Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

As she confirmed to him that she was, in fact, okay, he felt eased by a wave of relief. It had been a pretty rough fall and he had grabbed her pretty tightly before they had descended, not wanting to drop her into the underground abyss. He eyed the ground beneath them as she stated her theory that what lurked beneath them was, in fact, a trap. He released a long sigh as the thought, it sure seemed that this was the case, whatever beast awaited them know they were coming. The thing that was, most likely the Bad Santa, wanted them to descend into this underground space, for whatever sinister reason it had. It wasn't ideal but what other choice did they have, they could climb back up to the surface and try to strategize another option. But the longer they waited, the less likely this lost girl was going to make it out of this alive if she wasn't already dead.

If it wasn't for the fact that he wanted to make sure she didn't slip, he would've forced his gaze elsewhere. But if he did that he ran the risk of her slipping and falling, so he would concentrate on looking at her but also not looking at her. Just keeping his gaze on her shoulder, yes this seemed like a safe place to stare. Still, even trying not to admire her lithe form, he could still feel everything. Her soft skin would brush teasingly against his, her supple legs curling around his waist, the hold would cause her to press her pert assets against his front. He growled deep in his throat, his frustration growing with each moment. Here they were forced together in a way he had imagined so many times, he had visualised how she would look, and how she would feel. But to experience it so directly, without the benefit of actually experiencing her. It was the biggest most monumentous tease he had ever had to endure and the part of him that so desperately sought to be buried within the Dies Irae Ambassador was furious with him right now.

He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing, he would take a moment to focus his mind. Angling himself so that he could avoid 'poking her' in that way, he would run through various ideas in an attempt to diminish his excitement. Every unarousing thing he could think of rattling through his brain desperately; The pungent scent of his ex-guildmates corpses as they were burnt alive in the fire at the Silver moon inn - The Shark's shitty accent - The scowling face of Mephistopheles Dagger. Oh, that worked, he clung to the thought of his grandfather as he felt it diminish his excitement significantly. He went through the last berating he had to endure from the patriarch of the Dagger Family, and then to make it worse, he would imagine the same lecture without clothes. He flinched, ugh, yep, now that did it. He could feel his erection dwindling quickly at such a picture, he opened his eyes. Holding the unpleasant thought in his head, he would allow his magic to flow to his arms and legs. The flesh their turning black as he pressed them against the wall of earth. Mechanically, he began his descent, trying his best to maintain his focus until finally, after what felt like forever and a day, he would touch his foot to the ground.

He stepped back from the wall, all the while lowering Sivvy down. He glanced away from her quickly, his breathing heavy. Even with his mental deterrent, it had been difficult to ignore the sensation of her in that way. He wouldn't meet her gaze for a moment, knowing full well how easily she could excite him if he glanced over her once more. And not to mention, they still had a job to do, he needed to focus.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Despite his attempt to focus, Artemis could feel her hard crimson stare, watching him as he moved away. Could she tell he was uncomfortable? That the sheer desirability of her bare form was making this job a lot harder on him than he would have liked. Fighting alongside Sivvy, easy, but fighting alongside Sivvy in the nude. It was just something else entirely, especially when she looked the way she did. It had been months since he'd been able to relieve his needs in the arms of another, why such a long break was questionable too. He told himself it was work but, there had been opportunities. He knew for a fact that if he so demanded it he could have his way with Esper at any given moment, but he resisted. Although why he did so was a reason that he chose not to overthink.

Art tried to appear as though he was concentrating on examining the cavern, but his mind in quite the disarray and his body still showed obvious signs that he was flustered by her. She would ask him if he was okay, to which he feigned a casual response. "Yeah fine just er… anxious to find this girl. I can smell her, there's more blood now." He told her, attempting to do so in an earnestly serious tone. She had already began to move though, running off in the direction of the scent, relieved that their focus had returned to the task at hand, Artemis quickly followed after her. The scream that rang through the cavern was chilling, and only proved to spur Artemis to push himself harder. Running through the dark underground lair with as much speed as he could muster, they would enter another sector of the cave. His gaze rose to the oh-so-familiar opponent, the giant red-robed Christmas monstrosity.

After entering the winter creatures would unleash their 'trap', however at the elves descended upon them. Artemis's body would release a wave of demonic energy, pulsating outward and hitting the elves before they could land on him. The blast on power incinerating the elves and reducing them to dust. The sounds of one the candy-canes slicing through flesh followed by the smell of Sivvy's blood would cause Art's head to snap round sharply. His gaze meeting her just as she dispatched those that had injured her, he felt his amorous frustrations from earlier fizzle away immediately, replaced by vexation. Still despite being flooded with the sudden urge to tear every single winter creature apart with his bear hands, he would hear her instruction. He hesitated, wanting to go to her. But still, helping the woman would allow Sivvy to focus and once they could be sure she was safe. Plus he needed to stay calm, he could feel Morte responding to his anger. Relishing in it, inching to the forefront of his being, itching to take control.

