15865/Dinner and conversation for the mystical

Dinner and conversation for the mystical
Date of Scene:	03 December 2023
Location:	Harry Dresden's Office, Kingston Falls
Synopsis:	Harry and Willow have dinner and talk about their past and potential future.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Willow Rosenberg

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Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry is back in the living area. The office isn't open, but a 24 hour number usually gets knocks at the door too. Mouse is sleeping in the main hallway, Mister is on the back of the couch, and Harry is reading.

Now things get a little entertaining because he has one of Willow's math books and reading intently. He isn't a mathmetician by any regard, but he doesn't look like he's lost, rather one finger sliding down the page while he mouths words. A lot of math in magic.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
This evening was Indian by choice.

Let's face it. Willow was not a happy homemaker. In fact, she considers potions as the hardest part of spelldom. (Who can use just *three* drops in a vat of a potion? Do they mean three small drops? Three large drops? In between? And what temperature? Hot? Hotter? Cold? Lukewarm?? Augh.)

The only thing she was good at making be scratch was chocolate chip cookies - though since Tala she had made oatmeal raisin cookies that were edible.

Stopping to pat Mouse, she held up two bags of Indian food. "This one carries all the meat items. Don't worry, they do that for everyone. They even cook on separate stoves." This would be an authentic Indian restaurant where a large portion of their clientele were vegetarian."

Emptying out the bags, she wonders, "Should I ask?" Pointing at the mathematics text.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks up from the book as he hears her arrival. Something about the way she turns the wards makes him smile and seems to tell him it is her. When she takes care of the required scratching and makes her way closer, he leans foward to help her unload the bags, though he does stop her long enough to press a light kiss to her lips.

Looking back at the book, he nods,"A lot of my abilty and sorcery in general is wrapped up in math. I don't understand all of it, but a good deal of it. I just wanted to brush up a little."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
She smiles as he presses his lips to hers. And without meaning to takes the kiss a little deeper. "You know, your wardings have a particular tone that I associate with you." And now that she's been coming in so frequently, there was a note that hers ringing in tandem to him. She wondered if he was aware of it.

For Willow, though, wardings were a specialty of hers

As he explained what he was doing, she was surprised and elated. "That makes two things that in my past relationships I couldn't share. Question. That book is at the Masters level. Do you need it a bit lower? Or..?"

To think that Harry could talk with her about her degrees? Her mind was blown.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The deeping doesn't bother him. He meets it and enjoys the connection. Once it breaks, he tells her,"Your presence passing through them let me know its you. So I know I don't have to come looking unless you call out. You know your way and it's been a long time since I was comfortable with someone just coming and going on this level."

He looks at the book again and nods,"Oh it's a little above my pay grade, but I can get the gist. I'm not a mathmetician per say, but I have had a lot of time with it none the less."

It is rare two people can connect this quick on so many levels. It couldn't be called an easy click, but one it was in place they fall into each other pretty easily.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Well, it is for entertainment, rather than for course notes, so you can pour over it as much as you want. Funny that, I didn't know that your magic was based on maths. I mean it makes absolute sense.. It's more natural for me. At least I don't think about the maths."

Now that she has.. hrm.. maths was always intuitive for Willow.

"Right now I'm getting the undergrads ready for midterms." She rolls her eyes. "I may be more absent than present while they get through them. Unless.. you wouldn't mind my late hours and the subsequent coming and going at odd hours? Believe me, I won't take offence if you say sleep at your own place. It can get pretty hairy."

She grins at her joke.

Nodding all the while about the wards. "I've been meaning to ask you, what does your warding consist of? General? Specifics? And would you like some extra. Although you do have more people who wouldn't be allowed through mine."

She takes a naan, and a chickpea and lentil dish, and digs in.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"It's all interesting, even when amusing." he replies to her,"The universe is math. Everything makes more sense that way. The best mechanics i know, understand math. The best wizards are no different. Magic is affected my the forces of nature. You don't have that without math."

