Nikhila nodded. She’d take care of that tomorrow. She could ask the receptionist at the lab for some of Mr. Hoang’s contact information. It wouldn’t be much but it would at least give them a start.
He probably had some sort of tragedy in his childhood which would explain all that she had seen around him and she would undoubtedly feel silly for having over reacted, but it was too late to back down now. Besides, it would make her feel better to know.
“No I don’t want out. They are getting too close and it isn’t as if Hoang is there every day so I can avoid him easily enough. If he starts getting to be a problem then I’ll find a way to make a graceful exit.”
She had accomplished something on this project, not a great deal but something and wasn’t going to give up just because one lawyer intimidated her. To that end she felt better about Hoang having shared her concerns with Xeph. She’d just be a bit more cautious around him until they had something solid. And she appreciated him giving her a choice about staying with the project or leaving it. Although she suspected he knew she’d opt to stay.
Using Proper Bait (attn: Nikhila)
It had been a long day, and a fruitless one. In spite of several Kadzait coming to him with bits and snatches of information they hoped would help solve the mystery of their murdered packmates, Xeph didn't think they were any closer to even knowing where to begin looking.
Feeling somewhat defeated he headed in the direction of the dining room, hoping at least to find food before aiming himself back at his rooms. He stopped before he reached it though. Debating a moment or five, he turned down that idea. He wasn't feeling entirely sociable, and the great room in the Den was almost always occupied.
A better idea came to mind and he headed toward his rooms, which were conveniently in the same direction as Nikhila's. They hadn't seen much of each other recently, with things as hectic as they were, and he didn't want her to feel neglected.
That, and she'd gotten into the habit of stocking her kitchen with Xeph-friendly snacks like raw meat and fish and the occasional shellfish. He suspected she did it because he was a horrible shopper and more often than not had drinks but nothing else in his own kitchen. Maybe it was because that was the kind of caring and considerate woman she was.
Then again, maybe she was just trying to get him to stop over more often. He wouldn't put it beyond her. It worked, whatever the reason.
She'd given him leave to enter without knocking but he couldn't bring himself to. He reached her door and give it a good pounding, just in case she was further inside than the living room.
Nikhila
15 years ago
Xeph
15 years ago
Xeph nodded, feeling like his hands were tied. There wasn't much he could say. "Be careful" would have been presumptuous. Short of ordering her to stop doing this particular work, he was stymied.
"Okay. Just - keep out of his way Nikhila. I know you know how to make your gracious exit, so take it if you need it."
It was the best he could do. He knew she wanted to support the Pack and prove her worth, so he had to stay out of it, pretty much. He grumbled under his breath about it a little, but he settled back down and cuddled her close.
"I'll let you know what we find on him as soon as it's available."
"Okay. Just - keep out of his way Nikhila. I know you know how to make your gracious exit, so take it if you need it."
It was the best he could do. He knew she wanted to support the Pack and prove her worth, so he had to stay out of it, pretty much. He grumbled under his breath about it a little, but he settled back down and cuddled her close.
"I'll let you know what we find on him as soon as it's available."
Nikhila
15 years ago
That really was all she wanted. She wanted him to know she had some concerns beyond the project and just that little bit of help. Nikhila didn’t expect him to be jumping up and down about her occasionally crossing paths with some one potentially dangerous. But he wasn’t being over protective either, he was letting her do her job. He was managing to be both an Alpha and a lover and she snuggled back against him.
“Thank you.”
It went with out saying she’d keep him posted if there was ay more odd behavior or anything else note worthy. And she really did mean it when she said if she had to there would be a graceful exit. He would know that with out being told, if needed later she’d say something to reassure him.
For a few minutes she was quiet, simply watching the movie happy that they had some time together. Then with out warning she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to her kissing him deeply.
“You aren’t going to end the evening like this are you? On a business note? Because if that’s the case I may stop stocking my fridge.”
If she had to work on remember he was the Alpha and basically on call 24/7 he had to remember there were times the relationship and the whole couple thing came first. They were both getting better, both it never occasionally hurt to remind.