He kicked off the ground, closing the distance between him and the woman. As he crossed the cavern floor, a giant snow brute would jump in front of him. Roaring in his direction and releasing a blast of cold magical energy. Artemis would not stop in his pursuit, instead his skin would once more turn black in it's entirety, scales replacing his smooth pores. The skin would crack, revealing a soft glow of ominous red under it's surface and black smoke would emanate from his form. The prospect of having a target for his rage had began to cause Morte's magic to wash over him, changing his features. Considering that Sivvy now knew that he had demonic style of magic, he didn't need to hold it back, at least not as much as he did before.

The lack of clothes made the transformation a lot easier, not having to stretch out and rip through any fabrics. His body would begin to morph, growing rapidly, within seconds he would look like an entirely new beast of a man. From the base of his spine a giant tail would grow, growing over two metres into length. It would resemble that of a of an oversize scorpions pincer. As Artemis reached the snow brute, he would immediately engage in close combat. Ducking the ice attack, Artemis reached out with his claw-like hands and grabbed the beasts arms, yanking them down abruptly with inhuman strength. His pincer would raise itself over his head and thrust itself through the snow brutes chest. Protruding from the other side of the beast and killing it instantly.  Artemis would throw the beast to the side before running toward the girl once more, firing off several orbs at the beasts that attempting to close in on them. As he reached the girl, he would examine her, all the while allow his eyes to change colour. The whites of his sclera turning black, he would reach down placing a hand over her wound, he would use his magic to heal her. He wanted to look at Sivvy, to check up on her but he needed to keep his gaze on the girl and concentrate on healing her wounds.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis could feel his demonic power pouring in the girl, healing her wounds. Cracked ribs returning to their original shape, bloody lacerations across her body sealing themselves up. As though they had never been there to begin with, but it wasn't an instantaneous process, she had taken quite a beating before her rescuers had arrived. Just a little longer, if he could just focus a bit more she would be out of harms way and he could return all his attention to Sivvy. But the wait was unbelievably strenuous, the sounds and smells that he had to rely on to try and gage what was going on were doing little to ease his worries.

The crushing noises of an intense battle, Sivvy's barely audible gasp that he might not have picked up were it not for his empowered healing. His arms trembled, his fists clenched and his teeth bared as he fought the waves of anger that threaten to consume him. Morte teasingly coaxing forth, he could feel him, slithering forth attempting to take control of Arty's limbs. Artemis pushed back, refusing to give in to the beast. He couldn't look, he just couldn't, more was so close, almost wearing Artemis as a skin. He couldn't let this happen, not now, not with Sivvy here. Because it didn't matter how brutish that Santa was, if Morte took over completely, there was no telling what would happen to Sivvy. But what he did know what that;

It would be so much worse than this.

The beasts pained roar would ease him slightly, filling Artemis with renewed hope, the scent of burning flesh reaches his nose. He had to hope that despite Sivvy's grunt of pain, she was winning. I can heal her too, He reminded himself, focusing the girl, he pushed on. Until he sensed the last of the bones popped into place, the girls breathing become steady once more, confirming she was okay. Finally, unable to help himself, he looked Sivvy's way, seeing her emerge for in a cloud of fading steam, and driving forward she finished the job. Taking Bad Santa's head clean off, their opponent would fall down dead. Artemis would reached down scooping the unconscious girl into his monstrous arms. He would dash forward, appearing in front of Sivvy in less than a second. His demonic face looked down at her, he towered over her now, having grown several feet in height. He loomed over her, in the blackened body of an ugly beast, he brought his head down. Reaching out, his talons would subside, once again becoming human hands.

He would bringing his hand to her face, caressing her cheek, he said nothing. Earlier arousal forgotten, all he felt was concern and relief. Worry for her pain but relief that she was alive. Activating his magic once more, he allowed his healing energy to seep through him, passing forth into her. He could felt Morte subsiding slowly, now that the fighting was over and Artemis had regained his composure, it would seem the demon had begrudgingly lost interest. Once Sivvy was healed, Artemis allows some of his demonic features to slip away, returning him to an entirely human form. He pulled his hand from her cheek, hesitating for a moment before reaching out again. This time taking one of her hands in his, he would give it a soft squeeze.

