|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 4:49 pm
Katrina Halloran as Lieutenant Tourmaline was not capable of doing magic. She couldn't teleport herself and Lieutenant Aluminite to the top of the tallest skyscraper in town, and thus she was left needing to improvise a little when it came to finding somewhere with a view to sit down and enjoy the food that smelled so good she could already taste it. "Alright. One last thing before we get to chow..." When he'd asked what she had flashed him a grin, snagging the brown paper bags containing their dinner in one hand, his wrist in the other to drag him into the alley alongside the restaurant. It had only taken a second from there to power up, scooping up the take out before leaping onto the fire escape. He'd stared after her like she was crazy-- And maybe she was, but it was worth it for the brief thrill of the chase as she ran from one building to the next one over, pausing there because it was taller and looked like it would have a much better view of the city. "Coming, Aluminite? I might eat your burger too if you aaareeen't."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:06 pm
This wasn't what he'd had in mind when he agreed to burgers but Kat had a grip on the food and well, he wasn't going to argue with her when she dragged him away. James was quickly learning, or had long since learned, that it was best to let girls do what they wanted without questioning it until later.
Of course, that's how he ended up watching her slip from Kat to Tourmaline and start to scale the building. Hefting a sigh he peered up at her and followed suit, letting the jitteriness of chaos flood over him before he jumped, catching the rings of the fire escape before he started to haul himself up after her.
"You know, if you wanted me to chase you, you could've just said so," he called reaching the top of that building just in time to watch her jump to the next, taller building.
He frowned, hands on his hips before he shook his head then ran after her. It was easy, with the magical boost in strength and his long legs, to leap high enough in the air that he just cleared the roof.
When he got the chance, he came up behind Tourmaline and wrapped his arms around her midsection and spun her. "I caught you," he said a bit breathlessly when he set her back down. "Do I get a prize?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:18 pm
Tourmaline had turned to shout a response back at him only to realize how close he was and then suddenly she was swept up in his arms. She let out a shriek that turned into a giggle as he spun her around, almost losing her hold on the brown paper bags filled with deliciousness. The rush of adrenaline was incredible-- The whole day had been so far, really. She slumped back against him briefly as she caught her breath, holding the victory prize up. "Burgers." Her grin was teasing as she pulled out of his arms only to flop down on the rooftop. "Burgers, fries... And an incredible view." Her eyes were on him as she spoke, but she added in a small gesture to the skyline just beyond him in case there was any confusion-- Or maybe as a distraction. "It's good to work up an appetite before dinner."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:43 pm
"That's not much of a prize K- Tourmaline," voice low and right by her ear when she pulled away and flopped to the ground. "Considering I bought it and all, but I suppooose it's fine." He took a careful seat next to her, pushed against her knee with one of his hand held his hand out for the burger that was supposed to be his prize.
"It's a pretty nice sight," he agreed, tipping his head back to look at the darkening sky before green eyes swept across the city line and the skyline that decorated it. "But I've seen better," his gaze dropped purposely back to her and he smiled sheepishly.
"So, these burgers are really the best?" Maybe he'd chickened out a little and wanted to give her an out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:04 pm
Her face was flushed and she was breathless. It was because of the chase, she told herself. It was the race up the fire escape and the dart from building to building. It had nothing to do with the low tone of his voice or the way his breath had brushed against her neck right above the collar of her jacket. No, it was most definitely the chase... She was drawn back to the present when he brought up how he'd paid for dinner. " Hey. I offered to go dutch and spring for milkshakes, but nooo." Her elbow lightly nudged his before she handed over the burger wrapped in paper with a bold 'J' drawn on it. Once he'd taken it she set her own on her knee while she tore the bag open, dumping the order of fries out onto the brown paper for them to share. "I have too. The night I-- The night he... I told you about the race? And how I got pissed off? We raced again. He scared the hell out of me with that scythe, then his hand was in my chest and I remember pain... But y'know what I remember more than that? The stars." Her voice was soft as she spoke, ignoring the burger for looking out over the city. "The air was cool and crisp and there were so many stars, but you couldn't see them all from the street. He teleported us to the top of a skyscraper and it was such a rush," she laughed softly as she began to unwrap her burger, glancing down at the paper between her fingers. "Today, with you, made me think of that-- Not how much it hurt, but how beautiful the stars were that night. It's still a little early for them to be out right now, and I don't have the right power level to teleport us there, but..." Whatever she might have been thinking she let it trail off, tilting her head up to flash him another bright grin. "Definitely the best burgers. Totally worthy of being a prize, even if you did pay for them."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 9:43 pm
For once Aluminite wasn't flushed, his ears weren't turning red as he looked earnestly at Tourmaline, only looking away so that he could unwrap his burger and take a bite. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I let the lady pay?" He was raised better than that and yeah, he was sure she enjoyed his company or wouldn't have stuck around but - the man had wanted to make a good impression and certainly didn't think that was possible if he let her pay.
