Seated on the shores of Lake Lovalus, Rharne serves as the home of the Lighting Knights, the Thunder Priestesses, and the Merchant's guild. This beautiful trade city is filled with a happy and contented people who rarely need an excuse to party.
It was raining. Wendell had never liked the rain, and now it was doing itself no favours, in his mind, putting a stop to his plans. He looked at the table and all of the goodies he had brought to share in a picnic with Rei. Everything had been planned just right, but the weather hadn't come to the party. Beef sandwiches, red wine, strawberries, and a little surprise for Rei, his way of apologising for going so long without seeing her. A blue jacket to keep off the rain and bring out the colour of her eyes. He held it up in the light with the window at his back, checking one last time to make sure it was the right size.
Satisfied, Wendell had left his house and gone around to Rei’s place, but the woman wasn't home. He carried on to the infirmary, convinced then that she would be working and sat around in the empty waiting room for one of the other workers to fetch Rei. She returned empty handed and Wendell got to his feet, wearing a confused look on his face. Didn't she want to see him?
“Right this way, Mr. Wilde, Rei is in the staffroom washing up.”
Shoulders lifted, lighter for the news, he followed after the nurse and went down the corridor into the staffroom where he found Rei scrubbing her hands in the sink. He didn't announce himself, but instead started setting up the surprise behind her at the small staffroom table. A thin cloth that he had used to carry the things in doubled as a tablecloth, the wine was set down along with the sandwiches on a plate, one she hadn't managed to smash during their last run in, and the strawberries were piled up in a little woven tub.
Wendell held the blue coat behind his back and waited for her to finish, or look just about done before he spoke up. “Morning, beautiful.”
Rei hadn’t seen Wendell for twelve trials and was beginning to wonder if she had scared him off with her violent display with Sugar, even if the night had ended on good terms. In hind sight she had regretted the fact that she had had taken a woman who was mostly innocent and bashed her head against a wall, injuring her and drawing blood. It wasn’t like her. She was a compassionate and kind person, never having truly raised a hand to anyone, other than out of self-defense, until she had slapped Wendell, bashed Sugar’s head into the wall, then slapped Wendell again.
It was dreary outside. Every time she passed by a window she sighed at the sheets of rain that were coming down, muddying up the streets. It would be a less than fun and cold and wet walk home. So she had busied herself tending to patients. The depression was sucking her up. A man had gotten in a brawl and had a nasty cut over his eye. It reminded her so much of Wendell, only this cut was deep enough to stitch. She had gotten out the needle and thread, giving the guy a few sips of milk of the poppy to dull his sensation.
She was just finishing up the stitches when one of the workers from the front stuck her head in and said she had a visitor. A visitor? She raised a brow in curiosity. The woman told her it was a man named Wendell and started describing his handsome and rugged features. Rei smiled and laughed, holding up a hand to stop her. “I know who it is. Tell him I’ll meet him in the staff room in a bit.” She put away her supplies as the worker hurried off.
Rei beat him to the staff room and was using the sink in there to wash up her bloody fingers. The water turned pink as it ran over her hands. A bar of soap was ran over her skin and she scrubbed vigorously, working up a big lather. She nearly jumped when she heard a voice behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see the form of Wendell standing there, a sight she hadn’t seen in far too long. She dried her hands on a clean towel and walked over, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a hot, wanting to kiss on his lips. “Fancy seeing you. Been a while,” she remarked, running her fingers along his biceps. Rei looked behind him at the setup he had made on the table. “What’s all this?”
The kiss was nothing short of amazing, and Wendell found himself leaning forwards just a tad as Rei pulled back, as if to follow her mouth, only to stop himself mid-lean. “You trying to get yourself fired?” He teased, “because I bet the other healers don't want to walk in and see you pinned to that wall right there,” he pointed with his eyes. Wendell was a shameless bastard who didn't care who had overheard him.
“I've got something for you,” he offered then and brought the jacket out from behind his back to slip over her shoulders. It looked just a little big for her, maybe an inch or two too long in the sleeves, but nothing that couldn't be adjusted. “Try it on,” Wendell insisted before moving around to one side of the table so that he could sit down.
