Let's Go To The Movies! (Arkady)

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty kept ‘er hands firmly clapsed ‘round ‘er head. Even if Arkady weren’t really a zombie it were still a little fun to pretend that ‘e were. And she didn’t want pretend-Arkady-zombie ta eat ‘er brains. No, she certainly didn’t want that ta happen. Her brain were stayin’ in ‘er head.

“You stay away,” she cried as ‘e shuffled toward ‘er. “No brains fer you.” And then ‘e lunged at ‘er which caught ‘er by surprise. Surprised ‘er so much that all she could was stand there and let out a surprised “Eek!” and then he had caught ‘er. She hadn’t been expectin’ that.

But then she laughed. Arkady’d been awful clever ‘bout catchin’ ‘er fer that kiss, pretendin’ ta be a zombie then catchin’ ‘er off guard like that. “Yah gonna eat my brain now that yah caught me?” she asked smilin’.

[Deleted]

Arkady wasn’t sure if he’d manage to throw her off enough to catch her, so when he did his momentum still took him forward another step or two, backing her up right along with him. Grinning triumphantly at her, one arm securely around her waist, even when he had his feet steady under him again he didn’t stop. He just continued forward slowly, one step and then another, until he had her backed up against the outer wall of the theatre.

“Maybe...” he said, brushing his thumb over her forehead as if contemplating how to get at the juicy brain inside. Leaning forward he brushed a soft kiss to the same spot as he fingers slid down to her left temple. “But a beautiful mind is a terrible thing to waste,” he continued in a softer voice, his lips following the path of his thumb. A kiss to her temple, then to her jaw just below her ear. “Instead, maybe I’ll just keep you here.” He pressed his lips to the pulse in her neck, relishing in the quick pace he felt beneath them. Not like this was the first time he’d had such an effect on a girl, nor did he expect it to be the last. There was always something thrilling about it, though, what a few soft words and softer kisses could do.

As a general rule, most women were the same. They all wanted the same things, all wanted to hear the same things. They wanted compliments, wanted to hear how beautiful he thought they were, how much he enjoyed being with them. It was always the same ol’ lines, and they fell for them every time.

“You can be my zombie bride and we can just stay like this forever.” He buried his face in her neck, just enjoying the sensation, the closeness. Okay, so maybe the lines weren’t always the same. “Until we get hungry and have to go eat people.”

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty had expected that Arkady would just kinda sweep ‘er into ‘is arms and just kiss ‘er. She were not at all expectin’ ta be pushed up against a wall, though she weren’t protestin’ much. Actually she weren’t protestin’ atall. She were kinda curious what Arkady were doin’ and willin’ ta wait and find out.

Her eyes slid partially closed when ‘e kissed ‘er forehead, so softly and gently. It were like nothin’ she’d ever felt afore. She smiled a little at ‘is words. A beautiful mind. Is that what she had? Dusty’d never thought about it that way and she didn’t really have a lotta time ta dwell on it. Arkady kissin’ ‘er temple and then ‘er jaw were more’n a little distractin’. Her heart were startin’ ta race and she were sure if that were ‘cause o’ the kisses, or ‘cause what Arkady weer sayin’. Either way there was a definite hitch in ‘er breath when Arkady kissed ‘er neck and ‘er eyes slid closed.

There were a rush of emotions in ‘er just then. She were elated, happier’n she’d probably ever known and she were relaxed here in Arkady’s arms. There were a great sense o’ need that seemed ta fill ‘er right up and overwhelm ‘er and scare ‘er, but more’n that was that she didn’t care. She just needed him. She needed ‘is touch, needed ta feel that pleasant tinglin’ sensation she’d felt before. She needed ta breathe in the smell a him. And she needed ta hear ‘is voice, tellin’ nice things. And she never wanted this ta end.

“I’ll be anythin’ yah want me ta be,” she whispered, not even thinkin’ ‘bout what she were sayin’ or the kinda connotations they could have. This weren’t the time or place fer worryin’ ‘bout things like that. Now was the time fer her to get caught up in the moment, here with him. “As long as we can stay like this…forever.”

