Oi, it's beyond me why anyone would feel any attraction to Zara! She is so bitter and sharp-tongued.

Oo, sorry! I'm not insulting, or criticising, your fic. But it just seems so odd that anyone would like Zara. Maybe Stock thinks he can tame her? I like this fic lots.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The dynamic between them (and Florian, the exceptional third) is nicely set up here. I have one problem with Zara trying to circle Stock when he's backed up against a wall, but I think I'm getting stuck on stupid details. Besides, the language keeps circling around and coming up against walls, too, if that makes any sense. It's all very unstoppable-force-meets-immovable-object (with Florian, of course, as the exceptional third).