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 Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:33 am
Quote: The Charity Benefit (2) - The Charity Benefit has drawn a social crowd and they seem keen to make conversation as well as friends. The room is full of compliments and kind words and every now and then it looks like you're catching someone's eye and one person in particular seems to be paying more attention to you than the others. The stranger lingers by a display table showcasing some of the donated auction items. They look familiar but you can’t quite place why. If you try to approach them, the stranger suddenly seems to disappear before your eyes. It might be easy to assume they got lost in the crowd, but any examination of the room makes it hard to tell where they’ve gone. More than that, it seems like sometimes you catch a glimpse of them in one part of the room only to see them disappear in the blink of an eye and immediately appear across the room in a different spot entirely. It’s impossible to get close to them, and the sensation of eyes on you never really fades.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:36 am
Whilst Saffron and Arian had both ended up receiving invitations to the charity benefit, a part of Saffron had been expecting that she would either be the only one attending or that Arian would attend for a little while, but not go to the ball - because it wasn't really something that was his thing–
She'd therefore been admittedly a little surprised when her cousin had mentioned offhandedly during what was perhaps the longest conversation that the two of them had had this year, that he would be attending both the benefit and the ball.
She'd done her best to keep her surprise to herself though - although maybe Anxo's influence had played a part in the decision given that he and her cousin had been dating for a few years.
Saffron shook her head slightly and sipped at the small glass of white wine as she mingled, pausing every now and then in order to make conversation.
She'd spotted her cousin earlier and was pretty sure that she'd also spotted Anxo, although she hadn't yet made her way over, although at some point she knew that she probably ought to.
She found herself hesitating each time the thought of maybe heading over in the direction where she thought that she'd spotted Arian cropped up at the top of her mind, because to say that things were currently awkward between both herself and her cousin would be perhaps something of an understatement–
Would be a big understatement - had been such ever since she'd found out that Arian was apparently something called a senshi and had been keeping the secret from her for years.
Saffron shook her head again slightly and took a slightly bigger sip of her wine, not wanting to think about such thoughts right now as she looked over towards the display table showcasing some of the items that had been donated for the auction and made eye contact with the lady currently lingering over by the table.
It wasn't the first time that she had made eye contact with the other over the course of the evening and whilst the woman wasn't someone that Saffron could place, she seemed almost familiar, almost as if she should be able to place her.
Saffron absently took a few steps in the direction of the display table.
Maybe if she went over and talked to the lady then she'd be able find out why it was that she looked so familiar.Kapoodles Apologies that this took me so long to get up Poods - hope it works as a start for you
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 6:30 pm
Anxo wasn't entirely sure when the last time he saw Saffron was.One on one, perhaps several Christmases ago, when he was searching for presents for Arian. There were times when he and the cousins would meet up as a group, of course, but actually talking with one another without his boyfriend's presence was much more rare. Even rarer now still, sadly... There had been something awkward going on between her and Arian, something he knew better than to pry into, but they had been so close before.. It felt strange seeing them nearly actively avoid one another, especially since it was thanks to her that he even managed to confess to Arian.. She was an important person in both of their lives, and yet... The silence was deafening. Not truly so, since everything was loud right now inside of the auction, and there was soft music playing, but still... Uncomfortable. And in a way, stressing. They were close! Saffron should be over here, with them, joking around and engaging in that fun sorta banter that made him laugh and Arian blush! He sorely missed their laughter... So perhaps it would have been better if he broke the ice first, which he had no problem at all doing. But... She seemed distracted. Although he followed her gaze, he didn't quite see what exactly she was looking at. Maybe a person? But with the throng of people coming and going, hovering near the tables, it was hard to tell. The last thing he wanted to do was to disturb her. And yet the need to set things right was far more pressing than simply behaving himself. After a few more moments of watching this, he gave up and wandered to her direction, grabbing a small plate of sweets to offer her when she arrived. Anxo was more than certain that Arian would be fine on his own for a few moments time... And maybe he could convince them talk once again more easily. Then after that, maybe before the holiday was over, they could all go visit his family's cafe and have a nice chat like they used to. "Good evening, Saffron. It's rather great to see you again. I can honestly say I've missed your smile. How have you been? Can I perhap offer you a sweet or two?" His words were soft and sweet as he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, partially to grab her attention, and partially to see try to not entirely interrupt her staring contest with whatever it was in the distance. He looked again in that direction, but found nothing out of the ordinary Somehow, that was Incredibly strange in itself. "And... Perhaps ask for your assistance. You always did seem to have the best advice. But... Just what are you gazing at?" Maybe outfits? Or someone particularly handsome? They all seemed to so lovely, but moved like a school of fish. It was hard to tell, and her eyes didn't seem to be tracking any sort of moving person.
