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 Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:15 pm
I'm never too busy for you. Hae-min smiled, even as he began to question her use of language. She was almost grateful when he--
She looked surprised, and almost ready to let go until he spoke again. Her stomach jumped oddly- what happened here? Did she do something wrong? She shut up and listened for a moment. Then she smiled and kissed his cheek. "Well... I guess it's okay, then." Though his grip loosened, Hae-min stayed just as close.
"Everything," she said, feeling that she should answer his question even though he hadn't finished asking. Carefully, she disentangled her hands from his hair once it was arranged to her satisfaction and hugged him again. "Love you."
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Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:55 am
Indigo eyes slowly reopened, focusing on the woman's face, finding himself the willing recipient of another Hae-min hug. His arms returned to their tight and supportive positioning, resting his head against her so that the bridge of his nose was against her shoulder. Brad couldn't recall if they'd always been so close, so freely affectionate; he wondered if he'd taken all that time for granted before, and if there was anything he could do now to make sure it wouldn't ever be that way again.
"That's a lot to be damning," he commented quietly. "I hope I'm not included, at least not until I deserve it." He paused before adding, "Nevermind, damn me too then." A deep chuckle rolled through his chest, quite pleased where he was and not exactly willing to end the sweet moment just yet. "Love you more," he replied in a mock gruff voice, although with how much Hae-min doted on him and generally spoiled him rotten, he'd be hard pressed to argue the point.
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Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:33 pm
"A lot of it deserves it. Not you, though. Never you." When he changed his mind, she shifted so she could almost see him- Hae-min would rather stay close, now, than turn to see something she might not like. "Why would you say that?" Her tone was wondering, even as she moved a little within the welcome confine of his arms so she could shift her weight from one foot to the other. "You're one of the best people I know."
She didn't argue with his opinion- love her more than she loved him? Well... she loved him enough that she wouldn't contest that. That thought made her giggle for reasons she didn't care to explain. "Okay," she agreed, a little breathless.
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:06 pm
He harumphed quietly, stating, "Damn me for doing this to you. Does that work?" It was a gentle teasing tone he spoke with, but with an undercurrent of serious implications. One of the best people she knew? "You must not know many nice people," he said after a while, his voice jesting. "But I'm grateful you think so. I already feel like my hands are tied, that you've turned your life around for two of us, and that there's nothing I can do for you."
Brad sighed softly, yet unrelinquishing the woman in his embrace. Maybe it was purely selfish that he was upset, that he wanted to shoulder some of the consequence, but his heart told him otherwise. He just wanted to give her something back, something solid and reliable, but his life rarely consisted of those two traits. In that moment, he thought if he could change that fact about himself, he would. He was simply that taken with his dear Hae-min.
"You are the best person I know. That's why this is difficult to swallow. I wanted to see you happy with your gardens, always," he explained with a hint of loss. He didn't want her to feel guilty or regret telling him, he merely wanted to express why he was so discontent. The woman had taken a bullet for him that he gladly would have suffered for her happiness.
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:27 pm
Hae-min tightened her grip on him, digging her nails into his back a little (not enough to hurt, of course! this was Brad, she couldn't hurt him) so he would know she was serious when she said, "You didn't do this to me. Don't ever say that again." Then, feeling a little bad, she kissed his cheek and flattened her hands. "Please?"
She contemplated how few good people he must know if someone like her was the best person she knew. "I can still be happy with my gardens. I will be, too. Just not as, as often as before."
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:09 am
There was silence for a while, head still lowered against her shoulder as he considered her words. He could tell by the tensing of her back that she was upset by his statement; it didn't change the fact that he felt it was completely honest. How could someone - or thing - use him as leverage over Hae-min? Brad didn't regret any of the years they'd spent together, he wouldn't give them up for the world...but he would give them up to spare her this. That was how he loved her.
