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 Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:10 pm
Ignoring her brother for the moment, she settled on observing the little puffs of air that came from her mouth at every exhalation. She would breathe a little faster, emitting more puffs, and then hold her breath, so that there was no tangible evidence of her presence hanging in the air. The air was accompanied by a light bite, so she had dressed for the occasion, layering herself in sweaters and a jacket, a soft pashmina scarf wrapped around her neck and hiding half of her face.
"Wraith! Come on! I checked the pond already; it's frozen almost straight through." She put a gloved hand on the black wool of his jacket, longer than hers, and tugged. He was immovable. She resorted to the pout.
Wraith sighed. At least it would give him some practice. Although when he would ever need to utilize ice skating skills he didn't know. But her face was glowing; she looked happy, and he couldn't help but smile a little as Shee dragged him onto the perfectly smooth, unmarred surface of the frozen pond.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:31 pm
Adjusting buttons on a heavy, mid thigh length coat wasn't easy with gloves on, but Lai managed all the same. It just took a bit longer than it would if he had dared take off the black wool gloves that were currently keeping the tips of his fingers from freezing first. Last thing he put on his person as he stepped into the snow was a fur lined hat that went down over his ears as he tugged it into place. He was so glad he had written that note to his aunt, the winter clothes had really come in handy.
He could hear voices from down the shoveled path that led to the pond, and figured people must have already convened onto the ice. Lai stepped out of the frozen water crystals and onto said path, just giving himself a once over to make sure he was completely covered. Despite being from Russia, he did not have a high tolerance to cold and would get as such quite easily. Lai tightened the green knit scarf around his neck, pressed his hat down farther, tugged each glove a couple of times, and made sure his pants, over a pair of long johns, were securely tucked into the tops of his black boots. He had no skates (forgot to add those to the list) but he could enjoy the frozen pond all the same.
"There, all set." He breathed in the cold air, released a vapor cloud, and started to walk down to the pond.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:41 pm
Einar actually had very little to wear in the means of winter clothing, what with him not getting anything from home since no one really knew where he was and his parents assumed he was off doing his part for his Country, so he simply put on what he thought would keep him warm this time of year.
The wool underpants the army assigned to all those who entered in where quickly covered by two sweaters and a pair of thick pants, followed by thicker socks (army issue there too) and some heavy boots that were commonly used for their marches, not the Death Patrol. They were waterproof enough that any snow shouldn't freeze his feet, but light enough that he could still get some cool air in there and they wouldn't sweat like stuck piglets.
He only had his pink uniform ribbon but he made due without a scarf for now, thanking the high neck of one of his sweaters that it covered so well, and before he headed out the door he grabbed ear muffs (issue as well, with cute little Norway flags on either muff) and slapped them on over his ears. Lai had probably gone on ahead so he'd have to hustle to catch up, which he did, and when the older Russian came into the younger Norwegian's sight his face broke into a happy smile.
"Oi, Lai!"
He waved his arm as he picked into a small run to catch up, eager to be by his beloved's side.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:42 pm
Asmadai had already been outside, sitting in the snow and reading. His room sometimes got much too hot, and such had been the case that chased him outside; still he had bundled up, wearing two pairs of gloves to keep his hands from catching frostbite and falling off. (Intellectually, he knew this wasn't likely. It wasn't that cold. But subconsciously he was convinced that this was going to happen.)
It was a bit late that he remembered that there was something going on at one of the larger ponds. Ice-skating, or something. He'd never been skating, really, Italy being Italy, but it would be something more interesting than reading the book in his hands a third time that day.
Well. Unless roller-blading counted. He doubted it, though, but still he turned his trek towards the pond. It was gratifying to see the Sian siblings walking that way as well, and he nodded as he caught sight of them. "Good afternoon," he called to them. He thought he could see Lai over that way as well...
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:25 pm
A sigh escaped passed Del's lips as it appeared into a white vapor in front of her face. It was so utterly cold and this was a first for Del. Mongolia did obtain bitter winters, but not as cold as it appeared here. Which actually lead to the fact she did not have anything to protect herself from the nippiness. After some long thinking (which was only about three minutes), Del went out into the cold weather with a large quilt wrapped around her. Not the most efficient of methods of protecting one's self from the cold, but she wanted to join the others.
Crunching her way through the snow, Del picked up the loose ends of the quilt from behind her as she walked. She didn't want it to drag in the snow. As the blanketed Del moved through the snow, she paused to search amongst the area. Others had seemed to have reached there before her and this made her smile. At least the people presented a relaxing and friendly atmosphere.
