Of Drakes Most Strange [Closed - Team DISC, MKNT]

At Victoria's outburst...at her seemingly sudden surge of emotion he simply puts his arms around her, letting her cry, letting her release all the pent up emotion. This was the side of her...that needed to be released. For a moment there is silence as he simply holds her close to him, leaning to whisper softly to her.

"I won't...I swear Victoria. I will tell no one. Your...secret...is safe with me. You are safe..with me." He smiles, just a little and just holds her, keeping her close to him. What was he meant to say? What was he meant to do? He shakes his head and carefully he moves to kiss her forehead. She had told him everything...he had to be strong for her.

"I am here with you...if you'll let me be..."

She could trust Drake with all her sadness, all her softness, all herself. Now, she truly broke. Victoria gripped Drake with all her strength, crying loudly, but muffled by his shoulder. She missed "Him" mire than she realized, and Drake had opened up the old wound. Or perhaps he had healed it? Victoria slumped, still crying, exhausted as she hung from Drake's neck, resting her head on his chest. "Drake... I don't... I don't want you to leave. You- you can stay." She still shivered from her episode.

He smiles and nods, keeping Victoria close to him, moving just a moment to bring his cloak around them a little. He wouldn't leave her. Not now. He couldn't leave her now. At her shiver he kisses the top of her forehead again and takes a deep breath. Though as she hugged him he flinched, just a little. Pain was a small price to pay. He could endure it. For her.

"Then I will stay. I will always stay for you. I...know now. I understand. And you...to me you are even stronger still." He had gotten through to her...and she was stronger to him now. For this moment of weakness she would be even stronger. The sounds of her crying...within him something stirred. The same feral instincts that emerged when the Frenzy triggered...silently he worried about what that implied. He had such little understanding of how his mind worked...since Artemis.

"We can stay here...as long as you want. And I will stay with you...even when we have to go back. I promise."

Victoria felt relieved, Drake hadn't pushed her away like she had in the beginning. For so long she had forced others away, hiding emotion and weakness, but Drake had forced it out of her and she could only except that now. He had taken all her guilt and grief and taken her into his arms, something Victoria couldn't imagine happening before, but wouldn't want to live without now. Slowly, she picked herself off of Drake and put her hands up to her hair, gingerly unwrapping the two ropes of gold, letting them unravel into her bright yellow mane, draping across her shoulders and down her back.

In silence he watches her, smiling as she frees her hair from the ropes, reaching to touch his fingers to it with great care. She was beautiful. He smiles and nods, moving just a little, caring not for a damp shoulder or slightly bruised ribs so long as she was with him. What was this he felt? This...need...to be around her?

"You are beautiful...I think though...that lunch is not happening. Perhaps we should just stay here a while. We don't...even have to speak. Just as long as you are here..." He takes a deep breath and carefully touches her hair, smiling as he keeps close to her. She was important to him. He could not deny that. As confused and muddled as his emotions were...he knew she was important. The Memory would change...in time. He didn't care. So long as she was there.

Victoria smiled softly, clearly glad her move had worked; Indigo had done excellent work restoring Victoria's hair. Suddenly, her face tuned serious. "Know this, Drake. Only you. I am only doing this for you. If you tell anyone about what has happened here today, I will not hesitate to end you." Her threat was mostly empty, but she would be devastated had anyone found out about her moment of weakness, her dependance on another, or even that she had fixed herself up for Drake. She stood and wrapped up her hair again before extending a hand to Drake. "Come on, we're still having lunch if it kills me."

He smiles, even as Victoria takes the serious tone and approach and he nods, reaching to take her hand. He understood. He understood she still had her pride. Perhaps..in time she would soften and be more comfortable around others. But that would take time...he knew that.

"I will not tell another soul. On my life, this remains here, between us." He nods again and stands, carefully brushing himself off and then he smiles. "Lunch it is then. Lead on. For you, I will follow." There is laughter in his voice as he tries to resume a serious face himself, then simply touches her cheek, unable to do so.

"For the record...I think nothing less of you. To me at least you are stronger than you were before."