Andrea had never stared at a single piece of paper so hard in all of her life. Somehow in the two... or was it three now?... years she had spent in the city, she had never needed a map to get around. She had simply plotted out paths that got her the quickest to and from her destinations, and stuck to them as long as possible. They had served her well in the long run, but had left her with little room to actually see any of the city she lived in.

...and there was a lot to see.

Central park was already marked off her list, as well as the museum of art and history. She was trying to find her way toward the Rockefeller center, and having a bit of trouble.

After pushing her dress back down for a second time as a bus flew by, the Greek dropped her eyes from her folded up map and took a glance around. She was sure that this was the right area... street numbers matched up and everything... but she couldn't see hide nor hair of the building or it's many memorable works of art. "Excuse me?" She started, turning toward a man as he walked past, "Do you know where Rock-a-feller center is?"

The man blinked at her, lowering his phone from his ear for a moment. "It's Rockefeller, not Rockafeller... and it's right over there, across the street." He gave her a slight nod, pointed, then turned and continued on his way. Andrea watched him go, before turning and looking the way he had pointed. As another bus passed, she spotted signs and a gathering of people on the other side of the wide street. An embarrassed blush crept across her cheeks. It was indeed right across the street.. she just hadn't been paying enough attention. "Thank you!" She called after the man, before hurrying toward the nearest crosswalk.

Venus sstrolled down a random new york street, he too was taking in the sights, petite ones, voluptuous ones, male ones, female ones and...green ones. His favorite green lady just showed him a lot more leg than she likely intended. he wasn't talking liberty, she was a mockery to him, liberty and justice like hell this country had either of those, freedom however it had in droves. The petite jade skinned creature before him looked flustered and was shouting over her shoulder thanks to a random stranger. She didn't seem very..New york.

Venus closed the distance as the young woman made her way to the cross walk. "Well, well, I am glad to see you are safe miss. I would have stopped cafas from kidnapping you if I could have. But I am afraid you do tend to stop me in my tracks. Venus flashed a whiter than white smile down at the young woman." he smiled as he compared outfits, they seemed to go together well enough. He had decided on retro chic today as well.

"Well, well, I am glad to see you are safe miss. I would have stopped cafas from kidnapping you if I could have. But I am afraid you do tend to stop me in my tracks."

The Greek jumped in her heels, nearly toppling over as she spun to see who was talking to her. Her eyes met a mans chest (thankfully clothed this time), and she craned her neck to peek up at him from behind her glasses. It wasn't hard to recognize the man, he was heinously tall and... red. "It's you!" Her exclamation came out a little louder than she meant it to, so she winced, and continued with a softer tone. "... I must apologize, I did not mean to, eh... affect you so the last time we met. I was not quite myself that night."

Which, of course, meant that she had been too loopy to remember to put her glasses on...

As they reached the other side of the street, she paused and glanced down at her map. Then... something struck her. "Wait... you said Cafas? Do you know who it was who grabbed me that night?" A concerned look flashed across her features for a moment. Saph had been little help in figuring out who exactly it had been, so she was eager to jump on any leads to solving the mystery.

..but in doing so, she forgot her manners. "Oh, how rude of me. Here I am demanding things of you and I do not even know your name!" With a shy, embarrassed giggle, she held out a gloved hand to him and smiled. "I am Andrea, and it is very nice to meet you."

Venus’s hand reached out instinctively ready to steady the Serptine Jewel if needed but with drew as she gained her footing once more. A smug look of pleasure at the declaration of it being indeed him struck him with amusement.

“No need to apologize, I simply spent the time still and quiet reflecting upon you.”

Venus walked a bit closer to ensure the oncoming traffic detoured out of their way. He nodded slightly and opened his mouth to answer but already she had moved on to introductions. He turned her hand shake to have access to the top of her hand and bowed leaving his lips on her little white glove. “I am Venus and I assure you, Andrea. That the pleasure is mine. “

He stood there with her on the corner basking in the way she covered her mouth slightly while she quietly laughed. Her mannerisms were simply to sweet. He was sure she wasn’t a new Yorker born and bred now.
He remembered himself and not to stare.“Yes it was Cafas, and the fellow creating the distraction up front, The Judge he called himself I believe. They didn’t harm you did they?”