A chill ran through Del as she walked onwards some more and stared at the water. The water was hard? Del didn't know whether to feel distressed or excited at the sight. If the water was hard, how did it have a use? Than again, how did it get hard in the first place? Shaking her head of her thoughts, Del walked once again over to the pond. She squatted down to get a better view of the frozen mass of water before prodding it lightly with her fingernail. She still pondered on the fact of how the water was hard, but seeing as the blanket she had thrown over herself was in the snow, she picked herself up.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:27 pm
From the path Lai could see snatches of the pond between the snow covered trees that lined and surrounded it. He kept at a steady pace, not wanting to slip, and could hear and see people already on the ice. Two so far from what he could see, though there appeared to be another person nearby, but not skating just yet. The Russian was about to start walking again when a familiar and most welcome voice calling from behind him made him turn around.
"Einar!" Lai waved back to the blond, who looked extremely gleeful as he bounded down to the dark haired man already on the path. He laughed a bit as some snow was kicked up and he was sprayed with it, embracing the younger man when he was within reach. "Good afternoon," Einar's smile was infectious and the Russian found himself smiling as well, his cheeks turning faintly red at being surprised by and with his love. "You look extremely happy today Einar."
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:27 pm
Shee waved madly at the priest who, she noted with satisfaction, also seemed to be walking towards the pond. "Hello Asmadai!" She put a gloved hand to her mouth immediately and turned to Wraith, who was standing idly beside her, looking worried.
"Was I supposed to call him Father? I'm not sure about their rules... is it OK to just call him by his name? He won't be mad, will he?" She was apprehensive after their last meeting. He hadn't been very happy with her casual attitude in Japan, and she didn't want to make another mistake so soon. Her worry was edged with the guilt of not having visited the shrine for a few days; it had been a busy week, a flurry of meetings befalling them all as soon as Midori, Thasios and Eknephias had set foot in the Himalayas. Her religious side was bothering her.
Wraith waved dismissively. "Why do you care? He has to listen to you anyways." He gave the priest his own small wave. He was more concerned with the bulky shape that was hovering on the edge of the ice. He felt disappointment for a fleeting moment before he realized that it was not Estrelas.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:35 pm
"Why did I come out here.. ?" Alberto had to ask himself that question as he scanned the snow-covered gardens. His pants were beginning to soak through as he tromped into the snow, the one saving grace being the boots he had kept with him from his days with the guerilla forces. He rubbed his arms fiercely and let vapor trail from his lips. The bandana he normally wore was tied differently today in some semblance of a scarf - at least his neck was warm.
Snow was definitely new to him. He'd only seen it in books before and to think that this substance was so miserable to walk through...
So that was why he had come out here again. He quietly cursed his curiosity but perked up as he approached the lake. It was frozen over and a number of people had begun to venture out onto it. Skating, was it? He'd seen that in books as well, not to mention the American soldiers would talk about it while they tried to escape the humid Nicaraguan air. He would have to try that someday.. when he procured skates, that is.
The muddle of voices reached his ears and drowned out his crunching steps. There was quite a collection present already, but what had drawn his interest the most was the sight of a young woman crouched by the lake side cautiously, her hand extending towards the surface.
.. Hello. His eyebrows arched as she stood up, and the familiar flutter rose in his heart as she did so. He had such a weakness for women. Alberto's feet carried him towards her, and he readjusted his positioning as he went - straightening his clothes, moving his hands casually to his pockets, and donning an aloof air to him. Another breath escaped his lips and as his eyes trailed up to watch it unfold in the air, he took another sharp inhalation. He joined her by the lakeside and stood a few feet away. Best to maintain distance until they became more friendly after all.
What was that phrase? "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".. ? Well, here was his first step.
"Amazing, isn't it?" It was a start.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:55 pm
Del blinked as she heard an unfamiliar voice speak. Turning her head slightly to the side, she noticed a male was standing beside her, though there was obvious distance between her and him. Her first impression of the male was that he was just like a cat. He randomly sneaked up on her and she didn't even know he was there. Del smiled to herself as she nodded. People at LOTUS were quite friendly. She fixed the overlapping blanket away from her face so her voice didn't sound muffled. "Yes, yes." Del answered as she turned her head back to the frozen water.
Questions bubbled up inside her as she stared at the lake. She really wanted to know why the water was hard. Heck, it was really bothering her. Seeing as though there was someone near, she turned towards him. Tilting her head to the side, she spouted, "What makes water hard?" Snow encircled the top of her head and landed lightly upon the blanket that concealed it. As the snow melted into the blanket's fibers, Del chilled again. Maybe it would have been much more efficient to stay inside?