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2020 2:04 pm
The gentle hand on her shoulder in conjunction with the familiar voice was enough to temporarily distract Saffron's attention from the display table.
"Good evening Anxo, it's been a while" and the friendly smile on her lips was genuine as she turned to properly face the other, nose wrinkling slightly at the use of her full name, a note of playful mock annoyance slipping into her voice as she continued "And we've known each other long enough that you can use Saffy or Alaina or even Laina."
The latter two names generally tended to be used by her colleagues at work, but Saffron personally didn't mind if Anxo wanted to use either of them as both of them were still preferable to Saffron.
"I've been fine" she added in answer to his next question "Work's been pretty much the same as usual."
And then the smile faded as for one awkward moment Saffron almost asked him if Arian was with him, almost, before she eventually shook her head slightly and let the question died unspoken - because Arian had said that he was coming in their last conversation and her cousin wasn't in the habit of saying things that he wasn't going to do.
No he's just in the habit of keeping secrets for years and years and putting himself into dangerous situations.
Saffron did her best to push away the bitter thought, knowing that now was really not the place, realising belatedly that Anxo had been asking a question - something about sweets.
"I'm not one to turn down sweets" she admitted, because it was true and something that both she and Arian had in common "But I didn't think they were serving yet?"
Well at least apart from the canapés and a lot of the more popular ones seemed to have been decimated from what she could see - although that was perhaps not that surprising given the stage of the evening and the amount of guests.
"Well I'm happy to try and help" she continued when Anxo admitted that he wanted to ask her assistance, a part of curious as to what he wanted her to help with before having her gaze automatically drift back towards the display table for a moment–
Only to find that the woman was no longer there.
Saffron peered quizzically at the table for a moment before turning her attention back to Anxo "I thought that someone over by the table was familiar" she admitted at last, "But maybe I was mistaken."
Certainly there was no one currently by the table that she recognised.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:10 pm
"Have we known each other that long? Oh dear, that means it's been so long since I saw you that I've forgotten!" It was gently dramatic, and he grinned at the end, happy to be by her side. "Better normal work than absolutely crazy, right? Same goes for me. And... No, they aren't exactly serving yet, but I know a guy who snuck me some out of the kitchen when I told him there was a lovely young woman I wanted to surprise." And technically, that was true. He did want to surprise her. Perhaps not in the way he exactly told his friend working the gala, but she was still important to him, and snacks were a great way to break the ice. "... I really do appreciate it. I feel like sometimes I shouldn't buy every single thing that reminds me of him but when you love someone, it's hard not to do that. I've gotten better though, snapping pictures instead of out right purchasing it." Another smile, another joke, but what more could he do than that to ease the atmosphere around him. "That's a shame, I do wonder who that was... Maybe it was a ghost that you knew from a dream. ... I honestly wouldn't put it past this city."
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:29 pm
Saffron gave Anxo an amused look, her lips curving up into another smile "It's been about three and half years since you first contacted the shop via etsy convo - well give or take."
She continued "And it's probably just as well that I'm the one who checks the shop messages rather than Arian - considering that you wanted some advice on Christmas shopping for Arian."
She was pretty sure that there had been cake in the offering back then too.
Her smile softened as she remembered how almost painfully earnest Anxo had been when she first met him - but he'd been kind of sweet with it too–
And it had been hard to miss how besotted he was with her cousin.
"Arian's easy to love" she agreed and if there was a wistful note in her voice then Saffron wasn't about to admit to it - at least not out loud.
It was true enough anyway because her cousin was easy to love–
But it didn't change the fact that he had spent the better part of eight years lying to her or the thorny mess of intermingled hurt, confusion and anger that she'd felt when she'd finally found out the truth, the mess of emotions still there ready to bubble to the surface if started to dwell too much on it, or the new awkwardness that now lay between the two of them.
It took a few moments for Saffron to realise that Anxo was still speaking - something about a ghost.
