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 Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:04 pm
Nate shot Harmony a look, growling at her and pondering his revenge on her, though it had been Tony who made him spill. She was the one to laugh, and thus the one to make him feel the most embarrassed. And that was the most important thing here: he hated being embarrassed. If everyone had played it off as cool, or just ignored it, he would have been fine.
But no, she had to laugh out loud.
"Do you think that's wise?" Tony asked, when Kyndall suggested letting Nate out of their sight. There was trouble in the air, and Tony felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle at the thought. Or maybe he was just being dramatic. Still. If the positions were reversed, Tony certainly wouldn't trust Nate alone with anyone or anything in his house.
"Don't break anything, Nathan," Tony added, as Nate got up and pushed away from the table to go get this promised new shirt.
"It better not be ugly," he said as he followed Harmony.
Tony looked at Kyndall and smiled thinly, weary. He lifted his glass, though, since they were alone now and had the chance for a more peaceful offering of a toast. "To you, for inviting us, and being a good friend to me." He said softly.
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:46 pm
"Oh, for Pete's sake, Tony. He's just going to get cleaned up."
She didn't know the boy's explosive temper or his tendency to destroy things when upset. She trusted Harmony to help him find something suitable so they could both get back to the dinner table in short order and the two families could finish their meal together in peace. She looked to Tony as the two children left the room and smiled at his toast, lifting her glass in return.
"You've been a good friend to me in return, Tony. I feel very lucky to have you in my life."
Harmony led the younger Darrow downstairs into the basement. She flicked on the light and let it flood through the room. She pointed to the standing wardrobe at the side of the room so he could find something to wear among the many garments. There were so many styles to choose from that he was sure to find something in his style and size. She held her hand out for his dirty shirt, opening the washer to be able to clean it.
Clearly she expected him to take off his shirt in front of her and expected him not to be embarrassed by it. And she had no other interest in it but to get his shirt for the laundry. It wasn't because she wanted to see him shirtless or anything. He didn't even appear as a guy to her like that. Not really anymore. He wasn't even worth the time to flirt with.
Her studio was behind her, lights up and a backdrop hanging from rigging she'd made herself to support everything. Shelves lined the walls with her photographic supplies, films kept in airtight cases and chemicals for developing laid out in jars. It wasn't often that Harmony developed film by hand anymore but she had the supplies.
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:29 pm
Tony knew that he should trust his son more, but all experience and knowledge told him not to give the boy the benefit of the doubt. That was a weakness, that was something he would capitalize. If he thought he could get away with it, Nathan would certainly try.
But Tony was felling relaxed now.
He smiled at Kyndall and found his eyes lingering for a long moment. It had been a little while since he felt so relaxed. Not just because stress at work, or stress because of his duties as a knight. Since getting one little email, he had a pain and weight in his chest that he couldn't shake. A sensation of heaviness that slowed down his days, caught him in moments when he was off guard.
At the moment, that sensation had lifted. He could smile without feeling like he was faking it.
"I'm the lucky one, I think."
Elsewhere, Nathan followed Harmony down to the basement. He wondered if this was where they stored all the bodies of idiotic men who fell for their charms like his father had. He moved to the wardrobe and then looked at her.
"Why do you have all this?" He asked. Collecting things from their victims? Yes, Nathan decided he would treat them like a pair of murdering black widows, and this was all evidence. He pulled off his shirt, which he hated anyway because Tony had gotten it for him to wear for 'nice' occasions, and seemed to have no sense of bashfulness. Why should he? He was ripped and he knew how good he looked.
One of the many perks of his time spent training as a senshi.
He looked around the space, noting the photography equipment. Yup. All serial killers were photographers in the movies.
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:54 pm
Harmony put her hand on her hips and gave him a look that said she didn't like waiting. She didn't know she was being labeled as a murderess but if she did she might have laughed at his presumption. She wasn't exactly a good girl but she wasn't anywhere near that bad, either. When he slid off his shirt despite her decision not to look at him as a boy she had to catch herself. It wasn't noticeable, she turned away after she took the shirt but the boy was beautifully muscled and she couldn't help but admire the body. She immediately wanted to photograph him in her artist's mind.
"That's all stuff from mom's plays and stuff. Costumes from that and my photography."
