Of all the festive seasons, Thanksgiving and Christmas would make up high on his list. Simply because it was supposed to be a season where families gather together and meet up to share their stories, bonding over it with laughter and elation. Well, at least it used to be that way for him. Julian didn't have a big family, it was only his parents, him and his elder sister and his younger sister. The five of them were able to make up the absence for plenty though, which was the reason why the Nephilim never felt like anything was lesser when they gather together. Unfortunately, this year wouldn't make it possible for him. He couldn't go back to England because he had a whole shift two days ago and the flights bound there were all sold out, leaving him no choice but to spend his Christmas in Evermore. He had no problem with the city, but who wouldn't want to go home for Christmas? He misses his parents and Christmas was one of the times he could actually get to see his elder sister who is otherwise, staying in Australia. 

And ever since the tragedy that took place a few years ago, it's the only time they were able to check in the Nephilim to see if he's doing fine as he says he is. He's guessing that he'll have to settle and FaceTime his family for this year, and hope that his schedule can be cleared out next year. While he was busy cleaning the cabinet where he stored his bow and arrows alongside other weapons in case anything happens, he realized that he's been tapping his feet against the carpeted floor for over half an hour. He wasn't usually this jittery when he's alone, so he stopped whatever he was doing and tried to figure out the reason for it. Until he realized that the living room was pretty much cold to the core, which was unusual because he was sure he had turned on the heater before. With a rag still in his left hand, Julian went over to where the heater was located and crouched down to its level to check if it's working. 

The lights weren't on and he thought he must've turned it off accidentally. Another unfortunate case for the poor Nephilim who had to endure a cold night while being alone for Christmas, it wasn't turned off, rather, it was broken. A heaved sigh escaped the male as he got up and realized that he will have to rush to the stores to get a heater unless he wanted to spend his nights cold. He knew there was no way the stores would be open on Christmas Eve, and even if they were, the chances were likely high to know that it's been sold out. Yet that didn't prevent Julian from wrapping his coat around him and rushed out. At least, his car was slightly warm. And that's probably the alternative for his place to sleep tonight or for a few nights if there was no more heaters.

 That was the case for Julian who was still diligently searching for a heater for about an hour already. Sighing to himself, he exited the last shop which told him sorry because they were sold out. Just his luck. "Goddammit, Julian… you're full of bad luck at this time of the year, aren't you?" he grumbled to himself and found himself slumping against the bench while listening to Deck The Halls With Boughs of Holly blaring from god knows which shop. 

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She raised her brows and chuckled under her breath when he shamelessly answered her question by suggesting she might be part of the negotiations. She licked her lips and grinned “You drive a hard bargain, Mister Lockhart” she commented tilting her head slightly. It was becoming more evident to her that he wasn’t going to let this one go easily, regardless of how many times she had warned him off now. She was hitting her limit when it came to excuses. “You should know we have a zero-tolerance when it comes to drooling in the office” she joked with a playful grin but then she let out a soft sigh “Alright fine, because I know Emilio would kill me if I had the chance to recruit you and didn’t...make an effort” she shook her head slightly, highly unprofessional but there had always been something a little unprofessional about them, hadn’t there.

She nodded slightly and shrugged when he questioned whether she really tended to her own garden “I find it peaceful” she admitted and looking down for a moment “I swear I can spend hours just tending to the flower and sitting out there to appreciate the view” she was the type of person so liked alone time and no other sane person would bother her while she tends the garden so it was a good place to gather thoughts. Of course he noticed her slightly awkward and over-enthusiastic comments about his hair and wouldn’t let her forget that she had said it, she felt her cheeks getting warm as he spoke about no take-backs “It is stupidly shiny” she grumbled under her breath, it made her wonder how soft it would be to the touch. She quickly ended that thought with a shake of her head, how did this guy keep getting under her skin like this?

“Well if you were I’d be questioning what the hell you’re doing fixing planes” she responded when he said he wasn’t a chef himself “That’s okay, we’re equally responsible for not letting ourselves starve today right?” she laughed softly, she usually cooked for herself only so she didn’t really know if she was good or bad at it but she had to try her skills out on someone sooner or later right? Before long she was tapping her foot along to the music while she worked on the turkey, it didn’t take her long to finish basting it and then stuffing it, she was arranging the tray too, ready to put the vegetables around it “Maybe” she responded and grinned sheepishly “Though there’s no usually anyone else here to live and tell the tale” she commented before grabbing a bottle of wine from the fridge and pouring herself a glass before raising her brows “Want some?” she questioned.