“Thank you.”
It went with out saying she’d keep him posted if there was ay more odd behavior or anything else note worthy. And she really did mean it when she said if she had to there would be a graceful exit. He would know that with out being told, if needed later she’d say something to reassure him.
For a few minutes she was quiet, simply watching the movie happy that they had some time together. Then with out warning she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to her kissing him deeply.
“You aren’t going to end the evening like this are you? On a business note? Because if that’s the case I may stop stocking my fridge.”
If she had to work on remember he was the Alpha and basically on call 24/7 he had to remember there were times the relationship and the whole couple thing came first. They were both getting better, both it never occasionally hurt to remind.
Xeph
15 years ago
Xeph nodded at Nikhila but he'd lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Therefore, it came as a total surprise when she grabbed him from below and kissed the daylights out of him. Ever adaptable, Xeph gave as good as he got after a split second of shock.
"Who brought business into the equation? Did I? No, I don't believe I did!" he managed to retaliate when she let him up for a breath. "And don't stop stocking your fridge or I might have to find a new girlfriend."
He grinned evilly down at her. "I wonder how Hammer's fridge is stocked?"
"Who brought business into the equation? Did I? No, I don't believe I did!" he managed to retaliate when she let him up for a breath. "And don't stop stocking your fridge or I might have to find a new girlfriend."
He grinned evilly down at her. "I wonder how Hammer's fridge is stocked?"
Nikhila
15 years ago
He was cute when he was breathless she decided as she let him back up. Nikhila grinned like a cat, if one could excuse the expression, and stretched languorously pleased they had shifted back to a more playful mood.
“I think the whole business thing started because I was slightly concerned about your well being in addition to being supportive and then you earned brownie points by being supportive as well and then you lost them again by threatening to find a new girl with a better stocked fridge.”
She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Two could play this game. On a side note though she was having trouble imagining Hammer cooking, anything. Back to the game at hand.
“Well if you’re going to start having dinner with Hammer then I might actually get to cook for some one. I know we have at least one junior professor who wouldn’t turn down the invitation, I wonder if he’d eat tofu.”
“I think the whole business thing started because I was slightly concerned about your well being in addition to being supportive and then you earned brownie points by being supportive as well and then you lost them again by threatening to find a new girl with a better stocked fridge.”
She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Two could play this game. On a side note though she was having trouble imagining Hammer cooking, anything. Back to the game at hand.
“Well if you’re going to start having dinner with Hammer then I might actually get to cook for some one. I know we have at least one junior professor who wouldn’t turn down the invitation, I wonder if he’d eat tofu.”
Xeph
15 years ago
Xeph affected a wounded expression. "Hey there are lines of women just wanting a piece of me," he said with mock indignation. "There's... wait no. Or... no, not her either."
He paused for a moment, trying to recall how many dates he'd been on in the past twenty years. Four?
"Okay there are at least two women who would go out with me!"
He put on a sulky expression and muttered, "One of them is my mom."
He paused for a moment, trying to recall how many dates he'd been on in the past twenty years. Four?
"Okay there are at least two women who would go out with me!"
He put on a sulky expression and muttered, "One of them is my mom."
Nikhila
15 years ago
Nikhila couldn’t help but laugh at his sulking. She truly had expected to have to fight for him once she finally came to her senses and was happy she didn’t have to.
Reaching one hand up she began to rub the back o his neck.
“Your mother is a beautiful woman and she has excellent taste.”
And she was very wise. Nikhila still owed Lily for her advice, especially the bit about the two by four.
“Perhaps though, to avoid any misunderstandings I’ll just go shopping tomorrow. How do you feel about Mahi Mahi?”
Reaching one hand up she began to rub the back o his neck.
“Your mother is a beautiful woman and she has excellent taste.”
And she was very wise. Nikhila still owed Lily for her advice, especially the bit about the two by four.
“Perhaps though, to avoid any misunderstandings I’ll just go shopping tomorrow. How do you feel about Mahi Mahi?”