"I still think you've only seen the nicer side of him," he admitted quietly thinking back to all of the interaction he'd had with Labyrinthite. The endless training sessions and the way he was pitted against other lieutenants with the threat of the general's intervention if he thought either of them were too soft, too weak.
Aluminite was too soft. He wasn't made for war or combat and yet -
Labyrinthite had forced him into a role he never wanted.
"Maybe, when I reach Captain I can take you up there," he offered, lifting his head from where he'd been staring too intently at his burger, missing two bites. "It should be soon, I think. I don't - I don't know for sure though." He'd been with the negaverse for longer than he'd like to admit but - he'd done what was expected of him. He was a mostly good soldier even if he didn't like fighting.
"I'm just saying, I think I deserve a different reward from you"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:00 pm
"Maybe when I reach Captain I'll take you up there with me," she teased lightly, drawing the conversation away from his opinions on their General. Tourmaline had a decent amount of respect for Labyrinthite and a good bit of admiration as well. He was strong, determined-- He looked after them and gave them a place to belong. A soft breath of air puffed past her lips as she sighed before finally taking a bite of her burger. Her eyes closed as she took a moment to savor the flavor; cooked just right with just enough seasoning added in to whatever sauce they used to give it a zing. It was probably the best food she'd had so far that week, even if it was simple. The company made it better too, she was sure... "A reward, hm? C'mon, Lieutenant... Are you telling me that just catching me isn't prize enough? I mean, I guess I could see if you'd want to hang out again-- Bowling, maybe? One of the alleys in town does a blacklight night that's a lot of fun. Ooor... Sailor Dia and I can help you meet quota?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:09 pm
"I wouldn't mind that," he replied with an easy shrug of his shoulders as he forced himself to look away from her and the city that stretched out around them. His thumbs pressed down on the paper still wrapped around his burger before he brought it to his mouth and bit into it, taking the time to chew slowly and let the beating of his heart calm.
"Catching you was nice, but if that was my prize I didn't get to hold on to it for very long." He adjusted his hold on the sandwich and reached for a fry, popping it into his mouth in a smooth notion. "I'm not much of a bowler but, if I get to spend time with you. Why not?"
He liked her company and she liked his, that was enough.
"I've got the quota thing under control, I appreciate it but - giving any of the work to you feels like cheating or being lazy." He didn't like filling his quota but it was a lot better than getting forced to fight and if he was busy with that he could avoid the general more readily. "Besides, it keeps me busy." Only a half-lie.
"So, you and Dia. Package deal?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 7:34 am
"Sometimes prizes are fleeting and you should enjoy them for what they are." Her own eyes remained gazing straight ahead as she spoke. Most things, speaking in general terms, didn't last. They were a fleeting rush, a skipping pulse-- A reason to smile, and a reason to run. Nothing was serious. If it wasn't serious it couldn't hurt you. Tourmaline was grateful for the distraction his follow-up question brought with it, taking another bite of her burger and chewing with contentment as she nodded. She swallowed before finally glancing over at him again, plucking a fry from the pile to nibble on the end of. "We're... Friends." The word sounded a bit strained coming from her mouth, possibly a little uncertain. "Friends," she tested the word out again, nose wrinkling. "That sounds like such a strange word to use when talking about Dia," she laughed, shaking her head, "but I guess we are. Now, at least. Best friends? Have you ever seen Wicked? It's kind of like Glinda and Elphie only she's way more of a b***h than Glinda was and I've got a much better fashion sense than Elphie." He'd asked a question, though, and none of her rambling had given him much of an answer. "I have a stupid pair of costume gloves for a weapon. If I've got her with me she's the magical cannon and I'm the muscle. It makes sense to keep a senshi around-- And we work well together."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 2:28 pm
"Okay, okay. I get it. I got my prize, I'll stop being greedy," he teased. Aluminite hadn't been expecting anything anyway, even if it'd been fun to pretend otherwise. While she talked, he finished off his burger and picked away at the fries between them, occasionally wiping the grease off his fingers and onto a nearby napkin.