However, the little man in Del's mind shook his head. She could not leave yet, not if she hadn't received an answer for her curiosity.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:16 pm
Einar loved the smell of Lai in the winter, mostly the heat that came off the other man's body and the smell of his clothing, so a hug was something of a treat to him. When the Russian greeted him with one he eagerly returned it before letting the other go, keeping one of his hands inside his own like it was hard to really part.
"It's a nice day outside, and we're all going skating or something. I've never skated before since people always said having one eye meant poor balance and depth perception, so since I'm older I thought I'd give it a try. I'm sure there will be others out there making fools of themselves too so I won't be the only one looking like an a** as they slip and slide."
The thoughts of watching the higher up in LOTUS tumble around did give him a rather happy grin, though spending time with Lai now was what kept him going. He knew their time together would probably be brief from here on out, so this was precious. Very precious.
"It looks like some people have beaten us to the edge. Did you bring any skates with you or anything so you can try, or are we both going to have to wing it?"
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:21 pm
Alberto cocked his head lightly at the young woman, and found a smile tugging at his lips. The question was so .. honest and innocent that it almost threw him for a loop. Either way, he concealed it well as she addressed him, and the fact that she did not move away gave him the impression that it was safe to move closer.
".. Not sure, really." He remembered some mumbo-jumbo that had been spouted at him during school, but he wasn't much of a scientist. "Somethin' about molecules." That was the only word about it he remembered - one of his more intelligent companions had told him about it during his days among the Americans, and he'd run across it once or twice in books while he was here but hadn't bothered to pursue it much. "When it gets cold, they can't move around so they lock together.. or somethin' like that." He grinned good-naturedly at her, realizing how awkward his answer probably sounded.
He really hadn't flirted in a while, but the fact that he may or may not have been a bit rusty breezed past him as he eyed the lake himself. Seeing somebody else so curious about it made him a little curious as well.. perhaps he should look into it later. Didn't hurt to know and be better prepared for the same question should he encounter it again.
Alberto caught sight of her face as she watched the lake, holding the blanket close to her. He found her interest in the lake rather cute.
Was that a shiver he saw?
"I take it you don't have anything for this weather either?" He flashed her a small smile as he finally came closer. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one caught off guard by the snow.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:39 pm
Del blinked again as she noticed that the male had moved closer. Really now. Normally, Del would have grown weary if someone had approached so openly. But she wasn't, he was just being friendly right? Hearing the mass explanation of molecules and them locking together just puzzled Del more. That is what occurs when one is from the early years of time.
Del's finalized thought came out as much more childish than her question on how the process worked. "They hug together?" Del questioned, quite oblivious to any romantic intent the male had upon her. Science was such a confusing thing for poor Delgerdzaya. But having a discussion with someone certainly was fun. Shaking her head, Del turned her gaze towards the male once more. "No, not at all." she said. "Not fond of coldness, not at all. But outside look pretty with this kind of weather."
Del's English has increased slightly with her study alone lessons, she didn't miss as much words as she did when she started her self-training. Speaking of missing, learning the other's name seemed to be at miss. "Um, what is your name?" she asked, trying to present herself as being as kind as possible. Her cheeks had risen to become red due to the coldness. It shown quite fairly upon her tanned skin.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:40 pm
He smiled at her enthusiasm. It was good to see that someone was having fun in the frozen North. (Certainly it would be unkind if he were to get irritated over her not using his proper title. Since she wasn't Catholic, the word didn't really matter, anyway. Nor was he particularly feeling quite attached to it at the moment.)
Asmadai stopped right on the edge. Sure, ice had frozen over during the winter in Italy. They hadn't been so far south... But it had never been thick enough to skate or slide on. Certainly not thick enough for someone of his height and weight to stand on! And yet, it looked secure enough here.
Perhaps he would wait for someone else to get on the ice first...
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:13 am
Oh good. He didn't seem upset in the least. Contrarily, he'd smiled at her; that was a good sign. She slid onto the ice, new white skates firmly in place, and skated over to where Asmadai was hesitantly hanging on to the snow laden edges of the pond. At once, the issue of proper religious titles was forgotten.
"Asmadai!" She pulled down her scarf a little so that she could speak a little more clearly. As it was, "Asmadai" had sounded nothing at all like it was supposed to. "Don't you want to skate?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:19 am
"I don't know how," he said dryly (nothing like his socks, he noted somewhat sadly, which were quite wet all the way through.) "Nor do I have the proper footwear. You look quite graceful, though." It was the kind of thoughtless compliment he gave out when his mind was occupied with other things. For one thing, what would happen if...
Never mind. Not worth wondering about. "I suppose, it being so cold up here as it is-" well that was a roundabout way to phrase it "-you've skated quite often?"
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