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 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:56 pm
It took him only a few moments to calm himself back down to a reasonable temperament, one that wouldn't involve any more heated words or curt phrases, and as Shee looked at Einar again he greeted her with the same toothy grin that he'd first worn on his face.
To be honest he really didn't relate to anything she was saying, not did he care to now or in the future, so instead he felt it best just to grin like an idiot and follow at this girl's pace.
"Eh? Are you trying to tell me that you're not interested in what's behind my eye patch?"
His voice was a purr as he joked back at Shee, the topic jumping away from anything serious. As much as Einar liked a good debate, he wasn't so hot at debating with women. In other words - he always lost those.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:20 pm
That stupid grin was back on Einar's face. Shee decided that while she liked his expression better without it, if all he was going to do when he wasn't grinning was be quiet and moody, she could deal with it.
An exasperated little huff escaped her as Einar spoke again. "See? You're doing it again! Trying to be all mysterious and... and coy."
She leaned in closer to Einar, and tilted her head, squinting at his eye patch. "Oh. And what would you say if I said that your attempts are totally working and I was absolutely, horribly, dreadfully curious?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:32 pm
"I'd tell you that if you want to know what's behind the patch you'd have to pay the price. Nothing in life comes for free, you know."
Einar liked being a tease, that he did. It was much more fun than being mean and produced far better results from all kinds of people. He'd learned the hard way several times that being mean often ended with pain that he didn't want (though he didn't mind it), but teasing usually ended with a slight thump on the back or a good-nature chuckle. It was only once, if he could recall, that he was stabbed for teasing.
"If you want to know anything more about what's behind this patch you'll have to kiss me first."
He was half-joking, half-serious. Every now and then he added a condition that needed to be met before Einar would tell the story about his eye patch, but usually he just told it anyway without any need for being prompted.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:17 pm
Shee's mouth formed a perfect little 'O' as she pressed her fingers to her lips and tried not to smile.
Why did Wraith have to be so absolutely right about everything all the time?
She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and her head fell sideways onto her hand as she looked languidly at Einar. She supposed he wasn't completely unfortunate looking. But through their brief meeting, she hadn't thought he was the type to really care for others, even on a base level. Or a joking one. She wondered what he'd do if she actually did kiss him? Probably try to hurt her.
"Well, that's not so steep a price. I never thought you'd be the flirting type," she replied, batting her eyelashes in an exaggerated motion.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:57 pm
"Who said I was flirting?"
Einar mirrored Shee's head tilt, though it looked a good deal funnier one someone who stood taller, and he kept his grin on his face. He found the batting of her eyelashes to be next to hilarious, even if there was a possibility that she was serious (though he doubted this), and wondered if he should mimic that as well.
He quickly decided against it though since he did happen to have only one visible eye and it might look like he was trying to get something free.
"It's called a business deal and I happen to be a business man. If you can think of something else to offer than I may have to take that into account, depending on the price of course."
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:10 pm
"There must be some reason why, among other things, you decided to ask for a kiss."
Observing Einar's copycat tactics, Shee didn't know if she could keep from bursting out laughing and preventing the game from going on further.
"Hmmm. Well, what else would you be interested in?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:14 pm
"I happen to think that kisses are fun. Where I come from people don't believe much in skinship anymore so there isn't really a sense of camaraderie no matter where you go. I think growing up my parents used to hug and kiss all the time when they were happy, every now and then touching me as well with affection, but it stopped once I got older. I wonder why."
It could have been because of the unit he was in, or the fact that he was surrounded by all men all the time, but stuff like that didn't even seem to register in Einar's mind. None of the guys ever really slapped one another on the back or slept side by side, back to back. It was like there was always this invisible wall that kept them apart.
"As for anything else, why not give it a shot? You've got nothing to lose as I'd never raise my hand towards a girl."
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:56 pm
The smile slid off Shee's face for a moment, before she realized it and recovered, blinking slightly more rapidly than usual. Do not think about that, she commanded herself sternly.
She took a breath and then exhaled heavily as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, ready to think.
Let's see. What else could she exchange for an eye patch-related story?
Teasing him with a promotion would be fun, but ethically wrong. And sort of cruel. And Wraith would find out. She could... get him some more pink items of clothing, or convert one of her dupattas into a bowtie for him, she mused. Making a mental note of finding time to do that regardless, she realized she couldn't think of much that she thought Einar would be interested in. Maybe because the only conversation they'd had so far had revolved around scars and kisses.
"Oh!" Shee uncrossed her arms and clapped delightedly. "I know!"
"Do you like flowers, Einar? Or plants, or green things?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:53 pm
"I like the outdoors, yes. I think I spent most of my childhood roaming around the woods near and far from my home learning how to navigate and make charts. I really like to explore new places and see new things with my own eyes. Well, eye."