"Never gotten the opportunity to see it but I had to read the book for one of my courses. It's a decent read." He liked the different takes on old stories. He though Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a great example. American McGee's Alice was another one that could, freakishly, be applied to his current life. How terrifying.
"You seem to care a lot about her, Dia that is." Aluminte commented quietly daring to look at Tourmaline now that he no longer had a burger to hide behind. He liked the way the sunrays lit her skin, highlighted her eyes. "Boss man likes them - the corrupts that is. Doesn't care for senshi otherwise but - if they've got useful magic I can see why." He swallowed, tapping long fingers against his knees.
"Would you consider partnering with someone else, even if it was just for a patrol or two?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 6:16 pm
"Musical? Way better than the book. Happier, at least." For the Witch-- Maybe not so much for everyone else involved. She liked happy endings when it came to fairytale stories. It made them seem more whimsical... Kind of like being swept away to see incredible things by someone who could harness powers and abilities that seemed magical. "I feel responsible for her. Our General might not have been the one who turned her to our side, but I'm the one who found her-- I do care about her." Prissy was her friend and Dia was her senshi, no matter how badly they might get along at times. She wasn't going to let anyone, or anything, get away with hurting her. "You aren't jealous, are you?" Her brow quirked as she tilted her head to get a good look at him, teasing smirk on her lips. "Any suggestions for someone else I might want to pick up a patrol with? Please don't say Wolfe..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:49 am
"I like the realism in a not-so-happy ending," Aluminite shrugged because, well as writer he liked to pull experiences from his own line and frankly, it wasn't the best one. It wasn't the worst one either and it certainly wasn't novel worth but that wasn't the point.
"There's nothing wrong with that." Did he admit that he felt responsible for her and Dia too? In that battle his priority was protecting her and Dia. Of course it'd been instinctual and well, they seemed in over their heads.
He didn't like that in the thick of things Labyrinthite had been no where to be seen and the girls looked terrified.
"I'm not - I'm not jealous, just curious." He wasn't looking at her now, fixed on a point in the sky just past her, so that he could still glance at her from the corner of his eye. "Maybe - I think I might enjoy patrolling more if you wanted to maybe accompany me one a week?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:58 am
If she wanted real she wouldn't bury herself in books or fantastical musicals. He knew that real life rarely if ever had happy endings, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy them, or think about them. The difference in thought probably spoke to the years between them in age as well. Just how much older was he? "Dinner first? Then patrols?" Her brow lofted as she leaned over to bump her shoulder lightly against his, grin curving her lips. "I might be able to work that into my schedule. Probably." Would, was more likely. As long as there wasn't a race that night, or she and Prissy hadn't made plans... Or General Labyrinthite hadn't requested her presence somewhere. "You've got my number now, and we've got those little crystal things. I'm not hard to get in touch with."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:21 am
He'd probably read too many books for his major and written too many papers dissecting them to fully enjoy the simpleness of happy endings and magical tales. It didn't help that he was suddenly thrust into a world of magic and had never gotten his sea legs. Aluminite hadn't meant to be pessimistic, yet he was to a degree.
"As long as you don't mind the occasional home-cooked meals then yeah, we can do dinner first." Not that he minded springing for meal from time to time but - he couldn't realistically afford it. He just wouldn't admit it and what girl didn't want to have a guy cook for him?
Or at least, that's what he hoped.
"I mean, I'm not amazing or anything but I think I'm a decent cook." Most of the time, even if the meals were always very, very simple.
His cheeks were a little flushed because he'd never been good at this thing. How did he say I want to get to know you without coming off sleazy or creepy. Especially since he knew there were more than a few years between them. "I know - I'm not - " he sighed "I'm not really good at this."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:08 pm
"Y'know, Lieutenant," Tourmaline spoke as she crumpled up burger wrapper, tucking it back into the brown paper bag before tidying up the last of the fries between them, "you're kind of cute when you do the whole blushy thing." Her tone was teasing in an attempt to keep things light. Aluminite seemed like a worrier and she very much wasn't. Without saying much more she was on her feet, dusting her hands off on her shorts before holding one out to him. "Few ground rules first. One-- The brow furrowing thing? It's gotta stop. Smiles or bust. Two-- Home-cooked is serious. One or two more not-dates first before serious," Tourmaline was grinning as she watched him, eyes dancing with amusement. "Three? Hm... Three-- There is no three yet, unless you can think of a three, Lieutenant."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