[Deleted]

Arkady expected a delayed little giggle after he delivered that last line. Things had gotten a little... intense and he thought she would appreciate the little joke tagged on the end. As it turned out, Dusty didn’t seem to be uncomfortable at all; in fact, she was totally into it and didn’t even acknowledge the joke at all. Instead she said something that made Arkady freeze.

“I’ll be anythin’ yah want me ta be... as long as we can stay like this…forever.”

She was done for, she was in deep. He had her exactly where he wanted her, yet it wasn’t a smile that curved his lips but a frown. He could probably ask her to do anything right then and she would do it, anything he wanted, but that knowledge didn’t come with the usual satisfaction that it always used to.

For what felt like an eternity he said nothing, he just held her, his face buried in her neck, his arm around her waist. Her body was warm against his though he swore he felt her shiver as his breath tickled her neck. Her quickened pulse; her voice, barely a whisper; her scent... intoxicating. It was the only word he could think of for this moment. It was tempting to test her limits, see how far she would go, how far she would let him go, but something was stopping him, some niggling in the back of his head.

He tried to ignore it.

“Forever is a long time,” he said. Dipping his head lower, he placed another soft kiss to her collar bone. “And that is a very dangerous offer.”

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty were in deep. She were in deeper’n even she herself knew. Things had moved so fast, but she didn’t mind. Good Lord, she did not mind one bit how fast things were movin’ or the fact that Momma woulda been madder’n a wet hen if’n she caught Dusty like this. She didn’t care either that this were real improper and people could see them together like this. And didn’t care either fer once in ‘er life ‘bout what other people were gonna think. She didn’t care and it felt awful liberatin’ and free.

The silence weren’t uncomfortable as ‘e held ‘er. She relished in the warmth o’ the arm ‘round ‘er waist and the way Arkady’s breath on ‘er neck tickled, but it weren’t unpleasant or anythin’. It were what it was and what is was…well Dusty didn’t know what ta call it. She didn’t have the words, only the desire while the night seemed ta close in around ‘em.

Dusty weren’t in any kind ‘o condition ta think fer herself. If Arkady had asked ‘er ta do anythin’ she would do it. No questions asked. She would just do it without thinkin’ ‘bout the consequences ‘cause she couldn’t. She couldn’t think. She could only feel.

She shivered when Arkady kissed ‘er collarbone. “I know,” she answered ta both statements. “But I trust you.” And she did, with all ‘er bein’.

[Deleted]

Everything was going so well, he was actually losing himself in the moment, letting himself ignore the niggling in his brain and forget how they had gotten here. The way her breath hitched, the way she shivered from his touch, it was just egging him on, making him want to push the limits. No, it made him want to dispose of the limits all together.

Then she spoke again and those words, those three little words, were the equivalent of dumping a bucket of ice water over his head.

She trusted him. She trusted him. She trusted him. No matter how he thought it it sounded wrong. This was all a sham, a scam, a set-up to elevate himself and to tear her down completely. He was the last person she should ever trust. None of this was real, it was all a lie. She was falling for him and he felt nothing for her. She was nothing to him, just a means to an end. Nothing. It was all a lie.

But somewhere along the line that had all become a lie. Now he wasn’t just lying to her, but to himself as well.

Pulling away, he gave her room to move, room to breathe.

“We should probably start back,” he suggested, trying to sound casual which was difficult for many reasons.

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty did trust Arkady. She trusted ‘im even though she shouldn’t trust ‘im, though she didn’t know that she shouldn’t trust ‘im. And why shouldn’t she trust ‘im? He were the first boy who’d ever looked at ‘er and actually seen ‘er, not just pretended ta see ‘er or worse, look right through. He had noticed ‘er and seemed interested in ‘er.

But when Arkady pulled away she knew the moment were over and she wanted ta pull ‘im back and have ‘im hold ‘er again. She didn’t want this ta end. But now that it were she’d haveta accept that she s’posed. Her neck were cold though, where ‘is face had been buried and ‘is breath had tickled ‘er neck.

She looked at Arkady, tryin’ ta think, but it were still awful fogged up with emotions. She took a deep breath afore answerin’, givin’ ‘erself time ta come up with somethin’ ta say, but the only thing she could think ta say was “Prob’ly.”

