If this were a battle scenario, David would know exactly what to do.
Battle scenarios are easy to decipher. Some of them can be complicated, it’s true, but there’s still something black and white about them. The objective is to win. It doesn’t require the nuance of diplomacy which is what this particular mission is leaning on. Which is also why he’s hanging to the back of the crowds, moving only where Zara leads him and trying not to draw too much attention to himself. It’s difficult to do, when you’re as large as he is, but he tries. He almost manages to successfully blend into the background until Zara glances over at him with a smile that he should have known would indicate trouble.
“Would you like to dance?”
“What?” is his very eloquent answer.
Her smile is thin but insistent, and while he knows that she knows that he isn’t asking her to repeat herself, she does all the same. “Would you like to dance?”
Since he’s likely not going to be able to get away with the same question twice, and it’s unlikely that it would be found believable that a woman as beautiful as Zara would be turned down by her escort for a dance, he swallows hard and nods, offering her his arm as they move towards the dancefloor.
“I apologize in advance if I step on you feet.”
She laughs, before shaking her head. “I think you’ll manage. The dance isn’t a particular fast one.”
“You may regret absolving me of this later.” He stops and takes up the traditional frame, one hand in hers, the other lightly on her waist, and it doesn’t stop her from stepping in, getting closer and David swallows hard. “Especially if you’re going to be this close.”
“Do you have a problem with closeness?” He doesn’t really have an answer to that, and she tips her head to the side curiously. “Timid is not something I would have expected from you.”
“Some things come easier than others.”
She smiles at him, and he wishes not for the first time that he could tell what she was thinking. She reminds him of April in so many ways, a woman of faith from a world with kinder gods – or at least that’s what she’s given him the impression of. The Judeo-Christian god has also never really given David the impression of being particularly kind, but that’s just his impression. He swore off that kind of thing a long time ago. It isn’t just her faith, though. It’s her warmth, her sense of leadership, her way with people that David has always envied. So he just does what he would do with April – he lets her lead and hopes that he won’t find himself in a situation that’s the opposite of that.
“You remind me of someone I used to know,” she says softly, halfway through the song, and he glances over to her in surprise. “Her name was Celdori. She was part of my royal guard.”
He’s quiet for a moment, trying to pick apart what those two things have in relation towards each other, beyond the obvious. If they are going to connect any member of this team with a bodyguard, it’s going to be David Levin. But he senses that there’s more to it than that. “What about her?”
“Stoic, reliable, solid.” Zara pauses for a moment and he can see the fondness in her expression, mixed with something else he can’t quite read. “She always had my best interests at heart, even if I didn’t always see it at the time.”
“And you think that I’m the same?”
She gives a small shrug. “She also had a very hard time telling me no as well. Especially when it came to something that made her feel uncomfortable.”
Then his head ducks a bit sheepishly. “Am I that obvious?”
“Apologizing in advance usually gives you away.”
“Good point.” His eyes drift over her shoulder for a moment, noting the people they’re there to see beginning to make their approach again. “I just like to think I know when to follow someone else’s lead.”
“You do it gracefully.”
“Miss Ae'lorin? Mr. Goggins will see you now.” The man pauses before glancing over in David’s direction. “Without your escort, if you don’t mind?”
She looks back at David uncertainly, and he nods. “It’s fine.” He leans in, bringing one hand up to his lips. As he brushes a soft kiss to her knuckles, he slips one of the wireless comms into the palm of her hand. “I’ll be here when you finish.”
She nods as her fingers curl around it, before she gives a polite smile in return. “Thank you for the lovely dance.”
“My pleasure.”
He then turns to exit the dance floor, one hand coming up to slip his own comm in his ear so he can hear things as they proceed. Gus comes up alongside him, holding out a glass of champagne which he takes with a nod.
“I never thought I’d have to say this to you, but you do know that the best time for romantic heart to hearts is not the middle of a mission, right?”
David rolls his eyes. “Shut up.”
