|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:53 pm
It was a nice day, really. Full of sunshine and butterflies and blooming marigolds and all that other sweet, soppy stuff that seems to sprout up at the most inappropriate moments.
That was what this moment was, for Thorn. Leaning back in the water and letting the sun dry his skin, his lips curled into a smile. Something small glinted in his hand, catching a ray and shining a reflection onto the side surface of the building.
It had been a while, since Thorn had taken a souvenir off of one of his prey.
Tomorrow, maybe he would return it, use it as an excuse to see the delicious little package. So cute and innocent really, especially after having imbibed alcohol.
And... other stuff.
And Marc. Thorn knew he would have to break it to the man gently. Because he wasn't alone in wanting the certain mage.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:01 pm
For once, as strange as it was - Hadrian had actually noticed when he was hungry. Maybe Marc's hawk-eyed nature at watching how often he ate was starting to effect him, in that the scientist had even noticed when in the middle of work. It used to be that he would just push it to the back of his mind unconciously, and just continue working - but today, he decided, he'd surprise his lover.
See? He could take care of himself.
As he had headed to the other mans apartment, he had made a spontaneous decision to make it a 'date'; they hadn't had many of those. Go out to eat for lunch, enjoy themselves...it had seemed like a good idea. What he hadn't planned on, however...
Haki.
So there they were at the restaurant - Marc, Hadrian, and the little toddler. Not much of a date.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:08 am
Haki was incredibly happy that her daddy and Hadrian were together. Not only did that mean that ehr daddy was happy, but she had an extra protector, and she knew he was important-- which meant, as daddy's princess, he would have to listen to her. Besides. It was because of her they were together too.
Or something like that.
Still, dressed in a white dress complete with ankle socks and a little diamond of lace covering her forehead, she had to admit that this was a little bit annoying. Why did Marc have to sit across from Hadrian? Why did they have to look at each other like that?
Little girl was sulking.
"Haki, I'm sure you'd like the pasta here. Maybe something spicy?"
She curled her lip, a familiar expression she had compied off her guardian. "Dress is white." she pointed out. Stupid man.
Marc scowled. She had been argumentative, sulky and annoyed all day-- that is, the journey to the restaruant and the few moments before. He would have left her alone at home, except... well. He wanted to prove to Hadrian that he could be a good father.
"We'll buy another one." he snapped. Annoyed, impatient and wanting private time.
Haki sighed, rolling her eyes in a dramatic fashion. Looking up over the edge of the booth, (she REFUSED to sit in those child chairs), she smiled winningly at anyone in sight.
"Coca cola thank you please." she said sweetly.
She could be just as cute as Hadrian too!
Marc grimaced. "I'm... well." he didn't really want to apologize for Haki. He was proud of her! Kind of. "We should practice this family thing." he said lamely.
((hmmm >> maybe we should have bought ismet? XD ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:35 am
((*snicker* It would have been the spoiled little girl and the grumpy, sulking child then))
Hadrian just watched the interaction between Marc and Haki, as the server took their drink orders. And - to hopefully stave off the argument between Haki and Marc - he made a suggestion.
"Maybe something with a white sauce?"
Alfredo, he thought it was called. But he didn't actually know what it tasted like - it didn't exist where he came from, and he'd never eaten much of this worlds cuisine. He honestly had only tasted maybe one or two things on the menu before, and had no idea what to get.
Scanning the menu - why were there so many things? - the scientist appeared somewhat uncertain. Finally, he went ahead and asked.
"...what's good here?"
It would be easier if he knew what half the things on the menu were; spaghetti and lasagna, he recognized. Anything else? Who knows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:39 am
Marc leaned over the edge of the tablet to peer over Hadrian's menu. Which left Haki to her own devices, really. She was happy. She was, really really happy that these two got along. It would let her achieve so much in the future for her own world domination plans.
But did they have to be THIS close when she was around? Wasn't she supposed to be the center star here? Really. When would these grown ups learn that the world didn't revolve around them?
The world revolved around her.
Sulking, she looked at the list and decided that Marc would pick anyways-- so why bother?
"That." Marc murmured, pointing something out with a short name. "It's good for you, and it has garlic in it." he arched a brow. Garlic equalled smelly breath... which would be good, since with Haki around, it wasn't as if they could do anything.
And maybe it was good, to have that oral disincentive.
Peeking around the room to see if there was anyone else as pretty as she was, Haki brightened when she saw a tall, straight backed form saunter into the resteraunt. Hey, he was almost as pretty as she was!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:44 am
Garlic? Well, at least he knew what that was. Giving a slight nod, Hadrian supposed that was as good as anything else on there - and at least this one came with a recommendation.
Almost without thinking, the man reached up and rubbed his eye; the one where his monocol usually was, of course. It had been bothering him all day. After all, he didn't wear the monocol for show - he wore it because the vision was worse in that eye.
And spending all day reading tiny print with your vision all messed up, was enough to give someone headaches. Perhaps that was the real reason he'd left the lab for this - so that he didn't get a headache.
Absentmindedly, he muttered a reminder to himself.
"...have to get a new one sometime."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:47 am
"Monocol?" It wasn't that Marc read Hadrian's mind. Actually, he found it really really sexy when the man didn't wear the eyepiece... and at the same time, he had also discovered the joys of a permanent sex toy.
Mmhmm.
