Pack Mentality

Thrills, Chills, and a Whole Lot of Spills

He was good looking, she had to admit; perhaps bit intimidating... alright, very intimidating. His height, being even greater with Autumn's sitting at the bar; made it so he almost had to look straight down to look her in the face, and did nothing for her growing nerves. An arrogant smirk was stretched across his face displaying a set of shark-like teeth and sending an unpleasant chill down Autumn's spine. Be it his dark spiked hair or fur and leather ensemble, something about this man just screamed... Pimp. The possibility of her observation having any truth made her skin crawl and she suppressed a shudder. He leaned in further bracing one hand on the counter behind her and slowly reached the other up towards her face.

"It's impolite to wear hoods in-doors, Doll." His voice wasn't terribly deep but had a rough quality that oddly eased some of Autumn's nerves. 'He must do this often.' She thought as his hand neared the brim of her hood, and the blood rushed to her cheeks as the rest of her brain caught up with how easily that, had she said it aloud; could have been taken as an innuendo. A chuckle vibrated from his chest and he ran the back of his hand along her cheek. "No need to be shy, I don't bite." 'Thank god.' His booming laugh caught her so off guard she nearly fell out of her seat when he pushed him self off the counter to double over with mirth. "Didn't expect a little mouse like you to be so spunky!" He chortled, whipping a tear from the corner of his eye. Blinking stupidly at his still shaking figure it took her nearly a minute to realize, she had said that out loud. If possible her blush darkened and many of the bars patrons had joined in the mocking laughter. Autumn sank her teeth into her cheek, determined not to allow them to get to her; and stiffly slid off the bar stool to stand at her meager full height.

Her height had always been a issue for her, and the embarrassingly obvious height difference between her and the now straightening 'pimp' only served to further irritate her. Whipping possibly imagined tears from the corners of his eye he continued to chuckle even as he looped an arm around her shoulders. "My girls left a while ago and I was getting pretty bored, how's about you keep ol' Greed company for a while." Greed's wolfish grin widened as he tugged a stunned Autumn towards the back of the bar with little physical resistance; Autumn was still too busy seething to bother. If Greed noticed her scowl he hid it well as he sauntered up to the arm of an oddly expensive looking sofa with Autumn pinned securely to his side. Plopping down on the middle cushion, Greed wasted no time gently tugging her down into his lap.

Needless to say she was much more aware at this point. "W-what do you think you're doing?!" Voice barely above a squeak and eyes wide Autumn thrust her arms out to shove Greed away only succeeded in toppling herself off the couch, and into another person. A sharp grunt was her only warning as a pair of large hands looped under her arms stopping her mid fall. 

"There a problem here Boss?" 

If not for her wool coat she probably would have felt the stranger speak rather than hear, with how close she was to him as he didn't seem inclined to release her any time soon. Greed, with his arms thrown over the back of the couch and lazy smirk stretched across his face; looked unconcerned even disinterested and chuckled. "No worries dog boy, me and the lady were just getting to know each other."  Had Autumn not been so near him she wouldn't have noticed the small twitch of the man's hand around her arm, or the sudden stiffness in his stance. "Sure thing Boss." His grip on her slackened and he nudged her back onto Greed's lap. Autumn turned to object to the stranger but felt a hand knot in her, now uncovered; hair. Greed's lips were quirked in a bemused smirk as he admired the auburn strands weaved between his fingers. Sputtering indignantly Autumn managed to clamor off his lap while narrowly avoiding face planting, once again; thanks to the efforts of the stranger standing behind her. She heard him breath out an annoyed sigh as one arm snaked around her back and the opposite forearm crossed her collar bone to grip the shoulder furthest from him and pull her against his chest. Wriggling with an indignant huff and with the intent of giving the stranger keeping her from bolting out the front door a piece of her mind, Autumn whipped her head around and found herself nose to nose with a rather startled face. They both froze, and any angry words died on her lips as they came to rest mere inches from his. Had she looked behind her, Autumn would have noticed Greed's raised brow and the unsettling gleam in his eyes. 

Both stilled their breathing, waiting to gauge the other's reaction and taking in the features opposite them. Thick auburn hair was Autumn's most eye-catching trait, but wouldn't be nearly as obvious without the contrast her pale milky skin provided or her soft facial structure. Dark lashes twitched as coco brown eyes danced over his face. Dark mused hair could be seen over an angular face and a hooked nose. Blue-green eyes that were ordinary at first glace became much more diverting when one noticed a dark ring around his pupil, drawing her in and keeping her at bay all at once. And all at once surprise melted into intense curiosity, agitation shifted to befuddlement, exasperation turned to attraction, and warmth overcame discomfort.