“Rough night?”

    Eleanor’s eyes flickered to ones of a starless sky.

    “Huh?” she blinked, and an amused huff left the stranger, causing wine-colored locks to brush against tan skin with a slight nod.

    “I’ll take that as a yes.”

    “I…” Eleanor frowned slightly, and the woman took a sip from her glass. “Just… long.”

    “Mmm... This city does that to all the days hun.”

    “I-” Eleanor paused with her eyes flickering over the woman in quick discovery, but her haste was soon forgotten in the woman’s carefree attire.

    Her grey shirt was deeply cut by a tear, gifting Eleanor a generous view of the abundantly filled bra made up of a deep red mesh material. The infiltrator’s gaze was not nearly as discreet as her skills of stealth could be, and a smirk whispered over the woman’s lips at her continued attention while Eleanor’s gaze drifted further down her body. She enjoyed the view of dark jeans clinging to well-toned thighs, and the leather boots that began a few inches below her knees.

    “Should I get you another drink?”

    “What? Huh?!” Eleanor’s eyes flew back to the stranger’s before darting to her own drink that was still mostly full. “Uh… I mean… I only…” her voice trailed off before her blush grew deeper, and her eyes swiftly returned to the woman along with her focus.

“She’s hopeless, and adorable… She could be my weakness.”

    Eleanor quickly focused on her drink, trying to swallow the anxious excitement that bubbled a smile up onto her lips.

    “So… what about you?” Eleanor glanced at her. “Bad day?”

    “It’s getting better,” she nodded, and hope dared to flicker in Eleanor’s eyes before they started to slip again, but the woman offered her hand, making Eleanor jump. “I’m Leslie.”

    “I… like that name,” Eleanor shyly took her hand with the awkwardness dripping from her lips. “I’m Eleanor.”

    “I like that name,” Leslie teased, and Eleanor offered a crooked smile. “You can relax hun. I’m not going to bite yet,” she assured her, and Eleanor looked slightly relieved for a moment, then confused, then nervous, and then her face went red.

    “Yet?” The infiltrator nearly gulped the question.

    “You haven’t given me a reason to yet,” Leslie taunted with a smirk.

    “Is that a good thing?” The question spewed from Eleanor’s mouth, and Leslie just shrugged while taking another sip of her drink. 

    “Calmin’ down there?” Leslie couldn’t help but tease, stuttering Eleanor’s calm yet again.

    “Uh, yeah,” she gave another crooked smile, “I’m cool. Calm. Cool… Eh’hem…” she unnecessarily cleared her throat with warmth filling her cheeks, and an amused huff left Leslie.

    “So what brings a cool-calm girl like yourself here?” Leslie questioned with her curiosity unknowingly ebbing at the back of Eleanor’s mind, giving the cautious infiltrator pause.

    “A drink,” she answered awkwardly while focusing on the woman in an attempt to find her artificial savvy.

“No shit.”

    “Same,” Leslie hummed before a smirk curled her lips, “Never thought the sights would keep me though.”

    “I… sights?” Eleanor blinked for a moment.

“Holy shit… this girl. I wonder how long it’ll take her.”

    Eleanor’s eyes locked with Leslie’s in question while the woman patiently waited, and after another moment Eleanor’s eyes widened.

“There yah go sweetheart.”

    “Oh… heh…” Eleanor looked away, nervously twirling her finger in her hair. “So… Leslie…” she shyly looked to her to find Leslie’s undivided attention upon her. “What’s… your favorite color?”

    “I…” Leslie paused before an abrupt laugh escaped her. 

    “Wha-what?”

    “You,” Leslie laughed a bit more. “You’re so nervous.”

    “I-!... Am not.” 

    “Yeah, yeah you are.”

    “Well!” Eleanor huffed with a small glare while her cheeks burned, “That’s only cause your all-” she gestured to Leslie’s entirety almost frantically. “I mean, come on! Give a girl a chance!” she blurted without regard, and her heart slammed into her stomach with the color draining from her face. “I-... I didn’t just say that,” she gulped, only to freeze as Leslie’s touch glided over her cheek, gently tucking the loose sunset strands behind her ear.

    “Why?” 

    “Why?” Eleanor parroted her in a chirp.

    “Mmhmm,” Leslie nodded with the sensation of her touch lingering behind even after it trailed off of Eleanor’s skin. “I mean…” she spoke in a slow calm, affording Eleanor every opportunity to find her voice. “Maybe I like knowing you don’t have a chance.”

    “Oh my…” 

    “Don’t forget to breathe, sweetheart.”

    “Right…” Eleanor had indeed forgotten, and she quickly made up for it while Leslie grabbed a napkin.

    Eleanor’s blind excitement began melting into curiosity as Leslie retrieved a pen from her pocket, and she watched as the woman drew lines upon the napkin.

    “You can go first,” Leslie announced while placing it in front of Eleanor, and confusion filled the infiltrator’s eyes.

    “What?”

    “Tic-tac-toe, hun.”

    “Oh…” Eleanor furrowed her brows before glancing at Leslie.

“Maybe another focus will help her out. I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

    Eleanor’s eyes widened as she stared at Leslie in disbelief. She had been nothing but calm and kind in her feelings while her thoughts were almost neutral in their wanting. Lust and attraction whispered from Leslie, yet controlled nothing of her, and Eleanor’s eyes softened in the presence of the considerate mind.

    Leslie’s abyssal gaze rested upon the napkin before her focus shifted to Eleanor’s in a calm flow, and a soft smile broke over her lips from the attention. Eleanor found herself sinking into the darkness of Leslie’s eyes that held no light, studying the way they nearly devoured their own pupils while speaking nothing of harm to Eleanor in their gentle gloom. 

After a moment longer, a more confident smile graced Eleanor’s lips, and she withdrew from her powers, leaving Leslie’s mind to be her own. The infiltrator left, leaving Eleanor to enjoy their game, and that they did with gentle conversation and intermittent teasing that only threatened to cross the line into anxiety.