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 Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 7:54 pm
The rest of the week, after her short lunch with Hadrian, had passed in a sort of nightmarish haze. She'd gone through the motions - picked up groceries, kept the house clean, walked around the grounds without thought or purpose. She'd bathed, changed clothing, slept. She'd thought about checking on Hadrian, but decided the man was probably safe and sound and eating again.
But all the time, her mind was on the impending Friday. The date. The dinner. The man.
What was she supposed to do? How could she sit through a meal with the man who had ruined her friend? How?
The best way she knew how - by acting.
So Friday, she drank a little (she noticed she was drinking more and more - she'd have to stop, and soon) in the morning to calm herself and set to tidying up and cooking. Dinner was ready and plated and staying warm under little plastic domes - overturned bowls. But hey, they worked.
And she was sewing in the other room.
Natalie hadn't installed a clock yet in that room. She had no clue that it was almost eight o'clock, and that she really should have been waiting anxiously.
Instead, she was humming to herself, all caught up in making sure of the last few details of an evening gown she'd designed for herself. The dress was a reddish brown with golden highlights in the form of rouching and almost quilted panels. It was strapless and perfectly fitted to her body, accentuating all the right parts.
She hadn't been planning to wear it, that was for sure. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt were lying, discarded for the moment on a chair.
The door to the stairwell hung open, to let fresh air in and clear out the scent of onions.
All was ready in the worst, worst way.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 7:58 am
Thorn's face didn't hurt any more. Someone had discovered magic in the form of a cream, and while some makeup had dimmed the shadows of the bruises, he still looked like what he was. A man who had encountered a hand in the worst possible way. Still, he looked the same, otherwise. And it suited him, giving him that dangerous edge men seemed to look for in action movies.
And Thorn was happy with his appearance. Dressed a little bit more formally than he would have liked in a suit of dark green and ocean tones, he had a bouquet of violet roses in one hand, and a bottle of wine in a tiny bag in another. The secretary had done well with the flowers this time- half bloomed, they were beautiful to look at.
And Thorn? Thorn was looking forewords to this evening very much.
So when he found the door open he didn't hesitate about walking in. He walked over to place the wine on the counter before moving back to knock- it would be his excuse, of course. That he hadn't wanted to knock with flowers and wine in either hand-- what if one had been crushed, or the other broken?
That would not do.
"Natalie?" he asked, his voice gentle, charming.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:04 am
Natalie yelped, surprised. Thorn? Here all ready? And how had gotten i- oh. The door. The stupid, stupid door.
He'd caught her completely unprepared and off guard. Her plans were already getting shaken up.
Spinning around, she caught sight of Thorn. The roses. The bruises. It was... an interesting mix. She took a few steps towards him, then stopped, looking down at her dress. She hadn't meant to wear it. But... could she really go and change, now that he was here?
"T-Thorn," she said, forcing a smile and trying to keep her uncertainty and fear from showing in her voice. She glanced at the clock. "You're here a little early." Only ten minutes, but she latched onto that. Those ten minutes - she would've been ready if he'd come ten minutes later. Absolutely.
She kept looking back to his face, the bruises. Part of her, the part that was still attached to him, wanted to run over and ask what had happened. The other part... had an idea. If Thorn had run into Hadrian...
Then Hadrian had fought back.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:14 am
Thorn's eyes lit up with pleasure when he saw her. "I wish I'd thought of something else today." he responded ruefully, noting her assemble. "You look beautiful, Natalie." with ease, he handed the flowers over, nodding. They clashed with her dress, but he wasn't going to complain about it. Not when he showed him more, suggested more than her little school girl outfit.
Compared to this, that costume was ridiculous.
At the note in her voice however, Thorn frowned. Just slightly, and he eased it into a look of concern. Now why would she be acting like that? No reason, really. Concerned, he nodded.
Ah, it must be because of the bruises.
"Do I look awful?" he asked, touching it with a slight grimace. He behaved as if it hurt him more than he should have, and he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I should have called, cancelled."
He looked, uneasy. Not in the 'what if she discovers my secret?' way, but in the 'I should have spared her feelings' way.
"I am a little bit early." he said, and apologized. "I'm sorry."
Decent. Gentle. Charming.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:20 am
Natalie took the flowers, listening to him, blushing slightly despite herself. For a moment, she almost doubted herself. He couldn't be that bad, right? But... Hadrian. Hadrian's face swam into her mind's view and she steeled herself.
He was just a masterful actor. That was all. She knew the type.
