juststopped | for Krem

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krem

for Krem

It isn't the first time she's ended up somewhere she didn't necessarily intend. In private, she's done her fair share of crying over Flemming - she misses her daughter like a part of her, even after so many years - but in public, she's decided to put a brave face on it. After he'd delivered her to her apartment, Krem had told her that he'd be happy to take her for dinner, once she felt more settled. Adaline's done a little bit to make the apartment her own. She's gone back to the place that Sam bought her and put together a capsule wardrobe that's a sad shadow of her guest room back in San Francisco. She is, in short, trying. And that has to count for something.

It's the middle of the afternoon when she texts Krem.

Dinner would be nice - Adaline.

They arrange to meet at a place that Adaline's walked past a few times. It's not a particularly showy place, but she does make an effort, putting on a dress with a full skirt that reminds her of something she might have bought new in the fifties. She does her hair and make-up. She considers heels for a long time and then decides to wear them anyway. Krem strikes her as someone who doesn't lack for confidence, quiet though it seems to be.

She's a little late when she steps into the restaurant, shrugging out of her coat to let the hostess check it for her.

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"I definitely know I'm not having a terrible time," Krem said with a bright, cheery deference to her mock concern. Her hand was still just as soft as it had been when they had met; he hadn't imagined that. Boldly, he turned his palm up under her hand on his, and let his fingers brush her wrist.

This time, he was sure his flush showed on his cheeks a little, for how warm they felt. The waiter came and collected their plates for them, and Krem requested a bottle of wine that would go with whatever Adaline ordered for dessert.

Adaline's spent a lot of time avoiding casual touches over the years, avoiding wanting to let anyone in that much. Krem turns his hand and his fingers brush her wrist and Adaline shivers, just a little. A flush of colour rushes into her cheeks, mirroring his. What is she doing here?

Adaline orders a chocolate cake based pudding as well as fruit. She doesn't pull back, doesn't take her hand away, even though she pantomimes giving the waiter her full attention.

The waiter recommended a tawny port to go along with the pudding, and Krem, smiling softly, nodded. He'd had port before, and imagined that it would be a good compliment. He internally complimented himself on his ability to split his attention between the lovely woman across from him and the waiter handling them so professionally; enough, at least, to not make a complete ass of himself.

"I feel it's only fair to say," Krem said when they were left alone again, "that I just got out of a relationship, recently. So. Friends is...a good thing, right now. Not that I was assuming this was--that this was anything beside--but..."

He stumbles and Adaline feels something tender for him, right then. She nods, squeezes his hand and then takes hers away. She smiles, though, to show that she's giving him space rather than chiding him.

"Friends sounds perfect to me," she says. Distance has always served her well, after all.

Something about the distance was blissful and wondrous and still just a little bit heartbreaking, like looking at the moon and the stars, or a particularly beautiful piece of fine art. Krem fidgeted with his wine glass a little, now that his hand was free. The back of his tongue burned with a sudden need to outpour with a hundred overly personal things, none of which needed saying in the slightest. So he kept them in, and sort of laughed at his sudden sheepishness.

"I feel like something just changed, but I'm not sure what it is," she says, leaning her chin into her hand. "I...there was someone that I left behind, too. So. I understand? If that helps?"

"I--no, I don't think so," Krem said, shaking his head reassuringly. He smiled again, just as soft as he had throughout the rest of dinner, no less bright for being gentle.

"I'm sure that you left someone behind. Was that your husband, or someone else?" He was aware, after the words were out, how terribly personal that question was, and he shook his head, laughing a little and flapping a hand. "I'm sorry, that was rude. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

Adaline makes a thoughtful sound.

"Direct, maybe, but not rude," she says. "My husband's been dead for a long, long time. I'd....met someone new. Opened my heart." She shrugs. "That makes me sound like a silly girl."

"No, no that doesn't sound silly at all. And I'm sorry for your loss--even if it was a long time ago." He doubted it could have been that long ago; she had a young face. If she looked after herself as well as Dorian or Vivienne did, she might be ten or fifteen years his senior at most, but he doubted that.

"It's always good to love again, even if it's hard," Krem said, a bit cautiously. Dorian's advice about hope sort of rattled about in his head, and Krem reminded himself that he ought to let himself do his healing first before anything else.

The waiter arrived with the chocolate cake pudding and fruit, and the new bottle of port wine. There were two spoons for the pudding, and Krem smiled a bit cheekily at Adaline.

