The man she sits with at that table was the embodiment of a time in her younger years which she very much wanted to forget, a part of the past which existed long before she'd even dared to truly considering leaving her small hometown tucked away in the rural countryside. It had been a moment in her life that reminded her of how small those whom she'd once considered her friends had made her feel, perhaps even smaller than a bug on someone's windshield. Still she did not understand why it was that she'd allowed them to become part of her world back then, even when she'd known that they weren't the type of people she typically befriended. Truthfully, the fact that Brittany and Jordan had wanted to speak to her at all should have been a red flag big enough to warm Lani against offering them more than a friendly smile and brief, casual conversation. Ah, but she'd carried in her heart and soul that naivety which came rather expectedly with youthfulness, so the blue-eyed blonde with her radiant smile and welcoming spirit had let them in when she should have kindly declined their offers of friendship. If it hadn't been for them, then she never would have gone with them that night to the river where they'd attempted to pressure her into sleeping with Brayden only for Lani to make a fool of herself in front of those cruel peers as she rejected his advances, never would have allowed them to convince her that being considered his girlfriend was some sort of honor every girl in their school would have died for. She would never have found herself sitting in the backseat of the mustang that night, blonde hair soaked with river water and clothes damp as she waiting for Brittany and Jordan to return from their twilight escapade with the guys, feeling utterly embarrassed and foolish. Being with Brayden again brings back the memories of those sneers sent after the blue-eyed blond as she climbed out of the river after having to practically shove him off her while her "friends" had been giggling in the naked embraces of their own boyfriends.

Lani could very nearly hear Brittany and Jordan as though they, too, were here in the restaurant... "You're no fun"... "You need to live a little"... "You're going to end up alone for the rest of your life if you don't learn to loosen up"... Their taunts and jeers flicker through her thoughts unbidden as she does everything possible to not shrink under the jabbing words he'd spoken to her.

And, just as though she'd begun to think it couldn't get worse, she's proved wrong with the unexpected approach of Andras. While it was a relief to know that she was no longer alone with the last person on earth whom she'd once been certain would never appear in her life again, it was short-lived. Although the weight of Brayden's gaze was no longer upon the fae woman and having her shift uncomfortably as she did her best to brush it off, the sheer presence of the fae man standing over their table now was perhaps even heavier as it settled over her and entirely impossible in every sense of the word to ignore. Uncertain for the moment if it was her heightened senses, the unseen and unnamed pull which existed so effortlessly now between her and Andras, or just the absolute and unwavering way he seemed to tower over the sitting man, the fae woman can feel pure fury burning like wildfire through the fae man's blood as he stares down at Brayden. Despite the cool, calm visage he wears, Lani is entirely and completely aware of the rage that rolls like a thunderstorm in the darkness of his hazel gaze bearing down upon the other man. She can't help but shift uncomfortably, nervously as the brunette man seems hardly phased by Andras. Oh, if only Brayden knew, then maybe he wouldn't be acting so carelessly, so foolishly... but something within the fae woman tells her that he would soon be made aware of exactly what real power was."She starts Monday"... Lani almost misses these words spoken by the fae man as she finds herself trying to focus on the menu in her hands like it was the most important book she would ever read in her life. What day was it? Friday? She could hardly even recall at the moment, lost in the lightning-like tension that crackled and popped between Brayden and Andras. This was nothing like those immature scuffles or fist fights high school boys would undergo in a circumstance where both wanted the same girl or whenever they felt as though their masculinity was being threatened, not that Lani had ever really be the subject or eager spectator of such occurrences. She'd seen these fights from a distance, but never did she linger long enough to even try and act curious about who it was, why it was happening, or what the outcome would be. No, this was a different creature entirely. Andras was never the type that didn't mean what he said and didn't say. If he wanted to make sure that Brayden knew just how little he cared for those acts not too unlike crimes against the fae woman and her honor... well, it wouldn't end well.

Brayden shrugs with sheer and arrogant indifference, and it was this gesture only just seen from the fae woman's peripherals that has her darting a glance towards Andras to see those shadows coming to life. They swirl stealthily within his dark hair, nearly unnoticeable and yet Lani can remember them well from the bistro, remember what they'd done to those spectators...