And now Dusty weren’t sure what ta do from here.

[Deleted]

The reply was awkward, and she didn’t move away from the wall. She just stood there, looking at him, obviously confused by the sudden turnaround, among other things. If he had to make a guess, judging from her actions and her talk of how things were done back in her world, Arkady would have put money on the fact that Dusty was about as lacking in experience as they came. This little scene, which had started so quickly and ended just as fast, was probably something she wasn’t sure how to handle, but they had obviously shared something in that moment, an unspoken desire, and if he just closed off right now she would know something was wrong. She was probably the type to think that it was something she had done. He had to play it cool.

Reaching out to take her hand, he threaded her fingers through hers and smiled.

“You hungry? Maybe we could stop and get something to eat on the way,” Arkady offered. True, there had been popcorn during the movie, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t eat again. He was hardly full. “Is there anything in particular that you really want right now?”

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty had no experience when it came ta relationships, but that were only patially her own fault. In her time, experience were limited. Things like this never happened back home. There were chaperones ta watch over young couples and make sure nothin’ like this ever happened. So sayin’ that she weren’t sure how ta handle this situation were really an enormous understatement. Dusty were completely lost. She had no idea what she were supposed ta do.

She were awful glad that ‘e took ‘er hand though. That made ‘er feel better and not quite as lost fer what ta do.

“I could eat,” she told Arkady, with a slight nod. Popcorn, though nice, weren’t very fillin’. But she didn’t really know what she wanted ta eat. She really didn’t know what kinda places were around here. She shook ‘er head. “You pick. I’m sure whatever you want will be fine,” she offered, still feelin’ a little lost and unsure. She just really didn’t know what ta do.

[Deleted]

Arkady was really starting to regret letting himself get carried away like he had. Of course he already regretted it for all the conflicting feelings it had caused he himself to experience, but now it seemed like he might have overstepped his bounds and set back the progress he had been making with Dusty. Alright, so that wasn’t due to their little interlude but to his abrupt stop to it, or so he assumed.

To be honest, he was also at a complete loss. He should be more worried about her being upset with him because of his plan than because of the fact that he didn’t want her upset with him. He shouldn’t have stopped, he’d had her right where he wanted her, willing to do anything he asked her to do.

But was that really how he wanted her? Feelings were so messy, that was why he always tried so hard to ignore his, or to turn them off completely. Never get invested, he’d only end up regretting it later.

Either way, whatever the reason for his guilt and his worries, he had to make it right. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Look, I’m... I’m sorry,” he said, as if the words were completely foreign to him. “I got a little carried away, and I... I didn’t completely blow it, did I?”

It was a loaded question, though only to his own ears. There were many ways to interpret it, both with his heart and with his head, but he wouldn’t let himself dwell on it too much. He said it with sincerity and that was all that mattered right now.

[Dusty Fae]

Arkady were apologizin’. Why were Arkady apologizin’ to ‘er? He weren’t ta blame. Things had gotten a little outta hand and fast too. Dusty hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t expected ta feel what she’d felt either, but it happened and that was that as far as she were concerned.

And sure, things like this never happened back home, but this were a different place and a different time. Things happened here differently. They were different than what she were used to, but that were alright ‘cause she’d found someone ta share all these new things with, even if they weren’t new fer Arkady.

“It’s alright,” she said, squeezin’ ‘is hand back. “It’s just…” It were just that she didn’t know what ta do now. It were just that her momma’d never told ‘er what ta do in this situation. It were just a lotta other things that were confusin’ and different and she didn’t know how ta handle.

“Things are diff’rent back home is all. It’s alright.” She stepped away from wall and towards the street. She tugged ‘is hand gently. “Come on. Walk me home. ‘Less you wanna stop and get somethin’ ta eat along the way.”

[Deleted]

Different. Well, that was an understatement. Where she called ‘back home’, if he had been caught putting the moves on her like he had been a few minutes ago, her mother probably would have shot him right then and there. There was the whole ‘courting’ business to be followed and such, something he sure as hell wasn’t used to. The girls back home in Paris were a lot more... outgoing, so to speak.

