|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:41 pm
He had a slight and uncertain urge to hug Cordy for her simple and straightforward sense of understanding; it mingled with the paralyzing discomfort of human touch in general, and Fritz gave a minute shake of his head, as though to clear it, trying to maintain at least some sense of self.
"I do know that," he said, and smiled a little. "And I don't mind the rambling, trust me. There are many things to dislike about people in the world, and talking too much has never been one of those - unless, of course, that talking is impolite or disgusting," he added, because there was a line to cross.
Celsus slowly moved his feet forward, starting to find the careful rhythm that meant he was getting the hang of this.
"I have, yes. I still have no clue on earth what to get Hitch, he's a bit of a mystery, but T - Rhys is easy, and so are the rest of you." Fritz let out a small laugh. "I suppose I could always get him a tie. He would hate it."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:43 pm
"Socks are far more useful than ties-- Still not the gift that most people would want, but they come in an assortment of colors and patterns and they keep your feet warm on top of it." It was so easy to talk to Fritz, and just as easy to forget about any uncertainties she might have about being on the ice as well. Being around Fritz made her feel comfortable and at some point she would likely start questioning why and start picking it apart in an attempt to make sense of it all. That point wouldn't be tonight, however. She'd asked him to join her out for a fun night on the ice, not to ponder the meaning of life. "There's always baked goods. I don't know anyone who would turn down a tin of homemade cookies as a holiday gift. You could ask Rhys if Hitch has a favorite or two, look up some recipes and make a day of it. You and I-- We didn't do so bad in the kitchen together for Thanksgiving. I could help, if you'd like?" It would give her a reason to actually set aside a day for baking cookies as opposed to just saying that she would. "You're not so bad at this, Fritz."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 5:06 pm
"And seeing as how Hitch so very rarely wears anything other than flannel and denim..." Fritz waved his hand airily. "The more that he begrudges a gift, the more entertaining it will be for me. I can't have my future brother-in-law start off a marriage in thinking that everything will just be easy peasy, after all."
Being around Cordelia was endlessly comforting. She wasn't pushy, or prying. She didn't talk too much, no matter what she said. She was kindhearted and gentle, and she kept him from thinking too much about everything that was darker in his heart, his head feeling more level around her.
It was nice. It was relaxing in a way that he so very rarely felt these days, and Fritz cast a sideways glance down at her, laughing a little. "Well, see, that is an option, but Hitch - no matter what he says - has a thing for cooking, shall we just say. I would be too afraid of making something he isn't satisfied with, unless I deliberately made it so. That is, come to think of it, a tempting idea..." Fritz tapped a finger against his jaw and then smiled at Cordelia, skating forward a few more inches.
"I believe I shall take you up on that off - oh, blast it - "
He had about a millisecond's warning before Fritz's foot shout out from beneath him. Staggering, sliding all over, he grappled for the wall and clung to it, only just barely managing to stay mostly upright, though he did land on one knee on the ice.
"Well. Damnation," he gasped out, breathless with laughter. "This is embarrassing."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:07 pm
"Easy peasy? With you as a brother in law, Fritz?" The look on her face was impish, corners of her mouth twitching in an attempt not to grin like an idiot over teasing him. Hearing his laughter, even slight, and seeing him smile warmed her, reminding her of far simpler times when things didn't always seem so endlessly complicated. "In that case, maybe his least favor-- Oh! Fritz!" There weren't any children nearby for her to nudge him away from landing on, per their agreement, but that didn't stop her from making an attempt to catch him. It was a poor attempt; she still wasn't quite fast enough on her feet while in skates, but he'd managed to catch himself on the wall by the time she slid over to lightly rest one hand on his shoulder. "Goodness, are you alright? I--" His laughter was infectious and she found herself chuckling along with him, shaking her head slowly. "Generally there are a few dates involved before a gentleman drops to his knee in front of a lady, Fritz." The words had passed her lips before she could give them much thought. When her brain caught up to her mouth her hand left his shoulder to cover her mouth, the sudden motion setting her off balance. One skate slid and she tried to regain her footing, but the next thing she knew she was stumbling back to avoid landing on top of him as her own skates slid from beneath her and her backside hit the ice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:16 pm
Cordy was given a look of mock outrage. "I beg your pardon, Miss Carden, I am an excellent brother-in-law. I only provide the most reputable of friendships and support to those less fortunate than I, including the fiance of my twin brother. Or maybe excluding," he added, in a deadpan, because he couldn't help himself.
