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 Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:35 pm
There was something almost nostalgic and homey about the library in the LOTUS headquarters. At least, for a certain Italian young woman.
The Library was a place unexplored for Moira, and she was reprimanding herself while roaming through the towering aisles of books upon bookshelves going as far up as the eye could go. So many books, and so little time. Despite the flirtatious bout she could throw herself into, reading was one of Moira's utmost favorite things to do.
She wandered into a section of the library plainly labeled as 'Fantasy', and her heart leaped into her throat. Oh, so many books, and SO little time! It didn't take long for the Italian to find a suitable book of fantastic venture, and soon afterward, she had found a comfortable little table with a lamp to curl up at. The seat was firm but not uncomfortable, and Moira lowered herself into it and pulled her legs up under her. Comfortable and content, she flicked on the lamp, and began to read.
Her mind only vaguely recalled her problems as she dipped into the world of Alice in Wonderland, and before she was utterly enthralled into the book, she stopped to think about the Irish man who had been eluding her thusfar. She'd find him inevitably, she had no doubts.
For now, however, she let her conscious mind follow after a twelve-year-old blond girl and a very late white rabbit down a tunnel.
((OOC: Yes, I totally used Alice in Wonderland. Everyone should love that book, ohyesohyes. Even if it's only for the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter.))
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:10 pm
Scrubbing a fair hand through his raven hair, Shane's bright blue eyes flicked side to side as he wandered through the halls. He missed the lasses he'd met previously at headquarters, one in particular, and though he dreaded the thought, he was headed to the one spot he figured he was sure to find her. He'd checked all the other places he could think of, but all had come to naught. Though he had to admit it was partially his fault he'd not run into the girls in such a long time, he'd also hoped that one of the might come looking for him. After all, it wasn't fair for the man to be doing all the chasing, now was it? Sighing as he trounced nearer to the destination he didn't really want to reach, he hoped that the girl he was looking for was there. If not, it had been a wasted trip and he was like as not going to bum around in his room and sulk a few days more if this endeavor failed.
Lightly opening the door of the library, Shane peeked his head in, to see if he could catch sight of her. Seeing nothing, he sighed before stepping in and gently shutting the door behind him. Stepping lightly through the aisles, he finally caught sight of his quarry, a smirk touching his lips as he pondered sneaking up behind her to surprise her, or merely doing something to announce his presence. Quickly concluding that it had been far too long to merely surprise her, Shane walked near to where she was reading her book before clearing his throat.
Lilting in his gentle voice, "Been a while, lass!" Pleased that he'd finally found someone he'd been sorry for not running into more often, Shane set himself down in the chair nearest to Moira, before smiling over at her. It really had been a while. Too long, in fact, in his opinion.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:17 pm
Moira mouthed the words as she read, readily translating it to Italian to understand the words better. English, she was fluent in, but it didn't necessarily mean she understood everything. Translating it, however, made the book all the more clearer. It was almost unfortunate when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her, she hadn't gotten very far into the book.
Of course, we did say 'almost', now didn't we? Moira's small expressionless mouth slowly curved up into a wide smile, and she closed the book, looking up at Shane. The Shane. Her Shane.
"It has." She agreed, turning to face him better and smiling. "Where have you been, Mr. Ireland?" She asked, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms, as if it were all his fault she'd been so lonely and detached for so long. Thinking on that, she uncrossed her arms, and grinned sheepishly. "'Course, I can't very well be asking that sort of question when I disappeared too, huh?" Moira leaned back, eying him. Still so easy on the eyes, aren't you, Shane? ..... Down, girl.
She blushed just a little, and reprimanded herself again for such thoughts. Bad, bad girl!
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:30 pm
Chuckling a little at the nickname, Shane's shoulders rose in a small shrug. Holding his hands palm out as he did so, as if to say, 'hey, its not my fault', his lips twisted into a familiar smirk. He wouldn't mind answering a question or two, but only if the lass returned the favor. In his mind, turn about was fair play, after all, and you oughtn't ask questions you were afraid to answer on your own.
Tilting his head just a little, his smirk widened the tiniest bit, "Oh, I don't know 'bout that, lass. If you answer the question, I just might be willing to answer it myself." Winking to show he was just teasing, his eyes showed otherwise. He was rather curious as to where she had gone - and why she hadn't come to find him. Mentally kicking himself for the fact that it stung that a lass he'd started to set his eyes on hadn't come looking for him, when he hadn't been a gentleman and done the same thing.
