Cappuccino Nunkies Cousin Mary You're sitting at home reading a particularly good Tracy/Lacroix story while humming the latest Trent Reznor tune. Fanning yourself with a printout of what was probably a shot at you, but not caring. Nunkies in any form is good. Just as you get to the part in the story where Tracy starts telling bald-faced lies to the Enforcers while Lacroix watches much impressed from the shadows, the door bell rings. Mumbling under your breath about timing and chainsaws you head for the door, kicking aside the duffle bag of crosses and stakes as you go. Swinging it open, the nasty comment about Avon cosmetics dies on your lips as you take in the stunning visage that is Lucien Lacroix! "Nunkies!" You gasp. Your jaw then drops to the floor. He smiles at you. The rest of you sees where your jaw has gone, gets jealous and decides to join it. You wake up several moments later. You're on your couch now. It takes a moment for you to remember just how you've gotten there but when you do, you sit up with a start. "Easy my dear, it seems you fainted." Lacroix raises one amused eyebrow. "I-I-I," You're stuttering, coherent speech is still just beyond your reach. You try to get up, but your head starts swimming and you have to sit down again, mumbling something about low blood sugar. Lacroix chuckles good-naturedly and hands you something. "Here, drink this," he orders. Looking down at the mysterious concoction, you hazard a small sip. Iced Cappuccino! And the best you've ever tasted! You turn your eyes back towards Lacroix; awe, rapture and longing all battle for control of your expression. Gently he plucks the glass from your hands. For a instant you consider refusing to surrender the heavenly drink, but then realize fighting a two-thousand year old vampire over a cup of coffee probably -isn't- the wisest course of action. With regret you watch as he sets the wonderful drink aside, next to the gun-cleaning manual on the end table. "I hear you too have succumbed to the, how do the put it? The Dark Pink Side?" He inquires, his expression unreadable. Alarm bells go off inside your head. 'Uh oh,' you think, this could get bad -real- quick. Luckily, one of the classes you signed up for at Dark Perk Mansion, besides kick-boxing and long-bow precision, was assertiveness training. Taking a deep breath you shoot Lacroix your biggest, perkiest smile. "I think Tracy would just -love- you!" You say breathlessly. "You're so handsome and powerful! Given half a chance I'm sure Tracy would be as devoted to you as I am!" You sigh and stare lovingly up at him. Faced with this barrage of compliments, Lacroix seems momentarily taken aback. Pressing your advantage you use your practiced Tracy-style pout and ask, "You do like Tracy don't you?" "What?" Lacroix seems even more disconcerted, obviously not expecting this turn of events. "I really don't know Ms. Vetter," He frowns suddenly. "That is irrelevant however. I am not here to discuss your new faction's leader." Your heart starts beating double time; you've heard rumor Lacroix was on some sort of loyalty kick lately. Was he here to punish you then? You decide to play dumb. "Oh? Well you can't have come just to give me the lovely cappuccino." You have to fight yourself not to gaze longingly back at said drink. "And if you're not here to talk about my new faction, " You deliberately misunderstand, "Then why are you here?" Lacroix's eyes narrow, he's becoming suspicious now. "That is not what I said." You open your eyes as wide as they'll go. "Oh?" You don't give him a chance to reply. With Plato's words 'courage is a kind of salvation' running through your mind, you stand suddenly and redeposit yourself on Lacroix's lap. He seems startled, but automatically wraps his arms around you. "It's almost dawn," You say with a mischievous grin, "I guess you'll have to spend the day." Together you turn and regard the clock on the wall, there's almost four hours before the sun rises. Lacroix turns back to you and cocks an eyebrow. With a shrug you say, "You're forgetting about day-light savings time, it's actually an hour later." You smile down at him and, maintaining your perch, you reach down and reclaim your cappuccino. With a chuckle Lacroix decides to abandon whatever his original plans were for you and just pulls you closer. "This new faction's attitude quite fascinates me." He tells you. "Perhaps you can tell me more of this 'Dark Perk Philosophy'?" With one hand still wrapped around your coffee and the other pressed against Nunkie's chest, you look down into his ice blue eyes and grin. Maybe he hasn't forgotten that your loyalty also belongs to Tracy Vetter, but it looks like he's forgiven you. "Yeah, I can do that." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cousin Mary, Godmother of the Dark Perk Mafia, NA anteros@juno.com Dark pink, but still Dark! "War is h*ll, and Dark Perks are its pink demons"