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 Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:37 pm
That was also a good question.
There was only so much help one would be comfortable in taking, much less giving, when two people hardly knew each other and the both of them were still strangers, regardless of introductions.
The fact that Emile was a butler had taken him by surprise. By the way he dressed, he could have sworn he was the rich person with the butler, not the other way around. Salem had no opinion on the matter of occupation, he just knew the man was tall and intimidating but could be nice.
"Depends on you, I guess... Don't want to overstep my bounds," Tier scratched the back of his head and huffed, other hand resting on his side, "If you're working as late as you say, I wouldn't be opposed to watching it until something worked out." He couldn't imagine working those hours, much less waiting on people hand and foot. Being ordered to fetch and give food was one thing, especially since the environment was completely different at a restaurant as opposed to a mansion, but every little thing?
"I spilled my drink" or "I can't find this, you find it for me" and such nonsense as "Change the child's diaper, I'm letting my nails soak" came to mind. A life of servitude was absolutely abhorrent to the blue haired man and he had no idea how Emile managed to keep at it.
"Things like that, I guess... The scheduling thing really makes it difficult, I'm not sure how far it can be handled or how far you'd want it to be handled." At least he was keeping loyal to the egg. It was rather like what he had felt about Salem's, only for the longest time he tried to assure himself that there was nothing living in it and it could just be a decorative house accessory.
...That smelled like blood.
Yes, he was an idiot.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:19 pm
"Right, right." Emile adjusted his tie, thinking Tier's idea over. "I wouldn't want to impose that on you though, since you've got Salem to take care of. Most nights I don't come home until after two-thirty in the morning, maybe later. Plus...Ah..." He shifted again, uncomfortable about saying it, though it had to be said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but we just met literally minutes ago so..."
His mouth set into an almost apologetic frown that was laced with a look that said 'you understand right?'. Precautionary measures, plus he wasn't sure how the household would take to having a bonafied stranger coming and going at late hours onto the grounds. Negatively more than likely.
"Not that I'm saying you're not a good guy, I mean, it's just...You know?" Floundering like a fish out of water. He gave a helpless shrug, turning around towards the end of the aisle as woman with a carriage rattled, paused at the opening, then moved on. The action made him look at his own carriage, now being pushed around by the blue-haired man with a child, egg in an opened backpack, and several things that weren't his inside the larger basket. He moved past Tier and grabbed a loaf of white bread off the rack, putting it in the child seat next to his egg without a second thought.
"Not that I'm not grateful for the suggestion. I...I still have questions though." He said, drawing the edge of his hand just under his eyes, which were shadowed with lack of sleep. "I think it'd be best if we walked and talked, I have to get my grocery shopping done and standing her loitering might get us kicked out. But I guess I'll begin with asking 'how long do you figure it'd take the egg to hatch?'"
He would need at least an assumption so he could start to work out some sort of plan in his head. Plus as they walked Emile could get a better feel for the man with the child, and that would help in the long run. Whether he liked it or not, he would probably come to rely on the man. He already decided he'd do a fake-illness call for tomorrow as well. If he was told someone saw his car leaving, he'll just say he was running out to get some cold and flu tablets or something. Necessary lying as it were, though it might come back to bite him in the a** later.
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Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:48 pm
Of course.
Here he was, imposing himself just because he'd had a similar experience and now was taking care of what he knew would be coming out of that egg there but this man had no idea who he was and he didn't know a thing about the man, either. Whichever way he looked, it was just two strangers and Salem was looking about as awkward about the situation as either of them.
"Oh, ah, right," Tier fumbled and grabbed a hold of his own basket out of Emile's cart, stopping a moment to let Emile catch up before they began going about their business again.
Salem was fidgeting, wringing his hands and looking around anxiously. His clothes had been adjusted back and in the frozen food section he didn't feel too bad in terms of temperature but it was still pretty cumbersome to have to wear all of the junk. He wanted to go back home but he also wanted to learn more about the egg and was silently hoping the two adults would find a way to keep in contact with one another.
"Salem took... a month or so, I think.. but really, there's no telling how long it's been since the egg was laid." That was something Tier hadn't thought about before and it caused him to frown. He watched his young charge look quickly to one of the walls as they passed. Apparently being in the shell wasn't a happy topic, or he'd just found something he thought might be interesting. It was hard to tell just how profound or not the knowledge of an Ashe was.
He sighed and scratched his head, looking back at Emile, "It could be shorter, could be longer. I don't think there's honestly any telling. I met three other Ashe, but I never asked how long it took them to hatch because they were already around after Salem had."