The joke isn't lost on him and he laughs as well,"You are always welcome here Willow. Always. You can come and go as you wish. Mouse loves you, Mister seems to like you, don't get me started with Bob..." he pauses at that thought and he nods,"...if you need to talk to him and I am not here it's OK, but don't let him convince you to let him free. Not ever. I don't think you can, but don't ever imply it even." he cautions.

She has keys to the place, keys to the wards, permission to use Bob. What a difference a magic girlfriend can make. He even called her partner.

For the next several minutes the duo can break down how his wards work, what anchors them, what she might be able to do to strengthen them since he's not so arrogant he thinks he has all the asnwers.

Getting some food himself, he opens up something and wafts the smell to himself,"That smell complicated, but really good." he admits softly.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Probably the Roshan Josh. The lady says it's a lamb curry? It's spicy. The other one is butter chicken. But you probably know how that one tastes." Everybody likes butter chicken. Well meat eaters.

Listening to his breakdown of wards, Willow is suitably impressed.

"I have some things you may want? But in all, your wards are pretty solid."

Harry Dresden has posed:
He nods approvingly and takes a few bites of the food. He can be pretty quiet, but gets pretty laconic while eating since it's the two of them and just having a comfortable meal at home.

After a few minutes he frowns thoughtfully,"The one that came in the other night. The one with the barely there wardrobe...she was a bit strange. For our world, that's saying something."

Vampirella. The indrodcution. What did he call Willow?

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Scooping out her chickpea concoction with her naan bread, Willow nods.

"Yes! She was.. stranger than Satana." That's saying something! "Which reminds me.. partner? Did you say that to protect me?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Definately odd." he replies and stirs his food again. He shrugs and tells her,"I told her you were my girlfriend. I thought that should be enough to make it clear you were off limits." he admits.

He considers for a moment and finally tells her,"You are my partner of course. That comes from a relationship, but I called you partner because that's how I see you. I could easily consider you a partner with magic and business in general if it came to that. Like I said, I can't really call you apprentice as much."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
A smile creeps Willow's mouth, and enters her eyes.. "You still could. You are still my teacher, aren't you? Not that I'm complaining! Did you know, that is the first time I have been called a partner outside of school? It feels nice."

As for Satana..

"I haven't had a lesson since we hooked up. I was wondering how to broach the subject. I mean, she's a succubus, so I know some of her personality is going to be that way. I even if I weren't going out with you, I think I wouldn't want to go to bed with her. Don't they have abilities to make you want to? I was worried about that.. but.."

*sigh*

"..You and her made me feel that maybe I was actually a competent magic user, instead and a glorified ward placer. Everyone has grown so much since highschool. All I did was get my undergraduate degree. I wasn't to be special - the way that you talked about me."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry nods and tells her,"I could, but I choose not to. You're my equal in one relationship, you should be in everything. My level of power and yours are different of course, but you are stronger with wards than me. I will probably have you help me strengthen mine. We'll have to fix it where Thomas and Sabrina can come and go unless we want to set them against any entry at times." he tells her.

"She is something else." Harry agrees,"Yes she is a succubus, yes that can lead to a great deal of pleasure, and yes it could absolutely kill you." Taking another bite, he considers,"They can influence you yes. I haven't seen her do it, Thomas on the other hand. That's just unsettling what he can do."

He sets his food aside and turns towards her. He takes one hand into his and opens her palm up. His free hand strokes over the palm and though no magic is touched he looks her in the eye and tells her,"You are competent Willow. You learned how to trade wind with fire like it wasn't anything. That's not easy. As I said, your wards a good, probably better than mine on several levels. Never forget that OK? Don't get cocky, but at the same time don't fall into hubris. Keep getting better."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow eyes go wide. "Tell me about Thomas! I mean, he's always been polite..ish to me. But I always thought that was because of Buffy." A pause. "Did you know said something watching over me like a sister." *sigh* "A younger sister. I thought that was because he was trying to get me to sign some Acts."

