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 Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:23 pm
((Don't forget, he has the dog tags. ;3))
The woman cast one last glance at the stoic back of the doctor before the door was shut. Once they were sealed off from his office, Alex sighed and rested her head on Greg's shoulder, her body seeming to deflate as she relaxed against him. There had been a lot of tension between those two, enough that it was tangible, draining her. She didn't resent Greg for coming in, she only resented that she didn't know the situation and could not defuse it.
So, making herself comfortable on the walking man's back, she tried to think of what to say. There were many, many questions, and she had no idea where to start. Finally, speaking in a soft voice so as not to deafen Greg, she inquired, "So...what's first?" Surely, he had plenty of questions to ask too, seeing her with his younger brother and otherwise having just woken from a three week nap.
Alex smiled a little, eyes fixated on Greg's jovial expression, even though her position put her close enough that she was near cross-eyed looking at him. She was almost completely certain that her memory was correct; even his scent was familiar, and he was hauling her around as though he'd done it before - and he had. Of course, that reminded her of his comment before they left.
Wondering if he had also remembered, she poked at his chest, asking, "What did you mean, I haven't gotten that heavy? Are you carrying me around when I'm sleeping?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:53 pm
“Well it’s not as if you exactly waltzed out of China on your own you know.” Greg said with a smile. “And I figured that between you and Kenth you were probably lighter than he was but I could be wrong….” He laughed and turned down a hall, continuing his way out the building. “Besides the part of ‘carrying you around in your sleep’ would probably belong to Kenth. He’s the one that really cares about you like that. Too bad you never met him when you were younger, hu? You know back when you met George. You two could be little child hood sweet hearts then.”
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:33 pm
Ah, so the man had carried her out of that hell hole when she was unconscious. She owed him, and was grateful it was him, for some strange reason. Alex continued to smile, listening to him talk, grinning a little at his comment about Kenth. The doctor, carrying her around because he cares? She wasn't sure she believed it, but she liked the idea all the same.
Her heart skipped at the words that followed, and she held onto him a little tighter. "It is you," she murmured in disbelief. Alex knew it was him from the bottom of her heart, but to hear him say it was like a warm and familiar wave. She hugged him as well as she could from her piggy-back position, giving him a friendly kiss on the back of his red head. "I mean, I knew it was you, but...man, I have MISSED you!" She paused, then asked in surprise, "Was it the scars that gave it away?"
A good portion of the questions she wanted to ask melted away, leaving her in the comfort of a man she once knew as Logan, a man she adored and trusted unquestionably. "I never put two and two together," she gushed excitedly, "I mean, the doctor and you, not until I heard you on the phone and then when I saw you! Even then it took me a while to remember! And...goodness, how IS Georgie? Still as brilliant and as much of a handful as ever, I bet!"
Alex forgot the pain of her back, forgot about the school, forgot much of what had just transpired in favor of the past they shared many years ago. I imagine this is what coming home feels like, she thought fondly as she held onto Greg with great affection.
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:20 pm
“Well if you didn’t notice I just felt up your legs.” Greg said with a silly little smile. “No the thing that clued me in was more along the lines of this…” He shifted her weight as he spoke to one side. With the arm that wasn’t carrying much of her weight he reached into his pocket and pulled out the dog tags that he had taken from her bag when they had been in China. He held his hand, palm up, out so that she could see the metal in his hand. “I had started to wonder when you were talking to me, but this… well this just finished it off. I can’t believe that you kept them.”
He laughed when she mentioned George, and it really was a laugh, not a forced one. Probably one of the first ones he’d had all day. “Ahh George… He’s in Italy going to school for, of all things, ART! Can you believe that? All that money on an education and he’s going for art.” He sighed and shook his head. He understood the whole do what you love, but really there could only be so many people with college degrees working at McDonallds. “But he’s still as ‘brilliant and as much of a handful’ if you want to call it that. I would probably say impish, determined to drive me insane..” He shrugged and smiled good naturedly. His youngest brother certainly was a little… Eccentric, but he wasn’t THAT bad.
