[Jae's good and honorable. The opposite of everything she ought to be as a demon. And yet...he's not all that far from the woman she used to be. Pride continues to be her fatal flaw, the one that tells her that if she's a demon now she ought to be trying to be the best demon she can be. She should not let her bond to Jae weaken her. She cannot...she cannot recapture a life she threw away in her own hubris.

But she is feeling raw and off-balance, and while tea would normally appeal to her, the thought of a drink also sounds very good. Perhaps she can maneuver through a conversation long enough to get a drink without giving away too much. Surely she's skilled enough to manage that, right?]

I'll take some hot tea with whiskey in it.

[The best of both worlds, and without any agreement to talk about what he walked in on. Eun runs her fingers through her hair, but she hasn't emerged from the bedroom yet. Maybe when he goes to the kitchen she'll let herself out. Walk in on her own terms and timing.]

[ He doesn't know what the circumstances were that led to Eun's fall and subsequent rebirth as a demon, and despite the lengths he's gone, he knows that it's an incredibly intimate question to be asking. Prodding what she did earlier, why she did that and if it had anything to do with that, it felt ... wrong. It's no wonder that she closed herself off like she did, thinking on it.

But at least here, he can show that he's willing to let her come forward about any of it on her own terms, if she so desired.

He'd like to think that his abilities when it came to diplomacy would allow him to be able to get along with his familiar. ]

Okay. Come join me in the kitchen when you're ready.

[ He lowers his hand, giving one last glance at the bedroom door before he heads into the penthouse's kitchen, pulling out a kettle and two mugs from the drinkware cabinet, and a bottle of whiskey from the liquor cabinet. He fills the kettle, flipping it on once it's filled, and starts rifling through his tea stocks to see what would be best. Chamomile for himself, for sure, but what would pair best with the whiskey... ]

[ Eun staying in her full demon form doesn't surprise him, especially if she's feeling especially vulnerable from what had happened earlier. They all had their defensive mechanisms, and it's not like he could really talk, considering how he had acted in the beginning while the two of them were trying to figure out the exact nature of their relationship as master and familiar.

He blinks a little in surprise when she comes in and picks out her tea already, honestly expecting her to come out much later. But he doesn't say anything, opting to let her speak only if she wants to while he finishes preparing their tea.

He pours a shot of whiskey into a shot glass to add to the tea once it's ready, and fidgets a little with his hands while he waits for the water to boil. The tension in the air from the silence is killing him, but he also doesn't want to make Eun retreat more, wanting to gain more of an understanding with his familiar. Though he wouldn't deny that he's curious about the earlier events, and especially why it was a facsimile of him that she was draped over. Logically, it could be easily explained by the fact that he's probably one of the only people she's seen as of recently, but a small voice in the back of his head says otherwise. ]

I'm sorry that I've been ... away a lot, as of late.

[As the silence between them remains, Eun almost wonders if perhaps he won't even speak of it at all. Yes, he said doing so might lead them to greater understanding, but it was possible he might very well respect her wishes for privacy. Inasmuch as she can have, anyway. Eun looks up only now and again to watch him tend to the kettle, pouring whiskey for her cup in the meantime.

When he speaks, it's not what she expects, but Eun isn't so stupid as to not see where it could lead.]

You have important goals you are working toward. You're under no obligation to be here, and owe me no apology.

[He doesn't, by contract anyway. Already he treats her better than most demon familiars are in their arrangements. It's easy enough for her to see that he mentions it, however, under the premise that perhaps she created this version of him out of some sense of missing him...

...and perhaps she did. Or missed connection. Or freedom. Maybe she's missing being human and the intimacy that could come with it...or simply missing touching and being touched. All of which are things she would not readily talk about.

She decides she will broach the subject of earlier however in attempt to cut things off at the pass.]

What you saw earlier...won't happen again. Even when you are gone.

[Surely that will reassure him. Or inform him of her lack of desire to explain. Or something.]

Still, I feel that I should be at least attempting to make your stay in this realm a little more hospitable.

[ As if he didn't summon a demon to try and help him in his goal of unification, and instead only had other dignitaries over to entertain. That this was more than what ultimately amounted to a business transaction.

Still, it felt wrong thinking of it in those terms. ]

I'm-

[ Jae's interrupted from further protest when the kettle goes off, and he cuts himself off to sigh and glance over at it like it had slighted him. At the very least, it interrupted his train of thought. He moves to pour the tea for both of them, but continues talking. Nope, he has to finish this thought or else he's not going to get the chance to again. ]

I wouldn't mind it. Being there for you in that sense in reality.

