"Bodyguarding pays this well? I had no idea." Shirayuki took a circuit of Obi's living room, slow steps on rich carpeting. She maneuvered between solid wood tables and thickly padded seating. Torn between admiring the vast collection of books on built-in shelving and collection of modern art adorning the walls, Yuki kept circling.

"Well enough, but I'm also pretty good at investing." Obi turned the deadbolt and finished checking his other security measures, slumping against the wall. "Hungry?"

"I don't think so."

"I'm gonna grab a shower - so you can help yourself to anything in the fridge if you change your mind." Obi entered the living room and waited for Shirayuki to turn around. He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "I'll lay out a change of clothes for you first actually." Obi darted into his room without waiting for her to respond. His place was nice if small and she'd be able to explore and find all the rooms in complete safety.

"I have my own clothes…" Shirayuki sighed and set the garments she'd worn to work that day on the couch. Once Obi came out of his room, she would ask him about using his washer and dryer.

The quiet was beginning to unnerve her. Being locked in with Obi was miles better than being chased by a couple of thugs, but Shirayuki felt apprehensive with the lack of noise. Being alone was normal for her, but right now she wanted to see and hear another person.

"Here." Obi thrust a stack of clothes at Shirayuki who reflexively took them. "Lots of options, use what you like." He pulled at the neckline of his shirt and fluttered the fabric. "I'm not sure if I'm sweaty from the workout or if it's a by-product of escaping." Obi forced a chuckle. "All I know is, after a shower I'll feel a helluva lot better. I promise to leave you some hot water too. I bet you'll feel hungry once you're clean."

"I don't know that I want to be alone right now." Shirayuki surprised herself with the truth. "But you've got a big library and I'm sure that a book or two will keep my mind occupied."

"Help yourself to anything you please." Obi turned away and headed back to his room, looking over his shoulder to see his guest drop the clothes and make her way over to the bookcases. He let out a pent breath he'd not known he'd had. If Shirayuki could browse his selection of books then she must be feeling more herself.

A treatise on Sun Tzu had been on Shirayuki's list to reread since forever but it couldn't hold her attention. The couch was well-sprung but she couldn't get comfortable. Sighing she left the book on a table and stood. She paced to the kitchen and back to the living room, eyes darting nervously around. Help yourself to anything you please. Obi had said that about reading material - but what she wanted right now was human companionship.

Tonight's activities were crashing her brain. If only she wasn't alone - she'd feel more secure. Yeah. Normally Shirayuki was in her element all by herself - but it wasn't a normal day to get shot at, now was it?

Without further rationalization, Shirayuki darted into Obi's bedroom. It was painted a calming light blue with polished wood trim. It suited him. The carpet was soft and spongy underfoot, having a long enough pile to be decadent but not so long to be horrendous to clean. She laughed to herself. Not even an hour ago she'd faced death and she was analysing the merits of low versus high fibre carpets.

Muted sounds of water and singing reminded Shirayuki of what she'd come in search for - companionship.

Maybe it was creepy of her to rest her back against the door and bask in another person's unknowing presence. Shirayuki smiled as Obi sang, his voice soft but tuneful. Feeling a sudden pang of cold, Yuki hugged herself - shivering. Attuned to her own personal issues, she was caught unawares as the door opened, sending her body to the floor.

Or, it would have, had Obi not reflexively caught her. Injecting some joviality into his voice, he said, "Miss Shirayuki! Had I known you were that anxious to wash, I'd have allowed you first crack at the shower!"

Heat crawled up her cheeks making her sputter. "I w-wasn't anxious! I'm perfectly fine!" Shirayuki wrenched herself from Obi's arms, pivoting on her heel to stare him in the eyes. "I've never been more normal!"

"What a normal thing to say Miss Normal!" Obi didn't try to hide his mirth. It was infinitely preferable to piss off this woman than coddle her. Shirayuki was made of sterner stuff than she knew. "Would you like some normal food?"

