There was little doubt that Henry lingered heavily upon the warlock's mind. Their relationship was one he'd never anticipated, one he never expected to wind up within and yet, somehow along the way he'd found his heart simply responded to the man in a fashion it near never had before. There was little doubt that his relationship had its fair share of ups and downs, much less the drama that often riddled it from Henry's near inability to say 'no' to those illicit substances and tantalizing bodies and yet, in spite of all of that, they'd somehow kept finding their way back together. He'd once thought it meant they were fated to be together and, once upon a time, they'd been on their way to repair all that had broken in their relationship - until that night. The simple memory of Henry shifting on top of him was enough to produce a shudder down his spine, his own words on that story decidedly clipped and to the point, filled with facts then those emotions that could wreak such havoc upon him. That inquiry of Henry's whereabouts prompted a frown upon his lips, his bright blue eyes momentarily darted elsewhere in that apartment before his shoulders shrugged ever so slightly. "No, he....he's gone now....I guess." Sterling had been left. He'd been abandoned - though all of it prompted words he'd surely never say to that spitfire of a woman he now stood across from.

Rather, Sterling so fully engaged himself in that distraction the woman seemed equally as keen to offer him. He needed to simply forget. He needed to not dwell upon what had clearly become the past. Nothing would change what had happened and he doubted some magical cure might bring his body back to the state it once was rather than the slow passage of time. Even so, he could at least see what was capable with the usage of those plants. Surely they held some use beyond near cutting his grocery bill in half. He made his way towards that kitchen that had gone unused for more time than even he was willing to admit, that fridge was near empty without his weekly shopping trips to that farmer's market, those steaks he'd plucked from the shelves were the last piece of meat he'd purchased that day the gypsy woman had been near keen to run him down to force him to part with what little money he had. After all, after quitting his job, Sterling was burning through his meager savings faster than he cared to admit. Bills and rent had a way of adding up. Even so, it seemed somehow worth it to use the last of his food in such a fashion - even if it was merely going to a dog. Those steaks were tossed upon that stovetop grill before his attention turned towards that effort to add a near magical flair to that dish, the man wholly oblivious to the fashion in which Harley seemed to watch him.

He could hardly help that idle muttering as he grab and empty pot from the window sill, the man entirely uncertain as to what would make his own plants magical by any means. It seemed on this one, however, Harley had little better of a guess then he did. A small shrug crossed his shoulders, the man entirely willing to believe maybe just the fact that he made it somehow made it more magical. Surely they'd test that theory too if he wasn't able to grow something that was quite clearly different. He reached for that dirt, trying to make that connection with that affinity as he pulled plant of basil after basil from that pot and yet none of them seemed quite so...abnormal. It was almost frustrating to him, particularly when they both were hoping for something distinctly more. A soft huff left his lips as his forehead creased with an increased effort to focus, those results quite unexpectedly yielded something entirely....unique. That near iridescent plant was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, his own body leaning back ever so slightly to eye it. Her idle comment prompted his own head to bob ever so slightly. "That's for sure..." He commented with a vague hint of curiosity. Unlike Harley, Sterling was hardly as eager to touch that mysterious plan, the man instead inquiring if this one looked magical enough to her to yield....something. After all, for all he knew this could be a total fluke that brought about both of their deaths. One never knew with magic.

His eyes widened as that little plant seemed to near vibrate with that simple touch, that quick recoil on the woman's part equally as surprising to him. After all, it hadn't hurt him to create it, why would it hurt her to touch it? Did this plant just...not like her? Was that even possible? "Jesus." He muttered softly under his breath at the girl's insistence that the plant bit her. Someone was an unfriendly bugger. "Um....I...hope not...though I'd kind of like to see a were plant." He could hardly help that first true smile that graced his features at the sheer idea of Harley turning into some sort of potted plant at the full moon. It was nonsensical really, though, then again, so was this. That smile, however, quickly melted away as Harley insisted he be careful with it, the warlock suddenly far more hesitant about touching it then he was before. Tentatively, his hand reached out for that little plant, the greenery new leaned into his touch, those little leaves shifting ever so slightly. "Err...hi....there?" He spoke to the plant, glancing up at the girl across from him as if he was unsure if he was really talking to a plant...much less if it actually would make any difference. "Um...can I have this?" He inquired, his fingers gently pulling at that leaf to indicate exactly which one he wanted. The basil suddenly stood up straight, that vibration starting again as if it was discontent with this and, in turn, Sterling tensed in preparation for that shock that...never quite came. Instead, the little thing released that leaf before bending over ever so slightly as if pouting it had to give it up in the first place. But - at least he had the leaf!

A look of relief crossed Sterling's features, his gaze briefly shifted towards Harley before pointing slightly at the plant, as if to ask what the hell they were going to do with that now. Thankfully, it was that near sizzling sound behind him that drew his attention, the man reacting all too quickly as he turned to those steaks, plucking it off the grill only to fetch those bottles required to make that sauce for the top. It was only after several items were mixed together that the basil leaf was placed upon that counter top. The man briefly turning back towards that Basil plant. "All right Basil, time to make you some friends." It took some effort still, to recreate that success and yet, by the end of it Sterling had three of those distinctly magical herbs, those plants near vibrating with a sort of giddy hum at finding one another and yet, the chef was far more focused upon that dish he was crafting then the plants themselves. Eventually, after a moment longer, he turned to place those three dishes before Harley, two were made with those plain herbs and the third was entirely unique, the steak itself seemed to shine with some sort of magical sheen. "Harley....I have no idea what this is going to do to Ace...if anything. Are you sure you want him to try it?" He inquired, his own blue eyes turning from steak to dog and back to the young woman across from him. Was this worth the risk?

STERLING TENEMBRAGE