Aurea let out a silent thank you to those who heard her plea and sighed.

She wasn't one to just sit down submissively, but she wasn't one who liked being rude. The problem is it's impossible to decline when you aren't even able to speak.

"The waiter was a bit overbearing wasn't he?"

Augustine smiled sheepishly while sipping his drink.

Aurea just looked at the man, wondering how someone managed to witness that, do absolutely nothing, and then just gloss over it like it never happened.

"Maybe a little, at least I got my know, you could have helped back there."

Augustine shrugged, leaning his head on his fist, stirring his drink slowly, almost boredly.

"I know, in any other case I probably would have just distracted the waiter. But this is Lysandre's cafe, his work, and his domain. He takes care of it. He'd be offended if I said anything. If he feels something is his responsibility he likes to handle it alone."

Aurea stared at him.

"Why are you friends with him?"

Augustine dropped his arm.

"When I met him I really admired his achievements, but he was rather cold. I admire how swiftly he handles problems and how much he cares about things. After our deal was set I invited him out for coffee and we just ended up hanging out more and more."

She couldn't help but smile a bit at his relaxed attitude.

"My coffee looks like a face."

Aurea peered over at his drink and sure enough the bubbles had formed something like a face, albeit a very confused one.

She snickered.

"Ah right have you added anything yet? Because I have this great creamer that tastes like m-"

"No I don't like to add anything really."

Augustine's face was slowly covered by a thin layer of confusion.

"Like, anything?"

She nodded contently turning over to her warm cup.

"Everything will be ready in a bit."

Lysandre's voice pierced Aurea's composure, causing her to nearly choke on her drink.

Lysandre seated himself in front of her, leaning back into his chair and crossing his legs.

Aurea nodded and went back to her drink.

She brought it to her face, about to take a sip of the warm drink, enjoying the feel of the steam on her face when a hand appeared in front of the cup, stopping it from reaching her mouth.

"Wait you need to try-"

She moved her head and the cup away from Augustine's hand.

"I said I'm fine, I just don't really like sweet coffee."

"I know," Augustine said,"But I wanted you to try mine."

He held up his layered glass happily, as though advertising for something. Aurea glanced at it, she highly doubted she'd like it.

"Come on, please?"

She sighed, relenting.

Lifting the drink up to her mouth, she hesitated feeling something brush her leg, before she could say anything though, the bottom of the glass was tapped and the drink hit her lips.

From what she could tell it was mostly foam, only tasting like a cream. However Augustine tipped the glass up a bit and the actual drink spilled onto her tastebuds.

Surprisingly the drink held a strong flavor, yet after a few seconds the taste faded away and a sweet chocolate took its place.

She attempted to pull the drink away, meeting resistance for only a few seconds before the cup was pulled from her hands.

"So? How was it?"

She tilted her head, contemplating the flavors.

"It was okay. I don't really like the cream or the chocolate, but it seems like it'd be good for a cold day."

Augustine pouted.

"So you didn't like it?"

Once again she felt a few taps against her calf, She looked at Lysandre who was sipping his tea with a bored expression. She had almost forgotten he was here.

"No it was fine, I just like my regular one better is all."

Aurea waved her hands in front of her, feeling bad for making Augustine upset. He brightened and grabbed a spoon sprinkling more chocolate into the drink.

"You like yours sweet, don't you?"

Augustine shrugged mixing the drink,

"It's pretty good but I only like to add enough to make it more sweet than bitter, I like the flavors together, not one over the other!"

He smiled looking at her and then Lysandre. Aurea turned her head in time to see Lysandre doing something akin to smiling.

The corners of his lips slowly and slightly rose enough to lightly push his cheeks up, and his eyes seemingly brightened. Aurea stopped breathing for a second, and looked down into her drink, lifting it to her lips.

She began taking quick continuous sips of the scalding hot coffee, ignoring the way the drink burned her tongue.

His smile had set something off in her. It was small, but surefire proof of this man being even more terrifying than before.

She couldn't wrap her head around it, was he human? How could a person do this and hold no emotion towards murder? He was making her head spin.

She slowly lowered the cup, letting out a large breath and taking in small gulps of air, ignoring the hot trails of coffee running along her hand. Apparently she forgot to breathe.

"You're going to burn yourself."

His smile was gone, and she felt her breaths gradually slow.

Augustine leaned towards her, placing a napkin over her hand.

"You must have really liked your coffee. Remind me to never get you anything else the next time we do something."