There was some of her work drying on the line, too, if he looked. The recent shots she took at the park washed in black and white. They were quiet little pieces and she liked their simplicity. She tossed his shirt into the washer and dumped in soap and let it go, giving him time to cover the abs that seemed to mesmerize her. It wasn't fair! Why was it hot guys were jerks and her mom had to have the hots for his dad? She thought about this injustice and sighed, looking put out by the whole experience.
Kyndall caught Tony's gaze across the table and gave him a quizzical look. She was genuinely interested in what he was thinking over there. She smiled easily at him, feeling light hearted despite their children's kicking and screaming. She was used to Harmony's obstinance by now. She was a teenager.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked, helping herself to another glass of wine. She was trying to take it easy, to not give him the impression that they needed to be drunk for every interaction between them. It was certainly hard to carry on a friendship with someone she was becoming rather hopelessly attracted to. While she had no shortage of affection for him she often wondered if she was his friend simply because she wanted to be more and if it never turned into something more if she could or would still be the same. She wasn't sure.
But she liked being with him now.
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:48 pm
"Figures you're those arty types," he grumped as he dug through the clothes for something reasonable for him to wear. He was not doing a Shakespeare play, he was just looking for a shirt to put on so his dad didn't yell at him for being half naked.
He pulled on a shirt that seemed almost normal, and close to his usual style, then looked at her and grinned.
"Hope you enjoyed the view. That's the only free look you'll get, though," he said, waving his hand. He grinned at her teasingly, a distinctly devilish look that made his dark eyes light up with mischief and promise.
Tony looked at Kyndall, as if stirring from a daze, though the reverie faded in front of his eyes as she came into focus and replaced it. He smiled at her, realizing it wasn't that much different.
"Nothing important," he said dismissively, shaking his head and chuckling. That was a big lie, and he shook his head as if to argue with himself. He watched her for a moment, wondering if he had been staring for longer than he thought. Time was getting away from him. Looking bashful, he sipped his drink.
"I hope they haven't killed each other down there."
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:23 pm
"As if you even register as a guy to me!" she exclaimed, though it was a lie. She had enjoyed the view but seeing as he was such a douche she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing it. In fact, she'd rather die than give him any sort of win over her. Yeah, he was hot but he was also kind of a jerk to someone she viewed as being pretty great. Besides, she'd known her mom's crush and made Tony aware of it. And she saw how close they were looking upstairs. She stared Nate down and smirked. "Our parents are, like, this close to dating. You might as well be gay. Or my brother. Or something like that."
Kyn smiled. "If they had we would have heard screams or thuds or something suspicious. If I know Harmony, she can get along with just about anyone."
Oh, if only she knew! But she returned his look with one of her own, toying with her food in front of her and not really eating it. It was kind of nice, just the two of them on their own. He was good to her in a lot of ways, helping her through a strange and traumatic transition and being her friend and guide into a world she hadn't been prepared for. She got up and moved toward him, lifting him from his chair for an impromptu hug. She held onto him for a moment, feeling a little overwhelmed and grateful.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:52 pm
Nathan grunted.
"Yeah, well, whatever," he said stiffly. It seemed talk of his father's love life was enough to shut him up, and quickly. He was well aware that Tony and Kyndall were pretending they weren't as interested in the other as they seemed. Even he had noticed, and he took every effort he could to ignore everything about his dad.
Adults could be really stupid, the technically-an-adult teenager thought. He shrugged and grumped his way toward the stairs.
Tony was surprised as she got up, watching her approach with wide eyes. He wondered if he had said something wrong, but when she tugged him into a hug he thought she was just getting caught up in the moment. He wondered why it couldn't wait until after they had finished eating, but since they were alone and he was not being injured or yelled at, he couldn't complain.
He put his arms around her, hugging her to him.
It was a very good day, and one he would remember for some time to come.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:53 pm
It seemed the only two that didn't want to admit how far the attraction between them reach were the two standing closest to each other now. Kyndall was desperately afraid of pushing him too far and asking for things he could not give so soon. It hadn't been long since that fateful email was delivered and she knew matters of the heart took time to get over. She certainly didn't want to make him feel rushed or pressed or vulnerable. She'd never pushed him before and could not see doing it now.
Ironic that she should think that knowing she'd never properly faced her sister's or parents deaths at such a young age and such a vulnerable time in her life.
Why, in heaven's name, must things be so blasted complicated?