Gus grins, before patting him lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Romeo. I’m sure you’ll have another shot before the night is out.”
david/zara | knights of legend | 900
Battle scenarios are easy to decipher. Some of them can be complicated, it’s true, but there’s still something black and white about them. The objective is to win. It doesn’t require the nuance of diplomacy which is what this particular mission is leaning on. Which is also why he’s hanging to the back of the crowds, moving only where Zara leads him and trying not to draw too much attention to himself. It’s difficult to do, when you’re as large as he is, but he tries. He almost manages to successfully blend into the background until Zara glances over at him with a smile that he should have known would indicate trouble.
“Would you like to dance?”
“What?” is his very eloquent answer.
Her smile is thin but insistent, and while he knows that she knows that he isn’t asking her to repeat herself, she does all the same. “Would you like to dance?”
Since he’s likely not going to be able to get away with the same question twice, and it’s unlikely that it would be found believable that a woman as beautiful as Zara would be turned down by her escort for a dance, he swallows hard and nods, offering her his arm as they move towards the dancefloor.
“I apologize in advance if I step on you feet.”
She laughs, before shaking her head. “I think you’ll manage. The dance isn’t a particular fast one.”
“You may regret absolving me of this later.” He stops and takes up the traditional frame, one hand in hers, the other lightly on her waist, and it doesn’t stop her from stepping in, getting closer and David swallows hard. “Especially if you’re going to be this close.”
“Do you have a problem with closeness?” He doesn’t really have an answer to that, and she tips her head to the side curiously. “Timid is not something I would have expected from you.”
“Some things come easier than others.”
She smiles at him, and he wishes not for the first time that he could tell what she was thinking. She reminds him of April in so many ways, a woman of faith from a world with kinder gods – or at least that’s what she’s given him the impression of. The Judeo-Christian god has also never really given David the impression of being particularly kind, but that’s just his impression. He swore off that kind of thing a long time ago. It isn’t just her faith, though. It’s her warmth, her sense of leadership, her way with people that David has always envied. So he just does what he would do with April – he lets her lead and hopes that he won’t find himself in a situation that’s the opposite of that.
“You remind me of someone I used to know,” she says softly, halfway through the song, and he glances over to her in surprise. “Her name was Celdori. She was part of my royal guard.”
He’s quiet for a moment, trying to pick apart what those two things have in relation towards each other, beyond the obvious. If they are going to connect any member of this team with a bodyguard, it’s going to be David Levin. But he senses that there’s more to it than that. “What about her?”
“Stoic, reliable, solid.” Zara pauses for a moment and he can see the fondness in her expression, mixed with something else he can’t quite read. “She always had my best interests at heart, even if I didn’t always see it at the time.”
“And you think that I’m the same?”
She gives a small shrug. “She also had a very hard time telling me no as well. Especially when it came to something that made her feel uncomfortable.”
Then his head ducks a bit sheepishly. “Am I that obvious?”
“Apologizing in advance usually gives you away.”
“Good point.” His eyes drift over her shoulder for a moment, noting the people they’re there to see beginning to make their approach again. “I just like to think I know when to follow someone else’s lead.”
“You do it gracefully.”
“Miss Ae'lorin? Mr. Goggins will see you now.” The man pauses before glancing over in David’s direction. “Without your escort, if you don’t mind?”
She looks back at David uncertainly, and he nods. “It’s fine.” He leans in, bringing one hand up to his lips. As he brushes a soft kiss to her knuckles, he slips one of the wireless comms into the palm of her hand. “I’ll be here when you finish.”
She nods as her fingers curl around it, before she gives a polite smile in return. “Thank you for the lovely dance.”
“My pleasure.”
He then turns to exit the dance floor, one hand coming up to slip his own comm in his ear so he can hear things as they proceed. Gus comes up alongside him, holding out a glass of champagne which he takes with a nod.
“I never thought I’d have to say this to you, but you do know that the best time for romantic heart to hearts is not the middle of a mission, right?”
David rolls his eyes. “Shut up.”
Gus grins, before patting him lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Romeo. I’m sure you’ll have another shot before the night is out.”