"Nope." She entered the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, afraid that if he caught on to what she was staring at, he'd tease her aggressively. Or worse, misread the situation....

But has there been even a single situation where her actions are perceived incorrectly? The line between platonic and romantic affections is really starting to blur with her.

Moping her way to the mirror, she inspected her features. Her reflection scowled at her, making certain things pronounced on her face. This scowl tried to hide the blush that never left her features. And it was failing at it miserably.

Idonea was never the type to get offended easily. Often spouting her grievances bluntly so that nothing is left for miscommunication. But here she is struggling to speak out about Leas's recent act of jealousy.

It was relatively a new thing to be bothered about and serious compared to the other things that Leas had done. For one thing, it proves that his affections are deeper than admitted already. The second thing is that he really would like their relationship to stay monogamous, something to have a conversation about at least. Getting upset that she isn't paying attention to him is a bit on the overkill side.

Or was it? She has been notoriously avoiding eye contact since they met. Finding his brilliant beauty even too much for her.

Her mind wandered around a way to kickstart by asking, walking beside him but not touching. The streets of Dublin are not what they used to be, she thought, checking the paved roads and the many parked cars. Meters are posted along the legal parking spots. She found it extremely interesting that even though it was 6:33 pm, people still walked around the chilly streets as if it was daylight. The sun had fully set and the building, with the assistance of streetlamps, lit the roads perfectly for them.

Leas was talking about how he was invited to a few concerts here, being a radio host. Although he had kept his image a secret, he still did his best to give the band credit for their great stage presence.

It's the least he can do, especially when he gets free tickets from them. All these interesting facts about him and yet she still had her mind about how he acted earlier.

The Point was just in their sight, a further walk than expected, but she could see the end of the human queue. That is when she grabbed him by the hand and stopped him from joining the line of people and it certainly gathered his attention.

His hand was warmer to the touch and gentler than she bargained for. Almost distracted by it if it wasn't for Leas squeezing her hand back. "Are you getting nervous about the concert?"

Nervous!? She fought the choked laugh down, finding that the only thing she was nervous about was the way he stared at her. However, she had a better understanding of what these lazuli eyes say when he does. Although a huge flirt, those eyes did not undress her. Most of the time he watched her like a puppy with its alpha. Waiting for the praise and the affection he craves, some of those expectancies may have romantically physical aspects; more of him just wanted companionship.

Those eyes are what powered her to finally ask, "What made you upset earlier?"

"Hm?" He feigned ignorance, but the flushed freckled face and the way he avoided her gaze said a million words. "I was teasing, Nea."

She scoffs, looking at the line, then at some alleyway where they can be alone to talk. So instead of communicating her plans, she dragged him to the alleyway by holding his hand. She ignored the gentle strength of his fingers lacing around her fingers so confidently or else she would lose herself to it.

This alleyway is full of filth, the filth that Dublin tried to hide away. All cities have this kind of filth with trash littered around and brick walls painted with gang tags. She thought she saw the IRA stamped somewhere here but her truest focus was the few young teenagers who looked like they were passing around a joint. Her resting scowl made the three youngsters tense for a fight, and worse, her body reacted accordingly by tightening her frame for action. A true warrior hidden beneath modern casual garb.

"Who da fuck are ya, dyke?!" One teenager flexed.

The other two backed this individual up with the same stance.

They backed away when Leas waltzed around, so he was in front of her, sporting the kindest of smiles. His body is very fluid. He relaxed his broad shoulders and the arms full of tattoos hung loose beside him. This is when he let go of her hand, making her regret ever coming here in the first place. “Excuse me, lads. Those aren't very polite words to say to a lady."

"A geebag with big arms like that is no lady!?" The leader yelps in laughter.

"Sorry...we'll leave." Idonea sighs, this reminds her how her resting face tends to get her in more trouble than not. It didn't help that she was already upset about the latest Leas episode. Her hand reached for his wrist just to guide her male partner back.

