Becoming Friends

"What if I'm not dressed properly for where we go?" Ariel asked quickening her footsteps to keep up with Malachi. He always had such a strong confident stride.

"You're wearing clothes aren't you? I think you're okay." He said kind of irritated. When was she ever wearing something not appropriate? It was a dumb question, they weren't going to court or anything. It was lunch.

"Well yeah, but unlike you I can't just put anything on and look good in it." He looked down at his clothes as he moved around the black car.

He was wearing a dark blue dress shirt that wasn't tucked in right. Which he just realized. The cuffs rolled up along with black slacks that should have probably been ironed but he didn't care if they had some wrinkles. Whatever, his money was still going to get him food even if he showed up in a ripped shirt and holey jeans.

"You think I look good?" He asked her with a smile just to tease her. She pursed her lips and had a slight tint to her cheeks. Of course Ariel thought he looked good. She found him very handsome but his tease made her feel odd.

"I just said that didn't I?" She commented.

"Just checking that I heard you right."

"Maybe you're just egotistical like my sister."

"Maybe I just like the fact you enjoy how I look." He countered with a flash of white teeth.

"I didn't say I enjoy how you look." Ariel shot back knowing that he was purposely trying to get a raise out of her by making her uncomfortable. As it was she had to fight not to blush and give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to her. Or worse that she did really notice how he looked a lot. How embarassing.

"Really?" He said with a raised eyebrow. "Well then I'll admit that I like how you look. So get in the car and stop worrying about what you are wearing." With that he pulled the door open and got in. Ariel let out a breath and pulled open her door and got in the passenger side.

He was a fast driver. Faster than Natasha which was a feat, but he was also a far better driver. She didn't worry about her life when in the car with him. They were into the city shortly and she wasn't sure where he was taking them.

"Do you have a taste for something?" He asked her.

"No." She commented.

"Of course not."

"Why do you have a taste for something?" She retorted. Fine if he wanted to needle her, then she would snap back. After all he was constantly at her to stand up for herself. So he could deal with it. She saw the slight up turn of the corner of his mouth.

"Nope."

"Well then don't give me attitude if you don't even know what you want either." She said crossing her arms then feeling rather smug.

"So feisty today. Did you take something?" He asked her and she just gave him a look and he shrugged. Malachi felt an internal smile, he liked this side of Ariel. He pulled into a parking spot all of a sudden.

"We're eating here."

"Here?" She asked leaning forward and looking at the restaurant. "Sharron Rose, you picked this on purpose to make me uncomfortable." She stated very irritated now as he opened his door getting out.

This place was very high scale. Anyone that went here was always dressed to impress and never a hair out of place. The women wore dresses and the men dress shirts and pants. She got out looking at Malachi who ran a hand through his hair and it stuck out at odd angles but still looked good. She hated his ability to look so damn good in whatever. You know how early she had to get up to try?

"You had your chance." He commented. Yes he did pick it to make her uncomfortable. He wasn't sure why but he wanted to tease her. To show her that it didn't matter. Who the hell cared what these people inside thought about you? They weren't going to turn him away because it would be stupid if they did. She was with him and a Standish to boot.

"Well I still have my chance then." She said as they'd moved toward the door. "We are still outside." Ariel lifted her chin and went to walk away. He however swept an arm around her waist and hauled her into the doorway before him. Malachi made sure that it was a firm hold on her. She was quite soft and in all honestly he liked the the fact he got to touch her in this moment.

"Not anymore." He said as she was in front of him. His larger frame blocked her exit.

"You…" She was angered now at him and smacked his arm lightly. He looked a bit shocked but then laughed. "This is not funny, you're not me. You don't know how this makes me feel." She said straightening her clothes. "Always at me about standing up for myself and here you go and drag me into a restaurant I said no to."

"Guess you weren't stern enough." He replied. His smile really irritated her. He moved then and ushered her up the stairs by placing a hand at the swell of her back.

"Stop touching me. You've annoyed me." She said, and her posture was rather stiff. Malachi thought it extremely humorous her reaction. He hadn't expected her to smack him. Not that it was hard or anything but she was clearly irritated. She walked with an almost regal air about her, like his presence was lower than hers. Oh yes she was every bit Natasha's sister. However he wasn't annoyed by it with her.

They came to the top of the stairs where a man was standing and he looked at Ariel first. He seemed unsure seeing that she was in pants and a nice, but plain purple shirt. His gaze came up to Malachi and there was instant recognition there.

"Ah Malachi, how good to see you again." The host said. He always remember that Malachi didn't like the more formal name calling. Mr. or Lord Vento just felt too weird to him. That was his father's name.

"Just the two, or will Miss Standish also be joining as usual shortly?"

"No just us." He said. Ariel stood before him not speaking. She was very close to him now. Though her posture said she was still annoyed at him. It was also a rather reassuring means that she stood so close.

"This way then." He said with a smile and they walked through. It was a dim atmosphere but a pleasant one and looked rather tropical inside. Many of those that they passed took note of them. A few definitely noted that their attire was sub par. Malachi just felt like smiling. How materialistic, most also knew who he was but not her.

"Here we go." The host said. He pulled out the chair for Ariel who gave him a slight head bow as she sat.

"Thank you." She commented and Malachi pulled out his chair and sat down. Menus were placed and the host also gave them the specials.

"The usual to drink?" He asked Malachi who just nodded reading the menu. Not that he didn't know it, he just didn't know what he wanted.

"For you Miss…"

"Standish, Ariel is better though." She commented and the host looked a bit surprised at the name. Here they liked to always remember their customers by name and what they preferred. After all it was higher end.