"...Oh my."

He was so polite, it genuinely caught her off guard. No one had ever kissed her on the hand before. It was gentlemanly, and reserved. Quite unnatural coming from a New Yorker, as well as a Sanctuary dweller. A slight blush crept across her cheeks, as she drew her hand back to her and giggled.

Her giggle turned sour however, when he dropped the Judge's name. She had heard of the fellow through various new programs and papers. He was a rash, hateful man who killed people in terrible ways. She honestly didn't care if they were criminals as well... no one deserved to die in such manners.

"Oh no, I am quite alright... I do hope no one was hurt in this.. distraction? Was that man finally captured?"

Especially those that she knew and cared about... She knew that those who lived behind the golden doors could very well take care of themselves, but the thought of something terrible happening to Kaitlyn, or any of the other kids who resided there... just made her feel terrible.

She stepped aside slightly to lessen how much she was obstructing the flow of traffic on the sidewalk, before returning her eyes to the newly named Venus.

His heart flutter as she gasped with subtle surprise at his gesture. She was.., what was the word he was looking for. Genuine. The pleasure receded on his face has he realized he broached a taboo topic, the violent one. Of course such a man would offend her sensibilities.
“I am glad to hear it and happier to see it for my self. It was Nothing my brothers couldn’t handle in the long run and to be honest, they could use reminding, they are mortal now and again. He wasn’t captured unfortunately another of my brothers is misguided and thought that his siblings were hurting him without justification and saved him, Pluto’s intentions were pure, but I am afraid they helped the wrong man in this case.” He paused and then addressed the other question. “Yes, we assume they were working in unison. Cafas and this Judge…There is no way we would let Cafas simply abduct you. I suppose they realized that and thought to cause trouble. If he had simply went to the front desk and asked for you and you wanted to leave, well of course we wouldn’t have stood in your way. Apparently though, they felt the need to apply violence and subterfuge, we might be a bit more suspicious where homo sapiens are concerned, but Cafas? It was foolish and unnecessary.”

His hand reached out to his shoulder, sensing the source of her remorse. He pet her shoulder lightly. “I assure you the boys are fine.” Aura was alright for that matter as well but he wouldn’t further burden her conscious. "but I am keeping you from your destination aren't I?"

It was all a little much to take in...

Venus had brothers, one of whom had helped the Judge escape. She could understand that, thinking he may have needed help, if there were indeed a few people attacking him at once.

But it didn't work to settle her conscious at all. The gentle pat on her shoulder helped to drag her back out of deeper thoughts, and she blinked up at him, concern clear on her face. "Do not worry, you are not keeping me from anything important. I had just realized the other day that I have been here for a while now, and have not been out to see any of the touristy attractions. I was on my way over to the Rockefeller center... would you like to join me?"

She didn't know if such a thing would interest him, but he exuded the presence of a caring, and kind soul. Who better to share new experiences with?

"I... am afraid I must apologize though. I may in fact be my fault that trouble was started at the Sanctuary in the first place..." A soft pout graced her lips, and she fiddled with her map, no longer needing it for the moment.

"I may have left a friend without any warning, and in his grief he told me that he reached out to someone in hopes of finding out where I was. I believe that this man, Cafas, was the one who answered his plea. I cannot hold it against him, ofr he was simply trying to help someone out... but I do wish he would have gone about it in a far more reasonable manner."

“Yes That sounds good, I was just wandering about the city today without a particular goal. There is splendid café inside, and the shopping, fantastic.” She was still pouty, and if he was being honest, it looked lovely on her.

“The Sanctuary wouldn’t be much of a sanctuary if one couldn’t hide from their troubles there. Chin up, Everyone is fine that was involved and you are safe, so lets focus on the positive, shall we?” He offered her his arm if she wished to take it, they could walk and talk.

“You aren’t at fault for their actions, though I have to say I can’t blame them for taking what actions were necessary to get you back, not that I particularly condone them.” As they walked toward the Rockefeller Venus couldn’t help stir the intrigue a bit more.. “Sounds like this friend was quite taken with you.”

