new equipment -open-

[Benedict Ace Reed]

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“You drink tea?!”

The question came from nowhere. Drink tea? When had they started discussing what he liked to drink? His brows folded in together, his forehead wrinkling in perplexity. Drink tea? He repeated the question to himself mentally, as if it would shine a new light on things. Instead he was met with the same brick wall, the same nothing. Her eyes had widened in surprise, as if she didn’t know what the hell was going on either, before they furrowed in deep concentration. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, neither too sure what to make of each other. Why on hell would you drink tea? Had she misheard what he had said? He couldn’t understand how. His words had been as flowing and coherent as they always were—he didn’t think there had ever been a time when his voice had been pitchy, too loud, too quiet. They just flowed, as ideal and flawless as the rest of him. Maybe she had lost her mind? That theory seemed most reasonable. For once in his life, Ace had no idea what was going on. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t have some immature comment to chuck in. “And you don’t cook tea. You prepare tea, or you boil tea, but you don’t cook it,” Realisation set in, and he found himself chuckling, naturally, with no force or restriction. A grin split across his face, as he shook his head, amazed at the upset that one single word had caused. She thought he meant tea as in drink. Ha! As if he would drink tea.

Her embarrassment was flooding him, wave after wave crashing down upon him. It was drowning him, smothering him, as solid and heavy as quick sand. His lungs felt too small, as if they could not take in enough air. His gut felt heavy, as if he had swallowed too much. The soundtrack was dull, a thick, deep tone, but like a smouldering fire, it still hurt. It still burnt him. But as Rachel turned around, trying to hide the blush that had reached her cheeks, he couldn’t help but smile. He wondered if he had perhaps been the first person to make her blush. Been the first person to see her make a fool of herself. He followed her quietly, holding in laughter as she paid for her shoes. He looked stupid, perhaps crazy—smiling idiotically behind her back as the young male attendant swiped her shoes through for her. But the boy knew better then to ask any questions. He muttered out the amount, keeping his eyes low. Normally, it would have been enough to make Ace’s ego swell, so large he became irritable and up himself. But his good mood continued, following her out into the park lot.

Her smile was very pretty. It was her first genuine smile. Her body trickled out good vibrations, sweet tones and delectable tastes. “So are you going to go to the grocery store with me?” And that was it. He snapped. He lost all self-control, and all dignity. His head rolled to the side, a low chuckle escaping his lips, as he stepped closer towards her. He placed both hands beside her head, pinning her against the Jeep, though his body remained as far away from hers as it could in the small space. His eyes locked onto hers, the edges of a smile still playing on his lips. “Tea,” he repeated slowly, as if spelling it out for her. “Tea. Dinner. Supper. Food.” he elaborated, as if there was a sudden language boundary between them. And then he grinned, that unique-mouth-too-wide-for-his-face grin that was customary of Ace. He pulled back away from her, laughing to himself, letting the realisation sink in for her. “We call it tea in my family. I guess it’s an Australian thing,” Had she really been that clueless? He couldn’t believe the difference, the variation between two countries that were incredibly similar, that both reflected back onto each other. His laughter rang out, completely unrestricted, feeling the strings within him all finally snap.

The grey clouds above had started to merge; the rumbled to each other in deep, undefined tones. Skinny, icy raindrops began to fall, pit-patting lightly against his face, ricocheting off. He wonder how he knew they were cold. Was this just common-sense, an acceptance of something that was a world-wide fact? He doubted he could feel it, that something could sink through his thick, bulletproof armour. It was merely an assumption, as was everything else. A mind-trick, an illusion. That’s all this was. He marvelled at the complexity of it all, of the cold-hard simplicity of it all. For all he knew, it could have feel been acid rain sinking into his clothing. He wouldn’t tell the difference, not by feel. His head tilted upwards, glancing up to the heavy clouds. They tottered in, with no real purpose, no real motivation. “You know what, it’s nothing like Australia,” he murdered, his voice taking on a more softer edge. His eyes moved back to her, holding her still. He smiled, faintly, as he explained. “One second, your stinking hot. And the next, your ankle deep in water, a hail stone being hurled at your head, surrounded by huge, angry clouds that you swore weren’t there a second ago. She’s wild, and unpredictable. It’s what makes Australia beautiful—those untamed summer storms. It just recharges you. You feel the change deep in your bones when it hits. But this,” he gestured to the small droplets of water that fell around them, “Is just a nuisance,” He smiled for a second, eyes somewhat glazed. They refocused on her face, pulling himself out of century-old memories. “Shopping couldn’t hurt, could it?”

