"Well, what did you think of her?" Lilith asked as she sipped some tea beside Julius while he added Black Rock Shooter's amendment to the contract at his desk where the initial exchange had taken place.
"I noted issues of self-confidence, but hints of personal pride. My guess is that she's ashamed or possibly mistreated about her draconic heritage, but the ever present pride of that same creature is conflicting within her. It makes for an interesting dynamic, to say the least." Julius replied as he wrote. "But, my observations aside... I think she's young, bright, and knows we mean her no harm."
"Come now, Julius, there has to be something about her that you particularly enjoy, even from just this meeting with her. Those eyes of her are just to die for, so bright and sharp, and the way they react to the light is just fascinating!" Lilith couldn't help smiling at the memory of watching Black Rock Shooter's reptilian eyes shining like sapphires from under her hood, then when she had thrown her hood back, how they adjusted to the change in lighting for a tangible moment. Their sharp, cyan glow, edged by a slight sliver of a deep ocean blue, or is it more of a true sapphire blue itself?
"I can't say that I have a favourite quite yet, unfortunately." Julius shook his head slightly. "I'm still in the prepratory phase of our relationship arrangement with her, and it requires at least one visit with her at her home. I would rather do the honours myself, but you've done this same meeting with the previous girls we've signed contracts with."
"Hmmm..." Lilith took a pointedly long sip of her tea, letting her hum hang in the air for a few seconds before she lowered the cup to the saucer in her other hand. "She had her eyes on you more than she did with me. Now I won't deny seeing her eyes darting all over me, but she was watching you like a hawk the rest of the time. I think you should be the one that has the first visit to her home."
"I'm surprised you're offering it to me this time. Very well, if I finish the preparations on my end quickly enough, I should be able to reach her in time before she runs off to the forest for the night..." Julius checked his watch as he spoke, but let his own words drift off without elaboration.
Part of their research observations for Black Rock Shooter were about her home in the city, her job at the local animal shelter, and her limited social life... but also her frequent, borderlining on nightly nights where she would visit the expansive local wildernesses, shedding her human half in favour of her draconic side. But, she didn't just run off to hunt for food. Not in the slightest, in fact.
She went into the woods mostly to be with her equals, the other creatures that inhabited the wilds. And, having disguised himself as a creature to follow her during this research period, he noted just how... free she felt, and noted that she likewise shed her clothing during the transition from city to forests. Although the exact location was unknown to him, he suspected she at least kept them in some sort of secured location to return to when she would return home.
And, from his recon work, he was almost certain that Black Rock Shooter was able to tame the wildlife just with her presense. Even in his animal form, he was able to note the sense of calm, almost serenity that she had in nature. Which was in strong contrast to her highly tensed state in the city. If he had to make an educated guess, her lack of a useable voice wasn't a hinderance outside of the city for her, and almost... aided her taming abilities.
His academic side yearned to learn more of his new partner's amazing ability, but the other part of him knew better than to poke and prod her like that. This was a romantic relationship. He signed, collecting his thoughts as he finished writing the amendment and slid it back into her file.
Black Rock Shooter actually went straight home after the contract signing with Julius and Lilith, finding herself exhausted far more than she should've been for a healthy walk to the upper class area of the city's outskirt.
With a sign, she knew she should've taken the effort to just unfurl her wings and fly there, and back, but hindsight was 20/20, as the saying went. So she fought every fiber of her reptilian side's pechance for laziness and hauled herself off her couch to take a shower... Only for a knock on her apartment door to reach her ears as she was in the midst of pulling off her hoodie.
Almost nobody bothered to knock on her door, and the very few that did only did so in the morning to sell things door to door. It was sunset... So she slowly sorted her hoodie back in place, and approached the door, slowly opening it just enough to peer through.
It was Julius himself. Not a representative, not a servant from the mansion. Julius.