“This is just a light lunch I prepared since I haven't been able to see you in a while, and I wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten me,” he smirked, and pushed his chair out from under the table, the legs screeching against the floor under his added weight, to make room for Rei to sit on his lap. Wendell put his arms around the woman and picked up a strawberry to offer to her, holding it an inch or two from her mouth. If Rei reached for the berry, Wendell would quickly pull it away and bite down on it, wearing a playful grin. “Quick and the hungry,” he laughed.
“As if they would fire me,” she retorted, almost wanting him to push her up against the wall anyway. It had been such a dreary day and she had not seen him in so long. She could have used a bit of happiness at the moment. “I’m one of the most decent ones here. Plus I’m practically a slave. Where would they be without me?” She laughed a bit, the pads of her fingers tracing the outlines of is muscle beneath his shirt. How she longed to simply strip it off along with her own clothes and spend the rest of the day sprawled on the table or pinned against the wall.
Her dreamy thoughts were interrupted when he mentioned that he had something for her. Eyes perked in curiosity, she studied the garment he pulled from behind his back before it was placed on her shoulders. It was a jacket, very stylish for having been picked out by a man. It was a shade of blue that would compliment the color of her eyes. He urged her to try it on and she slipped her arms into the sleeves, pulling it firmly around her. It was a little big in the sleeves and in length, something she could get altered, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to. It was comfortable.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile as she moved to sit in his lap. Strong arms came around her, pulling her close. Rei felt the familiar heat stir in her loins, but there was nothing she could do about it right now. Later, perhaps, if she could catch him before his mysterious night job. He had made them a light lunch of sandwiches, strawberries, and wine. She smiled down at it before he plucked up one of the berries and held it to her lips. She leaned in to take a bite only to have it snatched away and eaten. She gave him a playful shove. “Jerk.”
Wendell picked up another berry, this time letting the end of it caress her lips. Her lips curved in a smile before she took a bite, savoring its sweetness. Before he could pull away his empty fingers, she took one in her mouth and gave it a gentle suck, running her lips from the base of it to his fingertip. A satisfied smirk played on her lips as she popped them off, running her tongue across the plump flesh of her lips. “Thank you for the jacket. It’s beautiful. And for the lunch.” She let her arm curl around him, her hand running up his spine. “What are you doing in a few breaks?” In a few breaks she would be done with her shift and, she hoped, he would not have started his yet.
It was warm inside her mouth, and as the woman ran her lips over the length of his index finger, he watched, completely enthralled. The chemical reaction that took place within his body as a result was instant, and there could be no hiding the physical toll Rei’s actions had on his form. Wendell said nothing for a time, instead he reached out for another strawberry and ate it without any games.
“In a few breaks?” He couldn't help but grin at the thought that jumped to mind before the words were given life with his tongue. “I'm thinking of throwing myself down the stairs on the way out so that they can cart me back in here and put their best doctor on the case,” Wendell teased.
They laughed together and enjoyed the rest of the lunch but Wendell had made no promises to see her. Instead he waited right until the end of their time together to announce that he did have to work tonight, but not before taking her out to dinner, if she would let him, at the Butcher’s Block. “What do you say? We could try something else on the menu before I go to work. Maybe you could get a new dress on your way home and meet me around the seventh break?”
Rei could see the look in his eyes at the provocation of her lips, the burning desire that glowed like embers. Sitting in his lap, Wendell’s physical reaction was felt against he body. She wondered if he would have to remain in the chair to calm his body before he left. The way his face contorted was delicious- oh how she loved the delightful torture she was giving him when he could do nothing in retaliation. The taste of strawberry lingered in her mouth and on her lips, as well as the earthy taste of Wendell’s skin.
