Cornered

"How did you know I would be here?"

"If you didn't get in my way...", Nero looked at Diana this time. She smiled like an innocent cat. "... Then you got in hers. If Diana didn't tell me then it doesn't matter."

The subtle smile spread a little.

"Don't you think I was the one who did that?"

He clicked his tongue. Diana's eyes twitched a little.

'That evil element! What happened to the gentlemanly manner of before?'

He had two literal princesses by his side...

"I know you well enough," were few words. But so deep that they stuck in Diana's heart and then made their nest.

'... I know you well enough.'

They still seemed to echo in her ears.

"Huh, right...", the young redhead took her eyes off his. Diana didn't know where to look either.

"How about we order before we start?"

...

Diana stared at the glass of drink as if it had gold inside.

The people at the table looked at her as if they were waiting for her word to continue, but when the food arrived, the young woman lost her chance.

'Help me!'

Nero's eyes left the window, for some reason he was the one sitting next to the two beauties, but Diana was the one sweating.

An eyebrow rose. It was a good sign.

She returned the gesture and looked at the two.

A few seconds passed while a dedicated waitress delivered the snacks.

He would help. But her vision was different.

If she was a mouse advising two lions, he was the cat sleeping in the living room.

When one of his lips lifted, she couldn't take it anymore. A vein or two must have appeared on his face, but his smile only grew.

"So... why did you gather this group?"

For a second she froze. His expression revealed everything. She didn't even know why she accepted it in the first place.

'At least he started it, right?'

Diana took a deep breath. With his eyes staring at her, all she could do was pay attention to the beautiful glass of juice.

So beautiful.

Diana was about to process a sentence when she noticed an extra look.

The waitress was still there.

The young woman took the spotlight, while her face lost all color.

"How about we start with names," Diana decided to save her. "I think I only know Sofia."

'Strange.'

Saying that name was harder than she imagined. Like opening a box without a lid, it seemed like there must be something there.

The young redhead seemed fine with it. Nodding with her eyes closed, she took the initiative for the introductions.

"Yes, we've talked in the last few days. I wanted to talk to you."

"You could have waited a little, couldn't you?"

The young woman's lips paused as she stared into the air. Hearing the soft question threw her into a different place in that restaurant.

'Now he decides to talk...'

"It was my idea," her eyes returned to Diana. "You know, the sooner the better. I didn't want to bring this subject home."

Nero seemed happy with the answer, so Sofia continued without fail.

"The girls next to you are Helena, Aila and Blair...", she pointed in sequence.

"They are coworkers, and they insisted on coming. Sorry for not warning you."

Diana nodded.

"And this is Alice... She is a friend we have in common."

For some reason, the beautiful black-haired woman was looking at Sofia a little intensely.

When her interest shifted from her to a yawning Nero right next to her, Diana thought she had found another cat.

The conversation flowed well from there.

.

..

...

"Are you mad?..."

Walking side by side, Diana took his hand. It was warm. She linked their fingers and felt him react a little, without taking his eyes off the sidewalk, he answered.

"I'm not."

"Not at all?"

He shook his head and took a deep breath.

Taller, with that coat and scarf, Diana had to admit... She didn't want to take her eyes off him. She felt like he would disappear at the first corner if he did.

"Then why the silence?", she gently bumped into him.

His eyes finally met hers.

'I want a kiss.'

"I thought I could keep this side of my life to myself. I wanted to tell you in my own time. But...", the light changed before they reached the stop.

He stepped back, leading her to the sidewalk. His hands loosened.

"I was going to tell you anyway."

"The reason you disappeared?" He nodded. "How about you tell me now?"

His eyes never left the street. He was only a step away, but it seemed so far away. Diana wanted to give him a gentle shove to make him react. Maybe a punch or several.

"Not a good idea," her hands went to her pockets.

'Huh, I missed my chance.'

They both fell silent. The light changed and she followed it. She didn't really need to dig into her past. That was what was on her mind, but... Seeing his back.

The familiar color black.

It seemed so far away. So lonely.

Diana wanted much more than his cold back...

That's why she put her hands in his pockets. Both of them. Intertwining her fingers with his in the process and not letting him pull his hands away.

Like a chick in its nest, she fled to his back. Far from her gaze, the smell was of mint. When she rested her forehead there, it was warm and comfortable.

"What are you doing?"

Their gazes were intense, their hands were warm, but all she could do was sigh as she enjoyed the black.

"It would be better to hug him, wouldn't it?...", her fingers tightened, he returned it.

Even though he kept looking at her from time to time, he continued to guide her. Diana had a silly smile on her face, she sank deeply into that smell.

A few minutes later they let go and she got into the car. Her driver came with her.

"Aren't you going to drive?", side by side in the back seat, the young woman had nowhere to run.

"You don't seem to care much about where we're going."

"That's called trusting the driver. You didn't say you were the chauffeur."

"Yeah?... And how much do I get for driving you down the sidewalk?"

The whole time he had a slight smile on his face, but Diana was tense.

She had never seen... felt, that look.

His body leaned over her naturally. Their eyes never leaving each other. Diana knew it. Like a bunny in front of the wolf, she would give him an opening she couldn't allow. Not now.

"You want answers, don't you?", he realized.

A positive nod.

"Okay," he took out his cell phone, started tapping on the screen. Not at all worried about increasing the distance.

'Look at me!', when she thought, Diana didn't know what she was doing.

Half of it was an impulse to take control, the other half was a desire to be seen, to be heard... desired.