Welcome to Gaia! ::

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xxxxxxxxxxxTO YOU I SAY NEIGH
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xxxxxxxx »[PRP] - Preacher meets the cute Harper, who dislikes horses, too
xxxxxxxx »[FEAT] - Trotto, our heroine, and the sweet Harper
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xxxxxxxxxxxIGNORING SUNLIGHT
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xxxxxxxx »[SOLO] - she orbited him, gravity pulling against her will

written with troll toll

Glances
Her eyes followed him even when she didn't wish to see - drawn to the way he laughed and smiled like the sun. Her disloyal eyes. The instructors no longer made them spar, so at least the hands she felt burning into her body were only memories. But still, a jolt went through her when Axel sat next to Alec during dinner. Suddenly, the food didn't taste like anything at all.

And even though Alec was between them, she swore she could feel Axel's heat drawing her in.

Her ignoring him was worse, infinitely worse than her anger. Again and again he felt her eyes on him, but when he looked, she had already looked away. Wishful thinking. He spoke to Alec through dinner, politely. Axel’s eyes never strayed to Preacher.

When she left early he followed, catching up with her outside the dining hall. He want to grab her wrist and throw her up against the wall, kiss her and touch her until she gave in, but he knew that wasn’t enough. So he touched her wrist gently, just to draw her attention.

“Preacher, you look beautiful tonight.”

She knew better than he exactly who she was, what she was. And in the myriad pool of adjectives one could use to describe Preacher, 'beautiful' was not one of them. She shook off his touch.

"You shouldn't lie, Axel." And she went back to her dorm where, surrounded by other boisterous girls, she felt alone.


Touches
The hallway in the archives was so narrow; they had built it with the idea that the files stored there needed more room than any trainee walking. So, if she brushed against him, it wasn't her fault. If she dropped her small stack of files, it wasn't her fault. Too close.

The archives were too close. He couldn’t think of what to say, couldn’t think of a compliment that wouldn’t sound forced and strange in such a tiny space. Again and again he brushed against her, the back of his hand against her arm, her hip against his. Axel didn’t speak, but when their eyes met he smiled.


Gifts
The hair clip was from Shiganshina, bought through the mail. It was a pretty thing, decorated with indigo beads and a row of dark, carved roses dyed the same shade of blue as Preacher’s hair. He didn’t know if she would wear it, or if she would even like it, but when he caught her alone between classes he pressed it into her hand before she could refuse.

“I wanted to give you something,” Axel said. He held her hand a moment longer.

“I like you, Preacher. I really do.”

Even the tips of her ears turned red. Stay cool. Axel wasn't for her; he was meant for pretty girls with pretty smiles and lives worth more than a pair of boots and a song. Forcing a strained smile on her face, she looked up at him and fell. Fell into those eyes as blue as skies, lakes, bluer than the bird that chirped nearby. She yanked her hand from his and lightly punched him in the shoulder. Friendly, forced.

"Oh, I think ya are alrigh', too." But she took the comb.

Preacher was smiling but the smile was forced. Pained. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't seem to stop. The punch was light enough to shrug off.

Axel could have asked her to walk with him a while, or maybe told her more flowery words, but it could wait for now. Maybe Preacher would thaw with time. He smiled at her. "See you later."

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xxxxxxxxxxxA VISIT WITH FRIENDS
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xxxxxxxx »[PRP] - Preacher visits Henrik for advice, but leaves abruptly
xxxxxxxx »[FEAT] - a distressed Preacher and the lovestruck Henrik & Alec
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