Before We Too Are Forgotten

"I hate to admit it but it's actually my first time in the mortal realm. Never seemed to be able to find the time before,"

“Well, it’s lovely to have the opportunity to travel now, I’m sure. And Chicago holds a great many fae folk, so I’m sure you will find some comforts of home as well.”

"Oh, it's not going anyway," glancing down at the book in question, he noted where he'd gotten to and then closed it. Returning his attention to her when he had. "And what might they be?" his tone mirroring the light playfulness in hers. Daelan leaned back in the chair, watching as she came close to the desk he was at. "I rather think you could be right there," his lips quirked in amusement at the look she gave him. "Though he might think us rather out for tucking ourselves away in the library while there's a party on,"

She hummed a bit in reply, placing one of her hands atop the edge of the desk beside where her hips leaned against it. Her spare hand was brought forward to lightly trace the spine of the book he'd chosen for himself. "I think we shall be spared any judgement for our oddities. After all, the guest of honor does seem rather adept at pulling Magnus' focus. We might just escape his notice entirely for our folly," she reasoned, looking back up at Daelan again with an evident curiosity. "Although I suppose I should wonder why you're sneaking off to the library quite so early in the night."

"You have nothing to apologise for, I assure you. Your company could never be anything but an improvement to any situation Miss Hallewell," he put a finger to the spot in the book he'd been reading. "Hmm," Daelan hummed in agreement. "Mr Bane strikes me as a man that would be flattered by our appreciation of the books he's collected,"

"Albeit an interruption to your latest reading subject," Elyse replied with a nod towards the book he had been peering over. "Perhaps I ought to warn you about the after effects of excessive flattery." Her tone was still playful, with rather a leading statement such as that, but her focus remained on the novels and encyclopedias laid out beside her for the moment even as she was slowly meandering her way beside the desk the other vampire was occupying. "I should like to think so. And in his case excess doesn't quite exist," she teased in reference to her earlier comment, shooting Daelan an amused glance over her shoulder, although not quite a wink.

"Hmmmm," he scratched his chin, pretending to think about it. "What did Desi mean earlier? Her joke about you not going to the library for the books?"

Elyse paused midway to lifting her glass to her lips, biting back a laugh as she shot Branson a knowing look. "Remind me to give her a ticking off for that later," she noted, though not with any seriousness. "Desi has come to the notion that I fancy one of the lecturers we work alongside."

"That doesn't mean it won't hurt," he protested, reluctantly letting her drag him onto the dance floor. Her offer gave him pause, "You promise? And you won't try to get me to dance anymore?"

"Then I shall grin and bear it as it was my idea to begin with. I would say you could even just place your feet onto mine if you're truly so worried, but this isn't a slow song," she teased, with only the fondest sort of smile tugging at her lips as she took his hands and started to spin them. "I would happily swear and write the promise in blood if it made it settled your disbelief. One dance, and as many drinks as you desire for yourself for humoring me."

"I see I'm not the only one curious about what the library of the great Magnus Bane looks like,"

Elyse looked up at the sound of the voice. "I'm afraid not. My apologies if it was also solitude you were seeking in the endeavor." That being said, she didn't move to leave the library, rather turning her gaze back upon the shelves as she ran her fingertips along the spine of a deep purple book beside her. "We can only hope that our host views it as academic curiosity on our part rather than trespassing then, yes?"

"The last thing I'd want to do is hurt you and I swear it's like I've got two left feet. I'd only end up standing on yours. How about a drink instead?"

"Well isn't it lucky that we're both supernaturally sturdy enough for that sort of thing to not matter," Elyse retorted, tugging Dain towards the dance floor. "One dance and I'll buy your drinks for the rest of the night."

"One beer as promised,"

"A deal is a deal then," she replied. "What's your question then?"