He shrugged casually when she said that, he wasn't one to tease or be this playful especially with someone who wasn't related to him or haven't been his friends for long, but with Nora, things felt comfortable. Or maybe he wanted it to be more comfortable which is also an adding factor. "Negotiations are open to the table if you're willing to go through hours of torture, Miss Nordstroem" he cooed softly and sent a wink towards her. Clearly the comfortable act around him made the Nephilim feel slightly more confident in how he carries himself. "Oh? You do now? What to do… I don't think it's up to me to stop drooling though" he mumbled and cleared his throat while eyeing him with no hint of subtlety, "it's kinda hard not to stare when someone worth staring is there" he added. Was he flirting? Yes. Was it an awful attempt at flirtation? Yes. He was clearly rusty at this and Julian was already beating himself internally, wondering why would he say that out loud. That sounded so lame.

 "So I'm a worthy asset to be recruited huh? That's good to hear that I am worth something to someone." It did feel nice though. Hearing her talk about how tending to her garden feels calming to her, the Nephilim couldn't help but stare at her with soft eyes from the side, yeah there was a reason he crushed on her, and he couldn't find reasons to back away now. It feels too much of a waste. "I mean I saw a small part of what it is when I came here. I could only imagine how beautiful it would look when you have an actual good view of it." The view from his side that time was quite restricted for him to make any further conclusions. His grin grew because she didn't deny it, she actually admitted them albeit in a soft tone that was almost incoherent if it wasn't due to his careful hearing. "Thank you, my mother wouldn't allow me to wash my hair using any other products than what she recommended to me. Said the artificial percentage is a scam. All natural ingredients. Not that it matters because nobody ever sees it anyway" he shrugged as he dismissed it, it was true. 

He worked at the hangar most of the time and was dirty for the majority of the time too. His jumpsuits were always dirty from the oil and dirt. So his hair didn't exactly have a reason to dazzle people either. "Hey, I can be both a good chef and a good engineer excuse you… and I am already both a pilot and engineer" he huffed and scowled playfully, shaking his head in response to her remark earlier. "Just curious, do you have a secret basement you dump your guests' bodies at when you starve them?" he snickered and continued his work, it was fun teasing her. Watching her dance to the music also made him chuckle to himself, what a cute girl. When asked if he wanted some wine, the male nodded softly, "Sure, why not." He leaned against the counter and stare at her with fond eyes, "So if I ask you to dance, would you be up for it?"

Nora noticed the way he had gotten more confident when it came to teasing her today, it made her ponder what it was which had given him the boost of confidence to be like this but then she was reminded of the state they had woken up this morning and that brought a flush to her cheeks “Hours of torture huh? Seems like it would be easier for me to just agree to the terms huh?” she shot him a look and shook her head in amusement, where did the shy guy from before go? Because now he seemed more and more like a thorn in her side. She averted her gaze when he said he couldn’t stop himself from staring when someone worth staring at was present. She bit her lip slightly and glanced down for a moment. Now he was flirting with her too and she didn’t find herself wanting to shut him down.

She nodded slightly when he asked if he was an assent worthy of being recruited “Honestly I think your talents are wasted in the hangar and there is...so much more out there for you to explore” he could reach for more and he probably knew that, but comfort was a strange thing and it could keep you holding onto something familiar for a long time. She smiled softly when he said he had seen a little of her garden when he arrived “Maybe I’ll have to show you it some time, you haven’t seen any of the best parts” she even had a koi pond which she loved a lot, it was really peaceful to sit by it and just watch the fish swimming in the water. She raised her brows when he explained how his mother always told him how to care for his hair and she smiled softly “Seems like she taught you well” she commented before hesitantly reaching her hand up to touch gently against a strand which was out of place and putting it back where it belonged.