Laughing to himself, he crossed one leg over the other and folded his arms neatly in front of his chest as he leaned back against the comfortable chair. Smiling at the way the cushions seemed to encompass one's body, making you want to ooze into them, rather than sit on it.
In an attempt to show his good faith, he gave the tiniest of shrugs, "If ye must know, lass, I was in my room." It was a bit more cryptic than he might have intended and certainly paved the way for questioning, but perhaps if she saw him answer one, she'd be willing to give her own reasoning.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:37 pm
She grinned a little, and nodded a little, mouth dropping open a little in a silent 'Ohhh'. She rolled her eyes, smirking. "So that's how it is, then. Turn about'n all that?" She grinned, and leaned back into her chair, pulling her knee up to her chest. Which was possible to do, since she wasn't wearing her traditional italian garb.
Oh no, she'd opted for a pair of nice jeans and a regular ol' t-shirt. Muuuch comfier.
Moira watched him ooze back into the seat, and smiled a little, eyes drifting over him again. She did feel a smidgen guilty over not coming to see him once she'd come back from Italy, but... things had been on her mind. Especially after running into her old flame. That, however, was shoved as far from her mind as it could be the instant it dared to rear it's ugly head. Demons were better faced in the privacy of one's bedroom and not in front of a friend.
"Your room? Shane, that's very boring." She teased, smirking at him. "Unless, of course, you had a guest..." She let the question go unasked, and instead opted to divulge her whereabouts. It was only fair, after all. "I'd gone home for a spell." She said, shrugging both shoulders at him quietly. "Mamma was sick, and... I missed them. So I went to see them for a bit."
And then, just for a brief instant, a bit of sadness flashed across her face. Closely following that little sadness was a coy smirk. "So, have you missed me, Shane?" She couldn't resist.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:51 pm
Grinning openly at the game of answering a question in return for having one of your own answered, he gave a small nod. "But of course, you wouldn't want to play unfairly now, would you?" His eyes taking in the lass' choice of outfit, Shane silently approved. While her traditional and bright get up was cute on her, she looked so much more relaxed in this outfit. Shaking his head slightly to stop his mind from roving over how she looked, he focused his bright eyes on Moira's.
Keep your eyes on hers, boyo. The way to get a girl isn't to stare so obviously.
Throwing his hands up in the air and affecting an injured air, Shane sighed dramatically, "Aye, lass, I'm a boring man. What can I say?" Cocking his head to one side at her addendum, he frowned slightly in thought. Was it him, or did she sound as if that was a question she'd rather not hear answered if it included a 'yes'? Did it bother her that he might have had another girl? Secretly thrilled at this idea, Shane found himself smirking. Shaking his head, he threw aside the playful, dramatic air to be serious for a short while.
"No, lass. There was no guest. Not unless you count a pad and pen."
Frowning at the sorrow that seemed to flash across Moira's face, Shane found himself wanting to hold and comfort the girl. Not that he was sure she needed the comforting, but it sounded as if her return home hadn't fared as well as she had hoped. Unsure if he should ask or not, he chose instead to answer her teasing.
Chuckling, he rolled his eyes, "Aye, lass. That I did." Smiling playfully, he raised an eyebrow of his own, "And did you miss me, then?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:00 pm
Her eyes were wide and dancing; oh yeah, she caught him looking. Was that necessarily bad? Nah. She dressed to impress, after all! Mostly. ... Sorta. ... If impressing meant only dressing to impress a certain person... Moving on.
Moira grinned at his dramatic outburst, and she couldn't help the little rise in her chest when he had assured her that no, there were no guests in his room. She felt the odd swell of smugness and relief, and immediately reprimanded herself. She was good at that.
Now really, Moi, don't be selfish. She scolded herself. If he had a guest, it's no business of yours.
Moira's grin returned, even wider, when Shane admitted to missing her. And if she was even remotely close to herself, she'd have probably hugged him for it because of how it made her feel. However, she just smirked coyly at him, and crossed her arms. Moi turned her nose up, and in a haughty and overly dramatic tone...
"No, I didn't miss you one bit."
One eye peeked open to see his reaction, and then she grinned slowly, coming down from her haughty performance. "Of course I missed you, Shane." She amended, grinning at him. "I thought of you every day I was away."
And Mamma and Papa both expect me t'bring you home sooner rather than later. She thought sheepishly. Of course she gushed to the parents.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:22 pm
An eyebrow arching slowly as Shane caught sight of how pleased Moira's eyes looked, he vaguely wondered just what had her so pleased. He didn't think he'd said anything to make her eyes dance like that. Unless she actually was interested? Pleased at the thought, Shane forced his attention back to the girl in front of him, and not wishful thinking.
