"Love is like a sin my love, for the ones that feels it the most. Look at her with her eyes like a flame; she will love you like a fly will never love you, again."Paradise Circus, Massive Attack
(break)
"Look at you," he murmured, smile touching his lips with the barest of thoughts.
Just the sight of her made him smile. Those challenging brown eyes, and that face. Hal's heart seized with joy at the thought of seeing it. Her. Sylvie. Sylvie.
"So gorgeous, I'd eat you up," he joked, supporting her as she stepped down.
"Oh, ha-ha," she shot back, eyes twinkling. "I just don't know why I put up with your bad jokes."
"Yes, I wonder what it could be," he mused, escorting her into the theater.
"Mmm, well, it's definitely not the sex," she considered, side-eyeing him.
Hal mocked injury, and she laughed, leaning her head briefly on his shoulder. He welcomed her familiar warmth. She was his lifeline, and Hal had never…ever been more infatuated with anything in his life like he was her. So damn in love, it hurt him.
"And dash it all, I just can not stand your pretty hair, your perfect smile, and those beyond gorgeous lips, so I suppose it's your forehead."
"My forehead," Hal chuckled, eyebrows raised practically tripped over a step staring at her smile.
With a laugh, she sat down on the steps, despite the fact that ladies were supposed to do this. Hal eased himself up to the same step, hooking an arm around her waist to pull her close, pressing his nose into her ringlets.
"I love you," she murmured, serious as anything now.
"You know I love you," he responded.
"So go buy me a drink, why don't you?" she whispered, lips twitching in a smile. "Forehead."
"I'll leave you in the box alone for a time, then," he said, smirking at her injured expression.
"I was kidding, Hal!"
"Are you sure, because I saw the line-"
"Come now, do not be like that!"
"then say you love it," he said, turning to scoop her up in his arms, ignoring the right out shocked expression of the straggling Lords and Ladies to their seats.
She tossed her pretty head so her hair hung over her shoulder. Sylvie gave him this adorably quizzical look, even though she bloody knew what he was talking about. Hal gave her a stern look, even he as he carried her all the way up the steps towards his booth.
"Come, I want to hear it, or I will not put you down."
"Fine, I actually find your arms quite comfortable. Clear view of that forehead I so love," she deflected, waving her hand about behind his head.
Hal threw her into the air, making her squeak. She hated being thrown.
"Okay! Okay!" she squeaked, and then said, "I love the sex."
"Again."
"I fucking love the sex."
"Once more."
"Fetish-y male."
"Shoot me."
"I could. But you wouldn't be slowed down."
"Say it then."
"I love your sex."
"Dirty."
He never knew how someone as talkative as her, could sit through an entire play, full of boring conversations, quiet as the dead. Sylvie's head was against his chest, her breathing steady as her heartbeat. Hal contented himself playing with her hair, the ringlets springing back in place.
And he ignored the bloodlust as easy as a passing thought. Even if it kept coming back. He could stand it when near her. Everything, he could stand. Idiots, men who deemed to look at her, and the general London weather.
She loved the London weather. Her pretty face, streaked by rain, dress ruined, maids running after her, leaving Hal to chuckle as he stood near the door. It was annoying, but he loved it.
When they returned to their manor, and slid into their bed, she kissed him lightly, eyes hooded with sleep. Hal slid an arm over her side, tracing the curves on her delicate body. Sylvie smiled, full lips curled in happiness. God, he was happy.
"Are you okay, Hal?" she asked him, resting her head on his pillow, eyes intense.
"I'm fine."
"I love you."
"So much?"
"So very much."
"Then that's why I'm very much fine."
She smiled, kissing him again, a perfect one, that assured him 10 times over that everything would be okay if she was there. Hal's breath almost escaped his lungs. If he truly needed it, it'd all be gone by now.
"You're so perfect," he whispered, drawing her close. "You know that, don't you?"
"No sex."
"That hurt me, right here," he whispered, smiling as she did with his poke to her chest.
"AW, does Hal need a hug?" she crooned, finger slipping over his mouth.
"Hal might need more than that," he murmured, voice low, as he kissed her neck.
"Does he now?" she queried, rolling on top of him, lower lip bitten.
"Hell."
Hal surged upwards, pressing her down on the bed, kissing her as if she was the only thing in the world. And to him, she truly was. God he loved her. He loved those lips, could drown himself in those adorable squeaks, and fuck if she wasn't the most beautiful thing ever.
Her hands twisted his hair almost uncomfortably, but he didn't give a damn, just bit down on her bottom lip in response. Not hard enough to draw blood, but... His arms slipped around her small waist.
"Hal," she whispered, voice strained.
Nothing made him feel this real.
Break)
They went to a gallery, perusing the Renaissance art exhibits. It was only for him, being that she decidedly did not appreciate art. But she'd agree to anything if he was to accompany her; and it was his idea.