Fully aware of being handled, Shirayuki frowned. She closed her eyes for two heavy sighs and then blinked coquettishly at Obi. "You know what would be normal after being almost killed? Most people would be satisfying their non-food needs right now." She waited for Obi to respond.

"We were never 'almost killed.' I'm a very good bodyguard." Obi wanted to both kick himself and pat himself on the back. Being chivalrous had never been harder. Yes, hard. That was another issue. Needing to diffuse the situation, Obi forced a hearty laugh.

"A better bodyguard than a member of my research team, I'll give you that." Shirayuki watched Obi take a half-step backwards. She inched forward. "But not as uneducated as I assumed. Please accept my apologies."

"Heh, no worries about that." Obi noded, mesmerized by the sparkle in Shirayuki's eyes. "We all have our burdens, right?"

"I don't want to think right now. I want to not be alone. Can you help me?"

"You aren't asking what I think you're asking, are you?" Obi wanted to erase his words immediately. "Of course not." He shook his head and sighed before forcing more laughter. "After your own shower you'll feel much better."

"...I guess so." Shirayuki shivered and pasted a fake smile on her lips. "Getting clean will clear my mind I hope."

Obi ushered Shirayuki further into the bathroom. "I was only kidding before about running out of hot water, I've a tankless hot water system. Plenty to go around!" Pulling a big towel from a stack in the corner, Obi thrust it at Yuki. "Gimme one minute to get you those clean clothes, you left them on the couch, right? Then you can enjoy yourself."

Shirayuki hugged the towel Obi had given her, inhaling the floral scent it carried. Eyes shut she rocked in place.

Obi felt a hard pang in his stomach as he saw Shirayuki tremble. He wanted with every fiber of his being to console her - but right now wasn't the proper moment. "Take all the time you need." He set the spare clothes on the lid of the toilet and backed out of the room.

Squaring her shoulders, Shirayuki draped her towel over the fresh clothes and shed what she was wearing, leaving them in a disorderly heap. She flipped the taps on and spun the dial to what she hoped was hot but not scalding. After testing the heat, she ducked under the spray and pulled the shower curtain shut.

Head hanging, Shirayuki inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. The hot needles of water pelting her back felt amazing. If it was possible to become a creature solely of physicality she'd take it. No more thinking, nor over-thinking. Feel a need? Act without fretting to achieve her goals - that would be splendid. Hungry? Eat. Tired? Sleep. Lonely? Seduce the closest bodyguard...um, person.

Grabbing a washcloth, Shirayuki doused it in body wash and began scrubbing. The suds covered her from head to toes before she rinsed, then she washed and conditioned her hair. Standing under the water until she felt her skin turn pruney, she giggled. It was true, she decided. Facing death made a person evaluate their life. Hers wasn't stellar. She'd played it safe with boring choices for way too long.

Working with leftover rice and a bit of steak, Obi chopped fresh peppers, onion and some celery. The wok sizzled as he added a stream of oil. He put the carrots into the pan and stirred, adding mushrooms next and then the other vegetables. Once they aromatized he dumped the other veggies into the wok, lifting and shaking the contents like a chef. Judging the food ready for the rice, he added that and the chopped meat at the same time. Oyster sauce ready at his elbow, Obi stirred the food and waited another minute before squeezing a generous dollop into the wok.

Shirayuki walked into the kitchen clad in Obi's clothes, watching him. The smell of the food made her mouth water. He was as good a cook as bodyguard - he'd kept her from bodily harm, hadn't he?

"This is amazing!"

Obi looked over his shoulder, "I knew you'd turn up hungry!"

"I'm hungry because it smells so good." Shirayuki clutched her arms and grinned self-consciously. "Thanks for the fresh clothes and I haven't thanked you enough for keeping me alive."

His attention on the food broken, Obi stared at the woman he'd begun to feel was more than a job. "My pleasure." Wishing he could kick his own ass, Obi regretted his quick and vapid response. He sighed and stirred the food. "It'll be done very soon - could you set out some plates?"