It was for naught; this man stood his ground facing the three lads without a falter. And this might be the first time she had ever seen his face look so serious. "Apologize."

"Wut? Ye smokin’?" The boys snickered with each other.

"Been a little while since I last did this." Leas tilted his head, running his free hand over his wavy blond hair. Then he pulled his hand away from hers, "just wait here for me..."

Idonea gaped at him as he walked away from her bubble. All her mind ran through all the things he was going to do to those kids, all the things that could lead to him being incarcerated. Oh no! "Leas!?"

"Wut are ye doin’, old man?"

Leas smiled from one ear to the next, the only thing that showed his irritation was the twitch of his broad brow. He didn't answer the leader of the delinquents, snatching the joint from the other's mouth and inspecting it. The one who had his joint stolen gasped, looking between his friends and Leas. Leas was oddly fast for a normal person, "Smells like happy lettuce. Do you boys know the fines of a first-time offenders?"

"I don't care!? Give it back!" The leader tried to swipe it back, Leas danced around the lad easily. His two friends tried to grab them for it and Leas kept avoiding them. Eventually, he stuck his foot out and made one of the boys trip then fall face first to the ground.

"The fines start as low as $1,000 in these times.... third offense leads you to prison time." Leas continued his briefings no matter how many times the boys tried to get the joint from him. The obvious level of prowess between them were towns apart. Idonea admired every second and even more that Leas wasn't trying to hurt them.

The radio host hopped away, looking at the dumpster nearby and chuckled. "Weed isn't worth this much trouble."

"Give it back ye lickarse!"

"Nope." Leas chucked it into the open dumpster, the small joint falling into the crevices of trash. She could barely pinpoint it from the smell of decay of produce and feces. Oh man...

"Ye'll regret this!?" The leader helped his friend from the floor and all three of them ran in the opposite direction. Each one of them yelling profanities and how the next time they will make their lives awful.

"Little fífl...” Leas sighs, allowing himself a bit of contempt to slip from his beautiful mouth. Forking through his wavy blond hair, he recovered from his outer annoyance and headed towards her with one hand in his pocket and the other offered to her. "Come. I don't want to miss the concert."

Her heart thudded hard, unsure how to receive him. He was doing more than anyone she had ever met in her life. Not even the English farmer who swayed her heart over five hundred years ago had done this much for her. It saddened her that this might be short-lived, especially when he didn't even know her true nature. The wolf side of her. If only she could be just another mortal woman. Maybe she could easily accept this strange relationship. She took his hand, forcing a grin through the sadness that clenched at her heart, telling herself to enjoy the date for what it was. "Okay...let's save this conversation for later then..."

"I promise to explain myself once we get more privacy..." His aura is so soothing, she wanted to cuddle up to him. But she would only allow her fingers to get close to him, noting how big his hands were. They were the hands of a musician, long and gentle. He'd strum her well for sure if she ever allowed it.

These raunchy thoughts invaded her mind, so she decided to ask while he guided her back to the line. "Where did you get so good at fighting?"

"Fighting? I was taught by a self-defense instructor." He admitted, but all those words don't seem to match his level of expertise.

"Sure....sure. Wrestling could be perceived that way." It reminded the old immortal of a fighting style long lost. The buxnatok, a grip self-defense style of wrestling. Lots of legwork and patience, waiting for the enemy to mess up and using their mistakes to their advantage. She tried to outmaneuver an expert in this style, ending up with more bruises than her competitor.

"Bah, you figured me out. I used to be on a wrestling team back in high school. Kind of embarrassing to talk about..." Leas pouted, waving away her suspicion like they held no weight. It wasn't what he cared about, clenching their linked hands. He used the free one to use the camera and offered, "Want a picture near the entrance?"

She could see the Point’s entrance, a few people down the line, gorgeous with cobbled stone and a columned outdoor roof. The words 'Point Depot 1878' are plastered on the roofed front in this white font. She had never been here before, the world changed so fast after the introduction of cars that she barely had the time to enjoy any of it. That and she didn't pursue a vehicle license, so she missed out on these changes.

