A Candlelight Supper

Tessa as she originally was in a fantasy setting game. I might have to redraw her a t some point... Although the DeathGrip version doesn't dress that much differently XD

***

Good bloody grief, the man even ate smoothly. He had leaned back in his chair, with no care in the world, nibbling the food with his fork. From time to time he stroked his ebony hair back behind his ears, in a flowy motion that definitely demanded slow-motion effect. And all the while flashing a perfect white smile that made women and even most men swoon at his feet.

Nigel couldn't stand him. And it seemed that the feeling was mutual, judging from the smug looks the man sitting on the opposite side of the table gave him from time to time.

Matt Quill was a colleague of Audrye's. He had been recruited to the Knights some seven years ago and had been stationed to the London unit about the same time as Audrye herself. Well, 'recruited' was stretching it a bit. From what Nigel had bothered to find out about him, Matt had been a prodigy thief from a very young age. By his twenties, he was already the cat burglar to go to if you wanted something stolen with a guaranteed success. The handsome kleptomaniac had a weakness for pride though and eventually he had bit on more that he could swallow. And then the Knights had come to save his hide, in exchange for a life-time of servitude.

Most that had met Matt thought that he also had a second weakness: women. The conclusion was easily drawn from the fact that Matt rarely spent two nights in a row alone and that his personal record was getting phone numbers of five different waitresses from the same restaurant in a night. The conclusion was false though. It wasn't that Matt had a weakness for women, the women had a weakness for Matt. And that made it even more special, that he was now having dinner with three women, none of which showed any interest on him sexually.

Nigel glanced at his girlfriend, who was serving everyone helpings to the potatoes. Audrye was one of those people, who just could not have any enemies. She hated arguments and fighting with a passion and always tried to be friends with everyone. To her virtue she didn't force her friendship on anyone and settled for getting along, if everything else was out of question. But in the end, Nigel still thought that inviting these particular people over for dinner had not been a good idea.

When Audrye had first told Matt that she was moving in with Nigel, he had openly showed his objections of her decision. Matt didn't think it was a good idea at all for a Knight to begin a relationship with a Grigor. He was sure it would lead to something catastrophic. To his irritation, Nigel actually agreed with him, deep down in his heart. But his distaste for the playboy would prevent him for ever confessing to it in his company.

Many had thought that Matt's objection to Audrye hooking up with him was based on jealousy, when it was actually the woman sitting adjacent of the thief that hated Nigel for the sole crime of having stolen Audrye from her.

Treasure Lyst was the head mage of the Knights, usually stationed in the main HQ at Normandy. She had trained with Audrye when they had been starting their careers in the White Knight ranks and being of the same age, they had quickly become close friends. They had actually been a trio, but Nigel had never met that third person. Treasure called them the Triage, as they all had a different specialization and every one of them was the best of their kind. Treasure was the spellcaster, the ultimate elementalist. Kalla had become one of the Knights most revered soldiers, and had been recruited to lord Michael's elite forces. Audrye, of course, was the master healer.

Not caring that her friend didn't feel the same way about her, Treasure was hopelessly in love with Audrye. Nigel couldn't blame her, he felt more confused about someone not loving his girlfriend. But this obnoxious mage had determined to split them and Nigel could only hope she wouldn't eventually resort to doing it literally.

Sipping her beer (which she had brought herself, having learned from the house-warming party that Audrye didn't serve such beverages), Emma had so far found the snarky mage quite entertaining. Having already gotten used to the ex-soldier's laid back manners and constant grinning, Nigel had been quite surprised when she had given Matt the coldest look he had ever witnessed the moment she saw him. From a short whispered explanation from Audrye, Nigel had learned that apparently during their last mission Matt had tried most of his moves on Emma who had then used some of her moves on him. He had ended up with a sprained arm, a red cheek and an injured self-esteem. Nigel hoped she had used her left hand to slap him, that would serve the playboy bloody right.

So there they were. Matt and Treasure united against Audrye dating Nigel. Nigel and Emma hating Matt for being such a slut. Emma and Matt sneering at the love-lorn Treasure. Audrye trying to get everyone to get along. Good bloody luck with that.

“So, I don't think you had much chance to talk to Tessa at the house-warming, Ems”, Audrye said in an effort to make at least some people to strike a conversation. Nigel was always amazed at his girlfriend's ability to make up nicknames to anyone she spent more that two minutes with. He had never heard anyone calling Emma anything but 'Emma', 'Ernsthart' or 'Captain'.

“You were there? I thought you looked a bit familiar”, Treasure asked. Nigel bit his tongue, so that he wouldn't point out to Treasure that Emma had actually been living at the London mansion for a week now. The same mansion where mage herself was residing as a quest.

“I was”, Emma answered, “Actually, you had just arrived with Q when we took off.”

“Oh, you should have stuck around”, Matt cut in, watching Emma like a cat does a mouse, “I think Tes would be just your type.”

Treasure snorted.

“I think she's way too old for me, thank you very much!” she exclaimed without caring if she insulted Emma or not. To the soldier's credit she didn't even flinch.