"Sure." Shirayuki spied the stack of plates in one of the glass doored cupboards and withdrew two of them. The third drawer yielded utensils which she set alongside the plates she'd arranged on the kitchen table. Obi had already set two placemats, glasses and a pitcher of juice.

Shirayuki sat and appreciated the economical movements Obi made as he finished cooking. How long had it been since her last lover? Too long. "T-thanks for cooking, Obi."

"My pleasure. I hope you enjoy."

"I do believe I will."

Obi portioned the food straight from the wok, then dumped it into the sink and declaring that doing dishes could wait until the morning or later.

Shirayuki poured them each a drink and then picked up her chopsticks. "This looks and smells wonderful."

"I'm glad you think so, I don't often have guests to cook for." Obi knew his cheeks were red. "Cooking is one of my many passions."

"Not one of mine!" Shirayuki joked, 'But I do have other passions."

Obi refrained from adding a rejoinder, well aware of all the usual and dumb things he might say if he did respond. Making the effort, Obi nodded and picked up a bite of food. He chewed, swallowed and ate another morsel.

It dawned on Shirayuki that Obi wasn't going to take advantage of her easy lob across the home plate - so she began to eat. The food was delicious and she soon had consumed the entirety of the meal. Draining her drink, she set down the glass and rubbed her stomach. "Fantastic."

"I don't think I've ever seen someone wage war on their victuals so fast before."

"Oh? You only date anemic women who eat like birds?"

"Do you actually care about the people I've dated?" Obi grinned and pushed his plate off to the side. "I don't pick them based on appetite if that's what you're concerned about."

The amused tone in his voice sent Shirayuki's teeth on edge. It wasn't fair that Obi wasn't as affected by their brush with death as she had been - not one bloody bit. "I'm sure them having a strong carnal appetite is more important."

"I understand you're still shaken over what happened, but this...this isn't you." Obi licked his lips and shook his head, pushing away from the table and standing to clear the dishes. He padded over to the sink, stacking the plates. Turning with what he hoped was a friendly grin, Obi was surprised. Shirayuki had followed and was now almost nose-to-nose with him.

"You asked me earlier if I knew how to relax and have fun. I could talk about that, but I've come up with a better idea to convince you." Shirayuki squashed her fear of rejection, rising on tiptoe and brushing her quivering lips with Obi's. Her hands moved to his shoulders, clutching the soft fabric of his sweatshirt as their kiss deepened.

Heat pooled in Shirayuki's stomach. Desire sent frissons of electricity through her veins. With a gasp she opened her lips - Obi responded with a moan - providing the perfect opportunity for her tongue to reach out and explore.

Shirayuki became aware of Obi's warm hands resting on her hips -not a bad spot, but not where she wanted them. She leaned against his fit body and slid one arm around his neck and sent the other to toy with the small patch of skin in the vee neck of his shirt. Shirayuki wondered if her heart was galloping as fast as Obi's.

Obi broke their kiss, panting. He covered Shirayuki's hand at his neck with his own and cupped her cheek as he stared wordless into her eyes.

Frowning her discontent, Shirayuki raised her chin a fraction higher. "Why did you stop?"

"This is a false opportunity - you wouldn't be doing this if things were different." Shaking his head, Obi continued, "We're worlds apart in schooling and society. I'm a bodyguard and you're -"

Fingers pressed to Obi's lips, Shirayuki sighed. "I'm a person, like you. I make my own decisions for me - do you make your own or do you blindly accept what the world expects of you?" She blinked, glancing away and then back to focus with laser intensity. "Danger didn't make me realize how awesome you are."

Obi stood alone and bereft in the kitchen.

Already several pages into the Sun Tzu treatise, Shirayuki set down the book once Obi padded into the living room. "D'you have any board games? I'm a killer at anything trivia."