"Okay," he agreed quietly. He wouldn't say it again, but be damned if he wouldn't think it. Lifting his head to look at her, his expression furrowed into consideration before he spoke again. "I have access to the roof from my loft. You could always use it to make a new garden, if you wanted."
So that was a little random, but not by his thought process. He couldn't rightly name the reason he was so set on keeping her near, but he was definitely finding means to do so. Hell, he couldn't even let her go! Brad quirked a sideways smile as he realized he really hadn't released her, nor had she to him. It just proved to him how uncertain they both were, how unhappy the situation was.
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:45 pm
The solemn mood made her a little worried, and quickly Hae-min decided it wasn't to be borne. Generally, she had a bit of skill at lifting tension, so she considered that she might know what to do here. She smiled again, laughed, then lightly shifted to run one hand through her hair. "You'd get sick of me if I did that," she teased, "Because I'd have to come over and make sure you didn't forget among all this work."
Still smiling, she sighed. "That might be enough reason to make one anyway... Will you show it to me? The roof?" One advantage she hadn't considered of this new hairstyle was that she didn't have to worry about looking like the girl from The Ring when she looked up at people. That thought made her smile, too.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:04 pm
A small smile formed, giving a light nod, trying not to watch her hand brush through her hair. "Sick of you? Not possible. Not in this life or the next." At her request, Brad gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek before finally releasing her, snagging a button-up shirt of the bar stool and putting it on, not bothering with the buttons. "My pleasure. This way, my lady?" he teased lightly, offering his arm to her.
Whether she'd take it or not, he'd usher them both to the front door, snatching the keys off the coat rack (very good place for keys, he knew) and lead them out into the hallway, unlocking a door a short ways from his own entrance and proceeding up a narrow passageway (having to relinquish her arm her to do so). Another locked door, this one actually pushed to the side like sliding glass, and the sky yawned above them.
Brad finished the rest of the steps onto the roof, turning back and offering his hand to help Hae-min up. The roof wasn't quite the ugly city type that most would expect; it was actually quite clean, an earthen brown in color with a few plush chairs beneath a simple canopy and a handful of potted plants in various stages of bloom and decay. Despite not being the the tallest building in the vicinity, it was surprisingly private and spacious. "So?" he asked, pleased with his own handy work of managing to keep it somewhat clean in 'all his spare time,' open shirt fluttering in a fair breeze. "What do you think? Salvageable?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:27 pm
She felt strange, and a little cold, when he let go of her. It would have been enough to make her uncomfortable if she hadn't seen it was just to put on a shirt- he wasn't offended or anything. Men were touchy. She knew that very well. "It's happened," she insisted as she took his arm and followed- up the stairs, then, and onto the roof. Even once she was standing out in the air, she didn't let go of his hand- it didn't occur to her that such a thing might be necessary.
Upon seeing the plants- they were the first thing she looked at, since they were just about her entire career- she couldn't suppress a giggle. "Oh, Brad. It's beyond salvageable." Yes, she could do something with this space- not her usual type of work, of course not, since she couldn't actually put true gardens here. But she could certainly work with it, and it would be a fun challenge. She would need one, for when she wasn't doing her... duty. "May I really," she asked, smiling at the space. "You wouldn't mind?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:47 pm
Brad made no effort to release Hae-min's hand, having been so loathe to let her go before. Standing on the roof with the breeze and Hae-min, he could almost allow himself to be cheesy and think that he was on top of the world. "Yeah?" he looked over to her with a wide smile, pleased at her own show of contentment. Or maybe it was hearing his own name, it was hard to tell at that moment. "Glad to hear it."
Suddenly, the hand holding wasn't enough. He gingerly pulled her hand behind him so that it was wrapped around his side; he then untwined his fingers and curled his arm around her in return. It soothed him to have her close, even when his mind was still trying to run off with her and the way her clothes fluttered around her body. Brad squeezed her gently, looking over the roof, imagining all that she could do with it. He had perfect faith in her. "I would be honored if you'd breathe some life into this place," he replied in earnest. "I know you'd make it beautiful, and to know that it was done by you would make it very special to me."
