Thankful guest

[Ves]

(( Okies, just felt like writing something to cover Alita's activities while she's not around due to me having a crappy job that stops me playing half the time *prays for good news in April* And since the only things I normally write involve people getting hit, stabbed, shot, burnt etc, I thought I could do with a challenge. The following contains no violence of any kind

It does however feature Richard's butler Wintergreen, really hope you don't mind me borrowing him for a few lines, but I made sure he didn't do anything that would leave any lasting effect. If It's not okay feel free to yell your ass off at me via PM's, /tells when I'm next in game, hell feel free to go mad in local if you like, I'll accept it all with good grace, promise.

Anyways, here goes nothing, hope y'all likes it ))

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Alita yawned and stretched lazily as she slowly rose from the depths of slumber to the light of the mid morning sun breaking through the curtains. She’d managed to get good nights sleep at least, the first since running into Arketh, and it was all thanks to Lu’s kindness and support through the past few days.

Regretfully she left the comfort of the bed and made her way to the bathroom for an invigorating shower, shivering a little as the cool water reached her skin and pushed the last traces of sleep from her mind with amazing efficiency. Increasing the temperature slightly to wash her hair, Alita began thinking of something she could do to repay Lu’s kindness.

After returning to the bedroom to get dried and dressed in her ‘respectable’ leather suit and coat, she headed into the city’s shopping centres to pick up the few items she needed for what she’d decided on under the warm rain of the shower.

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As she slipped into the kitchen at Huntington Manor via the back door, still feeling uncomfortable using the main door even when she wasn’t coated in oil and grease from her work in the garage, she smiled sweetly at Wintergreen who once more displayed his uncanny ability to always be in the first room she entered to greet her graciously.

“Ahhh, good afternoon Miss Crane” and as he caught sight of the bags in her hands “Taking inspiration from Mistress Samantha and enjoying a pleasant day of retail therapy?”

Giggling quietly she gave a slight nod “Indeed, though I assure you that after hearing about some of Sam’s shopping spree’s I can safely say we shop at very different stores.” and with a huge grin added quietly, more to herself than anyone else “Well, for today at least”

“Will you be staying for dinner tonight? You have been away for the last few nights; the place has been rather quiet without the various clangs and yells from the garage.”

“No can do, not tonight at least. I’m planning a surprise for someone special, but I really need your help with a rather important detail. You see, I’m going to be cooking a delightful meal for the two of us, and want it to be really memorable, but I have no idea which wine to serve with it. Cooking I can handle, but picking a beverage to go with a meal that’s of a higher class than a large cold beer is a little beyond my talents. Here’s what I’ll be making, can you think of something that would be suitable?” she pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes as if her life depended upon it, not that it had any apparent effect, and passing over a list of dishes for the night

Glancing briefly over the menu, nodding in places as he did “Hmm… Not bad at all, I think I know just the thing, if you wait here just a moment I’ll bring it directly” and with that he turned and made his way to the wine cellar.

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Wiping her brow with a damp cloth Alita glanced at the timer on her cel-phone as it lay by the stove. Thirty minutes until Lu got home, just enough time to take a swift shower and get changed before finishing everything off.

Twenty five minutes later, clad in another leather outfit, Alita carefully laid out the crispy prawn won-ton, barbeque spare ribs, sweet and sour pork , chicken with oyster sauce, stir fried mixed vegetables and egg fried rice on the table, placing the dishes that needed to be kept warm on the recently purchased heating plates.

Nodding with satisfaction at a job well done she made her way quickly to her coat which was hung in the closet for her lighter, and when she returned nervously lit the candles upon the table.

A small gasp escaped her as the sound of a key in the lock caught her attention, and with a sudden burst of speed she was able to make her way across the room to turn off the light just in time to smile as Lu opened the door.

“Ummm… Hi sweetie, surprise” and with a cheeky wink “Welcome home, take a seat. I’ll be right back with the wine, and then, dinner is served”

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(( So, how was it? Much prefer the stories where stuff gets blown up, or at least rather broken, but this was a nice change ))

[Akkarin]

((Then Lu shot Alita and burned down the kitchen and all was as it should be.

Nah, I like it, nicely done ))

[Lu]

(( Yay, Lu liked it too - a bit of pampering is always nice. And to confirm there was no shooting involved, I thought I'd try writing a follow up...

Alita's dialogue kindly provided by Alita ))

Lu blinked and smiled at Alita's greeting as she walked in the door. Inhaling the smell of warm oriental food she looked around and spied the candle lit table and evidence of hard work through the kitchen door. Here eyes lit up as a grin spread across her face "You cooked? For me? Awww, Alita, how sweet, thank you." she said, leaning forward and kissing Alita on the cheek with genuine gratitude. "I love Chinese food, how did you know?"

Alita giggled as she pointed toward the phone in the kitchen and explained "You always leave the menu for the chinese take away by the phone, clearly your take away of choice. And since I've not seen you order for a few days, I guessed you might like an oriental food refuel"

As Lu turned to head out of the room, Alita added "See, I'm so much more than just a pretty face. I can do detective work as well these days"

Dashing into her bedroom Lu shucked off her work clothes as quickly as possible and grabbed a clean pair of trousers and a top. Throwing them on she glanced at herself inthe mirror and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to justify all the hard work Alita had gone to. She returned to the table just as Alita was pouring some wine into the glasses and sat down.

Her eyes took in the spread of food in front of her and a warm feeling of happiness spread through her, followed by embarrassment. She didn't deserve all this. They had both had a bit of a scare on Monday when they met Arketh but she hadn't really understood the danger until Alita explained it all. And Alita had been through so much and yet she was still preference to work with Akkarin and help find him Looking across the table as she reached for a wonton she smiled a teasing and slightly suspicious smile at Alita. "So any special reason you went to all this effort? she asked.

Blushing slightly as Lu questioned her, Alita sipped her wine before replying "Well, I did it partially to say thank you for looking after me these last few days. I don't know what I would have done without you to lend a hand". After flashing a stunning smile across the table, Alita continueed to explain her reasoning "It was also partly for something to do that wouldn't mean me getting the place all messed up and oily. But the main reason, the most important one of all, was so that I can tell everyone that I've had a romantic candle lit dinner for two, with the cutest girl I've seen in town."

Lu face flushed bright red and she lowered her eyes. A lot had happened recently and Lu felt quite confused. She glanced at Alita as she took a sip of wine, noticing the candlelight shine off her blond hair, making it look like a halo. She was attractive, there was no doubt about that, and Lu had been surprised at how much she had enjoyed the kisses she and Alita had shared. Did she want more of that? Was she attracted to Alita? Was it just because she had never been kissed like that before? Alita was fun, and she enjoyed her company, and more. But was it right? What did Alita want *her* for? She was nothing.

And there was Volt. She had felt hurt and unhappy when he told her the other day that she wasn't hs type. But why? She didn't want him. She had perfected the art of chaing most guys enough to scare them off and now it seemed to have worked with Volt why did she not like it?

She leant back and savoured the delicious food Alita had prepared, smiling, but perplexed about everything. Maybe it would all work itself out. In the mean time they had to figure out what to do about Akkarin. And Lu needed to repay Alita's kindness for the meal. Perhaps a backrub would be a good idea.

"Mmmm, that was heavenly. I'll have to have you to stay more often", she smiled at Alita. "What can I do to thank you? How about a massage to sooth those shoulders after all that time spent in the kitchen?" she smirked.