The trees thinned out ahead as the gravel paths smoothed into finer earth and the lights from the champion quarters were coming into view again. Diana turned to face him again.
"Varus?" It was her first time actually addressing him by name. The word felt… foreign on her tongue – she was not used to calling others by name. Calling someone by name… there is a certain sense of closeness and familiarity that came with it which she disliked. For her, names were only reserved for her enemies. After all, they say a name holds power.
He was staring up ahead but at her sudden remark, he tilted his head a little to the side.
"Why are you still following me?" More like why are you stalking me. Her tone was blunt and obvious that she did not appreciate him still accompanying her.
His eyes stayed looking at something in the distance for a short second before flicking to her, turning to face her. There was something about his gaze that made her quickly glance away, staring up ahead with a steely expression.
Varus looked at her and raised an eyebrow like it was obvious.
"Because I'm walking back to the champion residences just like you are?"
At her blank face, he raised his eyebrows as if surprised before grinning. He was still looking at her, his eyes laughing at her – but she didn't want to meet that gaze.
"Unless… you've forgotten that all our quarters are in the one region?" Diana blinked.
Varus' grin widened, pressing his lips together and straining to suppress his laughter. She opened her mouth before thinking better of it and closing it again, looking away at the ground and frowning. He burst out laughing.
"You really did forget huh." She bit down on her lip. They were reaching the edge of the forest, the trees becoming sparse as the path smoothed out into a well-trodden road.
"Did you think I had nothing better to do than stalk you?" She could hear the humorous smirk in his little jibe.
"No! ..." Her mouth was open but she couldn't think of what to say without digging herself deeper.
The first few champion housings were coming into view now, the branching small pathways between the clusters of lodgings lit up by tall torches intercepting the routes at routine intervals.
"Don't flatter yourself." He chuckled jokingly.
She finally turned looked at him but only to express her repressed aggravation by giving him the full force of her glower. It was not very effective – he was still smiling that damn annoying grin of his.
They'd finally arrived at the main distributions of lodgings, a small fountain marking the centre square of the settlement.
"Well… not too much." He smiled.
"You may be ethereally beautiful…" He reached his hand up to stroke her cheek, but this time she didn't respond quickly enough to deflect him, his words having caught her off guard for a second. He ran his fingers down her cheek, following her jawline to her chin before tilting her head up and holding her gaze.
"…but not to the extent that I would stalk you." He grinned, dropping his hand before she had a chance to respond and turning around.
What?...
It took her a second to get her head around again. This... Insufferable!
"I should be getting back to my place…"
Something flickered at the back of her mind behind the jumble of surprise and irritation. Temper temper - she had to reign in a sudden urge to inflict severe harm to him.
Wasn't there something…
"… before it gets… late." He looked towards the cluster of lodges out to the left quarter of the municipality. The champion housings were organised by role, the marksmen were allocated a section to the left and the assassins a section to the upper right.
"It was… interesting talking to you Diana." Varus headed for the marksmen quarters, facing his back to her as he slung his bow over his shoulder again. Marksmen quarters… Marksmen…
"You could get close to him, yes?"
"You want me to do something to him?"
"You can't kill him… but you could do a little something to his bow?"
…
"If it's no trouble for you. Or if you can."
"See you agai-"
"Wait."
He turned around, a questioning look on his face.
Damn she needed to think of something quickly if she was going to do this.
"Varus…" she cringed a little internally at using his name again.
"Yes…?"
She took a breath, trying to think of something to stall him.
"Can… can I ask you about your…" she bit her lip as she looked at the ground before glancing up at him. He saw her gaze flicker to his arms and legs.
"This?" he raised his arm, flexing his fingers and turning his hand around.
"…...Yes."
He smiled faintly.
"Maybe some other time." His smile was apologetic, almost curt, his personality a little different to before, as he turned to walk away.
So she did the only sensible thing there was to do.
Follow him of course.
She caught up to him as he turned the corner, walking down a smaller and narrower side path between the different champion lodgings. At her returned presence he appeared to be a little surprised for a second before taking it in stride.
"So this time you're following me?" he joked.
"No, my lodge is further down that way." She lied through her teeth, gesturing forward.
They both knew she was lying, it wasn't possible that he didn't know how the sections were separated. But he didn't appear to have seen through it, or at least, showed no accusatory reaction to it.
Turning another corner, Varus stopped at the second lodge, hand poised over the door handle.
"Well…"
Diana slowed to a cautious halt behind him, not even sure herself what she was doing anymore. She had chosen rashly just before to carry out Twitch's request but how she had no clue – the only thing now was the one line running through her head.
"Do a little something to his bow."
That's all she would need to remember. How to get there well… we'll see how things go. Since she had decided, she will see it through –by her code and by her… 'job' ethics.
Varus stayed paused for a while, as if uncertain or contemplating something.
"I suppose… since you are here, it would be rude of me not to invite you in."
He pushed down on the door handle and swung it inwards, gesturing for her enter first.
Diana hesitated for a second before taking a step in as he flicked on the light switch.