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[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

Eyes widening in surprise as Ace placed his hands on both sides of her head, Rachel leaned back against her car automatically. Staring up at Ace, she felt her heart pounding and while part of her was listening to what the man was saying, another part of her was just watching his lips as they moved. She found herself wondering what it would feel like to have those lips pressed firmly against her. What it would feel like to be with a guy who was so self assured and so demanding. Every guy she had ever been with had been perfect gentlemen and treated her with the utmost respect since only a fool would insult the daughter of a village elder. Every man on the reservation respected her father and none of them would ever to anything to disrespect her since it would also be a slap in the face of her father so she rarely ever had a male raise his voice to her.

Ace on the other hand. He had come in from the beginning with his insults and his confidence. Even now as he leaned over her, despite the laughter in his voice he was still an imposing and commanding figure. Hearing what he said about tea being another way to say dinner, Rachel wanted to hide. She couldn't believe how much of a fool she'd made herself out to look like but soon enough her embarrassment faded and she said: "Well I've never been to Australia so you'll have to forgive me if I don't understand Austrailian slang. A word of advice though, if you don't want the same misunderstanding to happen with other people I'd suggest sticking to basic English and trying to refrain from using Australian slang. I doubt many people would understand what you're saying."

Looking up at the clouds, Rachel listened to what Ace had to say and she found herself smiling. Of course he would prefer the sudden storm that appeared out of nowhere. They provided you an adrenaline rush and was a lot more exciting then the soft rainfalls that normally hit the Washington coast. Looking towards Ace when he asked if they were going to go shopping, Rachel nodded then slipped into her car and motioned for Ace to move around and get in the passenger seat as she put on her seat belt. As he walked around her car, Rachel started up the engine and as soon as he was in the passenger seat she smiled.

"Buckle up." Rachel said in a firm tone as she kept the car in it's parking space. Ever since her mother had died in a car accident, Rachel insisted that everybody put on their seat belt and she never put her car into gear until everybody was safely belted in.

outift :: wearing

[Benedict Ace Reed]

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Her lust rolled out in smoky waves; deep, hazy, circles forming before his eyes.

She was into him? Her eyes were weird, glued to his mouth, transfixed almost. He wondered what was going on through her head. He wondered if he could even bear to know. She was under his spell, yet, there was still a part of her that rebelled, that made her chin draw upwards in a self-righteous way. She was distracted momentarily, and those deep, lazy clouds disappeared, shattered by her awakening. Instead, her emotions took on a more contrasting feel—the wish to touch was replaced by the need to hide. There was a loud, booming drum in the back of his head that made him flinch at every strike. His mouth tasted like bile. She was embarrassed. The idea made his grin stretch further, his cheeks curling upwards. But she was too proud to let it go. To self-righteous and vain. Her chin gutted forward, eyes narrowing slightly, so subtle he doubted she even realised she was doing it. “...I'd suggest sticking to basic English and trying to refrain from using Australian slang. I doubt many people would understand what you're saying.” she lectured him, in a tone that made her sound more like a teacher then a teenager. Refrain from using Australian slang. Refrain yourself from being Australian. The idea behind her words made him roll his eyes, ignoring her completely.

With a short, sharp nod, she headed off to the car, like a woman on a mission. He ducked around the side, climbing in as she unlocked the door. The engine roared underneath him, tiny vibrations making the windows jitter with a new-found life. Her head turned to him, a brief smile passing by on her face. “Buckle up,” And then with one hand on the gear box, she waited. He realised, after her long, hard stare, she wasn’t leaving until he did what he was told. He wondered if she did this to everyone, or if he was just a special case. She was just knocking him into place, enforcing who was in the position of power in the car. His eyebrows arched suspiciously, before his shoulders shrugged in defeat. “What, because my chances of surviving with you driving go from none, to a small fraction of hope?” he said, his voice thick with annoyance. Ace wasn’t very good at doing what he was told. The challenge was on. But, with no real other option, he tugged the seatbelt on, locking it into place. Hell, not that it would matter. He was six foot six and bullet proof. Literally.

The car rolled easily out of the car park, which was luckily, since she was driving a Jeep. He wondered if her parents had brought it, hoping that if she ever hit another car, she could just drive over them, causing minimum harm to herself. And the car. It was an odd site though, seeing a Jeep in the middle of Forks. This quiet, serene town in the middle of nowhere, with its lazy thunderstorms and its fluffy-looking undergrowth, was home to an arrogant, proud girl with her Jeep. This girl who wouldn’t ever be told what to do, with her snappy remarks and her flaring temper, was born here. Born in this sleepy, good-for-nothing town. How?! He couldn’t imagine her spending this rest of her life here, surrounded by these boring people with their silly raincoats. She had a sort of strength. She was stubborn and head-strong and driving him crazy. But at the same time, he admired her. He admired the way she brushed him off, doing everything in her power to point him the other way, but too gentle to completely shut him off. In all, he was grateful. Grateful for something to do; this new, unpredictable, puzzle that was her. He had no desired outcome, no real expectation. “So, what’s the mission, boss? We holding up the supermarket?”


ooc/ ha, sorry. i kinda jumped backwards and forwards in time. i'm all over the place.