Xeph
15 years ago
"She is, and she has," Xeph agreed. He loved Lily a great deal, and had taken pains to write to her even through his estrangement with his father. It couldn't have been easy, but she had always written him back.
He grinned a schoolboy's grin at Nikhila's offer. "I feel like I've found the woman of my dreams," he said. He wrapped his arms around her, then wormed one leg out from behind her and crossed his ankles, trapping her in a living cage. "Now there's no escape."
From there he began an riotous assault of sloppy nibbles, slurpy kisses, and general silliness from which Nikhila was unable to escape.
He grinned a schoolboy's grin at Nikhila's offer. "I feel like I've found the woman of my dreams," he said. He wrapped his arms around her, then wormed one leg out from behind her and crossed his ankles, trapping her in a living cage. "Now there's no escape."
From there he began an riotous assault of sloppy nibbles, slurpy kisses, and general silliness from which Nikhila was unable to escape.
Nikhila
15 years ago
Especially having lost her own mother at an early age Nikhila was very fond of Lily. After all, it had been Lily she’d turned to when trying to figure out how and if she should approach Xeph after twenty odd years.
Those thoughts were quickly lost as she was trapped and assaulted. Around a series of laughs and giggles, she managed to find a semi witty comeback.
“The woman of your dreams is a personal shopper?”
She then proceeded to give as good as she got twisting as much as she could her hands searching for ticklish places. It was quickly becoming apparent work and even life outside her rooms were no longer a concern.
Those thoughts were quickly lost as she was trapped and assaulted. Around a series of laughs and giggles, she managed to find a semi witty comeback.
“The woman of your dreams is a personal shopper?”
She then proceeded to give as good as she got twisting as much as she could her hands searching for ticklish places. It was quickly becoming apparent work and even life outside her rooms were no longer a concern.
Xeph
15 years ago
Xeph cackled at Nikhila's comeback and retorted, "Food prep, personal shopper, all of that. How are you at bed-making? Folding boxers? Ironing? I also need someone to help me clean the wax out of my ears. But you can't throw it out, you have to save it in a little ball on the nightstand so I can get into the Guinness Book of auuuuugh!"
Nikhila worked her way loose and he was suddenly on the defensive end of the assault. The wrestling-tickling match quickly degenerated into a pillow fight, which quickly degenerated (or upgraded, depending on your views) into fantastic sex.
All in all, Xeph thought muzzily after the fact, it was a pretty cathartic evening. Even if the Guinness Book of Auuuuugh had to be put on the backburner.
Nikhila worked her way loose and he was suddenly on the defensive end of the assault. The wrestling-tickling match quickly degenerated into a pillow fight, which quickly degenerated (or upgraded, depending on your views) into fantastic sex.
All in all, Xeph thought muzzily after the fact, it was a pretty cathartic evening. Even if the Guinness Book of Auuuuugh had to be put on the backburner.
Nikhila
15 years ago
Nikhila actually had some excellent domestic skills, she did grow up in a time and place that the highest a woman could aspire to was a good marriage. And Xeph had seen some of said skills but that did not get him off the hook and she’d set about making sure he knew that. Of course her attempts and standing up for herself were mightily sabotaged by tickles and giggles and groping and lots of other things.
Oddly enough that hadn’t been part of her plans, but she wasn’t complaining either. It had worked out quite nicely. She’d even worn him out to get him to sleep a bit, also not part of her plans for the evening but a satisfying fringe benefit. It was a damned fine evening in her book and she made a note to make sure she kept stocking the fridge, what ever got him in the door.
((OOC both out with permission))
Oddly enough that hadn’t been part of her plans, but she wasn’t complaining either. It had worked out quite nicely. She’d even worn him out to get him to sleep a bit, also not part of her plans for the evening but a satisfying fringe benefit. It was a damned fine evening in her book and she made a note to make sure she kept stocking the fridge, what ever got him in the door.
((OOC both out with permission))