Worth the Risk (Closed)

[Asa]

She smiled seeing the flowers and at his sweet words. It had been a long time since anyone had carried on so much for her so she was not sure what to make of it but smiled nd took the box of flowers.

You look quite handsome as well. And thank you for the flowers

So lets get going and grab some dinner where is this place handsome?

 

[Armphid]

In his mind, Marcus did a little victory dance at her reaction to his appearance and his gift. She seemed to be very approving and her smile, her calling him 'handsome,' made him feel ten feet tall.

"It's easy enough to find but off from campus a bit. Trying to minimize risk, you know?" He glanced out the window and gestured, "We'll take Lane Avenue to 70 and get off at the 256 exit. From there, it's about a half mile north."

He looked over at her as she drove, his eyes feasting on all that he could see of her. God, he could spend hours just worshiping that body with his eyes. Though he'd be glad to use other things in his devotions as well.

He spoke up again once they were underway, "This place is a local restaurant, a family owned deal. From what I've heard it's pretty classy but also low-key; they don't have a separate kitchen but just have a low wall so you can watch the preparation and the cooking. It's big with the area foodies."

 

[Asa]

She nodded and took off for the restaurant with a smile. This was going to be fun and achance to really get to know the one she wanted.

 

[Armphid]

There wasn't much conversation on the drive; she was paying attention to navigation and he was too busy watching her. It was remarkable, really, what a black dress and hair up off the neck could do to a woman. She was always beautiful but somehow she seemed several times more so tonight.

They pulled into the parking lot of a standard looking strip mall on the outskirts of town, all the way to the far side of it where the unassuming restaurant lay. Marcus got out of the car and was sure to hold the door to the place for Annika before following her in.

The hostess was a handsome middle aged woman who soon had them seated at a little table for two, after a comment from her about how lucky a boy he was to have such a woman on his arm.

He smiled, pulling Annika's chair out for her. "They're friendly here, at least." Once she was seated, he took his own chair. "It's really great just to be out with you; I hope you know that."

 

[Asa]

She smiled nodding to the lady and spoke briefly with her in Italian and nodded as they were shown to a table. Sitting down she nodded to him and commented.

Very friendly they are of the old ways of doing things they will bring us all sorts of food for us to try before taking any orders. This is just the way it is in the old country and how they enjoy doing.

She reached a hand to place it on his knee as she heard his comments about them being out together and nodded.

Yes it is good to just be out and relax and not have worries or expectations. Just simply enjoy time out together.

 

[Armphid]

He wasn't sure about no worries but the tension did melt out of him when that radiant smile of hers fell on him. Though her hand on his knee made him feel a different kind of tension; but a welcome sort.

"Nice of them to handle the ordering for us. Just lets us get to the conversation then, doesn't it?" He smiled and reached out to take her other hand in his. "Speaking of that, um, what were you and the hostress talking about? It's pretty impressive that you can speak Italian."

And sexy as hell. Not that anything about her wasn't.

 

[Asa]

I simply asked her what part of Italy her family was from and how long she had been in the US or if she was born here.

She watched his hand holding hers and sighed a very contented smile. It had been far too long since she had the chance to enjoy something like this.

 

[Armphid]

"Ahh, cool. Maybe I can pick up some of the language from you." The youth tilted his head to one side, "Did you learn it for the service or was it something from your family?"

He then flushed, "Sorry, maybe shouldn't be asking about that kind of stuff." He did want to get to know her but prying into her past might bring up her ex and he didn't want to do that. Not that he didn't want to know but the topic seemed to make her extremely uncomfortable. "Do you speak any other languages? I studied French in high school, even went to France on a foreign exchange."

 

[Asa]

During my time in active military I have spent time in several countries and can survive nicely on the languages I know fluently to decently.

No worries about asking me about any of that if I do not feel comfortable in answering I will let you know.

 

[Armphid]

"All right then." He couldn't help but smile at that. Her being willing to share so much of herself meant a great deal. "So, you've been to all these different countries and places...anywhere you'd want to go back to? Maybe a favorite place?"

He shrugged a bit, stroking her hand with his thumb, "I know when I was in France, Paris was great but we went south to the coast for a weekend and it was...amazing. I'd never seen the sea before."

 

[Asa]

Really... there are a few. I loved Italy... England... Egypt... Greece and despite it all... Tibet.

Her eyes went distant for a moment thinking as she held his hand and then shaking her head clearing those old memories from her mind she smiled again as lady began bringing food for them to take their time eating till they were ready to order.

 

[Armphid]

Marcus inclined his head to the hostess as she set down bread for them to eat until ordering decisions had been made. He knew Annika had likely done some traveling in the service but to all those different places? Incredible!

A small part of him was also a little worried. He was just a kid from the States, she must have met some amazing people in those exotic places. What could be interesting about him?

He took a drink of water and pushed those thoughts away. They wouldn't do any good now; he could worry about it after the date. "That's really incredible. Egypt and Greece especially, so see the beginnings of Western civilization...wow. It sounds like Tibet really touched you though. Did something special happen there or was it just the place itself?"

 

[Asa]

Even with all the strife and hell those people go through they are still warm and caring people and eager to help. Even though their lives are in constant trouble and danger they answer to a deeper moral calling and its just... amazing.

She sighed thinking for a moment with a distant smile then shaking her head clear.

But all of that is the ancient past. So what about you?

 

[Armphid]

It was an answer that told him a great deal about her; it was not so much the place as the people she admired and adored so much. Marcus couldn't help but smile as she reminisced and her eyes were bright.

