Philophobia [Dr. Jonathan Crane]

Chiraptophobia

Chiraptophobia- Fear of being touched.

Jonathan awoke to an empty bed.

It took his mind a few moments to register what had happened last night and a hint of pink came to his cheeks.

Upon realizing she was nowhere in sight he jumped from the bed, pulled on his glasses and clothes and ran out to the living room.

He looked around everywhere and cursed under his breath.

He jumped in surprise when a voice spoke from his library. "Up, finally, sleeping beauty?"

He hurried in to see her sitting in the armchair, reading a book over her glasses.

She glanced up at him and gestured to a bag of Chinese food.

"Hope you enjoy take out," she drawled, flipping the page of the book. She bookmarked it and sat it on the stand. Crane caught sight of the title.

'The Green Mile' Stephen King.

He curtly nodded and grabbed the takeout, walking into the kitchen he grabbed two plates and silverware, making them presentable.

She glided in and got the drinks. Two waters.

"No alcohol?" he asked. "I'd be lying if I said I weren't surprised."

"Alcohol clouds the senses," she said. "Last night I only had one drink. I prefer to remember where I left the body of my victim in the morning."

She went to sit at the table, Crane hurried behind her to pull the chair out. His finger brushed her arm and she quickly pulled it away. He pushed her in and she gracefully nodded in appreciation and waited for him to take his seat.

They ate in silence for a while, until he finally broke it. "How did you sleep?"

"Well."

He knew she hasn't fallen asleep for even a second.

He nodded and turned back to his food, looking at it as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.

"So does this mean we're dating?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

She paused and looked at him in an amused way. "What would cause you to come to that assumption?"

"Don't play games," he snapped. "You know why."

"Hm," she said sipping her water. She dabbed her lips with her napkin and stood. "Pardon me, I must use the facilities."

She walked into the bathroom and Crane began thinking of all kinds of ways to handle this.

He could kidnap her. No, she'd be amused. But he wanted to see her fear him. Wanted her to cower at his feet. Wanted to hear her beg for mercy.

He spent twenty minutes thinking about this before finally he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Darcy?"

No answer.

He shoved his shoulder into the door and it slammed open under his weight.

The bathroom was empty and the window was open.

She was gone and a note was on the sink counter.

Your move.