"Let's go home, Siv."

---

Many month had passed since that day, and fortunately for Artemis, he hadn't had a to endure with any more terrifying nights since. Nights where he feared for Sivvy's life, not that Morte hadn't tortured him with dreams of such. He had relieved it in his sleep but with a much more devastating ending, always waking in a panic sweat to the sound the bastard beast's laughter echoing in his head. His reprieve was knowing it wasn't real, but to his disdain, he hadn't actually seen as much of Sivvy since then as he would have liked. After Christmas the next time they had reunited was during a Valentine's event, one that had started wonderful but that ending on a rather conflicting note. When Morte had somehow ended up inside the Dies Irae ambassador, a terrifying encounter for Artemis. One made even stranger but a meeting of his own, some ethereal being that existed within the woman he spent so much time with, one who reassured him that she would protect Sivvy. He didn't know who or what she was, but for now, all he could do was take her world for it. And leave Sivvy with the belief that the demon she met that day was none other than Zaebros.

Then there had been that nuisance article in Sorcerer's Magazine, one that revealed the wedding to the world in the most uproarious manner. Making it seem that the Dagger Corp heir had chosen to elope with the Dies Irae ambassador, an act that had not gone down well with his family in the slightest. There had been outrage, shouting, berating and a whole lot of talking them down on his part. Fortunately, he learned through the grape vine that an old friend of his was actually working on a Gossip Column for the very magazine that had shamed him. He had called her up, catching up with her about the issue. He managed to convince her to tell the truth of the matter, and fortunately despite the overly flirtatious manner in which she had presented it, the column release seemed to have done the trick. And all it had taken was promising Lilith a full-expenses paid luxury cruise to the Calm Sea. Even if he had to pay, it had been well worth it.

And now that things had settled, he could relax a little bit. He missed Sivvy, a lot. He had realised something important on that day, an emotion he had been wrestling with ever since. Distancing didn't work. It wouldn't. He had to see her, he longed for it. He lay on the sofa of his apartment. His aunt, Elizabeth Dagger was on the phone, rambling away about a favour she needed. Since she wasn't well received on LacBook, she was hoping that he would doing some social media posts on her behalf. He wasn't really sure about going to all the effort, but as he rambled on about all of the free food. The thought of a pink-haired food lover crossed his mind, and he swiftly agreed to the arrangement. After ending the call, he would switch to his LacBook Application, finding his direct messages with Sivvy. He would quickly ping her an invite; Sivvy - So a catering company sent me a bunch of free food they want me to feature on my LacBook page, in exchange I get to eat all the food. Wanna join me? He stared at his screen anxiously, he knew he should have found something to do, but he would feel a sense of nervousness that made it difficult for him to close the app. And then it would ping with a notification, one he immediately opened; 'I would like that very much.' He faced stretched into a broad grin, flooded with an immediately glee, he would write her back.

I'll text you my address, see you soon x

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis wasn't one for cleaning his own space, he never had been. It was perhaps one of the few signs of his privilege, so used to have a servant come in a clean up for him. Even after moving away from the main Dagger estate, he still sought the luxury of a cleaner with a minimum visiting frequency of three times per week. But this particular day, when opportunity knocked for a hang out with Sivvy. His cleaner, Florence, wasn't due to come by until tomorrow which presented a problem for him - He had to get his place in order. The rush that had followed texting Sivvy his address had been more frustrating that he'd expected it to be. Just where the heck did Florence keep the cleaning stuff?

After ten minutes of searching, he sniffed out the anti-bacterial spray and got to work. Spraying down his the surfaces and wiping them down, picking up all his discarded socks and clothes and throwing them into a laundry basket. To finally pulling out a bin bag and gathering all the unsorted rubbish around the room. Was he always this messy? He determined by the end of it that he definitely needed to give Florence a raise. But that was for later, at present he needed to get the rubbish out of his condo before Sivvy arrived. Rushing out of the building, he carried the three large loads to the elevator, making his way down to the ground floor of the building. He would step outside of the building, moving up the drive at swift pace, he had to stop himself short as he realised spotted her.

And with the sight of her, that fluttering of excitement in his abdomen.

She wasn't alone either, in fact, she was talking to someone. A male he distantly recognised as his neighbour, his name evading Artemis though, the Dagger lad not one for getting to know the locals. His ruby gaze would narrow slightly, the blond man was just a little too close for his liking and he seemed to be guiding Sivvy toward his own house. He never had any problems with his neighbour, for the most part, they ignored each other. So why the hell did he have his hands on Sivvy?  Rushing over to the bins, Artemis slammed the bags into them noisily, before turning on his heel. He stalked towards the pair, his expression hard as he met them.