She had, at least attempted to catch him, but Fritz was not exactly a lightweight, and he had managed to make it to the wall in time to stop himself completely wiping out. Fritz clung to it, attempting to right himself, dragging his body upright while trying to get a firm footing on the slippery ice.
Her comment made him choke out a startled laugh, still breathless.
"Look, my dear lady, I was really just - oof."
Any attempt at teasing his way out of the situation escaped, because Cordy had gone down too, and Fritz had lost his grip, and then they were both sprawled on the ice, Fritz on his knees beside Cordy, gasping in surprise.
For a moment, there was silence, and then Fritz said, in a deliberate attempt to be casual, "Well. This is certainly a predicament."
He managed approximately three seconds before he burst out laughing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:37 pm
It was the fall that had left her breathless, as well as stunned and a little embarrassed. Cordelia sat there for a moment with an apology waiting to ramble past her lips-- An explanation as to how she hadn't intended to be so forward, perhaps, or something to brush it all off as caught up in the moment. In slow motion she watched Fritz fall before she could say anything else, eyes wide and concerned until he settled and... Well. This is certainly a predicament. Her expression shifted from one of concern to surprise, soon followed by amusement as she began to laugh along with him. Cordelia couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard that her sides ached, but she was soon leaning back on one gloved hand while pressing the other to her side through her coat. "This," she gasped as she shifted, face red as she tried to catch a breath, "this is entirely your fault, Mister St. James. My goodness, I can't breathe."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 1:27 pm
He put a hand down on the ice, the cold seeping through his leather gloves. Fritz tried to push himself back upright, slid a little, and promptly collapsed back down onto the ground. People skated past them, some glancing in amusement, others in annoyance, but Fritz couldn't bring himself to care more than just a tiny bit.
"I beg your pardon, I believe you were the one that started this," he said in mock outrage, reaching out to kneel up, clasping a hand to the top of the rink wall. Fritz dug the toe pick into the ice to try and keep his place. He managed to haul himself up a little higher, inch by inch, until he was at least semi-vertical.
Fritz stretched out a hand to Cordelia.
"Come on, up and at 'em."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 8:24 pm
"Mm... I did invite you to come skating with me, didn't I." She conceded the round of banter to him before shifting to her knees as he pulled himself up along the wall. Her eyes watched his movements and she attempted to make a mental note of how he'd gotten up so that she could try to do so herself. "You're just going to wind up on your backside again," she muttered beneath her breath while pushing her hands against the ice, attempting to support herself as she shifted. Before she could do so a gloved hand drifted into her line of vision and she glanced up, reaching out to slide one hand into his while the other found the wall. "Thank you, Fritz," she spoke softly as he helped her up, fingers holding on to his just a bit tighter until she'd properly regained her footing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:14 pm
"Maybe if we get out of this, we can celebrate with hot cocoa," said Fritz, and shot Cordelia look over his shoulder, an expression of mock outrage on his face. "I see you have a great deal of faith in me, I'm quite put out by your lack of support, my dear Cordelia."
Except he couldn't quite say it with an entire straight face. Fritz was grinning by the time he managed to haul the both of them up. He was still a bit wobble legged, but for the most part, he'd at least managed to not topple back over into a heap on the ground.
He squeezed her fingers gently, a marked attempt at being encouraging even when he did not know how to be.
