"Good," Responded Gia, Emphatically, When Everett Promised Not To Worry About The Vamps. Live And Let

"Good," responded Gia, emphatically, when Everett promised not to worry about the vamps. Live and let live had always been Gia's policy, but that was easy when you were just one wolf roaming the forests. It was different when you had a Packmaster's responsibilities: even Gia knew that. Still, she hated to see it all weighing him down. He didn't deserve that. "They don't seem too bothered by us. More interested in the humans and in-fighting, if I'm not mistaken." Gia didn't think she was mistaken, either. She spent more than her fair share of time ranging around town and chatting it up with people. Gia had always reveled in being a part of the action, in knowing what was going on around her and, as it happened, that ideally suited her to having some awareness of these things. None of the vamps seemed particularly interested in her in one way or another (unless it was Kol but even Gia knew he was only interested in her for a particular reason of another kind). No one had come here to stir up trouble for the wolves, so far. "Perfect!" exclaimed Gia, the liquid in her drink sloshing about as she raised her hands in excitement. Her expression softened with affection when he remarked how devastated both Blaize and herself had been to see their friend go. Everett had always looked out for her, even before he'd really known her, and Gia knew she'd never fully understand why. He was the first person who ever had. "Oh, Ev," she added, giving him a one-arm hug. "That is wonderful! A job means roots! And I know no one better able to help someone out than you. Thank you!" Pausing, she laughed as she added, "And that is also quite convenient for me, because visiting the both of you will be quite easy." "Yes," she confirmed. "It's a dalmation!" blurted Gia. "His name is Lucky and he is the sweetest little thing." Gia's love of animals (and, unsurprisingly, of dogs especially) was well documented. Gia wasn't one for tying herself down to a schedule, but she'd been happy to do it in order to volunteer at the animal shelter. Whenever she saw a dog, she had to stop and play with it and, of course, most canines cottoned to her - but that had more to do, she suspected, with her second nature than anything else. "I have to admit," she continued. "I'm happy to know she'll have someone there to help keep her safe, when he's grown and one of us aren't around. I worry about her." Gia had always been quite protective of the people who mattered to her and she counted Brett on that list. Even if she didn't realize it, Gia felt that Brett was essentially an honorary member of the Pack...she simply lacked their advantages. Gia's smile broadened at Everett's suggestion. She loved it when he smiled, when he laughed, or in any way loosened up a bit. Even something as who cares as suggesting three meals was enough for her. She giggled softly. "Let's do it! I could wolf down a whole horse, honestly," she teased, winking at him. Gia, afterall, loved bad werewolf puns.

Wild Ones | Gia & Everett

Everett shook his head, “The last thing I’mma worry about is a few new fangers in town. I’m stayin’ outta their business, and hopefully that means they’ll stay outta ours.” He hated thinking about them. It brought him back to those extremely difficult decisions he’d had to make after becoming Packmaster. And even though it was in the best interest of the pack, it still made him sick to think of the fact that the fanger queen had some kind of protection over them. It made him feel weak and stupid, like he couldn’t do his job right.

He shook away the thought and took a sip of the two colored drink in his hand. “I knew about Lilly. Ran into her not too long ago. She’ll be workin’ for me, actually. It was about the only way I could convince her to stay,” Everett said, his eyes meeting those of the happy female, “I remember what her leavin’ did to you and Blaize. I’d hate to think that might happen again. So, anythin’ I can do to keep her round, I’ll do.” Not to mention he wasn’t exactly putting himself out or anything by having Lilly as his assistant. She was good at it; and she was hella nice to look at.

"Brett? As in the Barr’s kid?" he asked with a raised brow. They lived in a small town, and he took pride in knowing every single non-vampire that lived there. Well, he didn’t much care for the shifters, either. But that was another story. "What’d she get? I can only imagine her with a spaniel or somethin’ of the like," he said with a light laugh. She’d always been a good kid, and whether the blonde human knew or not, most of the people she surrounded herself with were wolves. And that was always okay with Everett. Humans who preferred wolves were a good thing.

"As for dinner…" he said, leaning his chin onto her shoulder and letting out a breath, "I have some steaks we could grill up. Or we could order pizza. Or chinese." He paused before grinning playfully, "Or all three."