Thanks to Leas, she got to see the heart of Dublin. Hiding her intrigue was futile, she bent her head up to peer at him and she swore her face was beaming. "Sure. You'll take one with me?"

Leas paused; the blush creeped up on his features when she asked so openly. It was very cute to witness the well-confident radio host being bashful at her approach. "Of course... Your wish is my command."

It took a while, but they found someone willing to take photos of them. They took a few attempts, one where they just held each other's hands, then another with him hugging her from behind. The last photo must have been the most embarrassing, she could barely hold her girlish excitement whenever Leas got close. And he got close often.

He promised to have these photos printed for her and she didn't deny him. It would be nice to have something to remember him by once this all blows over. Her heart constricts again at the thought.

They entered the Point next, the clerk checked Leas in and handed off two VIP placard cards that were attached to a lanyard. He gave one to Idonea, who nervously put it on, trying not to imagine how much those tickets must have cost. He put his on but once they fully entered the place, he snuck the laminated card underneath his shirt stating something like, "It attracts attention."

This place was built for a train station many years ago and some of the aesthetics of it remain. The new owners made the venue to be able to handle ice rinks and boxing matches with the floor plan having two actual levels along the sides. The very bottom floor had the stage set up and the people crowded towards it. She can even see people on the top floor, hanging out patiently for the band to come out. The couple stood along the outskirts of the seated crowd. Leas peered around, then pointed towards the thickest part of the crowd.

"Our seats should be all the way in the front."

Are those VIP seats? Idonea knew enough about music venues. They often had a VIP sitting in front and it was highly likely that the same VIP members got to meet the bands playing. Although she had no interest in meeting the English singer Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner it put a sense of importance into those tickets. Her hand inspected the VIP placard resting just on her bosom, noting the bright yellow bold lettering and the shiny gloss over it. Suddenly, these words spilled out of her mouth. "I...like Sting. Just not enough to want to meet him in person."

Leas stopped his track, investigating her with his gaze alone. The smile on his face grew a tick, "You sure?"

"Yeah" She tucked away the placard beneath her shirt, copying what he was doing. Besides, what was he going to do? By the way he hid away his placard, he might have intended to let her sit on her own. He was strict about keeping his identity a secret, he must have always gone to these concerts and found a spot that suited him far from the VIP section. "I'll still get to hear the music with you."

That made the radio host blink at her response. The words did not register in his mind right away based on how long it took for his freckled cheeks to burn. Then he was all playful grins afterwards, deflecting the possibility that he was caught off guard. "Alright then. I'll take you to my favorite spot."

"Great! Before we do, I need to go to the ladies' room." She bashfully stated, needing some time to recover from saying something so embarrassing. It is going to take a while to figure out some way to balance out the sappiness. At least there was enough time before the concert started.

Her hand finally released from his hand, "I'll look for you here."

He didn't fight her to stay by his side, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll be here, elskan."

Hearing him openly use his Icelandic terms broke her facade, she'd love to just absorb more of his affections. Shaking her head to wake herself from the stupor, she followed the signs for the restrooms.

What she never prepared for was how long the bathroom line was!? She waited to even enter the door frame of the bathroom and yet she still needed to wait longer to use one of the stalls. She could hear the music starting when she claimed a stall and she panicked.

Poor Leas!? He must've been waiting this whole time!? The she-wolf did her business and washed her hands after. Then she barreled out of the bathroom, making sure not to hit anybody on the way out. Her first instinct was to look for the gorgeous radio host. She found the spot where they were last standing together, eyeing the crowd around her and the band that started their first song of the night.

Her muscles tensed from the anxiety; she could not find a single visual trace of the mortal being. An oddity since Leas was a unique specimen of a being. She waited some more, till the music ended with a chorus and another song followed suit with soft guitar strumming.

He wasn't here. She took a couple of deep inhales of her surroundings, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes mixed with human emotions like an unforgiving cocktail was all she could smell. Not a single sweet scent reached her...