Gravity, Mik/Serene

[Mikhael]

Her words had been cryptic.

"My place. Ten p.m."

These words were usually prelude to a very good, or very uncomfortable evening. Or both, if I play my cards right, he thought, laughing a little at himself.

Standing in front of Serene's door, Mikhael wasn't entirely sure if he was here for business or a social-call. Best to suck it up then. He struck the heavy metal knocker a few times,standing back while waiting on Serene to make an appearance.

[Serene]

Upon hearing the knock, Serene rose from her seat and went to the door, opening it slowly. Oh, yes, she knew who was out there. She wasn't stupid. It was just more fun this way.
Adjusting her old-style chemise and bodice, she peered out. "You came."

Surprise, surprise.

Well, not really.

Serene was actually dressed...down for once. The chemise, the leather bodice, a pair of well-worn jeans, barefoot. Probaby would be out of character to him.

"Come in. I'm surprised you knocked though. Considering you still have a room here and all."

[Mikhael]

Casual was never a word he'd associated with Serene in the time he'd known her. So, seeing the decidedly simple outfit was certainly new. Mikhael smiled a little at her, giving his hostess a quick once over before responding to her. Surprised,eh?

" The lady extended the invitation,so," he spread his hands to either side ," here I am. As for knocking,well, only proper isn't it?" Mikhael tried to keep his tone light, but it was quite plain which topics he was willing to get into at the moment...and nothing on the front porch. He spied into the front room over Serene's head, quirking a brow at how little anything had changed before glancing back down at her. " Does it seem a little strange we're tip toeing around like this?,"he questioned while stepping into the foyer," Considering."

[Serene]

Serene quirked an eyebrow at him, and stepped aside, waving him in.
"I don't know why you say we're 'tip-toeing'." She commented, closing the door behind him. Heading into the den, she called, "Want anything to drink?"

'Hmmm. Could be interesting to see where this may go this evening...' Serene wondered to herself, going to the mini-fridge in the corner and searching for something she would want.

[Mikhael]

" Just seems a little awkward." Mikhael shrugged, venturing further inside towards the 'smoking lounge' behind the den. "Whatever you're having." He knew her cabinet was stocked well enough. Hell, he'd contributed to it in the short time he'd spent in the house, and especially(sadly) the lounge...Which apparently hasn't changed much either.
He turned to say something, and whatever it'd been seemed distant when presented with the sight of Serene bent over by the fridge. Mik raised a brow, tilting his head a bit and following her movement for a second before catching himself.

Clearing his throat, he crossed the room to park himself in an armchair by the old wooden games table. Yeah, this is going to prove interesting, he thought while glancing back at his hostess. Mikhael,for all his eccentricity at times, was surprisingly observant. Ask if he remembered what you wore to a dinner party a century ago, and you'd get details down to the scuffed button on your left shoe. Try to play cheerful while you really weren't, and he'd call you on it. It was a thing he had a little pride in. Yet Serene's motives of late? That left him in a quandary. "Why did you invite me?"

[Serene]

"Well," Serene began, straightening and pouring a well-aged brandy into two shifters. Handing him one, she perched herself on the arm of another chair. "First, I wanted to apologize for yesterday evening. My attitude was...Rather rude."

Serene, apologizing? Has hell frozen over?

[Mikhael]

Mikhael paused with the glass halfway to his lips,blinking in shock at her," Yes, it was. It's just when have you ever apologized for it?" Things were already decidedly strange, and this just proved that he was probably going to be immolated by some angry diety or somesuch....Though they'd probably find my current discomfort funny. And with that wonderful thought, took a long swallow of the brandy before looking back to Serene," Accepted, by the way...,"he raised a brow at her,smiling a bit," But that can't be the reason you had me come by. You could have met me anywhere."

[Serene]

Serene gave a shrug. "What if I wanted to meet here? I, for once, have the house to completely myself." Sipping her brandy, she raised her eyes to meet his. "Unless you have an issue with that?" Serene questioned, her voice underlined with a slight warning...warning of what? Who knows.

[Mikhael]

His expression changed little...except the smirk was tempered a mite at her stare.

Mikhael hadn't been treated to that particular look for some time now, from her or any other Master vampire. The one that says fight or fu-, "Is that so? You wanted...company?,"Mik asked,a slightly amused light to his eyes as he sipped his drink. " I don't have an issue with that..."

[Serene]

Once again, she shrugged. "Perhaps. It gets rather lonely sometimes. Even when you're running a boarding house." She smirked. Sipping her brandy, she set the glass down and rested her hands loosely on the sides of the chair.
"So, besides the minor argument last night, how has live treated you as of late?"

[Mikhael]

"Never give a direct answer, do you, Luv?"
Didn't really expect one.
Mikhael leaned forward to set his drink on the table across from hers,brow furrowing slightly while he pondered the question. Their little tiff was apparently forgotten...so howhad he been doing?...Not well, certainly. Does she really want the details?
Resting elbows on knees with hands steepled beneath his chin, Mik sat quietly watching Serene a moment before adopting her preferred response to such questions. Shrugging a bit, he gave a weak smile,"Surviving."

[Serene]

Serene quirked an eyebrow at him. "Well, I suppose surviving is better then nothing..." Shifting her position so her feet were curled under her, she tilted her head somewhat. She studied him in silence for a moment, then rose up gracefully and walked over to him, bracing her hands on the arms of the chair and leaning down to look him in the face. Without giving him a chance to speak or react, she swiftly kissed him before returning to her chair like nothing happened. (Using vampire speed, of course.)

[Mikhael]

The smirk he'd given Serene turned damn near smug when she leaned down to his level. " Could think of better-" Unfortunately, Mik's attempts at charm were cut off abruptly with her kiss; sharp and gone like an autumn wind.

He frowned slightly at the use of power," That was...interesting."

[Serene]

Serene took another sip of her drink, raising an eyebrow at him. "Whatever do you mean? What was interesting?" She asked, acting as if nothing happened a second ago. "Did you just zone out on me?"

[Mikhael]

Mikhael laughed sharply," The games have begun, have they?" He rose from his chair, crossing the short distance between them without appearing to have moved at all. A little trick he'd learned, but necessity and natural ability taught much in short centuries.

He had an inquisitive look; head tilted, eyes narrowed slightly while he studied Serene with an intensity that could have gotten him almost anything from a human. Her? I get nothing.

"I can't divine your moves, you know. But a thing I do know...Once you've set the pieces into motion," Mikhael bent slightly, almost a mirror of a moment ago,sliding his hands to cover hers on the armrests,"...I'll out-maneuver you in this one." His lips tilted up in an off-kilter smile, a little bit of that Aurelian influence of power trickling from his fingertips to hers in a prickle of heat," So be frank with me. What do you want of me?"