He snickered as he corrected himself, like it was a private little joke, and Einar rubbed beneath his nose with his right index finger. He'd thought it was funny at least. Shee probably wouldn't, he wasn't sure, but that's what he assumed anyway.
He'd noticed how her face slipped out of her smile when he'd said something, he wasn't sure what it was, but he wasn't eager to press into that issue. If he would hit the nail on the head lord knows what Shee would do - yell probably.
"I don't think I have a favorite flower or anything since I didn't spend much time admiring the flora and fauna. Things such as those are fun to look at, fun to pet, more fun to eat."
Another lame joke.
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:07 pm
Shee laughed lightly at Einar's joke. She was glad to see that the mood had lightened.
"I'm glad. See, if you had said you didn't like the outdoors, I'd have to dislike you on principle." Shee paused. "So, you're a navigator and a cartographer, huh? And an explorer! And you have an eyepatch! You're kind of like a modern-day, Norwegian pirate! Well, without the actual piracy part, I hope."
As Einar continued, Shee looked slightly offended. "You would eat flowers? I was going to take you on a special tour of my gardens," Shee continued, a teasing tone finding it's way into her voice, "but in light of this new evidence, I don't know if I should."
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:44 pm
A pirate, eh? That doesn't sound so bad.
Einar mused over the thought of himself being one of those swashbuckling characters he read about in some of the musty books he found while exploring abandoned buildings, a man who feared nothing about the unknown and carved his name into history with his own two hands. He wondered if that was how his history would see him as one of the few pilots left in his branch, but...
"If I had to be a pirate, then more than anything I'd have been one whose ocean is the sky."
A sky pirate sounded rather cool.
"I only eat flowers if I feel they threaten my well-being, you know how tricky those roses can be with their deceiving looks and smells. You should watch out or one day you might be on the receiving end of a sharp p***k."
His voice was just as teasing, like he was talking to a younger sister. He wasn't exactly sure of Shee's age since she was here at LOTUS, and when one came here Einar was pretty sure you either didn't age or you simply forgot.
"Now don't tell me you won't show me around anyway, for the heck of it? It could be worth your while, you know."
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:52 pm
"Oh! A Pirate of the Skies! That's so poetic. So, do you like flying then?"
Giggling at Einar's explanations on the dangers of popular blooms, she held up her fingers for his inspection. "Too late. I've been pricked so many times I can't really feel it anymore; not that you can see proof of that or anything," she frowned, as she turned her hands over, looking at the perfectly unmarred skin that covered them.
"Worth my while? I'll have you know that I'm a wonderful gardener; I think that maybe I'll deserve more than a story about an eye patch after we're done."
Laughing, Shee turned to walk back down the white, marble hallway. "Well, are you coming or not?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:20 pm
"I was called many things, but a sky pirate wasn't one of them. I wonder if I ever make it back should I tell my fellows about the nickname? Also, to answer that question my feelings about flying are more like a necessary evil. I don't fly because I want to."
Einar ended that quip there as he looked over Shee's hands, noticing the brilliance of her skin. He had to admit that deep down he wished his frame wasn't riddled with marks from mistakes, accidents, and lord knows what else, but que sera sera. Whatever will be, will be.
"You're pretty confident in your garden if you think that it'll be something enough to impress a story out of me. Your flowers had better to be able to sing my nation's songs if you're hoping for that."
He chuckled with good-nature as he followed the young girl, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. The day was still young and he had lots of chances to continue around.
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:33 pm
"You should! It's a great nickname."
Turning back to look at Einar, her face held a slightly confused expression. Shee had thought that he would relish flying; flying being a sort of exploration without many fetters. She herself didn't like flying. She tolerated it; flying being the only feasible way to get around, but Shee much preferred being on the ground, in contact with the earth. Einar's challenge took Shee out of her confused state and into one of mild indignance. She stopped, and turned fully to face him, hands on her hips.
"I assure you, it will be." Shee grinned at Einar as he joked about singing flowers. "Well, they could do that, but I'd rather they not. You'll see! It'll be marvelous."
Punctuating the end of the sentence with a note of cheerfulness, Shee twirled back around and continued on their walk to the gardens.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 9:24 pm
Is this girl serious, or simply playing along? No one in my time would relish that name at all.
Einar's face darkened a bit as he thought of home, bitterly, and he looked away as he tried to force images that were slowly resurfacing to the side. Here at LOTUS he had a second chance. Here at LOTUS he was away from them. From him.
"Eh? Everyone loves singing flowers though, they're an excellent gift. In my time women would be given bouquets of them trained to sing entire operas. Personally the Carmen lilies were my favorite. No one can sing that aria quite like the pink ones."
He continued to follow along, his expression now back to the one that was bright and cheery. He was honestly intrigued now more by Shee's garden then he had been before, since he thought that he'd explored every inch of the grounds in that area, and he moved so he kept in time with each of her steps.
"You're trying pretty hard at this, aren't you? Can't you just get my information out of one of your brother's files?"
So he did know who she was.
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