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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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 Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:46 pm
Ian giggled and raised his arms for Gaunt to pick him up - he might be older than most Surprises, but he that didn't mean he wasn't going to take advantage of it.
"Know what?" he grinned at Gaunt. "Mom gives really good bed-time kisses." He nodded and pointed at the middle of his forehead. "Right there."
Serenity just about died right then and there. "Ian!" she exclaimed, her face VERY red by now. "Do we have to go home?"
Ian paled, and he shook his head vehemently. "No! I'll be good! I promise!" And he zipped and buttoned his lip, then made a motion as if turning a key in a lock, and threw the key away.
"Mmhmmhmhmhhmmm!" he promised, keeping his lips shut tight.
Serenity calmed down a bit, passing one hand over her face, trying to get rid of the redness that she knew was still there.
"Thanks for your offer," she told Gaunt honestly, "and I'll keep it in mind ... but I think my Papa would like me to first go to my aunt. She lives on the clan grounds with us, so she's close, and she's so much into technology that it scares me. Taking things apart, putting them together ... I don't think there's anything about computers that she doesn't know."
But she was sure she would think of other excuses to talk to Gaunt.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:05 pm
"The same goes for you too, you know." He said with something of a playful threat to the Prince.
"Aw.. okay.." Pouted the Prince.
He chuckles softly as he picked up the two and carried them over to the straight slide. Sure, the other one looked more interesting, but it was a little easier to get them to. He placed Ian at the top first, smiling at him. "Alright, slide down whenever you're ready."
He glanced behind him and he nods slowly. "Okay. It sounds like your aunt is the better one to go to." He offers Serenity a smile. What Ian told her, about the bedtime kisses. Well, sure he meant on the forehead. But he had to admit that there was something in the back of his head, nagging his mind. If she gave really good kisses to the forehead.. what other kisses would feel good? His cheeks colored and he tried to shake off the thought, wondering why he was thinking about such things.
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:54 am
Ian looked up at the slide as they approached it, his lilac eyes growing wide with awe. "That's kind of big," he murmured, his hands tightening on Gaunt's shirt. "Can we go down together?"
But then Gaunt set him on the top of the slide. He sat down carefully, looking at the ground so far below, and then looked back at Gaunt. "Can Prince go down with me?" he asked anxiously.
Serenity smiled at Gaunt. "But if she's busy or something, I'll definitely take you up on your offer," she assured him - though she wasn't quite sure why she was being so eager about it. She was looking at Ian though, smiling at him and trying to encourage him to go down the slide while she was talking to Gaunt, and so she missed the redness of his cheeks and was spared asking what he was thinking about - luckily for both of them.
"Do you want me to go with you, Ian?" she asked him quietly.
Ian nodded. "It's a long way down," he squeaked.
Serenity smiled. "I'm on my way up," she murmured, heading for the ladder. "Just hold on."
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:11 am
Gaunt blinked when Ian started to.. well.. chicken out. He had to admit that he was startled. Ian was by far the most experienced Surprise between the two. He really didn't expect Ian to be the one to be afraid - he was prepared for Prince. And he expected Prince to follow Ian's example - if Ian made it down fine on his own then Prince would be less likely to freak out.
And indeed, the Prince started to whine as well. "Dad," He seemed to be taking the queue to call Gaunt dad, like Ian called Serenity mom. "I.. I think it's really big too. I'm scared!"
Gaunt nods and glances over his shoulder as Serenity approaches. "Alright, I'll be looking for an email from you, then, if you need some help." And he laughs a little nervously. "And it looks like we gotta slide with our kids until they get used to it." He looks to the Prince and tries to reassure him. "It's fine, Prince. You'll see. As long as you go down feet first, you'll land on your feet when you get to the bottom."
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:58 am
As soon as Serenity reached the top, she picked up Ian and sat down, placing him in her lap.
"There's really nothing to worry about," she smiled at him reassuringly. "Compared to some of the things your uncles and aunts and I have done, this is nothing."
At least they weren't climbing a mountain or anything. As breathtaking as the view had been, they had been far too far up for Serenity's taste.
Ian held tightly to her hands anyways. "I'm ready," he said bravely.
Serenity gently pushed off from the top of the slide, and in only a few short seconds they reached the bottom. She nudged Ian to the ground, then ruffled his hair. "Not so bad, was it?"
