to be nice and honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time a guy was being just unselfish and nice to her. Guys usually were nice if they wanted to hook-up and that wasn't usually her style; she wasn't in college anymore. Yet, tonight was lovely, the stars were out, and a very nice man was walking her home. She definitely confirmed her belief that Antonio was just being nice because of his almost short goodbye once they stopped her apartment.

The fact of the matter came up pretty fast as they stood just outside the door: Charlotte is not coy or one of those just overtly sexual girls. She had no idea how to invite him up to her apartment without it coming out all awkward. For a moment, she had to wonder if he really was just walking her home to be nice. To think he was only complimenting her to be nice hit her confidence a little bit. She didn’t usually hook-up, but dammit, she didn’t think it’d be this hard or that maybe he wouldn’t want to. Rejection wasn’t something that Charlotte considered until her hand was hovering on the doorknob to the stairwell and Antonio was staring at his feet.

But then, he looked up. He seemed to be waiting for something and that little wound to her confidence healed right up. “Well, I’m not really tired yet and I don’t work tomorrow,” she said, catching his gaze. Fake it till you make it, right? She could almost hear her friends asking for the details tomorrow. She smiled, “Do you wanna come up?”

She unlocked the door then and held it open for him. “Maybe you can make sure there aren’t any scary assholes in my apartment too,” she said, laughing a little.

She was probably talking too much, but she was walking on a razor blade of being a complete fool and making a complete fool of herself. She couldn’t decide if she needed to be upfront or not, so instead, she went with awkward jokes and one-liners. She almost wanted to roll her eyes at herself, but maybe it would work. Antonio seemed like the kind of guy that wasn’t going to be too forceful and he seemed to appreciate her clumsiness, so maybe he’d appreciate this too. She tried to maintain a confident smile with her fingers hovering on the cool metal of the door.

{ I AM SO SORRY. LIFE HAS BEEN STUPID FOR ME FOR THE PAST LITTLE WHILE }

Antonio felt that if his heart actually still beat, that it would have likely skipped a beat when his eyes caught Charlotte's on him. She was watching him in that way that he was oh, so familiar with. It was a look that conveyed so much more than words ever could between them because neither of them had ever been very good with words. Swallowing back the surge of emotion in his throat, Antonio drew in a deep breathe. His eyes dropped, roaming over her body for perhaps a moment too long before they traveled back up to her face. He gave a smile then a small nod of his head, running his hands down his pants to dry them before he reached out to set a hand on Charlotte's lower back.

Every fibre of Antonio's being was screaming to back away, to turn and run as far from her as he possibly could. Maybe he should move to Europe or Asia... keep as much physical distance between them as he could. That would keep Charlotte safe, surely. Except he knew that it wouldn't because their little meeting tonight, designed by fate itself, was proof of that. Demons would not have chased after Charlotte if she was safe. She was just lucky that she had stumbled into his bar accidentally, because he would move mountains if it meant protecting her from harm. After well over two millennia, you learned new little tricks that you became capable of.

"Lead the way, darlin'," he managed to speak, motioning for Charlotte to lead the way up to her apartment. Antonio's mind was reeling with potential ways that he could safe guard her apartment without her realizing. Symbols carved into inconspicuous spots within her apartment, ones that she would never see. Of course as with most things, the bigger the symbol, the more powerful the symbols would be but with luck, he could put some protection in place for Charlotte. Whether he would see her ever again after tonight, he didn't know, but he still would do what he could protect her.

Antonio knew that once they were in Charlotte's bedroom, that he wouldn't be able to hold himself back. He would let lose more things than he would want to while they slept together. Antonio had been without the comfort of Charlotte by his side for far too long. He only hoped that Charlotte was prepared for it. Clearing his throat, Antonio made a show of bending to look beneath Charlotte's kitchen table and inside of her front closet before turning toward her. "I don't think there's any more scary assholes in here," he teased, cocking his head to the side. "Might want to check the bedroom, too. They tend to hide in there a lot, I think."