She looked embarrassed as she pulled away from him, feeling foolishly sentimental and covering it with a smile. She was grateful for who he was and what he meant to her but it could have waited. Christmas was funny like that, making her think of things in a light like this and making her see things she normally would take for granted. And why, in God's name, was she so tempted to kiss him? There wasn't even any mistletoe around to blame.
Harmony watched Nathan retreat and valued her victory over him. She moved after him out of the basement in time to see her mother and Tony stuck together out of the corner of her eye. She pulled Nathan back, not wanting to interrupt them. Maybe something useful could be accomplished. It was Christmas, after all.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:13 pm
"Hey!" Nathan grunted when he was pulled back into hiding. He looked around and saw Tony and Kyndall hugging it out. Wrinkling his nose, he shook his head. At least he kept his voice down. "I am not going to spy on them. I don't care what they're doing: I'm going to watch TV."
He didn't move, though, wondering if it would be a better idea to sneak out of the house all together. Would they notice he was gone?
Tony held Kyndall to him, sighing softly. She was one of his most treasured friends, on and off the battle field now. He would have been happier if she could have been safe, a civilian, but with her now sharing an identity as a knight with him it made being near her much easier. He didn't have to lie to her, after all, about why he missed some of their arrangements, or why he was late to others, or why he was always sporting bruises or cuts or worse.
It was a relief, to have someone he could trust so completely, with both sides of his life.
She was also good for his civilian side. She gave him things to do outside of the library, like this play and the ball, and he could count on her to let him complain about his son. They had their children in common, as well. Parents at young ages, and all that.
"Kyndall..." he said, looking down at her. He smiled softly, "Merry Christmas." He caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers, softly, then moved to kiss her. He had the instinct and couldn't stop himself, closing his eyes and his lips brushing hers before he was able to reign in his impulses. Now he was stuck, impossibly close to her, but not wanting to ruin this relationship as he had many of his others. Gun shy, maybe, and not yet healed from his broken heart. He diverted his kiss, pressing his lips to her cheek tenderly.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:43 pm
Kyndall closed her eyes and waited for their first real kiss to happen, unprompted by circumstance or alcohol. When she felt his lips brush her cheek she was confused and when nothing followed she cracked an eye open and saw him moving from her lips to her cheek, no longer intent on kissing her. She tried not to look disappointed and failed, pulling away from him almost immediately afterward.
"oh." she didn't want him to see how stupid she felt and turned away. "Merry Christmas, Tony."
She busied herself with the table, blushing, feeling foolish for expecting something else that he couldn't give her even if she thought he'd wanted to. She must have gotten the signs wrong and dancing around how she was feeling was not a practice she was used to. Being a mom and hostess was an easy thing to sink into as she started to clear the table. She could send them home with leftovers. There would be plenty of that. She'd made a feast for a mere four people to feed.
Harmony sighed from the sidelines, her heart heavy as they moved away from each other and feeling disappointed for both their sakes. She glanced at Nathan and shrugged, thinking the moment had passed. "Let's watch TV in my room. It's more comfortable and I have a decent collection of movies. Even the other Gremlins."
If what she said was true she'd have to get used to him, jerk or not. Besides, he couldn't leave cause her mom and his dad would be pissed especially if they knew Harm let him go. This was Christmas and their parents were determined for the families to be together like it or not. This way the grown ups could watch their own stuff downstairs.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:49 am
Tony knew he had disappointed her. He knew he should have followed through with his instincts, but he was still reeling. He was still unsure. When he kissed Kyndall, he wanted it to be because he was absolutely certain of himself, of them. He knew her feelings, at least he thought he did.
He just needed to settle his.
He watched her as she made to clean up, and followed her after a long moment of staring and thinking. He smiled at her as he helped her pick up the plates, apologetic and tender. He wanted to kiss her. He really did. But he just couldn't do it now, for a multitude of stupid reasons that all avoided the real one.
He wanted the night to finish well, regardless of the bump he had created. He didn't want to upset her, least of all on Christmas.
Nate looked at Harmony when she spoke, grunting. He still wanted to leave, but he supposed he could get behind watching some movies and ignoring the hell out of everyone. It amounted to the same thing: not being there, though it would be mentally rather than physically.