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:09 am
"You're both easy to love. And both of you are the sort to do what they think is best. Maybe... You could use that fact to get along with him again?" It was a push, a gentle one, but a push nonetheless. That's what these two needed anyway, otherwise they'd be dancing in circles over and over again about who should say something. Were it up to him, he'd just pull them both together by their hands and force them to make up. He missed his little happy family. "Hehe, you still there, Saffy? Did I spook you too much?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:24 pm
Saffron studied her partially full wine glass for a moment.
She hadn't missed the push - because despite the gentleness, Anxo's words had been too obvious to mistake them as being anything other than a push.
But it wasn't quite that simple. Saffron took a sip of the wine. Was it ever that simple?
And it made her wonder about just how much Arian had told Anxo about what was going on - made her wonder too about whether he even knew about the whole senshi thing and the dangerous stuff that her cousin had apparently been getting up to–
Or had Arian been lying to Anxo too?
She took another sip of her wine "I need time Anxo" she said quietly and whilst here wasn't really the place, she elaborated a little after a moment or so of hesitation, the admission quiet "He really hurt me."
And whilst she knew that Arian hadn't set out to do so deliberately, and whilst he was always going to be her little cousin whom she adored, it wasn't something that she could quite move past - at least not yet.
She forced a smile at the question about ghosts and shook her head, "No, just a few old memories" and then she changed the subject - or at least tried to - as she did her best to interject some cheer into her voice "Anyway are you planning to bid on any of the items? They appear to have quite the selection of things and I have to admit that there's a couple of things where I've found myself feeling almost tempted."
Well okay maybe a little bit more than just almost - but Saffron hadn't quite made up her mind on whether she was going to try placing a bid or not.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:37 pm
“... I know, I know.. But.. How much time...? What will it take for things to get better..? I know that in a way, perhaps once, he lied to me too. And we fought, and it hurt, but that love for him outweighed the pain. Because maybe in the end it wasn’t because he wanted to hurt me, but to protect me. He’s always seemed to be the sort to take all that burden onto himself and speak to no one about it.” Anxo thought back to that day when they fought, when those thorny marks scarred up Arian so badly and the pain they both felt when they fought. Even now, thinking about it made his chest ache, but he’d speak nothing more about it. “Ah, yes, a few, maybe one here or there, but... Nothing seems all that entirely special today. I guess my mind is elsewhere.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:45 am
Saffron studied her wine glass again for a moment before drinking some more of its contents.
"I don't know" she admitted eventually, her hand tightening for a moment on the wine glass stem at Anxo's admission that Arian had once lied to him too.
Did he tell you about the senshi stuff? The question lay on the tip of her tongue for a moment before dying unasked, because the benefit was not the place.
It didn't stop Saffron from wondering however, even as she took yet another sip of her wine.
Things with Arian was still too close, her feelings still too raw over events that played in her mind so very differently now that she knew the truth - and so she felt a sense of relief when Anxo dropped the subject and mentioned the auction.
"I'm leaning towards putting a bid on the items that caught my eye" Saffron admitted, "Although they seem to be popular."
Certainly she knew that she wasn't the only one who had eyed up the items that had caught her eye.
"I..." her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the women from earlier - albeit on the opposite of the room to where she and Anxo was.
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:57 pm
"Well, hope your purse is deep tonight then!" Good, good. They moved on. No matter how much he wanted to help or push, it just wasn't going to happen if Saffy didn't want it to. And Anxo knew he had to respect it, even if he didn't agree with it. This time, Anxo immediately looked where she did, and saw... Nothing. Again, nothing. "... Perhaps the wine is stronger than you thought? Do you need to take a seat?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:44 am
Saffron frowned slightly as she considered the woman for a moment. Perhaps it was someone else, someone similar - perhaps it wasn't the same woman from earlier–
But she certainly looked like the woman from earlier, had the same sense of almost familiarity that she still couldn't...
"Hmmm?" she realised belatedly that Anxo had said something, maybe asked question whilst she had been distracted by the puzzle of the woman that felt familiar but not.
"Sorry, I didn't quite hear that" she said as she deliberately diverted her attention momentarily away from the woman, not quite wanting to admit to the fact that she hadn't been paying attention.
A part of her itched, almost as if someone was staring at her, but Saffron forced herself to deliberately ignore it–
Or at least try to.
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