"Hey." He called out, reaching out for the pinkette, his fingers would latch themselves around her wrist. And swiftly he would pull her, perhaps a little more forcefully than he intended to. Driving by the motivation of separating her from the clutches of the creep. He brought her hand to her hip holding her closer to him, his gaze holding that of Brad Michael in a distrustful stare, his demeanour entirely threatening for a moment. After a moment, he looked down to Siv, his expression softening, "You okay?"

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

There was an expression he recognised, that face, he hadn't seen it in a while. And whilst he was never great at reading Sivvy's emotions, she had always associated it with a sense of discomfort, the light sound of her breath being released only aiding to his suspicions that the exchange he was interrupted had not been pure in nature. It was an alien sensation that fueled him, like having that little green monster do the cha-cha on his chest. Artemis's gritted his teeth, "Don't tell me to chill." He growled, his voice laced with menace.

His crimson eyes would dart back to Sivvy when his neighbour addressed her, calling her by the name Cassandra and talking about booking an appointment with her. Artemis's frowned, quickly doing the math, so he hadn't just pulled Sivvy over at random. But assumed he was someone he knew, at least this was what Artemis had been thinking. Until Sivvy spoke, the words throwing his thoughts into an even more confusing spiral. So she did use to go by Cassandra, but why? What was her line of work? He had a theory about that too, although he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

The insult that followed nearly caused Artemis to go for the man, fury rolling over Artemis in quick succession. But he stopped himself, this wasn't the way to approach this. Everyone who lived in this area were well-known members of upper society, which meant he couldn't fight him his way. No, he had to use the Dagger way. Later that night, he would send a message out to Blanche, to research his neighbour. If there was dirt on Brad Michaels, no doubt the intelligence department would be able to weed it out. It would be easy enough too, to facilitate a fake client for the report. And then the long game, not now, not soon, but eventually his neighbour would meet his comeuppance. Was this morally questionable? Yes. Did Artemis care? No, not even slightly. Because despite his desperate attempts at deviation, one thing was still true;

He was born and raised a Dagger.

And the truth was if there was anything his family line was known for, it was for how ruthless they were. How they would stop at nothing to get what they wanted and anyone who stood in there way would crumble under their might. Brad Michaels, it seemed, would be the next victim.

But that was for later, at present, he had an important guest to entertain. He relaxed slightly as they moved back towards his home, keeping his hand at her waist as he did so. Making sure that if Micheals did look back, he would notice this. "Don't worry, the food is on its way now anyway. Let's get inside." He told her, leading her inside of the multiple story condo. It was the peak of a modern-deco home, overzealous in size and styled by the highest brand decorators. Sleek floors, paintings suited to Artemis's tastes. Paintings by famous street artist canvasing his pristine white walls with touches of glass and chrome, intricate models of high-end cars perched on his shelves. Decor wise, it was perhaps somewhat stereotypical for a rich bachelor, but he liked it well enough. He led her into the elevator, decided to head to the main lounge of his home, he turned to her - His demeanour significantly calmer. "How have you been?"

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

As she mentioned his model cars, he glanced over to one of his metallic navy Bagatti models he had on a nearby shelf. "Oh yeah, I love them. Not just models too, I have a few nice rides in the garage. Maybe I can show you later." The comment was an understatement, he didn't just own a 'few', he had a matching car for every one of his models. He had always loved cars, especially a good sports motor - the greater the horsepower, the better. He actually hadn't been to the track in a really long time, having been so busy with Hidden Blades and other elements of his life. Maybe it was time to book out Harlem Race Centre in Motor City for a day, he had no doubt they would accommodate him. After all, he did own the place.

"Mmm, paperwork. That's rough, but hey, at least the guilds doing well." He commented, not that Sivvy knew it, but her host knew all too well the strains of Guildmastery. He too was often buried under mounds of endless paperwork, something he never looked forward to. But the job had its perks, something that he had surprisingly come to terms with. Despite his initial doubts about having his family's underground crime syndicate thrust upon him. These days he found himself enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done, and well, if the guild thrived, then you had to be doing something right.

Her apology threw him, he stilled once more, his eyes hardening once more at the mention of his neighbour. He sighed deeply, reaching up he rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll be honest, I was surprised you knew each other. Even more so to see he was trying to take you into his house, we normally leave each other well enough alone. I've never had to deal with him before." He told her, a part of his wanted to ask her about it. Why this 'Brad Michael' guy so familiar with her, and why did he think it was acceptable to sweep her into his home. Yet he didn't, the question remaining little more than a knot in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to speak it out loud, the reasoning his him restraint a mixture of respect for Sivvy's privacy and uncertainty as to whether he was ready to hear her answer. Still, if she wanted to tell him, she would. He had no doubts about that, prying wasn't necessary on his part.