She paused for a moment when she realized how close she had leaned in to him and backed off with a surprised expression. Before long they were getting the food together and putting it onto the dish ready to go into the over “Brag much” she commented when he said he was a good chef, pilot and engineer, she shot him a teasing look and shook her head. “Oh definitely, it’s where I keep my wine” she teased when he asked about the secret basement she might have. She actually did have a basement but that was definitely a place he wasn’t going to get to see. She poured him a glass of wine before pushing the glass over towards him and then she picked up her own glass before taking a swig of it and then setting it down. She wasn’t expecting him to be staring at her like that when she turned back around and it made her catch her breath for a moment.

“You dance?” she responded coyly to his questioning while taking the prepared tray of food and then put it into the oven. She turned back towards him just before an upbeat Christmas song came on the speaker. She couldn’t even help herself as she took another sip of her wine and started tapping her feet to the music.

Perhaps this was a big boost to his own self esteem but he didn't feel so shy around her anymore, was it because he had spent the night here yesterday and even slept on the same bed as hers? Could that be it? Julian wasn't sure but he liked that Nora was slowly accepting his advances too. Or at least she didn't try to blow him off again and cast him aside the way she usually does. It filled his heart will pride to know he was moving pretty well in this. He could still remember waking up so near to her earlier today and had he not woken up earlier, the dhampir probably would've witnessed the blush on his cheeks. Thankfully he was quick to get up so Nora was able to miss it so near. "It is easier for you to agree to it mhmm" he nodded cheekily, he was hoping he wasn't being too pushy with her. Not too forward right? Girls don't like that, he reminded himself. God, he feels like a whole teenager trying to make his crush notice him again. But it was worth it.

 When she didn't say anything to his flirtation and instead only averted her gaze down, Julian smirked to himself, knowing he had won that battle. It really did feel good. His eyes softened as he chuckled softly at her comment regarding his talents, "I am aware of that. Most people like to tell me that I deserve better, that I should be utilising my skills somewhere people would want me more than what I was offered but" of course there was a but, "I moved here to get away from the world for a while. I lost someone that time and while it has been a few years since then, it was hard to forget that, right? I moved here thinking leading a normal life would be able to solve what's inside my mind. And maybe, I like working like that even though I knew if I was given the platform to expand my ideas, it would be better." He never truly explained why he stayed at the same job for almost a year here in Evermore already. "That was before you offered me a place though. I should follow my heart since my mind is not saying no." 

He grinned when she offered to show him the koi pond, "Sounds like a plan. I'm sure it looks beautiful just like you said it is." He didn't expect her to push a loose strand of his hair back to where it was, but he never kept his eyes off her while she did that, "She did." It was tempting to just lean down and do what he wanted but he was respecting her space. Imposing on it even more than he already was would be the last thing he wanted to do. Julian shook his head and shrugged as if it was really referred to him, "What can I say, you need all the skills you can get for the ladies, no?" Though it was clear at the moment, his focus and attention is only on her. He narrowed his eyes playfully the moment she mentioned the basement is where she kept her wine, "I'm inclined to believe there's more than just wine but I'll believe you." The dark haired Nephilim was fully aware that he had been staring at her with such fondness in his eyes so when Nora turned around and was taken aback by how his gaze never turned away, he wasn't shaken. 

When she turned up the volume to a more upbeat music, he chuckled and took one last sip from his glass after pouring himself another glass before making his way towards her, taking his hand into his and beckoned for her to come join him, "You up for a challenge?" Dance with me, it was clear what his message was.

She was growing to feel more comfortable with having someone trying to get close to her, there were still alarm bells going off in her head about all the ways this could go wrong but then the other part saw him for the person he was. He was sweet and thoughtfully, a bit goofy here and there and he was patient as hell to keep taking her swings and coming back for more. She felt conflicted in a way but she also didn’t want to stop. He made her feel happy, content even and he had made a day which was going to be hard...easy. “You’re enjoying this a little too much” she warned him because of how smug he was acting, shaking her head in amusement. She could respect his confidence though, she’d noticed it slowly growing.

It seemed like he was aware that his current job role, while it kept him busy and paid the bills, wasn’t one which really lead anywhere further up the chain. After all, once you were a senior engineer in fixing planes, there wasn’t really any progression path there aside from perhaps becoming a rocket scientist. “Wanting to lose yourself in work to distract yourself from all the bad in your life? Check” she responded and gave him a half smile, she understood wanting to keep your head down and work hard in order to occupy your mind and forget for a while. “But believe me, you’d be plenty busy doing something which might help save the world too” Everectronics mostly worked on medical devices which helped those with disabilities to overcome their injuries. They were helping to achieve what seemed impossible a few years ago, she was proud of it.

