Playing Chicken (Diana)

[Christian Ward]

Their most recent fight was persisting longer than usual, and it may have had something to due with the nature of the discussion. Their future. Christian had joined Diana's mission when she was already two years in, but he was no less devoted to the end goal; finding Alyx. But as that possibility began to look more like a reality Christian was spending more time thinking about what would actually happen once they found their daughter. What it would mean for him and Diana as parents and as lovers. They never spoke of their future in tangible terms, leading Christian to believe Diana hadn't given it much thought. She was very impulsive and tended to live in the moment, planning what would come next would be a stretch. But when she broached the subject at the very public bar in the middle of a cruise ship full of people, Christian's anxiety on the matter had gotten the best of him.

After two days of cold stares and harsh remarks to one another, Christian was tired. The close quarters and inability to go further than the length of the ship to get away from one another was only exacerbating the situation. They still had a few more days before the meeting with the mystery board member, who thought he was going to be meeting with Ling, and then they could go. But until then, they were stuck playing the happy couple on a romantic cruise.

It didn't help that Ling and his girlfriend had clearly been planning this trip as an actual romantic getaway. Everyday there was something delivered to the room that punctuated the discord between them. The first day it was champagne and roses left in the sitting area. The second day they returned to the room to find nearly a hundred candles scattered around the room with rose petals tossed onto the bed. Christian didn't know what to expect today, but he hoped it involved alcohol. At least they had found a use for the champagne.

[Diana Ward]

Diana was done. Each day was a reminder that outside of killing people and having sex, they had no common ground to stand on. Of course killing people and having sex were both of their strong points, it didn't make for good parents. But she didn't know what to do either.

She loved Christian. Despite their arguments and coldness to one another she had never felt more alive than when she was with him. She couldn't give him up. But at the same time her children's well-being depended on the two of them being more than verbal sparring partners and great lovers. She became a little more sullen each day of their forced vacation.

The gifts didn't help. This time as Diana was opening the door she hesitated, "I swear to godric if there's even one God Damned petal I'm going to kill the captain of this ship."

[Christian Ward]

Christian smirked as Diana plotted the Captain's murder. They'd already had two days of roses, so chances were pretty good they'd be greeted with a third. The flowers didn't bother Christian as much as they had Diana. She'd thrown the first night's bouquet over the balcony into the sea, swearing like a sailor. The petals on the bed the next night had been swallowed in flames, resulting in a very heated argument between the couple as Christian scolded her nearly burning the room down and Diana scolded him for being "afraid of a little fire".

They came into the suite and were greeted with yet again a bouquet of roses. Christian laughed. Accompanying the flowers was a bottle of something Christian assumed to be liquor and a handwritten poem. Upon closer inspection it appeared as though Ling's girlfriend Chrissy had written it. She signed it with a heart over the "i" in her name and pressed her lips to the paper leaving a red lipstick print.

"It looks like Ling's girlfriend was the romantic one," he said with a chuckle as he held the sappy poem out for Diana to see. "Is this what you broads think will win over men? Flowers and poetry?" He gave her a sideways glance, then grabbed the bottle from the cart and pulled the stopper. "At least she had enough sense to get alcohol."

[Diana Ward]

Diana didn't even speak a word as the flowers lit on flowers. She didn't have anything against them so much as the fact that she had wanted them so much when she was younger. The young Diana that had been swept away with the man she was currently sleeping with would have done anything to receive such a sentimental gesture. She had learned to cut it out of her life, as well as anything else romantic.

She took the note from Christian and made a sincere effort not to gag

Diana watched him drink what he thought was alcohol. She sneered. She was still bitter that they were on vacation and she couldn't drink, she turned to the rest of the care package and reached for the chocolate, hoarding it to herself.

[Christian Ward]

This was not any sort of alcohol that Christian had ever had before, and he had had them all. It was almost like whiskey but there was a sweet note to it and it burned like cheap tequila. Christian made a face as he looked at the unmarked bottle, then took another swig. Chrissy had strange taste in liquor.

He passed the bottle to Diana, unaware of her self-imposed prohibition. "I don't know what it is but it does the trick."

[Diana Ward]

"I'm fine thanks." she said backing away to the bed, "I'd rather watch you make that face again." she teased before taking a bite of the chocolate she had confiscated.

She made a face herself. Whatever was in the drink Christian had was obviously in the chocolate as well. It was bitter at first, but then sickeningly sweet with a little bit of a burn afterward.

"Hold on..." she said sitting up and reaching for his bottle, she smelled it. She knew one drink wouldn't do any harm, she took a sip made a face, then looked at Christian.

"I don't think-" she cut herself off, she felt strange, very strange.

"Christian..."

[Christian Ward]

His head was already spinning after two good sized sips. Whatever it was, it was very clearly not just alcohol. He had been drugged. What on Earth was Chrissy planning on doing to Ling?