Smiling, this time a little bit more genuinely, she moved to go fetch a vase. "No, it's okay." If you'd cancelled, it would have damaged my nerves even more. "It's just... upsetting. Who hurt you?" Filling the glass ornament with water, she put the roses in and took them over to her small dining room table, putting them between the two short unlit candles.
This was the first time she'd ever gotten flowers, besides from her father on Valentine's. Why did it have to be under these circumstances?
Natalie turned back to him, looking a bit awkward in her dress, her hair pinned up haphazardly. "It's okay. Honestly, though, I hadn't meant to wear this." That explained why her minimal make-up didn't match the dress. "I was checking the fit. But there's no sense in changing now, is there?"
Had she ever mentioned her designing bend? Probably not, not that it mattered. Still... she did have that tendency to want to show off. Prove she wasn't a talentless school girl.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:24 am
Thorn smiled, assured that he was welcome. He reached out again, and he touched his face with a grimace. He had cancelled the majority of his meetings with new shareholders for the next week, but had kept the ones with the old. It built reputation, but not when you were trying to convince people that you were a nice, gentle guy.
Like today, for instance.
"Hadrian." he said simply, nodding his head, searching her face for a reaction. He wanted to know how she would feel, and if it would show. He wanted to know how strong her attachments were to this mage. Most of all, he just wanted.
"We had a very bad disagreement." he said, wry like two friends who ended up at a brawl in a pub. It was one of those 'man guilt' things, where he changed the subject with an obvious clearing of the throat.
To make him look more like a man.
"It is beautiful. Did you design it yourself?" That would be intriguing. He knew of her theatrical interests, but certainly nothing like this. "It fits very, very well."
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:29 am
"Hadrian," she murmured, grabbing a match and lighting the candles. He fought back. I need to go see him tomorrow. See how he is. God, what Thorn must have tried to do... or done. She shivered a little, but hid it well as she moved back over to Thorn.
"Oh. That's too bad..." She wondered if that was a good enough reply. She didn't know what else to say without denouncing Thorn as an evil, evil man and telling him to leave.
She was glad for the change in subject.
"Ah, thank you... yes, I did. I'm a fashion and costume design major." She twirled one loose curl around a finger, smiling at him sheepishly. "It was sort of... a personal indulgence."
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:33 am
Thorn watched, and was disappointed. He knew she had hidden, something. If only because there was none of that curiosity. What woman, person could hear of something like this without reacting? A question, why had it happened? What had happened? Nature was a curious beast, and man was no different. So, he wanted to know.
Why?
Was she simply disinterested in him? Did she not care in general, about violence? Or did she know something? Was she hiding something to a point that she could not react? Dozens, dozens of possibilities flitted through his mind, some discarded as being too wild for a girl of her temperment. But he kept circling back.
Why was that non commital statement it?
He was a bit of an attention seeker, so he usually know how to reach for it with ease. And this? This was like performing and finding the audience half gone by the end.
It was troubling.
"A major?" he smiled, nodding his head. But his smile seemed hesitant, seemed as he nodded. "It looks beautiful. Do you do this professionally too?" He wanted to know more.
But he was still circling.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:38 am
"In college, yes." Should she put dinner on the table yet? She wasn't used to entertaining. This was all touch and go, going by what she'd seen in movies and read in books. "I... sort of. I'm going to be sewing custom clothing for the kids here, especially the ones with weird anatomy. Like Gavin, with his wings." A shrug. "I guess I could also offer tailoring services, but I doubt many people need them.
"As it is, I'm probably going to sell this dress." That was truth. Sadly, she ran her fingers over the fabric on her hips. "I have no place to wear it, and it cost so much. The money could have been used for more important things..."
A sigh.
She knew she was relaxing a little. Talking about her hobbies did that - she forgot just who she was talking to and got lost in her own little world. But... wouldn't that be better, for now? He'd probably noticed how stiff and nervous she was. Hopefully, he was attributing that to just normal nerves.
Hopefully.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:48 am
"Gavin?" Thorn asked, intrigued. The only child he had met was Haki, and she didn't seem to want to talk too much about the other people in the compound. But he had seen her room, and remembered the feathers. "The one with wings?" he guessed haphazardly.
Feathers usually meant wings, right? And the girl treated them too well for it to be from just any animal. Besides, they were right next to the pink orb he had given her.
"It is beautiful, and I'm sure Haki would also be very pleased if you would be willing to sew cusom clothing for her." he smiled, a little indulgent smile as he thought of the girl. He had the role of the pampering uncle when it came to her, except he had plans for her too.