[It takes a great deal of effort to bite back the retorts she might make to him based on her own knee-jerk reaction to his words. Pride being her downfall makes her want to tell him that she doesn't need his hospitality. That there is nothing he, a mere human, could offer of her to make her deign to accept. What would he try to do, offer to find some other master who has summoned a demon and arrange a play date?

Eun shakes her head a little behind his back as he moves to tend to the kettle. She watches him grasp the handle and begin to pour hot water into both of their cups--and then for the first time since he summoned her, Jae manages to surprise her. He may be gratified to see a surprised look on her face for the space of a second before it's replaced with a bitter sort of wariness.]

You're only saying that because you know that I wouldn't ask that of you, and what you saw--what do you think you saw, Jae? Did you think that when your back is turned all I would do is drape over that illusion for a cuddle? Did it seem like I was fawning over my master, and that's why you're offering now? [She snorts then, pulling her teacup closer and grasping a spoon to give it a stir, mixing the whisky in with the water a bit better.] That was just the first act. You'd mind being there for me in reality, especially looking like this instead of the illusion. Every inch of me a demon you can't pretend is human.

[So much for pretending he saw nothing, for acting as if nothing happened. His offer blind-sided her and she hadn't been able to keep her mouth shut, crumbling immediately to the words she couldn't help but spit out between them as if they might serve as a wall.]

[ He doesn't notice it at first, more focused on taking care of the tea first before he looks up. Eun has been here long enough that she knows that Jae tends to be very deliberate about what he says, so while this seems to have come from out of nowhere, he's being sincere about it.

And he's watching her once he's got his tea in hand, frowning a little. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to say, but still... ]

No, of course not. I'm under no illusion of who you are, so to speak. What you're capable of. [ He steps around the kitchen island, setting his mug down as he gently puts a hand up to cup her face. ]

I'm not saying you were fawning over me. Or whoever you've molded in your illusions. But I'm offering because I'm genuinely interested.

Even in this form, you're stunning, Eun. [ Fuck it.

He leans in, pressing a kiss against her lips, hoping to communicate his intent loud and clear. ]

[ In reality, he's not sure where he was going with all this, but for once he's being impulsive and just going along with his gut feeling. He's no stranger to intimacy, of course, though his current trajectory of doing things had made it a little difficult for him to really engage in it.

And truthfully, it clearly is more than just general attraction between either of the forms that she's shown him so far. It's also genuine interest in who she is herself.

He leans in closer, putting his other arm around her shoulders, and he lets out a relieved sigh and a soft hum before he pulls away, just enough to give them both some air. ]

Do you believe me now?

[She'd like to mistrust what he says and what he offers. She knows him well enough by now to know he has a soft enough heart to want to do something for someone because he feels badly for them. It wouldn't surprise her to learn that he's making this offer out of pity, something that she not only would never forgive but would also make him regret to the end of his days.

And yet...she also knows that Jae never lies to her. He is honest, and he would not cross this line with her if he wasn't telling the truth that he wouldn't mind a sort of friendly benefits arrangement and that he finds her stunning both as a demon and with the the human illusion she wore. Pride is a tricky thing, and part of her doesn't like that she would come into this from a position of weakness compared to him...but it's also true that she misses physical intimacy and Jae was the object of her recent illusions for a reason. He is stunning himself.

A little shocked that he made a move on her all the same, Eun is slow to respond, but she does eventually nod. The weight of his arm around her shoulders is strange and new, and she shifts a little under it before tentatively reaching for him. Her hand finds his side and rests there, watching his face to see how he reacts to her touching him, even through his clothes.]

Yes. [Her leg swings forward, gently slipping behind his to hook the blunt back of her heel behind his knee.] Does your offer include more than just sex?

[ Not pity. Never pity. Not in this case, anyway. While he is soft-hearted at times, he knows that Eun has her pride on the line here as well. He respects her too much to make that mistake.

He doesn't flinch when she rests a hand at his side, and even easily goes along when she hooks her leg around the back of his knees. He gives a smile, nodding gently. ]

Of course. Unless that's all you wanted?

[She thinks better of him for his easy answer, that he doesn't stand there and make her say what she means. Eun won't tell him why she made her illusions, won't explain what she was up to beyond what she has already, but they both know he saw what he saw. He had to have realized it isn't just physical satisfaction that she's longing for.

Considering his answer, she eventually shakes her head in acknowledgement. No, that's not all she wants. Her face tilts up toward his, considering the look in his eyes, the shape his mouth, and the tilt of his cheek bones. Carefully, she closes that distance to press a soft, lingering kiss to his mouth, and then pulls away.]

