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 Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:35 am
With trededition, Hadrian headed towards the apartment; he kept his eyes on the ground, as if he could keep Marc from appearing simply by not seeing him if he did. But obviously, the ostrich tactic didn't work too well.
Because when he lifted his head as he was nearing the entrance of the building, his eyes landed on a familiar figure.
Marc.
The mage was certain that his face had lost all of its color, and he felt the sudden urge to flee back to the labs - but the other man had to have seen him as well...
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:39 am
Marc stiffened at the sight of the man, and something in his face hardened. It was as if he was gritting his jaw and keeping whatever it was that kept hesitating at the back of his mind from spilling out. It hurt, seeing him. Maybe he should have bought Haki to distract the man after all.
Except he couldn't trust his daughter either. Not her and the baleful looks she sent in his direction.
"Hadrian." he said stiffly.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:43 am
"Marc."
Why had he come back to the building? As soon as he came back, he ran into Marc, of course. Sometimes...things just didn't like going his way.
For a moment, he took in Marc's appearance, before averting his eyes. Don't look, don't pay attention...don't focus on him.
Floundering for wonder of what to say, he finally decided to not say anything. Instead, he just kept his head lowered and entered the building.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:45 am
Marc followed. He moved slowly, trying to give him distance except then he could see the mage walking up the stairs, and that bought back uncomfortable memories. If he stayed too close, he could see the mage and...
"You need to take better care of yourself." he said, uncomfortable. Silence could be worse sometimes.
"And... I'm here for my stuff. Important stuff. To take home. With me."
He felt so stupid, and weighted down by clusmy words.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:48 am
Take better care of himself?
Hadrian fought back an innapropriate laugh at those words, growing more uncomfortable as Marc paused on the floor as well. Why wasn't he going up, was-?
Oh. Of course...he just wanted his stuff.
"Ah. Right."
Unlocking and opening the door, he stepped inside and left the door open behind him, for Marc to come and collect his things.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:54 am
Marc was being childish. He knew it. But right now he was feeling childish enough that he felt he was justified. He tossed one of the black duffel bags with the logo in silver across the long body.
"Could you um... pack it for me?" he asked, uncomfortable. 'I'll go upstairs and get some other stuff for work. From my place."
Gods. The words weren't feeling very pleasant right now.
"I'll wait here." he said, and he didn't want for an answer. He couldn't.
It hurt. And it would be suicide to step into that place.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:58 am
Any words he might have said were swallowed up in his throat, pain at this lodging there as if it was something physical.
Marc was going to make him pack up his stuff. Gods, there was a punishment unlike any other...he had to pack up his ex-lover's things.
Giving a jerky nod, he went further inside to gather them up.
And he had a feeling that by the end of this, his eyes were going to be rimmed red again.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:01 am
Much too quickly he was downstairs already. That was because he had known where the files were, the data he needed. The books he needed to reference from. And so too quickl he was sitting on the steps, head cradled in his hands and not wanting to face the mage again.
Not now. He needed more time. More control.
How cowardly was this?
If Haki could see him...
He snorted. A disgusted, self effacing snort as he shook his head.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:06 am
Hadrian took longer then Marc was, struggling to keep his composure while he packed up everything - the alcohol that Marc left down there, articles of clothing that had been left behind, little trinkets...
He knew that if he let one tear go, they were also going to come crashing down. And he couldn't face Marc if he was crying.
And finally, he was done. Everything of Marc's...
Stepping outside his apartment, he didn't once look at Marc. He couldn't.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:10 am
Marc saw his feet, and immediatly jumped up. He got up too quickly, rushed as he picked up his own bag and reached for the other. The mage wouldn't look at him, and Marc used that excuse to look at the mage.
"I." he stopped. Paused. Considered his words.
"Haki misses you." he stated lamely.
That wasn't true. Well. It was, but it was an understatement.
His daughter was, in one word, furious.
And he would use any excuse to say... something.
"Thank you." he said, of the bag.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:18 am
Haki missed him?
Finally gathering the courage to lift his trembling gaze to Marc's, he gave a quiet nod, "...I miss her too."
And you, even more so.
He left the second part unspoken, knowing that it would turn this oddly peaceful encounter into something worse, would make it another horrible meeting.
And as bad as this was...it was better then them arguing.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:28 am
Marc jerked his head into a nod. Didn't Hadrian miss him? At all? He had given the man the perfect opportunity to say something. Anything. Even "I miss the both of you." or "I miss you."
But nothing.
Disgusted in himself, he nodded.
"You know the pass to my house." he said, stiff. Formal. "I haven't changed it. Eat something. I've got food up there."
It implied, more than anything what he didn't need to say.
He wouldn't be back for a while. He was inviting Hadrian in because Marc knew he wouldn't need to see the mage... at least, for a while. For some time.
"Deliveries..." he stopped, growled, and sighed.
"Don't... get sick." then he swiftly added. "the souls can't afford it, right?"
Because he wasn't concerned at all. Completely. Totally. Right?
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:35 am
Hadrian processed the words quickly - inviting him up there? But...
Then he took note of the comment on deliveries.
"Are you...leaving?"
He didn't ask where he was going. He couldn't - what right did he have to know Marc's business? Maybe this would make things easier, if the man was going somewhere else for a while. Less chance of running into him.
But...something in his panicked at the thought of Marc leaving. Even if it was better for them both, something was still clinging the the thought that he was so close - that things could work out.
Then, the comment about not getting sick. Which was a real possibility if he stopped to think about it - he was running himself down. Not enough sleep, enough food, and working too much...
But any hopes that Marc said that because he was concerned faded at the next few words. He just...said that because of Haki, and the other Souls.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:45 pm
Marc shrugged. "Haki can come here to visit if she wants. The driver will listen to her." he was avoiding the true purpose, and trying to distract them both by speaking of someone else. What did the mage expect him to say? It was obvious why he didn't want to be around.
Yes. Marc was taking the coward's way out. But he didn't want to deal with minutes like this. This encounter only proved that the desperate part of his mind was actually quite lucid.
Quite.
"Sometimes. Maybe. And" he looked uncomfortable. "If there's an emergency and Haki needs me really badly, you know my number." specific. So specific. Because he didn't know if he could handle a phone call.
Somehow the closeness of a voice to the ear could be just as personal.
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Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:53 pm
Marc was leaving.
Why did that bother Hadrian so much? He should be glad, that they wouldn't have to see each other anymore. No little chances of seeing each other in the stairwell...
But it didn't make him happy. It just felt painful to know that Marc was leaving - because of him.
No...
Hadrian stifled the urge to ask him not to go. A little inner voice panicking, pleading with Marc to stay - but he wasn't going to do that. He and Marc weren't together anymore; what right did he have to interfere in Marc's life?
Even if he wanted to. Even if he still wanted to see him, still wanted the chance of occasionally running into him - it was something he dreaded and yearned for.
"...yes, I do."
Have the number, that is. But that was all he could say?
"I...I'll be sure to call."
If Haki needed Marc - he would. But somehow, he didn't think he'd ever get the nerve to call and invite her over anyway, for the chance of hearing Marc speak. Or maybe that was a reason all on it's own.
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