“I bet that you could still pound him into the ground.” Greg added, with a chuckle. “Just like when you were younger, only, after seeing how you fight, I think you might be able to do it one handed.”
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:17 pm
"I can't feel on that leg, you know better," she grumbled at him, kicking her legs playfully before holding onto him again. Curious green eyes watched him produce a pair of dog tags, that had very familiar names on them. Her expression shifted into blatant shock at the sight of them. Alex knew they were in her bag, but she was never without the thing. She remembered talking to Greg, remembering who he was...the jaunt through the forest, the shadow...going back to Kenth--ah, she'd left it with RuiZhi! "Oh that little brother of mine is in trouble," she schemed deviously, shifting up on his back so she was practically hanging over his shoulder, enough so that she could grin at him with ease. "Of course I kept them. Just because I left didn't mean I stopped caring...Greg."
The woman became a little silent as the red-head spoke of George, her smile wistful. It wasn't really the talk of the youngest Larine brother that silenced her, but rather, his choice of country to study in. "It seems you're the only one who could hold their own against a girl like me," she replied, her voice a little kinder than playful. "Georgie always followed his heart more than his mind, even if he was a brilliant little sod. I could probably knock him down with just my feet, but...he's a Larine. I know he'd fight with his heart." She heard a scream of pain in her mind, an echo of Kenth's cry as he fought for her... "Besides, bleeding from the head and stabbing someone isn't much of a fight. I'm just too ornery for my own good."
Alex squirmed a little, signaling her intention to be put down so she could walk. "Speaking of ornery...what are you doing here, if I can ask?" She knew the man would have his reasons, and he might not want to share them, but she figured she should at least ask as a courtesy. It seemed odd, to leave the military and come to a school under a different name, especially when the man she knew was as dedicated as he was.
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:15 pm
(Sorry that took so long. ^^; )
“Well don’t be too hard on RuiZhi, it’s not like he handed them to me on a silver platter.” Greg said with a chuckle. “And even if he had, you know how charming I can be. It wouldn’t have been his fault.” He looked over at her as she shifted and smiled back warmly. “I wasn’t happy when you left but… I didn’t stick around there all that much longer, so it was probably best.
“As for holding their own, I think that if we paired up George and Kenth they would do pretty well. Kenth could probably hold you back with some overly complicated formula and George could poke you with a sharpened paint brush. Both with heart of course.” Greg added, faking a degree of solemnity. “But they would both fall to your might feet in the end, oh great lady Alex.” He said with a smile. “And bleeding from the head and stabbing someone sounds like a valiant fight to me. You helped keep yourself and Kenth alive long enough for us to get there after all.”
He stopped and let Alex down as she started to move around., knowing that she wanted to walk now. “Why I’m here?” He asked fakeing surprise. “Why Alex I’m here to teach the children things. Like how to fight and sing horrible songs and crack inappropriate jokes and tell lame ribald tales.” He said with an impish smile.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:07 pm
((ONE WEEK LATER. *coff*))
Alex got to her feet and brushed her tank top down to keep her bruises covered. Walking next to Greg, she took his arm like an old fashioned couple, resting her head against his shoulder as they moved along. She gave an indignant snort at most of what he said, offering a quiet bit of laughter at the last part. "Oh that's good, gotta make sure they know the real important stuff for life out in the great yonder." She lifted her free hand to point at him, prodding him in his forearm. "You know you can just say you don't want to talk about it, young man. I'm wise to your ways, at least as well as Georgie."
The woman walked along in silence for a moment, arm laced with Greg's, content. Part of her wanted to ask what happened between him and Kenth to make them so distant, but the other part wanted to hear it from the white-haired doctor. If Greg wanted to volunteer that information, that would be different, but she held fast to her hope that Kenth would come around in his own good time.
Her green eyes rolled up to observe the red-headed man, so unchanged by time. "You look good," she commented kindly, "it does me well to see you smiling." Alex all but snuggled against his arm, still being rather playful with the man, much as she had so long ago. She had to remind herself that she was in the present, and there was still an issue to discuss. "So, should I call you Boss? The Headmaster assigned me to work under you. Pretty much anything you don't want to talk to me now about, I WILL get out of you in time."