Grinning at the dramatic play, Shane went along with her, forcing a pout onto his lips and looking, for all he was worth, like a sad little puppy. Though he had to admit, he wasn't even entirely sure that she had missed him, and if she was just playing him...A quiet, small sigh of relief escaped from between his lips as the performance was dropped and she admitted to missing him. His eyebrow once more turning to its raised position as she mentioned missing him every day. That was a bit of a surprise.
Maybe she really is interested, then. But we're only just getting re-acquainted. I shouldn't be trying for anything more. Yet...
Again, resisting the urge to want to hug Moira, he thought back over her sad look earlier and found himself intrigued.
"If you don't mind my asking, Moi, how was your trip back home?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:29 pm
She blinked at the question, and her shoulders slumped a little. Then she smiled and shrugged again, leaning back into the cushions of the chair and hugging her knee to her. "It was as well as can be expected." She said, looking away thoughtfully.
"Mamma got better after a couple days of rest." She said, obviously not thinking about her mother by the look of seriousness on her face. "And Papa took me into the city to see the shops and visit with old friends." She looked at him and smiled. "So I got to see the old gang again." Moira smiled so naturally it was almost hard to tell it was fake. Of course, her lip quirked just a little when she mentioned 'the old gang'. Had he noticed? She hoped not.
"Then I came back here, and... hung around my room for a week or so." More than a week, y'liar. Moira made a face at her conscience's retort, and snorted a little at herself. "Then I started comin' out, an' here we are." She grinned at him again.
Now it was her turn to ask questions. "So what had you locked up in your room so long, Shane?" She asked, frowning at him. "Somethin' the matter?" Aww, look at that, she looked outright concerned for him!
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:22 am
Cocking his head to the side as Moira's shoulders slumped, confused as she looked away, and didn't seem so happy that her mother was all right. He would have thought there'd have been glee or at least genuine happiness on her face. Yet she seemed so...glum. Deciding not to press the issue, Shane turned his thoughts back to what she was saying, and not random musings.
Smiling, he settled on the always appropriate, but non committal, "I'm glad your mom got better, Moira." Frowning for just a moment as he thought he saw her lip twitch, he shook his head. Must have been his imagination. Though she still didn't look entirely pleased at having run into the old gang. Shane's mind worked away at the possibilities. Was she lying? Perhaps she'd ran into an old friend and had a fight. Or mayhap there was something a little more intimate that had happened back in Italy?
Mentally kicking himself for the thought - and for the jealousy it stirred in him, Shane shrugged at her question. He hadn't done much in there, truth be told, and he didn't want to bore the lass with his quibbles. Turning on his best smile, he chuckled, "Not much, I'm afraid. Fight with the lasses in the kitchen, working on music, that sort of thing." Nearly biting his lower lip as she asked if something was wrong, he wanted to say he'd missed her sorely. Had spent time looking for her while she was gone, but hadn't really wanted to admit that he had missed her as much as he had. And he certainly didn't want to admit that his disappearance had been timed right around Halloween. When they were all traveling to Ireland. He simply hadn't wanted to go home, and locking himself away had seemed the easiest way to avoid questions.
With a small smile, Shane shook his head, genuinely happy to be around Moira once more, "Nay, lass, nothing's the matter."
At least, not for the moment.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:29 am
She grinned a little at Shane's recollection, and shook his head. "Fightin' with lasses, are you?" She reached over, poking him in the chest in a showy gesture. "That's not very gentlemanly at all, now is it, Shane." She smirked and leaned back. "Have you written anything new?" She asked, tilting her head to one side when he mentioned his music. Eventually, she planned on cornering him so she could hear something. Oh yes. She'd corner him, and--
Bad thoughts!
Color flared to her cheeks for the second time, and she rubbed her face, sheepishly. Then she grinned, and nodded. "I'm glad." She smirked a little, then looked around. "Y'know, I don't peg you to be the type to read much..." She mused, looking around slowly and then looking at him.
"So what brought you to the library, of all places?" She leaned back, smirking slowly. Had it been li'l ol' her? And like a schoolgirl, she could feel a little bit of giddy anticipation build up. Dio, I'm acting like 'm thirteen. Moi, keep your head on straight! She reached up and pulled her hair over her shoulder, playing with it since, wonders of wonders, she didn't have her deck of cards on her.