She smiled softly “I love watching the fish swim around the pond...it’s serene, watching them in a whole world of their own” sometimes she just needed a distraction from the real world around her she supposed and her garden had become that. Though honestly, it was amazing she managed to get around to it considering how much of her time was spent out on the streets taking out people who wanted to harm the city. She didn’t really know what came over her when she reached up to touch against his hair but thankfully he didn’t seem to mind, just as she imagined it was soft and silky. She laughed when he said he needed skills for the ladies “Is that how it works hmm? Cook her a good dinner and make her swoon” he grinned slightly, honestly he didn’t seem like the playboy type to her so he seemed to be saying it to impress her.

She shot him a playful look when he said he suspected the was more than wine on her basement “Oh yeah...forgot about the champagne” she jested with a shake of her head. His gaze looked so soft, his dark eyes so full of emotion that it was hard to tear herself away. She noticed she kept falling for that trap over and over, she might be cursing herself for it if she didn’t like the nervous feeling in her chest so much. She drank down some more of her drink when she noticed he was coming closer, tilting her chin to look up at him before looking down to the hand he offered out and then putting hers in his. “Just because I dance doesn’t mean I’m good at it” she warned before laughing and moving her feet to the music while their joined hands swayed a little.

Perhaps it has always been worth a try. Nora was pretty interesting to Julian, the more she tried to evade him, the more he found himself wanting to pursue her even harder. It wasn’t for the sake of curiosity alone though, he was really invested in this. He wasn’t pushing her to accept him, waiting is fine to him so long as she didn’t find him annoying. At least, not yet. When she warned him that he was enjoying this a little bit too much, the Nephilim couldn’t help but to snort at that, “Maybe I am. Could you blame me if so? This situation between us is way too comical for me not to find some sort of humor in it” he pointed out cheekily, being serious is hardly something Julian was good at, he’s quiet and disciplined, that’s what he is, not stoic and stone cold. Life is too short for him to think about pushing people away. “Sometimes life can be too much for us to bear, not everyone is as strong as the other” he mumbled softly, he admitted even he wasn’t up to par when it comes to that.

“But I get what you mean when you said I should… look around for more and better opportunities. I’m still young and restricting myself to this one place is not gonna give me any happiness” of course he understood that. The idea she was giving him about saving the world, or at least contributing to what might make the world a better place did sound tempting, why wouldn’t he want to aid people to a better future? “Maybe that’s why I’m close to signing another partnership with you even after all this” he was open to possibilities and maybe there’s that added bonus of him being able to be with Nora more, why not? It didn’t take an opportunist to realize this chance. “Koi?” he enquired curiously, keeping fishes meant they had to have quite the maintenance, but then again if she hired house help, it was probably easier to think about it. He would never be able to be as timely as that, he doesn’t even eat breakfast because of his schedule, much less spare himself some time to feed the fishes.

The way she worded it did seem as though being away from the real world was a treat for herself. The way she touched his hair made him chuckle because the height difference was already cute but the fact that she leaned closer just to push the strand away gave him a chance to stare her down with the same soft eyes. “Technically, I tend to make girls swoon either way” he teased, oh he was nowhere near confident when it comes to his ‘skills’ because he didn’t date that much but it was a good way to start, “But if cooking her a nice meal to show her some appreciation can make her day a bit better than it was, why not?” He was raised in a very respectful household, his mother and sister were basically the ones raising a voice to anything so he wasn’t surprised. He was a lot like his father, just staying back and watching how his girls do things independently. “Sometimes making someone’s day better… with the right intentions, can mean a lot.”