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[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

"No. Although with the seat belt securely strapped across your chest it does lessen the temptation for me to reach over you, open the door and shove you out." Rachel said with a smirk on her lips as she watched Ace secure the belt before she pulled out of her spot and made her way down the street. Obviously she wasn't about to tell Ace that her mother had died in a car accident so now she was paranoid about making people put on their seat belts. She didn't know him well enough to confide that much information in him. It wasn't any of his business that her mother's death had caused a sort of paranoia about seat belts to rise up in Rachel. All he needed to know was that she insisted everybody put on their seat belt when in her car and while he was pretty much a stranger, that didn't mean he was exempt from her rules.

"No I have to buy some noodles and some drinks for dinner tonight." Rachel said with a smile as she purposely ignored his babe comment and glanced over at Ace for a second before turning her attention back to the road. While normally Rachel might invite Ace to dinner, something told her not to. She didn't know why, but for some reason she didn't think her brother or her father would like him. Part of her said it was because that's just the way her father and brother would act towards any new guy she brought home but another part of her was saying that wasn't it. His arrogance and cocky attitude would be a huge strike against him when he met her father and brother and she didn't want to deal with lectures from them about how she could do better. She knew her family expected her to marry some decent guy from the rez but she didn't want just your every day average Quileute. That wasn't to say she wouldn't date one, she just knew she'd get bored with those ones who bent over backwards to kiss her father's ass because he was one of the elders. Rachel wanted somebody with a backbone.

As the two drove through Forks, Rachel would glance out the window at the people who passed. The people on the street had their heads down to avoid the rain while those in the cars just drove along on their way. It wasn't until they came to one of the few stop lights in town that Rachel found herself rolling her eyes.

While they waited at the lights a car filled with girls from Forks High pulled up next to them then began trying to get Ace's attention. It wasn't like Rachel hated the girls but they were on Forks' soccer team and as such she'd played against them a few times over the years. She could feel her annoyance building as one of them tried calling out to Ace to leave her car so he could join them and since they were the stereotypical blonde haired, blue eyed beauties that most guys tended to fall for Rachel kept her eyes forward as she said: "If you want to go with them you can. I'm sure grocery shopping is probably a lot less interesting then hanging out with them. I'm sure they'll keep you well entertained for the day."

outift :: wearing

[Benedict Ace Reed]

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He was on his way to go grocery shopping.

The idea seemed so bizarre, so out-of-this-world; and yet at the same time, it felt normal. To go shopping, to complain about the price of meat, or that they ran out of your favourite brand of chocolate. For a moment, before real life set in, he could almost picture himself—dashing through the aisles, eyes pinning down the specials, trying to make it back in time to catch his favourite TV show. Had he ever gone grocery shopping before? No. But he could picture it, almost as if he’d been there a million times before himself. And that was crazy. Unless they had been offering young, skanky blonde’s blood on special, then there was absolutely no chance he’d been there before. Not as a human, and not as a vampire. And yet here he was now, trying to pretend he was normal, that he could possibly offer some kind of assistance—no, they Raspberry Fanta tastes like crap, stick to the original—whilst food shopping. Would she notice? Would she notice if he honestly couldn’t tell her what was his favourite type of chocolate was? Yes. She would. But he had strapped himself in, foolishly enough. He was shopping with Rachel. The girl who kinda smelt like wet dog. “No, I just have to buy some noodles and some drinks for tea tonight,” she replied, sneaking a look at him from the side, before fixing her eyes on the road. He wondered what she thought, each time she looked at him. He wondered if she was slowly piecing things together—oh, his eyes are so red, his skin so cold—if a theory was slowly forming in her mind. He’d been numerous things before—the devil, a witch (as if), a pixie. Nobody ever guessed vampire. Probably because most of the time, he was out in the day; as a human, not as a bat. Stories got so wildly out of control.