She had to laugh at his joke, the thought of him dramatically throwing himself down the stairs far too amusing. “Oh goodness no! Don’t do that! You wouldn’t be very useful if you broke a limb.” A cute smirk curled on her lips as she took another strawberry, slowly wrapping her lips around it before slipping it into her mouth. With sticky juice still lingering on her flesh, she leaned back, her nose and face pressed against the skin of his neck, inhaling his scent that smelt of earth, woods, and musk. “You wouldn’t be very mobile if you broke something.” Her lips brushed feather soft against his earlobe before pulling away.
Enjoying the savory beef and the sweet wine, Rei wondered if she was going to be able to see Wendell somewhere besides work. He hadn’t mentioned it yet. Her face fell when he mentioned that he had work this evening, though it perked up when he said he would be taking her to dinner. “Of course I would love to have dinner with you, especially at my favorite place. I’ll do my best to pick out a little hot number for you,” she teased. And maybe make you late for work. She turned and pressed her lips against his, lingering long enough to suggest that she didn’t want to part. A soft moan vibrated against his lips before she pulled away. With Wendell urging her on with a light smack on the bottom she hurried to the door, a pleased smile on her face. “See you at the seventh break!”
Rei had stopped at a tailor on the way home, picking out a black dress. She slipped it on, the plunging v-neck stopping just above her navel. The hem lingered just above the knee and there was a pair of dainty shoes on her feet. She washed off the smell of work, gaining the rosy and woodsy scent of the soap, before brushing out her hair. The light was fading when she headed to the Butcher’s Block, lingering outside the doorway just as she had on their first night together.
A black shirt with the top two buttons left undone was paired with and equally dark pair of trousers and leather belt. Wendell had slicked his hair back and trimmed his facial hair. He looked well-put-together and neat for a change, having even made an effort to soak in the tub for a while. For once he had arrived before Rei and was already seated at the same table they had taken up the first time she had convinced him to visit. A waitress by the name of Lily, or at least that's the name Wendell thought he had heard, returned with a glass of red wine for him and set it down on the table.
“All alone tonight?”
Wendell took a sip of the wine before answering, he liked to make women wait for his answers, and watch them squirm. “I hope not,” he smiled.
“This your first time here?”
“Second, how about you?”
“Oh I've been working her for a while,” the woman smiled.
“Really? I think I would have remembered seeing you,” he winked.
Lily’s cheeks flushes red. “Smooth.”
“Made you smile didn't it?”
“Are you waiting for a man or a woman?”
“Guess,” he leaned back, wondering what kind of question that was.
“Well I can see a pretty blonde waiting outside the door from here.”
“Blonde, huh? As pretty as you?”
The waitress giggled. “You're too much.”
“Maybe you should go ask her if she wants to spend an evening with me?”
“No,” Lily lowered her voice. “She looks like she's waiting for someone important.”
“Fine, I'll go and ask her then,” he smirked and got up from the table. “Fetch me another red, I bet she says yes,” Wendell grinned as he walked off.
From the back, Rei looked very fetching in her little, black dress, but it was when she turned around that he really was impressed. The plunging neckline on the front of her outfit left little to the imagination, the kind of dress that would turn every head in the room, bold and daring. “Well I was going to order you dinner but I think my time would be better spent taking you home,” he teased, pulling Rei close enough to press a kiss to her brow before he pecked her on the lips. Come on, you better come in and tell me what you want, the lady behind the bar thinks I've stolen someone else's date,” Wendell laughed and made a move to return to his seat with Rei in tow.
The door to the Butcher’s Block opened and Rei pivoted in her dainty shoes, turning around to see Wendell coming out from inside. He had cleaned up nice with his facial hair neatly trimmed and hair slicked back. His top two buttons were undone, and she briefly thought about ripping the rest of the shirt open and pulling him against the wall of the establishment. There were so many things she would have chosen to do if they were anywhere else other than standing on the street right outside her favorite restaurant. She smiled at him, a hint of lust glimmering in her eyes.