The elevator door would open, revealing to the pair Artemis's main lounge. It was a wide space designed for the sheer purpose of relaxing. A stretch grey-wood flooring filled the room, closed off with more white walls. Aside from one wall which was painted entirely with a graffiti wall feature, including the tags and designs of more street artists. On the feature wall, a seventy-five-inch television sat in the centre, across from with was a large 'C-shaped' ivory and red sofa. Artemis would veer away from the sofa, guiding Sivvy over to the far right corner of the room, where a small bar area had been fitted. "What kind of drink you in the mood for? Water, Soda, Alcohol?" He asked, keen to play the role of a good host.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

And there was that name again - Dr. Raelin.

Once again soured with an unpleasant tie to Sivvy's past, one that only contributed to the unpleasant stigmas Artemis had associated with him. Even if he did technically create and raise Sivvy, there was something about him that bothered Artemis. Perhaps it was the way she spoke of him, like a employer as opposed to a Father-figure. It was just all very suspect to Arty. Alas, he would not pry. There were more important things to focus on, like the fact that Sivvy was in his home for the first time since they'd known each other.

As she told him that she wanted a soda he would nod, reaching into the second fridge. Swiftly he would pulled out a few bottles of soda; various flavours from cola, lemon, cherry and orange. He would indicate for her to pick one and should she do so, set about making her a drink. Following this, he would then pour himself a cherry soda, grabbing out some ice for their drinks. He glanced up at her as she complimented his home, grinning proudly as he glanced around. "Thanks, I bought it last year, not long before I met you actually. I had to relocate here due to some... family stuff." He told her, allowing a small sigh between his words that would reflect his displeasure. Because that 'family stuff' had been his overbearing Father passing the mantle of Hidden Blades to him. He had been forced to sell his place in Rose Garden and move back to Crocus mainly because it was closer to the guild. But not to his families dismay, with him so closer, he knew they were happy. Because this way they could keep a closer eye on him and his antics.

Carrying their drinks, he nodded for her to follow him over to the sofa, placing their glasses on the prepared coasters on his silver coffee table. He sat himself down, and turned to her. "So you remember that little restaurant I took you to when we first met. As a thank you for saving my life," He explained, feeling a slight fondness for the curious yet pleasant circumstance that lingered in those memories. "Well, that restaurant belonged to my Aunt, and it's doing great. So great that she's expanding her field, opening more restaurants, fiddling in different cuisines. Anyway, this latest company she's starting up, one specifically for catering events, is where tonight's dinner will be sourced from." He told her, unable to contain his smug grin. After all, he knew how much Sivvy had enjoyed that first meal, and as such he would watch her face excitedly for her reaction.

---

One by One They Fall at My Feet

Sivvy

Once he had her orange soda she followed him to the oddly shaped couch, perhaps sitting a little closer than a normal person would. Sivvy wasn't one for personal space, especially not with Artemis. She was comfortable touching him, though at the moment she wasn't quite that close. Taking the glass up after he set it down, she went for a sip. The citrusy tang and fizz were pleasant. She liked it, though she did plan to taste his cherry soda later, maybe once the food arrived. Speaking of, Artemis explained the food situation for the evening, to which she listened with great interest. The food from that restaurant in Rose Garden was still the stuff of her new, non-terrifying dreams, so hearing that the same woman responsible for it would also be responsible for the catered food they were to try today made her smile in anticipation.

She leaned toward him, eyes gleaming in an unabashed excitement that only typically appeared when food was involved. "Do you know what dishes she'll be bringing?" Sivvy asked, more so she could make a plan of attack on the dishes than to be picky. She'd eat anything. There wasn't a food she'd found yet that she didn't like. And as he'd witnessed before, she had a very unearthly way of consuming her food; feverish speed and angelic grace. "Thank you for inviting me. I'm...excited, Artemis," the clone admitted, a little awkward in vocalizing her feelings but feeling like she needed to, especially to someone she trusted like the Dagger heir. She wasn't used to allowing herself to feel, let alone say it aloud. It made it real, brought it into the light where she couldn't ignore it. It was still a scary thing, but if she could correct her name to an ex-patron and admit that she was excited about being invited over for food, maybe she could keep making strides to become the very flawed type of being she was raised to reject. Sivvy was growing, fighting to move forward and break free of Dr. Raelin's clutches. Maybe some other complicated things that had arisen lately would be much more approachable now.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