Aurea let out a laugh that felt awkward, not forced only relieved instead of amused.

"You say that like we'll be seeing each other after today."

Taps against her knee.

"Of course! Why wouldn't we?" We? "You were injured and hurt, we should at least have some concern for you! Besides I enjoy spending time with you, and I bet Lysandre enjoys your presence as well."

The man in question looked startled by Augustine's words, and was staring at her like an owl. Aurea couldn't help feeling a smile set on her face.

"Well, I wouldn't mind spending more time with the two of you…"

She trailed off noticing Lysandre's icy glare. Two taps to the knee.

Augustine nodded eagerly grinning and clasping his hands together, attracting Aurea's attention once more.

"We'll visit you while you're home recovering! I'm free this wednesday and next Sunday! Do you want to visit Sunday Lysandre?"

Lysandre shook his head.

"I'm busy with work that day."

Aurea caught his gaze for a moment, asking a silent question.

The answer was both.

"Alright then it's fine, I'll visit then and we can come to your house together on wednesday. Would you like that?"

A tap.

Aurea ignored it and nodded with a smile.

Augustine grinned and turned to his drink downing the last of it.

Aurea felt two taps on her thigh, she looked up to find Lysandre glaring at her, and once again she found herself terrified.

Because this glare held a fire of passion, unlike any of his before. His eyes bore holes into her head, and left her wondering how such an icy blue could leave one feeling singed. They held a deep swell of emotion she believed,hoped, was absent from him for all of their time together, a deep fury that did not promise violence but still managed to leave her with a similar fear gained through such actions.

At that point Aurea knew he was human.

And felt two sides of her wanting different things.

The sudden idea of getting to know him had both an appeal and repulsion.

Augustine finished his drink and stood up,

"You'll have to excuse me, I might've drank too much coffee. Do you need anything Aurea?"

A foot wrapped around her calf and she shook her head.

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"Lysandre?"

A silent head shake.

Augustine nodded, sauntering off to the restrooms.

A tap.

She watched his retreating form.

Tap, tap, tap.

She leaned back into her seat, looking at the windows reflection.

Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap.

A bit of sweat began to bead near her ears.

Tap, tap, tap,tap, tap.

Aurea felt his glare yet refused to meet it, letting the silence echo off the walls.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Aurea continued to look away from him, acting as though she was above looking at him.

The scrape of a chair sounded in her ears. She turned, surprised to see Lysandre abruptly stand, walk over to her, and lean above her.

He grasped the back of the chair, leaning it back until two of the legs were off the floor, and brought his face close to hers. Aurea pinwheeled her arms with a squeak, before grabbing the back of the chair in hopes of regaining balance.

"Don't make me regret saving you, don't forget who I am, and what you've made me do."

His right hand grasped her forearm roughly before dropping the chair letting it fall back down loudly with a thud.

He released her arm and walked back over to his spot, taking his tea, and grimacing into it. Aurea stood abruptly, not feeling her sides being stabbed by pain or her leg barking at her.

Slamming her hands down on the table, she glared at him with fury, ignoring the shaking of the tables contents.

"Don't tell me what I need to do! I'm not here to do what you think I should do and I don't owe you anything! You may have saved me but you also got me into this mess! So don't you dare press this onto me, trying to make me feel like it's my fault and my responsibility! Don't expect me to just let you blatantly blame me!"

Her fists shook as she spoke, and when she was done she stood there breathing hard.

The man looked up at her with a smirk. She could've slapped him then and there.

"You are rather smart," he spoke as though she didn't see through his enemies tactics and come up with an opposing strategy, "if not emotional."

He stared at her over his cup, dead serious and calculating.

"I believe you should leave us alone though. You're causing all sort of problems-"

"Just like you."

Silence.

"So, why should I leave you alone?"

Aurea figured he'd try to get rid of her sooner or later. But his words had struck a chord in her and now she needed to stay.

She could feel his mind's cogs turning. Then he opened his mouth.

"Just don't tell August," he paused, "please."

He was asking her? She nodded slowly,

"Two conditions."

He nodded, an indication for her to continue.

"Don't ever ask anything of me, never treat me like I owe you something."

The man nodded slowly, looking intrigued yet confused.

"And come and visit me wednesday."

She smiled smugly. Lysandre's face was colored with confusion and surprise before

it was covered, with a reddened mask. Of anger, frustration?

He rose once again from his chair and stood with his hand held out.

"Alright I accept your proposal."

Aurea nodded and grasped his hand, firmly shaking it.

"Deal."