Realistic or Modern A Most Urgent Hunger (Saffron_Majesty x KaitWink) 1x1

[KaitWink]

Lily let out a small laugh. "No, I don't suppose I typically do." She replied. "I just get a bit bored sparring against the new ones that join, thinking it'll be something to make them look cool. They never know what they're doing. So on the rare occasion that there is someone who actually knows their stuff, I guess I get too excited." She let him help her up off the bench, looking up at him with that sheepish grin again. "Well, then, I guess in a way I do ask for it. Just sometimes." It wasn't the first time she had been injured while fencing, and she doubted it would be the last.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

"It is boring when someone doesn't take your sport seriously." Jace said, carefully releasing Lily's hand and smiling at her sheepishness. Jace walked casually out to the gym mat and collected his foil, the rubber tip that had come off of it, and his mask as they were relatively spread about. "Well, anytime time you feel like asking for it, you know where to find me." Jace said mischievously with a grin as he headed for the door.

 

[KaitWink]

Once she was on her feet again, he dropped her hand, his icy blue eyes finally breaking contact with her deep brown ones before he moved to the mat to retrieve his belongings. She quickly followed suit, stowing the rapier and helmet where they belonged and making sure to replace the rubber tip onto the end of the sword. The last thing she needed was to be the reason someone else got hurt during practice.

"Well, anytime you feel like asking for it, you know where to find me," Jace replied as he made his way to the door. With a mischievous grin, she nodded as he left the room.

Once alone, she sighed. That had definitely been more intense than she originally thought, but something about Jace had caught her attention. He was actually good at what he did. He took it seriously. And even better, he took her seriously. Finally, someone that might be able to help her improve. Not to mention, he seemed like a nice guy, too.

Fixing her ponytail, which had become quite messy during the match, she started toward the door as well. The nighttime air was cool on her damp skin, but rather than being cold it was actually refreshing. Perfect weather for the hoodie she had brought along. Pulling it on, she pulled out her cell and moved it from her jeans pocket to her jacket pocket after checking her messages. Her roommate hadn't responded, which meant she was probably off doing some "extra-curricular activities." Again.

With a playful roll of her eyes, Lily headed back to her apartment, knowing not to expect her friend back until the older woman performed the "walk of shame" the next morning. Abby, who was studying to be a doctor, was a nice woman, but she sure spent a lot of money on her share of an apartment she never actually slept in.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace wore a genuine smile as he left the fencing gym and walked slowly to his apartment, two miles from campus. As he walked he rubbed the large gashes in his right side. This month had been a hard one. He hadn't been able to find a target and had to resort to damaging his own body. The monster inside him feasted on physical pain. Naturally as it wouldn't leave Jace alone, he had to accommodate it. He was fairly certain that he had found a new subject.

Jace unlocked the door to his apartment and walked inside. The place was cold. The temperature sat at sixty six degrees Fahrenheit and the decor was minimalist if that with white paint and nickel finishes on dark brown furniture. Jace went about his normal routine of eating, washing up, then going to sleep. He was excited for what a new day would bring.

 

[KaitWink]

Lily made quick work of the walk home, locking the door behind her and flicking on the lights. She did her normal bedtime routine, exhausted more than usual thanks to fencing practice. In the bathroom, she examined her injuries, wincing a bit as she pulled off the bandages.

Three deep cuts, one on her left shoulder and two on her right. Jace hadn't held back. Then again, she had told him not to. This wasn't his fault. After all, it wasn't like he had meant to hurt her.

But it did make her want to practice harder, to become even better. Now she had a goal, of sorts. Maybe by the end of the year it could be a more equal match...

After applying more antibacterial ointment and putting new bandages on, she changed into pajamas and flopped into bed with a sigh. Lily would have to practice more often if she wanted to catch up. Maybe she could borrow the gym after-hours a few times a week. Rolling over and getting comfortable, her exhaustion easily pulled her into sleep.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace's body clock woke him at 5 AM sharp and he sat up straight in his bed, grunting as the wounds on his right side re-opened. He rolled to the side and onto the floor in a one knee kneeling position. He stood and walked to his closet, thinking about offering to train Lily in fencing as he selected a an outfit of loafers, jeans, a button down, and a crimson sweater vest on top.

Jace grabbed the breakfast he made out of the fridge and took 15 minutes to eat before he was finally ready to leave his apartment. Before he could make and exit though, a small bundle of dried, blood soaked gauze sat on Jace's kitchen counter. He picked the wad up with two fingers and lifted it to his nose. His extremely sensitive nose could pick up on the scent of the dried blood.

The smell gave Jace even more energy than usual as he walked out of his apartment, locked the door behind him, and made his was to the college.

