After almost a minute of her looking for the server, he sipped his coffee – not too bad, actually, the cream was… sufficiently fluffy – and looked at her… ‘a novelty’.
… with her white hair and curious green eyes and the fact that she felt this much… he’s seen her go through two rollercoasters on this day alone. Different from the clinic, but just as… strangely gentle.
He wouldn’t just lose interest…
… right?
… in… what, actually?
“In France, waiters will never come over if they aren’t called. They respect the conversations of their guests,” he said, and Raphael’s attention was back on him, eyes wide and questioning.
“Oh,” she said and watched a waiter walk away from them. Her lower lip will receive bite marks at one point. “I… think we didn’t order either, yet”
And he chuckled. Because the angel’s dismayed and somewhat puzzled expression was… well… it was interesting, certainly. And would continue to be. And maybe the angel’s promise might make it… easier.
“Very true. Enjoy the coffee for a bit longer… it would be rude to talk while eating. So… to clarify… you’re giving me... permission? To-,“ he twirled his fingers in the air, stalling for time and smirking a her squirming, as little as it was, “Flirt? Pester? Tempt, seduce, court?” There was a pause. To sum it up: “Ah, speak freely?”
She closed her eyes… breathed in, breathed out… reopened one eye and said: “No break yet, then?” Another deep breath, then: “Well… yes. I do. First off, ‘speaking freely’ is the point of the whole exercise. You may, at any time, do so. That is, in essence, what I am there for. To talk to. And you can trust me with it. Nothing you do or say will be held against you. My task is to listen, ask questions and prove to you that you can trust me,” she nodded.
“So. That’s the reason why ‘courting’, ‘seducing’ and ‘flirting’ has a foregone conclusion: A refusal from my side, as already explained. I don’t believe you can stop tempting at all… and… well… ‘pester’… mmmh… that would imply I would think your company bothersome. That… will be difficult to achieve. So… OH! Two cases. I can not be ‘pestered’ when I have another patient in therapy. And, and I can not stress this enough, wing treatment. No one is allowed to disturb the process. No matter your attitude toward wings, this is strictly off limits” She said it tonelessly. As a fact.
She sipped her coffee. And all the seriousness was gone with a smile: “Everything else? You won’t be able to fulfil the purpose of any of these activities… but I can’t and won’t forbid you to try, if you think it worthwhile. I might even react in kind, it is very easy to fall in step with you. Casual, tension-less touches are perfectly fine as well, if you wondered. Medical touches goes without saying. But at one point, it’ll be a ‘no’. I can’t draw a strict line, but you tend to naturally have a great grasp at ‘naughty’, so… you’ll have this conversation in mind. And tense up. And give me the clue to say ‘no’”, she winked. And then waved at the waiter: “Maitre?”
He was not sure if he was supposed to be insulted. He’d help her to rebuff him?