"Game on then, I've got a few to pick from." Obi went into the hallway and rummaged its closet, pulling out a battered Trivial Pursuit and an even more decrepit box of Balderdash. He brought both into the living room and held them up. "Which one?"

"I don't recognize 'Balderdash,' is that a real game?" Shirayuki smiled as she teased Obi. "I guess there's no way you'd have been able to guess that I'd be here right now, so it must be real."

"So smart and you've never encountered this game?" Obi tilted his head and smirked. "I supposed being smart isn't a guarantee of having a more varied experience in games, huh?"

"I can see I'll be paying for my smart mouth for a long time." Shirayuki pointed to the coffee table. "We're gonna play Balderdash and you'll have to teach me how it's done."

"That's what the rules are for, read'em for yourself while I set it up and then prepare to get your ass handed to you." Obi handed Shirayuki the worn scrap of paper explaining game play.

Shirayuki giggled, not one bit sorry about her mirth, "We should play for high stakes."

Deliberately misunderstanding, Obi scoffed. "We just ate! You want more steak?" The book nailed him right between his shoulder blades and Obi only laughed.

Shirayuki tried again. "I'm serious. A contest is more enjoyable if played for something worthwhile."

Obi dragged a club chair opposite the coffee table and couch. "Money?"

"Hmph. Nothing so crass as cash. Loser has to obey the winner."

Shirayuki tossed the dice at Obi and scowled. "How can I ever trust you now after seeing you lie with such impunity?"

"You're the one who chose the high stakes." Chuckling, Obi collected the board and trays of questions, stowing them in the box. "Didn't you say something about being killer at trivia?"

"Regular trivia." Her words dripped with sarcasm, "Adding falsehoods to the mix makes a mockery of the pureness of knowledge."

"Tsk, tsk. I would've never guessed you'd be Miss Sore Loser."

"I may be a sore loser, but at least I'm not a whelsher." Shirayuki followed Obi to the hallway as he stowed the games. "What's your first order?"

Obi shut the closet door and spun around, swallowing air, eyes wide.

Shirayuki repeated her words with a determined sultry tone, settling one delicate hand over Obi's heart. "What's your first order?" Triumph lit her features - his heart was beating as fast as hers. "We're both adults, don't be shy." Shirayuki licked her lips and if her next words came out slower and softer than she wanted, at least she got them out for Obi to hear. "All I know is I don't want to be alone tonight."

"As long as I'm your bodyguard, you have my promise." Obi gathered Shirayuki into his arms and hugged her tight, "I won't leave you alone."

Face squished against Obi's broad chest, she huffed her displeasure. "I don't think you're understanding the nature of my offer."

"I understand fine." Obi dropped a chaste kiss on Shirayuki's forehead. "I'm not the kind of person who finds satisfaction in taking advantage of another."

"..." Shirayuki sighed and went lax in Obi's embrace. "You're giving my ego hellacious bruises."

"Same situation with my self-control."

Partially pleased with his bemused tone, Shirayuki pulled away to look at Obi. "I do believe I'm sleepy."

"Don't read into this, but even though I have a second bedroom - you're bedding down with me...at least for tonight." Obi ignored the red rising on his cheeks. "I'll feel better having you within reach."

Shirayuki suppressed a smile, looking down and nodding. "I tend to not have very good sleeps in new places."

"Not actually part of my reasoning, but good to know."

"I guess your dossier on me was incomplete, huh?" Shirayuki giggled. As improbable as it was, letting Obi get to know some of her quirks was fun. "You'll be glad to know I don't snore."

"That much I figured." Obi shrugged, an easy smile making him look like nothing more than a besotted young man. "But what woman admits to that sort of thing? I'll find out soon enough."

Pretending to be miffed, she lifted her chin and sniffed. "I hope you don't snore either."

"No one has ever complained. I'm going to check the perimeter and my cameras, I've got a few things I can set up for extra precautions." Obi gestured at his bedroom. "Settle in."