"It's not that.. no, it's exactly that." She cupped her hand around his and lifted it up to her lips. "I'm so confused at times. Like you said, to switch my focus between elements seemed so easy when I thought about it. Yet, most of the time I am used for basic rote things like wards and scrying. One day I'm helping the Justice League with a problem that was huge, and the next day my friends were telling me to be careful. Stay at the back. Let us handle it. What should I get from that?"

"And Buffy wasn;t herself then. Everything gets fumbled up. I'm trying though?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Raisins a brow, Harry hesitates a second. He's made her promises and when she takes his hand and kisses it he makes a decision,"All right." Harry comments softly,"From my perspective it's like he has a power that just drags them to him."

"It's like he has a direct line to the female mind, hormones, sex drive, and better judgement. I can tell you when they feed, the White Court, it is amazing feelings to you, but sucking your psyhic energies away. Thomas is guarded and protective of you, but that's not a bad thing."

He winks and adds,"Even before we were together, you were better off not getting too close. Your decision, but I have seen shells of people that have wandered the Court unable to really be anything other than food and barely that."

"You have to find your way in the world Willow, discover what you are inside. I will walk with you of course, but in the end it's your trip. Better or worse. You see yourself as a part of them. You are you. You are Willow Rosenberg. Wicca. Borderline if not out right genius. The girlfriend of the guy most think of as the tall grumpy guy that thinks he knows magic. You wear a lot of hats, but they are all you."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow gives his hand one more kiss on the palm, and covers it before letting go.

"I don't like sex that is not real. You can feel everything - but is it real? What's the point? The *real* point of it? It's like me watching horror shows. Compared to the real thing? It all pales beside it."

Oh, how those words would haunt her someday.

"And you?" Willow gave a lopsided grin. "You are right. I do wear many hats. One of those many hats is to see through people and take the good stuff that nobody sees and give it a chance. You made me so angry.."

She giggles at that.

"But you were always more than a tall, grumpy man. I'm so glad I didn't do what my first instincts were."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I got tangled up with her before we were even a thought." he admits in regards with Satana,"It's dangerous, could be deadly. I made a stupid choice after nearly being killed. So please learn from my mistakes. I don't want to tell you what to do, but please let me ask you not to get involved with her. The truth is, I had one too many close calls so I decided stupidly to have another." he finally admits.

"Like you said, sex wasn't real. Not like anyone before and certainly not what we have together." he tells her seriously.

He nods and agrees,"Scary movies aren't all that scary in light of the things we know. You are right. Not even close."

He laughs softly and considers,"I don't think I have had a woman tell me I was right ever. Could you say it again?" he teases and laughs,"We were both pretty angry. I never thought about anything more than maybe having to protect myself."

"I am glad you didn't listen to your instincts and I am glad I wasn't willing to let things just fly into the wind. I am not sure what my life looks like without you now."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You haven't? It doesn't hurt anyone to admit they were wrong. It certainly shouldn't hurt you to admit you were wrong. And you were right."

Willow drops her head and admits. "I was going to throw against the wall and rip all your clothes off with magic and leave you there. Hanging." Raising her eyes then, "I told you how angry I was. I don't like to be angry like that. It fills me up to the point I feel like I'm losing control."

She shrugs about Satana. "That was then. You don't owe me an explanation. Unless you want you. I have a past too. I was in love with a demon who wanted to use me. Oz is a werewolf. There was a brief bit with a vampire. The longest, and the healthiest was Pietro. And we just drifted apart in the end."

She nods. "I do not want to get involved with Satana. But that's the final straw. If she cannot keep her distance, then I won't continue to be her pupil."

Harry Dresden has posed:
He smirks a little at the thought of her sending him flying and stripping him. It isn't an arrogant thing so much as a glad we didn't have to deal with that.

"I appreciate the past staying in the past." he replies in regards to Satana,"I have been involved with a Warden for a time, ended poorly. My former lover got wrapped up with a Red Court and if she ever bites and feeds on someone, she'll be a full fledged vampire. My first love...that was a mess. She was under the control of my bastard uncle. I don't know how much of that was real."