As expected, the promise of the same fine cuisine in which they had indulged in before brought an excitement to Sivvy's features that Artemis enjoyed deeply. Of course, when it came to good food it was difficult to disappoint the Dies Irae Ambassador. He beamed back at her, mirroring her excitement with his own. "I think she said something like ….ah what was it... International Delights. Whatever that means." He said with a shrug, he speculated that it would just be the same high end dishes as before but with culturally specific touches. Either way it was bound to be good, Artemis knew for a fact that's his Aunt's food went under extreme examination. The woman was a perfectionist and so she aspired to have her food relished right down to the very last morsel.

The words she spoke next would cause Artemis to still, the specifically placed pause catching his attention. His mind did not hesitate to throw itself into a flurry of wonderings. What did that pause mean, was there special purpose to it? Or had she just been distracted by some random thought. Artemis had always prided himself on being able to pick up on human behaviour, until he met Sivvy at least. She was so unpredictable at times that he never could tell what she was thinking and so found himself overzealously analysing in an attempt to make sense of it all. His own racing thoughts would fluster up a lingering frustration in the male, who's realisations over the last few months had presented him with a difficult predicament. But even so, he didn't want to allow himself to scare her away with his own emotional wants. No, he'd already made a promise to himself, he wouldn't put Sivvy through that kind of internal conundrum. No matter how much he ached for honesty, the cost of losing her friendship was too much to risk. "I am too." He said softly, his crimson eyes searching hers for a moment.

He cleared his throat suddenly, looking away, he would adjust his seating. Swiftly he began looking around for the remote, "So, in the spirit of 'hanging out', I figured we could watch a film or something. I realised that er, I don't know what kind of television you like?" He asked, steering the conversation in a new direction, he would pluck the remote off the coffee table. Pressing the appropriate buttons, the giant screen across from them would light up brightly. The soft glow of the television glowing against their complexions, illuminating them with a soft hue that match the tone of the shot. Artemis quickly navigated the smart screen to the Netfliks application, signing it he would pull up a black screen, with boxes upon boxes of movies and shows. His recent watches at the top, the general genres for which were more action based, but with a little deviation. Shows such as; The Cable, Game of Crowns, and Kingsmen would display under his recent watches. Not that he got a lot of time to watch anything, only managing to squeeze in perhaps an hour of television in a week, maybe two if work were especially busy.

---

One by One They Fall at My Feet

Sivvy

"I don't watch television," she responded back, tone and face stoic as usual. Usually, a statement like that would be said with pride or shame, but of course, all of that was lacking for Sivvy. It was just a stated fact. She didn't own a TV, and even though she came across them in the commons on DI and in her friends' apartments, normally they weren't on or she ignored it. It was yet another thing chalked up to frivolity from which she'd been forbidden. Her time had always been spent constructively, so if she wasn't working or training to be more effective for work, she was reading all manner of books in what small moments might be called 'free time'. Most of her readings were non-fiction, but occasionally she would read something fictitious if it presented a concept or idea that was foreign to her. All her reading was educational in some way.

That didn't mean she wasn't interested, though. Carmine eyes flitted to each of the titles present on the screen, curious to see what kind of things Artemis watched in his free time. One caught her eye right away. Game of Crowns. Why? Because there was a dragon in the preview image. A dragon. Sivvy adored dragons and anything that had to do with them. She leaned forward and pointed at it. "That one," she said suddenly, looking from it back to Artemis with a gleam in her eyes. "With the dragon. What's it about?" Sivvy asked as she quietly kicked off her shoes so she could curl her legs up on the couch without being rude and soiling it with dirt. "I like dragons..." the pinkette added with a small smile, as if that fact wasn't pretty obvious already. It was a quirky like, but one of the first things she'd had much personal feeling about, quickly followed by discovering her love of food and weird fashion.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis blinked at her remark, he really should have expected this but still, despite her artificial creation he had expected that perhaps at some point in her life she would have sat down and got to enjoy the simple pleasure that was television. It would seem that he was once again, surprised by her upbringing, which proved to somehow be even more vastly different than his own. At the very least, one of the small benefits they got in the Dagger Household, was television, albeit restricted in how much he could time he was permitted watch it, available nonetheless. "Really? I love just winding down after a long day with a bit of TV, nice to live in someone elses drama you know." He commented, as he showed her the option.