Ian's eyes were bright. "I wanna do it again!" he exclaimed. "But all by myself this time, okay, Mom? You just put me at the top again."
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:10 pm
Prince watched the scene, and as soon as Gaunt reached the top, he had had a change of heart. This was his chance to show Ian how brave he was! "I.. I'm okay to do it by myself, I think, dad."
Gaunt chuckles softly and shrugs. "Alright have it your way." He climbs back down the ladder. He doubt he would have made it down very well anyway. His body was a little too large for such a toy.
Prince sat himself down on the top and looked down the length toward the bottom. He fidgeted a bit, looked lost on whether or not he would actually follow through with going down the slide. But when Serenity seemed ready to lift Ian back up to the top, he knew he ran out of time. He pushes off and slid. "YAAAAAAAAAHHH!" He came off the end and stumbled hard when his feet hit the ground, but seemed okay. He stood still and panted softly before he turned around and shouted triumphantly. "That was great!"
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:17 pm
Ian wanted to try something new, something that neither of them had done yet, but that wouldn't be too scary. He wanted to be brave ... but not quite that brave.
"I'm gonna go down backwards!" he announced proudly, turning around and laying on his belly, feet-downwards. "Here I goooooooooooooooooooo!!"
And down he went, squealing all the way. His hands squeaked from trying to grip the surface of the slide, but it barely slowed him down at all.
Serenity giggled and moved to stand with Gaunt again. "Well ... I guess that solved that problem pretty quickly," she grinned at him, her eyes sparkling brightly. "I remember the world when I was that small ... the first time I met my Papa I was terrified of him! He's ..."
She held one hand up above her head, about seven feet off the ground. "About this tall, I think, maybe a bit taller ..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:28 pm
He blinks at the explanation of the size of her father, and he coudln't help but to gasp softly. He laughs softly after that and he shakes his head slowly. "I am sure he is a good man if he's raised a sweet and caring daughter like you. But just the size of him makes him feel a little intimidating to me." He laughs softly as he watches Prince and Ian slide.
Prince, not wanting to bother with the ladder, tried to run up the slide, but the slope was too steep when he almost got to the top, and he wound up sliding back down backwards on his belly. He was laughing all the way, so he didn't seem to mind all that much.
Gaunt looks thoughtful, and he smiles with his own warm eyes over to Serenity. "You know, for humans like me, our time being small seems so far away. I guess I don't have that many memories from when I was that little."
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:53 pm
Serenity smiled at Gaunt. "Papa's a librarian, he's not intimidating at all," she assured him. "I was just so shy back then ... but he and Mama are both elves, from different worlds, but elves nonetheless ... and the elves are a tall race."
She motioned towards a nearby bench. "Shall we sit?" she invited him with a warm smile. "I think the boys are fine on their own for a while."
She had to look away from his gaze. His eyes were so warm, so inviting ... she blushed. The way he looked at her made her feel warm, not only in the face, but all through her body ...
Ian liked the idea of climbing the slide rather than the ladder, and he used his hands and feet to run up as far as he could.
"Almost!" he grunted, reaching for the platform at the top and missing it by less than the width of his pinky finger. He slid back down again, then licked his lips and started running again. "I'm gonna get it this time!"
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:03 pm
He nods slowly and he smiles. "Ah, I see. For most people here, elves only exist in storybooks. I'd like to meet your mom and dad some day. They'd be the first elves I'd be meeting." He smiles softly at her as he moves with her toward the bench. And her eyes made him feel much the same way. He could just lose himself on their warm, sparkling depths. He didn't want to look away. "My mother and father.. My dad used to work for the railroad, but he's retired now. My mom still works as a manager at one of the local banks. And whenever there's a technical problem at home, they always call me because I'm the most experienced with technology. Though I admit I'm nowhere close to being a professional, they think I should be able to solve them all."
Prince had the same thing in mind. Unfortunately, they both coudln't do it at the same time, as they found out the hard way. Prince was hard on Ian's tail, but when Ian fell down, Prince tried to hurdle his body, but coudln't maintain his balance when he hit the slick sloped surface. So down went Prince as well.
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:17 pm
Serenity sat down and set her bag to one side, crossing her ankles and folding her hands in her lap.
