Gotta spend some time, love *Vincent*

[Vincent Romanov]

Vincent sat there patiently on the floor while Rose attended to her very territorial beast of a cat. While she was gone, Vincent took opportunity to look about the room. It wasn't plain in so many words, just empty or better yet, void. Everything was neat and in its place and almost everything looked new. Everything felt fake, like it was some sort of stage set to appease others. Vincent didn't have any fancy degrees in psychology and to be honest, he wasn't some profiler, but he could read people, emotionally. He didn't read emotions like empaths did, but more on gut feeling. Vincent was street smart and saw the everyday things other more educated people might miss. Mind you he was no where near the level of awareness that James Campbell was, but Vincent had his skills. On the battlefield is where this skill excelled for in the heat of battle, one expressed their true feelings and their true self. Of course, engaging Rose in some sort of fist fight wasn't exactly any sort of option, so he would just have to listen to his gut and heart.

The room was missing something.....something which Vincent just couldn't place yet. The lack of family pictures was one of the first things he picked up on, but there really wasn't anything here which seemed to fit Rose. Vincent couldn't quite figure out what made him feel odd here by himself, and it would eat at him until he did. Once something took hold of Vincent's attention, he couldn't let it go. He was too forward and confronting sometimes, which didn't help make many real friends. Maybe it was a military thing because none of his old squad mates seemed to have a problem with him.

The sound of Rose's feet hitting the hardwood floor brought Vincent's attention to matters at hand. He smiled and pushed himself up to his feet, feeling the wear and tear of the lifestyle he had lived. "I'll take some water," he said as Rose asked if he was thirsty. It was back to the kitchen for the both of them, where Rose poured their drinks and then made the suggestion of popcorn. "No thanks, I'm good," he said, thinking that eating something such as popcorn this late at night would give him heartburn all night long. "Don't let me stop you from making some if your wanting any though," he quickly replied, with a smile not wanting to put Rose in a rough spot there.

The conversation then lingered back to more personal stuff for Vincent. Rose wanted to know what Russia was like. "The larger cities are nice, more modernized and civil looking. Not putting the smaller villages and towns down or anything, but Russia isn't exactly a paradise. The government keeps a stern thumb on the people, whether you can really see it or not. All in all though, the civilians are rather accepting to foreign guests. As far as beautiful....well...beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess," he said, making tight eye contact with Rose at that point.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Vincent was correct thinking Rose's home was ... lacking. It was functional, that was true but it lacked real depth of personality. She didn't necessarily 'enjoy' being home like most did, feeling in their element. Sure she picked out all her furniture and decor but it wasn't really what she wanted to come home to. She loved her cat and she was thankful for what she had, in a sense, but she still couldn't shake the gloom she felt by missing out on a family. She wanted her house to know some sort of ruin, to worry about stepping on Lego's or G.I. Joe's when you got up to go to the bathroom at night. She wanted to walk into a mess of chocolate finger painting all over her appliances and flour spilled on the floor. But instead she came home everyday with everything just as she had left it, no change. Perhaps in a sense it seemed like here she was forgotten by the world. She didn't mind working long hours or being called in, it brought her back to some sort of spontaneity, it seemed like home was the end of every chapter in her life.

She watching Vincent as he walked in behind her, his glass in her hand as she filled it. She should take comfort in the fact that she could get away from it all here but truth was she didn't really like being alone. The only thing that gave any indication that she had a social life besides the hospital was the phone blinking in the corner on the counter, the crimson screen showing her she had twenty five messages waiting. She had just been hurt enough to grow bitter and distrusting of others. She had had female friends before she moved to Pilot Ridge, but here.. well she didn't know anyone that well and a bit of depression from moving somewhere new with absolutely no one you knew around had kept her anchored here.