The grey-skinned child followed along, holding his hands in front of himself and occasionally giving a burst of speed before Tier let his hand down and the child took hold of it. Keeping up with adults was pretty hard; they were so much taller and took huge steps. He was briefly reminded of crossing the street while holding Tsuji's hand when they first met and thought that was a better speed. Slow and steady.
"...Wh-what are you gonna name it?" behind the sunglasses, his eyes were locked onto the bag with the egg once again. His egg couldn't have been even a quarter as pretty as this one, and it definitely didn't stink, either. He couldn't quite place what feeling he was having in regards to the yet-to-be-born Ashe; jealousy was too rough and vulgar while envy was a bit too specific...
Admiration.
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Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:25 am
Emile kept right up with the carriage and the two strangers as they left the bread aisle and made for the frozen food section. He still kept a close eye on his egg, though he was considerably more relaxed now than he had been just ten or so minutes before. He had built up enough trust that the younger man wouldn't run off with the egg, and that was the gateway for earning Emile's full trust. In this particular aisle the butler slipped off his dark jacket and folded it carefully before tucking it inside the bag and around the egg. The decline in warmth wouldn't be good for it, but this area was thankfully empty save for the merchandise.
"A month or so..." He really wouldn't have much time. "Definitely will have to hit up the baby stuff aisle while I'm here. I, uh, I only found the egg last night." He didn't sound embarrassed or anything close to that, just unsure as he tried to figure out just how long the egg could have been stuck in those bushes like that. It had been pretty sunk in there, and while the egg is heavy it couldn't have gotten that lodged unless it had been really fighting against the branches or taken a day or two. But then again, wouldn't the gardeners have noticed it during the daylight hours? The egg would've stood out then. He looked to Salem - just looking at the boy without really doing so - wondering how much time he had left and also hoping whatever was inside didn't decide to bust out here in the grocery store.
"I see." He said as he brought his attention back to Tier. "I've got accumulated vacation and sick time saved up, I think, so I could dip into that for awhile. Might not get paid much but I do have money saved up with interest in my bank account." Now he was musing aloud, one hand on his chin as he kept pace with Tier. The egg had found its way to him at a really odd time. Despite that, though, he felt that sense of duty and attachment and would do his best to provide for the child that came out of it.
As his mind started to go off on trying to pick another question to ask, Salem's voice made him start. Emile turned, not realizing the child had gotten out of the carriage basket as they had been walking and had been tagging along behind him. Had he known, the butler wouldn't have taken such long strides. As it sank in, Salem's question made the blond smile, looking at the silent egg that was mostly covered by a fancy suit jacket. His brows knit; that was a really good question but then again...
"I don't know just yet. It all depends what comes out; a boy or a girl." The hand on his chin fell and rested on the Ashe child's hoodie covered head and a smile made its way onto his face. He stopped moving then, dropping down to a crouching position to be at the boy's level and eye to eye with him. "But that's a really good question, I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it until the egg starts to hatch and then I'd be stuck." The smile stretched more, reaching his eyes. "Thanks for asking that Salem, but for now, I have no idea what he or she will be named. How about you though? What names come to your mind?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 12:35 pm
Well, the guy definitely seemed more well off than himself, Tier observed, and figured that was a blessing. Even in the weak economy and current lack of a job, Tier had been able to constantly scrounge up pocket change so they could keep living, generally by doing odd jobs for the people in the building. Things he had learned from his last "home" while buddying up with Jono. Still, if he could have started off with one and be able to give Salem pretty much everything he wanted he would do it.
Hopefully Emile would have that chance with his Ashe.
Salem was taken aback by Emile's response; what names did he think of? The grey skinned child recoiled and suddenly became very unsure, lowering his head and contorting his face in embarrassed thought. He wasn't good at this, he wasn't creative, and even worse he had backed himself into a corner and the man had put him on the spot. "M-...M-me?" his voice came out weak and he found himself short of breath until he choked a gulp of oxygen down.
His grip on Tier's hand increased and Tier clenched back, trying to assure him. "It's okay," Tier had seen Salem nervous before, of course, but not quite like this. It was obvious the boy was uncomfortable, but it was something else... more like he was unsure of his own feelings, whether he wanted to name it or not or even have a say.
"Ah-um... I-it makes me think of... sleeping... Because it's... night?" Some how, he'd managed to choke it out. It wasn't a name, but perhaps a clue to Emile for later, if nothing else. Salem would leave it at that, for his own sanity's sake. "S-something...pretty..."