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:00 pm
Thinking still of what she could do, Hae-min looked up at Brad. Somewhere between answering the door and standing here now, the attitude between them had changed- a little, but enough that she could notice it. It was a little sad- but she didn't mind. In fact, she thought she might even like it. That decided, she beamed. "Promise that once I start, you won't look, though," she said, tugging on the hem of his shirt. "Please?"
Well, she wouldn't be unduly dissatisfied if he didn't promise. She did have a fondness for dramatic reveals- or, in this case, surprising him with the garden she wanted to make. Already it was taking shape in her mind- she itched to get home and sketch it out, but she was comfortable. Moving would be an unnecessary inconvenience at this point. "Do you want to keep the sitting area where it is, or may I move it?" She looked up at him, all naivete and good intentions.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:11 pm
The tug on his shirt was too cute for words, so he fixed her with a warm smile, leaning down to give her a better half-hug. Lifting his free hand as though swearing in during a court session, he put on his solemn face and said, "I swear. You have my word." Brad chuckled softly, knowing he could never say no to Hae-min anyway, not when she was trying to be so sweet to him.
His indigo gaze returned to sweep over the rooftop, feeling warm again. He was having a slightly difficult time concentrating on the task at hand once more, trying not to dwell on it too much, welcoming the words as a distraction. A distraction from his own mind? That wasn't good. "You may do whatever you please," Brad smiled, keeping his voice even. "My roof and I are at your disposal." A slight grin marked his words as jest, even if they didn't quite feel like it.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:44 pm
Distraction successful! Hae-min was pleased by that, so she let go of his shirt and instead took his other hand. But now what to do? She hummed a little, thinking. "Thank you," she decided to say, "I promise I won't disappoint you." She would certainly do her best to avoid it, at any rate. "And don't go saying I couldn't disappoint you, either," she added, to cut off the complaint she knew was coming. Hae-min certainly didn't want to disappoint him, wouldn't go out of her way to do so, but she could.
Unfortunately for Brad, she had distracted herself enough that she didn't think to watch and make sure her powers didn't get carried away. "There," she murmured, casting her gaze around the area. "And over there." She smiled again, happy in the thoughts of the challenge to come. "Do you want flowering plants?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:01 pm
Huffing, Brad opened his mouth to retort, and snapped it to a close just as quickly when Hae-min cut him short. The woman knew him all too well; it was comforting, but a bit damning when he wanted to tease her. He gave her a guilty and sheepish glance, a tick of a smile on his features before his eyes moved elsewhere as another distraction overtook him. The warmth wasn't just from Hae-min, or rather, it was that warmth and it was back with a vengence.
The man took deep, calming breaths, concentrating on the cool wind against his bare skin, trying to pretend he was chest-deep in snow, stuck in an icy rain, anything to null the rapidly spreading warmth that was getting difficult to think past. "Hm?" he jerked out of his own thoughts, gaze somewhat unfocused as it returned to her. "Whatever you want," he murmured softly, eyes dipping below her jaw. Brad tore his attention back to the roof, then to the sky, trying to focus on clouds and airplanes. Anything! Anything but what his body was beginning to remember.
"Kinda warm for this time of year," he commented off-handedly, tugging at the loose collar of his unbuttoned shirt as though it were too tight. There was only one way this could get more awkward, and he would sooner throw himself off the building than put Hae-min through that.
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:57 am
She looked over at Brad, confused. It felt a little cool to her, actually, which was why she stayed so close. "You do look flushed," she said, feeling concerned. Upon further thought, she began to continue- "Are you fe- oh!" She blushed and hoped embarrassment was a negative emotion. "I'm sorry!" It wasn't like she was a normal person anymore. Hae-min had to remember that, which leveled her mood just fine.
"Do you feel better," she asked him anxiously.
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