He looked at Diana as she snatched the bottle from him. Even with the strange expression on her face she was gorgeous. He had suddenly forgotten that they were fighting.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you, love." But he was too late in warning her away from tainted drink. She said his name and he grinned.

[Diana Ward]

Diana fought the effects a little harder. She cursed herself for being a stupid fool in drinking whatever Christian had, but she could have sworn the chocolate tasted like amortentia, a potion she had experimented with in the past.

A love potion wouldn't kill either of them, but she soon realized it wasn't the same.

She felt on last spasm of fear before all of her worries melted away.

She moved toward him, "Christian." she repeated throwing herself in his arms.

[Christian Ward]

He didn't question her actions, which were nothing similar to how she had acted towards him the last few days. But Christian didn't even realize that there had ever been any coldness between them. How could there be, when he was so madly in love with her.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Hello, love."

[Diana Ward]

She broke down. All the fear, anger, insecurities and doubt melted through her in the form of tears as she gripped him with renewed force. She kissed him with pent up passion, trying to merge their bodies into one single entity. Close wasn't close enough.

[Christian Ward]

His passion rivaled hers as he held her face and pressed their lips together. She was crying and it pained him to know that she was hurting somehow.

"Don't cry, my darling." He held her tight to prove that she was safe and he kissed the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

[Diana Ward]

She shook her head, "I can't help it." she told him resting against him her body going slack at his tenderness, "I love you Christian. I always have. I've never stopped. I loved you the minute I saw you, and it never went away." she confessed, "I love you so much it hurts. I want your love so badly."

[Christian Ward]

Christian smiled broadly. She had never told him that she loved him. A warm feeling spread from his chest. But he realized he had never uttered the words tenderly to her either. 

He lifted her chin and silenced her worries with a kiss. "You are the most beautiful, intelligent woman I have ever met. I am not worthy of your love, my darling, but I cherish it. As I cherish you."

[Diana Ward]

She let out a deep sigh of relief as he told her tenderly how much he cared for her. Suddenly she wasn't afraid anymore. She wasn't afraid of losing him, of his inevitable resentment of her. She didn't fear him taking back the love he gave, which is why she had never told him she loved him before.

There was a knock on the door and she sighed, she didn't want to leave his arms.

They were lucky however as an envelope slid underneath and stopped just at their feet. It was an invitation to the masquerade ball that evening aboard the ship.

[Christian Ward]

Christian kissed before bending down to scoop up the invitation. He read it as he held her then leaned back slightly to smile at her. "I don't know which is more tempting. Staying here with you all night, or showing you off on my arm for all to see." The decision would be Diana's as he truly was perfectly content with either option. 

[Diana Ward]

She didn't want this feeling to end. The warmth and security of his touch and the look in his eyes as he spoke to her were mesmerizing.

"I'll be with you either way." she told him pressing her forehead against his, "I'm yours no matter what." she stated conceding everything she had been holding back before.

"I want to be yours. I want to be shown off." she smiled, "Let's show off each other."

[Christian Ward]

Christian kissed her again, his hands running through her hair. He wanted everyone to see the breathtakingly beautiful woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. He was also excited at the chance to take Diana out on a proper date, without ulterior motives or as an afterthought to a meeting.

"It's a good thing I packed you a dress," he said, smiling at her. It was the red dress she'd worn to her meeting with her contact, Burke, when she had locked him in her hotel room. She had plenty of gorgeous, revealing dresses he could have chosen, but as he packed her things in his bag he remembered the lustful sensation he got staring at her. The alluring look in her eye as she shed the dress and surrendered to him. He wanted that feeling back. He had hoped the cruise would inspire that connection in them again.

[Diana Ward]

"How thoughtful of you." she said sincerely, hugging him for good measure. She reluctantly stepped away from him to find the item he had packed for her. A coy seductive look entered her eyes, "I remember this." she said biting her bottom lip.

She had locked him in her room, and he had made her pay for it that evening in very delicious ways. If he had been looking to spark that kind of connection between them again he had succeeded.

Diana conjured them masks to go with their matching clothing.

[Christian Ward]

As a woman, Diana naturally took longer than Christian to get ready but Christian didn't mind. He sat on the bed in his tux and watched as she fixed her hair and makeup. He complimented her several times in the process. Finally they were both ready and Christian held the door for her as they left the room.

The ball room already full of guests and a live band was playing on a raised stage. "Care to dance, love?"

[Diana Ward]

She put her hand in his. They were easily one of the most attractive couples in the room, but the sincerity of affection and love that emanated from them caused envy throughout the room. Envy and more than one eye roll. It was disgusting to be so sickening in love, but Diana was, and she was completely okay with showing the world how much she loved him.