He could have kept on the topic, played up the part real well and told her that he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable and that they could move at whatever pace she was ready for, but she was already moving on and he was grateful for it.

“Nah, I think the popcorn was enough,” Arkady said, falling into step beside her. Between the popcorn, drinks and the tickets themselves, it had certainly been enough on his budget to say the least. Maybe he should have sprung for something else anyway, though, as silence seemed to fall over them, a silence that he found to be particularly awkward. He just had to hope it was a good silence on her end; maybe she was just thinking of how things could have gone a few minutes ago had he not had an attack of conscience.

“Think you’ll be able to sleep tonight?” he eventually ventured. Well, that wasn’t a leading question at all.

[Dusty Fae]

Alright, so diff’rent were kinda an understatement, but it were still true. Momma wouldn’t a been too happy if’n she found ‘er daughter in such a compromisin’ situation with a boy. Though she doubted she would shoot ‘im. That were a little extreme, even for her momma.

“Alright,” Dusty agreed. She didn’t much care if they got food. Actually it were probably better that ‘e were just gonna walk ‘er home. She wouldn’t haveta be extra nervous ‘cause she were eatin’ and didn’t wanna spill anythin’. And she wouldn’t have ta worry ‘bout bein’ real peculiar or somethin’ like that.

It were awful quiet between ‘em, though it weren’t a bad quiet. It were just quiet and it made ‘er think ‘bout how things coulda been. How things coulda turned out. Dusty were actually a little ashamed of ‘erself and how far she’d allowed things ta happen. If’n Arkady hadn’t stopped, well…Dusty probably woulda done somethin’ she’d probably end up regrettin’. It were an awful good thing they’d stopped.

She were shaken outta her thoughts by the question and fer a minute she were confused. Sleep? Why wouldn’t she sleep? And then she remembered the zombies. Zombies were shy she wouldn’t sleep. “I don’t know,” she said, lookin’ over at ‘im. “Zombies are pretty scary. I wouldn’t wanna get eaten in my sleep. Do yah really think there could be zombies?”

[Deleted]

He wasn’t sure why he had asked that question. What was he expecting from the answer? An invite to her room? For her to admit she would have trouble sleeping for thinking of him and what could have happened between them? Well, to be completely honest he had just wanted to break the silence and it had been the first question to come to mind. It was only after he had broached it that he thought of the other possible implications.

Probably lucky for him she didn’t think of them and went right back to the original topic. Unfortunately it made for some pretty redundant conversation. They had already been over this. Twice. The first time she had asked he had assured her there were no zombies, and the second time he had admitted the possibility, and now she was asking again. Perhaps a more practical approach was in order.

“Well, let’s look at it this way: if there were zombies around, we would have heard of it by now, right?” Arkady replied, raising his eyebrows as he glanced over at her.

[Dusty Fae]

Alright, so they’d been over this a couple o’ times, but Arkady had let ‘er believe that zombies were real for a while there ‘fore ‘e told ‘er they weren’t. And then ‘e told ‘er that there were a possibility that zombies existed and she just wanted ta be sure. She wanted ta be real sure that there weren’t any zombies. Alright, she’d let ‘er imagination get the best of ‘er, but other people were afraid o’ sillier things like the dark and those movin’ staircase things they called escalators. It weren’t all that silly that she were a little afraid o’ zombies.

But actually, that were a real good answer. They probably woulda heard ‘bout xombies by now if’n there were any. ‘Less they were bein’ kept a secret so nobody would ever find out! And maybe there were people disappearin’ but no one knew why they were disappearin’.

Dusty were gettin’ ‘erself all worked up so she took a deep breath and tried ta keep ‘er thoughts mostly grounded. “I s’pose that makes sense,” she said calmly, and noddin’. “‘Less someone wanted ta keep it a secret so people wouldn’t panic and run screamin’ all over the place or somethin’. That could happen too. People just disappearin’ without explanations and somebody tryin’ ta cover it up. But it could be zombies.” She were slowly startin’ ta convince ‘erself that zombies were real and that they’d eat her brain. She doubted she’d get much sleep tonight, if at all.