As she point out Game of Crowns, he would raise a brow, grinning slightly. It was a little bit of the racey side, but entertaining enough.  He certainly didn't mind watching it again, he hadn't seen the series all the way through and it had been a while since he had watched so starting from the beginning wasn't an issue for the redhead. "Okay so, it's about a fictional realm where several different families... or factions I guess, are fighting for the right to rule the seven kingdoms. The ruler is the one who claims the Iron throne, and basically all these different families wants it. It's a lot of fighting, and good story. The dragons are linked to like... one specific family, or woman really. There's a bit of a lull before you get to enjoy the dragon stuff, but it's a good series. Did you wanna watch it? There's some other dragon stuff if you want something more specifically dragon based like... Dragonheart, How to coach your dragon, that one's more for kids but it's still like okay. I'm not super into animation but they didn't do a bad job with that one."

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One by One They Fall at My Feet

Sivvy

"They all sound interesting," she said, pleased there were so many different things with dragons. Maybe she'd have to get more into this TV stuff. She'd had no idea dragons were so popular! But then again, most of her knowledge was in books. Speaking of... turning to rustle through her bag, she brought forth a book with a large dragon face serving as the illustration. It was called 'Nogare' and from its condition, it had seen heavy use in her hands. "This is a book about a young girl who finds a dragon egg when dragons are thought to be extinct. People used to ride the dragons and fight for justice, but they'd all been murdered. It's really good," Sivvy told him, holding it out in case he wanted to look at it.

In the end, she decided that Game of Crowns would do, since the setting he'd described sounded most like the one in her book, the high fantasy type. She'd also never seen anything animated, and between Artemis not being into it and the fact that she found a lot of things meant for children irrationally unnerving, keeping to the more adult and gritty show was probably for the best. She liked watching fighting anyway, even if she did often point out the errors and flaws in the actor's form and execution or the inaccuracies of blood spatter. Actually, watching TV with her around often ended in her talking through it and trying to understand why so many things were so incorrect, basically missing the whole point of the entertainment value.

Once the show began, she'd lean forward, sample his drink this time, place it back on the table and all but snuggle up to him on the couch. Her level of comfort with him only increased each time they spent time together, especially since their rather skintimate situation around Christmas and what was supposed to be an obligatory wedding kiss between close friends on Valentine's Day. Sivvy hardly thought anything of it as she pressed herself against his side, content to remain there and wait for dragons until the food arrived. "You and I should go find a dragon someday," she remarked offhand, her mind mulling over whether the kinship between dragon and human would work in the real world as it did in both her book and Game of Crowns.

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Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis cocked his head to the side, mildly surprised as she presented him with the book. He would take it in his hands, crimson eyes glossing over the cover. He would peel it open, skimming the pages briefly before closing it once more, his eyes returning to her face. "You carry this around with you?" He asked, it was small but an interesting trickle of something. Something he hadn't known about Sivvy, the fact she loved dragons so much, he had no idea about this little quirky snippet of information about her. And yet, he found himself smiling at the idea, that this woman who had practically no childhood to speak of. Could, much like a child, find joy in stories about winged beasts and adventures. It was actually very sweet, reminding him of a time when he had felt such awe. The want for adventure was such an innocent joy, and here Artemis could not pinpoint the part of his life when he had forgotten such want. He was a thrill-seeker, there was no doubt about that, but adventures? That was something else entirely...

As she settled on Game of Crowns, he would put the show on, settling back into the sofa as they watched.  As he'd already seen the show, every now and then he would glance between the screen and Sivvy. Observing her reactions as the episode went on. It occurred to him how little he did this anymore, just hang out and watch television with someone. And never a woman, he was pretty sure he hadn't watched tv with any of the girls who'd spent his time with, aside from maybe his sister and... her. But otherwise it was a completely rarity, he used to invite guys to his other place, but usually that was to watch sports, drink and gamble. Back during his more social time, his parents really had put a damper on that side of his life, since Hidden Blades he had hardly visited the party scene at all. And yet, no one seemed to miss him, his money maybe, his status. But not, him.

It was during this solemn thought that Sivvy spoke, pressed into his side, she would draw his attention as she suggested they go find a dragon. He examined her face, a new thought formulated. Sure, those lot didn't miss him, but equally he didn't miss them either. Not really, because he had no doubt in his mind that he would trade those plastic conversation and artificial friendships for this. Just being here, next to Siv, waiting for dragons. "Sounds good to me."