He wasn’t expecting the champagne comment but was impressed by how skillfully she evaded such a question, “I commend your evading skills. Color me impressed” he cooed teasingly. He took classes for waltz but aside from that, nothing else. He also hasn’t danced since his wedding rehearsal which was quite some time ago. His mind was basically blank when it comes to dancing but a few moves here and there just enjoying the music during Christmas is not that hard, right? He grinned softly and dragged her away to a better space to dance, “Oh you seem to misunderstand my intentions, Miss” he turned her around and chuckled, “I’m not here to watch you dance gracefully. If you make a fool of yourself, that’ll be better” he dipped and whispered into her ear playfully. The melody of the song felt fitting, it was just serene. “My Christmas felt so much better now…”

She shook her head in amusement when he agreed he was enjoying himself, it was a special day today and he had managed to get her guard down, which wasn’t an easy thing to do. Nora was watching him carefully, he was getting more confident and playful, she felt herself wanting to know more about him, to say things which would make him laugh. She supposed it was what it meant to have a close bond with someone, she’d never really had that with many people before, not to the level he seemed to want. “Sometimes it’s easier to just….shut everything out” she spoke softly, that was what she did this whole time, after all, shut people out so that they couldn’t get close to her.

She nodded slightly “I think it’s important to have goals….passion...to keep reaching for more” she never wanted to feel entirely satisfied with what she had achieved because then she would be bored, she always wanted a new goal, a next next thing on her list and she had no idea what that would look like but she knew she never wanted to feel stuck. “So many people let themselves…stop” she commented in a sad tone, when hard times came along, a lot of people settled or gave up, they couldn’t see past the hard times in their life. Honestly, they had been a point in time when she wondered if that was what she would become, she felt so disconnected from everything she had wanted after her parents had shattered her whole world. “Yeah Koi” she responded with a soft smile “They’re actually quite easy to take care of, the biggest risk is keeping that one from jumping in the pond” she commented shaking her head as she gestured towards the dog.

There was that soft gaze again, when he stared into her eyes she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous, there was an intensity to his gaze that was hard to describe. When he looked at her like that she could tell that he meant it, though she wasn’t sure exactly what he was trying to say. “Well true, everyone appreciates it when someone takes time out of their day to make theirs a little better” she nodded slightly. Like how everyone got excited when someone brought some cakes or other treats into the office. It reminded her that perhaps she needed to work harder to think about brightening the lives of others, after all, she did tend to keep to herself most of the time, she was reserved and perhaps even selfish when it came to her distancing from others “So selfless” she commented with a wry smile “Are you sure there’s nothing in it for you?” she teased with raised brows.

She chuckled when he called her out for evading “What can I say, I’m full of surprises” she responded with an amused smile while she listened to the music. Before long they had some kind of rhythm going on, it was goofy dancing, their arms on one another's as they moved to the music, hs expressions made her laugh softly “Well, in that case, I expect the trophy for best dancer” she responded with a giggle. She kept getting closer and closer in his arms and she let out a soft squeal when he pushed her off glance, looking up at him with an unimpressed gaze which quickly softened when he spoke those soft words “Mine too” she agreed in a vulnerable voice while staring into his eyes, he was so close she could smell the soft manly scent of his cologne. Her eyes dropped from his eyes to his lips momentarily before she found herself leaning in.

Maybe this boost wasn't so bad. He was able to interact more freely with her without worrying he would be overstepping his boundaries. They shared popcorn already, slept on the same bed. Surely there was another level of friendship they have passed, right? "It is easier… but then you would be missing out on a lot of things you didn't even realize you've been missing" he mumbled gently in response to her words. "I'm not a social butterfly, I'm a homebody if anything but there's a beauty in reconnecting." He could understand why attachment could come to her as an issue but he wanted to tell her it didn't have to be one. "To reach for the next great thing huh?" He could understand that sentiment, he often wondered where he would stop and why he even needed to stop in the first place. The questions always ran rampant, he just didn't get to answer every single one. "Sad… isn't it?" If he wasn't stuck at a few departments, he would've loved to keep going and reaching for the skies. 

Unfortunately, he had to think about the aftermath of his decisions and honestly, he wasn't ready to let it go just yet. Didn't mean he was closing the window of chance entirely, though. It was still there. "My sister wanted to get those but… she said I would probably steal one of it when I was younger. She wasn't entirely wrong but I feel so attacked" he scoffed and shook his head, he was a weird boy as a kid. That somehow turned out right. Better than what most people thought he would. That part was satisfying to know he exceeded some people's expectations. "How has he not jumped into the pond yet?" He allowed his eyes to scour for Cloud, the thought of keeping that fluff away from the pond seemed hard and he was curious to know how she did it. "He didn't try to get some dinner?" He admitted he had a crush on her. He still does, actually. And he was pretty sure plenty of people at his workplace knew that. A lot had a crush on the boss lady obviously, but Julian wasn't the one who would just develop a crush so easily just because one is pretty or attractive. It would take him a lot more. 

