Chapter 14 – Clear as crystal

'I love popcorn,' Karra says inhaling deeply over the box that she held. She bounced on the balls of her feet pretty happy to be out, Fenris smiled as he looked over at her. They had just bought their tickets and Karra insisted on getting movie snacks as she called them. Karra smiled at him as she brushed her hair over her ear she had attempted to look nice this evening, dressed in leggings, jean shorts, and a pretty shoulder-less top, it was still cold so she had thrown one of Fenris' thick zip up hoodies over it all. She liked the way that it was far too big for her and kind of flappy at the arms. Fenris was dressed in his usual jeans, top and beanie to cover his ears, he insisted that he wasn't cold but had brought a jacket at Karra's pleading. They walked from the concession stand and waited in line to give in their tickets, Fenris looked around, this place was bright and noisy and screens were everywhere. 'This is a normal place?' He says in a little wonder.

'Aye,' Karra nods. 'There's loads of places across the country,' she smiles. 'Ooh! I wanna take a picture!' She says handing him the popcorn as she dives into her bag for her phone, with a triumphant giggle she pulls it out. 'Okay, first time at the cinema,' she says happily as she opens her camera app and points the lens at them. 'Smile!' She says holding it up to get Fenris in the picture. He feels silly but leans down a little so he's more in the frame. Seeing Karra all bubbly made him genuinely smile for the picture. She takes the photo and looks up at him with a grin. 'It's great!'

He looks at the picture and nods. 'I like it,' he agrees. 'May I take one?' He asks as he takes out his own phone.

'Of course!' She nods as she moves closer to him again. 'I'll hold it,' she says taking the phone and trying to get the right angle. Fenris moved his arm over her shoulders making her blush lightly but she doesn't mind. 'Smile!' She instructs. Fenris chuckles and leans down to kiss her temple as she takes the photo. He laughs as he sees the picture come up on the screen, she caught it perfectly, he was just kissing her and her expression was very cute, her surprise was sweet. 'Oh Fenris,' she laughs as she shakes her head. 'I look like a deer caught inna headlights,' she says going to delete the picture.

'No, I wish to keep it,' he says taking the phone off her. He closed the app and Karra caught sight of his background.

'Is that me? At the cafe?' She asks curiously as they walk forward and give the attendant their tickets. 'Why do ya have that as your background?' Her heart skipped at the thought. 'Anyone could see that,' she adds.

Fenris hadn't taken his arm from her shoulders as they walked down the corridor. 'I like it,' he says simply. 'You look beautiful in the photo, if it makes you uncomfortable I can change it,' he says looking down at her, liking the fact that she was wearing his clothing.

'No, no, I don't mind, I jus' thought you might want summin' else,' she says going pink. 'Here, screen twelve,' she says pointing to a set of double doors. They enter the darkened room and see rows and rows of seats. 'Where do ya wanna sit?' She asks, it was mildly crowded but nothing too horrendous. He looked around and spotted some seating at the back, he points and she nods making their way to the empty chairs.

It was about halfway through the film that Karra got a little warm, she shifted taking off his hoodie and letting it pool around her waist. The chairs weren't particularly comfortable but they at least had enough leg room for Fenris. The seats around them had stayed empty so they were relatively private. She glanced down and spotted Fenris' hand on the arm rest, he was leaning on his other hand, elbow propping him up as he watched the screen with interest. Karra shyly slid her arm under his and slipped her hand into his all the while watching the film. Fenris was surprised but pleasantly so, he squeezed her fingers and wore a half smile. About ten minutes later a message flashed up on the screen and he raised a brow. 'Interval?' He questions as he looks at Karra.

'Aye, gives you chance to visit the bathroom or stretch ya legs,' she says as she stretches her arms. 'You can choose veiwin's without them, but I kinda like 'em,' she smiles. 'Only be ten minutes or so,' she reassures. Fenris nods and becomes intrigued as she opens her phone to look at Face Book.

'What is that app?' He asks getting used to this world's vocabulary. He watched as she scrolled down through her news feed, familiar faces popped out in photos and statuses.

'Face Book, itsa... social page? So like you update your status and your friends can see what's happenin' with your life. People that maybe don' live near or you ain't spoken to because of work and stuff,' she explains as she clicks on her profile page. There wasn't a lot of personal information on her profile but a few pictures of Chase and herself together. 'I've been a lil' quiet on it since you and Hawke arrived,' she admits.

'I like that photo,' he points out to a previous post of her with a donkey that she had been treating a year ago.

