Vera is fun but grows increasingly eloquent??

[Oh, God, she’s ridiculously attractive. That shy little laugh and her orange eyes are melting straight through to my heart…]

Rex flashes Vera one of his charming smiles as she introduces herself. “Good to meet you, Vera. Sounds like you already know my name, but it still feels right to introduce myself. I’m Rex,” he says, careful to keep his eyes locked to hers. “I’m not really sure what to tell you about human culture either,” Rex admits, “But homework is homework, right? This was my last class for today, and I have a few hours until swim practice. Would you care to have coffee or a bite to eat while we talk?”

Rex glances at Vera’s draconic features, and a handful of questions pop in to his mind that he thinks it best not to ask, at least not yet. “Maybe it would be easier if we asked eachother questions?” Rex suggests. “Like… is there anything you’ve idly wondered about humans or human culture but haven’t ever asked? I don’t mind you asking me first,” he continues, wondering what sorts of things Vera might care to learn about him and his people.

Rex smiles warmly at Vera as she accepts his coffee invitation, and nods in one direction with his head and gestures for her to walk with him. “There’s a lot of really nice cafes around here. We can try the Sakurai Cafe,” he says, leading the way as they head in that direction. Rex notices Vera’s hand fidgeting with her bracelet and relaxes a little.

[Maybe she’s as nervous as I feel. Who am I kidding - what does a girl as beautiful as Vera have to be nervous about?]

Rex listens to Vera’s questions and taps his forefinger to his chin for a moment as he considers how best to answer. “Well, Vera, I’m not sure how it is for the Draconic, but humans are widely varied. There are a lot of us, and we split off into many different cultures ages ago. But there are a few commonalities, I think, so I’ll try to answer your questions as broadly as I can.” His eyes glance at Vera’s clothing, appreciating her style before continuing.

“For fun and leisure, many human cultures enjoy games and competition. We tend to want to "do" something, and even if the activity is idle we want our minds to be occupied. Oh, and food. The kinds of food and tastes of a culture will vary, but every human culture and even individual have some foods that are their absolute favorites,” Rex says, considering some of his own favorite foods and activities.

“My own favorite human tradition has to be the birthday celebration. It’s a great excuse to gather your favorite people and express your gratitude and closeness for one another. Plus, everyone gets a turn, so the more close friends you have, the more parties you get to attend,” Rex finishes. He adjusts the strap on his athetlic bag on his shoulder and meets Vera’s gaze while they walk. “How’d I do?” he asks, flashing Vera another of his charming smiles.

Rex nods appreciatively at Vera before entering the cafe and securing their place in the moderately sized line of customers waiting to order. He props himself up on one of the banisters and sits on it, waving to one of the baristas in a friendly way while Vera catches up. “Maybe I can ask you some questions about Draconic culture? To help you get the ball rolling, I mean, until you think of an interesting topic to expand on.” Rex says, looking down at Vera with interest.

“Please stop me if I ask something rude, though. Insulting you is the last thing I want to do. You mentioned dragons are much longer lived than humans. How old are you now? And how long is a dragon’s adolescence?” Rex asks thoughtfully.

Rex swings his legs from where he sits and glances down at Vera’s tail, which brightens his eyes with another question. “Oh - and here’s another thing I’ve been wondering. I noticed your tail moving earlier while we walked to the cafe and in class. What is having a tail like? Is it closer to an extra appendage you have full control over? Or something that moves autonomously depending on your instincts like with a cat or dog? Could I tell how you’re feeling based on how your tail moves?” Rex asks in an interested and excited way. His eyes meet Vera’s as they talk and he seems to get lost in their unique orange color.

The line of customers at the cafe moves slowly forward, and Rex hops down from his small perch to stand at Vera’s side. The closeness of the line and the press of customers leaves them feeling a little closer than two near-strangers might normally stand, but they position themselves to maintain propriety. “I see,” Rex says playfully as Vera explains about her tail. “So I can only reliably use your tail as an indicator of how you’re feeling if you don’t know I’m paying attention,” he says with a small and sly smile.

“It’s hard to imagine staying youthful and energetic for 200 years - let alone how long you’ll live after that. If you ever meet any of my descendants some day, make sure you let them know how cool I was,” Rex says with a chuckle.

Rex gives Vera a warm look, his eyes taking her in now in much greater detail than he has previously, prompted by both their physical closeness and the slight connection formed over their conversation so far. He smiles as he realizes how much he likes the way Vera looks - from her pretty hair, her unique draconic features, and her very punk style of dress. “As interested as I am to learn about you, I don’t want to hog our assignment by barraging you with questions. Do you have any more questions for me about humanity and my firsthand experience?” Rex says, playfully gesturing to himself as he offers.

Rex notices a subtle change in the way that Vera treats him. He sees how she leans towards him to be heard, but then remains that close after she finishes speaking. The brush of her tail against his leg doesn’t go unnoticed, and the warmth in her voice as they continue to converse encourages him to press on getting to know her. “I’ll do my best to leave you with a favorable opinion of me,” Rex says with a chuckle.