"I think wanting to make someone's day a tad bit better than it was previously tells a lot about a person's intention" he still had his eyes lingering over her form, it was hard to pull his gaze away from her hues though. It was mesmerizing to the Nephilim and as if he wasn't already soft for her. When she asked if there was really nothing in it for him, he chuckled and shrugged absentmindedly, "Not that I can think of, no. Maybe I'm just that good of a guy, no?" He jested teasingly. The dance was slow a bit but then slowly started looking goofy which brought smiles up to both of their faces, it was nice seeing more of those smiles coming from her. They were rare and whenever he got a glimpse of them, he felt like he was blessed to see it. Consider him… lucky. He didn't know what happened, all he remembered were them having a fun time teasing one another per usual as they danced funnily. One moment he was laughing with her. The other, he found himself leaning in to close the gap between them. Before long, his lips were pressed against hers softly while his grip on her hand tightened slightly, pulling her close by the waist to deepen it.

These past few days had definitely been strange dare she say out of character for her, she never really expected to have someone at home here with her, let alone allow them in to her bedroom and wake up in his arms. She kept telling herself she should hate the way it feels and warning bells kept going off about what happens when she trusts someone and lets them in and yet here she still was. He had gotten under her skin and now she couldn’t shake him and she wasn’t sure she actually wanted to. “You can’t miss anything you never had” she confessed in a thoughtful voice but he was right, he had given her a taste of something good, it was so small and could easily be brushed aside but it was there and it made her wonder what if for a while. She nodded when he surmised her thoughts on passion when it came to work “There are so many new heights to reach and we need smart and talented people to get there” people who fit that category but settled were a little bizarre to her “A little...but it doesn’t have to be forever right, people find their passion at all sorts of strange times” maybe it just took people longer to figure it out.

She smiled when he talked about how his sister wanted to get a koi pond too and then accused him of wanted to steal one “I’d be questioning the practicality of you stealing a fish unless you had room for a second pond” she laughed under her breath, she did like tending to the pond, they weren’t hard to look after and they looked really beautiful, you just needed enough space for them to swim in comfortably. “Believe me, he has tried...many times” she commented in a grumbling voice “You’d think a dog so fluffy and cute wouldn’t like getting dirty but I swear if there is a body of water to jump in or some mud to roll in, he’ll find it” she commented shaking her head slightly “I had to put up a little anti Cloud fence and he is under close watch whenever he goes out into the yard” she shook her head slightly, he was such a character but that made being around him even more special.

Now that they had dinner in the oven and it was cooking they had some time to spare, though honestly the past two days felt like they were flying by with him here “Depends on how much they brag about it” she responded with a wry smile when he talked up his own good nature, she didn’t need him to tell her that to know he was a good person, she could tell that from the way he always seemed to be so kind and friendly even when she knew he had been through hard things and had bad days too. Their dancing wasn’t particularly good, it was messy, she must have stepped on his foot at least three times, he looked like a goof with this huge dorky smile on his lips but at that moment it just...didn’t matter. Images, inhibitions, and walls seemed to fade away at that moment and all that was left was happiness. It happened fast but in hindsight, it probably wasn’t fast at all, she had been thinking about this for a long time, it was the thing she told herself she couldn’t have and yet here she was.

For a moment she wondered if it was all in her head, he was so close to her, she could smell the cologne he was wearing, feel his breath against her as their eyes met. The moment she leaned in it was an all or nothing kind of moment and as she fluttered her eyes close she felt his lips against hers. Soft at first, barely moving as they both processed the moment they were sharing but then she felt his hand against her waist and she was gone, her lips parting as he deepened the kiss, feeling the way she backed herself up against the kitchen counter just so she could pull him in even closer. She felt dizzy...almost drunk in the feeling because the way he kissed her was so gentle but so purposeful and it said so many silent things to her she had never heard before. When they parted for a moment she was looking up at him with a sense of shock and wonder “I probably shouldn’t have done that” she whispered softly but her tone made it clear she wanted more.

