Love is Against the Rules [Nemesis and I]

"It could be," she replied, her lips curving into a sly smirk. Alias repeated the process from before, inhaling the rich scent of the wine. It seemed to become stronger the second time. "This is quite bitter for such an expensive wine." She closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation of the Bordeaux as she quietly sipped it. She was not much of an enthusiast but she did find the time to enjoy anything quality made. SHADE life was hectic that way.

“How do you know I was not affected? I could be used to killing a man, yes, but are you positive I have no qualms about it?” she countered, taking another sip of the wine. Alias hoped her scheme would carry out as planned. She needed to test him before anything could continue. “You clearly have no qualms about shooting a man point blank. As a matter of fact, from what I recall, you unloaded several rounds on our pursuers.” Alias ever so slightly shifted her position so that one leg was draped over the other and her back slightly arched. She had met others like Dean, in previous years. They all gave off the appearance of a charming young man who possessed both skill and elegance. More often than not they would approach her during the rare off duty periods to ask her accompany them to the local nightclubs. Occasionally Alias would interchange what her response would be just for sheer amusement. It made the requests a sort of game, and depending on what mood she was in, Alias would reject or accept. However, with Dean, it appeared to be a whole new story. He had a determination in him few men had, a desire to get what he wanted and a one track mind to achieving those goals. And of all the cards he played! The flattery card: a wise yet risky move. One did not simply throw all their hopes into a single bet and expect the odds to be in their favour. Yet instantly he tosses what most would consider a subtle approach right on the table.

Alias clenched her teeth slightly to avoid uttering any snappy comebacks. It was one of the few things she had yet to master. SHADE’s director often pointed out how such comments could easily backfire on an agent.

“I meant no disrespect,” she muttered, taking a long sip. By now the wine seemed to be losing its flavour; it was almost bitter to the point of dullness. How many glasses had she drunk? It felt like several but in reality she had only a couple. Now that she thought about it, she was starting to feel slightly queasy. Her eyes wandered towards the glass clutched in one manicured hand. It did not look very appealing anymore. Alias set down her drink on the end table beside the couch. Maybe in a moment the nausea would fade.

“My name?” she whispered, staring into space, almost as if she were distracted. Names hardly mattered these days. No one truly knew what their names were. With all the forged identities, false passports, hidden birth certificates, names were lost. “My name is…Everlet.” The nickname slid off her tongue like thick oil. It had become a habit to give her second name over the years. Ever since the incident, Alias rarely used her birth name. Who could you trust anyway?

Her eyes flickered briefly towards his direction before she glanced at the floor. "No, it's fine," she murmured, the heat on her face rising. In that small second he held her hand, Alias felt her heart flutter. The touch alone brought forth memories of the past, when life was simpler, at least, in terms of working for SHADE. When she and her partner at the time would attend the lavish parties in Paris, or discuss missions sitting several stories above the bustling city of New York. She bit her tongue to keep the tears from flowing. Those were just memories now. "I just need a moment, I will be fine." Although her words did little to even convince herself. What did she feel? Alias shook her head to clear her thoughts.

Alias shook her head, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm fine," her voice was choked but she managed to compose herself a little. The truth was, she was not fine. All the anxiety Alias had bottled up a few hours ago, when they were being pursued, was slowly leaking out. Being a agent she wasn't allowed to show anything overly emotional, in the face of danger or in any situation. Yet, there were times when freaking out was a necessity, not an option. Of course, she rarely broke down in public, always choosing to find a secluded area, away from prying eyes. She sighed, staring into the firelight, anything to avoid eye contact, if she even glanced his way she might lose it for sure. Alias felt his hand touch hers but she did nothing to show she had noticed. It was almost calming to sit silently with someone, even if she barely knew him.

She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. If someone asked her to describe it, Alias doubted she could give a correct response. It was a mixture of happiness combined with embarrassment. Happiness that some strange would even give her the time of day, even after what had happened earlier, yet embarrassment that she could not maintain a level of sophisticated calmness. No one had ever come to her aid except when being shot at or pursued by mafia. Their reputations prevented them from doing so. However, Alias was sure that was not the case. All they wanted was to do their jobs, and receive the next paycheck. It seemed to be a type of unwritten law that all agents followed, except her. It was not her sort of thing. “I just...I don’t know…” she stuttered, her eyes still wandering.

Alias felt lightheaded as he pulled her close. She was not sure how to react. On the one hand, it was rather enjoyable, yet also the hidden layer of uneasiness began to surface. Usually Alias was not a woman who would purposefully search for a quick hookup at a bar. She believed herself to have better values than that. But with Dean, all that insecurity seemed to melt away. Alias felt able to be what she was around him, rather than putting on a false persona. Their bodies seemed to meld together seamlessly, as if they were a perfect fit. “I c-can…” she stuttered softly, her slender frame shuddering at his touch. This situation was much different than at the bar. They weren’t about to run for their lives or pursued by mafia. They were alone, just the two of them. Alias felt the sneaking suspicion she might regret her actions later but for now, she shoved those muddled thoughts aside. “All right, just once.”

She instinctively draped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes to keep to her balance. A warm, pleasant feeling spread through her body as she pressed herself closer to him. It was unlike any experience she had previous had in kissing other men. Some thought a woman wanted to be suffocated, others believed women preferred to have saliva drenching their lips as though a dog were licking their faces. However, this, it was much more gentle dare she describe it. Alias could faintly taste the lingering flavour of the Bordeaux on his lips. But rather than feeling ill, she felt alive. The emotional barriers she had set up to prevent men from accessing seemed to be useless against him.

“You would allow that?” she whispered, her voice slightly raspy. “Even though we barely know each other?” She secretly hoped he would see through the charade. It was a source of great amusement to watch them be confused. Her heart was pounding heavily against her ribs, so loudly in fact, Alias was sure he could hear. She slowly licked her bottom lip, fluttering her eyelashes. It was not in her nature to act like a harlot, but under the effects of the wine, or was it the whiskey, nothing seemed to matter. Her thoughts had long since been clouded, as well as her senses. She pressed herself closer to him until her lips were just mere inches away from his. Alias could feel his hot breath against her face.