OOM: Upstairs.

[yosafbridge]

The room, for the most part, is nearly identical to when he had seen it last: dimly lit, decorated in deep, lush colors - mostly purples and reds, several soft and comfortable chairs in which to sit, recline, doze or potentially participate in activities that are not entirely restful. She's done a little shopping since then, purchased some new works of art and pieces to decorate here and there and eventually sell to someone else later on when she tires of them.

The bed is relatively new too, four-poster with sheer curtains and a mattress that feels like you could be sleeping on a cloud if you close your eyes.

It's familiar to him, even if he doesn't remember it yet. She's hoping tonight will jog his memories and bring them back by a means most enjoyable.

Comments

[yosafbridge]

"Eight," she says, fingers gently stroking. "Since the first time you found the Bar."

[scots_wolf]

"And how long after that did I find you?" Urquhart asks.

He feels it was soon. She is the kind of woman to catch his eye at once.

[yosafbridge]

"After you came in?"

She doesn't have to think about it for very long.

"Almost immediately."

[scots_wolf]

"You'd be hard not to notice," Urquhart says, "no matter how many people there are in a room; but I guess you might sometimes be gone to your own world? The one on the map?"

[yosafbridge]

"Sometimes," she admits, with a small shrug.

"If there's jobs worth pulling. I try to keep a lower profile out there."

[scots_wolf]

"If the jobs bring you enough, you can afford not to do many," Urquhart says. "That's what I always do. But I guess you know that already."

[yosafbridge]

"The last one was good enough to keep me satisfied for a while," she admits.

"But yes, you were fairly honest about what you did from the start."

[scots_wolf]

"If I can't do it in here," Urquhart points out, "I can at least be open about it. Might bring me new clients, after all."

Pause.

"Although, if I keep being killed, people will think I'm a bit of a loser. On the other hand, I can risk being killed and always come back."

[yosafbridge]

"But will you always come back?" she asks.

"What if something happens, if you get yourself killed again, and you can't come back?"

[scots_wolf]

"I can't be sure," Urquhart says, "and I'll try not to get killed all that often, anyway. I don't think it's very pleasant. Dying the first time around wasn't."

[yosafbridge]

"I don't imagine it would be," she answers.

"And I'm not very fond of finding out about it, myself," Saffron adds, in a murmur half-muffled against his chest.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart's arms tighten around her, protectively. "Is anybody out to kill you, then?" he asks. "I mean, apart from the usual? Angry leftovers from some job?"

Anybody gets those!

[yosafbridge]

"Oh, I'm sure there are at least a small handful in the Bar who would love to riddle me with holes."

One's even told her as much on multiple occasions.

[scots_wolf]

"Well, if they try to hire me," Urquhart says, "I'm not taking the contract. You're more fun alive than any money could possibly buy me."

[yosafbridge]

She smiles, burying her face against his shoulder.

"I'm very glad for that, baobei."

[scots_wolf]

"Pure self-interest," Urquhart says, with a little amused smile. "I want to keep you around! I want to do more of this."

[yosafbridge]

"Oh, purely out of self-interest?"

She sits up slightly, propping her head up on her hand.

"Is that all?"

[scots_wolf]

"Self-interest, fuelled by desire, the pleasure I take in being with you, and at having met a woman who is my equal and could give me a run for my money," Urquhart says. "I'm not going to risk all that!"

[yosafbridge]

Seemingly content with that answer, she nods slowly, a smile working its way onto her lips, and settles back in to lay at his side.

She may be allowing herself to like him more than she'll ever let on.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart is even worse.

He can't even feel how much he likes her.-