She gave Greg her most charming smile; it was one of the tell-tale signs that she was quite serious, and that she would enjoy the endeavour, if not succeed at it with flying colors.
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:51 am
(And I' soo much better.... >.>; )
“Of course. Can’t have our little ones going out into the world unprepared for the things that they will inevitably face.” Greg said with a smile. “I would be a bad teacher if I didn’t tell them everything.” He took Alex’s arm and pushed down questions and thoughts of bloodied blond hair. “But wait!” He gasped. “You’ve figured me out? Oh no! I had hoped that I would be able to fool you into thinking that I was an amazing and heroic figure for at least another few years. I guess that you’ll have to learn the truth now; really I’m just a normal person, with problems and faults just like the rest of you. I do, however, make many more mistakes than the normal person.” He had started off humorously, but by the end it was hard to tell if he was joking or if he was being serious.
As soon as she calling him boss though, he once more slapped a smile on his face, and he patted her head. “Oh you don’t have to call me boss. Just call me Greg, and not Logan. That would confuse the students. As for what you can get out of me…” He raised an eye brow, “whatever makes you think that I’m trying to hid something?”
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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:25 am
((I still love ya. : D))
The young woman squeezed Greg's arm affectionately as he carried on, absently toying with the cloth by his elbow. "We all make mistakes, Greg. And don't worry, I wont call you by your given name. I've spent enough time with you to know how to address you." Alex was quiet for a moment, a small smile on her lips despite the fact that his words usually would have made her cry with laughter. Logan's reappearance had stirred old memories and - with them - old feelings. She'd met him only shortly after her last visit to Italy, and it was during that time that both she and the red-headed man on her arm had received news of the deaths of loved ones. She couldn't remember if she ever told him about her special person that had died, although her memory was strong of his.
"Most people with careers as prestigious as yours don't move to obscure schools, change their name and beg to speak with their younger brother." Keen green eyes shifted up to Greg's blue ones. She knew she was hitting the nail on the head, but that aside, she was not one to push the man. "However, you being alive and well and here with me is good enough. Boss." It was that younger-sister in her that felt the need to rankle poor Greg, much as she and George had back then. Besides, it was easier to tease and play than it was to be serious with him, ever since he'd lost her.
Making sure to keep talking so he couldn't interject or otherwise comment on her observation of his position, she grinned impishly at him while remarking, "I'm going to get a good punching bag from my old boss, since he wants me to keep practicing. Are you gonna teach me all your fancy moves now, huh? Huh?" Alex playfully prodded him in the side, wondering what, exactly, Greg was going to have her do for work.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:56 pm
(It didn't take so freakishly long this time! Yay! )
Greg wouldn’t have said anything. He had reasons; he just didn’t think that many other people would really think them very good. They would think them reasons to take a leave of absence, to take some time off, but to just up and leave? He was pretty sure that he would just get laughed at in the face… And he really didn’t want Alex doing that to him, he already got his daily dosage of cruelty from Kenth, and Dante. He really didn’t need more.
He didn’t bother thinking about that more though, because he was starting to get depressed and mopey and that was just pathetic and silly. “A punching bag? Of course I’ll get you one, my darling!” He smiled at her lovingly. If she was going to call him boss, he could call her something too… Though he should probably come up with something else to use in front of the children… “I wouldn’t want to become the target of your wrath after all! Nor do I want my poor poor brother to have to suffer the brute of it. But training you,” he put a hand to his forehead and pretended to as if that would be devastatingly hard. “I don’t know if I can keep up with you. I am getting up their in the years after all, you really must remember that.” He looked down at her, smile creeping onto his face.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:30 am
Alex snorted at his words, privately relieved that he let her move the conversation onwards. Of course, she had no idea why he had, but it wasn't something she would try to worm out of him. The woman had a big heart; she had enough issues with the two people who were cruel to Greg that to know about it would certainly cause more problems.
She turned suddenly and gave him a gentle punch to the arm, laughing before flinging her arms around him in a hug. Alex just couldn't help it around him; perhaps it was from how they had acted so long ago when they were much younger, but she had always wanted Logan to know he was loved and appreciated. "You aren't ancient, you aren't dead, and I know that you wouldn't let either of those little problems stop you from doing what you felt was necessary."
