"Well it's not like I can bloody SEE with this thing on, pet," he grumbles.

A wicked grin crosses my face as I look up at him, his sculpted face bathed in the waning moonlight, only broken by the navy bandana I'd tied securely around his eyes. My heart skips a beat at the same time as it softens to a pile of mush. Fangy brings out this intense dichotomy of feeling in me anymore, like I can't decide if I want to fuck him or fawn over him. Ever since we had that conversation on the Fourth, which is probably the single most probing one we've ever had, I feel like something has shifted. Saying the words makes things so much more real, more than you could ever imagine.

"Know what you're thinking," he says softly.

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I turn back to him, stopping short. "You do?"

He nods. "I do. Thinkin' bout the last time we talked, aren't ya?"

"More like the only time," I chuckle.

Sighing heavily, he puts his hand over his heart. "You wound me, pet. You tryin' to say that I'm not a stunning conversationalist like your poet?"

My brows furrow and I grab his hand, tugging him along again. He resists, and I draw in a deep breath. I don't want to get into this. It's a party, his party, and I am not going to be the one to bring up the heavy stuff and ruin it. But here he is, pushing me. Damn it. I just wanted to drag him into the room and engage in some really fun gymnastics with Toga like I'd promised we would. Why is nothing ever simple?

"That's not what I meant and you know it, Mr Cranky Pants." Hmm. Maybe being flirty and teasing will distract him enough to keep from having to have this little talk that he seems intent on pressing.

"That pouty face would work better if I could see it, baby," he says, tilting his head to the side, the smirk almost leaping off his face.

"Shit," I mutter and he laughs. My whole body warms with the sound and I know I've lost. I've missed bantering with him, and I've missed seeing him, and damnit, I don't think there's a bloody thing I haven't missed. "Alright, alright. C'mere."

I grab his hand again, leading him off to the side of the house and settling us beneath a tree. He pulls me onto his lap and I struggle, wanting to have my own space for something that's invasive like this, but he's having none of it.

"Don't want you to stain up your pretty clothes," he says as I start to undo his blindfold.

His words make me pause, because out of sheer stubbornness, I'd like to make him talk with out being able to see. See how he likes being disarmed. "This is not pretty and it won't matter cause I'm never wearing it again," I reply spitefully, undoing the blindfold with a yank.

Yelping, he gives me a death stare. "No need to scalp me over it," he says, his face changing expression in the blink of an eye. "Besides, I like this on you, pet. You're so embarrassed about that you're…ripe as can be." He winks and I groan, thumping my head against his collar bone.

"You're using me as the damn party air freshener, you jerk," I say, shaking my head. Only Fangy would be that practical.

"Can't blame me for wantin to mix things up a bit. Haven't gotten mauled yet, have ya?"

"No," I reply slowly.

He laughs again, a deep rumbling chuckle that makes me grin despite myself. "You don't know if you're glad or hurt, do you?"

My eyes widen comically. "How the hell did you know that?"

"Wasn't particularly hard to figure out. I know you better than you'd think, my heart," he says softly.

I smile, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "You do not. I think you know me very well; you just surprise me sometimes. Which is a good thing when it doesn't involve complex costume changes."

"So what's been going on with us then?"

Again, I just blink at him. He's gotten awful direct for someone who'd rather be bending me over the porch rail. I guess I owe him some of the same. "I wouldn't know. Haven't seen you for awhile… and when I have seen you here, we've been kinda tense."

He lifts my chin and gives me one of his wicked grins. "Well some of that has to do with your lack of…apparel."

"Yeah, that's definitely part of it," I reply, chuckling. "I've been mostly apparel-less since I arrived." A cocked eyebrow tells me he disagrees, and I concede. "I said MOSTLY. Stupid super sniffing clones."

A sudden fierce hug cuts off the diatribe I'd planned on how unfair it is that they can smell all sorts of things they shouldn't be able to. I melt into his arms, and like I'm pulling on a jacket I've had for ages…it has the perfect fit. My eyes slide shut and he nuzzles close, purring contentedly.
When we finally break apart, a look passes between us that says enough that we don't have to discuss anything else. I know there are some things I should probably bring up, but this is definitely not the time and place for that discussion. Instead, I just grin at him, my eyes twinkling merrily. "You ready for your prezzie now?"

"This better be good if I'm letting you blindfold me. You realize that?"

I grin broadly as I lean in to tie it back. "Oh trust me. You're going to remember this for awhile." Especially since Loki will no doubt have it on tape…