"The first literature I see, I will rip it from the hands of whomever holds it."
"Will you?"
"I enjoy art, Hal, I just do not enjoy these men. Besides, you know how my love for text holds."
Hal's eyebrows rose and he glanced around. "Not even the Viscount, I know he may well be more suited to your taste?"
"My taste? What do you define that as?"
"I don't want to make you angry."
"Now I'm angry."
"Christ, Sylvie."
"Do not Christ me, sir, I will have my opinions."
"Then I am sorry to have offended you."
"Apology accepted, but you-"
"Lord Hal," A woman trilled.
Sylvie's eyes darkled, and her chest rose, the frills barely hiding it doing so also. Her glance darted towards him, and her small, silk fan beat rapidly against the side of her satin skirts. Hal chuckled, touching her curls, tucking it over her small ear before turning to Lady Sophie with a bow.
"Lady Sophie," he greeted, nudging the still turned away Sylvie.
She turned slowly, glaring out above the ditzy woman's bobbing head, ignoring the cheery hello and cursty sent her way also. Hal supposed it was worth it, getting her to turn the same way as he was. Lady Sophie seemed oblivious to the fact that Sylvie was less than happy to be near her.
"Hal, you will come to my name day gala, will you not?" Sophie questioned, blue eyes wide.
"No," Sylvie sniped, eyes crackling to a blaze.
"Of course."
They disagreed at the same time, which sparked anger in Sylvie. She glared at Lady Sophie directly on, and ignored Hal entirely. His hand griped lightly on the covered shoulder, quelling that ember of anger that would've, being her, spark a wildfire.
"I do not know," Hal said instead, smiling briefly at her.
He didn't go places with many people in them, and Sophie was a social butterfly, much more agreeable to argue with than Sylvie. Sylvie had the strongest opinion, usually undeniably smart, but her tongue was sharp as she was beautiful.
"Which basically means, we're not coming."
"Oh, Sylvie, why do you dislike me so?"
"Dislike? That is the farthest cry from my feelings."
"But Hal enjoys me."
Sylvie looked ready to wrap her hands around the taller blonde's neck. Being 7 inches shorter than him, and an inch shorter than Sophie, Sylvie could be easily categorized as an angry small woman. But that anger had its righteous moments.
Her eyes cut to him, and he shook his head slightly. He really did not enjoy the blonde. Sophie didn't, and had never ever made his stomach tighten, his heart skip, and mind overflow with joy with just her presence. Sylvie did.
"No, he doesn't."
"Yes he does. Besides, you are too outspoken for a lady."
"Excuse me, I do my Lady-ing just as well as you do."
"Hardly."
"You may kiss my-"
"Lady Sophie," Hal broke in hurriedly, breaking in between the two feuding women. "Please. Sylvie, I beseech you, refrain from this silly fight."
She swallowed down the next word, which would've been butt, with a strangled squeak. Hal knew he had to get the annoying woman away from then before she really tried anything. Which she would.
"Sophie, Sophie!" someone called.
She was flagged down by her brother, and departed with a smile and a sway of hips. Hal grabbed her waist, the one he'd encircled so easily last night, holding her back. Another person walked around the corner, seeing her wildly clawing at the air, and him, holding her back with all his strength. For such a small person, Sylvie truly did have certain strengths.
Sylvie straightened, clearing her throat primly, removing Hal's hand from her waist primly. She smiled at a family, friend, of course, earning a smile back. It was impossible not to smile if she fixed you with those surprisingly innocent brown eyes, and smiled a smile that made two slight indents in her cheeks.
"Sylvie. Still as radiant as ever."
"Of course, cousin. Thank you," she responded, dipping into a slight curtsy. "I trust you are well?"
"As ever I can be."
He bowed in return, continuing out of sight. Sylvie sighed, letting the smile go. Hal chuckled slipping an arm around her waist again.
She blinked brown eyes at him, resting her head on his shoulder. Sylvie. Sometimes, he could hardly believe she was real. How could something so gorgeous be tangible? It must be a dream. The bloodlust…it must be doing things to his mind, creating things like this.
No.
"I love you."
That one whisper grounded him more firmly than gravity.
"And I you."
"Can we go walking in the gardens tonight?" she asked.
"Anything you wish."
Review, please; was it shit, how are your feelings on Sylvie (and I do try to keep it close to his description of her)?
AN: I bloody love Hal's past. I really do. And when he recounted that woman (it's always a woman with Hal, fucking go figure, but I still ship HalxTom, above Halex. I do) I was just, yup, gotta get this up there before I replicate.
Besides. Who doesn't love Damien Molony's acting? Well, never mind the ones that don't, but that scene, I was like, that IS Hal. Still shagging both of them, if it's ever possible.
(Mousy?! His hair is luscious!)-me. Just wanted to share my thoughts with you.