"Yes... That sounds just splendid." With a little grin, she hooked her arm around his, feeling rather dwarfed in the process, and walked with him side by side. "Is that so? I had not looked into anything past the address, so far. Maybe this calls for a surprise luncheon?"

The comment he made left a little flush on her cheeks once more, and was only made worse by his comment about her friend. She stumbled over her words for a moment, flashing back to the conversation fraught with admissions of the heart Saph and she had had shortly after she had awoken in his room. "I... suppose you could put it that way." She started, unsure of whether it was proper to talk of such things with a newly met acquaintance.

"I cannot blame him.. the last time he saw me I was in a hospital bed. I dare say I vanished right out from under his nose... " She smiled giddily, not for remembering how she had left, but for the sudden appearance of butterflies in her belly from remembering his words. Many of which she was still finding hard to believe.

"...But... um... yes, he is quite fond of me." A glance over in his direction reminded her that she was talking to someone, and her blush intensified significantly. Sloth chose that moment to turn up over her arm, dragging most of her braid with him, to flick his tongue out at the red giant curiously. The other snakes wiggled as well, but being shorter than the white snake, were unable to do anything more than sneak glances at him from around her shoulder.

“It is so, and if we are going to show you the city today, we must simply do it right.” He was pleased to see that she’d taken his offer of an arm to hold as they made their way. Even as his eye spied her dangerous pet, She seemed to share her ability with her serpentine friends.

Venus winced ‘you are making me more sympathetic to him by the moment.” What was he to do with a pretty slip of a girl on his arm that was so delightful, but bound to another man? He didn’t want to ruin someone else’s love for his own less than monogamous intentions. Then again.

His ruby eyes tilted down ward to look upon the woman’s face as he asked. “ I think I already know the answer but, how do toy feel about this friend?” if she stated that she didn’t care for him the same way he very well might sweep her off her feet, But if the more likely conclusion was the truth than he was determined to at least show her around New York.

“I think I already know the answer but, how do toy feel about this friend?”

She winced right back at him, capturing her bottom lip between her teeth as her nerves flared suddenly. "I..." She started, her voice wavering as she fought back an even more violent flush from overtaking her face. A quiet string of Greek words tumbled from her lips as she tried to pick the right words.

"It is hard to explain... I have never been in love before, so outright proclaiming such a thing feels... silly, somehow." She paused again, her eyebrows drawing together as she pondered.

"...and yet... I can think of no other way of explaining my feelings for him." It always felt like butterflies in her belly, fluttering about restlessly. It often took seconds for them to appear, and hours for them vanish again. Every story book and tv show she had ever seen has described love as such a feeling... but of course she still had her doubts.

She had also seen many examples of mistaken love ending... badly. "Have you ever been in love before?" A split second after she asked it, while she was already in the process of turning her head to look up at him, she realized how much she was prying.

"Ah... that is, if you don't mind me asking such a question..."

Venus opened the door for Andy as they closed on the Rockefeller center, his attention fully on the girl next to him.

“Love is a glorious thing, For some it burns brightly and quickly. For some it dully lights the way for the whole of their lives. But a lucky few find true love that burns bright and long for the world to see.” He followed her through into the shopping center and continued. “At the very least you have found love, only time can tell what kind it is.”

He laughed lightly as she amended her question with permission. “I would hardly see it as fair if I got to ask you the juicy questions and refused you answers when you asked your own.”
Venus thought momentarily about how best to answer the question, so many simply couldn’t fathom how he saw the world.

“I am one of those that dally in the bright, passionate and brief I am afraid.” He looked slightly sad at the thought. “I can’t complain exactly, I have loved, many and often, Sometimes with an intensity that makes my heart break when they walk away, only to never call again. Most would consider me promiscuous, moving too quickly, but I simply take living life to its fullest seriously."

He looked at her sideways to see how she was taking the fact that she was out with someone most would consider scandalous. “I often wonder if or when someone will tame me.”

She could feel her mothers ears burning all the way across the sea. Andrea was absolutely sure that the very idea of her walking around with someone who so opening called himself promiscuous would send the poor woman into a fit.

