The simple night was an early one. A simple few hours of breakdancing at Eclipse had the Gypsy on the cobbles early in the evening. She headed home. And upon getting there, she was ushered in by the doorman. Even still, she was not used to the service. Even if she'd lived there for quite a while. The winter was a harsh one, leaving many layers to remove before in simple clothing.

Brandon was warming his still cold frame near the fire. Relaxing on the pillows that they kept scattered on the floor between couch and fireplace, he lounged with beer in his hand. It'd been a long day and after pulling Shane out of the Dragon the night before, he was exhausted. As the fire crackled and the beer set to warming his bones, Brandon tense muscles slowly smoothed into relaxed curves and lines. Hearing the door he pushed up onto his elbow and twisted his head to look in that direction. "Hey, I wasn't expecting you so early. What gives?"

"Punters were in small quantities tonight. Didn't need my support. Girls can handle it without me." Slitted pupils were thinned and simple. After coats were shed, she were simplified to a tight vest and jeans. The ever present denim seemed newer than her usual pairs. "In summary, slow night." She grinned over her shoulder to him, as she disarmed herself of certain things.

"Good. Bad news for the club, good news for me." He rolled over and watched as she defrocked and eliminated the clutter about herself. "New jeans, baby?" Leaning his head upon his upturned palm, he smiled casually.

"To me, yes." She chuckled and finally did the usual shuffle of her Technicolor dreadlocks. Those tattoos were alive with the caramel of her skin. She was fully restored since that horrid incident. Muscled, toned, and pliable. "Lookit you, nursin' a beer on your own. Tough day?" She finally turned to face him, and rolled her shoulders. She had obviously done strenuous activity recently, with those livened muscles quite greased.

"Just tired. C'mere." He beckoned her over with a jerk of his head. "You look all sparkly and shiney." Pushing himself up to sitting cross-legged, he leaned back against the fireplace. His arms were opened wide, one hand beckoning her to come, the other holding the beer aloft.

Brows climbed slowly, as did a grin. "Do I?" Her slang was subtler than usual. Perhaps she seemed cleansed after her own sporadic activities. She came to turn, and performed an effortlessly world class stroll toward him. Hips were loose, arms loosened at her sides. Swinging as she walked. It was slow. Lowering to her knees, she came to crawl to him. "I wonder what has me sparklier than usual." Prompting him, she was a'fire with curiosity.

He took the last swallow of beer and put the bottle to the side. His head swayed with the watching of her hips. "Damn, work it girl," chuckled out. His sapphire blues admired her every move. "Hmm, could be that 'I'm so in love' look." Doing his best to be sultry, it came out more with a country twang than he had anticipated. Hands touched her shoulders when she was close enough and slid down her greased arms to pull her into his lap. "Or could be the goop." He laughed and embraced her, greeting her with a nuzzle to her cheek and a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "Welcome home, baby."

"Aint goop. Just some lotion sampled when I borrowed the girl's jeans." She was no thief. Just a famed borrower. She was pulled, and adjusted. "Fee, Fie, Foe..." Chase turned into the kiss at her mouth, all in hopes for it not landing on her mouth. "... Fum." The Gypo's nostrils flared.

Kiss landed and delivered, lingered. He held her close, then broke the kiss to pull her to his chest. "I smell the blood of an Irishman." he finished the rhyme. "Speaking of which. He's going to end up in deep shit with Skulls if he's not careful."

"Talk to me.." She was uninformed. Sourly ignorant. "Give me the big picture." Chase spoke to his lips, hating the words that came out of her own.

"I feel like a damn cock blocker. Babe, every time I go into the Dragon, he's in there and these chicks, I swear. They're like maggots or something. All over him, practically dry humping him. It's disgusting. Bunch of bitches in heat." He shook his head with a sigh. "And Shane, he's just oblivious to it all. He's laughing and cutting up with them, he doesn't see that they're out to get him into the sack. One of these days, he's going to get drunk out of his mind and end up doing something he regrets." He sighed and hugged her tightly. "I worry about him, Chase."

"Women are horrid creatures." Said by the most dangerous of them all. Chase listened delicately, and nodded every now and again."Have you tried to talk to him about it? To remind him how thin the ice is under his heels?"

"Not yet." he shook his head and brought a hand up to run through his hair. "How many times is he going to be mentioned in the gossip column before Skulls gets tired of hearing it though?" Really, Brandon could care less if Skulls was happy or not. But he knew that if Skulls wasn't happy, she could make Shane miserable. "Anyway."

"Brothers not by blood, but by bond." She sang this not by octaves, but by lyrics. The words sang themselves. She was just the vessel. "I wish he saw how.. similar to his past he's becoming." She was referring of course to Darcy. "The past dares to infect into the present when one isn't mindful of the lessons learned." Chase sighed. "There is only so much you can do, cherub."

His eyes fluttered open, half way and he smiled at her, in awe. "You've a way with words. Wish I could put things like that." He sighed then and sat up a bit. "You know, it's been a year, babe." He waited for her to stiffen, to object before he could ask.

"Has it now?" A small laugh came from her chords, as she looked onwards into the fireplace. She didn't stiffen as much as she stirred. She adjusted herself as she sat before him, and smiled. "And what has you more fueled to remember is Shane's past matching my own. Wanting me far from the tabloids, unlike him. I was in his shoes more than once, you know."