Alex stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "But hey, if you're afraid of breaking a bone and being a brittle old man, I wont stop you. I'm just a, ah - what's that English word? - whiplersnogger?" She crinkled her nose, hung up on the term 'whippersnapper,' before shrugging it off and smiling languidly at the red-head. So what if English wasn't her first language, Greg usually understood her...which was somewhat disturbing, but enjoyable. "Anyway, you have to let me know how I can help you. I don't know how this school works. Just a lost lamb amongst the wolves."
The truth of the matter was a little reversed, but she didn't care. It amused her, and keeping the air between them light and fun was important.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:42 pm
Greg laughed and hugged Alex back, but only after feigning injury to his arm. “Ah, I may not be dead, but I am an ancient brittle old man. Be careful or you may break my hip with your fierce hugs.” And then, as if to accentuate his age, he stuck his tongue out at her too. “Senior citizens just can’t keep up with you…” He chuckled a little at the word. “Whiplersnoggers. We can’t keep up with the whippersnappers either, but those first ones….” He shook his head, smile still there.
“But lost lamb? Really? Well I suppose that those students can get to be rather wolfish, and you with your inferior knife wielding talents.” He said rolling his eyes. “And as for helping me… Well I taught you a little before. Whatever you thought that I was doing bad, other than pretty much just leavening, is something that I could work on. You’ll need to mention it to me though. The years may have continued on, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve had to get any more mature.”
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:10 pm
Laughter answered his rebuttles, the mirth diminishing to embarrassed giggles when Greg corrected her. She ducked her head and continued to listen, retaking his arm as they walked around, not really paying attention to where they were going. Alex felt young to be in his presence again, but old at the same time, as the memories came back fresh and vivid despite her best attempts to bury them.
"I'd be sorely disappointed if you grew up." She snickered a little, crinkling her nose in play. "What's that saying? Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional?" Really, such things were made just for people like Greg and George. They were such a handful. She waved a dismissive hand again, looking momentarily thoughtful. "I had to ask, since I didn't think Norman would appreciate me teaching his students how to gut someone like a fish. Really, life experience isn't quite what you've learned, so..." Alex trailed off with a delicate shrug, still smiling.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:27 pm
Greg laughed and nodded, walking with her and not really caring where they were going either. “Growing up is for younger people and people who don’t realize how much it sucks.” He commented. “Although everyone seems to think that when you’re older you’re grown up. I’m glad that I’ve found someone that recognizes the wisdom in immaturity.” He laughed again when she spoke about gutting someone like a fish and shook his head.
“Well then Alex, maybe you should petition for a ‘how to gut a fish like a human’ class. Perhaps that would go over better. I’m sure that we could find some big fish around here to use. Between the two of us we could fill the kids in on all the life experiences that they need and a lot that they don’t. We’d just need to word them careful so they don’t get rejected right off. Oh and put your name on them so Dante doesn’t kill them out of spite.” He joked nudging her slightly.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:45 pm
The laughter continued to be shared with Greg, her sides starting to hurt from it (and, consequently, her chest and back). Alex didn't care, feeling that the smiling and laughter was certainly the best medicine available to her. However, that smile faded, just the slightest, at the mention of a familiar and not exactly favored name. "What does he have to do with our class?" she murmured indignantly, nudging him back while holding fast to his arm. Dante...no, she was not fond of that one. The woman could hold a grudge forever - although she wouldn't, it just wasn't who she was - but she was still bitter over how things had happened in the place that had left such nasty marks on her body.
"Hrmph," she grumped a little, lifting her chin, "so what if I can't tell them the proper name for a punch, or if you turn your hips 30 degrees to the right and dance on your toes, it means something else." She was obviously being sarcastic, despite her deadpan expression. "What I teach is how to stay alive. Knowing the elongated name of some punch isn't going to save anyone's life. Unless it's you, of course." Alex snickered again, hugging onto Greg's arm with glee. She really did enjoy poking fun at him!
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