Laughing brightly at the sound of Noelle's greeting, Gia tilted her head to one side, watching her take a long gulp. "Whoo!" she cried, "Look at you go!" She paused, listening to Ella continue to describe the drink. "Dangerous and delicious," she mused, her eyes sparkling in what was clearly a joke. "For half a second I thought you were describing the two of us." Raising her own glass she chinked it against her friend's. "A success, then!...Also like us," she joked. Gia smiled as Ella entwined their arms and wove through the crowd with her. It seemed to melt away around them as they moved away from the dancing. "You know me far too well," she confirmed when Ella asked if Gia was well ahead. "Parties just aren't the same when you're totally sober. That I learned looooong before I got to Oxford." Gia, of course, arrived in Oxford at age 18, but that didn't bear mentioning in this place. She had most definitely been one of the beautiful, dirty, rich people, back in the day. But that was another world and another life and one Gia didn't like dwelling on. "Terrified children?" Gia made a face. "Oooh, sunbathing. You look incredible in a bathing suit, too. Any sexy single dads there to admire you properly?" she teased, softly, turning to Jaden quickly to order yet another drink. Gia's eyes sparkled conspiratorially at the name of Alcide Defreny, her smirk widening ever so slightly. She'd noticed how Ella always seemed to be talking about him and, as Oxford's Emma Woodhouse, she felt it was her duty to find out more. "The eternal debate! I have to know, what flavor won?" Gia arched a brow, laughing. "As you know, my glamorous life finds me at the heart of wolfish drama, constantly," she drawled, knowing her friend would understand the pun easily enough as a grin swept her features. Truthfully, she felt tired, just then. Drama could be fun or entertaining, but it was hard to watch friends suffer. Exhaling, she gratefully wrapped her fingers around the stem of another drink as Jaden placed it before her. "Thanks, darling," she said before returning her attention to Ella. She grinned. "Did you know that there are at least," she counted off on her fingers. "Four new vampires here, in the span of a few weeks? Oxford is apparently the place to be," she laughed. "And at least one on the way!" She arched her brows. "I spent last night with Brett, who's very tired," she said, discreetly. She wasn't the sort to wave other people's troubles around, if they wanted privacy. "The night before that, Noah was over. I can tell you right now, I should never be a mother," she added, grinning, as she recalled how he'd teased her about adopting him. "Oh! Lill Carson is back in town!" She shrugged. "There must be something I'm forgetting. You know the smallest towns have the most gossip," she added, winking.

Sister Shifter | Gia & Noelle

Gia frowned watching him. "I know that look. What're you planning?" she inquired, given Everett's reaction to her mention of the vampires. "You don't trust them to keep the peace, do you? I thought you had something worked out with their..." she gestured vaguely, trying to remember exactly what the vampire hierarchy was. "Queen." There had, afterall, been rough political waters, between the two species, after their previous Packmaster had gotten the entire Pack (including Gia, herself) hooked on V. Everyone had looked to Everett to find them a way out and, so far, he'd made it work. A genuine smile lit Gia's face as she arched a questioning brow. "Really?" she inquired when he said he'd hoped Lill would lure Gia to visit at work more often. Playfully, Gia gasped when he said he hoped she'd visit. "Are you trying to say you miss me?" she teased lightly. "All you needed to do was say so," she added, lightly. "I would've come and irritated your secretary, even if you hadn't hired Lill," she joked. Many of Everett's co-workers didn't seem to care for Gia's boisterous attitude (and more so, most likely, her tendency to distract their boss from getting his work done), but for her part, Gia chose to take it in stride, finding it entertaining rather than daunting. When it meant to getting to her Pack, no one was ever going to stand in Gia's way. Gia frowned softly. "I'm afraid that staying in her house is exactly what she's been doing too much of lately. I think I'll pay her a visit, tomorrow. Something's changed, there, but I couldn't begin to tell you what." She smirked, making an effort at being her usual gregarious self through a veil of concern. "You know how much I hate mysteries." What she really meant, of course, was how little she could abide seeing a friend unhappy. Gia was the sort of person who would move earth and sky just for the sake of a smile. "Wow, you do trust me," she teased as she took his AmEx card. "While I'm at it, I think I'll go dress shopping as well," she joked, reaching for her cell phone. She stopped though, turning towards him as he seemed to remember something. Yet, when he pulled her to him, his mouth finding hers, she gasped in surprise. Reaching up, she put one hand against the back of his neck, pulling him closer, her other hand touching his face as he deepened the kiss. She felt his tongue against hers, a smile curving her lips as they kissed, and she got onto her tip toes to push herself closer before he suddenly pulled away. "Tease!" laughed Gia, but her smile returned when he thanked her. Head tilting, she bit her lip, softly, knowing what he meant. Gia had never been good with words, or with explaining what she was feeling, but the warmth she felt was in her cheeks and her dancing eyes. Glancing down, she felt lost to explain just what she owed him and how happy she was just to try and make it up to him, but she couldn't think of a way to articulate it. Instead, she shrugged. "You really do miss me, don't you?" she teased, before laughing softly and flashing his card at him as she returned her attention to her phone briefly, her smile following him.