Having not realized that she'd been holding her breath out of anxiousness, Lani can feel just how close to breaking through the fury in the fae man is now as he openly warns (if not threatens) Brayden to be aware of how he spoke to Lani as well as himself. For a single, terrifying moment, the fae woman wonders if the man sitting at the table would see it as a challenge and dare to meet it. While she hardly cared for Brayden in any sense whatsoever, the two men were already beginning to catch the attention of the other diners as well as a couple of the restaurant staff, a few of them even looking towards her questioningly, and the very last thing she needed or wanted tonight was for things to explode when they were already so terribly close to doing so with every second that came and went. Andras would make quick work of the man, there was no doubt about that, but surely he wouldn't dare to do such things in the middle of such a place as this? Before now, Lani would have thought it an absolute impossibility that the fae man would loosen his hold on the wicked magic he effortlessly wielded. He was never one lose control of himself while in the public eye. At least, that was what she'd believed, but as the two men before her seemed locked on each other, the fae woman begins to wonder if the fae man would dare to harm someone. Please, Brayden, be smart about this... She tries to hide behind her menu again, but when Brayden decides to turn to her, demanding an answer from her as to who Andras was, Lani finds herself unable to speak. She wasn't about to tell him exactly what the fae man was to her, but before she can even manage to think of some sort of excuse to give the man sitting across from her, it was Andras that intercedes again. This time, Lani can not only feel, but hear, the rage within him. Baby blue eyes peek from behind the menu and up to Andras as he now turns away completely from Brayden, his hazel gaze crackling with the fury she'd seen in him now fully rested upon her. All she can do is blink up at him in speechlessness. She'd seen him angry before, but nothing like this. She doesn't dare to look away, even as Brayden pushes out of his chair to stand in protest when Andras offers his arm to Lani in a wordless gesture that told the fae woman he wasn't going to leave without her."Hey, what do you think -", the man begins, growling in defiance as Lani takes the fae man's arm and stands from her seat. She wasn't even sure if he was talking to her or to Andras, but none of that mattered now.

Before Brayden can manage to get another word out, Andras stops him in the middle of whatever the man had intended to say. The very snarl that comes from the fae man is practically enough to make the walls of the restaurant tremble. Silence swallows the atmosphere, so much so that she was certain a napkin falling to the floor could be heard in that moment.

Never had she seen anyone drop back into their seat quicker than Brayden does then, his face riddled with shock and perhaps even embarrassment for the scene he was clearly part of now. Then, the fae woman can see the man's face grow pale as he's once again subjected to the furious expression burning within Andras' hazel gaze, but she hardly needs to wonder why as Andras gives the man a wicked, dangerous smile... it was almost enough to warrant some sort of pity, but for all the discomfort that Brayden symbolized, there are no such feelings that spark within Lani as Andras quickly beckons one of the waitresses to put the man's meal on his card before swiftly leading her out of the restaurant. She doesn't spare a single glance over her shoulder as they make their exist, the fae woman still trying to fully grasp the entire ordeal from start to finish. They walk in silence for several long moments, the fury still entirely tangible to the her even as he stops there on the sidewalk a distance from Eternity. She turns to face him, baby blue eyes locked upon dark hazel, still unable to find her voice as she simply stares up at Andras and entirely unaware of the cold air that softly tousled her elegantly curled blonde hair. He removes his jacket and places it over her shoulders, the fae woman reactively wrapping it tighter around her as if wanting to find comfort there within its touch. What should she say? What could she say? Still the silence lingers between them as those shadows seem to curl around the fae man more freely, the rage still hanging heavily over him as he looks down to her, shoving strong hands into his pockets. Just say something, anything... She lets go of the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, couldn't even remember when her last breath had been..."Thank you...", she says quietly, her voice trailing off for a moment as she glances down to the sidewalk beneath them."... for getting me out of there", she continues, though her gaze remains lowered to the ground despite the feeling of his gaze still upon her face. Stars above, she felt so damn foolish right now!"I know I should have said something, I do, but I...", she begins, only for the words to die there on her tongue as she dares to look back up to Andras and his hazel gaze. It was true, she knew that she shouldn't have let Brayden talk to or treat her the way that he had... but it didn't change the fact that she had. And, as the fae man stares at her, wrath still burning within his hazel gaze, all Lani can think of then is that morning in her apartment, where everything she'd once thought she had was ripped away and shattered.

She remembers the anger that had been there in Andras, and though it was nothing like the fury she sees in him now, the fae woman can't help but wonder if she would say the wrong thing all over again."...What would you have had me say?", she says at last, the long pause ended by the question that fell from her lips as she steadies her gaze upon his own.