She turned to Vincent completely handing him his drink and smiling as he began talking again. "No, that's alright." she assured Vincent she was fine, if he wasn't going to eat any popcorn she wasn't going to make it, it wasn't that big of a deal for her... just more or less common courtesy. "I don't think I am really in the mood for it anyway." Her blue eyes landed on his, taking a sip as he started talking about Russia, answering her question a bit.

For a moment she felt that Vincent must be lucky to have been able to see all these places but quickly pushed that thought down. After all it wasn't like he was on vacation, what he got came with a hefty price and it made her feel fortunate to have been 'confined' to her little corner of the world now. She sat her glass down and had looked back up at him just in time for him to make that last comment. It was foolish to even think he was talking about her, right? Still she felt her cheeks start to flush, just slightly. "Truer words have perhaps never been spoken."

Rose felt that wild side of her spark up, something she had long forgotten. Sure when she was married, or even before hand dating... well she could be a vixen. You just had to want male attention, your body and mind ran it's own course to achieve that. Why was she starting to waiver from her safe, uninterested self? She couldn't act like she didn't like Vincent much forever. He would eventually lose interest, right? She felt that sly smile slip across your lips and she felt herself struggling with allowing herself to act so boldly. She didn't want Vincent to think she wanted anything quickly physical.... but still it was almost as if she was a passenger and her logical side letting her heart play this game. "What about you Vincent?" she asked casually, taking another sip of water but not letting her eyes fall from him, "What things do you find beautiful?"

[Vincent Romanov]

The moment between Rose and Vincent was growing a bit more personal now. Small talk was coming to an end and more private matters were beginning to be discussed. Rose had picked up on Vincent's line and appeared to enjoy it. Gone now was the awkwardness from earlier in the date. Rose had gone from having him escort her from work to letting him right into her home. She hadn't given him the tour so to speak, but she was still letting him get a foot inside her private life. This was a big step for her and him as both weren't social butterflies. It was fun and the smile on Vincent's face showed this. Usually when he was away from the school, it was still always on his mind and while his sense of duty remained, he had not given the school one thought since stepping into Rose's home.

Taking a sip of water, Vincent looked at Rose but with a different eye this time. He looked for all those sparkling details which attracted him to her, the things which stood out and stirred his soul. Her hair was very dark and beautiful as if it weren't even real. Her eyes showed a youthful hope and desire to love, but at the same time, a hint of mischievousness as well. The way Rose moved, the way she smelled, all of her just attracted Vincent. Rose was a true woman, not some sloppy pale version which the world tried to pass off today of what a woman should be. She dressed as a woman should dress (in Vincent's opinion), like a lady and not some whore.

Vincent set his glass down on the bar and took a step closer to Rose. "You Rose," he answered her simply and perhaps a bit to forwardly, "on many different levels. Physical beauty is something everyone looks for in another person and you are rather beautiful. Your eyes just pull you in, hold you there forever and that smile of yours which I've seen several times tonight brings such a relaxing feeling to the moment," Vincent said, his tone showing he was serious, even if he was childishly half smiling, "but its your heart which makes you the most attractive. I saw the way looked at those kids back at the hospital. That's a mother's look if I've ever seen it and it fits you. Such concern and worry for those weaker than you. What you do at the hospital isn't just a job for you, it is you. Your one of the few in this world who still truly care for those around them and that is what makes you so beautiful to me," he finally finished, feeling a sense of awkwardness again. Perhaps he had been far too forward, but Rose had asked what he found to be beautiful. Vincent wasn't a liar, he hated having to lie, so everything he said about Rose was from his heart. He wasn't professing a love to her, just what he found attractive about her. Maybe in time, love could or would blossom between them.

[Roselyn Veeder]

As Vincent put his glass down on the counter she followed suit, watching him in interest as he stepped closer to her. They were close now, but not touching. Her blue eyes stayed fixed on him, her breathing growing slower as Vincent started talking about her eyes, she hadn't really given herself that much credit before and as Vincent gave her a slight description of herself through his eyes she felt this warmth creeping through her, uplifting her. Sure she dressed feminine, she liked dresses and jewelry but she really didn't think of herself as 'beautiful'... then again Rose judged more on a person's behavior, their soul so to speak. She knew she had some less than ideal actions throughout her life. Still standing here with Vincent made her feel just like he was describing her. She felt those fears almost entirely gone, just the two of them here now....