The figurines on the sidewalks passed by slowly, as if in slow motion. He could work out tiny details—the old lady has a small scar across the side of her face, that young man had an infected lip piercing—though the speed meter did say 30 miles. It was like a series of snapshots, as clear as day. He could sense the tiny shift in the car, as Rachel removed her foot of the accelerator, as the light blinked orange, then red. They rolled lazily up to the line, just as another car lurched to a halt to the side of them. It took possibly a collection of five seconds before every single girls’ head swivelled in his direction, their facing changing dramatically. The driver; blonde, about Rachel’s age, cake-faced; rolled down the window, and likewise, with that up-to-no-good grin, Ace did the same. She waved excitedly, and he could hear the cries of excitement in the back of the car. “Hey, we’re heading down to the beach, and we’ve got a spare seat if you want,” she offered, smiling seductively. His head turned towards Rachel eagerly, about to ask if she’d like to come with, but she was already beginning another lecture—or so he guessed. “If you want to go with them you can. I'm sure grocery shopping is probably a lot less interesting then hanging out with them. I'm sure they'll keep you well entertained for the day." she snapped, her tone becoming a whole lot more defensive. She was annoyed. At Ace, or the girls? “And all night,” he replied lazily, his brain elsewhere.

The answer to his original question came quickly enough. A girl at the back with the long curls had turned to her friend beside her, and was gesturing frantically at the Jeep. ”Oh, that’s Rachel!” she exclaimed, her voice overly-excited. ”You know, from the soccer team? Yeah, the one from the rez. Our team totally kicked their ass’s last game” she explained, nodding her head excitedly. He couldn’t imagine Rachel being nice about losing, so he made the assumption that it was the girls she was pissed at. Which seemed typical of Rachel—he could imagine her being annoyed at anyone who was even remotely girly. He turned to her, leaning across the seat. “Kiss me,” he said slowly, red-brown eyes locking with hers. Her mouth widened in surprise, at the suddenness of his request. “Why not? Why not do something a little bit crazy for once? Why not show them girls that you’re a hell of a lot more than they are? Hell, Rach, what have you got to lose?” he said, his voice completely level, dead-serious. He gave her a small grin, his head tilting sideways, back to the girls who were expectantly looking on in the car next to them, whispering and laughing within themselves.

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[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

Rachel couldn't stop herself as she rolled her eyes and turned away from Ace when he added that they could keep him entertained all night as well. Just when she was beginning to think he was actually a decent guy, he had to go prove he was just like any other guy with only one thing on his mind. Hitting the button on her door that would unlock all the doors in the car, Rachel turned to look at Ace and was about to tell him bye when she saw him leaning in close to her and looking at her. Pulling back a bit out of surprise, Rachel's surprise only grew and her jaw dropped slightly at Ace's request for her to kiss him. Was he serious?! Rachel had known him less then an hour and he was asking her for a kiss? What kind of girl did he think she was?

As she listened to him continue to talk, Rachel glanced past him to where she could hear the girls voices but couldn't see them past Ace since his head was blocking them from view. Hearing the girls giggling and the driver telling the girls in the back to scoot over to make room, Rachel felt her irritation growing. They thought Ace was leaning over to give her the brush off. Just like one of their girls had tripped Rachel on the field which left another one wide open to take the winning shot at goal, they thought they'd just beaten her again. Feeling her competitive edge kicking in, Rachel looked up at Ace with determination dominating her face, although a tiny spark of interest and lust gleamed in her eyes.

Shifting her seat so she was facing Ace a bit more but making sure her foot stayed securely on the break, Rachel brought her hands up to the side of Ace's face then placed her palms lightly but firmly on his cheeks. Pulling Ace towards her, Rachel felt her heart skip a beat as she closed her eyes then leaned forward til her lips were pressed against his as her heart rate increased. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as flicked her tongue against Ace's lips before they parted slightly to allow her access. While her tongue danced with his, Rachel felt as if the rest of the world faded away and suddenly she forgot about the girls in the next car over. For a few moments it was just her and Ace alone in the world but soon enough that faded as her mind seemed to kick in.

His face was stone cold and felt as smooth as marble. Where every other guy she had ever kissed had tasted like whatever gum they had been chewing or like whatever it was they had last eaten, Ace tasted like something different. It definitely wasn't food but Rachel couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. After a few moments, Rachel pulled back with her hands still resting lightly on Ace's cheeks as she slowly opened her eyes then looked up at Ace curiously. Brushing her thumb lightly over one of his cheek bones, Rachel had completely forgotten about the car filled with girls as she softly whispered: "You're so cold."

outift :: wearing

[Benedict Ace Reed]

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So he was kissing Rachel.

He wondered how many guys would kill to be in his position. To have her hands against their face, pulling them in, her body language rolling out waves of determination and self-assurance. It was a game to her--but he doubted she had never played a game she didn't plan on winning. He was so used to taking the lead, of being in the position of power. And yet, Rach had spent the last hour or so, pushing him down. It was like some sort of bizarre competition to her--she had to be the leader, the captain. And she when her hands clasped his face, he knew he was becoming her toy. She was using him, just to prove a point to a few ditzy girls. But he was kissing Rachel Black, so he didn't mind all that much.

