((Taken from live RP with Riley))

It was a lovely night indeed. After a delicious dinner from Carito's, Daniel and Riley walked along the moonlit streets together, not in any particular hurry to get anywhere, just enjoying the night. They hardly even had to say anything; simply enjoyment of one another's company was enough.

Riley heaved a big sigh, stomach full of vegetable lasagna and blood orange sorbet. It was a cool night, perfect for rambling through the city, hand in hand with one's favorite Leopard, which was, in fact, what she was currently doing. "I'm kinda peeved that we were denied the the tree," she said as they passed by a relatively large oak. "A tree that's bigger than Doc's house is a challenge that's just screaming out to me."

Daniel nodded. "Tell me about it. Now we'll never know who has to do laundry for a week." He chuckled.

She gave him a squinty-eyed stare. "Oh, there will still be a show-down. And you'll still have to do laundry for a week. I like my delicates done by hand, by the way." And there it was - looming in front of them like some great, loomy-kinda beastie thing. The Red Dragon Inn. She cocked her head to the side and said in a curious voice, "Ever look at that place and think, 'It looks like it's gonna eat me'?"

Daniel paused and stared up at the Inn. In the shadowy moonlight, it did look a bit menacing. "I can't say that I'd ever thought about it before, but now that you've mentioned it..." Notice how he said nothing at all about her laundry preferences.

"It's no wonder all the weird sh*t in this place happens there."

"I think that goes for the whole city."

"What? Weird sh*t? Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, are we gonna go get swallowed up or go home?" Yes, that was noticed and you can betcha your bottom dollar that she'd bring it up again...at a most inopportune time.

"Do we risk being devoured by the beast, or stand here and gaze upon it from afar?" he asked at the same time, gesturing toward the Inn.

She blinked at him and then cracked up. "You seriously need to quit doing that! People are gonna start thinking we're the same person."

He laughed. "Pay no mind to the man behind the curtain."

"At least your hand's not up my a*s." She tugged gently on his shirt pulling, him towards the Inn.

"No, I don't go for that stuff," he snickered, heading up the stairs to the porch.

"Thank god." She took the porch steps slowly, testing the air, listening to the bits of conversation that trickled out. Lots of familiar ...uh... people tonight.

"Are we going in, or do you want to stay out here a while?"

"We could stay out here...so long as I have a delicious adult beverage to fortify me."

"I would be delighted to procure a beverage for madam," he said, ala Jeeves.

She grinned and chuckled at that. "Very good. Madam would like two fingers of a 12-year-old scotch with just a tiny splash of water."

He took her hands and shook his head. "No, I'm not. For one, Andy killed himself, and it wasn't your fault at all, whatever you or even he might have thought. I'm certainly not going to do that. I'm comfortable with who and what I am. As for Rhys...after all you've told me, the life he lived was a dangerous one. Besides, he's not dead. I'm not going to run away and hide on the off chance that something bad might happen. I'll just keep my eye out for falling pianos." He stopped, realizing he was going on just a bit.

She heaved another sigh and shook her head. "I loved them both. Very much. And they're...well, they're both beyond reach now. I..." She trailed off, realizing that she was just repeating herself now. She had no new arguments, no new defenses. It was the same old-same old, rehashed a thousand times because truth was...she was freaking terrified. "Fine,? she said suddenly, ?Yes. This week-end. We clear out that mess of yours, chuck it all in the street and let the Makos set fire to it or the street people drag it off. Okay? Yes!" She set her glass aside and shot out of the swing, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as she began pacing off the nervous energy that accompanied her declaration.

"Sounds perfect," Daniel said, and closed his mouth before he could say anything else that might come out wrong.

She stopped on the opposite side of the porch and whirled around to face him. "What did we just decide here?"

"Er," he said, and paused. "We decided to throw all of my stuff into the street and let the Makos set fire to it, or the street people drag it off." Then, after another long pause. "And then I'll move in with you?" It wasn't really supposed to be a question, but he was obviously nervous and it just sort of came out that way.

Her eyes slowly narrowed as she heard the first part of his response. She took a single step forward, balling up her fist to punch right in the solar plexus...but then relaxed when she heard the rest of it. "We'll keep the monkey," she said magnanimously.

He nodded. "Mindy would be sad if we tossed the monkey." You could practically taste the relief in his voice.

She crossed the porch and sat down beside him. She just stared at him for a long time, not moving, not speaking, as if she were memorizing him to store up his face...just in case. And then she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and kissed him. To hell with the PG-rating! We're going for an R!

His hands closed on her hips and he returned that kiss with almost painful intensity. Apparently, he'd given the right answer.

She pulled away, licking bruised lips and panting. "Home? Our home?" she added, her eyes shining.

He smiled happily. "Yes, let's. I wonder if it will look different to me now."

"Only if I didn't clean up before I left."

He snorted and poked her in the ribs. "Very witty, pyara."

She grinned and stood up, leaving the scotch behind on the swing, with only one swallow taken from it. "Race ya?"

"You bet," he said, leaping right past her off the porch and onto the road, where he promptly sprinted off, laughing.

"Cheater!" she hollered after him and flew off the porch, her feet barely touching the ground before she took off, running at top speed...which for a Lycanthrope was very speedy, indeedy.