There was a ringing that indicated the buzzer for the door had gone off, "Eyy! That'll be the food." He hopped off the sofa, leaving the show on so she could continue watching as he made his way to the door. Moments later, he would return with what appeared to be two rectangular duffel bags. As he placed them down, he would unzip them, revealed not only their insulated insides, but boxes upon boxes of food. Making quick time, he would lay out the spread on the coffee table. Diverse, was putting it lightly. His aunt really had gone all out on the international part, from sushi to samosas, mini-hamburgers on skewers to onion soup. Before Sivvy could devour too much of it, Artemis whipped out his iLac and snapped several pictures for his social media. Turning the camera on himself and Siv for a quick selfie, although that one he decided he might keep for himself. "Alrighty, let's eat!" He said keenly, eager to get his teeth into some of the meals before him. His Aunt wasn't the warmest of people but damn, the woman could cook.

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Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

The food, as Artemis has expected, was delicious. A product of years of the best culinary education, world travel and dietary exploration, not to mention endless funds pouring into perfecting each recipe. His aunt, was a rare commodity amongst the Dagger family, not especially nice to chat to. But an excellent businesswoman and an even better chef. He could only imagine how nice it might be to be so successful in the business sector as a Dagger whilst doing something you actually enjoyed.

Arty would mimick Sivvy and also try the tuna, nodded in agreement. It really was great sushi, and sushi wasn't his go-to lunch or dinner. He wasn't an especially fussy eater, except for certain vegetables such as sweet potato, leeks and Brussel sprouts. Everything else he was fine with. He would contemplate the girl's question, "Has to be a steak, 12 oz, medium rare!" He brought his fingers to his lips and smacked his lips in a gesture indicative of his love for the food. "What about you? I can't imagine you having a favourite. You inhale everything I've ever offered to you and you don't complain." He commented with a chuckle, "Pretty nice change of pace really, a lot of girls I know are fussy eater. Obsessed with calorie counting ya know." He rambled casually as he reached across the table, grabbing a falafel ball and popping it in his mouth.

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Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis pondered her question, "I don't think so, some people just aren't fussy when it comes to food. Although with you it might be more of a genetic thing you know? Seeing as being fussy is like a flaw, which we know you don't have a lot of." He added with a jokey wink, popping another bite into his mouth. Her next question required little thought to answer, it was almost strange to have to explain these sorts of things but Artemis was quite used to Sivvy's inquisitive nature. And she wasn't like other girls, or other people even, and that's why she asked.

"Yeah course, it just who you are, and it makes you unique. Calorie counting is like, a thing that lazy people feel the need to do because everyone's so obsessed with how they look. I mean, if I'm honest, I care about my appearance too. Looking good doesn't come easy to everyone you know, you can be born attractive but what's really important is hard work and maintenance. If you head down a floor I've actually got a gym where I work out regularly." He admitted, some might consider it shallow to work at being appealing but Artemis liked to take care of himself. It was good to have something that he alone could control, on top of this workouts were kind of therapeutic - especially after a long day.

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Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

"That's fair, my work required me to try to maintain my physical capabilities, but while I'm at work there's a lot of paperwork and admin. So having a gym here helps when I don't have time at work." He replied, he had always trained to look good and back in his partying days it often helped when he got into a scrap out on the town. His physical strength coupled with his years of combat training under her Father had frequently given him the upper hand.

Her compliment didn't go unnoticed, his smug smirk creeping onto his lips. "Ha, you should see me in the morning." He quipped, unable to help the words before they left his lips. It quickly occurred to him that this was the sort of flirtatious thing he would have come out in the past. Flirting was such a natural thing for him, that it was actually more effort to remember to resist it. Clearing his throat, he shifted in his seat, straightening back before reaching for a spring roll and quickly shoving it in his mouth.

His crimson eyes would examine her features once more, still chewing on the contents of the roll. He would have to finish the overstuffed mouthful before he spoke, swallowing it down quickly. "I don't really know much about make up but you don't need it." He told her, "If you try it and you like it, that's fine but you should only wear it cause you want to. My mother used to say something along the lines of... what was it..." He took a moment to try and recall, his mother used to spend exorbitant amounts on the make up industry. But she never looked 'overdone' either, always offering her own philosophy on why she owned so much. "Make up should be no different to a jacket or shoes. It shouldn't be used to cover who you are, but to accentuate it instead. Or something like that, I don't know." He shrugged, hoping this answered her. "But otherwise, you're great as you are, a natural beauty. Guys love that,"

He would pause again, considering her words more carefully. There was something more to just the make up question, although in his quick answer he hadn't considered it. He had heard a lot about the Doctor, and seeing as he was the one who made her. He was essentially was a 'father figure' and yet he didn't sound like one. Far from it. And some of the things he heard about him, brought an underlying concern to Artemis, one he found himself suddenly asking. "Um Siv, this Dr Raelin. Did he ever ... hurt you?"

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