Wild Ones | Gia & Everett

When Gia mentioned that the vampires were interested in the humans and in-fighting, his ears pricked. The last thing he wanted was to get involved in any vamper business, but he also didn’t want any humans getting hurt. And he knew he’d never forgive himself if he knew and didn’t do anything. He made a mental note to go talk to Kol, see what he could find out. Even if he didn’t want to. But he wasn’t going to let anyone be hurt. Ever, not if he could help it.

Everett smiled as she wrapped her arm around him. Gia had a way about her that always made him smile. Especially when she was this close. His thick arms wrapped around her in return, and he kept her close, even as she pulled back to continue talking to him. “I was secretly hopin’ it’d mean you’d visit more often,” he told her with a wink and a playful smirk. There weren’t many times that he got to really relax and be the playful person he was inside; but Gia always made sure he did.

"I am too, though… The best thing for her to do is to just stay in her house," he said, "I’ll have to visit the pup once he’s got his adult bark, so I can do my best to know when she might need help." It wouldn’t be much, but it’d be something. And Brett had made friends with more than a few wolves; so he knew he’d have back up if ever he needed to protect her.

"Well, then let’s do it," he said with a broad grin, leaning up so he could pull his wallet out of his back pocket. He made good money being the mayor, and so he enjoyed being able to pay when he and anyone he was with wanted food. "I’ll hand you my card so you can order our delivery, and I’ll go get the steaks started," he said as he pulled out his AmEx and placed it in her free hand. In one swift and easy movement, they were both standing, and he gazed down on her from his place in tall stature. "Oh, and," he said with a grin before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. He slipped his wallet back into his pocket before wrapping that arm around her waist and clinging her close to him, deepening the kiss. But just as it got to the point of no return, he pulled back and winked down at her, "Thank you." He hoped she would know what he was thanking her for. Being here, and always making him smile.

"Please," Gia shook her head. "The skill of the dancing does not matter. Besides, you make me look incredible!" she joked. "Plus, look at you, boy, you're fine. I promise to help you get laid, if you want! You have to admit, I'm an amazing wingwoman!" she protested. "Explains a lot," she laughed, winking. "Well, in that case...Bottoms up!" Accordingly, Gia took a long swig of her drink. "You must've been feeding me this joo-joo for years," she added, affectionately. Joking was Gia's favorite way of communicating sentiments such as, in this case, i love you like a brother, i always have. Slapping her hand down on the bar, playfully, she shouted. "Another!" causing a cheer to go up across the bar as everyone began ordering furiously much to the great amusement of Gia who watched her friend scramble. "You make this job look easy," she pointed out. "I bet it's not! Remember that time I saw you do that trick with your bike and thought I could do it, too?" Gia giggled, her nose crinkling. "That did not end well." Gia had always admired Jaden and the way he lived life: to the fullest and yet without wasting too much time worrying about it. Tilting her head, Gia picked up her next drink as she shrugged. "What do you think? If I sobered up, didn't drink the whole bar dry, myself, could I do it?" She snorted, fairly convinced those ingredients would never align. "Fifteen minutes? Boo!" she called across the bar to him, making a face before breaking into a laugh.

Barr Hop | Gia & Jaden

I long for the countryside. That’s where I get my calm and tranquillity - from being able to come and find a spot of green.