Resisting the urge to watch Shirayuki, Obi made a beeline for the kitchen and his array of monitors hiding inside the door to the pantry - actually inside the actual door of the pantry. He reviewed the recorded data as fast as he could and amped up his regular precautions. There was little chance the men after Shirayuki had been tipped off about his connection to her - but there was no sense ignoring the slight possibility.

Obi chuckled softly. The object of his nightly desires was smack in the middle of his bed, limbs akimbo. It looked like she was trying to claim every inch of space as hers. "Heaven help me resist this temptation." Obi sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I must have been extremely bad in a previous life."

Yuki murmured in her sleep, rolling over to clutch her pillow in a fierce embrace.

"You're not helping." Amused at himself, Obi shook his head. Stealthily he moved beside his bed and lifted the covers.

"Wha-?"

"Shh, it's me. Keep sleeping."

Shirayuki shuddered and struggled upright. "I can't believe I dozed off like that. Normally I can't relax enough for sleep anywhere but home."

"Should I be offended or honoured?" Obi joined Yuki in bed, arranging his long legs with a minimum of fuss. "Am I safe or boring?"

"Safe." Shirayuki yawned, laying down once more. "You make me feel lots of things, but safe is how I feel right now."

"Why are you telling me this?" Obi wanted with all his considerable desire to see how far Shirayuki would allow him to go. "Why?"

A gentle snore was his answer. Smiling, Obi tucked the blankets up under Shirayuki's chin and dropped a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Sweet dreams."

Sometime after midnight, Yuki felt pressure on her bladder. She did her silent best to creep from bed and pad over to the adjoining bathroom. In the dim glow of the nightlight, she hurried, wanting to return to the warm embrace of bed - the presence of sexy Obi being only forty percent of the reason she wanted to go back.

Obi's eyes snapped open as he felt the bed dip and rise from Shirayuki leaving. He watched her make a beeline for the bathroom, relaxing as the muted sounds of her ablutions reached his ears. He pretended deep sleep as she joined him.

Softly she spoke, "You're no ordinary man, are you?"

Obi forced himself to keep feigning sleep.

"I wish things could be easier." Seeing that Obi wasn't waking, Shirayuki felt more confident and kept talking, her voice low but clear. "You're not stupid as I first thought - but I might be more foolish than I ever thought possible." She snuggled against Obi. "I want you to want me - isn't that dumb?" Feeling even braver with Obi showing no signs of stirring, she cupped his cheek. "Even as a teenager I never was this emotional - but you make me crazy." Sighing, she shifted her body - laying her head on Obi's chest. "Crazy and impossibly happy."

"Wake up sleepy-head." Shirayuki placed a perfectly brewed cup of coffee on the nightstand and grinned at her bodyguard. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Obi sat up and arranged the blankets higher on his lap, "I could -"

"You cooked last night - I'd like to prove I'm not helpless."

Obi nodded, "Not totally." He grinned to see fire flash in Yuki's eyes. Exactly the effect he'd wanted.

"If I'd known how mean you were going to be, I wouldn't have made my famous pancakes." Shirayuki crossed her arms. "I suppose I could toss the ones I made for you."

"That would be a shame." Obi lifted the cup and sampled the coffee, smacking his lips. "Fantastic."

"Keep talking sweet and I might even make lunch."

"We could do it together."

Shirayuki turned around to hide the red rising on her cheeks. She knew what he'd meant, but she also knew what she wanted. "Get dressed and hurry and join me or the food will get cold." Shirayuki hurried from the bedroom.

Obi took another sip of the coffee and waited for his morning wood to subside.

Now clad in casual gear, Obi entered the kitchen. "This looks great!"

Caught in the middle of squeezing oranges, Shirayuki smiled. "I hope you don't mind - I rummaged all through your food supply."

"Of course not." Obi wanted to groan. He sounded like a polite stranger.

"Sit and let's enjoy."