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte smiled, an excited wave surged inside her stomach, and almost knocked her over. She turned the door knob, and headed up the stairs. A million different thoughts ran through her head. Should she go change? Should she offer some wine? Should she just get straight to the point and take her shirt off as soon as they walk in the door? Gosh, why was she so flustered? She used to do this all the time, but she used to be a lot more drunk than she is right now. She was a happy and warm drunk, but not a ‘no idea what she is doing drunk.’ Either way, she let them into her apartment and shut the door behind them.

She giggled when Antonio made a show of searching her apartment. “Well, it sounds like you’re quite the expert, so I’ll follow your lead,” she said, feeling herself blush. She honestly probably would follow his lead. She honestly hadn't had sex in so long, she wondered if they changed it at all. She wondered how experienced he was or if he expected some wild positions. In which case, maybe she should run to the bathroom and like, stretch a little. She slipped her shoes off, letting them clatter on the floor.

“This way,” she said. Her little townhouse-like apartment was a little messy. Usually, she’d feel embarrassed, but she was on a mission tonight. So, who cares if there was some clothes everywhere. She led him to her room, which was actually pretty clean, so she relaxed a little. Her bed sheets were a tangled mess, but it did look somewhat inviting. She shrugged her jacket off, threw it on the chair by her desk. “Where do you think we should look first?” She asked, pushing herself back onto the bed and smirking.

Antonio's eyes roamed the living room, the bits of the kitchen that he caught as he passed by. The details of the pictures hung, the colour of the shower curtain as they passed by the bathroom on the way to Charlotte's bathroom. The details seemed simple on the surface but they meant everything to him because they were little insights to Charlotte's life that he may not have gotten otherwise. Swallowing back a swell of emotion, he turned his attention forward as Charlotte entered her bedroom. He was quiet as he looked around, taking in as many of the details as he could before she spoke, startling him out of his focused state of mind.

He smirked, tilting his head to the side before taking several long, confident strides forward to close the distance between them. "I think it's pretty safe. They tend to jump out if they're hiding in the bedroom," he commented quietly. Antonio's eyes locked on Charlotte's gaze and he hesitated for a moment before reaching out to cup her cheek. He brushed his thumb over her skin. He couldn't help but wonder if Charlotte expected him to be rough and demanding and perhaps once upon a time, he would have been, but after millennia, he simply didn't have it in him any longer.

"I really did mean it when I said you were beautiful," he commented quietly, hesitating a moment longer before he leaned down to connect his lips to hers. Antonio lingered for a moment before he deepened it, stepping closer to her as he slid an arm around her waist to pull her closer. He lifted Charlotte up, laying her back against the mattress. Climbing atop her, Antonio supported his weight on his forearms as he trailed a line of kisses down her jaw.

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte appreciated Antonio’s commitment to their charade, but was also glad when he finally let it go. She felt a shift in him and he was suddenly radiating confidence she had not seen from him before. The polite, almost withdrawn, bartender she met just a few hours ago was suddenly gone. Replaced instead with a smirking salt and pepper haired man with a twinkle his eye that Charlotte most definitely recognized. In fact, suddenly, she felt far less confident. He looked at her so intensely as if he knew something that she didn’t. His eyes seemed to be drinking her up and maybe he would just consume her whole.

That fear only lasted a moment because then he caressed her and then, he kissed her. She almost forgot what it felt like to be wanted and to want someone in return. His hands weren’t nearly as calloced as she expected, but were smooth and strong. He lifted her up so easily it was a wonder that she even questioned whether or not he could have kept her safe from those men. She let a moan slip from her lips as he kissed down her jaw and then, it all happened so quickly. She barely remembered taking her clothes off, but only that she desperately needed to be closer to him. His shirt flew off, hitting her lamp and knocking it over, but she didn’t even care. She wanted to feel his skin and run her fingers down his body. He was already supporting himself, hovering inches away from her, and so, she knew there were other muscles and curves on his body she needed to explore. She knew that the need to explore was mutual, even if he was being so gentle, because his kisses were urgent and deliberate.