Waving the child's hand gently, Tier looked back up at his fellow adult and slowed in his steps, "Should we... exchange numbers or... something?" It felt weird asking that to another male, but considering the situation, he was certain Emile wouldn't take it the wrong way. After it was asked, he and Salem stopped completely and he set the basked down in front of his charge, removing the cell phone from his pocket, "In case something comes up or... goes strangely?" Not that he was an expert or anything.
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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:53 pm
Salem's reaction to his question made Emile's hand remove from the boy's head. Had he spooked him too much with just that? Both forearms rested on his legs and his hands clasped together to show Salem he had meant no harm. The butler's head tilted down in a nod, his smile becoming smaller but no less friendly toward the Ashe. Who would have thought an opinion would cause the boy to clam up so much?
"Something pretty and night. Hmm...I like that suggestion." With a soft groan and some slight protest from his knees Emile rose back up to his full height, his hands dusting at that spot as though anything on the floor could have jumped up and hung on to him. Emile's attention went back to Tier and at the question he figured that would be best. "I think that'd be a good idea. Even if you aren't a scholar in these things," he nodded at the egg, reaching for his coat pocket to procure a pen. "You do know more than me."
The coat had to be removed from the egg to get at his ink pen. During those few moments of freedom, the egg took the opportunity to stretch its wings out and flutter them lazily. The Ashe inside must be bored, the conversation dragging on and nothing outside of Salem's recoil happening to keep it interested. Plus, it was rather cold. Not evening air cold, but colder. Once the coat was put back around it, the being inside the egg was grateful and went back to sleep.
"This is my home number here, and the cell is below it. Ah...Most likely you'd get my voicemail or the machine because of work. I'll try to call back at a suitable time, but I think we'll be playing phone tag quite a bit." Emile wrote the numbers down with the corresponding word for each set on a sheet of paper he fished out from his inside front pocket. That was handed off to Tier with the pen as well, waiting patiently for the other man's digits. This was quite the situation he got himself into now, but if he hadn't found the egg, he could only imagine who would or could have. It'd be hard, but parenting was never easy anyway, and Emile would do what he could for this child. At least now he had a contact who was going through the same. That would help.
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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:27 pm
As Emile drew back, Salem seemed to relax, if only slightly. He still had a death grip on his guardian's hand and his eyes were glued to his feet, but he didn't seem as apprehensive when he was forced to talk to the tall man. It wasn't that he disliked or was frightened of Emile specifically, but something to do with his gender and build. Though he was very nice attire, the man looked as though he could beat both he and Tier to a pulp if he really wanted to. Really, anyone with a build larger than Tier's intimidated Salem to no end and it didn't help that Emile was a face he had never seen before.
Tier was picking up on this, but himself felt no intimidation from Emile outside of how nice and well off he looked. He still couldn't place what he was doing in a "commoner" grocery store, but that wasn't his business. "I'll help if I can, but we're both sort of playing it by ear... I do know one other person who's taking care of one that's already hatched, and I met an older one of them a while ago," he dictated while fishing through his pocket and retrieving his cell phone. The paper exchange was odd to him, used to just cell phones, but he took the paper and added Emile's home and cell as quickly as he could before closing it and taking the paper and pen for himself. "I only have my cell, both it and a house phone are too expensive, but it's always on me and if there's an emergency, the hour you call doesn't matter." Scribbling it down as neatly as he could, he added the names Tier and Salem beneath the number with a tiny smiley face accompanying it on the back of the sheet Emile's own numbers were housed.
Handing it back to the man, Tier gave a smile and wiggled the hand holding Salem's, willing him to calm down, silently trying to let him know it was alright. He wasn't quite sure why, but he doubted someone bad would be given an egg like this. If any of the others were spoken to like he was... Yes. Whoever sought them out would never hand over a young child, no matter how inhuman, to someone who would mistreat it. For Tier, that was enough.
Salem's black eyes kept locked with the egg housed in the coat, watching its wings flap until it was in its warm covering once more. Had he done things like that while within his own egg? Did the others? He knew for certain his egg was nowhere near as beautiful. No, his carried the rank, coppery stench of blood and was as dull and marred as his skin. Hideous. "...I-I..." he had trouble, still flinching a bit from the uncertainty of the situation, but with a look into Tier's reassuring orange eyes, he continued, "W-want to meet them... P-please..."
When the starry egg hatched... He had to see for himself the process, see if he was the only one as comparatively ugly as his egg.
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