At her question, he sighed and his voice was a bit rueful when he answered, "What about me? I don't think there's really a lot there. I mean, I grew up in a rural college town in Pennsylvania, my Dad is an engineer at the area power plant out there and Mom's a teacher; high school civics and english." He wasn't sure what she wanted to him to say or talk about.

"I grew up in an all right place, but my family wasn't from that area originally. We moved there for Dad's work when I was...four, I think? Anyway, since we weren't "from there," we always were kind of kept at a distance. A lot of the other kids picked on me, I was a small kid when I was younger. I read a lot and spent a lot of time outside, learned to play piano. My folks got my into martial arts to help give me some discipline and a way to push back if the bullying got too bad. I went into Scouts too."

He felt strange talking this much about himself. "I was in Scouts all through school, pretty much. We went on at least one camp out a month, and summer camps of course, even did a few "adventure" style trips when I was older. One where we went SCUBA diving in the Florida Keys and a few times where we went to northern Ontario for some real roughing it. ...Sounds pretty silly compared to things you've done, I know, right?"

Marcus shrugged, "Um, I also did track and field in high school." He laughed, "I thought I'd be a decathlete someday, maybe even do the Olympics, you know? I've done a few Iron Man type competitions too, though not since I came to college."

The youth shook his head, "It feels dumb to be talking about me and the things I've done. I mean, there's so little, when you've done so much and been to so many places. Sorry, it's got to be boring."

 

[Asa]

Not boring at all. Its nice to hear about a normal childhood and growing up. Mine was anything but.

She shook her head thinking over her childhood briefly and sighed.

Normal is a blessing but never a blessing of mine.

 

[Armphid]

He felt a bit foolish then and flushed. He knew he was too boring, too normal for someone as exciting and incredible as her. "I don't know that it's a blessing. A lot of times I wanted things to be more exciting or wished I was someone a lot more impressive..."

He trailed off and shrugged. "It seems like a sore subject but if you ever did want to tell me about your life more, I...well, I'd love to know more about you too."

Marcus then made himself smile, "But, I can tell stories if you like. Even if it was just normal stuff, there were some crazy things that happened back then."

 

[Asa]

I am sure any of it is better than being born the wrong gender and breaking your fathers family tradition of only bearing sons for the past nearly 80 to 100 years. Bouncing all over the country trying to understand the dual citizenship and having to learn three very different cultures and not offend any of them. Life in the military seemed like it was the best way to get a calmer life but that's not fully the way it was.

She shrugged she really didn't like talking about it she preferred a calmer life not that she would ever have one but she hoped she could have moments of calm with Marcus.

 

[Armphid]

He listened attentively, not speaking up at first once she'd spoken. Marcus then gave her hand a squeeze, "Well, there's different kinds of calm. I'm sure you did get some from the military. And, well...you're here now, and the college has been pretty calm so far." For the most part.

Marcus smiled, "And, you know, I may be biased...but I think you were born exactly the right gender. And how."

 

[Asa]

Well thank you but you can imagine what a shock I was to a side of the family who had always had males born for nearly 100 years.

She smiled and leaned a little closer and kissed his cheek softly. She glanced out around the dance floor and the rest of the place and then back to him with a smile.

 

[Armphid]

The kiss on the cheek had him grinning like a fool, and blushing just a bit. He noted the way her eyes moved next then and the smile faltered a little. She wanted to dance. He hadn't danced since his senior prom and he probably wasn't good enough at it to dance with Annika.

But she wanted to. And he wanted her to have a good time.

"You know," he said, "We've been talking a lot. How about we order and then while we wait for the food, um, we enjoy a couple of songs on the dance floor?" He could feel heat in his cheeks as he said it. "If you'll do me the honor and the pleasure, of course."

 

[Asa]

That sounds wonderful Marcus.

She motioned over a waitress and smiled ordering and asked the lady a couple of questions.

The dance floor was here her father had it put in for family parties but we are welcome to use it they don't have anything other then Italian music though I told her that was fine whatever they wised to play.

 

[Armphid]

Marcus was now wondering if asking her to dance had been wise. He was going to make a real ass of himself, he was sure. Step on her feet or her dress, trip and fall over, and if nothing else, look stiff and like he didn't know what he was doing.

But she was smiling and excited. How could he deny her that?

"Sounds good," he said in response as he stood. "I haven't done that much dancing to any music, really, so Italian music will be as good as anything else!" He moved to her chair and held his hand out to her; wondering if she could tell how nervous he was.

They went out to the dance floor as fresh music flowed from the speakers, something romantic and stirring with a man singing in a vibrant, vibrating voice in words that Marcus couldn't understand. Yet he knew somehow that it was a love song.

That was good. Starting out slow might help him get the hang of things for anything upbeat they played.

 

[Asa]

She slowly began to dance and guide their steps with a smile on her lips. Wriggling and swaying to the music as they began to move about the dance floor.

It's easy just relax and let the music guide you.

 

[Armphid]

She made it sound so easy! And look easy too. Annika moved with an easy grace that was almost hypnotic; the way her figure swayed and wriggled to the music.

"If you say so," he answered, his tone a bit dubious. He let her lead, following her steps and movements with his own. He tried to breathe deep and make himself relax; some of his tension and nerves slowly lessening.

He was a bit surprised to find she was right. The more he relaxed, the easier it seemed to move well and match her. A slow, surprised smile came to his lips as he actually found himself enjoying dancing.

 

[Asa]

See... you're a natural.

She twirled around and continued to dance letting go of him a little with a smile. Her eyes staying on his to make sure he maintained his confidence as she winked.

Like I said relax and let the music help you.