"So, are you going to walk me home again...?"
He raised an eyebrow, eyes thoughtful. "I gather that I should, considering it is late now, and you have compromised yourself…"
She giggled evenly. "Compromised myself? With what? This?", she lifted her empty glass.
His expression was smug but playful. He nodded as he flagged down the bartender to close the tab.
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, but had no interest in it given her current inebriated state-and her company. She was trying hard not to study him.
He stood, towering over her. She liked it. She felt secure with him there, the alcohol had killed any meager suspicion she had left.
"Can you walk?"
"Of course! I'm not that drunk, sir…". She was almost that drunk. When she stood, the room swayed just slightly and her vision came in waves until she adjusted to her now upright position. Victor looked at her and raised an eyebrow but she held up a hand to dismiss him.
They commenced the walk back to Wren's apartment in silence. It was unusually quiet. Wren stole a glance at Victor every so often and noticed that he looked thoughtful and somewhat melancholy. She didn't know how to react, especially with the booze in her system. It reminded her of how little she actually knew him. Her phone buzzed.
They were moving at a fast pace considering her impairment. The sidewalk dipped and went up again after a few feet and her shoe caught on it. She yelped and tumbled forward. Victor's timing was flawless and he cooly grabbed her arm, his other hand on her side, steadying her.
"Ahah...sorry. Thanks." He nodded, smiling crookedly, before resuming their walk.
He had left something unattended at his place and thought better of it now. He didn't anticipate being gone this long. Admittedly, he had been a bit off his game. He chewed on his lip, mulling over the current situation. It was irritating. He wasn't supposed to have to deal with such things, to consider anyone else, or live with anything that wasn't completely instinctual for him, even. He was smart and calculating and unburdened. Powerful.
He stopped and looked down at her. "Are you happy with your life, Wren?"
The break in stride was unnatural and it made her feel clumsy. She contemplated, her face falling for a second, taken aback by the question and reminded of her grief. But she looked up at him, then, reached for him and brushed her thumb over his pale, smooth cheek. "I'm okay with it at the moment." Her eyes big and genuine.
He took in an even breath, eyes locked on hers, expressionless. "I don't know what to do with you, kid. Honestly."
She didn't break his gaze. His response wasn't ideal but it didn't phase her. She wanted to know this man. "I...don't know what to say to that…but that's okay."
He let out a low, brief chuckle. "Come on…I need to get you home."
"Why?", her voice was quiet.
"It's late. And I have something to tend to. And you're drunk."
She didn't want to press him. "Will I see you again?"
He thought about this. "I'll be around."
She didn't realize that they started walking again. It was all going too fast.
They were on her block now. The usual cars lined her street-with one addition she did not notice-as they closed some distance between them and her building-but Victor did.
"I trust you'll be okay from here", he turned.
"What?"
He motioned toward the police car parked across the street from her building, about 4 cars down. "You have a visitor."
"What? How do you-"
She swore he was halfway down the street as she said it. She threw her hands up and watched him go before making her way to her apartment stoop.
Sure enough, there he was, sitting on the steps. It was dark, the streetlight had burned out months ago and was never replaced. But she didn't need a light, she knew his silhouette.
"Wren", he said softly. His voice had a huskiness to it that she wasn't used to. "Where the hell have you been?"