She heart beat took on a new rhythm—it sung with more enthusiasm, more impulsion. He could hear it rush and break within her chest; hear the whirl of blood as it contracted once again. Her lips met him, with no real eagerness or desire. It was more than anything, a task. He could feel her lips against his; soft and warm; going through the motions. Up close, she felt more real. More fragile, like at any moment she would snap into a thousand pieces, break apart into nothing. His hand reached out, gentle and steady, to grasp the back of her head. He pushed her closer, pulling himself towards her, suddenly fuelled by a new found longing. She answered him; her tongue slipping across his mouth, parting his lips. His second hand found her leg, and it moved quickly from her knee, towards her hip, tilting her pelvis in his direction. And though he knew she’d probably protest, he took control. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth first, running along the roof of her mouth.


Before too soon, she pulled back, once again taking the lead. Her hand remained on his cheek, her thumb tracing along his upper cheek bone. She was curious; it came out in small, yellow waves, prodding inquisitively at his mind. It was the crash of a tambourine, a suddenness and sureness that made his body jerk beneath her touch. He could feel her eyes, studying him, trying to pinpoint something that was puzzling her. And this, usually, was the time that he bailed—or feasted. When things started getting too close to comfort, when they looked past the charm, and began to start questioning everything they thought they’d known about him; well, that clearly was his exit cue. And yet, sat in the car, with her warm hands against his cheeks, he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to go shopping, to pick out the food he would have best liked to eat. To blend in. To have people ignoring him and use him—just like Rach had. He’d had two centuries of being perfect; and within an hour, he was getting used to the idea of being normal.

But she’d hit it. She started questioning things. Wondering. “You’re so cold,” she whispered softly, arising a new emotion he didn’t think she possessed. He pulled her closer, guiding her head so that their foreheads were pressed together. He let the moment linger, a dumb smile crawling across his face. His eyes held hers, although he knew he shouldn’t—no doubt his contacts had begun to wear out. And ever so even, he spoke, the hint of a laugh behind his words. “Hey Rach... Light’s green,” The girls beside them were still dumbstruck, their mouths hanging dumbly. He returned to his seat, sinking into it comfortably, his head turning back to the girls. And like any cocky boy, he saluted them, winking as he did so, an eager smile spread out across his face. He turned back to Rach, and although he already knew the answer, he asked anyway. “So I’m guessing you knew those girls. I doubt you would have kissed me if you weren’t holding another one of your grudges,”

ooc; sorry, kinda rushed. i was distracted.

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[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

Letting Ace pull her closer after the kiss, Rachel couldn't help but smile slightly at the feeling of his forehead against hers. Looking into his eyes she could see the crimson tinge to them again and she suddenly felt as if she were struggling to remember something but couldn't. Her mind wanted to tell her something but at the same time it couldn't remember what it was it was trying to tell her. She felt like it was something important that she had to remember but whatever it was it just didn't want to be remembered. It was like half of her mind was struggling to remember something but the other half of her mind was fighting it. That half of her mind wanted to just try and enjoy this trip with Ace but the battle in her head was making it hard to. She knew she wouldn't be able to enjoy the trip until things settled down in her mind and when Ace told her the light was green, Rachel looked over to see he was right.

Shifting and positioning herself correctly in her seat again, Rachel took her foot off the break and headed straight until the next block where she made a right. The grocery store was in sight a few blocks down when Ace asked her about the girls in the car. Sighing slightly, Rachel felt agitated that Ace could read her so well and with a glance towards the male Rachel said: "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have used you the way I did. It wasn't fair to you."

Pulling into the parking lot, Rachel found a spot only a few spaces away from the entrance to the store and she easily maneuvered her car into the space. As Rachel was shutting off her car, she ran her tongue lightly over her lips where she could still taste Ace. It was then that she was able to somewhat identify the taste that had been in his mouth. Catching a hint of rust, Rachel reached for her bag as confusion washed over her. Why would Ace taste like rust?

Grabbing her bag, Rachel slipped out of her car and after making sure her car was securely locked, Rachel began to walk towards the store with Ace at her side. Rachel had just grabbed a shopping cart and was walking into the store with Ace when it all suddenly seemed to click in her head. The skin that was as cold, smooth and hard as marble. The red eyes. Even the taste of his kiss had been a hint. That wasn't rust in his mouth. It was blood.