"You're welcome. And I have enjoyed this night so far, just so you know."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 5:51 pm
At some point in her life she had seen a movie with a plot like this, she was certain. It started with two friends, awkward and impossible with a side of sarcasm and dry humor, spending more time together. They made idle comments about the world as they saw it, spending too much time at a coffee shop-- Or was it strolling through the park? It didn't matter. What mattered was for a brief moment Cordelia felt like she was in one of those movies; like a part of her life had somehow written itself out to be a romantic comedy. Did that make her The Girl™? Or was she The Friend™? She'd forgotten to breathe for a second, brushing it off with a shake of her head in an attempt to come back to her senses. It was silly, really... Lightheaded from the laughter and the cold air, maybe? Still winded from the fall? Of course. When she finally tilted her head to raise her chin and look up to him she was smiling, face lightly flushed and eyes bright. "Of course you're enjoying the night, Fritz. You are spending it with me," she teased, giving him a playful nudge. ".For the record? I'm enjoying it so far too."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 8:12 pm
Fritz felt a brief flicker of worry as he looked at Cordelia, wondering if she'd hurt herself in the fall. He thought he might have bruised a knee - and his ego, for that matter - but for the most part, he had gotten out of it unscathed. But she was smiling at him, and he felt the knot of tension in his stomach unwind, just a fraction.
"It's true," he said now, flashing a grin. "You have been an endless source of entertainment and pleasing company, that is for sure."
After a moment of internal struggling while Fritz pushed aside his barriers, and then he held out his arm to Cordy, crooking it at the elbow, clearly intending for her to take it.
"Shall we skate, then?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 9:02 pm
"At least I'm entertaining you." Her smile had shifted into a smirk that only lasted for a moment before morphing into something else... Still a positive expression, yes? Yes. Positive, certainly, although slightly confused at the arm being offered to her. Fritz tended to shy away from physical contact. Fact. Fritz was now holding his arm out to her. Also fact. Unless she'd hit her head... Not unless your head was up your backside-- That's what you landed on, after all."Yes, let's." Cordelia slid her arm through his, pushing back the small voice that was doing no good at all. It was far easier to accept that this was a decision that Fritz had made on his own when she wasn't paying attention to anything more than the music and the fact that he was smiling again. "Think we can make a full lap around without wiping out, my dear sir?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 7:52 pm
"You are indeed," said Fritz, and tried not to obviously brace himself for the first touch of her hand on his arm. It sent, as it always did, mingled ripples of immediate anxiety and discomfort chasing through him, but on its heels was warmth and reassurance.
It was hard to balance between all of his warring emotions. Fritz swallowed them back, then lifted his free hand to gently pat Cordy's where it lay in the crook of his arm, turning his head to give her a small smile that clearly said he was grateful for her patience.
"I say let's make the effort," said Fritz grandly, dropping his hand again. Little steps. "Shall we?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:30 am
"Yes, let's." Their progress around the rink was slow and filled with moments of idle chatter and laughter just as much as comfortable silence. One of the things that Cordelia enjoyed about spending time with Fritz was the feeling that she didn't have to say anything if there weren't words to be had. She could just be. When they finally made the full circle, only having fallen once more with a slip or two otherwise along the way, she looked up to him, bright smile on her lips. "I think it's time to warm things up a bit-- Hot cocoa? If our wounded pride can make it as far as the stand over there?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 7:17 pm
It was, in all honesty, one of the more relaxing nights that Fritz had had in a long time. It was difficult to remember the last time he had felt so at ease; it was not something that came naturally to him anymore. But Cordelia's continued warm, supportive presence was an encouragement that he both wanted and, to his surprise and a little bit of fear, needed.
He gave her arm a little squeeze as they reached the other end of the rink once more, Fritz laughing as he tugged her gently towards the exit.
"Cocoa sounds delightful. Let's see if we can make it off this rink without falling."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