So he missed it just as much as Hadrian. Perhaps more, knowing how creative the man was.
Searching for the waiter, his gaze swung around the same directions as Haki, and then it stilled.
"Coincidence." he murmured, frowning slightly before he got up. He didn't need to, really.
Thorn had been aware a long time before just where the three were sitting.
"Thorn!" Marc called out almost cheerfully. Almost. Getting up, he moved quickly around Hadrian's chair and placed a casual hand on the mage's shoulder.
Mine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:52 am
The wry smile Hadrian shot Marc answered that question well enough; of course.
As Marc called out, however - he tensed. While Thorn himself, he hadn't minded so much (though he didn't know that was with the aid of drugs), the man represented a very near miss with his lover. Someone he actually felt nervous about seeing, because of how strange things had been.
Because he still didn't get it.
Twisting in his chair slightly, his eyes landed on Thorn. And he felt that he was oddly grateful for that hand on his shoulder - it made him feel less like he was facing a firing squad. Which probably wasn't that correct an analogy anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:04 pm
Thorn smiled. Relaxed, gleaming and polished to perfection (you didn't think he would meet Hadrian again less than perfect?) his eyes darted around the table and settled on the little girl.
A kid, was it?
"Marc." the word was purred out as he approached them, reaching out and clasping the man in a hug. Haki, was curious about this man who would hold her daddy so closely. She didn't like hugs herself... unless they were from powerful people.
And he sure smelled powerful.
"Thorn." the man said again. "You've ... met Hadrian." he could work with this man, could love Hadrian. But the words still wouldn't leave his lips properly.
"Hadrian." the word was said in no different a tone, but the light in his eyes. Well. It said I've seen you defenseless. And Thorn liked it very, very much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:09 pm
Uncomfortable.
That would be the perfect descriptor of how Hadrian felt when Thorn looked at him. In an attempt to keep up the appearance that everything here was just fine however, as Marc tried to it seemed - he nodded politely at the new addition to their table.
"Thorn."
Didn't get up, but that wouldn't be considered too rude. But the scientist was really wishing their server would show up, now - a distraction would be good.
He really didn't want to think about why Thorn had that look in his eyes, after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:15 pm
Thorn smiled. "And who is this young princess?" Walking across so that he was on Hadrian's other side, he brushed gently against the man as he reached over to pick the girl up.
Haki beamed. Princess, was it? This man certainly knew his stuff! With a sliding glance at Marc (stupid daddy for not introducing her to this one in the first place!) she blinked her baby greens.
"My name is Haki thank you." she said, nodding her head. She was so polite! Yes. And he was rich. She could see it.
In the clothing. It was so soft and shiny.
Thorn took this opportunity to sit in the seat right next to Hadrians, paying no attention to the man mind you, focusing on the girl but still, sitting close enough that.
Well.
Close enough that Thorn was happy.
"This is my daughter, Thorn. Haki. She's... well. Mine too."
Thorn smiled. Crinkly, gentle eyes. "Hello precious."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:19 pm
Well, Hadrian had to admit he wasn't expecting Thorn to zero in on Haki, so much. He hadn't really pictured the man as someone good with children - but Haki certainly seemed to like him.
Huh.
The scientist didn't even really pay attention to where Thorn was sitting - it looked like the man was just focusing on Haki, after all. And he was the master of denial.
Thankfully, this was when the server arrived to take their orders. Going ahead and giving his order - that thing that Marc had reccommended - the server looked at Thorn. Apparently, he just took it as a fact that the third man was eating as well; after all, he was siting down.
"And you, sir?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:25 pm
Thorn smiled. Ordering with the ease of someone who had naturally accepted the fact that he would be joining them for a meal, he looked down at Haki, moving her onto his lap.
"And you?" he asked, looking down.
Haki looked over expectantly at her father, who... well. Wasn't looking too pleased. She knew that expression, the slight tightness around his eyes at the brightness in his smile. He had worn a sad version of that expression when he and Hadrian had fought the first time.
"Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" he asked Thorn blandly. This was supposed to be a family thing, for him to get used to have his two favorite people around.
Thorn smiled. "Marc, you know how much I love this resteraunt. We used to come here all the time." a sliding glance towards Hadrian, and a pause. As if he realized what he was saying.
"Haki, why don't you sit back there? And Marc... why isn't she wearing any jewellry?"
Cheap tactic, really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:32 pm
Hadrian's brow creased slightly, though not other sign of his thoughts crossed his face at Thorns comment. When they came here?
Maybe business meetings?
Right. All the time.
Being careful to not betray his thoughts on that subject, he acted like - well, he had missed the meaning of that comment. But he already felt slightly disturbed that his lover had once been lovers with the man he'd cheated on him with. It was...weird.
And he really didn't want to think about those two together.
Not to mention that he was uncomfortable enough at the idea that Thorn was going to be there the entire dinner...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:36 pm
Marc scowled. Trying to change the subject, he ordered everything they needed to and then turned to Hadrian, trying very hard to keep the other man out of their conversation.
This wasn't business. He could be as rude as he needed to be. And he knew Thorn. The man was too smart to let a subject like that slip by on purpose.
"Hadrian." he said, speaking with a tone that was trying hard to betray nothing. "Afterwords, why don't we go shopping?"
And Thorn smiled. Because Marc had stepped right into that one.
"For what?" he asked innocently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