 

[KaitWink]

The next morning, Lily headed off a bit early, hoping to get some studying in. She had an exam this afternoon and wanted to stop by the library beforehand just to brush up on the topic and make sure she had everything memorized.

Unlike the sunny day yesterday, today was a cool drizzle of rain. She pulled her hood up, silently wishing she had a car, and strode down the street. At least it wasn't far.

When she reached the library she let out a soft sigh of relief. Pulling her hood down, she did her best to rustle out any rain that had reached her hair despite her best efforts. The long strands fell out of the hood, nearly to her elbows, and she ran a few fingers through it.

Finding a quiet spot -- not that the whole place wasn't quiet anyway -- she pulled out her notes and sat down with a few books. It wasn't too difficult a subject, just advanced philosophy, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace sat entrenched in a book of human anatomy. He didn't have any classes currently associated with the subject, but the knowledge he poured over had other used to him. He tapped his fingers as he read into a section about nerves and related pain scales, stroking his chin gently.

The door to the library opened and Jace instincutually looked up to see that it was Lily who had entered the big space. With a genuine smile, Jace marked his book, put it in his backpack, and walked toward Lily who had sat down facing away from him.

Jace's footsteps were near silent as he walked casually up behind Lily and tapped her on the shoulder. "Fancy seeing you here." He said comedically.

 

[KaitWink]

Lily startled a bit, having already engrossed herself in a book, and looked up to see none other than Jace hovering over her. "Oh, hey," she replied, returning his smile. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon."

She invited him to join her, and asked, "Are you here to study too, I assume?" Most of the people who went to this school didn't seem too interested in reading just for the fun of it, so it seemed the obviois answer. However, Jace sort of seemed like he would be the type to enjoy reading for pleasure.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

"You as well." Jace replied. He took Lil's invitation to join her and sat his big frame into on of the small library desk chairs. "I don't often study here. I do usually read for my own leisure here though." Jace said with a discerning smile.

"What are you here to do?" He asked Lily with genuine curiosity. He wanted to know more about her and he wanted to know more about her body as well. Jace could feel his hunger begin to writhe in his stomach. The woman in front of hum seemed to have some sheepish affinity for pain. It was something previously undiscovered by Jace and he was always eager to know more.

 

[KaitWink]

Jace seated himself, saying that he often came here to read for leisure. That was interesting enough, Lily thought. A lot of college students in undergrad only wanted to party. Once she moved on to her graduate program it seemed like everyone here was more mature, and that definitely wasn't a bad thing.

The man asked what she was doing, and Lily sighed. "I just have a philosophy exam this afternoon. Figured I would get in a last-minute study session." She replied with a shrug. "Though, I think maybe I'm more over-prepared than under. I feel like I have the whole book memorized at this point." Lily gave a small laugh.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace grinned at Lily. "That's an impressive feat to memorize a book." He said with humor in his voice. Jace knew she was joking but It was obvious that Lily was very intelligent. Something stirred in Jace that he hadn't experienced before, though he knew what it was. His targets had always been naturally attractive, but Lily. She was attractive to Jace. Jace was enticed.

"How would you like to join me for dinner?" Jace asked Lily. He grin turned to a pleasant smile. 'I don't know what im doing.' Jace thought to himself behind his unassuming face.

 

[KaitWink]

Lily laughed at the joke, feeling a bit silly for having given him the chance to make it. "I guess I wouldn't say that much," she replied. "But the concepts, more or less."

Jace suddenly asked if she would want to join him for dinner, which surprised her. He had a peculiar look on his face, almost as if he were nervous about asking.

But the brunette only smiled. "Sure," she replied. "That sounds fun." She was quite interested in him, and they seemed to have a lot in common. Spending more time with him genuinely sounded like it would be exciting.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

"I see." Jace said with a smile. His smile widened when Lily accepted his invitation to dinner, his mind unsure of how to move on. He knew confidently the numerous place where you could paralyze a human being instantly with a relatively small amount of force, but he had never interacted with a woman the was he was interacting now.

"Excellent. What do you fancy for dinner this evening." Jace asked with a slightly more Victorian vocabulary than before.

Jace rarely smiled genuinely and he was surprised that he had alrrady smiled for real several times in the presence of Lily. He would need to consider this heavily later on.

 

[KaitWink]

Lily let out a small chuckle at his sudden change, the usage of his different vocabulary. He did seem to pride himself on the way he talked, which was quite unique compared to the way most people their ages seemed to hold themselves.

He asked where she might like to go, and Lily stopped to think about it for a moment. "Oh, y'know," she replied. "I heard they opened a new place downtown last week. My roommate ate there when they had their opening weekend and said it was really great. They have all different kinds of cuisine."