"I'd much rather help - is there something else that needs doing?" Obi moved closer to Shirayuki. "No job too big or small for me, that's what I've always believed."

It took her two tries to speak, but she said, "It's all good."

"You said you rummage all through my food supply, but from what I see, you didn't find my stash of maple syrup." Obi pointed at the kitchen table. "I see only the value brand syrup."

"No, I had a good look at your food supply. I don't like maple syrup."

"A woman who doesn't want such a delicious and expensive premium product?" Obi chuckled. "Interesting."

"Are you trying to piss me off in particular or all women? I don't like the flavour. I don't care if it's super cheap or hella expensive. I don't want what I don't like!" Shirayuki snatched the bacon off the paper towel and onto the waiting plate. "If you like maple syrup so much, why even have Mrs. Butterworth taking up valuable shelf space?" She stomped over to the table and slammed down the bacon. "Let's eat!"

Hiding a smirk, Obi withdrew his maple syrup from an upper cupboard and placed it near his coffee. He dropped into his chair and admired the bounty of food Shirayuki had prepared. "Thanks for all your hard work."

"Hmmpf." Shirayuki gave her host a fierce glare and then put her energy into eating, studiously ignoring Obi as he poured a copious amount of maple syrup onto his stack of pancakes. She grabbed the cheaper syrup and squeezed a veritable river onto her own food. "Got anything fun we can do later?"

Obi hid his smirk with his hand, covering it further with a cough. "Maybe."

Shirayuki rolled her eyes. "Maybe, huh?" She forked a portion of pancake into her mouth and sighed her pleasure.

"I've got ideas for a few fun things - we can decide after the dishes are done." Obi helped himself to more fluffy scrambled eggs and made his own obscene sound of enjoyment. He chewed and swallowed. "You deserve nothing but the best for this food, just so you know." Obi nodded agreement to his own words. "So good!"

Shirayuki flipped through an unexpected find - a Woman's Weekly magazine. Obi had insisted vociferously on cleaning the dishes by himself as thanks for her cooking. Flattered he'd been so enamoured of her food, she'd acquiesced in short order. The magazine couldn't hold her attention as she thought about Obi and she dropped it beside her on the couch. They could play other board games she mused or cards, or even put together a puzzle. Obi seemed like the type of guy who would have all these things - and lots of them.

She slapped her hands on her thighs and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Why hadn't she taken the meditation classes offered by her work? Meditation would have her acting calm at least! Shirayuki turned her hands into fists and then rubbed them up and down her thighs as she puffed more air in and out noisily.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Obi touched Shirayuki's shoulder. "What's got you so worked up?"

Mortified, she stopped mid-motion. "Only a penny? I'm a Ph.D. - you'll need to cough up at least a few dollars!"

"If I do, will you be honest with your thoughts?"

"I'm joking," Shirayuki blushed as Obi plopped beside her and picked up the magazine she'd been browsing. "Let's just talk."

"I'm willing to pay as much as it takes to get to the center of your honest thoughts." Obi held the magazine to his chest. "Or even to the outskirts of your thoughts." He chuckled self-consciously. "How much would it take?"

"Not as much as you might think." Shirayuki smiled. "I want to share with you more than I want to hide."

"Hmmmm." Obi moved a bit closer. "How about we play truth for truth?"

"That anything like truth or dare?"

"Very similar." Obi smiled. "I'll start - I find you very attractive."

"I think you're hot." Shirayuki blushed, her gaze skittering to her lap. The shock of Obi's warm fingers gripping her chin had her blinking in confusion. "W-what?" She gulped and tried to formulate a complete thought. "Um, I know it seems like I'm rabbiting back the same sentiment - but it's the truth."

"You're a natural at the truth for truth game." He let go of Yuki's chin and rubbed his fingers as if he wanted to make sure to remember how her skin had felt. "Not just the outer trappings. Your intelligence and personality keep me enthralled." Obi grinned sheepishly and waited for Shirayuki to respond.