'He's sweet ain't he. I had just finished his last injection of steroids,' Karra smiles. 'See, you can see when you posted it, time and place. People can see what you're doin' when you 'check in', on Face Book,' she smiles. 'Keeps people connected.'

'What would you normally do when you come to the cinema?' He asks. 'Would you 'check in'?'

Karra grins and nods as she scrolls further down her personal posts. 'Aye, look here, this is Chase and I with those blue slushies, we came ta see a Marvel film an' we both got blue tongues, see?' She laughs lightly.

Fenris reads the tag out loud, 'here with this crazy tart,' he chuckles as he reads further. 'She commented on it? We both suit bitch blue?' He shakes his head in amusement. 'Bitch blue? Really?' He smirks.

Karra blushes in embarrassment, 'ya know what Chase is like,' she grins.

'Would you like to post a photo of us?' He asks a little shyly. He was still holding her hand as he suggested it.

'Are...are ya sure? I mean, all my friends would see it,' she asks in surprise. 'I would like to, if that's okay?'

Fenris smiles and strokes his hand down her cheek as he encourages her to face him. 'I would like it a lot,' he admits as he leans forward and softly catches her in a kiss. It's sweet and gentle and he can taste the popcorn on her lips. He doesn't rush, moving his hand into her hair as he pulls her closer. After a moment or two they break apart, Karra's blush even visible in the low light. Kissing her cheek lightly as he moves back into his seat they turn back to her phone. Karra bit her lip as she picked the photo that they had taken in line and paused before writing a caption.

'I dinnae know what to write,' she admits.

'Bitch blue?' He suggests making her snort with laughter as she playfully slaps him on the arm.

'Okay, okay, Imma jus' gon' write somethin' generic,' she rolls her eyes and types. 'There, posted. I wrote, watchin' an amazin' film with an amazin' friend,' she revealed.

'Friend?' Fenris asks softly.

She turns to look at him, 'oh, it's jus' 'cause I have my work colleagues an' me mam on Face Book,' she explains. 'I mean, we've not really labelled this either an' I dinnae wanna assume anythin'-'

'Karra,' he says softly, interrupting her. 'It is fine, I understand. Especially after your recent date with Dale,' he can't help the bitterness that enters his voice. Karra smiled gratefully at him as she gripped his fingers tightly, 'besides, I am the one that is kissing you, am I not?' He teases lightly as her cheeks go pink. 'There is no need for a label, not until you wish it,' he reassures. Karra turned her phone onto silent as the film began again, smiling to herself. They held hands for a while until Fenris moved and wrapped his arm over her shoulders allowing her to lean into his chest.

The film ended and the lights slowly got brighter. 'Oh ma god, that was great!' Karra said as they stood up and she stretched again. 'I will definitely be watchin' that again,' she grins. They walk out the screening chucking their popcorn box into the bin as they passed. 'I gotta nip to the ladies if that's cool,' she said as she spotted the bathroom. Fenris smiled and nodded as he leaned against the wall out the way to wait for her. While she was looking in the mirror she pulled out her phone and checked her notifications. 'Holy shit,' she said to herself. She had over thirty comments on her picture and over seventy reactions. 'I dinnae even think I knew seventy people,' she said without realising. She was reading the comments when more women walked into the bathroom.

'Fucking hell, did you see him?'

'How could I not? Damn, that boy got me hot under the collar.'

'Do you think he's here with someone? Those tattoos,' the woman said as she came to stand next to Karra while fixing her make up. 'I mean, I'm not one for casual encounters but I would let him have his way in a closet any day,' she sighed happily. Karra blushed red and concentrated on washing her hands.

'I'm going to ask for his number,' her friend replied.

'You're so bad,' she replied, 'what if he has a girlfriend, or like a boyfriend?'

'What they don't know won't hurt them,' she cackled. 'I would fucking ruin him.'

Oookay, that's enough of that conversation, Karra thought desperately as she dried her hands on her shorts and pocketed her phone. She pulled up the falling hoodie as she walked out the bathroom and spotted Fenris looking at his phone. 'Hey, sorry, got distracted,' she admitted. 'Apparently you have admirers,' she says simply as they begin to walk back down towards the exit. Fenris doesn't say anything but shrugs his shoulders as if unimpressed and grabs her hand.

'We had better let them know that I am not interested then,' he says as he kisses the back of her fingers. Karra gives him a shy smile and readjusts the strap of her bag on her shoulder. They walk out to the bus stop. 'Do you still wish to go to the bar?' He asks softly. They had taken the bus to the cinema complex so that Karra could have a drink.

