ι'м ησт qυιтє нυмαη, вυт ι'м ησт qυιтє α мα¢нιηє {Rue}

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron met her eyes and took a deep breath. "I love you, Valerie. I really did, and I still do. I'm sorry that I hurt you. Even if we never see each other again, I just don't want you to hate me."

[assassinrue]

Valerie shook her head as if trying to shake off a bug. "Maybe that's all true but you hurt me more than you can imagine." She stood up. "If you were trying to protect me from yourself, you did exactly the wrong thing. I would rather have been hurt by you than be hurt by you not being there. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a fiancé to return to." As she walked away she felt a guilt sting at adding 'fiance', it wasn't true but she knew it would sting and some part of wanted that.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron sucked in a sharp breath at the word. Finace? Had she really moved on that quickly? He knew he should be happy for her, but the primal man in him wanted to go punch the guy in the face. This wasn't the age where men fought for their women like that, though, and he didn't deserve to anyway. She was right: he'd left her. It was time to move on.

With a sigh, he stood up, giving her one last glance before returning the way he'd come.

[assassinrue]

"What's wrong?"
Valerie shrugged. She couldn't pin point the exact moment where it had gone wrong. Maybe sometime during when Aron was kissing her. But suddenly, she wanted to be near him again, with the same ferocious intensity than before she had found him, cold and angry, and he had shoved her away. But he had pushed her away. Clearly she had been unwanted and she couldn't come up with why that would be any different now. With a sigh she curled herself against Isaiah, finding relief in the familiar warm arm holding her close. But she never slept, Aron always on her mind.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron returned to his hotel, but he took his time getting there. He changed in preparation for bed, but he didn't go to sleep until well past midnight. He mostly sat by the window, staring out over the city as the sun set and the lights came on. New York was beautiful, but right then he couldn't see any of it. All he could think about was looking down at it from the top of a half-built skyscraper with a warm body sitting beside him.

Eventually, he sighed and climbed into bed, hoping that he'd even be able to get up in the morning.

[assassinrue]

Against every instinct she had, she slipped out of bed st the crack of dawn, just to wander the city.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Hmm... what now?)

[assassinrue]

(No idea. Maybe she gets attacked?)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Hmm... the Legion comes after Aron for deserting, but they can't find him. Instead, they manage to find out about Val and come after her)

[assassinrue]

(Works for me)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Kay, cool. I'm thinking I could use my character in the Legion. He can talk to her to confirm that she knows Aron, and then they take her)

[assassinrue]

(Now would be good since she's out alone.)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

As Valerie turned a corner she nearly ran right into someone. The man danced out of the way, but not without spilling some of his coffee on himself. "Aww, shit," he said, looking down at his now-stained light blue shirt. He glanced up at Val and gave a faint smile. "Guess I'll just have to go home and change."

[assassinrue]

"Oh god I'm so sorry I wasn't watching where I was going. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

He gave a quiet laugh. "No, it's quite alright," he said. "Although..." His eyes flickered over her and his smile widened. "Maybe you could let me buy you a drink."

[assassinrue]

"Um..." Valerie tucked her hair behind her ear, "I don't know about that." She smiled innocently at him, glancing away.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Oh, come on, what can it hurt?" he asked. "Just one drink. I'll even buy you coffee if you want." He grinned and held up his half-empty cup. "I'll need something to make up for this."

[assassinrue]

Valerie smiled. "How about I buy since I spilled yours everywhere?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I let you do that?" he asked. "Although... you have a point."

[assassinrue]

Valerie smiled a deep, coy smile that she didn't even know she could do. Well then. "A very special kind of gentleman." She began walking towards her favorite coffee shop. "Come." She instructed, and couldn't help but notice the flirtation in her tone.