"Did you intend to share that? I wouldn't want to presume."

"Thank you," she says. It might have been a long, long time, but that doesn't mean his sympathy is any less valuable to her. Her hand itches to reach out for his again; she picks up her wine glass instead. She prefers not to think about Ellis, so she nods, but then she turns her attention the dessert in front of her.

"Well, I don't know if I like you that much," she teases.

"Oh, that's fair," Krem said, nodding somberly. He filled up their glasses with the port, humming at the rose-amber color of it, a good sort of sappy color almost. It smelled sweet even just from the bottle. "You'll have to tell me if it meets expectation, then."

He did steal a blueberry out of her collection of fruit, though, grinning cheekily as he tossed it in the air and leaned back to catch it in his mouth.

Adaline makes a small, delighted sound when he catches the berry and then she picks up a spoon and tastes the chocolate. Her eyelashes flutter. The sound she makes is borderline obscene.

"You definitely have to try that."

Krem smiled, sipping the port. He was unduly impressed with himself for not sputtering or blushing too heavily when Adaline made that noise. For a moment, he merely stared at her across the table, lower lip bent in to catch between his teeth discretely.

He reached over and picked up the spare spoon, grabbing himself a bite of the chocolate.

It was awfully good chocolate.

The chocolate does go well with the port and for a second, Adaline's just reveling in the sensual pleasure of it, all on her own. She glances at Krem across the table, a warm glow in her cheeks, from the alcohol and the chocolate and the company. She picks up a strawberry and bites into it, enjoying the sudden sharpness.

"This place was an excellent choice."

"Certainly," he agreed, delicately licking his spoon clean of the chocolate still on it, merrily content, before washing the rich bite back with some of the port.

He watched her bite into the strawberry and he to look away from that as well, feeling impulsive and giddy, having to remind himself that he just said he needed time and she just said she'd left someone behind.

"Do you mind if I have another bite?" He chuckled softly. "I'm going to have to make sure my lemon cake is very good."

Adaline gets entirely distracted watching him lick his spoon and she decides she's clearly had too much to drink, which doesn't stop her taking another sip of her port. It's got a warmer, richer taste to it than the wine. She enjoys the feeling of warmth that spreads through her chest.

"Help yourself," she says. "I'm in a very giving sort of mood all of a sudden."

"I certainly appreciate this giving mood," Krem said, taking another bite from the chocolate and humming softly. He stole one of the strawberries as well, chasing the chocolate with the tart sweetness of the berry.

"And I do hope that I can do more to inspire other giving moods, as well."

She's definitely drunk. She has to close her eyes for a moment, press the back of one hand against her heated cheek.

"Oh, I'm sure the opportunity will come around."

"...is that a face that I shouldn't refill your glass again?" He was refilling his own, feeling pleasantly flushed and a bit punchy for it. He took another bite off the chocolate, contemplating if they ought to get their check soon so that he could see Adaline home.

"You should absolutely fill my glass again," she says, holding it out without opening her eyes. "I'm old enough to make my own descions where that's concerned, thank you very much." A smirk lifts the corner of her mouth.

Krem laughed, bright and happy, glad to fill her glass again, with a soft and affirmative, "Yes ma'am," that thrummed with just a little bit of contentment to hear such an authoritative tone. It was, most definitely, just the soldier in him. But he allowed himself the privacy of his flush while she had her eyes closed.

"Oh, I like that," says Adaline, opening her eyes again as she takes another sip of her wine. "Too many boys these days don't have good manners. It was different when I was a girl. Everything was different."

"I'm nearly thirty," Krem playfully grumbled, narrowing his eyes just a touch as he gestured with his wine glass and spoon in combination. "Don't let the height and young face be deceptive. And you can't be hardly older than me, if you are at all."

He hummed though. "But you're right. Some of the younger generation does have a certain lack of manners. And there are an awful lot of teenagers in this city."

Adaline makes a moue of distaste with red lips, taking another spoonful of chocolate and taking her time eating it.

"A lady never tells her age," she says. "But you're right - you do look younger than thirty." She smiles. "Well done."

"Oh, that wasn't...wasn't meant to..."

Krem's voice squeaked, just a little, in part because it just did that sometimes these days, and in part because he was staring a bit more than he ought to. He looked down at the chocolate bashfully and cleared his throat, sipping his port.

"Sorry if I offended."

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