Stopping dead in her tracks, Rachel turned to look at Ace as a wave of fear suddenly washed over her. She had to be blowing things out of proportion right? There had to be a logical explanation to everything. He couldn't be a cold one?! The cold ones were nothing but fairy tales. They were stories her people told to keep kids from wandering into the woods alone. Vampires didn't exist. Vampires were monsters created by Hollywood and she was being an idiot to think that this guy could really be anything more then human. It was cold out so that easily explained why his skin was cold and she couldn't really blame him for taking good care of his skin so that it remained smooth. The red eyes were probably contacts he used to freak people out since he seemed to enjoy pushing people. As for the blood, maybe he'd cut his finger earlier and had sucked on it til it stopped bleeding. There were so many explanations for everything that she was able to push her fear away then set out to finish her shopping. As they made their way towards the pasta aisle, Rachel still felt a bit on edge despite the explanations she'd come up with and as they made their way to pay for the few things she'd gotten, Rachel had already decided she couldn't take Ace home with her that night. She had to try and make sense of the things in her head before she saw him again and as the two made their way towards her car, Rachel turned to look at him.

"Ok look, I'll make you dinner but is there any chance we can take a rain check on it? I'm not so sure bringing home a strange guy would go over well with my dad and my brother." Rachel said as she put her bag in the back of her car before turning to look at Ace as she held on to the shopping cart. Biting her lower lip nervously, Rachel said: "I can give you a ride back to your place or whatever and tonight I'll tell my dad and brother about you then you can come over for dinner next week if that's ok with you?"

Rachel knew what she said was true and her father and brother were super protective but she also knew that she wanted to reassure herself that she was being an idiot. Sure Ace may have been a total asshole when they'd first met but he was slowly redeeming himself and Rachel didn't think it was fair of her to accuse him of being a murderer when she knew nothing about him.

outift :: wearing

[Benedict Ace Reed]

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Benedict Ace Reed, that very same monster that lurked in the shadows and lured young girls back into his apartment who were never seen again, was grocery shopping.

He was confused himself. How could he keep up his tough-love look when he was strolling through the pasta aisle in the local supermarket? It didn’t fit. It wasn’t really working for him. But at the same time, something was taunt in the back of his head, like a string pulled too tight, something that remotely resembled excitement. The feeling was vague, unfamiliar. It had been years, decades, since anything had gotten him even remotely interested. But grocery shopping, that was his adrenaline rush. He could feel it through his arms, at the back of his neck, right in the pit of his stomach. That same taunt string, plucked and held, that waited to break. Like a pin. As soon as it snapped, he felt like everything would cave in, his whole body would just collapse. It was like walking a tightrope, balancing a knife on your nose, like... Grocery shopping. For goodness sake, he was grocery shopping.

But his eyes, for the first time in his existence, felt like they couldn’t keep up. They bounced back and forth, down one aisle and up the next, familiarising himself with the bright coloured packaging, the words in bold, italics and underlines; all of it screaming at him. And yet, it was all distinctively unappetizing. No, he did not want to eat Dora Explorer cookies. No, he would not pick your brand of milk because it had Delta Goodram on it. He felt overwhelmed, dizzy almost, at the intensity of the small, colourful plastic packaging. It was all so daunting, like waking up on a different planet. This was not the world he knew. He did not feel comfortable here.

But there were familiar brands, packing he had seen decorating the boring-green trees of Forks. They lined the footpath, filed in the cracks, bent around the edge of a streetpost. As odd as it seemed, he could feel his body relax at these familiar brands. And then it coiled again, as they entered the pasta aisle. Rachel had grown tense, like she could feel his tiny shifts, recognising his feeling of alienation. She knew. It was an unmistakable sensation, a mixture of fear, of curiosity, wonder. A blow of the trumpet; sounds of tiny fingers running down the piano; the sharp-pitch of a triangle clashing. It was all so familiar. He knew it like he knew the back of his hand. He’d already seen her start to ask questions in her head, seen the streak of anxiety flash through her eyes. But so soon... Perhaps his contacts were more flimsy then the last brand. He walked behind her, a slow procession of discomfort, as she glided through the tiny store, as familiar in here as he guessed she would be in her own house.