“Still, she's a bit closer to your league than Ads, I might say”, Matt rubbed it in, never steering his eyes from Emma who turned to look at him with a stony face.

“What do you mean?!” Treasure snapped, her dark blue eyes shooting lightning bolts at the thief.

“I think Matt is only referring to her status as single”, Audrye tried to say in a carefree manner.

“Don't worry, sweetheart, I won't be jumping on you”, Emma said to the ruffled mage and Nigel found himself to be relieved to see the familiar lopsided grin on her face.

“Oh, you're into the butchier type, then?” Matt asked, with only the slightest hint of scorn.

“You care to say what you're really going after, Fox?” Emma said in a menacing voice that sent chills down Nigel's spine.

“I'm just putting one and one together here”, Matt shrugged, “The only other woman to ever not haven fallen for my Look sits right next to you.”

“What 'Look'?” Nigel couldn't help but ask.

“You mean that weird thing you did with your face? Where you tried to look so aloof and cool?” Treasure cut in, barely holding in the laughter at the memory.

“You have a 'Look', Matty? You use it to get women, right?” Audrye asked, her eyes sparkling from interest, “Can I see it? Can I?”

“Oh I don't think a certain someone here would appreciate it, Doll”, Matt replied with a smirk of the greatest self-confidence.

“Damn right you aren't using your viles on Addy!” Treasure looked as if she was about to smack the man. After giving Nigel a look that said 'I could you know, and I know she would fall for it', he raised his hands in defence against the raging mage.

“I won't, don't worry.”

“I'm just saying that unlike any other woman before you, you actually laughed at my face when I tried to warm you up”, he continued.

“Damn right I did! You looked too damn hilarious!” This time Treasure actually did laugh out loud. Matt took a moment to settle his face back into a relaxed smile.

“Right... But your reaction was the same as I'd get out of men. Well, most men anyways. You wouldn't have been into me with or without the Look.”

“Is not being 'into you' really something so special?” Emma said, still with a chill in her voice, “You're really not that cool. You're a cover model boy with the self-esteem made out of granite. Sure you're deft with your fingers, but I wouldn't trust you to hold your ground in a tight spot.”

“And I appreciate your criticism, Marine, but it is quite rare for me to be turned down like that.”

Emma sighed. She looked like she'd facepalm at any minute.

“You might want to restrain yourself to picking up gals when you're not in a hideout of a rival God, whose followers will kill you on sight. And, when I say that you don't look when I'm changing, you don't look, you hear?”

“But you wouldn't have started to immediately snog me have I tried it at a bar either?”

Everyone else in the table were now watching this like they would a tennis match.

“Of course not!” Emma chuckled, getting a smug look from Matt in return.

“Look, you're really not my type, Foxy.”

“Haha! Exactly!” Matt exclaimed triumphantly, “And it's because I'm a man, isn't it?”

Emma gave him a bleak look.

“You... though I was gay? Just because I didn't instantly fall for you?”

Every spectator now turned to look at Matt, who seemed to be a bit insecure for the first time this evening. Or ever, now that Nigel thought about it.

“Well.. As I said, the only other to turn me down was Tes, and that was clearly because she's a lesbian”, he replied defiantly. Emma's face cracked into a hearty grin.

“Oh, poor you! Don't take it personally, please. You're really just not my type of a guy, that's all. Although I have to give you credit for persistence and making the first move, you're just way too sleek for me. But you shouldn't worry too much, you don't seem to have much trouble finding company on general, do you?”

Matt gave up. Nigel had the feeling that the playboy hadn't really felt that attracted to Emma in the first place, he had just been caught up by the fact that someone could turn him down.

“Yeah, Matty, you certainly don't. By the way, all three of my friends from the party have been asking after you. It seems you haven't contacted any of them, although you had promised each to call them back”, Audrye could have sounded accusative, but actually she seemed more amused than hurt over her friends' broken hearts.

“Oh, sorry about that”, he replied with a smooth grin.

“So are we cool now, Foxtrot?” Emma asked, holding out her arm. With a theatrical shrug, Matt took it and shook her hand briskly.

“Yes we are, Uniform.” Emma tilted her head, narrowing her eyes a bit.

“Charlie.” Matt grinned even wider.

“Kilo.” They both burst out laughing. Treasure looked at both Audrye and Nigel, clearly baffled by what had just happened. The other two were just as clueless.

“Time for dessert, then!” Audrye finally cheered. A few moments later they were all spooning their strawberry-chocolate-puddings.

“Although it is a bit of a shame that the two of you didn't hit it off”, Audrye finally broke the silence.

“Why's that?” Treasure asked, frowning.

“We could have called them M&M's!” Audrye laughed.

“I... don't get it”, the mage finally said.

“See? 'M' – for Matt – and “Ems” – for Emma!” Both of the involved parties shook their heads in disbelief.

“I guess 'Daim's' would be more probable....” Nigel said to himself and counted himself blessed that Audrye didn't catch what he had just said.