"It's nice to be able to be in contact with your family so much," she smiled faintly. "My Mama's father was killed when she was young, and her mother was forced into exile ... and eventually Mama was as well. But Grandfather was reborn, and now the whole family is back together again in the other world, Arda - except Mama, because she lives in Gaia with the rest of us, and Papa. Papa, as far as I know, hasn't had parents since he was little ... but he doesn't like to talk about that time very much ... so I don't really know. But I like how the family lives now - we live on clan grounds, so everyone in our Gaian family, from Grandma and Grandpa down to the great-grandchildren, all live in the same area."
Suddenly she realized that she was doing the same thing Ian had been doing when they had first run into Gaunt and Prince, and she blushed again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be boring you with so many details," she mumbled, lowering her eyes. "I think it would be wonderful for you to meet my parents ... they like to know our friends, as well."
"One more time!" Ian grinned, an idea blossoming in his mind. He ran up the slide again, and just when he felt as if he was going to slide back down again, and just as Prince came up behind him, he pushed off Prince's shoulders, gaining that little extra distance - and he was rewarded when his hands caught a grip on the platform at the top.
"I did it!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Now grab my foot, come on!"
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:35 pm
He smiles and glances at her as she recounts her parents. He shakes his head slowly as he softly rests a hand on her shoulder. "Its okay, Serenity. I like hearing about your family." It made him feel like he was getting a little bit closer to her, and for some reason, he enjoyed the thought of that. "I don't see my parents that much anymore, though. The college is a long way from home, that's why I have to stay in the dorm."
Prince blinked when he found himself kicked in the shoulders. He yelped as he tumbled over backwards and off the end of the slide. He sat up and he yelled at Ian. "Hey! What's the big idea, you jerk!?" He rubbed his shoulders, wincing in some pain.
Gaunt frowns when he sees the scene unfolding and he starts to get up. "Oh, boy. Looks like we got some trouble."
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:38 pm
Serenity smiled sadly at Gaunt. She was glad that he liked talking with her, and she liked talking with him.
"I'm sorry you can't see your parents very often," she murmured softly. "I don't know what I would do if I couldn't see my parents ..."
Ian blinked down at Prince, horrified by what he had done ... and very hurt by the name he had been called. Tears were already pricking at the corners of his eyes as he dangled from the top of the slide - but the wellbeing of his friend was more important than his own hurt feelings, and he pushed it aside for the moment.
"Are you okay?" he asked anxiously, letting go of the top of the slide and zipping down, landing on the ground next to Prince. He landed hard on his tailbone, and he winced, but he tried not to show that it hurt and climbed quickly to his feet. He bit his lip, clenching his fists at his side, not knowing what else to do. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just trying to get to the top!"
His chin started to quiver and wrinkles appeared in his forehead.
Serenity's eyes filled with worry, and she rose with Gaunt, one hand moving to her mouth.
"I hope they're all right," she murmured, heading towards the boys.
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:49 pm
He shrugs as he heads for the slide. "One of these days, I'll be living on my own. We don't have clan compounds or anything here. It would be nice to live near family, but I also have to be open to the possibility that I might be living a long way from them too." Like, maybe, in Gaia with Serenity? He probably woudln't complain if that was the case.
Prince hissed softly and kept his hands over his shoulders as Ian starts to come to him. "You didn't have to KICK me!" He spat, obviously angry and maybe a little out of control.
Gaunt sighs and he picks up Prince when he gets there, doing his best to check up on the Surprise - though he really doesn't know what to do. "Ssh. Its okay, Prince. It's not that bad." And he wasn't going to make excuses for Ian, since it did kind of seem that Ian was on the wrong even if Prince was over-reacting to it.
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Elnara Aldrich Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:10 am
Ian sniffled, trying his hardest not to cry, but despite his best efforts a tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly.
"I'm sorry," he squeaked, sad and angry at himself for hurting his friend - his only friend, outside the family. "I did- I didn't mean to hurt you!"
Serenity stood next to Gaunt and held her hands out hesitantly. "Would you like me to check him over?" she asked Gaunt quietly. She didn't want to say anything, but she could sort of tell by how Gaunt was looking at him that he didn't quite know what he was doing ... and since she knew for a fact that Ian was the one at fault here, she would worry about him afterwards.
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