"Ok look, I'll make you dinner but is there any chance we can take a rain check on it? I'm not so sure bringing home a strange guy would go over well with my dad and my brother." She opened the back door of the car, placing her shopping bags along the seat. Her lower lip wobbled nervously, her teeth sinking in to keep it steady. He knew this part. The part where she reluctantly let him go, too cautious of her own life to satisfy her curiosity and wonder. "I can give you a ride back to your place or whatever and tonight I'll tell my dad and brother about you then you can come over for dinner next week if that's ok with you?" No she wouldn’t. Ugh. It was so tiring, the way they tried to act nice. Like, if she was honest with him, he might break into a thousand pieces. But then again, ‘I think you might not be human,’ was certainly something you didn’t say often. Slowly, but still full to the brim of confidence, he stepped closer, two cold, smooth hands reaching up to cup the edge of her face. Dark eyes locked with hers, holding her still, prisoner. The words rolled out, a well rehearsed speech. “Don’t worry about it. I can walk home from here. The well-rehearsed pause, like he was struggling for the words, to try and swallow what she had said. Oh, he should be an actor. “I guess I’ll see you around then? It’s a small town, I’m sure you can find me if you ever feel like looking.” And then his head lowered. He ducked in, his lips resting against hers. He had her stuck in a corner, with no real exit. Not literally, of course. But she did really have no choice but to kiss him. Otherwise it would be like admitting that she truly had only kissed him to impress those girls; used him only to better her reputation. As horrible and stubborn as she was, she’d been polite enough to offer that apology. As if he hadn’t dragged her down into that position the first time. And he was doing it again. Placing her exactly where he wanted, although she continued to presume she had the upperhand.



ooc; sorry about the wait. internet cut out.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

Rachel felt her heart sink when Ace told her that he could walk home from where they were but at the same time she was extremely happy that he had chosen to get himself home. She knew that the sooner she was away from him then the more clearly she would be able to think about things. She knew that the cold ones were nothing but a legend but at the same time she knew that with him close to her she wouldn't be able to completely extinguish the doubt in her head. She wasn't exactly thinking clearly at this moment, especially after the kiss, so she had to get away from him and clear her mind a bit before she said or did something that she would regret later.

"Ok." Rachel said with a smile on her lips as she nodded her head up and down slowly in understanding. Ace probably thought that she was giving him the brush off and when he told her that she could probably find him if she felt like looking, Rachel had her suspicions confirmed. The guy thought she was blowing him off internally Rachel couldn't help wondering how many, if any, other girls had ever turned Ace away. He was good looking and by the reaction of the girls in the car it was obvious he could have his pick of any girl out there. Then again if he was what she thought he was then of course he could have his pick of any girl. The cold ones were supposed to be extremely good looking. It helped them in to lure in their prey after all.

Rachel was about to ask Ace for his number so that she could call him when she had figured out a date for him to join her family for dinner but before she could do anything, Rachel felt his lips pressed against hers again. Eyes widening in surprise, Rachel stood completely still with her back against her car as her heart pounded in her chest. After a few seconds, Rachel's eyes slowly closed as her fingers brushed lightly over Ace's chest before sliding over his shoulders. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Rachel pulled her body closer to Ace's before intensifying the kiss and allowing her tongue to gently dance against Ace's. The hint of rust was still on his tongue but she pushed the thought out of her mind as she tried to enjoy the kiss.

After a few moments Rachel pulled back from Ace and looked up at him with her arms still around his neck. Trying to keep her confidence and arrogance up, Rachel smirked as she tried to slow down her racing heart. Running her tongue lightly over her lips, Rachel's eyes flashed in amusement as she said: "You know if you wanted a kiss all you had to do was ask. The poor me routine you had going there at the end was cute but I have to admit that a man with confidence is more likely to get a positive response from me. As long as his confidence has stepped over that line and become arrogance. Assholes are a huge turnoff."

Dropping her arms from around Ace's neck, Rachel stepped to the side then pulled open the door to the driver's seat. Rachel was just about to get into her car when she remembered that she had no means of getting into contact with Ace when she finally did decide on a day to invite him over and after digging her cell out of her purse, Rachel tossed her purse on to the passenger seat and turned to face Ace as she got ready to program his number into her phone. "If you want me to invite you to dinner I think I'm going to need your number so I can call you."

outift :: wearing

[Benedict Ace Reed]

- - - -

[/color][/center]

Not for the first time today, he was kissing Rachel.

It was crazy. Normally, it’d be a bad day if he hadn’t scored a home run in under an hour. Two hours in, and he was just happy to be kissing Rachel. Maybe it was just the fact that she hadn’t wanted him that made him want her oh-so more. He could feel her hesitation underneath his lips, the pause as her body flooded with surprise. Had it really been that unexpected? Her lips folded against his, her hands sliding up his chest, wrapping around his neck. His fingers traced her cheek, running along the edge of her jaw. And then she stepped closer, pressing her body against him, alighting his body with a new warmth. Even as they kissed, he couldn’t help but admire her self-assurance. She was taking control, tagging him along for the ride, as her tongue slipped between his teeth. He stepped closer, pushing her back against her car, taking back that control she had stripped him off.

