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 Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:40 pm
Haki was tired. The days were wearing her down, but only because she was sleepy and no one seemed to value the necessity of a 24 hour nap. Especially the one they called her father. Marc was being pissy. He was taking her to the zoo, shopping, the park-- and while ordinarily she would have enjoyed herself, there was something distracted and sulky about his behavior that she didn't appreciate.
For goodness sake. If he was going to spend all that money on her, the least he could do was pay her attention. And knowing what-- or rather, WHO the cause was didn't help.
Peeking around the corner at the front of the labs, she stopped. She couldn't get it-- she didn't know why. So she directed her attention to where she knew the camera was. Marc had pointed it out once, telling her to wave at the camera because people behind it could see her.
And Haki loved all sorts of attention.
Dressed prim and proper in a little white dress with ruffles at her neck, she waved at the camera. Maybe someone would see her, and help her out. Because if she didn't do something to fix Marc up.
She didn't know what she was going to do.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:50 pm
Once more, Hadrian had thrown himself into his work. He was acting as if he could simply ignore everything if he just focused on it - and however much he got done, he could always find more to do.
Which he was doing.
...and it wasn't working.
Even as he sighed at the papers spread out across his desk, he couldn't get his mind off of Marc. Thorn.
How could he face Marc after that...?
That thought was frozen, as he lifted his head and his eyes landed on one of the camera screens, spotting Haki on it. For a moment, he searched the images for Marc as well...but it was only Haki.
Thinking that she must have gotten lost, Hadrian left his office to go to her.
"Haki...what are you doing out here?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:54 pm
What was she doing here? Her expression darkened. Wasn't it obvious? "Hay. Drenn." she said slowly, pulling the words out in a way Marc did whenever he was visibly displeased with anyone.
Standing up, she crossed her arms and tried to look remotely threatening. It was kind of difficult, considering the profuse of white and her height. But it was something.
"Haki miss you!" her voice escaped just a fraction louder than she had planned it to. But it was okay. Reaching out with open arms once more, she demanded a hug.
Maybe her ploy would work, if she was hold him. Because once he did, there was no way she was loosening her grip until he took her to Marc. Until he was in the same room with Marc.
"Been long long." she said, nodding her head.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:01 pm
Flabbergasted.
Honestly, what did you do when a toddler suddenly declared she missed you? And for a few moments, Hadrian merely stood there, staring at the little girl in shock.
Then, getting over it, he did the only thing one could do when faced with said little girl.
He knelt down, and gave her a hug.
"I'm sorry, Haki..." None of this was her fault, "I missed you too. Your father and I just...had a little disagreement."
And Hadrian then went off and got drunk.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Latching on with her arms, she nodded her head. "Marc miss you too." she announced. She knew all the signs. The excessive smoking. The drinking even when the sun hadn't set. The yelling and snarling at the working people. Haki knew all the signs, alright.
"Disgreement?" she echoed. How dare the scientist use such a big word against her? That was just cruel. Frowning as she placed it on her tongue and tried to work it out, she nodded her head.
"Wa' that?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:13 pm
"A disagreement is...when you get angry at what someone else is saying, and they get angry back. And then those two say mean things to each other."
Hadrian wasn't exactly used to using smaller words; so his explanation was bound to be entertaining. Not exactly the best explanation of a 'disagreement', but it worked.
Marc...
That only evoked a wince. He would have apologized already. He would have...but he still dreaded the idea of facing Marc, knowing what he had done as soon as the argument was over. Well, it wasn't as if he had gone looking for Thorn...
But he'd found him anyway.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:18 pm
Haki nodded as if she had an idea of what he was talking about. Get angry? Ooh. Wait. "Haydren fight?" she asked, and nodded her head. Pulling her arms around him and bouncing slightly so that now, she was hanging from his neck, she nodded.
"Marc here too!" wow, what a coincidence! Not. Deciding that this would be her first word of the day (Sesame Street never used words this big) she pointed to the apartment.
"Marc there." she smiled. Sulking. Of course. Probably smoking his way to death. Not exactly the best thing for a man with a toddler to do. "Marc sad too."
And from her gaze, she clearly expected Hadrian to do something about it.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:22 pm
"I-"
How could he explain this to a toddler? And somehow avoid her telling Marc? Hadrian was nervous enough about facing the man when Marc didn't know. If Marc did know...
He'd never be able to face him.
"Sometimes it's better, to...give people some time to themselves."
Coward.