'Aye, I would really like that,' she nods as she leans on him for warmth, Fenris smiles and pulls up the hood, which pulls her hair around her shoulders. 'It's gonna get colder, are ya sure you're gonna be alright?' She worries.

'I will be fine,' he says simply. After a while the bus arrives and twenty minutes later they were in town, Fenris knew his way around this area quite well and was comfortable walking through the streets to his workplace. He opened the door for her and waved at one of the barmen. 'Venhedis,' he said under his breath as he looked at the bar.

'What's the matter?' Karra asked as she paused halfway to a table. She looked around and didn't spot anything out the ordinary.

He sighed and shook his head, 'hopefully it will be nothing,' he says draping his coat over a chair. 'What would you like to drink?' He asks as Karra sits down and puts her bag under the table.

'Oh, uh, JD and coke?' She says off the top of her head. 'No ice,' she adds. Fenris smiles and walks up to the bar taking his wallet out his back pocket.

'Hey, Fenris, man, good to see you. You're not working tonight are you man? I thought you worked last night?' Aaron, his work friend said while pouring a pint. He paused in the conversation to take the customer's money and hand back change. It wasn't busy but steady which Fenris preferred.

'I did, Karra and I have just been to the cinema,' he said.

'Ah, I see. You and Karra huh,' Aaron grins making Fenris roll his eyes in humour. 'Hey, I saw that photo on Face Book, you two looked good together,' he mentions as he takes their drink order.

'How did you see it?' Fenris asks confused.

'I have Chase on Face Book and when you started to work here and I saw Karra a bit more I added her as a friend, so it popped up on my timeline,' he says revealing that he already knew that they had been to the cinema. 'Film any good?' He gives Fenris their drinks and change. 'Hey... what's going on between you two? She tagged you as a friend, that's a bit cold, I thought you were closer than that man,' he whispers.

'We are friends, good friends,' Fenris shrugs a shoulder not really wanting anyone to know until Karra was ready.

'Damn, ice cold. Friend zoned huh? Doubt that'll last long,' Aaron laughs as he taps the bar with his knuckles. 'Alright, have a good one, I'll try to keep her away from you,' he adds looking over at a certain bar stool.

'My thanks,' Fenris says nodding as he picks up their drinks and returns to their table where Karra was on her phone again. 'You are reading Face Book again?' He asks curiously.

'Ha, yeah, sorry. We got a lot of people talkin' about that photo we posted,' she reveals. 'A lot of people askin' about you an' if we're together an' stuff.' She tilts her phone over to him so he can read for himself, there really were a lot of questions. Chase had even commented on the feed, answering a couple of inquires that people had. Some had just posted what Karra called Gifs, in response. 'They're nosy ain't they,' she laughs. 'I dinnae think you'd get so much attention, though I should have known better,' she shrugs a shoulder. 'Oh look, Amy is askin' if I'll give you her number,' she giggles as a private message pops up on her screen. Fenris pulls a half amused face, it was getting a little tiring. He placed his hand over her phone and forced her to put it down.

'I do not wish to think of anyone else,' he says simply at Karra's questioning glance.

'Sorry,' Karra grinned embarrassed and put her phone away. She was going to get a lot of questions at work about this. They spent the rest of the evening talking and drinking, Karra got into a little bit of a strop when Fenris somehow beat her at darts. He apologised, he was used to throwing things and had training. She took it in good graces but the alcohol had made her a little giggly and less reserved. It was towards the end of the night when they realised that they should be getting home that the true amount of booze kicked in. 'Ha! Finally beat ya!' Karra said spinning on the spot with her hands in the air. 'I win! I am champion!' She laughs.

Fenris smiles to himself and takes her darts from the board. 'And the other four games do not count because?' He asks as she does a victory dance. She flaps him with her oversized sleeve and pouts.

''Cause I lost, that's why,' she laughs. His aim was off as he was feeling pretty tipsy. She finished her drink and looked at the time. 'Ach shite, we had better go les' we wanna be charged more by a taxi,' she says sighing. 'Ah well,' she packs her bag and takes the darts back to the bar. 'Time to go home!' She said to Fenris. He said something about checking his shifts and disappeared behind the bar. Karra leaned against the wood and looked around feeling pretty happy when a woman sidled up to her. 'Hi?' Karra says politely as the woman stares at her.

'Hey, I saw you here yesterday,' she said. Karra did a brief look over, revealing clothing, heavy make up over a pretty face, hair looked fake and a little tired.

'Yeah I remember seein' ya,' she nodded. 'What's up?'

'Thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Sophie,' she smiles. 'If I'm going to be seeing you more often.'

'Oh, Karra, hi,' she says taking the woman's hand and shaking it with a grin.

'That bartender... Fenris? Is he... your boyfriend?' Sophie asked as she sipped from her straw.

Karra refrained from rolling her eyes, was this the theme to the entire evening? Does she literally have to screw him in front of an audience so that he had a label people could read? Was it mating season? Everyone seemed to have a head on that was just looking for sex. 'Why?' She asked instead.

'Just 'cause I asked him out a couple of times and he said he was seein' someone,' she sighed as she leaned against the bar. 'I was wondering if that was you. Though you are a bit plain looking and those glasses aren't doing you any favours,' she adds.

'Bit rude,' Karra states narrowing her eyes.

'Oh no offence, it's just that you should dress up a bit more if you're with a man like that-'

'Okay. Sophie. It's been horrible meetin' you but Imma gon' leave now,' Karra says simply not wanting the confrontation. Sophie huffed as Karra turned and left her at the bar preferring to wait at the door for Fenris who seemed like he was taking forever. Sooner rather than later he appeared and they went down the street to the taxi ranks. They had managed to grab one before double time and before Karra knew it she was unlocking her front door. Dumping her bag on the sofa she fiddled with her trainers, her long sleeves getting in the way a bit.

'You have been quiet,' Fenris said softly as he shut the front door and took off his beanie. Ruffling his hair he looked at her. 'Has something upset you? You were happier an hour ago,' he comments.

Karra knew it was the whiskey that was making her feel sensitive but it didn't help that Fenris was asking about it. 'I jus'... people don't seem to think... you get a lot of attention,' she sighs as she pulls off a shoe. Fenris didn't say anything and just raised a brow wondering where she was going with this, 'an' I jus'...well... I feel insecure near you,' she admits. 'All evenin' people have been talkin' about asking you out an' how they would fuck you an', then that Sophie woman sayin' that I don' look good enough like you're outta my league,' she babbles. She sighs and pulls off her other shoe, 'I'm sorry, I know it's because of me that we're sorta hidin' things and so I shouldn't complain when people show an' interest.'

Fenris walks over and takes her hands as he pulls her up to give her a soft hug. 'I understand, Karra. I felt this way when you were on your date with Dale,' he says quietly. He moves away and smiles at her. 'I do not wish to have anyone else.'

'Do you think I dress badly?' Karra asks as she pulls away.

Fenris laughs and shakes his head. 'Sophie is a drunken witch, she does nothing but attempt to seduce all the men at the bar. She is looking for validation from the wrong places. I would not listen to a thing she says,' he said simply. 'I think you are beautiful and there are times...'

Karra raises her eyebrows, it sounded like he was going to say something particular. 'Times when what?' She prompts wanting to know what he was going to say, she leans against the back of the sofa watching him.

Fenris sighs in reluctance and tips his head back briefly before looking at her. 'There are times when I have trouble... controlling myself,' he says eventually. 'Times I wish to just simply claim you as mine,' he looked into her eyes as he spoke. Her heart thundered in her chest.

'Like when?' She inquired as she stood up and moved a little closer to him. He chuckles and runs his hand through his hair as he looks at the floor, his ears going a little pink. 'Fenris,' she says making him look at her despite his embarrassment and sudden shyness at his revelation. 'Like when?' She repeats as she places a hand on his chest looking up at him. He smiles and brushes her hair from her eyes and gently holds her wrist of the hand that was pressed against him.

'Like now,' he says deeply, his words heavy with want. 'But, we have been drinking... it would not be ri-' Karra didn't let him finish his sentence as she pulled him down to kiss her. He pauses in shock before returning her embrace, his hands gripping her hips tightly.

'I'm tired of being... sensible,' she murmured against his lips as she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. 'I jus' wanna take what I want,' Karra says simply kissing him harder and deeper than before. She could still sense his restraint and she pulls away from him. 'I know I've had a drink but it's not changin' anythin', I want this, Fenris,' she clarifies breathing heavily as she rests her head against his chest. 'I jus' have a lil' more confidence,' she admits. Fenris took her gently by the shoulders and tilted her chin to look at him.

'I want you, Karra,' he says softly. 'I do not want regrets,' he mumbles.

Karra smiles at him and shakes her head. 'There won't be. Not for me, for you?'

Fenris chuckles and shakes his head, 'not for one moment,' he states. Karra grins and takes his hand as she leads him upstairs towards their rooms.