She hoped Jace wasn't too picky about it, she didn't eat out often so she wasn't up-to-date on all the best places to go, unfortunately. Though, he didn't seem like the kind to fuss over that sort of thing. Jace seemed relatively laid back and easy going. When he wasn't fencing that is.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace smiled despite hearing Lily chuckle. He knew that he must've . "That works for me. How does six o'clock sound?" Jace asked, his faculties returning to him from becoming excited as he took a subtle deep breath. Jace needed to perform some serious self-diagnosis when he arrived home. He wasn't one to believe in fairy tales, nor did he really believe in love at first sight, but he obviously felt something for the woman in front of him that would conflict with his usual course of action with his targets. 'Very perplexing' Jace thought to himself.

 

[KaitWink]

Lily nodded. "Six sounds great. My last class ends at five so that gives me some time to go home and change." She replied. From the way Jace was acting... Was this the first time he had ever hung out with a girl? Was this a date? Was it his first date? Lily had never seen him seem so unsure of himself. Not that she had known him that long to begin with.

"Do you want to meet at the quad?" She asked. It seemed like the easiest option. After all, it was only a few blocks from her apartment and they both would know where they were going. They could head over to the restaurant together rather than trying to meet up there.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

"Excellent." Jace said, standing from his chair. "The Quad would be a good place to meet, in front of the school fountain more specifically." He decided. "Well, it's about time to head to class. I'll see you later this evening. Goodluck in class today." Jace said eyeing a clock behind Lily on the wall and turning to leave.

Jace's big form moved slowly across the belt line of the college campus. He had a stormy group of emotions and thoughts rolling around in his head and Jace was having a difficult time sorting it out. On one hand he needed Lily for darker things and on the other he wouldn't want to harm her because of the attraction he was feeling. This was going to require a lot of effort for a solution and Jace was already hard at work.

 

[KaitWink]

Jace suggested the fountain, and Lily easily agreed. "Okay, I'll see you then," she replied, and Jace stood up to go to class, excusing himself. Once he was gone, Lily had to fight the smile off of her face so that she could force herself to continue studying. But it was difficult. Her stomach was fluttering. What was this sensation, and why was she only feeling it around Jace? Normally she would think that it was just some strange infatuation, but this sort of felt like more.

Eventually, she had to close her book and return it. It was time for her class, and she knew she would have to focus on it. Otherwise, her mind would drift like it had at the library... And she had a test to worry about.

A few hours later, Lily was heading home. She quickly showered and spent some time getting ready. If this was a date, she should dress up, right? Digging through her closet, she found a dress that she rarely got to wear and tried it on. After fixing her hair and makeup, she glanced in the mirror. Perfect. Lily couldn't help but plaster a stupid grin on her face. She headed over to the shoe rack and picked out some matching flats, realizing that heels probably weren't the best option to walk around with Jace all night. Once she was ready, she went to the fountain on the quad. Taking a seat on the edge, she waited.

 

[Saffron_Majesty]

Jace suffered through his long day of classes. It wasn't usually difficult, but Lily was constantly on his mind and the hardest part of class was focusing on the material that was so much less enjoyable to learn about than Lily. When the final bell tolled and Jace exited the history building, the big man let out a big sigh. It was five o'clock and Jace had to get ready. He hurried off down the footpath toward his apartment.

When Jace arrived home he practically threw off his clothes and hopped in the shower. After he was clean Jace went into his closet and looked around at his clothes. He figured that Lily would dress nicely and he wouldn't want to make her feel out of place, so he selected tapered black pants with dress shoes and a matching belt. The top was a white button down with the top most button undone. As a final touch he slicked back his hair and looked into the mirror. A beast stared back at him and he wondered for the nth time today how he would deal with it. No time for that however, Jace decided as he grabbed his phone and wallet and headed out of his apartment.

Jace arrived at the the quad at five fort five and went to tbe fountain. Surprisingly, Lily was already there waiting for him. He stopped for a moment to admire her beauty before he approached her from the side she wasn't looking. "My my here before the early bird, unexpected. And you are stunning I must say." Jace said with a genuine smile and a eyes a shade of intrigued.

 

[KaitWink]

At quarter till six, Lily heard a familiar voice behind her and turned to see Jace approaching. He was early, as usual, but it seemed she had beaten him to it this time. He looked rather nice in a button-down, with his neck-length hair slicked back rather than in the ponytail he seemed fond of.

She returned the smile as he reached her. "You clean up pretty well yourself," the brunette replied. "So this is how you look all dressed up?" Lily turned slightly, hoping Jace would follow her lead as she began heading off for their destination.

She walked next to him, both of them looking too fancy for their college surroundings. "You must live close, too then?" The woman asked curiously. Lily hadn't seen Jace drive up, so she could only assume that he had walked. The restaurant was close and the evening was near-perfect weather, so the short walk would be quite nice.