With Nora, it was totally different. She wasn't the person he expected to fall for but he did. That casual teensy crush turned out to be the fuel that drove him to pursue the dhampir. Even if there was a high probability that she would reject him outrightly. "Then shouldn't we at least owe it to ourselves to make sure we have something to lose? It's probably bittersweet but… the memory of it would be worth it." No matter how painful it gets. Her answers and responses always seemed to catch him off guard. It was expected but also not expected. 

The Nephilim gave up trying to figure her out a long time ago. There was no purpose nor any use to try and figure what she's thinking about. He would just enjoy what he's given. A chance is a chance, at the end of the day and if Nora thought he was worthy of it, then he'll be happy with that. "I was young and the fish was pretty. Besides, a younger me thought it'd be fun if I kept one of mine in an aquarium instead of the pond because at least I'll get to play with it in my room." Julian could distinctly recall that incident that got Jane-Ann screaming at the top of her lungs when she saw him trying to steal it away even if it was for pure reasons. "Don't we all do stupid things when we were young? That's one of mine." He couldn't help but wince at the thought of Cloud's fluffy coat of white all dirtied from the mud, he figured it would be a pain to clean him up then and bringing him to the grooming service every single time has got to be a painful trip when you don't have the time to spare for it. 

"I'd ask how many times you had to clean him but I'm guessing… a lot." It wouldn't nearly be as surprising upon finding out just how much of a troublemaker the dog is. "Sometimes you earned it, the bragging rights part I mean" he chuckled, he didn't usually do them but if he knew it could make them smile or laugh, then why not? The closer he got to her, the more he found out there was so much more to Eleanora Nordstroem that he wished others would have the chance to see but knowing how closed off and guarded she is, he'll be content with being one for the few who were able to witness this. It's symbolic to him, a gesture of their good friendship. And even when he wished there were days when they could be more than friends, being close is more than enough. Nora showed a bit of an attraction towards him too which had the Nephilim thinking about the possibilities. She knew he likes her, she knew he has a crush on her and still does. 

The both of them swayed to the side a few times, with Julian being too absorbed with his own feelings to even notice she has stepped on him a few times. The kiss was unexpected but both parties seemed pretty invested in it. In Julian's case, it was everything he's been dreaming about for a while now. To be able to kiss her. It was also better than he expected, her lips were soft and the way it was pressed against his own might as well give him a surge with how enlightened he feels at the moment. He wasn't sure if he was the one pushing her against the kitchen counter or she was the one pulling him in, but nevertheless, his hand that was wrapped around her waist pulled her closer to his body while his free hand cupped her jaw delicately while deepening the kiss. By the time they parted away, his hazel hues scanned her flushed face, carefully gauging her expression and reaction to the kiss, wondering if he could do it again. "No… I probably shouldn't have done that either…" yet here he was, leaning in for another and he captured her lips once again, this time lifting her up on the counter.

He seemed more optimistic than her when it came to relationships, she was the type to err on the side of caution and be carefully for fear of getting hurt and he was the kind who seemed to want to jump regardless of what might be waiting below. Honestly it made her stomach fuzzy just thinking about doing that “Doesn’t the possibility of losing scare you?” she spoke in a soft curious voice, considering he had lost someone in the past it seemed awful brave of him to be able to try again but she had a certain respect for that.

She couldn’t help but laugh as she pictured a younger him trying to argue that he should be able to bring a massive koi fish inside to the aquarium because he wanted to watch it swim “You do realize that fish are literally the most boring pets to play with...ever right?” she questioned an amused smile on her lips because honestly the picture in her head was pretty adorable. She wrinkled her nose and then smiled when he asked if they all did stupid stuff when they were young “Yes we do….and then we learn from them as we get older and laugh about our own mistakes and misunderstandings” she laughed softly “There was a while where I argued with a girl in my class about whether santa was real” she responded and giggled slightly “Not exactly my finest moment” she had made half the class go crying back to their parents questioning whether they had all been lied to.