When she grew up, when she discovered whatever that power was, he was going to get her to work for him. He already knew that she had long term plans for the future.
Looking around, he nodded. "Should we sit down, somewhere?" he suggested, wryly because standing was a bit awkward. "I bought wine." he nodded to the counter where he had left it. ((or table. or stand. or whatever. XD ))
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:53 am
She nodded. "I haven't actually met any of the children, yet. And I don't believe I've ever heard of Haki..." A slight laugh.
Glad that he hadn't picked up on her sorrow over the dress, she pursed her lips, clasping her hands behind her back. It was getting easier, this acting. Or... was she even acting? He was making her feel comfortable, as always, no matter how much she didn't want to be.
"Well, dinner's all ready, whenever you want to eat. But if you want to just sit for now, that will be fine." How did this sort of thing go? Was there idle talk before dinner? She had no clue.
She glanced at the wine. Alcohol. Not a good thing to have around Thorn. Hadrian had made that very, very clear. But she had agreed to him bringing it and had planned the meal around it, as well. And while she was scared by the man, she still didn't want to be rude.
Or maybe she just wanted a drink to calm her nerves.
"I'll get the glasses." She hurried back over to the kitchen area, pulling out two wine glasses and making sure they were clean. Then she came back over, carefully lifting the hem of her dress. She was barefoot.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:00 am
Thorn watched her, curious. Barefoot? A mix of emotions, then. Getting up, he reached for the wine bottle and tugged it out of it's little bag, nodding his head. "Where do you keep your wine opener?" he asked, smiling. Gently. Because this wasn't going quite as smoothly as he wanted.
"Haki is... an adorable girl." he said, smiling. It was a nice, gentle, paternal smile. "Small, blonde. She has very high opinions for her future and I do believe she wants to rule the world." it was said in the exasperated, bemused tone of a man who doesn't know how to handle such speak from a little girl. But he sounded proud.
Because he was, really. A girl after his own heart.
"Marc is her father." he said, watching her face out of habit more than intent. "She has the most adorable way of calling you uncle. It's quite addictive."
Children were suppose to be good, right? A safe subject to bring up with anyone, something that would relax the mood? And Thorn didn't quite believe she hated children either. What would she be doing here if she did? "You should meet her sometime."
Filling space by talking about a little girl.
Thorn felt quite pathetic.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:04 am
Natalie had retrieved the corkscrew and was handing it to Thorn when he mentioned Marc. Instantly, Hadrian came to mind again. Hadrian and Marc. Thorn. From the little Hadrian had explained... well, she tensed up.
It was just for a moment, but it was noticeable. And she knew he couldn't have missed it.
Still, she tried to go on as if nothing had happened. But her voice trembled. He was so close at the moment, and she'd let that bit slip...
A few steps back, out of a slight panic that she refused to let show on her face. "I think that would be great. I'll have to see...." What? If Hadrian would introduce them? Hah. No, she wouldn't put him through that.
She was at a loss for words.
What was she supposed to do, now? The night was awkward. Thorn had to know something was wrong, unexpected. And that... that made her nervous.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:11 am
Thorn saw it. It didn't take a wise guy to figure out that it must be about Marc. Unless the woman had secret fears about little blonde girls and their power dominating dreams. And he couldn't let it pass.
"I'll introduce the two of you sometime." he said, nodding. "I suppose then you haven't met Marc either?" he said the name again, to see if she reacted. "He's usually always with her- the girl doesn't leave her father alone. I think she sees him as her personal credit card."
pop
As the cork flew out, he caught it in one hand and watched her, intent. Hiding whatever he could behind a look of amusement at the general affair of things. A general look.
"Natalie." he said the word slowly, lingering over the body of the name. "What do you know?"
It was general. But he knew she knew _something_. If he had known what it was about... well. That much, he couldn't give her credit for. So he presumed maybe it was about their jobs. Marc was terrible at keeping such secrets, maybe Hadrian had...
hmmm. Hadrian.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:15 am
Natalie sighed slightly, relieved. That was a way out of th-
... Oh god. How was she supposed to respond? She couldn't lie. She couldn't. Not only because he'd catch it, but because, no matter what, she couldn't bring herself to lie to him.
"... Hadrian told me everything when I saw him a few days ago. About you. And what had happened with Marc." It was whispered, fearfully, and she took another step or two back, not meeting his eyes.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to keep this knowledge to herself, just gently ask him to stop pursuing her after dinner, have it all smooth over. Be done with it.
But now...
Now.
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