"Good evening, my dear. There's something I'd neglected to go over with you during our meeting earlier, would it be alright if I went over it with you?"
Black Rock Shooter knew he'd said he'd 'had his eye on her' for a while, but hadn't considered just how extensively he'd done so... so somehow the idea of him knowing where she lived didn't surprise her. Nor the fact that he likely drove here, while she herself had - foolishly - walked home instead of doing the sensible thing and used her damn wings.
With a nod through the gap, she held up one finger before closing the door, then removed the door chain and held it fully open for him to enter. He bowed his head with a smile, and stepped inside, keeping his hands clasped together in front of himself before turning back to her as she closed the door.
[So what was it that we missed during the meeting?] Black Rock Shooter asked, her gaze scanning his face curiously for the first few seconds, but it devolved into examining his actual features; his silvery-grey eyes, dark brunette hair, healthy, naturally tanned skin, sharp, clean-shaved face, and his strong jawline. It took her those few seconds to realize that... he was gorgeous.
"Well, since the contract is being drafted with the new amendment we've agreed on, now is time to move onto transitional details. First of which is this." Julius reached into his suit jacket and produced a cellphone... a brand new one, the latest model. "For you, to get ahold of both myself and Lilith at any time, for whatever reason. And, at the same time, for us to check in with you. It is part of the contract for you to have, and is paid for by myself. Lilith's and my own number are already in your contact list, and your number is likewise in our phones." He held out the device for her, and she accepted it, briefly staring at her reflection in the surface before gingerly sliding it into her hoodie pocket.
[You're clearly aware that I'm... half dragon... Do I have to worry about accidentally breaking it?] Black Rock Shooter signed, then her hands paused for a moment, her fingers curling nervously before she added. [I'm actually stronger than I look... A lot stronger.]
"Accidents happen, and when they do, the phone is covered under insurance, and any data recoverable from the device will salvaged in case the phone breaks. Likewise, if you're unable to get ahold of us right after it happens, we will hopefully have established at least one additional means to get in touch with you by then." Julius nodded. "The next item... well, more like, the next topic... is actually something Lilith suggested with a previous contractee, and that is for you to spend the night with us, tonight specifically. And, on a personal note, I am already aware that you walked home the entire way here. This time, I've driven here, and that is how we shall be returning, if you choose to accept the request, of course."
[I was actually planning to have a shower when you arrived.] Black Rock Shooter glanced over at one of the doors at the other end of her apartment, which she was only really present in a few nights every week, and hardly at all during the day, so it was incredibly clean all things considered. [So can I think about that one while we discuss any other topics you have?]
"One more, sadly." Julius nodded at her request before he spoke. "If my arrival here wasn't indicative enough, I've done several weeks of research and reconnaissance about you. I have an entire file on your routines, locations and the like. Including your visits to the forests whenever you get a chance to. I wanted to at least bring this out into the open. I grew both curious and concerned by your behaviour, and did so in the hopes to eventually send you the very letter that lead you to signing the contract earlier this evening."
[So you stalked me?]
"Yes, in simple terms, I did."
[Which part of me did you stalk more? Human or Dragon?]
"Equally, actually. I took the form of various animals to follow you in the woods, and stayed as myself while mapping our your patterns in the city. If I was unable to map your city side for a day, Lilith would take over for that day, and share the results she gathered."
[So... that means you saw how I'm treated here in the city... didn't you?]
"As much as I disliked it, I couldn't give away that I was following you. Had I been able, I would've done something to help." Julius sighed slightly, lowering his head. "If there's anything I could do for you to forgive me of that, I would gladly do so in a heartbeat."
Rock was silent, unmoving for several moments, clearly thinking about an actual response. She crossed her arms over her stomach, shifted her weight onto one foot, then nodded once.
[Kiss me.]
Julius watched her signing her response, and without even a change in expression to the contrary, he crouched down onto one knee, gently placing one hand along the side of her cheek and slowly inched forward until their lips met.