“Please do,” she said, almost seeming completely serious, the slight hint of a plea in her voice. Rei wanted him so badly right now that she could hardly stand it. They didn’t need to go so long without seeing each other. The peck on her lips was a tease, and when he pulled away she was left wanting more. If he wasn’t leading her inside, she probably would have pressed her lips back against his in a rough and aching kiss. “Maybe you did steal someone else’s date. I might have been waiting for someone else.” She smirked and trailed him into the restaurant, taking a seat at the table where a glass of red wine was waiting for her.
“Oh, you know me too well.” She placed a hand over her heart in mock flattery. Beneath the table her foot was trailing up against his calf, tickling the flesh with her toes. Rei took a sip of the wine, the sweet flavors exploding on her tongue. It had been a while since she had a decent glass. “Are you absolutely sure you have to work tonight?” She teased before the blonde waitress showed back up at the table looking a little surprised. “What can I get ya?” Rei took a glance over the familiar menu. “I’ll have the Butcher’s Choice this time.” The waitress nodded before taking Wendell’s order.
When she left, Rei reached across the table with one hand and traced a finger along his pulse and up his palm. The roughness of his familiar hands gave a stir in her loins and left them aching. Her blue eyes perused the restaurant, lingering on the bathroom in the back. Then she gave an over dramatic sigh as if she was being horribly put out. “I don’t know how many more trials I can go!”
“I'm sure,” he smiled, amused by all of the touching and subtle pleading. Wendell knew exactly what Rei wanted, and he was more than happy to make her wait, or better yet, beg. “I'll try the meatballs,” he told the waitress after she had taken Rei’s order, “and then I'll take this one to go if that's okay?”
The waitress looked between the pair and giggled, her cheeks and the tip of her nose burning a bright red. “You're terrible,” she added before stalking off to the kitchen.
Wendell caught Rei’s hand in his and drew slow, invisible circles in the palm of her hand before tracing a finger up a vein he had spotted through the skin. “Take much more of what?” He teased, knowing exactly what she was aching for. “Enjoy the meal,” he insisted, and let go of her hand.
The wine was delicious, and before he knew it, his glass was almost finished. Wendell knew he should pace himself, wine had a way of going straight to his head, but with a meal on the way, he decided he could probably have a bit more, still feeling the effects from the couple of drinks he had demolished at lunch.
“Tell me what you've been up to since I saw you last, beautiful, before today that is.”
He was certain he had to go to work, though she deeply wished he didn’t. He ordered the meatballs, an interesting choice. She sipped the red wine and swirled it in her glass, the floral and fruity aroma of the drink filling her nose. The waitress was right, though. He was terrible. Rei had to wonder what made a man who was so distinctly bad so very good. It was probably a terrible idea to get involved with him, to make herself so vulnerable by becoming his woman. She still didn’t know what he did at night- what he hid from her.
There was a tingle within her, a tickle on her skin, as his fingers caressed the skin of her hand. Her blue eyes floated up from the table to his eyes, locking there and burning with an intense passion. As if he didn’t know what she was talking about. He knew, he was just being coy and making her suffer for his own enjoyment. Her bottom lip stuck out in a mock pout, pretending to be fussy about his teasing. “She’s right, you know. You’re terrible. How did a nice girl like me wind up with a guy like you?” With a smirk a little laugh, she grabbed the decorative black napkin and sprawled it in her lap.
Rei had only half finished her glass when Wendell’s was nearly empty. He seemed far more impervious to wine than she was. She already had a light buzz going on in her mind, and he seemed perfectly fine. “Work, mostly. You know, healing the sick and mending the injured. I’m working on acquiring some land, though. I think I want to garden, mostly experiment with herbs.” It was the first she had ever spoken of it to anyone. She wondered if Wendell would laugh about it.
“The houses are looking even shabbier. Someone has been putting off their building duties for their other job.” She still wished he would tell her what it was. The blonde waitress came back with their orders, set them on the table, and bid them to enjoy their meal. She had filled Wendell’s glass back up. “I bumped into Patrick the other day,” she mentioned casually, cutting off a piece of steak and taking a bite. “The Teahouse was wanting some gardening help. We both showed up. He fell in a rose bush.” An amused smile curled on her lips. I’ve missed you she wanted to say but didn’t.