Definitely a sure sign of nerves, but... Moira'd play it off. She was suave like that.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:53 am
Shrugging and putting on an indignant air, Shane rolled his eyes, muttering in a playfully, and false angry voice, "'s not my fault those lasses don't know how to cook properly!" Well, perhaps it wasn't so much they couldn't cook proper, but that they didn't cook to his tastes properly. He knew how to cook and was quite picky about how things were done. After all, if you were going to do something, you might as well do it right.
Shrugging as he returned to his usual, more suave persona, he sighed. That was one thing that had truly frustrated him. He hadn't come up with anything new yet. It was as if his muse had fled his side. Shaking his head sullenly, he muttered, "Haven't come up with anything new, 'm afraid." Not that he hadn't tried. Reflecting over the masses of paper he had thrown angrily at the wall after balling it up from failed attempt after failed attempt. He had tried very hard to come up with something new - but he only ever drew blanks.
An eyebrow aching almost regally at the way Moi blushed, Shane's lips twitched into a smirk. "That color looks cute on you, lass." Grinning to show he was just teasing, though he did happen to think it was cute how she blushed. Coughing lightly as she asked what he was doing in the library, Shane felt a slight warmth rise to his own cheeks. He'd come to look for her, but he couldn't quite admit to that, now could he?
Glancing around, he airily raised one hand in a waving gesture at the books, "I came to look for my muse." Smiling teasingly, he added with a wink, "Have you seen her, by chance?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:08 am
She blinked at his playfully indignant air, and covered her mouth, laughing behind it at his proclamation. "So if we're ever marooned on an Island, we'll have to depend on you for food, huh?" She asked, eyes dancing. Not that that'd be necessarily bad, since Moi herself couldn't cook to save her life. Honestly, if it wasn't for her Mamma...
She tried, though! That's what counted. Even if it meant her parents went through dinner with the most serious face so they didn't gag, she tried.
Moira frowned again when he replied that he hadn't written anything new, and scooted closer to him, thoughtfully. "Nothin', huh?" She frowned, tilting her head curiously. "Not even a ditty?" She leaned back, and looked up at the ceiling, 'hmm'ing. She looked back at him as he gestured to the books, and that coy smirk was back again to play. "I don't know, what does this muse of yours look like?" She asked, olive eyes dancing all over again.
When it came down to it, this was like a game of cat and mouse. Baiting and flirting and all that, and really (frustratingly so) she had no idea if he was attracted. He gave hints, but that could very well be his personality, not necessarily attraction. Because of that, she was careful about being easy to read when it came to Shane.
Of course, when moments like her blushing at him and acting like a coy little teenager came around, there wasn't much she could do there, now could she?
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:23 am
Chuckling, Shane grinned, "I imagine so." A girl who couldn't cook it seemed, teaching her how would be a fun experience. He was quite tempted to make the offer, in fact, but wasn't quite sure how she'd take it. After all, cooking with someone could be an intimate experience. The kitchen sometimes offered close quarters...
No, Shane. You can't be thinking things like that. You don't even know if the lass likes you!
Sighing with frustration evident, Shane gave a short jerk of a nod. "Absolutely nothing." It was really quite aggravating how nothing he wrote seemed to make sense or even sound all right anymore. The timing of his lost muse with Moira's disappearance was a coincidence that had started to poke at him lately. An easy grin returning to his face as Moira played along, he thoughtfully tapped at his chin. Watching her eyes dance about was like getting lost in something wonderful. She was just so...animated! It was nice to see a lass with a bit of life in her.
Easing his face into one of dark seriousness, he gave a small, grave nod of his head. "Mayhap I do." A smile twitching at the corners of his lips, Shane watched Moira's face closely. Sitting here with her, it was like his muse had returned. Not that he'd admit to it. Not yet.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:31 am
"Mayhaps you do." She mimicked, leaning back and crossing her arms, grinning wide. "Well, what does she look like?" She got up, grinning. "Maybe we'll find her in here hiding out with these big books. Y'know, the ones I can't ever see you reading?"
And to emphasize just how big... She picked up the thinnest book in sight, and grinned impishly at him. Oh yeah, she went there. She put the book down next to Alice in Wonderland, and took a couple steps away from him, then rounded back and put her hands on her hips.
"C'mon. Let's see if we can find your Muse." She grinned, and held out a hand to him. Was she about to drag him through the library looking for a muse?
... You better believe it, buster!
And the impatient Italian didn't even wait for him to put his hand in hers compliantly. She grabbed both of his hands, and pulled on him to get him up. A scavenger hunt for a non-existant muse. Nice. And if it happened to offer a chance to get into close quarters with a certain attractive Irishman... well...
Who was Moira to compromise helping a friend in need just because of some small little thing like that?
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