He exhales softly and nods,"I can't tell you what to do, but I am glad you won't be getting involved with her. If it gets too difficult, then yes definately get out, otherwise you could pick her brain."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
A giggles escapes her. "You mean she could pick /my/ brains. I don't want to see what would become of me."

"You know. I am not old enough to have even the answer that you do, but Pietro taught me a valuable lesson. Every time he was with me, he had to slow down. Every time he wanted to interact with me, including making love, everything was so toned down for him, and he didn't make a complaint."

Pushing the remainder of her supper away, she continued. "You are your past - even the things I may not appreciate. Whether they taught you to be careful. Or that that wasn't the path you wanted to be on. Or perhaps they taught you to find the beauty in thunder showers. It's all you.. So either I can love you for all of you, or maybe I should leave."

"I don't want to leave."

Harry Dresden has posed:
He listens to her talk and smirks a little when she talks about the brain picking. Shaking his head, he tells her,"Age is a number Willow. You have seen things that people twice your age wouldn't have a clue about."

He considers her words furthur and tells her,"We're all our own. We have to make decisions according to our experiences. There are things I have seen, but that doesn't make me any better than you. I just have seen a few things you haven't."

He reaches up and touches her cheek,"I don't want you to leave either. If anything I want you here every night. I just know that isn't always possible."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Well, unless you can figure out why you interact with technology it doesn't look to be happening in the near future. And for the longer run? We have to tackle that when it happens. And if you think, 'but that makes me have to give up a major part of my life..'"

Willow addresses him directly.

"Before I slept with you I could have decided to not choose you. And I didn't. When we slept together that first time I could have thanked you for a really good time, and said goodbye. And I didn't. I knew what I was getting into. It's not like you lied. We both went into it with our eyes fully open. Okay?"

"Besides, there are things that I am revisiting by not plugging in all the time. Like this." She gestures between them.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"The tech issue will last forever." he replies finally,"That never changes. I wouldn't ask you to give up your life or the things you love. I know that." he assures her.

"If there's a run for us and I am looking for it, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." he agrees,"I was merely saying you're missed when you're not here. No pressure intended."

"Before I slepy with you I knew we would face this too and I was willing to take a run at it because you enchanted me in your way and I don't want to look up and not have you around and certainly not back like we were."

He smiles a little,"So we take it a day at a time. Anytime you want to be here, the door is open. You have the key and the pass to the wards so always and then some." he assures her,"Just promise me if you end up angry about something we talk it out, not just stay away. Yes we both have fire in our tempers, but we're a team. I meant it when I said I didn't want you to leave. You caught me and I like being caught."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow raises an imaginary glass in a time honoured toast. "Did you know that pirates never clinked glasses? Its ringing was believed to be an omen of someone's death. Truth." Then with an impish grin, "We could rile up our tempers on purpose. Just saying."

Harry Dresden has posed:
He raises his imaginary glass as well. He smirks and tells her,"You know the damndest of things Willow. You know that right?" He laughs and adds,"We will probably rile tempers enough times in the days to come. No sense pushing our luck unless you just want a mad roll, we could just play harder."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"It's my job." And in some ways it truly is - finding what can be found about that or that supernatural creature.

But Willow has different ideas to take up her free time right now. "Did you know that better than a succubus' illusion is a magic user's enhanced senses. All natural. Definitely not for everyday. But.."

She stands up, and captures a hand and pulls him up and to her. "Eat later."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry smiles as he listens to her talk about her job as it were,"Another thing we have in common." he admits.

Quick to catch on to the other plans, he stands when she takes his hand and pulls him to her,"I don't have a lot of experience with illusion magic so you have my attention." he admits,"You have my attention anyway, but you know." THe grumpy guy tries to be clever now and then.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
It turns out that Willow is something of a conundrum: all innocent on the outside, and on the inside she is something else. A good something else, to be certain. But something else by far. Let's just say the food is very cold when they come up for air. The first time..