Especially since Marc seemed to be more the sort to brood and brood, and not get any 'better'.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:25 pm
Haki watched him. Maybe Hadrian was talking about someone else. Because she knew her daddy, and there was no way she could take any more of this sulkiness from a grownup.
There was only one person who was allowed to sulk in this house. And that was her. Scowling as she stared at the man's eyes, she shook her head. But what was she to say?
"Haydren." she said. "Lots time already."
And really. Did this man like fighting with her dad? Because it seemed to be happening so often.
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Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:32 pm
Lots of time? Well..he suppose it had been a long time to a toddler. And if he was willing to admit it, it had seemed a long time for him as well. Even throwing himself into his work - it wasn't working. As guilty as he felt about Thorn...
And as much as he dreaded facing Marc with that experience...
He missed him. Hadrian loved him, he couldn't deny that.
And that was the reason why he gave a quiet sigh, and finally relented.
"...I'll speak with him. I'll drop you off, and Marc and I...will talk."
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:28 am
Haki liked to think of herself as intelligence, and so she nodded, smiling a somewhat smug smile as she tilted her head. "'kay." she mumbled, leaning against him and relaxing once she realized her work had finished.
Now it was up to her stupid father to fix everything. Because the next time she went out, she wanted it to be the two of them. And with him paying much needed attention to her.
--
Meanwhile, back in the apartment Marc was rearranging some of the work he had left here. He needed to pick some files up, and really. That was the main purpose of his visit.
He told himself.
Kind of hoping that Hadrian would drop by, kind of hoping that the insufferable mage would keep to himself, he felt just as haggard as he looked. His stylist wanted him to wear makeup to cover the age, and his makeup artist refuses to have anything to do with him, for ruining his skin like that.
Stupid stupid people. He paid them for their talents.
Saving the last of the files onto his thumb drive, he looked around the miniature office. Procrastination...
Hadrian was always apologizing. Maybe it was his turn.
And with that thought, he left everything the way it was and walked towards the door, down the stairs.
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:23 am
Hadrian had first thought to just walk Haki there - but he realized a moment later that she seemed very secure around his neck. Aha.
So instead, he carried the little girl as he headed towards the apartment. He was doing a pretty good job at keeping a straight face, especially when he was panicking.
He was still in the process of attempting to prepare himself to face Marc, when he saw the man; but not in the apartment. Instead, on the stairs. And as he opened his mouth to...well, he wasn't sure what he was going to say, but hello seemed like a good place to start at.
"...she wandered over to the labs."
Or not.
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:33 am
Marc stopped. Well. That got rid of the time he needed to prepare for this moment. Stopping and trying to think up a good explanation, he decided that he couldn't. Rather, there was no explanation.
"She has a habit of doing that." he answered politely. "Did she cause you any trouble?"
Haki scowled, loosening her grip just slightly so that she could point to the down. "Haydren." she said. "Down, please?"
Maybe if she went away, maybe if it was just the two of them, something could happen again. Although she wasn't thinking of sleeping over at anyone's house, she still wanted to get away from.
This.
"You look well." he continued.
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:53 am
"She didn't cause any trouble."
Putting Haki down Hadrian quickly straightened up.
He looked well? After working almost nonstop in the labs since he got back? Well, that was...doubtful. He'd gotten practically no sleep, and the only thing he'd eaten was a candy bar he found in his desk.
Attempting to respond to that polite comment with one of his own, he managed to return it.
"You...do as well."
And strangely enough, however unkempt Marc actually appeared, and how nervous and ashamed he felt - it felt good to see him.
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:17 am
Marc arched a brow just slightly, as if stating how ironic the statement was. Nodding his head at Haki, the girl smiled, beaming as she rushed up the stairs.
"It seems." he stated quietly. "Someone wants us to hash things out." Someone. Because he wasn't quite willing to admit that he wanted things to work out too. Not yet.
"Will you walk with me?"
It was such a simple statement, and when he thought Hadrian wasn't looking, his eyes scanned over his form, drinking in the nuances of his form, the sharp corners where the shoulders chipped off and the length of his waist. He saw the creases in the clothing and the slight unkeptness of his hair. It filled Marc with a quiet, dark sense of satisfaction, knowing that Hadrian hadn't fared so well either.
But his eyes still drank it in. The eyes, the hue, the way they curved. The nose. The lips. They lingered there, and Marc tried. Very hard to keep up the sembelance of politness.
"Please."
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