“Human family units can vary quite a bit. For people from this area having one, two, or three children is very typical - but in other parts of human culture as many as seven to ten could be the norm. My family consisted of only my mother, my father, and a single younger sister,” Rex explains, counting each of his family members off on a finger. “My father’s heritage is Human English, although they’ve been in America for at least four generations, and my mother is a first-generation American. Her parents immigrated from Germany. They both had tended to stick to what I think is a very typical contemporary Human American culture. Humans don’t live very long compared to some other peoples, so we tend to make as much as we can with our relatively short lives,” Rex says, sounding somewhat speculative of what his own future might look like.

Rex smiles when he hears the bolder, friendlier notes of Vera’s voice. “I cannot find my lifespan strange. It is the only one I will ever know,” Rex says with a small shrug, “But you’re right - in comparison to other creatures humans do live vibrantly. We are like the candle that burns twice as bright for half as long, as I think the saying goes.”

As they make it to the front of the Sakurai Cafe’s line and Vera offers to treat him, Rex nods his acceptance and than says with a cautioning voice, “I’m happy to let you treat me… so long as you let me treat you to dinner this evening. I’m having a delightful time talking with you, and frankly I don’t see myself wanting to stop any time soon.” The glint in Rex’s eyes and the tone of his voice contain the slightest hint of flirtation as he quips to Vera at the last possible moment before it is their turn to order, “Oh, also, the barista who will take our order and I used to date. Try not to make her too jealous.”

Rex feels his face flush crimson. The awkward embarrassment he had jokingly tried to place on Vera was deflected by her back at him and tripled. He let’s out an awkward laugh and pays for their drink, but the feeling of Vera’s tail wrapped around his leg and the way she nudges his shoulder drives him to escalate their game. “And it’s my pleasure to treat such a beauty,” Rex says in a voice dripping with sarcastic affection. He places a hand around Vera’s waist in a very familiar way, seeing her bet and raising.

The barista glares briefly at the both of them before retreating and making their drinks. Judging by the venom in her eyes Rex and Vera are very lucky that they are able to watch her every action as the barista prepares the drinks, or else they might both have been served some particularly nasty off-menu drinks. Rex bids a quiet word of thanks to the barista as he and Vera move off, and he laughs as he removes his hand from her person. “You’re positively diabolical, Vera. That was very, very cleverly handled. You tossed that move right back in my face. My kudos to you,” he says, toasting her coffee with his.

Rex’s blush grows when Vera wraps her tail around his wrist and guides him to a plush and comfortable booth featuring dark green sofas. He sits on the sofa beside Vera rather than across from her, settling himself quite close to her person and brushing her arm with his. He notes the coming storm and says in a low tone, “Those clouds will mean no swim practice today. My day just freed up… but I have a good idea who I’d like to spend it with instead,” flashing Vera a smile.

Rex takes a sip of his own drink - a sweet, mocha cold brew - and then nestles into the cushions of the couch beside Vera. “I did mean what I said before we ordered, Vera. I’d like to take you out for dinner this evening - if you’re interested and not busy, of course,” Rex says, watching the way her orange eyes gaze at the coming storm. He feels a flutter of attraction to her, the way she’s grown increasingly flirtatious with him only stoking the fires of desire.

“If we were to try and relate it back to our assignment… maybe we say you’re showing me the finer points of Draconic delicacies firsthand,” Rex suggests, his voice playful and flirty. She may be a long-lived and incredibly powerful entity but the simple fact is that Vera is ticking all of Rex’s boxes, physically and otherwise, and he is one to act on the impulses of his heart.

Rex looks briefly taken aback by Vera’s more than suggestive offer to feel her passions that night, but the embarrassment is overshadowed by the desire he feels for her, and his eyes lid as he smiles back at her. Rex leans in closely to Vera, an echo of the way her whisper played upon his lips, and says, “I accept your challenge, Vera… I will submit to your every whim after our dinner date.” Fueled by the momentum of their game of one-upping the other’s audacity and the sudden passion of Vera expressing her desires, Rex plants a kiss on her lips. Then another, and then a third much longer and sweeter kiss, their tongues intermingling and a soft moan escaping his lips, before he finally relaxes back on the couch and parts their lips. He smiles smugly and triumphantly at the surprise on Vera’s face as he takes another sip of his coffee.

Rex welcomes Vera’s fingers to trace his smile, and returns the gesture by bringing one of his hands up to brush away a loose strand of her hair and then feel one of her draconic horns. “With a woman as beautiful and interesting as you for company, Vera, only a fool could dare think of trying to split his attentions. I don’t plan on being shared… I’m a one-woman kind of man,” he says with a warmth in his eyes and his touch. He brings the hand from her horns and places it gently on one of Vera’s knees, his gaze moving from her beautiful feature to the stormy sky outside as he begins to ponder how the rest of their evening together may go. “So… are there any restaurants in the area that serve Draconic food?” Rex asks, only now realizing that her people’s diet may not be entirely suitable for human consumption. But the idea is quickly overshadowed by the second half of their agreement… a full evening at Vera’s mercy. He can’t help but be aroused and a little intimated by the prospect.