As if to reinforce her control, she pulled back, a smirk across her face, almost daring him. So he took that opportunity. He squeezed her closer, one arm snaking around her back, so her body stayed pressed against his. Her tongue slipped across her lip, almost suggestively, as she spoke. "You know if you wanted a kiss all you had to do was ask. The poor me routine you had going there at the end was cute but I have to admit that a man with confidence is more likely to get a positive response from me. As long as his confidence has stepped over that line and become arrogance. Assholes are a huge turnoff." Ah. He had the urge to ask her, if she honestly thought she would be here, if he hadn’t insulted her like he had. If she would have honestly given him that ounce of respect he had earned, that mark that turned him from the average boy, to the up-himself-arrogant asshole she had just been kissing. He doubted it.

And yet before he had time to put it into words, her arms dropped around his neck, and almost reluctantly, she pulled away from him, ready to haul herself up into her car and drive away. There was a moment’s pause, as she regathered her thoughts. Purse. Cell phone. Ah. He strode towards her, thumbs tucked into his pockets, as she turned to face him. The edges of his mouth crept into a grin, like a fire taking holding of fuel. It was instant. "If you want me to invite you to dinner I think I'm going to need your number so I can call you." she said, cradling the phone in her hand. He nodded his head, stepping closer, pale fingers brushing against hers as he took the phone. His fingers ran across the phone, lightning fast, adding himself under ‘Ace—the asshole’. He wondered if she’d smile when she saw or, or not even recall what it was about.

He handed the phone back, grin across his face, his shoulders shrugging lightly. “There you go. I guess I’ll talk to you whenever you call.” And for the third time, he stepped in close, fingers running through the back of her curly hair as he dipped his head down to her level, lips resting lightly against hers. “Rachel,” his voice light, “My I kiss you again?” And then without needing an answer, he kissed her lightly, a small peck, grinning as he pulled back. And then without saying anything else, he turned, striding easily out of the carpark, his head down, walking with a purpose, as he tried to navigate himself around.


ooc; so when shall we continue this? (:.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Rachel Itzel Black]

*****

Smirking as Ace took her cell phone from her. Rachel had to shake her head slightly from side to side at his arrogance. He could have just as easily given her the number so she could program it into her phone on her own but instead he had taken her cell from her and put his number in himself. Although she hadn't known Ace long, Rachel couldn't help thinking that the move was characteristically Ace. Normally arrogant guys were a huge turnoff for her but this time the arrogance had softened somewhat. When she had first met him Rachel had wanted to slap Ace but had stopped herself since they were in a public store and now she just wanted him to kiss her again? Rachel couldn't help feeling extremely confused as she watched Ace program his number into her phone, especially given the fact that she still doubted he was completely human.

"I'll talk to my dad today or tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to give a call within a couple days. If not then I'll give you a call next week at the latest." Rachel said with a smile before Ace had slipped his fingers into the strands of her hair and was asking her if he could kiss her again. Before Rachel could respond, Ace had pressed his lips against hers lightly. Rachel had just barely had a chance to rest the palms of her hands lightly on his chest before he was pulling away from her and turning around. Left standing by her open door, Rachel watched Ace as he disappeared from sight before she shook herself free of her daydreams and slipped into her car.

After making sure she was strapped in, Rachel started up her car and pulled out of her spot. After cutting through the parking lot, Rachel pulled out into the street and headed for the reservation. Her eyes were on the road ahead of her but her mind was on Ace. The kisses had been intense, at least in her opinion. The last one had been innocent and chaste but it had still sent a chill down her spine and caused the butterflies in her stomach to go into overdrive. Watching the road ahead of her as she made her way out of Forks, Rachel's thought took her to her dad and her brother. Jacob may have been younger then her but he was still fiercely protective of her and she doubted if either he or their father would be happy if they knew that Rachel had been kissing a guy she had only known for maybe a couple of hours.

As Rachel pulled into the reservation about fifteen minutes later, she let her eyes travel over the people she had grown up. Every person here believed in the cold one legends. Hell they had even stopped going to Forks Hospital because of the story that Dr. Carlisle and his sons were cold ones that had been in the area before. Of course they were a different kind of cold one. They didn't feed from humans but still. Would her people believe that Ace was a cold one if she were to present her evidence. Then again he hadn't even tried to feed from her so maybe he wasn't one and she was just blowing things out of proportion.

Pulling into the driveway of her family's home, Rachel smiled when she saw her younger brother in the front yard doing some yard work. Shutting off her engine, Rachel pushed open her door then called out to Jacob: "Hey Jake can you give me a hand with the groceries?"

outift :: wearing
well I'm going to do a thread with Jacob.
after that we can do a thread where Jacob
stumbles on Ace and Rachel. Sound good?:: notes