Then his kisses moved from her jaw to her neck to her collarbone; that was her bliss. She wondered how he knew that that spot drove her wild. People usually missed it. Focused too much on her neck or traveled up to her ear. Yet, he found her favorite spot so easily. The need for him became overwhelming, as if something was boiling underneath her skin. Someone had turned up the hit, making her feel flushed and out of control. It felt like she wasn’t herself: the timid, controlled, and organized therapist. She felt like someone else as she pulled him closer and almost let the word ‘more’ slip from her lips. She was usually a little selfish in bed, but that feeling had evaporated with the rest of herself. If she wasn’t careful, she would let herself be too weak and too willing to let him have whatever he wanted.

Antonio had wondered briefly if the same spots still drove Charlotte wild like they had so long ago. Throughout the lifetimes that he had known her, they had never changed but after almost three thousand years, there really was no telling what may have changed. Charlotte was no longer a slave working in her owner's bazaar. She seemed to be well off (of course she had to be, to afford such a lovely apartment on her). It did well for Antonio's heart and mind to know that Charlotte had gone on to live her life to the fullest of her abilities; the way that he had wanted her to when he promised to stay as far away from her as he possibly could until the end of his time.

Hovering above Charlotte after having discarded their shirts, Antonio suddenly felt nervous and almost like a child as he fumbled with the button on her jeans. Would he live up to her expectations? He hoped so, he had never wanted to disappoint her in any fashion. In anything that he did, ever. Swallowing back the nerves, Antonio tugged Charlotte's pants off in one swift motion and dropped them on the floor. He leaned back just enough so that he could run his gaze over her body, his breathe hitching as he started to trail a line of kisses down her chest. Between her breasts, down her torso, and over her thighs. Antonio didn't really care about getting off himself, he just wanted to worship Charlotte and give her a night that she could truly remember.

(ahh, I don't really if we were wanting to write it out or fade to black so )

@ varkatzas.
Charlotte writhed with pleasure from his kisses and he was so gentle and soft that she wondered why she ever doubted coming home with him. The strange feeling that settled in her stomach had disappeared and was replaced with bliss. Eventually, after a long night of pleasure, she fell asleep. She felt comforted by the feeling of his arms around her and his skins against her own. It had been so long since she felt that kind of comfort in her bed. Despite feeling such comfort, Charlotte’s dreams were fitful. She flipped through different scenes of her life, but they were not her life. Her first dream centered on some sort of Greek fantasy, wrapped in white dresses and with Anotonio’s gruff face staring across from her. They all began so pleasantly, but eventually, they ended in a large flash of red. It almost stopped her from falling into deep sleep. With the sun peeking through her curtains, she woke with a start and ragged breaths.

The moment that Charlotte was fast asleep, Antonio eased her out of his arms. He stood and began the steady work of making her apartment safer. Moving as quickly as he could without making too much noise, he put seals above each of the doorways within the tiny apartment. He put together hex bags to protect against demons and the angels that he was sure would come just as quickly if they knew of Charlotte's whereabouts. The bag wouldn't prevent either from entering her home but it would make it far more difficult for them to find her and he hoped that would be enough to help protect her until she moved on wherever she ended up.

When Antonio returned to the bedroom to fetch his things, he froze when he realized that Charlotte was tossing and turning. She obviously wasn't sleeping well and yet again, against his better judgment, Antonio climbed back into bed and wrapped his arms around her waist. He hoped his presence would offer her some sort of comfort. Laying there quietly, he was perfectly content because he had Charas right here and that was all he ever really wanted.

Charlotte awoke with a start and immediately, Antonio dropped his arms and pulled back so that she could sit up properly. He frowned, tilting his head to the side as he did. "My apologies, darling. I would have left earlier but you weren't sleeping too well and I didn't want to just leave you alone," he commented softly, setting his hand on her lower back. Brushing his thumb over her skin, Antonio offered a faint smile. "Want to talk about it?"