Andrea, still quite flushed in the face, simply smiled and nodded daintily. The way he explained it left her feeling less like she was walking along side a wolf, and more like she was walking alongside a genuine, sweet and gentle soul... And, maybe a little like she had walked into a soap opera. (But only a little!)

"Would it not be better to find someone to match your fire, rather than try and suppress it?" She questioned, eying him with an honest curiosity from behind her glasses. "I will admit that I am rather new to such things.. touching and holding hands and such, but I would never expect a significant other to change himself for me."

She paused, reflecting inward. Saph was a wild card, that was for sure. He did a great many things that made her worry, and plain panic sometimes, as well as some things that just left her baffled... but they were all parts and pieces of him. She was fairly certain that he felt the same way about her, too. He liked her skin, her personality, and even her mutations... he had never once asked her to be anything other than what she was.

"If I asked my friend to change.. he would no longer be the man I fell in love with..."

Her brows knotted together for a moment, and her nose wrinkled. "I think it would be a terrible shame for you to let anyone try and make you any different from who you presently are." Her blush darkened as she finished her little rant, and she fiddled with the hem of her dress. She had said more than a mouthful... and she wasn't even really sure it it made sense. Embarrassment slowly set in, forcing her to gulp and fidget as she followed along beside him.

".... W-well... in my opinion, anyway..."

Venus nodded to Andrea’s first sentiment. “ I have certainly been keeping an eye out for her or him But I never seem to have luck developing the relationship beyond a certain point, I’ll stay in contact with some friends and only see others the once, But it never moves into a committed direction for one reason or another..” They paced through the shopping center as they spoke and became part of the flow of mall traffic, nothing to see there, they were just your average Christmas theme skinned pair with perfect taste and inscrutable style.

He smiled widely. “You are simply too sweet, I hope this boy of yours knows better than to take you for granted else someone wiser might try to swipe you away.” He winked to show that it was only half a threat, he respected relationships and tried not to come in between others, that said if someone was looking to cheat, or be promiscuous then the relationship was already broken.

“ I didn’t necessarily mean that I would be willing to change merely that someone might try to keep me for their own, there are certainly times that I look at my bed and wonder what it would be to see the same face there waiting for me night after night is all. I don’t know that I could change if I wanted to, but you are right Ideally I wouldn’t have to.” His eyebrows shot up. “There’s that Café I told you about.” Venus pointed to a small store that was done up to look like a French outdoor coffee shop.

Andrea flushed a little at the compliment. The little wink and comment went completely over her head, instead sending her off on a mental excursion through the various times she and Saphirus had hung around each other. He was a little rough around the edges, sure, and he had the mouth of a sailor at times.

... and he could be rather childish...

But he was sweet, caring, and sensitive all of the rest of the time. He meant well, even if it came in a slightly sour package sometimes, and she was aware of that. Her blush darkened and she fought down nervous giggles, until he started talking again. The realization that she had misunderstood him, even in such a slight way, set her cheeks ablaze. She really was going to have to think before speaking more often, or at least put a little more thought into her words.

"Oh... w-well, it is nice to know that you won't be changing anytime soon." The Greek attempted to cover up her embarrassment with a friendly smile, which was really more tooth than smile these days, and nodded when he pointed out the cafe. It was exactly then, before she could cover her tracks with some sort of comment about the appearance of the place, that her stomach decided to growl. Loudly. A nervous bubble of a giggle tumbled out from her, and she placed a hand over her tummy.

"...It... It appears that I am rather peckish... " She followed him inside, since she had no experience with the place. The immediate decor that greeted her reminded her of a place she had been to a few times... and she thought back on the fond memories. "... It is very beautiful in here.... Are you sure they won't mind us?"

It was nice, and though she wasn't really worried, old habits were hard to kill off. The thought of being turned away for any obvious mutations was always present at the back of her mind, and between the two of them there were a lot (A lot!) of visible mutations. Sloth slipped around of her shoulders, long pink tongue flicking out to taste the air, and she found herself licking her lips without her having thought to...