"I know." He was surprised that she didn't stiffen or pull away. Though the rerouting of the conversation was noted duly. "But you're beyond that, now. Only thng said about you is that you drink." He shrugged then and cast his eyes away for a moment. "I love you, Chase." It was out of left field, and he knew it; but the compulsion to say it had the words blurted out before he could reel them back.

"I've behaved." That was more powerful than the three words he was enslaved to. Coming from a woman as unruly as the seas, she was devout. "Even though I've danced on the laps of other men, off the dancefloor and on.. I've only been engaged once. I thought it was right, but it wasn't. I'm more sure than ever that you've considered all my vipers and trap doors. And endure, even still.. But are you so keen on rushing what otherwise is eternal?" Chase nodded to herself, and paused. "Ask me."

Brandon's head tilted downward as she spoke, the pit of his stomach churning. He felt for sure that she was already declining his proposal before he even started asking it. Her last two words had surpried him and he looked up at her, owlishly. Brandon had tried every trick he could think of to get her to acquiesce. But he'd never tried simply asking her. His throat clenched and he took a deep breath. "Chase, will you marry me?"

Chase was silent a long while. She sat silently, and was entirely relaxed. Distinctive, and heavy. And like the master of control of an audience, she knew just what to do.. It was a mere science. The Gypsy was an artist of the audience. And like the trickster, she had more than what met the eye. And the ear. Smoke and mirrors were her sanctuary. She made an enemy of simplicities. And simplicities were her perfect instrument of misdirection. She took power, and spoke at last. "Yes."

Brandon waited, eyes wide and hopeful at first. But the longer she remained silent, the less confident he felt. Slowly, his eyes lowered and his shoulders slumped in defeat. He didn't know what else to do to convince her that a lifetime together is what was in the cards. His mouth opened and he looked up to say something when she finally replied. His jaw dropped and he gaped at her, openly. Blue eyes widened ridiculously as he stared at her. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me. And if you didn't, you'll have to wait another year." Chase lowered her chin. The sudden wilted posture of defeat came over her. And she sat up, and climbed to stand. Her vest were given tugs to pull over more of her torso. But her curves remained bare thanks to her low cut jeans. "There are conditions."

"I did! I heard!" before he could get too exuberant though, she climbed out of his lap and seemed to be uncomfortable in her own skin. Getting up quickly, he reached for her. "Name it. You know I'll do anything you ask of me."

Chase's hands were on her hips, as she stood. "I know. You won't like it." She grinned broadly.

"We often do things we don't like to do. But if it's for the greater good, then you know I will do it with a smile." he advanced towards her, her grin calling to him.

Chase's shoulders were unsettled. Yet she knew deep down that it was the right choice. The greater good was in fact in the horizon. She could see it now, which was more than she could say for her other days. "I just want it to be lengthy. A long engagement." She was light. Weightless. All of a sudden she felt a little better.

"As long as you'd like. We don't even have to set a date yet. Just knowing that you're as commited, hearing you say it. I've known, Chase, for so long. I've known that you felt what I did." He walked up to her slowly, and placed his hands softly onto her upper arms.

She nodded, and searched the walls a moment. Hands came to her neck. To massage her own sides of her neck. She nodded. "You've proven 10 times over that you are the real thing. And I trust you more than I care to admit.. I do love you." Chase's dreadlocks were still, far from chiming.

He moved his hands upwards to gently cover hers over her neck. "Was that the only condition?" He wanted to hold her, to kiss her and to dance around the apartment. In short he wanted to celebrate. But she seemed so... somber and it brought his excitement down a few notches to be controllable. Lowering his head just a bit, he caught her slitted pupil eyes and held his gaze there. "Tell me that you're sure."

"I am." She turned furiously on her heel. To face him solidly. Excitement was far from what she felt. But sadness was further. "More sure. I don't think you'll believe me. But I've wanted to say 'Yes' to you for months now. I just can't stomach to lose a bet. I'd prefer show stoppers."

"Ha!" he breathed out the laugh and suddenly his arms were around her waist. Hoisting her up, he held her so that his cheek was to her stomach and he had to look up at her. He spun around and laughed out loud. "You vixen!" The excited exuberance was back and he danced with her, cheek to her stomach.

She let out a yelp, and giggled with a surprised tempo when she was lifted. Her hands came to slap at his shoulderblades. Her legs swung softly as she seemed lighter than a pixie. Chase smiled, those giggles gaining near madness. "The one and only!"

"My one and only." his voice was gravel with emotion as he loosened her grip and held on to help her slide down. His mouth caught hers in a searing kiss and his arms tightened once again around her.

She slid down and was caught in a kiss so fast she had nearly forgotten to close her eyes. Chase smiled into his kiss, and came to hook her arms atop his shoulders. She came to softly bring her heels to the floor.

Brandon broke the kiss the moment her feet hit the floor. "We need to have a party." he announced and grinned down at her. "Oh my God. You said yes!" She was picked up and whirled around again.

"I'd say a party is in or-DERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!" She yelped loudly, as she was hauled up again.