I think we should take our tea into the living room where it's more comfortable.

Of course.

[ He murmurs with a grin. While this is certainly not how he expected things to turn out, Jae certainly can't really complain about it, either. He bites his lip after she pulls away, and he gives a hum in acknowledgement. ]

It'll be more comfortable for us on the sofa anyway.

[ Though he is a little reluctant to pull away, he does so that they both can be more comfortable - grabbing his own mug to settle down on the couch while he waits for her to come back. ]

[ While he doesn't regret what he did, Jae is thinking about things a little more now that he's apart from Eun, if only temporarily. He takes a sip of his tea, relishing the taste and warmth before he sets it down.

And when he looks up again, his lips part slightly in surprise at the shift in her outfit, and how she easily sits down on his lap and guides his hand to her hip. He raises an eyebrow at her doing so, but his smile is back and he does seem to be relaxed. ]

Comfortable?

[While Eun wouldn't say that she's nervous, there is a part of her that feels as if she needs to be prepared for Jae to change his mind. He kissed her, he didn't flinch away from touching her in the kitchen...and normally she wouldn't expect a man who summoned a demon to shy away. Jae isn't like most people who summon demons, however, and in this situation Eun doesn't feel like most demons. It's a little unsettling, and she wonders if he'll be fine right up until the part where they might go to bed...]

Yes, very. [She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a sip. It's hot, but she tolerates higher temperatures better now than she did while still a human. Her dark eyes study Jae's features from over her cup as she gets used to the feel of sitting on the real him instead of an illusion. The weight of his hand on her hip.] Would you have made the same offer if not for tonight?

[ It's a valid concern, though Jae would hope he wouldn't be the type to go back on his word after trying to prove his sincerity. He shifts a little, if only to make sure that the both of them are comfortable, before he makes sure that his mug was set down as he frames both hands on her waist. ]

I ... eventually would have, I think.

[ It's punctuated with a small nod. ] Perhaps not this way, but ... yes.

[Her back arches a little as he slips both hands to her waist, a thrill running up her spine too fast for her to hold back reacting to it. The longer she sits on his lap, the more he touches her and interacts with her, the more her experiences with the illusion version of him seem so very different. Yes, already.]

I admit, it surprises me to hear you say that. What...how would it have been different?

[Maybe she still feels a little exposed and wants to find balance between them by getting him to talk more, or maybe it's just curiosity, but she can't stop herself from asking as she continues to sip her tea. It burns down her throat from heat and whiskey and hopefully ought to relax her a little.]

[ Jae lets out a hum, biting his lip a little in thought. He gets it, the situation is odd, and especially with how it had escalated in the way that it had. But it was the truth. ]

Mm. I probably would have been a bit more ... subtle about it? Fleeting touches to gauge your interest alongside talking more with you to get a feel for it.

[She nods with understanding. Their situation is strange and awkward, and unlike most humans there isn't a socially constructed idea of how a relationship is supposed to progress. There are so many factors that complicate things...

And yet his answers make sense to her. Even now, it seems like it wouldn't be a bad course of action.] Fleeting touches like this?

[She raises one hand up and brushes the back of her fingertips along his brow, drawing hair away and slipping over more before she lets her hand lower gently away.]

Mmhm.

[ He lets out a hum, tilting his head to lean more into the touches before she pulls away. ]

Subtle flirting remarks, perhaps chaste kisses like this.

[ He raises a hand to gently guide hers back to his face, kissing her palm with his eyes closed before he glances up at her with a small smile. ]

[Color rises to her cheeks, and Eun seems almost more shocked by the fact that she can be made to blush even after all she's seen, than by the kiss he offers. Her fingers curl gently against his face, as if they might capture the kiss to her palm rather than risk letting it fly away.]

I think I would still like those things.

[It cannot be all take and no give, however. Eun knows this, and hadn't she shown that she's as interested in having someone to touch as she is being touched? Held? Carefully holding her cup still, she leans forward, over the hand he holds, and presses a kiss to his temple.]

It feels weak to be a demon who wants a lover, but I find I cannot help myself now. [Not now that it's all in the open and within her grasp. Her lips brush down the side of his cheek, working her way to his mouth.]

Suppose neither of us are traditional, in that sense.

[ Even if he would've felt perfectly comfortable in properly courting her before tonight's revelations. The kiss at his temple is surprising, but he can't really bring himself to hate it, especially when her lips trace down his face to meet his own. He tilts his head to meet them that much sooner, eyes slipping shut again. ]