"Alright, whatever," he said.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:36 pm
It's not like she's expected anything. She was trying not to expect from him what he couldn't give right now. The breakup was fresh and though clearly there was attraction between them she knew he had to work it out in his own time. She wasn't upset because he hadn't kissed her. She was upset because she thought he'd wanted to and wanted him to and she thought that his turning away was clear evidence that she was pushing him to do something he didn't want to do. Like he felt he should be doing it to please her. The apologetic looks he gave seemed to be further proof of her theory.
She sighed.
What more was there to do but put things away and put this on a shelf? They'd go back to being friends after a while, forgetting the offending instance as they tended to do and get on with the tango of pretending not to want each other in any way more than friends. That was the routine and they were becoming rather good at it. Once she'd packed a huge container full of leftover food for them to take home she looked at the kitchen, judging it as clean as they would need to make it for now.
"Let's go watch a movie, shall we?"
Let the rest of the evening pass as it would between them both. She kept her distance from him and kept the silence up unless he wanted to talk about whatever was on his mind. She barely gave a thought to the fact that neither of the children had returned. Harm, upstairs, invited Nate to have a seat on her bed, kicking back so the movie could play - his choice, of course. She had pretty eclectic tastes for a teenage girl.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:22 pm
Tony was a relationship challenged train wrecked. He had a terrible track record with women, and it was not like he could claim it was on purpose. He was no womanizer, and he certainly was not adding notches of conquests to a bed post. He was a serious man who wanted a serious relationship, but he was bashful and awkward. Socially inept, really.
Still.
He wanted something deep and meaningful. He wanted love in his life, as he had gone so long without a true feeling of connection to anyone. The bumps in the road, however, the matches that didn't work, or the ones he had thought would but was surprised to find did not, made him almost gun shy. Especially right now, fresh off of a break up. He considered it so, anyway. Maybe it had been long enough for him to stop moping about it.
He wasn't sure, but he was not going to put a time line to it. He was aware that his feelings for Kyndall were strong. They were more than what friends should have had for each other. though, he did not have many friends, either, so what did he know?
He nodded his head, moving to watch a movie with Kyndall while Nathan was upstairs, doing the same thing with Harmony. But for being similar in decisions, they were far removed in every other way.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:43 pm
She let the movie play and felt herself calm, even if she retained a little guilt for what happened between them. The movie was light hearted and endearing. Christmas movies tended to be sappy and uplifting and she was a sucker for the season every time, having a lot to be grateful for this year. She found, halfway through the movie, that she had scooted closer to him and found herself reclining comfortably against his side, cuddled up to his body. She put an arm around him, leaning him back so she could lay her head against his chest listening as much to his heartbeat as the movie.
Yes, this felt nice.
Harmony was trying to put up with Nate as best as possible, even asking him questions about himself since she guessed he might like the subject matter. She was being polite to him in every sense of the word and even tried to get on his good side if it were possible. She was her happy charming self flirting coyly and trying to stick to what he likes.
She really wished he wasn't as good looking as his dad. Or, maybe that he wasn't such a jerk.
By the time the movie ended Kyndall had forgotten all about his disappointment and just felt happy to have spent the time with someone she really liked. Under different circumstances it might have seemed like a date. She reluctantly tugged herself away and kissed his cheek. "I think I need to clean up now and let you go. I've held you hostage long enough. Thank you for coming, Tony. It means a lot to me."
She called for the children and let them go.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:09 am
Tony enjoyed the movie and just sitting with her, and he did his best not to pay attention to anything that might qualify as awkward. It was Christmas, and they were having fun. It had been a lovely day, even Nathan had done little to destroy it, and that was its own small miracle in a way.
Oddly, Tony felt it had almost been his own fault, if anyone came close to derailing the festivities.
Still, the parents cuddling on the couch were likely having a much better time than Harmony was with Nathan. If he did answer her questions it was with sarcasm or something rude. But that was only when he did: most of the time he didn't bother to give her any kind of answer at all. But he was in a good mood, and not trying to push her buttons too much.
Tony looked at Kyndall and nodded his head, looking a little sleepy but very happy. He got up and gathered their things, and looked at Nate as he emerged, hands in his pockets, looking grumpy again. Did he not want to leave? He didn't say anything, though.
Tony watched him walk outside, sighed, and looked back at the Rosens.
"Thank you for having us over. It was very nice." He smiled and gave them both hugs, then left with whatever leftovers Kyndall wanted them to take.
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