"Could I have just lemonade please?" He gave a nod and left.

"Lemonade? How spontaneous of you."

"I'll drink what I want, thank you very much." She said pointedly before placing the napkin in her lap. She looked at the menu and decided what she wanted and then sat there. When she set it down he was watching her rather astutely and she felt a bit uncomfortable. He always had such an intense gaze.

"I have to ask, because it doesn't make sense," He started. "Why was there such a difference in treatment between you and your sister?" He'd never asked before, but he finally felt that he should ask. He felt they knew each other for a damn reasonable amount of time. It wasn't a stranger asking her.

"I don't really want to talk about it." Her tone said that it was a closed subject. However that let him know that there was some reason. Not just an odd fluke that they just decided to hate her for. Their waitress came and took their orders and moved off after that. He changed the subject and got her to talk a bit.

"See it was less painful than you thought." He said after the waitress left. It took her a second but she gave him a look.

"Only because you are who you are. If I'd come in here they'd have tossed me out."

"And just what is so wrong with you they'd have tossed you out?" Her bright green gaze met his. In them there was a sad look but also one that said he was being dense on purpose.

"You are backwards." He told her. She was crazy, no matter what her family tried to make her believe. Ariel was a beautiful young woman, smart and had a lot to offer. He didn't get it.

"Whatever you say." She commented with a shrug as a few items were placed down on the table. Then they started talking about rather mundane things.

Which Ariel found nice. He listened when she spoke and didn't tear her apart for no reason other than he could. She was also happy that she could talk to him about the aspects of business and know what he was talking about. He seemed to appreciate it too, they did know many of the same people after all.

"So I was wondering." Ariel said. If he was going to ask her pointed questions, she had some of her own. "Why do you go out running so much?"

"Is there a problem with running?" He asked her and she shook her head.

"No, it's just that you never seem to go where there is a path. You always go off into the woods, aren't you worried about being attacked or something?" Ariel had seen him go out the kitchen one day. Just straight out back and disappear in the tree line. It wasn't quite normal. Then again maybe it was safer from those that might try to shoot you running a path.

"No." He said, but she was the first person to notice this. No one else had ever commented on that. She was an observant one. He'd have to remember that. Plus she also liked to be outside a lot and he didn't want to be spotted and found out.

"You don't worry about much do you?" Ariel observed.

"About others' opinions, no not really. If they don't matter to me, I don't see why I should care."

"How about making a good first impression?"

"Those that want to talk to me, already know who I am and are coming to get something from me or my father. So again it doesn't matter. They need to worry about the impression."

"Well I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then." She commented with a shrug. He studied her for a moment. He looked up at the waitress who set down the billfold. He pulled it to him and looked at it. He grabbed out a clear blue card and put that in there.

"How much is mine."

"I've got it." He said. "Not like it's going to break the bank or anything."

"That's kind of you, but I was given instruction and money to pay for myself." She moved her hand over to take the billfold. He slid it closer to him. He raised an eyebrow, was she really going to do this?

"Don't be difficult. It'll just annoy me."

"I almost feel bad." She said having pulled out a clear white card. Each looked like a credit card, but the electronic microchip in the middle would automatically subtract from the account it was attached too like a debit card in a way.

However the card was only active when the owner of the card's bio print and heat signature from it was touched in the center. It was a much safer form than cash or a credit card. After being activated it was only active for five minutes and then it went dead. An ingenious design really, for the most part. There were always going to be thieves.

"Would you…" Ariel started as the waitress picked up the billfold.

"Don't listen to her. She's being stubborn and difficult today. Take that or I won't be happy." The waitress gave him a nod and an apologetic look to a put off Ariel.

"Difficult? I'm hardly difficult."

"I pay for your sister when we go out."

"Yeah, she's your fiancé I'd think you should at times."

"Right so then that would make us family by proxy so it's alright. Man, I've never had to argue with someone over a bill before. Give me a couple minutes I'll have made it back, and then everything's back to square one." His phone went off. She just sat there a bit defeated. She liked paying for herself. It felt like she was responsible for something and no one else had to worry about it.

"Just finished eating why?" He said and signed the slip of paper that was left for him. Ariel just patiently waited while he was on the phone. "Yeah I know where that is," Pause. "What did you do now?" Malachi laughed and then sighed.

"Alright." He looked at Ariel. "No I have Ariel with me. Natasha is out somewhere." He stood up and Ariel copied him giving him a quizzical look.

"Give me ten minutes." With that he hung up and they moved toward the door, going out and toward the car.

"Who was that?" She asked.

"Cameron. We're going to meet him and Sally in ten minutes."

"We are?" She asked raising an eyebrow as they went down the stairs to the door.

"Why do you have some pressing matter to attend to? You said you were off for the rest of today and nothing to do tomorrow."

"Well I did." She said moving out the door as he held it open. "But where are we going?"

"Serpentine."

"What?!" She said standing on her side of the car. Her jaw nearly hit the pavement. That was quite possibly her worst nightmare, a club and bar. She hated socializing like that. She always felt so awkward.

"Don't worry, he has a private room there. Besides, I'm there so relax. You look like you're going to faint." She felt like she was going to faint. She got in the car and was extremely quiet in the passenger seat. She was starting to twist her hands together.

"You know a place like this is very hard for me." She finally said as they pulled into a parking area and she saw the design of a snake twirled around a dagger.

"We aren't going to be in the main area." Malachi told her, and thought that she looked extremely pale. Man she had severe issues with public areas and large groups of people. He was just going to watch her. They really were just going to a private room. They went across the street and the door man looked at Malachi and just let him go in with Ariel in tow.