You Can't Hide...

[Adara Snow]

Adara had been gone a bit longer than she'd meant to. She'd run into Annabelle, and they had taken a while to sift through books. Adara had a couple tucked under her arm, as well as a copy of the latest Daily Prophet. She didn't intend to offer any of the things she'd brought to Emilian, but if he asked, she wouldn't hide them, either.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian was extremely glad to finally see Adara come through the door, it seemed like she had been gone forever, though he knew it really hadn't been too very long. He went to her, sliding an arm around her waist and stealing a kiss in place of a verbal greeting. The knowledge that he wouldn't have the chance to do so in a couple days' time tried to barge in, but he kept it firmly pressed back in his mind. "I think you'll like what he did," he said softly when he broke the kiss.

[Adara Snow]

Adara sighed and looked dazedly up at Emilian. The books she had been looking through for the past hour or so had sparked many ideas in her mind, and Emilian's greeting was exactly what she had wanted. It took her a moment to realize what Emilian was talking about. "I am certain that I will," she assured him. Adara paid little attention to the books under her arm as she wrapped the other around the back of Emilian's neck, stretching up to kiss him again.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian put his arm under hers, intending to lay them down on the table near them, but ending up just supporting the weight. He let himself go into the kiss, keeping his thoughts at bay by focusing on the feel of her, how was he going to survive without seeing her every day? No, he couldn't think about that, because then he would refuse to go, or convince himself that he couldn't do it.

[Adara Snow]

Somehow, her books ended up on the table, the Daily Prophet laid out on top of the stack. Adara had stopped wondering long ago how things got where they were. All that mattered was the pleasure and relief of Emilian's touch, the emotion that was so powerful that there was no reason for words. Adara sighed against him, her arms twined about the back of his neck. She would not let herself think of when he was gone, would not taint their remaining time together with worry.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian was breathing hard, his arms loosening finally from around Adara as he lay his cheek on her head. He held Adara to him, unwilling to break contact just yet, and closed his eyes, breathing in her scent and forcing his mind to remain pleasantly blank for as long as possible. With Adara in his arms, it was easier than before to block out the unwanted thoughts that he would be leaving.

[Adara Snow]

Adara didn't want to leave the comfort of Emilian's arm. Her head was nestled comfortably against his chest so that she could hear his heart, could feel the humming warmth of the faded motion between them even through the coolness of Emilian's skin. "I am sorry that I took so long," Adara said softly. "I met Anna in the dormitory, and she needed comforting. The Daily Prophet has exceeded even its own standards for bending truths." It was disturbing, not least because of the cruel implications regarding even herself.

[Emilian Sota]

"It's alright," Emilian said. Adara was there, that was all that mattered, the past few hours seemed to fade away with her there with him. "What did the Prophet have to say this time?" he asked, sighing against her hair. He had had about enough of that paper and was glad to be getting away from it, one of the only good things to come from leaving, he wouldn't be there, so he couldn't be in the paper.

[Adara Snow]

Adara chewed her lip for several long moments, trying to decide what to say. The Daily Prophet had said so very much. She sighed, deciding that she could only start at the beginning. "I believe that what distressed Anna was a piece regarding Michael and Dare, though there was an additional piece regarding herself and Chase Firebrand. It mentioned Michael, and Dru as well. The entire article was inflammatory. The woman who writes it...well, she must be sadistic." It was the only word she knew that could begin to describe Gabrielle Kedavra.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian opened his eyes and they darkened when Adara said that Michael and Dare were in the Prophet, that couldn't be good, especially if it had messed with Anna. He looked over to where the paper lay and sighed before pulling away from Adara to pick it up. "And he's going to be coming sometime today," he said absently as he searched for the page. He flicked his eyes up over her body and met hers with a gleam in his eyes that he was sure she wouldn't miss.

[Adara Snow]

Adara blushed vibrantly, her lower lip finding its way between her teeth at the look in Emilian's eyes. She made no move to cover herself, but found her gaze lowering to look at Emilian as well, silently comparing what she saw to what she had seen in one of the books she had purchased. She decided firmly that whoever had drawn the diagram had definitely been missing something. With her thoughts, Adara forgot to speak.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian felt her eyes on his own body when he turned his gaze back to the paper, and so when he finally found the page he was looking for, he looked back up at her. It wasn't surprising that she was looking at him, but she seemed to be examining him. He raised an eyebrow, "You act like you haven't seen me before," he teased, eyes shining with humor.

[Adara Snow]

Adara blinked, her blush returning as she dragged her gaze away. "I was only thinking," she said, then brought her gaze back up to Emilian's. She moved, closing the space between them, and stretched up to place a soft kiss on Emilian's lips. "I was appreciating my luck," she added softly. Especially if, as Anna theorized, men were all built differently.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian's eyes gleamed at that, and he couldn't help the prideful smirk that pulled up his lips. He met her eyes for a few more moments and then gave her another kiss before forcing himself to focus on the paper in his hands, he wanted to know what had been written about Dare and Michael. The smirk stayed on his lips from Adara's words for the first few sentences, then it fell away and his eyes darkened.

[Adara Snow]

Adara slipped one arm softly around Emilian's waist, giving what silent support she could. She knew Emilian's feelings for Michael, and that reading such things could not be easy for him. She waited, watching unobtrusively, until his eyes paused at the end of the section. Then she smoothed her other hand against his chest, subtly reminding him of her presence, and hoping that he might share his thoughts with her.