Then Vincent spoke about her behavior, telling her he saw how she was around the kids and it merited a big smile. She did love them dearly, even if they were just temporary in her life. However the term mother's eyes made her feel a sudden rush of sadness. She wanted to think she would be a good mother, and if Vincent could see this desire in her, almost like a calling, then why was she denied this? Her smile faded, she wasn't mad at Vincent, it was a great compliment. It just made her feel sad to think she wouldn't get that chance.

If Vincent was worried about him being too bold perhaps that was put to rest as Rose stepped forward and hugged him tightly. She pressed the side of her face against him, wishing that her life had been some different. She didn't want to tell Vincent about her past, about her trials. After all if he was around long enough he would probably learn them himself. She stood there for just a moment liking the feel of him next to her. She had first felt an urge to cry, which was unlike Rose, but she let herself be consumed by this feeling - it was hard to explain. She was around others all the time, she had listened to many heart beats, her ear pressed close enough to Vincent's to hear it.... But those were followed by usually logical thoughts, in those instances she was trained on what do to next, her thoughts were almost like they were pulled from a text book. And she hugged many children but it was different when you felt you were the weaker one, that you weren't the one that should take control, when you felt like it was choice other than duty to show another any form of love.

"Thank you." Rose said simply, hoping she didn't act offensive to Vincent. She took a step back but as her hand drifted down the length of him she took hold of his left hand with her right. She wanted to be around Vincent, that much was certain, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to say anything to ruin this moment. She gave a half laugh, "I really like you Vincent, enough to watch a musical if that's what you still want." She wouldn't mind just hanging out on the couch with him. It was starting to get late and although Vincent could stay up for days... well Rose couldn't. She felt relaxed now, she didn't want him to leave but she didn't want to lose this serene feeling either. "What do you say?" she asked, motioning towards the living room.

[Vincent Romanov]

Sure, these two had just met but things between Rose and Vincent just clicked. Both of them had jobs the other could understand. The odd late night calls or interrupted dinners would be understood by the other for these were part of the package. Being a doctor meant never truly having a day off and just as well, being head of security for an institute such as Hammel meant a constant eye had to always be on the school. As single people with no one dependent or waiting on them, these jobs were easy or more precisely, dealing with the odd hours was handled more easily. Every now and again, you could find someone who understood and would learn to deal with having to share you with your job, but more often than not, those relationships never lived long. Eventually your significant other would grow tired of not being the only one in your life and force you to choose between them or your job. However, Vincent and Rose both shared the same demanding lifestyle in a sense. A relationship between them could work but it could also fizzle out from lack of interaction.

The hug Vincent received was welcoming, but still caught him off guard. Evidently Rose was more socially withdrawn than he had previously thought. What sort of past did she have for such words to move her in this way? Did it really matter though? Vincent wasn't here to condemn Rose, he was here because he liked her. His larger frame and stature towered over Rose, making her look more petite than she already was. Vincent wrapped his large arms around Rose, resting his chin on the top of her head as she rested against his chest. He never spoke, but just stood there. Most guys might take this as an opportunity to try for an easy score, but Vincent wasn't most guys. He knew it might sound corny to everyone, but he wasn't all about lust. Sure, he was a sucker for a pretty face and some slick words, but those moments were few and far between.

Rose thanked Vincent as she backed away from him, his large arms unwrapping from around her. Vincent offered a soft smile, his face a bright red now. He chuckled at her offer to watch a musical with him, Rose's way of taking the awkwardness out of the moment. Vincent smiled and nodded, "I think I'll like that," he said, allowing Rose to lead them back into the living room for a moment of quite time and a movie.

Thread Finished