She laughed softly “Most of the time I just let the dirt on him dry and then it’s easy enough to brush it all out...weirdly his breed don’t stain too badly” she chuckled, he could be high maintenance at times though, when he decided to roll in the mud, he did need to have a bath and Cloud was not the biggest fan of the bath. “He’s a brat when it comes to bath time though, he cries and acts cute to try and convince me to let him go” she shook her head in an amused fashion, for a dog who loved the water he could sure be dramatic. A soft smile appeared on her lips when he spoke about bragging. Before this weekend it had been easy to keep him at arm’s length and pretend like she didn’t feel a connection with him but spending time with him these past few days, seeing him vulnerable and goofy, even letting him share her bed, it had changed everything.

To her, this wasn’t just another kiss, placed against another stranger she would never see again after tonight. This was a certain kind of surrender to the affection she truly craved, for so long in her life she had pushed people away whenever they tried to get close, she told them it was for their own good but honestly, it had been because she was scared. Scared to feel more than she did before. Every movement was so gentle, he held her in a way that made her feel important and wanted. This time instead of pushing him away she found herself wanting to pull him in closer, she wanted to get lost in everything about him. His soft lips on her, the way he smelled, the warm touch of his skin against her waist. Her eyes were searching his for any kind of regret of hesitation when they parted, anything which hinted she made a mistake but within seconds he was already closing the gap between them once more.

She let him lift her, resting against the counter while her legs wrapped around his frame, naturally willing him to come closer against her while her lips responded to his. Her hand came up to rest against his neck, fingers curling into his hair and stroking gently as she lost herself in the kisses they shared. He was an excellent kisser, she noted in her mind gentle but every single one had purpose, she found herself wanting to have more and more of them. When they parted for a second time, she was breathless “Wow” she breathed softly.

Was he invested in this friendship or whatever relationship they seem to have? Of course he is. Julian can't recall the last time he was this invested in something so personal, everything else was either poured into his work and thoughts. He loves archery, it's one of his hobbies and perhaps he trained in that better compared to everything else but it still didn't change the fact that he was really taking his time of the day trying to impress a girl. Then again, it is Nora. Had it been any other person, perhaps the effort wouldn't be as much as this. "It does scare me but… I have to take the risk one way or another. If I don't move past it then I'll never be able to move forward in life. I stepped back for some time now… it's time to stop doing that." 

When she told him that fish are the most boring pets in the world, the Nephilim scoffed and shook his head, "Oh believe me… I know. But I was a weird kid okay, I like spending my leisure time playing with fish that wouldn't even spare me a look in the aquarium all evening. Somehow, the idea of doing that was fun to me." He didn't really know why, but it happened. "I wanna laugh about it but I swear most of the things I remember aren't those that make a good memory" he chuckled, but at the end of the day, they were still his memories. "Let me guess, you told her santa wasn't real?" Judging from the kind of personality Nora seemed to have, he figured she was that girl rather than the latter that cried about how the man is real. He never believed in Santa Clause but the Christmas spirit? Very much so. It was interesting to hear how she took care of Cloud, considering how devilish of a brat the pup can be. "How do you even get him to stay still during a bath?" It was either by bribing or forcing him to go through it, he's guessing. 

He realized how much he missed having companionship like this, someone to talk to and fawn over secretly. He does have friends, of course he does. But they weren't too close to him. They probably didn't know much about him more than he would give them credit for. The warmth they shared when they shared the bed together, it reminded him just how precious those little moments were. And he wanted more of them. Has he kissed a few girls after Maleah's passing? Sure. He still has yet to give his virginity away though, that was simply an area he would not cross over a one night stand that he would forget about. Wasn't it all supposed to be meaningful? Though they wouldn't stay, he didn't want to remember his first time being with someone he probably couldn't remember the name of. 

Nora has been pushing him throughout the entire time he tried to push, and today was the first time he saw her opening up at a more personal level. It felt nice. So yes, the kiss was everything he wanted. He was gentle with his actions, he didn't want to scare her away. When he lifted her up on the counter and leaned in for another, he wanted her to know that he wanted this too and that she had nothing to be scared of. With her legs wrapped around his torso, Julian pressed his thumbs against her back, stroking them slowly as he got lost in the kiss. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time…" he murmured, staring at her with those vulnerable eyes again, "Tell me it wasn't a mistake because it sure wasn't for me…" 

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