<10> This caught Rainier off guard. "What about them?" "Well... I guess I just wanna make sure that if we... you know... that you don't, like, leave them hanging or anything." Rainier kept quiet for a few moments as he calculated his response carefully. "I... hadn't gotten that far yet." It seemed as if he was approaching this new scenario like any good battle strategist would. Indeed, it would be suspicious for him to suddenly get quiet in regard to several women he regularly spent time with, and while he had agreed with one and all that relationships weren't his thing, he didn't have the heart to let them down as if they weren't important. Summer was everything to him, and he might be cold, but he wasn't cruel. Summer swallowed hard. "Well... I don't have a problem with them." This visibly shook Rainier. "No?" The blood elf's cheeks burned red hot as she bit her lip and shook her head furiously. "Nope. If it makes things less awkward, just... keep doing your thing, Dad." A brief hesitation followed, then without warning she dared to add, "Under one condition." It was apparent that this was one of Rainier's bigger concerns. His muscular form tensed up. "Summer, as your father, I'd better make it clear that this isn't something to be bargained for, or a game to be played. You're still my daughter. I treat you with love and respect, not bargains, and you still live by my rules under my roof. If something this... taboo is going to cause problems, I want no part of it." "No no no," Summer backpedaled immediately. Any poker face she had was replaced with sudden fear, and it made it all the more apparent how badly she wanted him. "I'm sorry Dad, really, that wasn't what I meant, I swear." Rainier relaxed a bit at this. "Then tell me what you meant." Summer breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Well... I guess I just kinda... I dunno... wanted to... *mumble*." The words were having a much harder time reaching her lips than she'd anticipated. "Wanted to... watch." It was Rainier's turn to look truly shocked. "You want to watch me-" "-Fuck other women, yes," she finished for him, sparing him any awkwardness. "Lang-" he started, then sighed and simply shook his head. "Why? I had no idea this side of my Summer existed," he added suddenly. "And why now?" The spotlight was back on Summer, and in an effort to muster all of her courage, the blood elf breathed deep and straightened her posture before replying. "I... I don't really know, Dad. For, like, the last few years my head's been going... crazy. I used to catch myself staring at boys a lot, but the second they tried anything I either lashed out or walked away. knew I wasn't really supposed to do that stuff too young, and I know there's just as much risk with a human as there is with another elf. Being of age now... I don't even [i]like[/i] any of the boys I stare at, and I know they only ever put on the front of liking me to try and get my armor off. They're [i]all[/i] like that, except for you." Summer was visibly trembling, but a squeeze of her fist helped her steel her nerves. "You're the only man I can confidently say I love. I've done nothing but take from you since I was tiny, and now I'm asking you for something that's really hard to fathom. And you have every right to say no, but... I can't lie to you or to myself that there's more than just familial love there. Last night... Rowan told me you had a date, and I know part of me wanted to come home to see if I could catch you guys in the act (and of course not get caught by the guard after the party fiasco). When I laid down in your lap, I was as happy as I always am with you on the couch. When I woke up, I... the curiosity just took over me. I couldn't stop myself...." Rainier let out a soft sigh, and his hardened expression softened considerably. The fierce warrior who had sat down, stood up as a tender father, and it only took him a few steps before his burly arms were wrapped around his adopted daughter from behind. "Shhhhhh," he muttered and gave her a wonderfully firm bear hug. "As much as I am a believer that, even stoned, one is in relative control of their actions, even I have done uncharacteristic things while higher than Deathwing. That being said, I promise I'm not mad about it. I understand where you're coming from, and... from now on, things are gonna be a little different." Summer's eyes had begun to water with tears before her father embraced her, and in an instant the well-toned blood elf warrior had melted like putty in his arms. Indeed, he was also the only man she ever dared to let her guard down around. "R-really? *sniff* How?" "For starters, I will do my best to keep you updated when... when I have a lady friend coming over," he admitted somewhat begrudgingly. "You've been out of the house so much lately that I haven't had to hide it much, but I won't hide it at all any more. If you really wanna watch... well, you're on your own with that one. Probably gonna have to get creative around here to find hiding spots." Summer's entire face burned hot, and all she could muster was a soft nod that caused her long ears to bounce just a bit. "As for us... I don't really know how to go about something like this," he admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I don't feel comfortable approaching you for 'it', but-" "But you can, dad," she tried to assure him with a nervous smile. "I won't mind if you ask." Rainier exhaled sharply through his nose. "Maybe so, but-" "And I'll ask, too. It's as simple as that, right? And we can always say no, too." His eyes closed tight for a moment, but when they opened an amused smile creased his stubble-ridden face. "You make it sound simpler than it is. You can't see yourself the way I see you... which is a shame 'cause you're much prettier than you give yourself credit for." "Daddy..." she murmured and squirmed softly in her father's embrace, smiling all the while. "Don't change the subject. Flattery won't get you into these pants." Rainier couldn't help but chuckle at this and squeeze his daughter tighter than ever.